Quotes for All
In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can you really bomb feminism into a country? And now, after 25 years of brutal war – 10 years against the Soviet occupation, 15 years of US occupation – the Taliban is … Read more
The Afghan “negotiation phase” immediately precedes the traditional Afghan “surrender phase.” This entails the following: The defeated party surrenders and then comes out shooting. This is repeated several times. Finally, the vanquished party runs out of ammunition and is forced to surrender ‘ but seriously this time ‘ at which point the victors kill the … Read more
If any overarching conclusion emerges from the Afghan and Iraq Wars (and from their Israeli equivalents), it’s this: victory is a chimera. Andrew Bacevich
As a 22-year Army Veteran who served in Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, and as a Civilian Advisor to the Afghan Army in Operation Enduring Freedom, I understand both the gravity of giving the order, and the challenge of carrying it out. Allen West
Why don’t we focus on what Afghan women can do? They can cook, bear children, and pray. As I recall, that was fine for our grandmothers. Al Franken
Obviously what I think Senator [John] Kerry was pointing to, which is absolutely correct, which is the essential part of the strategy or a key component or a leg on the stool, is an Afghan partner that is ready to take control of both the security situation in Afghanistan, and the civilian side of that. … Read more
The Afghan – obviously the parties will decide which course of action. The most important there, get a government that is seen as legitimate to the people and has the credibility to be a partner in the effort to secure Afghanistan so it’s not a haven for al Qaeda or other type of terrorists or … Read more
I mean,you will have an Afghan government. There are two roads here. One is obviously a run-off election or a negotiated settlement. But what’s most important about that process is that there’s a credibility and a legitimacy to the government at the end of that process. So which road they choose, that’s up to them. … Read more