European Tribune - Comments - The Meaning Of "Success"?

The Meaning Of "Success"? | 45 comments (45 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: The Meaning Of "Success"? (none / 1)

To what extent should success be seen as something political achieved in the US more or less independent of what's actually happening in Afghanistan.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 22nd, 2009 at 10:15:42 AM EST

Re: The Meaning Of "Success"? (none / 1)

By which I mean that the war was waged for internal US political reasons and success includes things like:

Not having to admit that the war was foolish.
Not having to admit that US troops died more or less pointlessly.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 22nd, 2009 at 10:21:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Meaning Of "Success"? (none / 1)

My take: Since 9-11 I fear that "our" biggest goal was simply to have a grand stage on which our leaders could posture at the cost of other people's lives.

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Tue Sep 22nd, 2009 at 10:34:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Meaning Of "Success"? (none / 0)

Well, McChrystal is certainly trying, in this piece, to talk about what's happening in Afghanistan. But there's a serious disconnect when it comes to talking about goals.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Tue Sep 22nd, 2009 at 10:51:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Meaning Of "Success"? (none / 1)

Sure, but he can't very well say that there is no mission in Afghanistan that make any sense internally.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 22nd, 2009 at 11:08:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Meaning Of "Success"? (none / 1)

That's why the disconnect. The only mission stated is seen from the outside; the only human categories mentioned (not defined) are seen from the outside; and the fact of foreign occupation is implicitly denied.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Tue Sep 22nd, 2009 at 11:20:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Meaning Of "Success"? (4.00 / 2)

He is unclear about goals, but he and those he represents are quite insistent that we send more troops so that we don't lose....this time around...like with Beirut under Reagan. The domestic political agenda is implicit in the fact that the document was leaked.

As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Tue Sep 22nd, 2009 at 02:48:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The Meaning Of "Success"? | 45 comments (45 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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