Quoting a soldier - a silver star recipient who spent 18 months on duty at COP Michigan - the furthermost outpost in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan:
Basically, I just don’t see how any politicians are still getting away with this conflict. I fought with the bravest Soldiers in the world for mostly the wrong reasons. I posted something about 911 long ago. Read it if you like. I stick to that. But this is not about 911 anymore. Anyone who thinks that is way off. We have lost more Soldiers in this conflict than we did on that day. So you tell me, why are we still allowing our leaders to do this?
From life in the General Infantry
No one knows better than those doing the actual fighting. If you go back and read more of Life in the General Infantry you will discover the author believed in his mission, discovered that it was impossible to complete, but is proud to have fought that fight.
He learned what we learned in Viet Nam: people who don't want what we have to offer will never be on your side. Simple truths cut through the bullsh*t of twisted justifications.
50,000 now. The size of the drawdown will stun both Karzai and the Taliban. The balance by year's end.
The mantra:
We came to kill Osama bin Laden. We did. We are out of here.
If the rest of the world - including the war mongers of either political party want to complain, have at it. But if that presence is so essential, do it yourself.