More troops to Afghanistan?

[anotheoldgit]

Barack Obama says "Britain should send more troops into Afghanistan.

Do you agree with him?

[keyplus90]

I do.

[Gromit]

I don't.

Al Queda cannot be defeated in a conventional war such as this. They are not a conventional army and they do not play by the rules. The more of them you kill, the more you recruit, because they are fighting an ideological battle.

Far from making us safer, our involvement makes us more of a target. in the day after our death toll in the two wars has reached 300, it is an insult to ask us to supply more men for the slaughter.

[ll_billym]

Obama didn't say that so I have nothing to agree with him on.

As for whether we should send more troops I think that if a decision is taken that the US and other NATO countries will send more troops then we should do also.

[Gromit]

ll_billym

You are correct, Obama has not yet asked for more British troops, but he is expected to request it when he takes office. His policy is to get out of Iraq and concentrate on Afghanistan.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/ont hefrontline/3456555/Afghanistan-war-2000-more- British-troops-next-year.html

[Gromit]

From the above link

Mr Obama has said the US will commit at least two more American brigades - roughly 8,000 troops.

[R1Geezer]

Obama is a saint sent to save us, he could not possibly be wrong, he must be obeyed

[youngmafbog]

although a great tradegy to the families involved 300 over that time period is hardly a slaughter. Even now being in the forces is not the most dangerous job.

Really Gromit you should work for the Daily Mail with claims like that, you'd slot in great.

[Gromit]

youngmafbog

So which professions have seen more than 300 (British) deaths in the last 6 years?

I am sorry to take their sacrifice so lightly.

[R1Geezer]

"What a US President says does not always ring true....."

Steve.5, Wash your mouth out with soap or you'll have a thousand beardy weirdies nailing your ear lobes to the wall. St Obama is the force of blinding light sent to save us from the Evil Dubya and all those nasty right wingers. How could you doubt his sincerity. Even the Geezer woudln't do that!

[anotheoldgit]

keyplus90

A poll this week found that almost 70 per cent of the public favoured bringing British troops home.

You must be in the minority once again.

Interesting though, is it because the great God Obama is about to request it, if so will you be making a Beeline down to the Recruiting Office?

[Gromit]

Zacsmaster

No it wasn't

The ICM poll of 1,013 people, carried out for a BBC Radio 4 discussion, found that 68 per cent overall believe that UK troops should withdraw within 12 months.
Among men the figure was 59 per cent while 75 per cent of women agreed with the statement.

[Gromit]

Yeah, but me and AOG are on the same side for once. A very rare occurrence indeed.

[jno]

the British only like fighting wars when they think they're going to win. An understandable emotion, though perhaps it's just as well our grandparents didn't feel the same. We're not under attack from Afghanistan, but in effect the Americans were and so you can hardly blame them for wanting to carry on untl the end. But I fear Obama's missed the boat. Bush could have won in Afghanistan; he blew it by rushing off to Iraq instead of finishing the job. As with much else about America, Obama is left with a huge mess to try to clear up, and I wish him well. Interesting that the rabid right are already spitting at him, two months before he even takes on the job, but remaining silent about the man currently holding the position.

[keyplus90]

No I am not in the minority. I have always said that these are not winnable wars and a time will definitely come when Taliban will be onboard again. Because British people did work out when they ruled India. But Americans are adamant not to accept that in Afghanistan and Pakistani Tribal areas, people�s mentality is different. You kill one, ten more will come and stand there. But because I am from Pakistan and then of course Muslim (which is not well acceptable on this site) then people always take me wrong as they base it on who is saying and not on what is he saying. Why I am saying I do agree now;

Well I would like Obama to have a go as well because last thing people want is that Oh had we taken such and such action, we would have won the war. So I do not want any untried desires. That is the reason I am saying, Oh yes why not. So its what they call tongue in cheek expression, is it?

[rov1200]

I preferred the 500lb bombs then no soldiers get killed.