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| Afghanistan |
| U.S. to allies: Fight in Afghanistan or write check |
| 2008-10-06 |
| The United States has asked Japan and NATO allies who have refused to send troops to Afghanistan to pay the estimated $17 billion needed to build up the Afghan army, according to U.S. defense officials. The push to quickly increase the size of Afghanistan's army and spread the cost of the initiative underscores the financial and military strain the war has placed on the United States and NATO members, many also operating in Iraq and elsewhere. "The faster we get the (Afghan army) to the size and strength they need to be, the less they depend on us for providing security, and God knows we operate far more expensively than the Afghan national security forces do," said Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell. "At a minimum it's going to cost $17 billion. That's a hefty price-tag and someone's got to pay it," Morrell said. "This may be one of those cases where countries that have had a reluctance to contribute forces, in particular combat forces, may be able to take part in this mission through a financial contribution to the development of the Afghan National Army." The new Pentagon push to share costs more widely reflects a realization among U.S. officials that some allies simply will not put troops into the war despite heavy pressure from Washington - something Europe has been telling the United States for more than a year. But it also threatens to create just the type of two-tiered NATO alliance that U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned against early this year. |
| Posted by:ed |
| #13 #8 You wanna carpetbomb Europe? Tempting, but a bit of overkill, no? Posted by lotp Please spare the Alsace. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2008-10-06 21:44 |
| #12 And apparently repetitious too. Got some serious delay in my server's cache I guess 'cause I just figured Fred's spam filter had nabbed those. |
| Posted by: lotp 2008-10-06 21:42 |
| #11 Umm, that was tongue in cheek LOL |
| Posted by: lotp 2008-10-06 21:42 |
| #10 lotp, I don't think USN, Ret. ment we should carpet bomb Europe, but Pakistan. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2008-10-06 20:56 |
| #9 He isn't talking about Europe. |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2008-10-06 20:56 |
| #8 You wanna carpetbomb Europe? Tempting, but a bit of overkill, no? |
| Posted by: lotp 2008-10-06 20:43 |
| #7 USN ret, carpetbombing Europe in response to their failure in the NATO mission seems, I dunno, a bit disproportionate. |
| Posted by: lotp 2008-10-06 20:42 |
| #6 Oh, I dunno ..... carpet bombing Europe seems like a little disproportionate response to the failure of NATO. |
| Posted by: lotp 2008-10-06 20:39 |
| #5 Better yet; either pay up or we will institute OP's Arclight idea and don't let us hear one whimper out of all you freeloaders. Get the job done quicker; messier maybe but if its our dime it is our way and y'all can just STFU! |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2008-10-06 14:20 |
| #4 Is this a joke ? Do they really believe anyone but US taxpayers are going to pony up ? Freakin' good luck. At least the players in the pentagon are realizing the US is bankrupt and big changes in their funding are coming soon. They'd better shit or get offa the pot. Quit holding hands. Get it done.The entire effort in WWII took less time. If these jokers want to have it their own way, let them. I'm in favor of cutting the umbilical cord. Let them be on their own. Shut down all US funding of UN, Nato, plato, etc. Tell them to vacate our territory in NY. I'm sick and tired of these free loaders. |
| Posted by: Woozle Elmeter 2700 2008-10-06 11:32 |
| #3 i say they can pay up or no longer be guaranteed NATO protection |
| Posted by: sinse 2008-10-06 11:00 |
| #2 The Euros look upon NATO as an entitlement paid for by the American taxpayer and have for generations. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2008-10-06 09:21 |
| #1 The U.S. is not making NATO a two-tiered force. Those that choose the benefits of alliance while trying to avoid the costs have made it what it is.. or perhaps made obvious what it always was. We put US $850 billion into stabilizing the world; I think it fair that together they put in $17 billion or so. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-10-06 09:05 |