An Unpatriotic Question? What is Victory in Afghanistan?

[tombogan03884]

Don't never leave any one behind.

[fightingquaker13]

Don't never leave any one behind.

I get the sentiment, and I am in awe of duty. BUT....in Somalia, a fair few folks died trying to get bodies out of the wreakage of a downed chopper. At what point do you say "Stop sending the living after the dead"? Fight like hell to save the wounded or captured, but how many people are you willing to sacrifice for a corpse? If I were the corpse in question, my answer would be zero. But thats just my .02 and maybe its why  I think think that the argument that says "We should send more soldiers to die because soldiers have already died here" doesn't hold much water with me. If the fight is necessary and winnable, fight. Hell, if its necessary and not winnable, still fight. But if its neither? Why exactly are we there?
Thats all I'm asking here. I want someone to tell me when we've won or lost. We've been there 10 years. What constitutes victory? You'll forgive me if I'm a bit pissed at having not one, but two, presidents fail to give me a one sentence answer to that question. We've spent billions of dollars and thousands of casulties, killed and wounded. What do we need to do? It seems to me, as a relatively simple man, that if you can't define what victory in a war is, maybe you should hesitate before going to war. I'm not a pacifist aand have no love for muslims. I just think we owe it to our troops to tell them exactly what constitutes victory and I've yet to hear it.
FQ13 Who really would like a good answer to this question, because while I will always support the troops, I don't think their leaders could find their ass with both hands and a map.

[Fox_Hound]

Tom,

I wouldn't define any soldier losing his or her life while following their orders (ANY ORDERS) a waste.

I have several friends that are active duty Marines either in country or shortly to be going back. I have personally spoken with many whom I didn't grow up with or know personally. I really doubt you would find one among them who believed what they and their brothers are spilling blood for is a waste of time. Most of these fine men I know or speak to were still in high school when we put boots on the ground in Afghanistan to fight the Taliban. I know a 43 year old mother of two who flew out last month, Army National Guard. In her words, "They need me to go. I have to go."   

This is what they signed up for. They volunteered. 

As long as the men on the ground believe in what they are doing, I am happy to let them do it.   

[tombogan03884]

Fox hound, I understand what you are saying, I have no use for the AHoles who said "I just signed up for the free education, I don't want to go to war".
That has nothing to do with the topic of this thread, which is WTF are we trying to accomplish in that shithole.
The Govt is spending lives and money to cover their lack of defined objective and that is indeed waste.

FQ, You don't get it. The services, the TROOPS, will sacrifice a battalion to recover a fallen comrade, and know it was worth it.

[fightingquaker13]

Fox hound, I understand what you are saying, I have no use for the AHoles who said "I just signed up for the free education, I don't want to go to war".
That has nothing to do with the topic of this thread, which is WTF are we trying to accomplish in that shithole.
The Govt is spending lives and money to cover their lack of defined objective and that is indeed waste.

FQ, You don't get it. The services, the TROOPS, will sacrifice a battalion to recover a fallen comrade, and know it was worth it.

Tom I do get it. I was speaking metaphorically here. The "corpse" here is about keeping fighting just because others have fought. I'm all for fighting until we win. I'm not in favor of foghting just to make a point.
FQ13

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