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1. 

   leftwingpatriot said, about 1 year ago

   If you go back, you will not be able to see anything in the real Afghanistan through a burka.
2. 

   Arye Uygur said, about 1 year ago

   I did see Afghanistan as a tourist – in the 1970s. A pity what happened to the country.
3. 

   Buzza Wuzza said, about 1 year ago

   bring ’em home
4. 

   simpsonfan2 said, about 1 year ago

   @Arye Uygur

   That place should never have been a country to begin with. Same as many other places, especially Africa.
   Europeans colonized the places, and they eventually become independent based on colonial borders. Which often had no relation to who actually lived there.

   So you had groups divided among several countries. And countries full of many groups who, at best, are indifferent to each other, or at worst, hate each other.
5. 

   Orion said, about 1 year ago

   Yep. Nation Building is NOT something we should be involved in.

   If we need to send in the Army, let’s go in, destroy whatever needs destroying, and go home.

   Orion
6. 

   dtroutma said, about 1 year ago

   I thought about going back to ‘Nam. Much of the better parts I remember (I LIKE “wilderness”), I’ve seen pictures and film of, and it’s trashed, between our actions, and post-war harvest the jungle is largely gone. At the same time, a town I have photos of with with dirt streets and huts, now has paved roads, modern buildings (I don’t like cities) and a changed culture. The disconnect makes me think about what we’re doing here at home, resources gone for short term profit- and where will both cultures actually end up??
7. 

   marcusliviusdrusus said, about 1 year ago

   @Simpsonfan: Afghanistan was a European colony? That’s a new one on me. Clearly the British took steps to prevent the fragmentation of the Afghan Empire (and more specifically its piecemeal digestion by Russia’s proxy Persia) but it would be inaccurate to call Afghanistan an artificial construct as is the case with Iraq and many of the African nations you so rightly cite.
8. 

   gmartin997 said, about 1 year ago

   She did say she never left the base, and probably never watched the news.
9. 

   Doughfoot said, about 1 year ago

   @marcusliviusdrusus

   My (limited) understanding is that Afghanistan was what was left over after Russia, Iran, China, and Britain had taken all the good and digestible parts of central Asia. Like the pit after the fruit is eaten. Absent European intervention to create and prop up an Afghan state (“steps to prevent the fragmentation”), I’m not sure that Afghanistan would ever have been more than a geographical expression.
10. 

    D-squared said, about 1 year ago

    She watched Faux News, obviously
11. 

    Guard SGT said, about 1 year ago

    @D-squared

    Nah, CNN. That means one is clueless as to reality!
12. 

    frumdebang said, about 1 year ago

    Great inputs yesterday for fragging the embed. My personal favorites: compulsory transfer, editing, & Fred.
13. 

    masterskrain said, about 1 year ago

    Actually, Mel, the mission will be over unless Mittens wins in November.
    If that happens, then we will be there for years, and years, and years….and years….and years…!
14. 

    SUSAN NEWMAN said, about 1 year ago

    If the Republicans win in November, Mel’s next deployment will be to Iran!
15. 

    Andrew_C said, about 1 year ago

    @simpsonfan2

    If I remember correctly, Afghanistan was one of the few Central Asian countries to retain some independence when Russia was rolling across the steppes and Britain coming up from India – partly because of its strategic position and partly because they totally destroyed 2 British armies when the British tried to take over.
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