How to really muck it up., How to Snatch Defeat from the jaws of Victory ! Options

[Hellfighter]

This will be a huge Bush Legacy Blunder.
Losing Afghanistan at the point of total victory.
Remember when Bush in the one truly glorious phase of his reign he got together a great coalition of nations and had a plan to solid plan to crush the Taliban in Afghanistan?
Remember how starting the the Afghan 'Northern Alliance' rebels, Afghan tribes quickly rallied alongside the Coalition to overrun the Taliban and Al quaeda to send them fleeing through Tora Bora!
Remember the consolidation of most of Afghanistan with the huge refugee crisis along the Pakistan border being fixed?
Remember how success story after success story came rapidly with Afghanistan's infrastructure being strengthened, villages modernized, rural women getting more rights, children educated in new schools, Afghan army being remodelled and quickly trained to defend and attack the last Taliban holdouts?
Remember the poppy/heroin operations [that were supposedly stopped by the Taliban; but in fact they were hording heroin in stock to drive the price of heroin up]?

Remember when everyone was giddy with the successes in that arena thinking it was almost all over?
Remember when Bush suddenly lost his mind and invaded Iraq with no provokation at all?
If you remember that AND you were watching what was happening in Afghanistan the last 4 years with any interest, you'll almost want to cry -you'll see how the turning tide in Afghanistan co-related with Al quaeda's real resurgence in Pakistan while their 'distraction operatives' pulled Bush's focus deeper into Iraq.

So much achievement and sacrifices of soldiers in Afghanistan have now been reduced to the Taliban regaining control of much of the country, putting the fear of their extremism back in the locals hearts and now at the doorstep of Kabul. Oh yes, and then there's the heroin operation back in full swing supplying huge funding for Al Quaeda.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28400536

It all reminds me of thefinal fight in the movie "Million Dollar Baby".

[HammaTime]

...sigh ... you really know how to cheer a guy up!

C'mon, we're Americans! We prefer to forget about stuff. Hell, we've just now pulled all of our broadcast network correspondents from Iraq, and now you want us to think about Afghanistan??? PULEASSEEEEEE!

By the way, HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!!

And a little something special for me Mae West China Plate:

And while we are on smilies, I miss this guy: ... where oh where is some help when you need him... Hopefully, he and Crazy are safe from those marauding Canadian avalanches.

For me, this past year is best summed up by this: , but next year should better!

HF, I hope you get a new computer soon. Prices sure are dropping. We need to see HF back on the battlefield!