Deadliest day for US troops in decade long war in Afghanistan

[Lacrimi de Chiciură]

22 Navy SEALs among 30 U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan as NATO helicopter is shot down (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia/dozens-of-us-troops-feared-killed-as-nato-helicopter-crashes-in-afghan-offensive/2011/08/06/gIQAlbT2xI_story.html)


KABUL — U.S. forces in Afghanistan suffered the deadliest day of the decade-long war Saturday when insurgents shot down an American helicopter, killing 30 U.S. servicemen and eight Afghans in the latest of a series of setbacks for coalition forces whose numbers are set to decline over the coming months.

As U.S. troops have pushed the Taliban from havens in the south, the insurgents have retaliated in recent weeks with high-profile attacks and assassinations of Afghan officials. The incidents have challenged U.S. assertions that the military is making steady progress in preparation for turning control of the country over to its Afghan partners. Insurgents have also stepped up attacks in the mountainous east, the site of Saturday’s incident.

The dead in Saturday’s attack included 22 Navy SEALs, most of them members of SEAL Team 6, the counterterrorism unit that carried out the mission to find Osama bin Laden, U.S. officials said. They added that none of the commandos who died Saturday were involved in the cross-border mission that killed the al-Qaeda leader.

[scarletghoul]

Yeah its pretty clear by now that the US empire is being chased out of Afghanistan by the Taliban. All the stuff about 'handing over control to the afghan government' etc is becoming more silly every day, and is paralell to the 'vietnamisation' policy of the early 70s. America has lost, and they know it.

[CHE with an AK]

ipszh14WPFY
Pwned

[Sir Comradical]

Yeah its pretty clear by now that the US empire is being chased out of Afghanistan by the Taliban. All the stuff about 'handing over control to the afghan government' etc is becoming more silly every day, and is paralell to the 'vietnamisation' policy of the early 70s. America has lost, and they know it.

Especially since the Afghan Army is comprised of petty crooks & drug addicts. It would be hopeless against a Taliban assault if there's no US backup.

[Rusty Shackleford]

If anything, this is a massive propaganda victory for the insurgents.

[jake williams]

Wait, so one helicopter was "shot down" (which, for all we know, could be a euphemism for "crashed") and it's the deadliest day in a 10 year "war"?

[Sensible Socialist]

Wait, so one helicopter was "shot down" (which, for all we know, could be a euphemism for "crashed") and it's the deadliest day in a 10 year "war"?
We all know that only American deaths count. I mean, who cares about silly brown people with rags on their heads? We're bringing democracy, so when our boys die, it's a big deal.

/sarcasm

[CHE with an AK]

Wait, so one helicopter was "shot down" and it's the deadliest day in a 10 year "war"?
When you do most of your murder from unmanned aerial killer drones ... your casualty count stays pretty low.

[Rss]

If anything, this is a massive propaganda victory for the insurgents.

This. Extra points for SEAL commandos.

[Skammunist]

It's pretty ironic that this happens in a little more than 2 months after this group killed bin Laden.

[piet11111]

Shot down during an assassination mission :laugh:

[Tommy4ever]

How long will the Afghan government actually last once NATO has pulled out of Afghanistan?

It seems unlikely that it will be able to keep most of the country for more than a few years. After that .... who knows, likely a return to the endless Civil Wars of the 90s.

[Rusty Shackleford]

How long will the Afghan government actually last once NATO has pulled out of Afghanistan?

It seems unlikely that it will be able to keep most of the country for more than a few years. After that .... who knows, likely a return to the endless Civil Wars of the 90s.
Probably as long as the PDPA/DRA after the Soviet Union pulled out.

[Lenina Rosenweg]

Probably as long as the PDPA/DRA after the Soviet Union pulled out.

The Najibullah regime was expected to fall within 3 to 6 months after the Soviets withdrew, instead they lasted over two years longer than expected, The Karzai warlord group won't last nearly that long. Maybe Karzai can get his old job back at either the CIA or Unocal?

[Rusty Shackleford]

well, seeing as the US can barely afford to do anything they might not be able to keep funding the afghan government.

[Tommy4ever]

well, seeing as the US can barely afford to do anything they might not be able to keep funding the afghan government.

I think American pride wouldn't allow that. After investing so much in that government they are hardly just going to cut them loose - it would be a humiliation and a massive blow to their prestige.

[Rusty Shackleford]

I think American pride wouldn't allow that. After investing so much in that government they are hardly just going to cut them loose - it would be a humiliation and a massive blow to their prestige.
vietnam?

[Tommy4ever]

vietnam?

They still continued to massively aid the South Vietnamese government, and that was an utter humiliation.

[Rusty Shackleford]

at the same time though the US wasnt going through a possible back to back recession and that was the only war the US was engaging itself in directly.

[Tim Finnegan]

We all know that only American deaths count. I mean, who cares about silly brown people with rags on their heads? We're bringing democracy, so when our boys die, it's a big deal.

/sarcasm
Let's take a look at that title again, shall we?

Deadliest day for US troops in decade long war in Afghanistan Pay abloodyttention.

[Tommy4ever]

at the same time though the US wasnt going through a possible back to back recession and that was the only war the US was engaging itself in directly.

I think you overestimate the financial burden of supporting a friendly regime when compared to other expenses.

Plus, the early 70s were the greatest period of crisis in capitalism between 1945 and 2008. So it was a not disimilar economic situation.

[Rusty Shackleford]

youre probably right on that. The US will spare no cost in maintaining its hegemony.

[Reznov]

How long will the Afghan government actually last once NATO has pulled out of Afghanistan?

It seems unlikely that it will be able to keep most of the country for more than a few years. After that .... who knows, likely a return to the endless Civil Wars of the 90s.

About as long as the Soviet backed one did after Soviet forces pulled out of the country.

[scarletghoul]

i give them under a year after US troops leave

[TheGodlessUtopian]

Ah, more pigs killed in the slaughter house....what is new?

[Crux]

If anything, this is a massive propaganda victory for the insurgents.
Same unit does not mean it was the same troops that actually shot Osama bin Laden though.

[Commissar Rykov]

Same unit does not mean it was the same troops that actually shot Osama bin Laden though.

It likely was since a SEAL Team Six consists of around 30 men. They usually don't transfer them or move them around much. Six likes to keep the same shooters in their stable since it was solely created for Counter-Terrorist Operations which makes it odd they would be pulling an op to pull Rangers out of the fire.

[CHE with an AK]

The US will spare no cost in maintaining its hegemony.


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"We must bear in mind that imperialism is a world system, the last stage of capitalism — and it must be defeated in a world confrontation. The strategic end of this struggle should be the destruction of imperialism. Our share, the responsibility of the exploited and underdeveloped of the world is to eliminate the foundations of imperialism: our oppressed nations, from where they extract capitals, raw materials, technicians and cheap labor, and to which they export new capitals — instruments of domination — arms and all kinds of articles; thus submerging us in an absolute dependance."


— Che Guevara, Message to the Tricontinental, 1967