Political Crossfire Forums

[DSwain]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5408332.stm

I think the US deserves plaudits for this - the NATO mission needed a moral booster and this surely is it. I hope other NATO members realise how important the mission is and step up.

[slimz]

The reality is it has been almost six, yes six years since Afghan was invaded and now America is resorting to ask other NATO members for backup, i guess they do not need another Vietnam thus off load the problem onto NATO.
ffs the American government are so transparent.

[DSwain]

slimz wrote: The reality is it has been almost six, yes six years since Afghan was invaded and now America is resorting to ask other NATO members for backup, i guess they do not need another Vietnam thus off load the problem onto NATO.
ffs the American government are so transparent.

Afghanistan has been a multi-national operation all along; there have been considerable European forces there since 2002/3, not to mention the Canadians and Australians

[Kumar]

How is this a morale booster?

[DSwain]

Kumar wrote: How is this a morale booster?

The US is notoriously wary of putting its forces under outside command in combat zones; in fact, as I recall, the only such detachment of command since WW2 occurred in 2003 in Iraq when USMC units were put under command of the British around Umm Qasr. So, for the US to put 12,000 troops under the command of a (British) NATO general shows confidence and belief in the NATO mission. I'd consider that a morale boost for NATO.