Afghanistan Today-The GWOT Hotspot-7/12/09-Sun.
Another Sunday and in America we are free to go to the church of our choice. We can go to any religious service we want to, or we can choose not to go. This is a freedom that people around the world do not have, and our military fought for. Now we have troops serving around the world. In official Marine Corps Publications or links, you might notice they don’t just call it “Afghanistan” but add this: “Islamic Republic of Afghanistan”. It has not been explained to me how this is democratic, and it has not been explained to me if the people of Afghanistan have religious freedom to attend the religious ceremony of their choice: Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic or one of many other religions, or if the citizens have the choice not to attend a religious service? I think it is important to know: Are our troops fighting in a war in Afghanistan in which the people have no religious freedom?
I read in a Sunday story in the KC Star a week or so ago, by Missouri Sen. Kit Bond, that Army troops are building mosques in Iraq. (I would suppose with US taxpayer money, which I think would violate the U.S. Constitutuion they are sworn to uphold, and officers and a Senator should know this. The soldier’s salaries at the very least are paid by US tax dollars, even if Iraq paid for the materials, why not have Iraqi labor build the mosques. I wondered if any churches were built in Iraq by US soldiers?) I read in Stars and Stripes on line that U.S. Marines were building mosques in Afghanistan. I would wonder how many churches they built, or synagogues? The stories did not say.
As so many of our innocent and brave troops are dying in Afghanistan, I am going to try and focus on their stories along the way, as well as our fallen allies such as the British.
Let’s just hope the restricted rules of engagement for US and Allied troops being ordered by Gen. McChrystal, who works for the Commander in Chief Obama, are not getting these troops killed.
I say, and have written my representatives: IF WE ARE NOT IN AFGHANISTAN TO FIGHT, bring the troops home. I also have questions on the Afghan troops trained for the last 8 years.
In the USA we have the IRR (Individual Ready Reserve) and similar programs. I would like to know why the Afghans in their version of the IRR are not called back? I am going to have to write my representative and senators and ask for an answer and if I get one I will post it.
Army Gen. McChrystal it is now reported, along with Marine Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson, as stating they need more Afghan troops, and more American troops, and more Americans to train the Afghans. I am really confused.
We have been training the Afghan Army for eight years. I would say call those already trained back to active duty as we do in the USA with our IRR. Once we get the Afghan IRR troops that are already trained called back, I have a suggestion I might send to my representative and senators, but haven’t yet. The suggestion is this:
The Marine Corps has the longest recruit training (boot camp) of any American branch of service, at 13 weeks, and the hardest. The Marine recruit training is separated by the sexes unlike the Army and other branches where both sexes train together.
So, for Afghanistan especially, I would separate their female recruits and their male recruits as the US Marine Corps does. Male drill instructors train the male Afghans, and female drill instructors train the female Afghans. With the Taliban and enemy fighters cross-dressing as women, as reported in the KC Star Wed. July 8, 2009, and in other publications, the female Afghan soldiers will play a role more important than ever in their country, espcecially once we get them all trained and leave.
Once the sexes are separated, set up Afghan training based on US Marine Corps Training. Set up 2 MCRD (Marine Corps Recruit Depot) type facilities. One for female Afghan recruits and one for male Afghan recruits. Then, based on Marine Corps training standards, train the recruits for 13 weeks.
I think as an added bonus, U.S. Marines disabled in battle who still have a strong voice, can serve as assistants to the drill instructors, help with marksmanship, which can be done from a wheelchair in some circumstances, or with artificial legs, with classroom training, and all aspects of the Afghan recruit training. Even disabled American vets who do not have a strong voice due to damage to their mouth or vocal cords could serve in the classroom, teaching or grading papers, I think they will just be willing to serve to train these Afghan troops so US troops can go home.
Other branches’ disabled soldiers, sailors, and airmen can help with the Afghan 13 week recruit training.
I have read stories of US Marines and other soldiers who have wanted to be a drill instructor or drill sergeant, and have had their legs amputated. I believe they have a valuable service they could provide in Afghanistan at the new 13-week recruit training for Afghans. This would take them out of the “disabled” ranks and put their valuable knowledge to work in Afghanistan.
I would think there would be a waiting list of disabled vets, Marine amputees, and others who would go to Afghanistan and train these Afghan recruits so that their brothers in arms can return home ASAP and turn it over to the Afghans.
The Secretary of Defense and others state they want “new eyes” on the ground in Afghanistan. I believe they should listen to the taxpayers who pay their salary and want a victory in Afghanistan and for our troops to come home.
Various links:
1.) Criticism of Afghan war on the rise in Britain according to one story. I believe this is the case in the USA too as military families see that their sons and daughters are sacrificed. See the story at #2 which is one I have said explains the situation we face: our troops being sacrificed. Our troops are DYING FOR DEFEAT with the “soft” tactics which won’t win this war against what the British press called yesterday (see yesterday’s post) a ruthless enemy. Link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/world/europe/12britain.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y
2.) U.S. Marines using “soft power” in Afghanistan. I think this is is misuse of the training the Marines have in killing the enemy. The State Dept. or Peace Corps should be using the “soft power” and Marines should kill the enemy. That is just my opinion, as far as I know, I can still have an opinion against the generals who carry out the Commander in Chief’s orders.
It just sounds like to me, from this story, that the Taliban are still alive, we are just opening up stores, schools, etc., but what happens when we leave, if the enemy is still alive? It sounds like if we tried this in Germany in WWII, we would have just drank beer and ate bratwurst with the locals, and let the Nazis stay alive. Well, if we used that back then, when we left the Nazis would still have been there.
The last I heard from the Commander in Chief, the mission in Afghanistan was to disrupt, dismantle, destroy and defeat the enemy. I don’t see how the general’s orders are doing that. But, I know they are following the President’s orders as commander in chief, so he must have changed the orders and I don’t recall a speech about it changing to doing what the Marines are doing here.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/11/AR2009071102815.html
3.) Afghan base construction continues. Camp Leatherneck and other permanent bases being built. I am writing my representatives and asking what the exit plan for Afghanistan is:
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=63692
4.) British special report from Afghanistan: Hope US generals and politicians read it: what it is really like:
