Originally Posted by asma18

The sooner our govts can be convinced that Islam wherever it is, is our enemy the better. There is WW3 on its way between the West and Islam, we had better be ready and no holding back, they wont. They are determined to destroy us and our way of life,when the U.S. did not do retalitory raids on Tehran after they took your embassy, that was when in their minds you are easy prey.The U.S. is reluctant to finish anything and it is going to bite all of us on the behind.In a big way.

You can't win that war with military power. Their madrassas keep spitting out brainwashed suicide bombers and fanatic warriors as long as they excist. The government must prohibit such religious schools. Education is the best weapon to fight religious fanatics. Once people start to think on their own they'll see what a madness the Taliban (and any other religious fanatic gang) really is.

The psychology of conflict here is all wrong -- there is no clearcut objective, and no real plan to either "win", nor to accomplish anything. Until that gets fixed, discussing any kind of operational protocols is rather a moot point.

Hello, I for one say get out now,if we are not going to fight these wars the roman way[ check on Gaul 50 BC] then get our soldiers out now.I am going to be realistic and the faint at heart may not like it. The more Islam fights itself the less we will have to face and my fellow christians and westerners to Islam we are all the enemy and WAR is coming. We have bent over backwards in our respective countries to accommodate the Muslims and what have they done to show appreciation? Tell us they are going to take over and in Englands case that is not far away. I am 68 on the way out and maybe will not see whats coming.My children and theirs will be here. No compromises anymore?

asma 18, what planet are you from?
just because they don't like us does not mean they are for Al Qaeda and the like either. The issues we face today are about as far away from black and white as you can get.
Our biggest enemy is our own stupidity and ignorance.

After they killed Bin Laden they should have said "Mission Accomplished" and left with a warning "We can come back any time WE want".
Most (if not all) Islamic fanatic fighters are no threat to the west. They are just fanatic muslims who want to kill foreign boots on muslim ground. Leave it up to the Afghans to defend their land. I say land, not country, because Afghanistan is only a country on a map. In reality it's a bunch of tribes, and the ones living in Kaboel keep the money.

I routinely follow this news thread @ http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/

IMHO, as long as there's money to be made from a variety of sources other than the opium poppy, Iraq has a chance of keeping out of the Islamic quagmire of Afghanistan.

As far as I'm concerned, let's get the h**l out of there NOW!

Originally Posted by lvcabbie

As far as I'm concerned, let's get the h**l out of there NOW!

Nation building sucks.

Originally Posted by lvcabbie

I routinely follow this news thread @ http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/

IMHO, as long as there's money to be made from a variety of sources other than the opium poppy, Iraq has a chance of keeping out of the Islamic quagmire of Afghanistan.

As far as I'm concerned, let's get the h**l out of there NOW!

I'm glad you brought that up and I completely agree.

If there is one thing that can be done in Iraq, it's make money. If they can get a handle on the security issue then companies will invest in rebuilding the infrastructure of this country. Everything from power stations, to roads, to newer more modern buildings, to, of course, oil. The Iraqi's will work, believe me. They are constantly looking for work, and if companies will invest in the country they will have an eager work force that just wants to provide for their family. This is key to marginalizing the extremists...instead of taking phone cards as payment to emplace an IED, an average Iraqi will be much less inclined to involve him/herself in these acts if they have a steady job and paycheck.

This is something I would constantly talk with my Iraqi Army/ police colleagues is that if they gain security, the rest will follow. They are a fairly secular society by Islamic standards and I really think that this Wahhabbi/ Hanbali variant of Islam that many of the insurgents are preaching is less than appealing to the majority of the the population.

Originally Posted by VDKMS

You can't win that war with military power. Their madrassas keep spitting out brainwashed suicide bombers and fanatic warriors as long as they excist. The government must prohibit such religious schools. Education is the best weapon to fight religious fanatics. Once people start to think on their own they'll see what a madness the Taliban (and any other religious fanatic gang) really is.

It will not help much by prohibiting madrassas, the superiority of their religion is ingrained in quran according to it every muslim has the duty to convert the kafirs(non believers) by hook or by crook.If education was the catalyst then OBL and gang wouldn't have happen.

Afghanistan is widely considered ungovernable. But it was peaceful and thriving during the reign of King Zahir Shah (1933-1973). And while never held under the sway of a strong central government, the culture has developed well-established codes of conduct. Shuras (councils) and Jirgas (meeting of elders) appointed through the consensus of the populace are formed to resolve conflicts.

Key to success in Afghanistan is understanding the Afghan mindset. That means understanding their culture and engaging the Afghans with respect to the system of governance that has worked for them in the past. A successful outcome in Afghanistan requires balancing tribal, religious and government structures.

The tribal structures or Pakhtun code of conduct is very strong among Pakhtun majority and plays a significant role in the population which comprise of more than 50 percent of Afghanistan. These codes of conduct are an inherited way of life, especially for the Pakhtuns in rural areas on both sides of the Durand Line. Frankly, it is difficult for Westerners to grasp.