As I look at this chart, a lot of things click. What do Democrats attack? The Pharmaceutical, Oil, and Tobacco Industries. What do these three have in common? They all contribute much more to Republican's than Democrats. Meanwhile, the Labor Unions, Teachers Unions, and Lawyers are almost solely contributing to Democrats! Which is why they get special protected status. It explains alot why there never will be tort reform, and these Unions will continue their stranglehold on US taxpayers.
Just like the income tax deduction. Imagine if folks had to write a check at the end of the year...there would be riots and pitch forks in Washington
During a break in service during the latter Clinton years, I worked at Veterans Stadium as a beverage manager. I was forced into a union. That union took dues right out of my check and I had no input in where thoose funds were used. The union did zip, zero, nada for me. What they did do was keep managers like myself from firing people when caught red handed stealing from the tills, or any of a hundred other scams that were ongoing in that facitity. I eventually got sick of it, when my dues were used to support canidates and anti gun measures I opposed and quit and rejoined the Army. Unions can kiss my rear end!
Insurgents or no insurgents...I want the UN out of the US, and for us to stop funding them just for them to turn around and undermine us.
And I can get int trouble for this...but the problem isnt all Afghan. As I have explained, most of the people here are fine. The issue is the never ending stream of jihadists, extremist, AQ and TB a$$hats pouring over the Pakmil border. relatively safe in the FATA zone along the border. We cannot fire into Pakistan. The second they cross over however, GBU's, artillery, mortars, and machine guns go hot and start dropping.
If I didnt like the job or believe in the mission, I wouldnt have volunteered to stay in theater another year. The reason I posted was because of the hysteria and flat out distortions in the article like: "because troops are under orders to drive and walk the IED-laced roads and by-ways of Afghanistan". IED laced roads? Oh come on. Is there a threat? ABSOLUTELY...but to insinuate that this place is crawling with IED's on every road, on every patrol, and every soldier is at a daily threat is disingenuous.
I go out on patrols all the time. Have I lost people? Yes, and it kills a part of me every time. But we either make a conscious decision to see this through, or turn this over to the extremists to move back in, set up training camps to eventually target us back home. We are taking it to the INS and they ARE on the ropes. More importantly, the ANA are taking the lead in operations and fighting the insurgency in at least our AOR...which was part of the plan all along. But they are in their infancy, and still need guidance and direction.
Thank you sir for keeping the streets and families safe back home :-) Watch your six and take care of yourself.
Its a lot more difficult of a situation than that. 90% of these people just want to be left alone. They are war weary from decades of fighting. In Bamyan, the Hazara people stood against the Taliban the best they could. For their efforts, there is literally an entire generation of males gone because they were rounded up by the Taliban and executed. Its not uncommon to see the young boys til about 16 to 20, and then then next male you see is elderly.
Outside of Kabul or Jalalabad they are extremely poor. And I mean poor people. Living in mud houses, and growing enough food for the village with little to sell for profit. Electricity? The kind we think of nonexistant outside of the cities. It is 1390 here on the Afghan calendar..and too be honest, to our western eyes it looks like it. But there are really good folks here, just trying to survive until the next day.
Sure theres things I dont like. The only thing they treat (by our standards) worse than women is their animals. But it wasnt too long ago we were in a similar situation. But family for them comes first. Always.
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