Reader comments
Utahns are split over war in Afghanistan

Who is the enemy? | 3:50 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

For the last 15-20 years we have had soldiers there being killed but there is no defined enemy or army that we are fighting. It has fallen to the point that it seems we are being chased around and our military is only reacting with no enemy to fight or go after.

The war there has become a political war where soldiers are now an occupation force just waiting for the suicide bombers to show up. If our government wants do define an enemy as more than civil or religious dissidents then do so and get it done. No war has ever been fought where civilians also become casualties. Civilians become the soldiers of the enemy and both are subject to the wars.

America's occupational presence is not wanted or needed if all they are going to do is wait and see while politicians try to negotiate occupancy rights with no defined government. So why are our soldiers still their? A surrender is impossible against an army that doesn't exist and there is no one to proclaim a surrender.

We aren't fighting a war, our soldiers are fighting defensively to survive attacks by zealots.

Just Get Out! | 7:48 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

Quit throwing your will and power at the rest of the world and I believe we would restore our relationships with many countries. Our economy is in the tank basically because of this attitude of my way or the highway! Live and let live. The terrorist fear tatics of the Bush Wacker and Slick Dick administration are way OLD! Pull out of all foreign countries that don't want us there basically is the right thing to do. What would we do if foreign soldiers started occupying our country and throwing their will on us? Are we the only right country? I should say not! Scale down ALL conflicts and occupations Obama NOW!

KM | 7:53 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

Its a no brainer to me. Either we do what it takes to win, or we get out. Two simple options. Just let the professor president make up his mind and let get it done, one way or the other.

Comments continue below

Anonymous | 8:41 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

More troops means more death. And this war will never be won. Never. Learn from history. Let them govern themselves. We can fight terrorism in more targeted ways without occupying this tar baby on the other side of the world.

Truen | 9:03 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

Even if we could win, it is not worth winning.

8 years | 9:06 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

Invading forces dont do well in Afghanistan. The Karzai goverment is corrupt. We should get troops out of there ASAP and use air strikes drones etc to fight the Taliban/Al Queda . The US cannot control a country that is made up of tribal factions with shifting loyalties. Afghanjistan is also geograhically a nightmare to deal with . Time to bring the troops home. If Afgahistan could be controlled the Soviets would have done that already and they didnt. Even with 200 000 troops. Why should the US be any different ?

Anonymous | 9:35 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

We have those who are waiting to find another talking point. Pulling out, will cause these nuts, who have put their hatred above the good of our nation to run around screaming "liberal weakness." There kids, most likely are safe in college on the parental dole.

Libertarian Larry | 10:22 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

Obama carries on the imperialistic invasions of Bush 2. Stop voting for democrats AND republicans! Just say NO!

Big Green Tractor | 10:43 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

I am currently deployed to Iraq. This will be our last deployment here. After this, we will be deploying to Afghanistan. Frankly, I don't see the point in going over there. It is getting worse and worse over there, and for what? there isn't a point to going over there, just let their own country handle it. Yeah, we came in Iraq, and in the course of 8 years, we got everything done, now just let it go. It is all about political propaganda anyways. Just stay out of it.

Bennie | 10:56 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

Afghanistan and Somolia (and California) are failed states. If the US and its pathetic, and impotent European Allies don't clean up these disaster-states, they become breeding grounds and safe haven for Islamists and other extremists. There is no choice but to finish what Osama and his Taliban side-kicks started. California is probably not fixable.

Anonymous | 11:19 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

Bennie | 10:56 a.m. I didn't enact the affirmative voting law in California that lives conservative obstructionist's votes twice the power as responsible California who have solutions. Where haven't conservatives ruined things, They ruined our economy. This affirmative action program lets conservative keep their self esteem.

Anonymous | 11:23 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

Big Green Tractor | 10:43 a.m Who was in office that divided our forces in a war and who let the Taliban retake 90% of Afghanistan?

Why would Afghans trust us now? They saw us lose.

By the numbers | 11:56 a.m. Nov. 9, 2009

35% of the Utah population is about 960,000 people. Looks like that's more than enough people to fill the 40,000 troop slots they want to fill.

An old Reaganite | 12:12 p.m. Nov. 9, 2009

What would Ronnie have done. He was unlike anything else before or since his time. I wish he were here to straighten out the mess this country has gotten itself into. I would think he would see the writing on the Afganistan wall, it is a tribal state full of "secret combinations", a faceless enemy. Let them quarrel, however Al Quida and the Talaban are more dangerous that we even suspect. They could easily get control of Pakistan and their nukes if we run from the fray. We have got to modify our approach. Use technology to hound these evil enimies to their graves...spare our troops. One of my sons is being deployed next month. Fortunatly he is a doctor who repairs damages. He is also a loyal American Officer who obeys his superiors and loves his country. Cone on back Ronnie, we need you.

Soldier | 1:12 p.m. Nov. 9, 2009

I see this conflict is going escalate before it gets any better. The strategy proposed by McCrystal is sound. We should trust in our professionals and finish what we started. The casulty rate is so much lower than previous wars, we should be glad that our boys are doing such a good job at staying alive and protecting a young government.

Pagan | 1:49 p.m. Nov. 9, 2009

Leave. Duh.

No WMD's. No Osama Bin Laden. No reason to be there.

Our sons and daughters are dying. And the longer we stay there the more reason we give them to fight us.

HYPOCRITES | 3:04 p.m. Nov. 9, 2009

Day after day I read the conservatives ranting about how much more patriotic they are.

They brag and boast about how much more American they are.

How Utah is the reddest state in the Union.

And the FACTS are:

Utah has the LOWEST Military enlistemnt by nmumber and per capita then anywhere else in the entire Nation.

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"They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."

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