Trump pulling out of Afghanistan.....

[pmclaine]

Afghanistan being represented by Avenatti as legal council....

Bout time.

US set to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan

In return, the White House will be seeking a number of concessions from the Islamic fundamentalists including a cease-fire and the renunciation of Al-Qaeda, US officials revealed.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Leave a target painted on the ground and a sign stating "Next time...Nuke here"

 

[THEIS]

Hi,

Peace deal with the Taliban lololol....

What "Independent" company is going to get the .gov oversight contract to assist, monitor and report on the "Treaty"?

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[Zeroit]

Apparently the Taliban didn't get the memo my kid Just lost two from his battalion.

 

[THEIS]

Apparently the Taliban didn't get the memo my kid Just lost two from his battalion.

Hi,

And by an Afghanistan soldier at that......yet we are suppose to act like the Taliban is not so deeply embedded and controlling of the Afghan Government and that by USA Uniformed Military personnel leaving they are going to abide by Treaty....

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[Tim_WNC]

GTFO.

19 years we've been there. Think about that.

 

[myronman3]

pull our guys out.; they should be home with their families. drop a few nukes. and be done.

 

[ArmyJerry]

Keep 3 A teams there, kill anyone that comes within 20 miles of them.

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

The goal was to keep the MIC up an running until we garnered another evil empire an could import drugs from somewhere else. Looks like the task has been fulfilled,...

 

[MarinePMI]

I just gotta shake my head when folks assert that the reason we're in Afghanistan is because of the drugs. Smdh...think a little bit harder folks. They may not have oil, but they have...

 

[Mike Casselton]

I just gotta shake my head when folks assert that the reason we're in Afghanistan is because of the drugs. Smdh...think a little bit harder folks. They may not have oil, but they have...

Sand?
Donkeys?
Access to Russia?

 

[MarinePMI]

Geography aside (and that does play some role in the historical conquest of Afghanistan)...think "deeper" on this... Ask yourself "What does Afghanistan have that people/countries/corporations would sacrifice human life to be in control of?"

(Let's turn this discussion into a little thinking experiment.)

 

[Bullfrog08]

Minerals.....copper, gold, ore, etc.....something like 5 trillion dollars worth.

 

[Bullfrog08]

....But mostly opium!

 

[MarinePMI]

Bingo. Somebody has their thinking cap on. And some of the "minerals" are quite rare...and powerful. Opium is just a by product of the environment, not the true wealth that the Afghans sit on.

 

[FS1]

Rare earth minerals, lots of rare earth minerals.

 

[FS1]

Bingo. Somebody has their thinking cap on. And some of the "minerals" are quite rare...and powerful. Opium is just a by product of the environment, not the true wealth that the Afghans sit on.

Beat me to it.

 

[MarinePMI]

Look around there. On one mountain top, an American mining company is doing it's thing...and right over on the next mountain top, the Chinese have a mining company doing the same thing.

 

[FS1]

Look around there. On one mountain top, an American mining company is doing it's thing...and right over on the next mountain top, the Chinese have a mining company doing the same thing.

But the US is more efficient. The Chinese break for lunch once an hour. Everyone knows if you eat Chinese food you are hungry an hour later.

 

[MarinePMI]

"War is the continuation of politics by other means." ~Von Clausewitz

I think everyone pretty much agrees in the truism that Von Clausewitz espoused. And so, if war is a continuation of politics, and politics is a result of economic goals, then all war/conflict ultimately traces it's origins back to economics. And economics is really the study of scarcity and price (or so says Thomas Sowell) of some item that has multiple uses.

It could be oil (First Gulf War), it could be rubber and steel (Japanese in WWII)...hell, it could be something as simple as salt (kind of why Venice even exists). All conquest is about natural resources that can't be bought, cajoled or bribed...when the only option left is to just take them.

 

[brianf]

if that is the reason or not...we should be taking it over

China supplied 80% of the rare earths imported by the United States from 2014 to 2017.

China is home to at least 85% of the world’s capacity to process rare earth ores into material manufacturers can use, according to research firm Adamas Intelligence.

It would take years to build enough processing plants to match China’s processing capacity of 220,000 tonnes - which is five times the combined capacity of the rest of the world.

Rare earths are used in rechargeable batteries for electric and hybrid cars, advanced ceramics, computers, DVD players, wind turbines, catalysts in cars and oil refineries, monitors, televisions, lighting, lasers, fiber optics, superconductors and glass polishing.

Several rare earth elements, such as neodymium and dysprosium, are critical to the motors used in electric vehicles.

Some rare earth minerals are essential in military equipment such as jet engines, missile guidance systems, missile defense systems, satellites, as well as in lasers.

 

[MarinePMI]

And who else possesses the means to (relatively) easily process REEs? I'll give you a hint, they're located near the South China Sea... It's also why their currency (for a short time) nearly rivaled the American dollar, one for one.

 

[brianf]

china also has about a 50 mile boarder that most people forget about
direct route for materials
direct route for Iranian oil
and direct route for expansion of china
no brainer if your china

 

[MarinePMI]

And Iran is willing to trade oil for what?

And Iran is willing to trade that "what" with North Korea....and North Korea protects China's southern flank.

 

[Threadcutter308]

if that is the reason or not...we should be taking it over

China supplied 80% of the rare earths imported by the United States from 2014 to 2017.

China is home to at least 85% of the world’s capacity to process rare earth ores into material manufacturers can use, according to research firm Adamas Intelligence.

It would take years to build enough processing plants to match China’s processing capacity of 220,000 tonnes - which is five times the combined capacity of the rest of the world.

Rare earths are used in rechargeable batteries for electric and hybrid cars, advanced ceramics, computers, DVD players, wind turbines, catalysts in cars and oil refineries, monitors, televisions, lighting, lasers, fiber optics, superconductors and glass polishing.

Several rare earth elements, such as neodymium and dysprosium, are critical to the motors used in electric vehicles.

Some rare earth minerals are essential in military equipment such as jet engines, missile guidance systems, missile defense systems, satellites, as well as in lasers.

Bingo......

Lithium = batteries = EV’s.

 

[brianf]

i cant wait for the day china has US armor on the boarder of what used to be NK and China.
that will change EVERYTHING
just the presence and proximity of american culture will cause that house of cards to eat itself
maybe it will happen before i kick off this planet

 

[pmclaine]

if that is the reason or not...we should be taking it over

China supplied 80% of the rare earths imported by the United States from 2014 to 2017.

China is home to at least 85% of the world’s capacity to process rare earth ores into material manufacturers can use, according to research firm Adamas Intelligence.

It would take years to build enough processing plants to match China’s processing capacity of 220,000 tonnes - which is five times the combined capacity of the rest of the world.

Rare earths are used in rechargeable batteries for electric and hybrid cars, advanced ceramics, computers, DVD players, wind turbines, catalysts in cars and oil refineries, monitors, televisions, lighting, lasers, fiber optics, superconductors and glass polishing.

Several rare earth elements, such as neodymium and dysprosium, are critical to the motors used in electric vehicles.

Some rare earth minerals are essential in military equipment such as jet engines, missile guidance systems, missile defense systems, satellites, as well as in lasers.

The United States is no slouch when it comes to sitting on untapped resources.

Our strategy though has been to make other countries limited resources "more limited" through our exploitation.

Nothing wrong with that "use your neighbors lawn mower and wear it out to save your own for when there are no more lawn mowers" strategy in my mind.

We also suffer our beauracracy and elements in our politics that want us to be weak.

Try to go open a new rare earth mining operation now anywhere in the US - "Oh NO! You are killing Snail Darters"

Rather than fight, deal with OSHA, deal with the EPA etc, its just cheaper to work in other countries.

Our own biggest block to independence on anything is our own internal communist element.

 

[pmclaine]

i cant wait for the day china has US armor on the boarder of what used to be NK and China.
that will change EVERYTHING
just the presence and proximity of american culture will cause that house of cards to eat itself
maybe it will happen before i kick off this planet

China will not fall because of anything in our culture.

People there are well aware of our culture.

Many are plenty conservative and likely horrified by our culture.

China will fall because a middle class will develop and demand their property and human rights.

This country is failing because the middle class is being bled white and falling into the ranks of the financially dependent.

 

[MtnCreek]

If Afghanistan is so vital, why didn't we invade them in 1995 or 2000?

 

[Mike Casselton]

If Afghanistan is so vital, why didn't we invade them in 1995 or 2000?

Weren't they still playing with the Russkies back then?

 

[MtnCreek]

I think the Skies pulled out around 90-91 with the collapse of USSR, but I really don't know enough about to even be discussing it.

 

[MtnCreek]

I do know that democrat in the movie is my favorite democrat, if he really was like Tom Hanks portrayed him. :-D

 

[MarinePMI]

If Afghanistan is so vital, why didn't we invade them in 1995 or 2000?

Think about it. How many people had cell phones and tablets like today, back then?

Honestly, I suspect we're on the precipice of the world economy weaning itself off oil, and REE being the new "scarcity" that drives the markets. That's not to say oil won't still be valuable, but I think we're in a transition period right now.

 

[79steeler]

At one time we had 100k troops in A Stan, now we have 14k. We pulled most of our troops out along time ago.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

I too agree that the main reason why 'china' and the like have the ability to 'process' all this fancy rare-earth stuff, is simply because they don't have the regulations and limits and rules and laws and prohibition preventing any of that to take place.

Nowhere near as much as the 'oversight' that is over here in the Western (modern?) world. One US company, that being Lodge Cast Iron for example. They make cookware. All kinds of cast-iron in all kinds of shapes. But they don't do ANY enameled cookware there in the US. Nope, that there is shipped to China to get enameled.

Why, because the environment and the people themselves aren't nearly as important as the dollars from the products.

So the question remains, (because these items are in demand and purchased largely),,,,, who is right?

 

[MarinePMI]

There's a reason Trump neutered the EPA regulations recently, and it had little to do with the coal industry (though it did serve as good political talking points). Like the fracking of oil (and the impediments the EPA imposed), I think Trump is cutting regs and is getting the US on a war footing; getting industry primed in advance, to allow us to avoid dependence on another nation as a supplier during a war. These mining operations take several years to get going at full speed (and they have begun already).

 

[pmclaine]

I too agree that the main reason why 'china' and the like have the ability to 'process' all this fancy rare-earth stuff, is simply because they don't have the regulations and limits and rules and laws and prohibition preventing any of that to take place.

Nowhere near as much as the 'oversight' that is over here in the Western (modern?) world. One US company, that being Lodge Cast Iron for example. They make cookware. All kinds of cast-iron in all kinds of shapes. But they don't do ANY enameled cookware there in the US. Nope, that there is shipped to China to get enameled.

Why, because the environment and the people themselves aren't nearly as important as the dollars from the products.

So the question remains, (because these items are in demand and purchased largely),,,,, who is right?

Lodge is nice but you really need to research Smithy - much better finish = better uevos.

We dont enamel cook ware as a favor to the French (Le Cruset) helping us out in the Revolution. If it wasnt for surrender flags and Le Cruset French industry would be non existent.

 

[pmclaine]

There's a reason Trump neutered the EPA regulations recently, and it had little to do with the coal industry (though it did serve as good political talking points). Like the fracking of oil (and the impediments the EPA imposed), I think Trump is cutting regs and is getting the US on a war footing; getting industry primed in advance, to allow us to avoid dependence on another nation as a supplier during a war. These mining operations take several years to get going at full speed (and they have begun already).

and the Dems dont think Wyomings Electoral vote should count.......

If shit hits the fan the few people living there doing the most to dig shit out of the ground are probably going to be the ones that save the Republic.

 

[clcustom1911]

Hi,

Peace deal with the Taliban lololol....

What "Independent" company is going to get the .gov oversight contract to assist, monitor and report on the "Treaty"?

Sincerely,
Theis

One where they need paramedics

 

[ArmyJerry]

Yellow Cake

 

[Redmanss]

china also has about a 50 mile boarder that most people forget about
direct route for materials
direct route for Iranian oil
and direct route for expansion of china
no brainer if your china

That border is in the Hindu Kush mountains with one pass at over 16k ft elevation, the rest at much higher elevations in the 20k ft range. There is no traffic that travels through there with any regularity, as the very rough road is only open a few months a year. There's no real trade going on through there, and never in a century will be either.

And don't fool yourselves guys, he's only dropping troop levels back down to the 8-9k range. That's more than a few left there. Need to pull out and nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure...

 

[brianf]

Sorry, everything i said before is precedent my first choice on making the whole area a glass floored self lit parking lot.

That’s what I get for being PC for once.

Thanks for getting me back on track @Redmanss

 

[FatBoy]

Frankly, I'm tired of fighting to a stalemate. I want the Prez on the air laying out a clear objective for all the places we are actively living out of FOBs or pull out 100% and let the fuckers eat each other. Not just Afganistan, everywhere. If the mission is to eliminate group X, fucking do it with extreme prejudice and move the fuck on. Our brothers , sisters, sons, daughters, fathers and mothers are dying for what? Unless you can give me a legitimate answer, get out. (Caveat is SF Secret Squirrel shit. Let them Dogs eat)

 

[pmclaine]

Our brothers , sisters, sons, daughters, fathers and mothers are dying............

The problem with that statement is the word "Our".

We need to make it either the "royal our" which includes everyone or "their".

Gen. Kelly is the only swamper that actually sacrificed in the war.

Congress critter and MIC kids are not going to Afghanistan or Iraq.

Make a draft and we really have "Our" fully represented and it should include "their" the swamp kids and MIC children.

Let the peeps that only understand the war as one day in September 18 years ago or some discomforting news for thirty seconds every other night worry about their brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, fathers and mothers.

You can bet if the war was fought by "Our" it would not have lasted this long and there would be a strategic resolution.

 

[FatBoy]

You can bet if the war was fought by "Our" it would not have lasted this long and there would be a strategic resolution.

Exactly. WW2 is the last war we fought to win. Korea being close, but we blinked.

Though I'm not going to sit here and say going downrange for 3-13 months is short, when they went in WW2 they went until it was over. Peoples husbands, people sons. They understood and sacrificed not only their loved ones, but food, sundries, rubber, etc. Everyone suffered in some way and because of that the citizenry agreed to basically no quarter. You need to firebomb 30k Krauts to mess with their trains? fuck 'em. You need to firebomb 100k Japanese because they might work in the factories? Fuck them too. (Read "Flyboys", it may shock you).

People then understood what we had, and how fragile it is. People did what needed to be done, regardless of how unseemly or may seem by today's standards. They try to court martial Gallagher for stabbing a fucking ISIS fighter who was captured? The OSS dragged SS Nazis out of prison camps, walked them out into the woods and capped their asses with P38. They knew what many in this country have forgotten....

 

[ArmyJerry]

WW2 75% Draftee
Korea 50% draftee

Vietnam 25% Draftee
GWOT 0% Draftee

 

[MarinePMI]

Congress critter and MIC kids are not going to Afghanistan or Iraq.

That's not entirely true; their are several VERY highly placed MIC executives that have family members serving overseas, in the military, in combat roles. It is not the norm (by any means), but let's not paint too broad a brush. Many of us in the MIC have a lot of family in the active duty military (hell, we have a whole hog board at work of all the pictures of family members serving). Many times, it's the MIC folks themselves, that are down range supporting (right next to them) the military, they just don't wear uniforms...

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

WW2 75% Draftee
Korea 50% draftee

Vietnam 25% Draftee
GWOT 0% Draftee

Well that could be expressed like this,

WW II,.... Really important we do this, we are behind the 8 ball,...........length 3.7 years

Korea,.... might be important to do this, we are getting the MIC up an running,...........3.1 years

Vietnam,....somewhat important we do this, The MIC is running quite well,...........17.4 years

GWOT,.... not important at all, we will win this w/o your help.............17.8 an counting

There is Money in a wars length

 

[MarinePMI]

There's money in building cars that wear out in 5 years, what's your point?

 

[Country]

Hi,

Peace deal with the Taliban lololol....

What "Independent" company is going to get the .gov oversight contract to assist, monitor and report on the "Treaty"?

Sincerely,
Theis

The Pakistani ISI of course .

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

There's money in building cars that wear out in 5 years, what's your point?

Cars are not lives or family's torn apart, or children who will never know their parents. People who think war is but a cash cow are right, an need time on the couch.