Nicolas Sarkozy, whilest still president had promissed that the French part of the coalition troops in Afghanistan would leave by 2012.
Since the year is coming to an end and the exit of french troops has started in march, the war for the French seem to come to an end.

If my memory is right, France is the second major nation to leave Afghanistan after the Dutch (in 2010).

The war was deeply unpopular in France with polls showing 61% percent of the french population being against it.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internation...fghanistan
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep...collapsing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internation...ance_Force
http://news.yahoo.com/200-french-troops-...37727.html
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-n...n-hollande


Personaly, I see the war as lost. And it`s consequences as damaging for the participants.

Had Iraq not happened, Iraq would have no Taliban left.

Thanks Dubya.

(November 20, 2012 at 2:42 am)The_Germans_are_coming Wrote: If my memory is right, France is the second major nation to leave Afghanistan after the Dutch (in 2010).

Yeah, yeah ... i know .. we just don't like war ... and they used to grow some kick ass hash over there *sigh*

We (Americans) should pull out of Afghanistan too. Are things going to be any different there two years from now?? I don't really think so. But look how long it took us to finally leave Vietnam... Damn, we never learn. Nation building is not a military project. This time around the mainstream of America is almost completely cut off from what are troops are actually doing in Afghanistan. I hate to say it, but maybe we should reconsider the Draft... At least then our military forces would be a better representation of the American population, and maybe, just maybe we'd think before deploying. We're too trigger happy about using military force.

(November 20, 2012 at 8:33 am)festive1 Wrote: This time around the mainstream of America is almost completely cut off from what are troops are actually doing in Afghanistan.

Really ?

(November 20, 2012 at 8:33 am)festive1 Wrote: I hate to say it, but maybe we should reconsider the Draft... At least then our military forces would be a better representation of the American population, and maybe, just maybe we'd think before deploying. We're too trigger happy about using military force.

Uh, both dick Cheney and don Rumsfeld dodged the draft with "I am rich and full of shit" exemptions. Dubya served in the air national guard, went AWOL and was never prosecuted.

(November 20, 2012 at 2:42 am)The_Germans_are_coming Wrote: Nicolas Sarkozy, whilest still president had promissed that the French part of the coalition troops in Afghanistan would leave by 2012.

where?

(November 20, 2012 at 8:40 am)Kousbroek Wrote:

(November 20, 2012 at 8:33 am)festive1 Wrote: This time around the mainstream of America is almost completely cut off from what are troops are actually doing in Afghanistan.

Really ?

Pretty much. Military families, at least the ones I know, are a tight knit community in and of themselves. They're a subculture. I'd wager the average American doesn't know someone in uniform. We get some people joining the military out of a sense of patriotism or desire, but a lot simply don't have other options. The military provides them with training and will pay for college once your service time is up. This is my perspective, I don't have figures to back it up.

---

(November 20, 2012 at 11:29 am)Chuck Wrote:

(November 20, 2012 at 8:33 am)festive1 Wrote: I hate to say it, but maybe we should reconsider the Draft... At least then our military forces would be a better representation of the American population, and maybe, just maybe we'd think before deploying. We're too trigger happy about using military force.

Uh, both dick Cheney and don Rumsfeld dodged the draft with "I am rich and full of shit" exemptions. Dubya served in the air national guard, went AWOL and was never prosecuted.

Well how do other countries ensure military service (I'm thinking countries with mandatory military service, like the Swiss or Israel-perhaps Israel is a bad example at the present time)? If the Draft came back, the loopholes for the wealthy would have to be closed. I can't imagine Congress being too excited to send in our troops if a few of their kids would be put in harms' way.
Think of it this way: If there was a mandatory draft, without exemption, would Congress have ever decided to invade Iraq based on the evidence we had at the time? I don't think so.

(November 20, 2012 at 11:36 am)festive1 Wrote:

(November 20, 2012 at 8:40 am)Kousbroek Wrote: Really ?

Pretty much. Military families, at least the ones I know, are a tight knit community in and of themselves. They're a subculture. I'd wager the average American doesn't know someone in uniform. We get some people joining the military out of a sense of patriotism or desire, but a lot simply don't have other options. The military provides them with training and will pay for college once your service time is up. This is my perspective, I don't have figures to back it up.

Yes i know, when i was drafted back in the 80's i talked to quite a few GI's, most of them inner city black boys, and just about all of them told me that their main motivation to join was getting a job and an education.

But to get back to your post "This time around the mainstream of America is almost completely cut off from what are troops are actually doing in Afghanistan."
That kinda gave me the notion that your media isn't doing it's job.

The media is constantly telling us who Kim Kardashian is blowing, man. That is their job. To distract the bulk of the population from the fucking they are getting by the Upper 1% - which includes war profiteers.