Iraq, Afghanistan, both are easy, just leave, just like Viet Nam. We had no business there and we have no business in the two former countries. Easy, just leave.
But here is the deal, this is the military but not just the military. It is now the military/industrial/congressional complex. A wholly separate thing from the USA government. It is a byproduct of the neocon PNAC and this will be a very tough nut to break. This is the result of no oversight, no regulation and the allowing of what is a criminal element to further elitist agendas for the corporate benefits. Can it be otherwise? Just what in the hell do we manufacture in america anymore? Bombs, weapons, shady financial institutions(this is money laundrying and where you and I have to account for our money, these high financial institutions steal it on massive scales and give to those who will never think they have enough), fear and war. The whole pentagon and congress have jumped in full force, they want to be rich and to dictate our country and the world.
Lord above or wherever the hell he is, help obama because if he does do the right thing - fire generals, cut back defense spending and regulate the military, this will make for an organization(and that is what it is)that will try to kill him. These crooks will not just give up what has been handed to them and taken from the people to all of a sudden have to go back to being answerable.
The horror of the last 8 years of blank checks, not investigating and forcefully questioning the administration du jour is really starting to haunt us, just as their plan to rob the treasury and create a major disaster to prevent too much attention being cast on any one or two things so as to really raise the alarms for accountability, they appear to be slipping through the cracks and not a one of them will be prosecuted for their crimes.

Yes, we need to get out of Iraq as of January 2002! (Yes, I am aware of that date I used - I’m saying we should never have ever even thought of going in).
We also do NOT need to stay in Afghanistan and we certainly don’t need to increase bombing and killing of innocents!!!!!
All I can say is this: I have the most extreme honor and blessing of having a dear friend in Afghanistan. I’ve known her for almost a year and a half, yes we met in person in 2007 and talked for a couple of hours and have had some correspondence since. (She is the highest form of humanitarian possible). I’m not going to give her name or any more info due to severe security concerns for her. (She has to sleep in a different place every night to avoid assassination by taliban or US troops and other warlords). I’ll say this though: If just one hair on her head or any of her family or friends is harmed, I will do something like go to Afghanistan and fight the americans (US troops)and the taliban and other warlords!!! My main target will be the US troops though. It’s called revenge and its a dish worth savoring. So Obama better re-think his policy on Afghanistan. That poor country is nothing but rebel now thanks to the US, so what the hell is he going to bomb? Is it not bad enough that the US troops are now under orders to kill civilians?! (Opening fire on every wedding party they come across for example).

My impression was that Afghanistan was invaded to satisfy domestic political requirements, especially the Something Must Be Done feeling following 9/11.  Given that 3000 people perished in those attacks, a mere police operation, even if successful, would not have satisfied the gnawing desire for vengeance and retribution.  Probably, the motive for staying there is similar, although now that “we” are there, the imperial instinct—grab and hold what you can regardless—has also been activated.  It doesn’t appear to me that there is any practical strategic interest in the project there, unlike the adventure in Iraq, which at once offered control of a lot of oil and a commanding strategic position in the heart of the Middle East.  Therefore, “we” could leave Afghanistan at any time “we” were willing to risk the loss of face, whereas deciding to quit Iraq would have important strategic consequences for the Imperium.

So, when Obama is responsible for blowing up dozens of people at wedding parties, will his supporters be as outraged as when Bush did it?  I Hope Obama doesn’t Change too many people into ashes….

“It’s the drug trade, it is corruption issues, it is problems with the government not providing services for its people.”

How are we to expect ‘victory’ in Afghanistan when America’s prohibitionist policies do nothing less than hand a blank check to terrorist organizations?  Are we really to believe terrorist organizations don’t have direct ties to the drug trade?  And that corrupt governments don’t have a hand in said drug trade?

How many decades of failed supply control policies domestic and abroad before do we need to endure before we get the picture?  How many billions have been wasted working within the US, Mexico, Colombia, etc.  We cannot control the supply side of an underground economy like the drug trade.

America consumes more illegal drugs than any other country on this planet.  We are shooting ourselves in the foot by willingly funding these terrorist and organized crime groups.  When are we going to stop catering to the vested interests in prohibition?

Last I checked, there were hundreds, if not thousands, of legal and regulated drugs in this country.  You’re to tell me we can’t design policies to regulate a few more?  The most dangerous drugs are the ones who most need regulation.  How many of our citizens are we going to lock up before we start treating drug ABUSE like the public health issue it is and drug USE like the non-issue it is?  Drug abuse and addiction are difficult problems for sure, but it’s not as difficult as stopping the worldwide supply of illegal drugs.  Legitimize the drug trade and take some of the money away from these terrorists and organized crime groups.  Prohibition didn’t work the first time and it never will.