Ace of Spades HQ

November 01, 2013

A-stan pullout logistics on track
— Purple Avenger

CENTCOM is saying the material removal process is well underway and is on track for year end 2014 completion.

About 40,000 containers and 30,000 vehicles have been shipped back from Afghanistan over the past year, but a strategic transportation planner said the system "has not yet been taxed" to its fullest potential...

...It's feasible to bring back the 80,000 containers and 20,000 vehicles still in Afghanistan by December 2014, said Clifton, who is chief of the Joint Operational Planning and Execution System branch at ARCENT.

The process is also apparently being done with a fair amount of intelligence and efficiency.

...As recently as this spring, there were thousands of containers waiting to be processed at the sort yards in Kandahar and Bagram, Gamble said, but the advent of the joint sorting teams helped eliminate that backlog.
Â“We hit a tilting point in about July where we were retro sorting and demilitarizing and shipping back to the United States more from our forward locations than we were from [Bagram] and [Kandahar],Â” he said.
Altogether, the CMRE and joint sorting teams are recovering about 91 percent of the value of the retrograde equipment, the general said.
Â“So, the high-dollar value items are being retained and shipped back to [the U.S.], where the high-volume, low-dollar items that don't make sense to retain or are just plain excess to requirements are either being redistributed forward or being disposed of forward,Â” Gamble said...

Of course, as Dec 2014 approaches, that 91% recovery rate will get closer and closer to 0%, but at least we prioritized out the high dollar high impact items. If you bug out and abandon pallets of tampons, jockstraps, Humvee water pumps, Kaboom and rope its not such a big deal.

When people were seriously discussing this material extraction process before it began, it was clear there'd be three ways out. By land through Pakistan to Pakistan ports, to the north overland via the so called "Northern Distribution Network", and by air. All three possible routes are apparently being used.

Air is nominally "expensive", but that nominal cost can be mitigated by not dead heading planes out that were bringing in force protection resupply and such in. Don't forget, even as we pull out and extract material, other material is inbound in support of ongoing operations. So, the cost to extract by air is really only incremental fuel usage if a plane would otherwise be leaving with empty space.

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 02:38 PM | Comments (156)
Post contains 410 words, total size 3 kb.

1 OK, firsty?

Posted by: K,tnx,bye at November 01, 2013 02:39 PM (5aT64)

2 first

Posted by: mallfly at November 01, 2013 02:39 PM (bJm7W)

3 second drat today.

Posted by: mallfly at November 01, 2013 02:39 PM (bJm7W)

4 Under Baraka's leadership we are becoming skilled in retreating.

Posted by: steevy at November 01, 2013 02:41 PM (zqvg6)

5 I haven't fucked up logistics yet? I better get on it.

Posted by: Mister C in C at November 01, 2013 02:42 PM (l3vZN)

6 How long before the Taliban takes over after TFG lee treats?

Posted by: Misanthropic humanitarian, now with 50% more sensitivity at November 01, 2013 02:43 PM (HVff2)

7 What we need is some Detroit pullout logistics.

Posted by: eleven at November 01, 2013 02:44 PM (fsLdt)

8 This shit will be expensive

Posted by: The Jackhole at November 01, 2013 02:44 PM (nTgAI)

9 The Taliban is in retreat!!!! Al Qaeda has been decimated!!!!

Posted by: Margarita DeVille at November 01, 2013 02:45 PM (dfYL9)

10 This shit will be expensive

One of the centcom pieces says its a $7-8B operation

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at November 01, 2013 02:45 PM (4tK7k)

11 What we need is some Detroit pullout logistics. Posted by: eleven ---------------------- Problem partially solved. Barky is trying to buy the Dems way out, $300 million so far. Plus, he has sent Top.Men.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at November 01, 2013 02:45 PM (aDwsi)

12 I have a bad feeling about pulling completely out of the ME. I know with Dear Leader at the helm, it has seemed to be a waste of time and blood, but nothing good is going to come about by leaving this vaccuum.

Posted by: Soona at November 01, 2013 02:46 PM (oP1/q)

13 So far 37 Taliban have successfully signed up for ObamaCare.

Posted by: eman at November 01, 2013 02:47 PM (AO9UG)

14 pallets of tampons, jockstraps, Humvee water pumps, Kaboom and rope. Missed a couple, hashish, hemorrhoid suppositories & TFGs muzzie dildo. Not too be confused with charlie browns dildo

Posted by: Misanthropic humanitarian, now with 50% more sensitivity at November 01, 2013 02:47 PM (HVff2)

15 Hey, I'm not a logistics geek. I'm just a lawyer.

Posted by: Joey Choo-Choo at November 01, 2013 02:48 PM (W3BdT)

16 Guess this is an improvement. Twenty years ago when we decommissioned my boat (Francis Scott Key) there wasn't a method of inputting lots of stuff back into the supply system. "If you can carry it take it home with you."

Posted by: traye at November 01, 2013 02:48 PM (Hoio8)

Hey, Canada.....would you like to own a slightly used American city located near your border?

They have a HOCKEY TEAMMMM........

Posted by: eleven at November 01, 2013 02:49 PM (fsLdt)

18 Nuke it from orbit on the way out.

Posted by: kartoffel at November 01, 2013 02:49 PM (oLCqQ)

19 We'll leave and the Taliban will still grow their poppies, still sell heroin in the former USSR, who will then have to invade A-stan again to stop that shit. We'll have some goofy dem who thinks it's a good idea to help defeat the russians, maybe even get a movie made about himself, and A-stan will become another paradise for Al-Q enterprises. Who will then plot murder and mayhem from within its borders. Possibly succeed. At which point we'll have to invade again. Shame Monsanto can't develop some spray that kills poppy plants once and for all.

Posted by: SchrÃ¶dinger's cat [/i] at November 01, 2013 02:49 PM (U2UQk)

20 We are leaving tons and tons of crap there that cost us all a small fortune

Posted by: Nevergiveup at November 01, 2013 02:49 PM (UbDLm)

21 Ah fuck it...N/M.

Posted by: eleven at November 01, 2013 02:50 PM (fsLdt)

22 Afghanistan will soon return to the vacation paradise it was in the past.

Posted by: eman at November 01, 2013 02:51 PM (AO9UG)

23 It's ok eleven, it's payday friday

Posted by: Misanthropic humanitarian, now with 50% more sensitivity at November 01, 2013 02:51 PM (HVff2)

24 "One of the centcom pieces says its a $7-8B operation"

Besides the weaponry, did we even have 7 billion dollars worth of shit there?

Posted by: lowandslow at November 01, 2013 02:52 PM (IV4od)

We should leave them a conex full of "Ishtar" videos. That should keep the taliban busy for a year or so.

Posted by: Soona at November 01, 2013 02:52 PM (oP1/q)

26 13 So far 37 Taliban have successfully signed up for ObamaCare. Hahaha!!!!

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 02:52 PM (doBIb)

27 Al Qaeda has been ~~decimated~~ tenfolded!!!! Posted by: Margarita DeVille Fixed quote

Posted by: Dept. Of Acuracy at November 01, 2013 02:53 PM (MhA4j)

28 Shame Monsanto can't develop some spray that kills poppy plants once and for all. Round Up?

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 02:53 PM (doBIb)

The Ishtar offensive.

Why yes......yes it was.

ba dump.

Posted by: eleven at November 01, 2013 02:54 PM (fsLdt)

30 17 Hey, Canada.....would you like toown a slightly used American city locatednear your border? They have a HOCKEY TEAMMMM........ Posted by: eleven at November 01, 2013 06:49 PM (fsLdt) And in the past couple years they finally got that professional football team they'd been looking for.

Posted by: Buzzion at November 01, 2013 02:54 PM (tw2H1)

31 I'd thought up a witty comment but I've lost too many friends there for nothing.

Posted by: tangonine at November 01, 2013 02:54 PM (x3YFz)

32 Besides the weaponry, did we even have 7 billion dollars worth of shit there? Posted by: lowandslow at November 01, 2013 06:52 PM (IV4od) Don't worry after we leave the Afghans will sue us in the World Court for polluting their pristine country. Count on it

Posted by: Nevergiveup at November 01, 2013 02:54 PM (UbDLm)

33 Sorry T9.

Posted by: eleven at November 01, 2013 02:56 PM (fsLdt)

34 I'd thought up a witty comment but I've lost too many friends there for nothing. Posted by: tangonine at November 01, 2013 06:54 PM (x3YFz) Amen to that.

Posted by: Nevergiveup at November 01, 2013 02:56 PM (UbDLm)

35 Stan don't like me, man. Shit, can you believe that?

Posted by: Barack O'Bama at November 01, 2013 02:56 PM (2ArJQ)

36 So far 37 Taliban have successfully signed up for ObamaCare. Thus doubling the overall signup number.

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at November 01, 2013 02:56 PM (GEICT)

37 12 I have a bad feeling about pulling completely out of the ME. I know with Dear Leader at the helm, it has seemed to be a waste of time and blood, but nothing good is going to come about by leaving this vaccuum. Posted by: Soona at November 01, 2013 06:46 PM (oP1/q) ------------------- Talk about a vacuum, we should have negotiated a status-of-forces agreement in IRAQ, just as Bush's plan called for it. We should have got out of Afghanistan, not escalated, especially when you have an imbecile like Obama announcing we are leaving in 2014 no matter what. As usual, he's been wrong about every step.

Posted by: Margarita DeVille at November 01, 2013 02:57 PM (dfYL9)

38 Goodbye Karzai! Hope he's got a plane running on the tarmac and a way to get there fast.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at November 01, 2013 02:57 PM (oFCZn)

39 "One of the centcom pieces says its a $7-8B operation"

Besides the weaponry, did we even have 7 billion dollars worth of shit there?

Posted by: lowandslow at November 01, 2013 06:52 PM (IV4od)

-----------------------------------------------

$7-8 billion is what third world nations spend to keep their armies in garrison. Our military goes through exponentially more material than any military in the world. There's no telling how much value we have on the ground in the ME. The logisticians probably don't even know the full extent of it.

Posted by: Soona at November 01, 2013 02:58 PM (oP1/q)

40 So far 37 Taliban have successfully signed up for ~~ObamaCare~~ Medicaid. Fixed.

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 02:58 PM (doBIb)

41 I'd thought up a witty comment but I've lost too many friends there for nothing. Posted by: tangonine at November 01, 2013 06:54 PM I saw some reservists ready for deployment yesterday. I used to thank them and glad hand them but I just didn't know what to say besides "Keep your butt down."

Posted by: Dept. Of Acuracy at November 01, 2013 02:58 PM (MhA4j)

42 1. Remove Americans & Allies 2. Whisper to Israel 3. Nuke the fuck out of that place Taliban gone, al-Qaida gone. Poppies gone. Fucktards who wipe their ass with their hands gone. GWB should have never committed us to nation remodeling. You destroy it, you walk away or keep destroying it

Posted by: Misanthropic humanitarian, now with 50% more sensitivity at November 01, 2013 02:58 PM (HVff2)

43 33 Sorry T9.

Posted by: eleven at November 01, 2013 06:56 PM (fsLdt)

Don't apologize to me. 12 years of war, we've all lost friends.

Good buddy of mine was boots on ramp to QRF when Neil Roberts crawled behind a rock with nothing but his 9mm sig as 8 taliban shot him to pieces.

I've got a lot of anger and sorrow, but I'm certain you guys know a wounded vet or have similar stories.

I've got no solution. It just fucking sucks.

Posted by: tangonine at November 01, 2013 02:59 PM (x3YFz)

44 28 Shame Monsanto can't develop some spray that kills poppy plants once and for all. --------------------- Round Up? Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 06:53 PM (doBIb) EPA nixed the production. Hey! You know what I bet would kill it? Burn Scatter Salt

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at November 01, 2013 02:59 PM (GEICT)

45 Obama's enduring legacy: poverty and the decline of democracy in America, and a bloodbath stretching from the Khyber Pass to the Nile.

Posted by: Trimegistus at November 01, 2013 02:59 PM (c+wbZ)

46 I'd thought up a witty comment but I've lost too many friends there for nothing.

Posted by: tangonine at November 01, 2013 06:54 PM (x3YFz)

Yup. Next time, if there ever is one, we should go back at Angels 30 and don't bother landing.

Posted by: GGE of the Moron Horde, NC Chapter at November 01, 2013 02:59 PM (yh0zB)

47 If you bug out and abandon pallets of tampons, jockstraps, Humvee water pumps, Kaboom and rope its not such a big deal.

Definitely lolled, don't think I didn't...

Posted by: Masturbatin' Pete at November 01, 2013 02:59 PM (xN1DB)

48 Hope he's got a plane running on the tarmac and a way to get there fast.

He probably just becomes a front man for the Taliban after we leave. They'll be wanting someone who isn't a toxic as Omar to be their face to the world.

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at November 01, 2013 03:00 PM (4tK7k)

49 EPA nixed the production. What? When?

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 03:00 PM (doBIb)

37...As usual, he's been wrong about every step.

Assuming that he has the best interests of our country in mind...

Which, personally, I don't think he has.

Posted by: wheatie at November 01, 2013 03:00 PM (uzPgI)

51 EPA nixed the production. What? When? Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 07:00 PM Yeah really. Monsanto owns the EPA

Posted by: Dept. Of Acuracy at November 01, 2013 03:00 PM (MhA4j)

52 "Keep your butt down." Posted by: Dept. Of Acuracy at November 01, 2013 06:58 PM (MhA4j) My BIL was in Shitcanistan last year. The message my dad passed along to him was "Keep your fucking ass down. Come home."

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at November 01, 2013 03:01 PM (GEICT)

53 "...nothing good..." One thing good. If we get our fine young men and women out of there they stop getting killed due to ridiculous ROE. Bonus- We can also just nuke the place from space with no friendly casualties.

Posted by: teej at November 01, 2013 03:01 PM (xhr2b)

54 What is the policy on enlisted carrying in their own personal weapons?

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 03:01 PM (doBIb)

55 Yup. Next time, if there ever is one, we should go back at Angels 30 and don't bother landing.

Posted by: GGE of the Moron Horde, NC Chapter at November 01, 2013 06:59 PM (yh0zB)

glass. The whole fucking place.

Posted by: tangonine at November 01, 2013 03:03 PM (x3YFz)

56 What? When? Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 07:00 PM (doBIb) I knew that would happen. I was trying to make a joke about the EPA nixing a chemical that would forever kill the poppy fields. My bad.

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at November 01, 2013 03:03 PM (GEICT)

57 54 What is the policy on enlisted carrying in their own personal weapons? Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 07:01 PM (doBIb) My BIL wasn't allowed to carry his weapon loaded when he was walking around the fucking base.

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at November 01, 2013 03:04 PM (GEICT)

58 54 What is the policy on enlisted carrying in their own personal weapons?

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 07:01 PM (doBIb) Hide posts from (doBIb)

Don't even think about it. Bad idea.

Posted by: Lamont Cranston at November 01, 2013 03:04 PM (lGFXl)

59 I knew that would happen. I was trying to make a joke about the EPA nixing a chemical that would forever kill the poppy fields. My bad. Oh man, I need that shit every summer to keep my house from disappearing under a jungle of weeds.

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 03:04 PM (doBIb)

60 EC save that Kimber for a welcome home present.

Posted by: Lamont Cranston at November 01, 2013 03:06 PM (lGFXl)

61 Spraying with copper sulphate would probably do it. Most plants don't like copper.

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at November 01, 2013 03:06 PM (4tK7k)

62 Oh man, I need that shit every summer to keep my house from disappearing under a jungle of weeds. Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 07:04 PM (doBIb) Lol. That's how we got rid of all the grass in the corner of our yard where the trampoline and playhouses are. Put that rubber stuff down.

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at November 01, 2013 03:06 PM (GEICT)

63 57 54 What is the policy on enlisted carrying in their own personal weapons?

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 07:01 PM (doBIb)

My BIL wasn't allowed to carry his weapon loaded when he was walking around the fucking base.

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at November 01, 2013 07:04 PM (GEICT)

Yeah, it aint 1942. CSM would fucking lose their shit if you rolled up with a .30 revolver in your kit. Well, Regiment, SEALs, Delta and some JTACs can get away with it, but it's rare.

Posted by: tangonine at November 01, 2013 03:06 PM (x3YFz)

64 The basic Roundup recipe is acid, salt, and a substance to maintain contact with the leaf surface for as long as possible. I 'roll my own' so to speak. Which means someday I will get a visit from some black Chevy Suburbans in my driveway.

Posted by: SchrÃ¶dinger's cat [/i] at November 01, 2013 03:08 PM (U2UQk)

65 Triclopyr. Trust me.

Posted by: Golfman in NC at November 01, 2013 03:09 PM (/djtm)

66 28 Shame Monsanto can't develop some spray that kills poppy plants once and for all. Round Up? Dammit. Let out context.

Posted by: Golfman in NC at November 01, 2013 03:10 PM (bd7RU)

67 28 Shame Monsanto can't develop some spray that kills poppy plants once and for all.

Round Up?

Dammit. Let out context.

Posted by: Golfman in NC at November 01, 2013 07:10 PM (bd7RU)

heh. there's only like 10 people here that will understand that post.

Posted by: tangonine at November 01, 2013 03:11 PM (x3YFz)

68 64 The basic Roundup recipe is acid, salt, and a substance to maintain contact with the leaf surface for as long as possible. I 'roll my own' so to speak. It's a chemical that causes the stomas to shut and remain closed isn't it?

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 03:13 PM (doBIb)

The British lost three quasi-wars trying to control that part of the world.

The Soviets lost trying to control that part of the world.

We are not going to control that part of the world.

Fuck Afghanistan and fuck the ME. Let them go back to killing each other....instead of focusing on killing American men and women. Get our people out of that shithole once and for all.

Posted by: Some Guy in Wisconsin at November 01, 2013 03:14 PM (7h2ry)

70 So, the cost to extract by air is really only incremental fuel usage if a plane would otherwise be leaving with empty space.

Excellent point. This is why amateurs study tactics, whereas professionals study logistics. o_O

Posted by: mongo78 at November 01, 2013 03:14 PM (vgXTT)

71 EC save that Kimber for a welcome home present. It was the Scorpion in desert cerakote.

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 03:15 PM (doBIb)

72 I have a close relative that just became a Ranger. I wish this was over before he has to go to that piece of shit land mass.

Posted by: Snafu at November 01, 2013 03:15 PM (g/0PX)

73 Fuck Afghanistan and fuck the ME. Let them go back to killing each other....instead of focusing on killing American men and women. Get our people out of that shithole once and for all. Posted by: Some Guy in Wisconsin at November 01, 2013 07:14 PM (7h2ry) I would agree, but unfortunately they seem to have a hankering for American blood.

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at November 01, 2013 03:15 PM (GEICT)

74 Yeah, it aint 1942. CSM would fucking lose their shit if you rolled up with a .30 revolver in your kit. Well, Regiment, SEALs, Delta and some JTACs can get away with it, but it's rare. Yeah well, it was a thought.

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 03:16 PM (doBIb)

Several families in our congregation have sons on the Army. We keep them on the prayer list until they come home.

Posted by: ALH at November 01, 2013 03:17 PM (2LTPq)

76 I've got a lot of anger and sorrow, but I'm certain you guys know a wounded vet or have similar stories. I've got no solution. It just fucking sucks. Posted by: tangonine Even when you win a war, it still sucks. My Dad's generation came home from WWII, and a lot of those guys were bitter and disillusioned about how things went. Guys slightly older than me in Viet Nam, and they were pretty bitter about how that went. War is always pretty awful. And then all the blood and sweat and death, for nothing. Obama and the Democrats pissed it all away. And they always want to sound so clever. That bastard Kerry and his "who wants to be the last to die for a mistake." Yeah, fuck you too buddy.

Posted by: Severe Conservative Riding Orca at November 01, 2013 03:18 PM (v6hyJ)

77 It's a chemical that causes the stomas to shut and remain closed isn't it? I've never investigated the science behind it. All I know is acid and salt are not a couple of things conducive to a healthy plant. I stumbled across the recipe, calculated cost at about $2.00 per gallon vs twice that for Roundup, and started making my own. Bonus is that muriatic acid cleans the bejesus out of a toilet in like seconds -- no scrubbing. So it's handy to have around. Pour a little down the drain, clog gone in minutes. Of course, pour a little on your finger, finger gone. So there's that.

Posted by: SchrÃ¶dinger's cat [/i] at November 01, 2013 03:18 PM (U2UQk)

78 I don't think it was all in the end quite for nothing, though it won't be what it could have been either. To be that which it could would have required far more than current American national elites seem to have, which is the ability to proselytize a cultural self-confidence that makes an impact. And given the Afghan tribal cultures, even such an ability might have been wasted. Nevertheless, we still may have planted a seed in a few minds that what Afghanistan is is not all that can ever be--regardless of what eventually happens to official governments, our "allies", that seed may sprout. As far as the practical geopolitical effects--2001-2014 disrupted enemy activity and flow for more than ten years. We are leaving because we got "bored", not because we were hemmoraging. That kind of thing matters. The memory of our sting will linger there. It will have an impact on the "moderates". Those who fought nobly there have to date prevented a bigger threat from emerging as quickly as it might have, have bought us time to rekndle the American spirit before the world becomes more level in power Just as the action in Iraq served to remove fears that the Arab Spring would immediately result in attempt to form a "Pan-Arabic Caliphate", similar to the old UAR (because Iraq, by the time of the Spring, its people burned out on causes, served and still serves as a firebreak between Egypt, Syria, and Iran.), so fighting in Afghanistan has helped serve as a temporal fire break. Sometimes it is not what you achieve, but what you disrupt and deny--the future paths you block off or delay. And that has been done.

Posted by: T. at November 01, 2013 03:19 PM (Lf7Ci)

79 I see Afghanistan as an handy place to safely* dispose of aging nuclear warheads. *Safe in that you can't unexplode a bomb...

Posted by: Comrade Arthur at November 01, 2013 03:20 PM (83xuc)

Let them go back to killing each other....instead of focusing on killing American men and women.

Like they did on 9/11/2001?

Venting is all very fine and I certainly understand why folks just want to get out (my brother got back only about six months ago), but just ignoring them isn't really an option nor is pounding them when they anger us then ignoring them until they anger us again. That is just kicking the can down the road for our grandkids to deal with, and at some point we are going to discover, like the Romans did, that punitive expeditions may work in the short term but in the long term they just teach the barbarians how to fight.

Posted by: Grey Fox at November 01, 2013 03:21 PM (9vzZN)

81 Any FMD concerns?

Posted by: Jean at November 01, 2013 03:22 PM (CMlD4)

82 Sometimes it is not what you achieve, but what you disrupt and deny--the future paths you block off or delay. And that has been done. Posted by: T. Lee Kwan Chang of Singapore thought our fighting in Viet Nam kept the rest of Southeast Asia from going commie. The long years of fighting there burned out the Commie cause in that part of the world. It let other countries Grow Up and become strong enough to resist Communism. That's what he said. Pity the poor Vietnamese, Laotians and Cambodians, who suffered for our withdrawal.

Posted by: Severe Conservative Riding Orca at November 01, 2013 03:23 PM (v6hyJ)

83 Commercially available Muriatic acid for cleaning/etching concrete is just dilute Hydrochloric Acid. Much weaker than the pure shit you might find in a chem lab.

If you have a spill, neutralize with baking soda

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at November 01, 2013 03:24 PM (4tK7k)

84 I wish we'd never done more than bomb the Taliban and send in an overwhelming ground force for a short period of time. Rinse and repeat as necessary. Instead, we've squandered billions of $, and gotten precious Americans killed and maimed. "Compassionate Conservatism" + "Islam worships the same god we do so we just have to set a good example, oh and build everything for them" + "Hey, let's fix the Sykes-Picot Agreement" = epic disaster.

Posted by: SFGoth at November 01, 2013 03:25 PM (CD8yq)

85 If you had told me that Obama would manage to destroy the military both within and without, never would have believed you. I underestimated his need to disenfranchise and infantilize anyone who makes him look weak. It's still the greatest fighting force for good there is, but he has certainly done his best to topple it. What will it look like circa 2016, and beyond if Teh Pantsuit is voctorious, I shudder to think.

Posted by: LizLem at November 01, 2013 03:26 PM (BF+2f)

86 Several families in our congregation have sons on the Army. We keep them on the prayer list until they come home. Posted by: ALH at November 01, 2013 07:17 PM (2LTPq) Good for you guys. Don't forget, they need those prayers when they get back too.

Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at November 01, 2013 03:27 PM (GEICT)

87 T. Brings it on this Friday night. As does the Orca rider.

Posted by: Golfman in NC at November 01, 2013 03:27 PM (bd7RU)

88 I wish we'd never done more than bomb the Taliban and send in an overwhelming ground force for a short period of time.

300 specops with laser targeting gear and assist by locals toppled the Taliban.

Yea, we should have declared victory at that point and turned it back over to the warlords

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at November 01, 2013 03:28 PM (4tK7k)

89 82 I always think of Nelson charging off in the Vanguard, or the First Minnesota on Cemetery Ridge. Disrupting timing, making the foe "anchor" and fight, has an impact.

Posted by: T. at November 01, 2013 03:28 PM (Lf7Ci)

90 Pull out and pray.

Posted by: soon to be Single Mother at November 01, 2013 03:29 PM (wAQA5)

91 78 Sometimes it is not what you achieve, but what you disrupt and deny--the future paths you block off or delay. And that has been done. Posted by: T. at November 01, 2013 07:19 PM (Lf7Ci) Good post, T. Even though I don't know anybody who was wounded or killed in Afghanistan, it is infuriating to think they sacrificed for nothing because of the feckless leadership of our nation. Your post suggests that our presence may have had effects on the region beyond what we can see at the moment.

Posted by: rickl at November 01, 2013 03:30 PM (sdi6R)

92 Much weaker than the pure shit you might find in a chem lab. I used the nearly full strength stuff last summer to clean some concrete curbing -- on a day without much wind movement. Bad move. A cloud of acid fumes rose ten feet in the air and enveloped my entire body. So I kinda like the stuff that's a tad weaker. I think they're calling it 'Next'. Less fumes, less odor, more consumer friendly.

Posted by: SchrÃ¶dinger's cat [/i] at November 01, 2013 03:31 PM (U2UQk)

93 Recipe for weed killer: 1gallon vinegar 1cup salt 2-3 squirts dish washing liquid Kills anything you spray it on we use it all the time. The dish washing liquid is a surfactant that clings to the weeds and allows the vinegar and salt to do their job.

Posted by: Fourth Horseman at November 01, 2013 03:31 PM (KuZ6A)

94 Sorry, I meant Nelson in HMS Captain at Cape St.. Vincent. At any rate--always turn into the fight.

Posted by: T. at November 01, 2013 03:31 PM (Lf7Ci)

95 Your post suggests that our presence may have had effects on the region beyond what we can see at the moment.

The big mineral/oil finds are the big determinant for the future. The Russians and Chinese got the big contracts to exploit that stuff. I don't think they'll tolerate the Taliban crazies messing with those operations.

Posted by: Purp[/i][/b][/u][/s] at November 01, 2013 03:33 PM (4tK7k)

Sorry Grey Fox.... but I would also stop any and all fucking importation of anyone from the fucking ME to come study how to crash airplanes into our fucking buildings. There is no fucking reason on earth to be allowing immigrants from terrorist sponsoring countries into the US to go to school. Fuck 'em. Let 'em study at DIRT university in Saudi Arabia, not here.

Posted by: Some Guy in Wisconsin at November 01, 2013 03:34 PM (7h2ry)

97 Too bad Afghanistan is landlocked or we'd be able to get the Missouri into Kabul so that Emperor Obamahito could sign the terms of surrender to the Taliban.

Posted by: Minuteman at November 01, 2013 03:36 PM (7/um6)

98 91 The momentum will be lost eventually, but for the moment I doubt anything synergistic is growing anywhere in the Middle East, even with Iran. This will change in time, naturally, for these things usually do. And that is the goal--to keep things from avalanching. We did that. Those men and women did it. They should be proud of it, even if it is not quite up there with liberating France.

Posted by: T. at November 01, 2013 03:36 PM (Lf7Ci)

99 Glad to see our folks coming home but disgusted that they weren't allowed to do their jobs properly. Well, at least NASA is still focused like a laser on Muslim outreach. *vomits*

Posted by: Damiano the Economic Traitor at November 01, 2013 03:37 PM (j0wOO)

100 I see what you are saying. It is cheaper to send a load of purged generals and bring back a load of Qurans for distribution in prisons than it is to just send the generals and come back empty.

Posted by: Herr Morgenholz at November 01, 2013 03:43 PM (HSCTt)

101 "Tired of sitting at home all day, staring at your sub-standard ammunition, hoping a neighbor's goat will wander into your backyard? That was me too! But then I heard about DIRT! Dubai Institute of Radical Terrorism, your future starts at DIRT! Now I don't wait for goats, I rent'em!"

Posted by: Lincolntf at November 01, 2013 03:45 PM (ZshNr)

102 Maybe it would be a good idea to leave the Kaboom supplies in situ? Or is there already too much ennui and despair for little kids in the 'stan? Might be a humanitarian issue, actually.

Posted by: jakeman at November 01, 2013 03:47 PM (vH4YP)

103 but for the moment I doubt anything synergistic is growing anywhere in the Middle East, even with Iran.

Yea that whole 1st A-bomb they get wheeled into Rumaila on a donkey cart, and annexing Najaf plan. That'll never happen.

Posted by: DaveA at November 01, 2013 03:50 PM (DL2i+)

104 The scary thing about the cult of O'bumbles: there are literally tens of millions that would support just about anything this fool does, without question.

Posted by: model_1066 at November 01, 2013 03:50 PM (3OFnS)

105 Awesome Story! I propose a new slogan: "The U. S. Government. Is There Anything It Can't Do!?!?" C'mon! Who's with me?

Posted by: Sharkman at November 01, 2013 03:51 PM (O0b+h)

106

@69 Cheesehead

"We are not going to control that part of the world."

That was never the intention. Trying to leave the place better than we entered was the objective, but you cannot cange a culture that has no desire to do so-- no matter how much money and blood you pump into it.

It will always be a backwater with large tracts of poppie fields and men who f*ck goats. Leave them too it and poison the wells on the way out.

Posted by: Buckeye Abroad at November 01, 2013 03:52 PM (V6q0c)

107 Oh yes we'll be needing those specialized urban commando tactics here in the US fo sho...

Posted by: Barf O Upchuckles at November 01, 2013 03:56 PM (N3Al8)

108 103 I took into account Iran's nukes. They actually have to use one to get a cascade (and not on a Arab target) but they have to survive the blowback from the use first for the preference cascade to reach fruition. Same thing goes for annexing anything--not going to make Sunnis join up. Instead will raise opposition.

Posted by: T. at November 01, 2013 03:57 PM (Lf7Ci)

109 The Top Brass managing Afghanistan did a disgraceful job and should be held accountable for every single drop of American blood shed over there.

Posted by: soothsayer at November 01, 2013 03:59 PM (I1Mgc)

110 Let me rephrase my previous--Iran has to successfully *use* a nuke to start synergistically drawing support in the Islamic World. This does not mean they have to detonate it.

Posted by: T. at November 01, 2013 04:04 PM (Lf7Ci)

111 Our former Marine son just out is going into the field of logistics, which he did for four years.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at November 01, 2013 04:05 PM (lVPtV)

112 109 The Top Brass managing Afghanistan did a disgraceful job and should be held accountable for every single drop of American blood shed over there. Posted by: soothsayer at November 01, 2013 07:59 PM (I1Mgc) I think I heard Obama say the same thing, but replace "American" with "Taliban".

Posted by: model_1066 at November 01, 2013 04:06 PM (3OFnS)

113

what is this 'good news' you speak of?

Posted by: Regular Guy at November 01, 2013 04:06 PM (N3Al8)

114

109>> ROE are set by politicians who NEVER set foot on the battlefield and whose sons and daughters don't serve in combat.

Theatre commanders follow the ROE. Troops suffer the consequences.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at November 01, 2013 04:06 PM (L2I78)

115 111 Our former Marine son just out is going into the field of logistics, which he did for four years. Posted by: Jane D'oh at November 01, 2013 08:05 PM (lVPtV) Another good friend of mine's son was Air Force, doing logistics too. He's out as well, and works for GE in Wilmington doing......logistics. It's a great field to be in if you can swing it.

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 04:06 PM (doBIb)

116 obama especially should be held accountable for his Disastrous management in Afghanistan.

Posted by: soothsayer at November 01, 2013 04:08 PM (I1Mgc)

117 Jane D'oh... I hope the D'oh boy and his mom are adjusting well.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at November 01, 2013 04:08 PM (L2I78)

118 Our son told us a horror story about being under the gun outside a village in Helmand Province.

A guy with a rifle, on a roof, was watching our son's convoy through his binocs. Son had a perfect bead on the guy. Was told by his Sgt. not to shoot because "he hasn't shot at us yet."

Son was furious.

As they drove through the village, son's vehicle came under small arms fire.

Fuck the ROE and the jackasses that enforce it.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at November 01, 2013 04:10 PM (lVPtV)

119 Jane D'oh,

I was in logistics in the military for 6 years. It is a facinating, enlightening, and exciting business to be in. Sometimes it seem rather a small occupation, but when it comes down to it? Logistics is what makes it happen. He will be given preference in many business opportunity's because of it. I went 25 years further in the logistics career. Hope he does as well.

Posted by: jem at November 01, 2013 04:11 PM (fM4kr)

120 117 Jane D'oh... I hope the D'oh boy and his mom are adjusting well.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at November 01, 2013 08:08 PM (L2I7

Thanks, hon! He's having a hard time adjusting to clueless civilian life (his idiot civilian friends).

Posted by: Jane D'oh at November 01, 2013 04:12 PM (lVPtV)

121 118 Our son told us a horror story about being under the gun outside a village in Helmand Province. A guy with a rifle, on a roof, was watching our son's convoy through his binocs. Son had a perfect bead on the guy. Was told by his Sgt. not to shoot because "he hasn't shot at us yet." Son was furious. As they drove through the village, son's vehicle came under small arms fire. Fuck the ROE and the jackasses that enforce it. Posted by: Jane D'oh at November 01, 2013 08:10 PM (lVPtV) Whoa.... Did your son finally get his payback?

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 04:12 PM (doBIb)

122 Hey, you know what'd be nice? Before they evac out of country, maybe that asshole commander in chief obama can send in a team to, you know, rescue the POW obama has left to rot in the hands of the Taliban for the past 4 yrs.

Posted by: soothsayer at November 01, 2013 04:14 PM (I1Mgc)

123 Edward Snowdon's new girlfriend: http://goo.gl/LFGjWT

Posted by: Jesse at November 01, 2013 04:14 PM (mpTrn)

124 Outrage du jour. Today. It never stops: Obama signs order to create climate change task force, may give fed over reaching authority http://tinyurl.com/n9afaje

Posted by: Mike Hammer at November 01, 2013 04:16 PM (aDwsi)

125 123 Edward Snowdon's new girlfriend: http://goo.gl/LFGjWT Posted by: Jesse at November 01, 2013 08:14 PM (mpTrn) A moron will say the words....

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 04:17 PM (doBIb)

126 Withdrawal from Afghanistan can't come fast enough, if you ask me.

Posted by: BeBeRebozo at November 01, 2013 04:17 PM (Sn5UN)

127 123 Edward Snowdon's new girlfriend: http://goo.gl/LFGjWT Posted by: Jesse at November 01, 2013 08:14 PM (mpTrn) Dave Mustaine from Megadeth?

Posted by: model_1066 at November 01, 2013 04:17 PM (3OFnS)

128 117 Jane D'oh... I hope the D'oh boy and his mom are adjusting well.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at November 01, 2013 08:08 PM (L2I7

No. He did, however, have to go out into the desert to collect fingerprints and DNA from some dead Taliban.

It was about 120 degrees, and his Sgt. (and good friend) said, "Hey, D'oh, lift that guy's head up so we can get a decent picture."

Son said, "I reached down, grabbed the guy's greasy hair, and his scalp came off in my hand. I was horrified. The guy's head fell back on the rocks and split open. Sgt. tried to joke and said, 'That was fucking awesome!'. I wasn't amused and the other two Marines were puking their guts out. I couldn't get enough hand sanitizer on my hands."

Posted by: Jane D'oh at November 01, 2013 04:17 PM (lVPtV)

129 Now, I must develop pullout logistics for Peruvia. I will not stand for American imperialist aggression there any longer.

Posted by: Prez'nit 404 at November 01, 2013 04:18 PM (Dwehj)

130 OMG! Too funny! http://tinyurl.com/n2z9zo6

Posted by: [/i][/b][/u][/s] Tami at November 01, 2013 04:23 PM (bCEmE)

131 Our son's former baracks mate and good friend who joined the same day as our son and got out the same day, visited us from MO for a week.

He and son got buzzed at an event we took them to, and started talking between themselves about the horrors they witnessed. I overheard a lot of what they were saying and I'm still haunted.

Son's buddy worked security for "insurgents."

He told us one of the older guys (an insurgent) told him that when he was 18, fighting the Russians, the Ruskies would come into a village, kidnap a young, beautiful Afghan girl, take her up in a helicopter, gang rape her, and toss her out of the 'copter into the center of the village.

Horrible.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at November 01, 2013 04:23 PM (lVPtV)

132 Someone may have posted this already, but if you haven't seen it, it's all kind of awesome

http://tinyurl.com/pmp5b66

Posted by: Albie Damned at November 01, 2013 04:24 PM (Yhu4q)

133 I am sure those are Kate Upton's hooters...

Posted by: Jesse at November 01, 2013 04:25 PM (mpTrn)

134 130 OMG! Too funny! http://tinyurl.com/n2z9zo6 Posted by: Tami at November 01, 2013 08:23 PM (bCEmE) I guess they were sold out of "Economic Literacy For Dummies: Democrat Edition With More Pictures And Small Words".

Posted by: model_1066 at November 01, 2013 04:25 PM (3OFnS)

135 132 Someone may have posted this already, but if you haven't seen it, it's all kind of awesome Hahaha!!! Too bad, she'll never read it.

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 04:25 PM (doBIb)

136

We can only hope that the Islamic family feud (Sunni vs. Shia) continues.

Let them destroy each other.

Let Iran, Turkey and the Saudis figure it out.

We have no allies in that mess and should stay OUT of it.

We're going to have our hands full at home, at the rate we're going.

Posted by: seamrog at November 01, 2013 04:29 PM (oWQQC)

137 @BrianKelsey for RNC chair!!!

Posted by: Albie Damned at November 01, 2013 04:30 PM (Yhu4q)

138 Sunni vs. Shia is Arabic for Hatfield vs. McCoy. Or Denny's vs. IHOP. One of those two.

Posted by: model_1066 at November 01, 2013 04:30 PM (3OFnS)

139 Horrible.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at November 01, 2013 08:23 PM (lVPtV)

War is an ugly business. Always has been, always should be. Or, as Bobby Lee put it, "it is good that war is so terrible, lest we become too fond of it."

Posted by: GGE of the Moron Horde, NC Chapter at November 01, 2013 04:32 PM (yh0zB)

140 Son says the teenaged boys in Helmand Province are Satan's hell spawn. The sad thing is, so many little kids (boys and girls) love our military and their kindness.

He has video his Sgt. took as he was driving, and the hell spawn trying to stop his armored vehicle in the middle of nowhere. His Sgt. is yelling, "Don't you fucking stop!" And then the shits begin throwing rocks at them.

Watching that video gives me chills.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at November 01, 2013 04:34 PM (lVPtV)

141 He has video his Sgt. took as he was driving, and the hell spawn trying to stop his armored vehicle in the middle of nowhere. His Sgt. is yelling, "Don't you fucking stop!" And then the shits begin throwing rocks at them. Jane, that goes on everywhere our troops are at. A good friend was in Yugoslavia back in the 90's telling me stories of how the local Serbs would try anything to slow down the Humvee convoys or block their path. When they would attempt it, they would turn the .50cal on them to tell them it was a bad idea.

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 04:38 PM (doBIb)

142 A moron will say the words....>>

I'd hit it!

Well whoever that chick is they put Putin's face on.

Posted by: The Hickster at November 01, 2013 04:41 PM (MVBSu)

143 Jane, that goes on everywhere our troops are at. A good friend was in Yugoslavia back in the 90's telling me stories of how the local Serbs would try anything to slow down the Humvee convoys or block their path. When they would attempt it, they would turn the .50cal on them to tell them it was a bad idea.

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 08:38 PM (doBIb)

Yeah, he said it happened all the time. Watching the video was surreal.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at November 01, 2013 04:41 PM (lVPtV)

144 Taliban gone, al-Qaida gone. Poppies gone. Fucktards who wipe their ass with their hands gone. Posted by: Misanthropic humanitarian, now with 50% more sensitivity at November 01, 2013 06:58 PM (HVff2) I thought they used rocks....which would help explain their disposition.

Posted by: BignJames at November 01, 2013 04:41 PM (j7iSn)

145 Well whoever that chick is they put Putin's face on. Can you not recognize Kate Upton's boobs? Your Man Card please.

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 04:42 PM (doBIb)

146 Son said they had a local come to an FOB to ask a female Marine why his wife couldn't get pregnant.

Well, he was putting "it" in the wrong hole.

Sweet goat-raping baby Mohammed. What a fucked up clump of humanity.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at November 01, 2013 04:43 PM (lVPtV)

147 Can you not recognize Kate Upton's boobs?

Your Man Card please.>>

I guess I like the video versions of Kate better so it kinda threw me off when they weren't moving.

Posted by: The Hickster at November 01, 2013 04:44 PM (MVBSu)

148 One of my favorite classical pieces is the spellbinding Ode to The Peruvian Knights, by Ludwig Stravinsky.

Posted by: Prez'nit 404 at November 01, 2013 04:46 PM (Dwehj)

149 Well folks, I'd love to stick around but I have a couple of sweet potatoes that are begging to be put in a pie. See you on the ONT.

Later roonz and roonettez!

Posted by: GGE of the Moron Horde, NC Chapter at November 01, 2013 04:46 PM (yh0zB)

150 Noooooooood And, first...

Posted by: Mike Hammer at November 01, 2013 04:47 PM (aDwsi)

151 Yeah, he said it happened all the time. Watching the video was surreal. Coworkers's BIL was in Iraq and when they got bored, they would do time trials from one base to another in their Humvees and post the videos of their times. They would speed and drive down the wrong way through rush hour traffic like they owned the streets. I understand why they never stop.

Posted by: EC at November 01, 2013 04:48 PM (doBIb)

152 EC, I heard so much stuff from our son and his buddy (eavesdropping) that chilled me to my bones.

Now I understand how he had trouble sleeping when he came home from A-Stan.

He's only 23. Imagine how he feels around his civilian friends.

Posted by: Jane D'oh at November 01, 2013 04:50 PM (lVPtV)

153 He's only 23. Imagine how he feels around his civilian friends. Posted by: Jane D'oh ------------------ The way a *lot* of vets do around civilians, i.e., that they are collectively ignorant about the ways and realities of the world. It is enough to try a man's patience.

Posted by: Mike Hammer at November 01, 2013 04:54 PM (aDwsi)

154

Their "society" is incompatible with our way of life.

Their religion wants to take over the world, i.e. caliphate.

They only respond to murderous dictators or murderous imams.

The British Empire, the USSR and USA have all tried to drag them into the present. All that did was give them access to advanced weaponry.

Let them live in the 8th century, and for our sake, quit bringing them here.

Posted by: seamrog at November 01, 2013 05:00 PM (oWQQC)

155 I don't know what to say, Jane, except maybe encourage him to talk about it. Clueless civilians aren't going to learn anything unless someone who is knowledgeable educates them.

Posted by: rickl at November 01, 2013 05:05 PM (sdi6R)

156 Looks like your Kaboom frustrations are available to a wider audience on wikipedia although whoever added it thinks you are melancholy...

tried to link it but apparently the link is obnoxious go search wiki for kaboom

Posted by: marvo at November 01, 2013 06:49 PM (WdJvE)

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