17 Americans killed in Afghanistan last week. (Iraq, soldiers, deaths, Obama)

[odanny]

Every single one of these deaths was preventable. Not a single soldier should be in Afghanistan without a clear understanding of the mission there. We don't know what the mission is, only that after 9 years marking the longest war in U.S. history we are no closer to a favorable outcome than we were 9 years ago.

We need an exit strategy defined for the American people. This war is a failure on every level.


17 soldiers:

SPC Joseph Johnson, 24, of Flint, Mich.
PFC Gunnar Hotchkin, 31, of Naperville, Ill.
PFC Nathan W. Cox, 27, Fremont, Calif.
PFC Benjamin Park, 25, Fairfax Station, VA
SSG James G. Hunter, 25, South Amherst, Ohio
SPC Scott A. Andrews, 21, of Fall River, Mass.
LCpl Timothy G. Serwiniowski, 21, North Tonawanda, N.Y.
SPC Joseph P. Dohrenwend, 20, Milford, Ohio
1SG Eddie Turner, 41, Fort Belvoir, Va.
PFC David P. Miller, 19, Wilton, N,Y.
SPC Andrew R. Looney, 22 Owasso, OK
Cpl Claudio Patino IV, 22, Yorba Linda, Calif.
Cpl. Kevin A. Cueto, 23, San Jose, Calif.
Cpl. Joshua R. Dumaw, 23, Spokane Valley, Wash.
PFC Anthony T. Justesen, 22, Wilsonville, Ore.
PFC Russell E. Madden, 29, Dayton, Ky.
1SG Robert N. Barton, 35, Roxie, Miss.

[Catrick]

Originally Posted by odanny

Every single one of these deaths was preventable. Not a single soldier should be in Afghanistan without a clear understanding of the mission there. We don't know what the mission is, only that after 9 years marking the longest war in U.S. history we are no closer to a favorable outcome than we were 9 years ago.

We need an exit strategy defined for the American people. This war is a failure on every level.


17 soldiers:

SPC Joseph Johnson, 24, of Flint, Mich.
PFC Gunnar Hotchkin, 31, of Naperville, Ill.
PFC Nathan W. Cox, 27, Fremont, Calif.
PFC Benjamin Park, 25, Fairfax Station, VA
SSG James G. Hunter, 25, South Amherst, Ohio
SPC Scott A. Andrews, 21, of Fall River, Mass.
LCpl Timothy G. Serwiniowski, 21, North Tonawanda, N.Y.
SPC Joseph P. Dohrenwend, 20, Milford, Ohio
1SG Eddie Turner, 41, Fort Belvoir, Va.
PFC David P. Miller, 19, Wilton, N,Y.
SPC Andrew R. Looney, 22 Owasso, OK
Cpl Claudio Patino IV, 22, Yorba Linda, Calif.
Cpl. Kevin A. Cueto, 23, San Jose, Calif.
Cpl. Joshua R. Dumaw, 23, Spokane Valley, Wash.
PFC Anthony T. Justesen, 22, Wilsonville, Ore.
PFC Russell E. Madden, 29, Dayton, Ky.
1SG Robert N. Barton, 35, Roxie, Miss.

I believe it's People Magazine that at the end of every year names and when possible puts pictures of all the Americans killed in Iraq and Afghanistan for the entire year.
More than sobering to see all the names together like that. It's heartbreaking.

May they all rest in peace and may their families find some comfort.

I wish they were all home safe and sound.

[CAVA1990]

So what do we need to do to win it?

[NarlyNel]

Originally Posted by odanny

Every single one of these deaths was preventable. Not a single soldier should be in Afghanistan without a clear understanding of the mission there. We don't know what the mission is, only that after 9 years marking the longest war in U.S. history we are no closer to a favorable outcome than we were 9 years ago.

We need an exit strategy defined for the American people. This war is a failure on every level.


17 soldiers:

SPC Joseph Johnson, 24, of Flint, Mich.
PFC Gunnar Hotchkin, 31, of Naperville, Ill.
PFC Nathan W. Cox, 27, Fremont, Calif.
PFC Benjamin Park, 25, Fairfax Station, VA
SSG James G. Hunter, 25, South Amherst, Ohio
SPC Scott A. Andrews, 21, of Fall River, Mass.
LCpl Timothy G. Serwiniowski, 21, North Tonawanda, N.Y.
SPC Joseph P. Dohrenwend, 20, Milford, Ohio
1SG Eddie Turner, 41, Fort Belvoir, Va.
PFC David P. Miller, 19, Wilton, N,Y.
SPC Andrew R. Looney, 22 Owasso, OK
Cpl Claudio Patino IV, 22, Yorba Linda, Calif.
Cpl. Kevin A. Cueto, 23, San Jose, Calif.
Cpl. Joshua R. Dumaw, 23, Spokane Valley, Wash.
PFC Anthony T. Justesen, 22, Wilsonville, Ore.
PFC Russell E. Madden, 29, Dayton, Ky.
1SG Robert N. Barton, 35, Roxie, Miss.

I thought Obama was going to change that?

I thought this President was going to give us a clear mission in Afghanistan and tactically withdrawl form Iraq?

Instead he sends 30,000 more soldiers into a quagmire.

Thank you President Obama you have been a real leader and agent of change like you promised.

[meson]

Hope you don't mind my adding these 3 brave Canadian soldiers to your list odanny.

Master Cpl. Kristal Giesebrecht > Ontario
Pvt. Andrew Miller > Ontario
Sgt. James MacNeil > Nova Scotia

[Catrick]

Originally Posted by meson

Hope you don't mind my adding these 3 brave Canadian soldiers to your list odanny.

Master Cpl. Kristal Giesebrecht > Ontario
Pvt. Andrew Miller > Ontario
Sgt. James MacNeil > Nova Scotia

You are quite right. We forget about the people from other countries serving and their losses.

[Pretzelogik]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

So what do we need to do to win it?

Stay off the golf course.

[GeorgeLucasLongLostChin]

At some point in the future, people will finally learn from history lessons.

One of them being that you don't invade Afghanistan.

What a waste of lives and ressources this war has been.

Unless NATO doubles its numbers and China and Russia would join in to help, this war won't end anytime soon.

[odanny]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

So what do we need to do to win it?

Defining "victory" would be a good start.

However, truth be told, the window of opportunity for a "win" closed when Bush was President.

The longer we stay, the more boots we put on the ground, the more resentment we build.

Afghanistan is the graveyard of empires. The Soviets had half a million men in the Afghan Army and killed over a million people.

[tinman01]

This is war. Men die as a result of hostile fire. Its unfortunate that our Military is not allowed to fight to win.
I wonder though. How many died in LA or Chicago last week?
Some might argue that Afganistan is more safe than some of our cities.