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Originally Posted by fsstnotch
Guys, and you really have no idea what some of these locals over here have to deal with when it comes to the Taliban. I read the daily intel reports and they are astounding!
The problem in Afghanistan is manpower. We are doing it in Afghanistan with 1/2 the troops and double the terrain. It is demanding! Even when all of Obama's reinforcments arrive, we're still at 68,000 troops in Afghanistan which is 1/2 the number in Iraq. The time and money has also not been put into the bases here like in Iraq. Most of them are waaaaay below par as far as fortification goes. Even to this day they are doing things for fortification that i must look at and ask myself "why?" Why fortify something that people are only going to use 0.01% of the time and not fortify somehting that is used 99.99%? It just doesn't make sense! So, to take initiative and do what I believe should be done, my roomate and I went to the camp mayor and asked for sand bags. We were told we could not get any because they did not have the manpower to babysit a few locals while they filled the bags. We told them to show us the bags and the dirt and we would fill them ourselves if they would provide a forklift to move them to our location. He said that was not possible. WTF?!?! Now... my sources say there is an IMMINENT attack to happen between now and the 16th. It would be in EVERYONE'S best interest to take an hour and fill some bags and save some lives. But just like those noted attacks above... we will sit around until mass people die due to laziness.
BTW, Effective Aug 5th 2009, I have official resigned from my Job due to the afore mentioned reasons. Everyone who has been here any length of time has said to me "it hasn't happened before..." and it's this exact complacency that is going to get people killed. I have said it once and will say it again... it would not surprise me to see the bloodiest day in Afghanistan to be in the next 8 days.
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I had two friends over there 3-4 years ago, and they have said exactly what you said. They also said that the Taliban is outnumbered (most people hate them), but they are not outgunned so everybody except the groups fighting against them just do not get involved. Have you seen the same? I'd be interested in hearing your observations of the locals, situation, or anything else you'd like to offer.
I'm also amazed at the complacency here in the US about Afghanistan. Iraq is the glamour war - and we are just not paying attention to anything happening, good or bad, in Afghanistan. People have actually become convinced that Iraq caused 911.
Anyway - you have my best wishes for a safe stay and a quick return home. And my thanks.
Steve