http://online.wsj.com/...
This is part II of a series that will be infinite until we're fucking out of there. Part I is here:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Generals are generals for one reason and one reason only: They LOVE war. That is why they went into these carrers in the first place. Therefore a General is one of the LAST persons you consult if you'd like an objective opinion on a war.
Prior to reading below you may want to refer to my last diary on ths, linked above, for some incoherent attemps to get a tiny bit deeper into the meaning of some of these terms. In other words, deigning to breaking up an abstraction or two into the next level of absractions -- of course just bringing about even more questions.
"We are in this to win," he told a crowd of several hundred NATO and Afghan officials at the ceremony at a grassy area just outside coalition headquarters....
What is "this?"
A "war."
Why is it a "war?"
Blank out.
What's a "win?"
Blank out.
"We are engaged in a contests of wills," he said....
What is our "will?"
Blank out.
"We have arrived at a critical moment."...
Why is it a "critical moment?"
Blank out.
"As we press on in our vital mission,..."
What is our "mission?"
Blank out.
Why is whatever our mission is, "vital?"
Blank out.
In a message to his troops, he said he would "not hesitate to bring all assets to bear to protect you..."
What are "all assets?"
Blank out.
June was the deadliest month for the allied force since the war began in October 2001 with 102 deaths, more than half of them Americans....
"Civilian and military, Afghanistan and international, we are part of one team with one mission," Gen. Petraeus told about 1,700 invited guests...
What is our "one mission?"
Blank out.
Let me offer my opinion: I suppose our mission is to make Afghanistan a happy paradise once again. Once that happens we can turn attention to solving our relatively unimportant domestic problems.
Until or unless, of course, we find another "war" to make. Which the General, among others, will naturally be scrambling around to find.
Oil crisis? "Boooring." Economic crisis? "Fuggedaboutit." Millions more people losing jobs and whole careers and becoming impoverished with their families? "Don't waste my time."
Why would the General give two hoots about those? His business, his livelihood, his sense of purpose, is threefold:...
WAR. WAR. WAR.