Does Anyone Have A Clue?

As the Obamacare debacle continues, so does the one in Afghanistan.  Unless you've been living in a cave, lucky you, you know that President Karzai is dragging his feet over signing an agreement that will protect our soldiers from Afghan prosecution should we leave a contingent behind and they run afoul of Afghan law.

In return, of course, we give more than we get.  They want to tie our hands even more than they already have thus making it easier for our soldiers to err.  As usual it's a bad deal at best.

In our infinite wisdom, however, we've decided to give the Afghan security forces much needed helicopters.  Note I said give.  At a time when our country could sorely use the revenue from selling them, but then the Afghans have privatized the aid we've given them so they have no money.  Perhaps that's not all bad.  At least our people will build them.  What?  No?  We're buying them from the Russians?  We're buying Russian helicopters to give to the Afghans because they are superior to ours.

Well, open the door and come right in.  Those helicopters are going to have to be maintained.  That means Russians will send their techs giving them a new foothold in the country.  What are we thinking?  We know Russia is trying to get a strangle hold on the Mideast.  They already have it in Syria.  We know they are friends with Iran and now they will have carte blanche in Afghanistan.

And speaking of Iran, Karzai has agreed on a "cooperation pact" with them. It is to entail long term political security, economic and cultural cooperation and regional peace security.  Who better than the Russian backed Iranians?

Our Secretary of Defense tried to allay fears by promising to beef up security measures in non-complicit nations and it was of course considered a threat. A state of mistrust promulgated by Israel, Iran's arch enemy.

Let's ice the cake.  It has also been reported that prosecutions for crimes against women has slowed to a crawl, not that it ever really got going.

Dogwalk's solution?  Pull all our military out!  Let the Russians sell their copters directly to Karzai.  If he can't afford them perhaps Iran will lend him the money since they are doing better now that their sanctions have been eased.

Of course, now that Mr. Putin has dissolved state media in Russia it may take some time for how this all works out to reach us.  Not that it matters.  The President wants no part of it because a speech to a captive audience can't fix it.

That's the way things are now.  I understand that.  But please, Mr. President, do the right thing and bring all our personnel home.  If you don't they'll be sitting ducks.  I'm willing to wager the boys from Duck Dynasty would even give you some tips on how to call them home.  It makes no less sense than any other part of our foreign policy!

Mr. Hagel Meet Mr. Karzai

Our new Secretary of Defense certainly got a warm reception on his surprise visit to Kabul. Two suicide bombers blew up 19 people.  What's a celebration without some fireworks?

Mr. Karzai has long been a blustering irritant but now he's turning into a full fledged clown.  Soon no one will pay any attention to his outbursts. One can hope. Except for his people and ours just before those bombs go off.

The Taliban has taken credit for the pyrotechnics.  Those jokers.  After all they have been in negotiation for months with Karzai as to how he's going to end his presidency.  At least that's what we've been told.

But wait!  Seems not to be so!  It seems they are now in collusion with us! Because they want us to stay where we will continue to kill them and protect the women and children as best we can and pour money into that bottomless pit of a country.

I get dizzy trying to keep things straight.  My mind cries for an explanation as to why we'd want to stay in that God forsaken place.  Our generals have already stated we've gotten darn little for the money we've poured in - other than the gracious and continuing commentary of how grateful they are from Karzai.

Let's see, one more time, we put him in office.  We helped him throw a second election.  We've enriched he and his family.  We've kept the Taliban at bay.  Really, we have.

What have we gotten?  Thousands of dead men and women, hundreds of thousands injured and billions of tax payer dollars lost.

So why would be want to collude with the Taliban or anyone else for the privilege of staying?  Granted some of our government officials are on a permanent ego trip, but even they can't find a positive here.  They have no educational system for our students to take advantage of.  They have no national security.  They have no industry.  The majority of their population lives so far below our poverty level no one in their right mind would want to join them. Heck, they don't even have indoor plumbing!

'Tis a puzzlement.  We've gotten the message Karzai wants us out.  We're doing the best we can to accommodate him without everything we have accomplished, no matter how minuscule, being ripe for reversal.

He wants charge of the prisoners we still hold.  To let them go free.  As George Bush might have said, "Come an' git 'em!" Never fear, they'll get them soon enough unless we export them to the U.S. for trials in our courts.  We wouldn't do that would we?

I know.  I'm droning on and on.  Hey.  Speaking of drones...