Keep US Troops in Afghanistan. Yey or Nay? Why?
820532
Yes. I think we're still needed there.
805586
There aren't car bombs going off and US servicemen paying the ultimate sacrifice every day in Afghanistan. Bad news sells. Plus, even the liberal media knows Afghanistan was necessary, they just don't see Iraq in the same light.
1078017
IT's better for trained officials to be under attack and able to fight back then for American civilians to be attacked in our own country and be completely defensless. I don't want our troops to be dead or in danger, but they are protecting this country. Think about that before you try to debate. Eventually, Iraq will become stable!! They will....but only once we rid them of the people who are against a stable goverment. They need help and it's not all about helping them either. On Semptember 11, so many Americans died because a few idiots decided to hurt us. We are just paying them back the favor. You have a good point but think about reasons why we should be there too
256815
Unfinished business. We should never have just pulled out after the Soviet defeat in the 80s. By allowing a political vacuum to occur and recognizing the Taliban as we did, we faced the consequences on 9/11 when OBL was able to operate from there with the Afghanistani government's permission.\n\nAs soon as the US leaves it will go back to poppies, drug smuggling and war lords.\n\nIn short it is in our strategic best interest to be there - unlike that quagmire in Iraq.
670487
It would be a lot easier if we stay and fight only in Afghanistan in the beginning. We would concentrate catching the bad guys there. There would have been less casualties of our men. The world was supporting us of the war. Everything changed when we invaded Iraq. Now, the world hate us. The war is long and it is another Vietnam. Our men are getting killed everyday. 9/11 is forgotten. The polls of supporting Bush is down in the all time low. We seem to lost interests with the war and fighting terrorism. Life goes on. This is America.
1178465
From one who was there, and lost all his men, and lived to tell, you are very welcome. I was in Afghanistan in 2002. 19 yrs old. We had and are still having a hell of a time over there. We(the armed forces) need all the support we can get. On another note though, If I had the choice to go and fight knowing what would happen all over again, I would go in a heart beat. No thanks necceccary. We are just doing our job. (Semper Fi!)
973857
Possibly.......  the US already has a very large airbase in Saudi Arabia and troops stationed in Kuwait in smaller bases.  Potentially, the US may keep a base in a friendly area of Iraq potentially not in the contorversial areas like the Sunni triangle. (Possibly in the North).  Potentially, the British may maintain a presence in the Basra area to protect the exportation of oil  \n\nRegardless, this question is probably unanswerable at this time based on the current situation.  If troop numbers are declined soon, it is more unlikely that permanent bases will be established.
263704
Currently, there are about 20,000 American troops in Afghanistan at any one time. This number fluctuates on a daily basis as new troops arrive in country and other troops finish their tours and head home.\n\nThere is a plan in place to reduce the number to about 16,000 American troops by bringing in troops from other NATO countries. Hopefully, this will happen sometime this spring.
762111
I believe our troops are performing their mission well they are securing the streets while providing humanitarian aide.  I am not sure if I agree with the mission.  I think that we are in a position much like Vietnam where are troops are not being allowed to win the war. I understand that we don't want to be inhumane but this is a war we are fighting - let them do whatever is necessary to win so they can come home.
295053
No, the drawdown of US troop levels in Afganistan is not and does not look like a withdrawal.  At the same time, our allies around the world are getting more involved in Afganistan as they should have long ago.  As their troop levels increase we are able to reduce US strengths in certain areas.  We are still committed to supporting the developing democracy with whatever forces are needed.
520230
What a load of old nonsense. The British Army is one of the smallest in the world and they consistently perform magnificently.\n\nYou are correct, we are not gung ho but that doesnt have much to do with being very very good.\n\nThe province you refer to is Helmand not Kelmand, and it is very dangerous but our guys will be up to the job don't you worry.\n\nAs for being beaten 100 years ago by the Afghans I don't really see how that is relevant as I don't belive that we are going to send any 100 year old soldiers over there.\n\nAnd by the way, when the Taleban revolted in that prison in Mazar Al Sarif and took the CIA guys hostage it was 6 British SBS special forces soldiers who led the force which defeated over 600 of them.\n\nWe kicked ass in the Falklands, Malaya, Borneo, Oman, Kosovo, Gulf War one (where most of our casualties came as a result of friendly fire from the U.S air force), Sierra Leone etc etc and with the exception of the gulf wars we did it alone and outgunned.
720684
I have served in the Marine Corps through both afghanistan and iraq. I will tell you honestly, We had to go there. We had to fight. There are two points that the military is instructed to carry out 1)Defend the Constitution against enemies foreign and domestic. 2) Defend those who cannot defend themselves. Now if your asking if we should still be there, I believe we should be there as an advisor role only. We should no longer be patroling those roads and streets that I had to when the wars originally started. Its been over 3 years since the start of Iraq and almost 5 since the start of Afghanistan. We should be pulling out faster and letting them decide how they wish to live just as we did after the revolutionary war.
989216
the way i see it our troops are not fighting for our country. where do we benefit from this war? I'm tired of our troops loosing there lives for other country's.  our troop are suppose to be fighting for our country. \n\na military wife
202049
I think we should bring most of our troops home, but disbanding the military seems like a really bad idea.  Going from a major world power that's hated as much as we are to totally defenseless is not such a hot idea.  I do think, though, that we could use our military power almost exclusively defensively.  But think about what would have happened in World War II if we'd had no military.  I don't know about you, but I don't want to rely on Canada and Mexico being nice to us.  Then again I don't want to rely on our government making good decisions, either.
1002579
yes. the people in it are close-knit and won't let you down. if one soldier is hurt, the others will stay by his side until he is back on US soil, dead or alive. the military is actually a great thing, despite what some liberal media networks want you to think.
925727
Agreed, although we are in Afghanistan.  I never really understood saying "Support Our Troops" while sending them to die.  That's great support.
546970
I want him alive or at least I don't want us to kill him.  If we kill him he and all of his followers believe that if he dies in war he will go straight to heaven because they believe this is a holy war.  And if we kill him I believe that there will be a major increase in attacks on Afghanistan and a lot more American and other Coalition troops will be killed. \n\nIf we keep him alive and he dies naturally in prison he will not go straight to heaven.  but there still will be an increase in attacks on Coalition forces.  So either way we are kinda screwed.