Place a name upon the night,
One to set your heart alight,
And to make the darkness bright,
Paint the sky with stars ..
One to set your heart alight,
And to make the darkness bright,
Paint the sky with stars ..
So, just as the war in Afghanistan was getting more boring or exciting depending on your viewpoint, Obama has announced that all US combat operations will cease by the end of August, to be followed by us, at some point in the .. next .. 5 years or so.
So while we struggle on with our crappy 'humanitarian' mission (4 soldiers killed in a single day today, go humanitarianism!), Obama seems to have seized the initiative and should have a nice big win in the propaganda war. Take that France, you big fairy peace queens.
This will of course now force America to take a similar stance to ours, the one that seemed doomed from the outset 9 years ago; that is, forming bonds and winning hearts and minds. When shock and awe campaigns are all done, attention will turn elsewhere to something more entertaining, as the whole 'rebuilding damaged country' thing isn't that glamorous.
But has terrorism really died with Western intervention? The war seems to have produced more anti-Western feelings than ever before. The insurgencies of Iraq and Afghanistan were exacerbated by our role there.
Will our intervention ultimately equate to further 9/11 or 7/7 attacks? More burning of effigies and flags? Will our failure to decisively and swiftly defeat the Taliban, as with the Soviets, act as an inspiration to other countries or groups who wish to act against us? And most importantly, when we eventually leave, will we be left with a crap government who will neglect to prevent our military failures in the Middle East from becoming our permanent legacy?
These are all good questions, Max.
Why, cheers Max!
These issues will most likely pursue you for years to come
I'm well aware of that, Max. It's an unnerving thought.
Indeed! You look very summery today, by the way.
Thanks! I'm planning a haircut again soon.
Good idea.
What's to be done with the Middle East, eh?
I just don't know. I'm tired of talking about it. This was a heavy post. What's on telly?
So while we struggle on with our crappy 'humanitarian' mission (4 soldiers killed in a single day today, go humanitarianism!), Obama seems to have seized the initiative and should have a nice big win in the propaganda war. Take that France, you big fairy peace queens.
This will of course now force America to take a similar stance to ours, the one that seemed doomed from the outset 9 years ago; that is, forming bonds and winning hearts and minds. When shock and awe campaigns are all done, attention will turn elsewhere to something more entertaining, as the whole 'rebuilding damaged country' thing isn't that glamorous.
But has terrorism really died with Western intervention? The war seems to have produced more anti-Western feelings than ever before. The insurgencies of Iraq and Afghanistan were exacerbated by our role there.
Will our intervention ultimately equate to further 9/11 or 7/7 attacks? More burning of effigies and flags? Will our failure to decisively and swiftly defeat the Taliban, as with the Soviets, act as an inspiration to other countries or groups who wish to act against us? And most importantly, when we eventually leave, will we be left with a crap government who will neglect to prevent our military failures in the Middle East from becoming our permanent legacy?
These are all good questions, Max.
Why, cheers Max!
These issues will most likely pursue you for years to come
I'm well aware of that, Max. It's an unnerving thought.
Indeed! You look very summery today, by the way.
Thanks! I'm planning a haircut again soon.
Good idea.
What's to be done with the Middle East, eh?
I just don't know. I'm tired of talking about it. This was a heavy post. What's on telly?
