You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Afghanistan
Will Putin Sue Obama for Leaving Afghanistan Too Soon?
2012-04-15
Speaking to the Duma, Putin announced his support for the ISAF mission:

Surprisingly few American mothers think their sons should go into combat to pull Russia's chestnuts out of the fire.
"We understand what is happening in Afghanistan -- right?" Russia's educator-in-chief lectured the Duma. "We are interested in things there being under control, right? And we do not want our soldiers to fight on the Tajik-Afghan border, right?"

"It's in our national interests to help maintain stability in Afghanistan," he continued. "Well, NATO and the Western community are present there. God bless them! Let them do their work."

This is not going to make the Afghan War any more popular in the US. Surprisingly few American mothers think their sons should go into combat to pull Russia's chestnuts out of the fire. However, if President Obama goes ahead and withdraws from Afghanistan before fulfilling the objectives laid out in the UN resolutions authorizing the war, the Russians are threatening to sue.
Posted by:

#5  I'm sure they'd love to make us lose and simultaneously sue us for losing.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain   2012-04-15 16:39  

#4  Read The Great Game, Russia and Afghanistan goes back a long ways. These Kahnites and Stans were responsible for enslaving a large number Russian peoples back in the day, basically as soon as the Mongols were ousted as the mussels were undeterred in the great pastime of abduction and slave trading.

That said, Russia and the West have been sparring this area for a while as well. I'm sure they would love for us to be effective without winning.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2012-04-15 15:10  

#3  ...at the same time to disrupt or destroy the drug traffic from the area that they are suffering the effects of.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2012-04-15 14:28  

#2  It's in Russia's interest that Afghanistan be stable, most certainly. However, it is also in Russia's interest that they not be involved, at least militarily.
Posted by: trailing wife   2012-04-15 13:31  

#1  Â“ItÂ’s in our national interests to help maintain stability in Afghanistan,” he [Putin] continued.

Doublespeak. He and Obama (lecturer-in-chief) are meant for each other. What has Russia done to maintain stability in Afghanistan? They are hated in Afghanistan; maybe staying out is good for Afghan stability.
Posted by: JohnQC   2012-04-15 11:11  

00:00