It is not likely that the United States government will ever admit error in the conduct of military operations either domestic or foreign. The United States tried and failed to subdue the Seminoles over the course of roughly 40 years during three different campaigns involving operations by the Army and Navy. The forced removal of the Seminoles was partially successful only because the United States employed tactics such as the betrayal of flags of truce. At the end of active operations, a few years prior to the American Civil War, no peace treaty or agreement to cease hostilities had been achieved and the Americans simply quit pursuing the remnant Seminoles and allowed them to remain in their (much reduced) territory. This result was obtained after the expenditure of roughly 30 million dollars. Ignoring failure appears to be a time-honored feature of the United States government. Afghanistan is only the most recent example.
I believe the sad truth is we didn’t so much lose the war as quit fighting conventionally a losing campaign. When I met LTG Sami Sadat one thing he said that surprised me was “we never lost a battle”. Be that as it may - insurgents have an advantage when they fight big armies - they have no rules of engagement no parameters they need to adhere to - they can cross borders or just go home. Hell they can go to work at the PX and just wait for you to lose interest. The thing we never considered when fighting warrior tribes from the Afghan mountains and provinces that have gone largely unchanged is the fact that they (unlike USA) are used to very few creature comforts - they don’t care at all small farm in the valley what powerbroker runs their country - they are not going to sacrifice their lives to “have democracy” - conversely those who would and have laid down their lives we abandoned without a word - that’s the thing we need to admit IMHO - we abandoned warriors who fought with and for us - that’s the story that needs telling
Profound thanks to Mr.Roggio for the history lesson. I was driving down a country road to visit a friend when the announcement for the start of the Gulf War came on the car radio. I wept, because I knew instinctively it was a set up meant to enrich certain American political dynasties. Just like the Central American violence was a land grab for the owners of the American Fruit Company. I am always suspicious when the threat of " communism " becomes the proffered reason for war. There are many layered reasons for violent engagements, if the whole truth were to be told.
What a sad commentary on our many administrations. Will has taught me so much in his posts. I'm so very very sorry for ALL you all have gone through while the American people, including me, sat idly by and knew little of the real horrors occurring to our Veterans and our Afghan allies. SHAME on all of them!!! They knew better.
And no you're probably right. They'll never admit what they did wrong. Sadly. It's beyond heartbreaking. And so damn wrong. Grrrrrrr.
It is not likely that the United States government will ever admit error in the conduct of military operations either domestic or foreign. The United States tried and failed to subdue the Seminoles over the course of roughly 40 years during three different campaigns involving operations by the Army and Navy. The forced removal of the Seminoles was partially successful only because the United States employed tactics such as the betrayal of flags of truce. At the end of active operations, a few years prior to the American Civil War, no peace treaty or agreement to cease hostilities had been achieved and the Americans simply quit pursuing the remnant Seminoles and allowed them to remain in their (much reduced) territory. This result was obtained after the expenditure of roughly 30 million dollars. Ignoring failure appears to be a time-honored feature of the United States government. Afghanistan is only the most recent example.
I believe the sad truth is we didn’t so much lose the war as quit fighting conventionally a losing campaign. When I met LTG Sami Sadat one thing he said that surprised me was “we never lost a battle”. Be that as it may - insurgents have an advantage when they fight big armies - they have no rules of engagement no parameters they need to adhere to - they can cross borders or just go home. Hell they can go to work at the PX and just wait for you to lose interest. The thing we never considered when fighting warrior tribes from the Afghan mountains and provinces that have gone largely unchanged is the fact that they (unlike USA) are used to very few creature comforts - they don’t care at all small farm in the valley what powerbroker runs their country - they are not going to sacrifice their lives to “have democracy” - conversely those who would and have laid down their lives we abandoned without a word - that’s the thing we need to admit IMHO - we abandoned warriors who fought with and for us - that’s the story that needs telling
Profound thanks to Mr.Roggio for the history lesson. I was driving down a country road to visit a friend when the announcement for the start of the Gulf War came on the car radio. I wept, because I knew instinctively it was a set up meant to enrich certain American political dynasties. Just like the Central American violence was a land grab for the owners of the American Fruit Company. I am always suspicious when the threat of " communism " becomes the proffered reason for war. There are many layered reasons for violent engagements, if the whole truth were to be told.
What a sad commentary on our many administrations. Will has taught me so much in his posts. I'm so very very sorry for ALL you all have gone through while the American people, including me, sat idly by and knew little of the real horrors occurring to our Veterans and our Afghan allies. SHAME on all of them!!! They knew better.
And no you're probably right. They'll never admit what they did wrong. Sadly. It's beyond heartbreaking. And so damn wrong. Grrrrrrr.