January 24th, 2011
11:07 AM ET
Colin Powell on Afghanistan pull-out
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell talks with CNN's Candy Crowley about whether the U.S. can pull out of Afghanistan in six months.
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell talks with CNN's Candy Crowley about whether the U.S. can pull out of Afghanistan in six months.
I've been meaning to post this for some time – I'm a great fan of Candy's reportage but I still think it needs to be said
STOPTHECANDY-CROWLEY!
what are you guys doing there. Are guys still testing your weapons, yes drones have been successful in killing civilians what more do you want. Are guys looking for lithium and oil deposits there. I told you that your kingdom is falling, look what happening in Egypt. Poeple of middle east are seeing light now. You have destroyed yourself. My pryer is for china and russia to pull away from the security councel.
Iran sink that nuclear aircraft carrier. Lets see where go from there.
We can not help if They are being used as shields!!! A lot more would die if We weren't using the drones...
They do not use shields. You Nazi-americans are fighting against women and children.
THE WAR WITH MUSLIMS WILL NOT STOP FOR LONG TIME TO COM.THE MUSLIMS R THE ONLY PEOPLE AND COUNTRY CANE NOT DEFEND THERE COUNTRYS OR PEOPLE FROM KILLERS FROM USA AND ISREAL.THE CHRISTIANS OF USA DO NEED WERE THAY CAN TEST THERE NEW WAPONS.THE MUSLIM LEADERS HAVE SOLD THE MUSLIM PEOPLE AND MUSLIM FATH TO CHRISTIANS OF USA AND JEWS OF ISREAL.5 MILLION JEWS CAN KILL 300 MILLION MUSLIMS OF MIDDLE EAST.BUT 300 MILLION MUSLIMS CAN NOT HAVE THE WAPONS TO DEFEND THERE PEOPLE.DO U NOW WHY THAY CAN NOT HAVE THE WAPON TO DEFEND.THE MUSLIM LEADERS HAVE SOLD THEM TO USA AND ISREAL.TIME FOR THESE LEADERS TO GO.THE MUSLIMS HAVE TO FIGHT TO GET FREEDOM FROM CHRISTIAN ARMYS IN MUSLIM COUNTRYS.THE CHRISTIAN KILLERS WILL NOT JUST PICK THERE BAGE AND LIVE MUSLIM LANDS.THE MUSLIMS OF THE WORLD HAVE TO FIGHT HARD TO GET THESE CHRISTIAN KILLERS OUT OF MUSLIM LANDS.THE CHRISTIANS KILLED 5 MILLION MUSLIMS IN IRAQ BEFOR THAY STARTED TO GO HOME.FIGHT AND GET THESE KILLERS OUT OF UR COUNTRYS.MAY GOD BE WITH U
m naseem – quite true, Muslims have bad leadership. The Americans were very harry to send El Baradei to Egypt to avoid people take control of the country. They prepared a new dictator for the people ready to make tricked elections like in Afghanistan.
Why are You bring Afghanistan in This subject!!! One Country Has Nothing To Do With The Other...
salerno: So why don't You run for officer then??? I"m sure the People would have someone as smart as You in office if You really think You are right??? It is easy to say what is right and wrong if what You say is wrong and can't get blamed for it!!! It is another to run the Country and have Your decisions become the out come of the Country!!!
salerno: There is problems all over the World because People are tired of being depressed from living Themselves!!! The People are starting to want change where every They feel things aren't right... If things keep going on like They are now with the Republicans and the Tea Party... It might happen here too!!!
Anyone with a brain can see that the United States and Israel are not involved in this mess!!! They want Democracy in Their Country... Both the United States and Israel already have it!!! This has nothing to do with Them...
Larry – Egypt is an US colony. This is why people hate America. You are enemies of the people, you are killers. Republivcan or demnocrat are the same. They are elected by people, but work for the corporations.
salerno: You better learn Your history before You open Your mouth... The United States has no control over any Country in the Middle East are any where Else!!! If giving Money to Them make Them part of Our Country!!! I guess We must be part of China right??? Because China is giving Us money!!!
Larry – you must get some education. Colony is not part of the controlling state. Egypt is economically colonized by US as the government is controlled by US. This is why Egypt economy is tanking. Egypt is not part of US, it is controlled and oppressed.
If you are gonna complain about a war, Then I suggest you study the history as to why war came to that country. Most of you never stepped foot in a combat zone, never spent time in the military and probably got your information because it was second hand in the tabloid. I have heard arm chair quarterbacks make more sense complain about the coaches then you complain about war. The only one who has the right to complain about being there are those who have shed blood or have lost someone their, the rest of you have very little right because you are sheep. You complain because of the inconvenience you are forced to deal with.. You have a choice, you can either be the sheep you already are, become the wolf or take your chances becoming the sheepdog and be out front when the wolf attacks. I have more respect of those who served their time, Because it was our time being spent and our blood. Not yours.
D – You Idiot. I have no respect for those who served a wrong war. You totally wrong as usual the americans are, assuming false things. You assume I am forced to deal with inconvenience? WRONG. I have no incovenience from war. I have no relatives involved, but I have full right to espress my strong contrarian opinion to the war, simply becouse innocents lives are taken out for your avidity of money and power.
Do You really think You know better than the Government Who We should be fighting??? The only wrong war We fought was the Iraq War!!!
Larry – Yes I know better than the government the right policy for US, even if I suspect that the reason why some of them do not act like I suggest is not just ignorance, but becouse of their avidity for money and power. The others are plan ignorant.
American policy is strenghtening AlQaeda becouse they fight people, not terrorists. Even in Yemen there is this problem.
I cannot trust this dude, he produced fake evidence of WMD in the UN, with fotos and satelite images, all turned out to be fake. Please.
The men and women in the service need a break from all this war, unprecedented suicide rates tell the story. It is one thing for the US to help the people of any country when they call upon us for help. It is another to attempt to interfere in the lives of millions of people to gain their own political objective, now they may believe that these objectives are in our best interest, but be it that we are Americans, we would like the truth of a situation before you commit to a war in our names. To Larry: of course the soldiers involved in these wars died for something, they died for human rights, they cannot help that they were pulled along into misguided political agendas, they're deaths meant more than a little something because although it turns out that these wars may not have been just, them men that died fighting them died for us, to protect us they had no way to know the politics that led them to war. American Ideals and American Actions are two separate things, we believe what we are told, having no other choice. Give us truth and I believe we would make the right decisions, but unfortunately we have been lied to and we are not positioning ourselves well in a world of poverty and oppression, people are no longer clinging to 'the devil they know' there by we are pushing more and more countries toward islamic extremism the one thing that they were trying to prevent, by attempting to push American weight around, this is where they screwed up, our goverment supported Dictators, the one thing all of us are adamantly against, we should have sided with the people, fought for the rights of the people to choose, then it would have been just. Truth and Justice will eventually prevail, even if by a bloody revolution, as we all see now and can be found in human history. We should leave the Middle East with all due haste and reassess our situation at home we cannot be a beacon of humanity for all the world while we are destroying ourselves.
Good comment Nicole, I hope the 63% americans contrarian to wars can speak lodu and make their voice count like during the Vietnam war.
read loud not lodu
Right on Nicole!!!
carpet bomb asscrackistan and then leave. make sure salerno and john smith are on the ground as the B 52's drop the bombs.
gil – For your information, I am an american tax payer and I live in the west. You stupid cannot avoid to base your arguments on false assumptions, like the human shields, the training camps or other stupidities.
American Humanist: The Tarriest who do You think We are fighting against???
Americanhumanist is right. Americans are not fighting terrorists.
I dont get why we always spill our blood in other countries only to have them turn against us in the future. Were overstreached and the only reason we still got our security and economy still is becuse all the money china dumps into us. We needa stop being in everyones bisness n dictating to nations and focus on us over here. Support the troops comming back and hopefully in the future our government Can get our foriegn policy on a coherent path, n possible stop making up false threats n lies
Because We are better off fighting The there than fighting Them in Our Country!!!
Larry,
Can you tell us who is they? and How many afghans have killed Americans in America, while you are at it how many Americans have killed Afghans in Afghanistan? Not 1 Afghan was involved in 911 yet we are destroying their nation in the name of deomcracy- our way(policies) is war and destruction on the weak and innocent. Those who values another life(i.e Afghan life) less than our own should analyze his moral standards in life.
Maybe we could just outsource it
Maybe You could think before You talk???
AMERICAN hands again stained by innocent blood, this time its the poor Afghans and our young & naive who do not know of the dirty game being played with humanity.
I would read the article by M K Bhadrakumar
"Afghanistan — time for irrevocable decisions"
"US wants to clip Karzai's wings"
"Karzai accuses "foreign elements" of Afghan interference"
Very well stated,AmericanHumanist. I couldn't agree more. Thank you.
Dan were You ever in the Military??? Because only Idiots that weren't would agree with a Statement like that!!! I lose a lot of My Brothers fighting the war there... I like to feel That Their lives mean something dieing there!!! Things are better there today than if We wouldn't have been there...
innocent blood – So humanist – hypothetical if you care to read what happened to the Hazara under the Taliban and what was occurring to women and children – do you have innocent blood on your hands given you can act to save them but do not?
At what point would you have stopped Hitler before or after he exterminated everyone other than Germans in Europe or before.
Given your neighbors house is on fire and children are trapped inside and the house happens to be on the other side of the Afghan border would you cross the boundary without permission to save a life or not – or leave it to the Taliban fire services?
The Taliban has killed more of Their own People than the Americans has!!! They were slaughtering Their People long before We got there...
Mark,
This is our problem, we attack other countries "hypothetically" as well...Again, what the value of an Afghan to an American..killing less Afghans than Taliban justifies us killing? Name one Afghan who has killed an American in America, I can name Americans who have killed Afghans in Afghanistan.
We are spending the money to keep This Country free!!! You should thank GOD that the American Military that fought to keep This Country free... Otherwise You would have the right today to say the things You say!!!
i spent a year in nam 55,000 men for nothing....... made me not believe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Only stupids are unable to learn from history.
It is funny how You are the Only One that I know that fought there that feels that way??? I guess You feel all Those that gave Their lives there meant nothing???
I also served in Vietnam. I agree. The only thing that could have come out of Vietnam was knowledge. We could have learned not to put our military in harms way in an elective war like Iraq. We learned nothing ,so it was for nothing. 56000 plus members of the U.S. military and we just go out and do it again and again. I became disillusioned and remain so. It's past time to be completely out of Iraq. It's past time to be out of Afghanistan. We've spent enough money and far to many lives.
We are spending our money and our american lives on THEIR freedom not our own.
anothere thing we are pritty much pulled out of iraq and any change ? No. Yesterday bombing at the bus stop and market its going to go on forever i really dont know what they will do. They took way too big of a chunk that they can chew on.
How can You say there is no change there!!! There are less People dieing today than there was before We went there... I do agree We would have been better off if We stayed in Afghanistan than going there though!!!
I disagree there is less people dying today in Iraq, even if the US reduced the population killing about 1 million of people in few years.
Will you please spell check or learn how to spell.
Indeed mejazzbo there was a time when all we did is get fat checks sit home sipping on lemonade and watch this country grow in technology twords space in helping our citizens with health benefits and much more... look what this has become we spend millions everyday just to keep our military running in these countrys and yet all this time i havent seen much difference every time i get there.
When is the US going to have a government that is competent and not corrupt? We are so hypocritical.
When We vote People in office that isn't corrupted!!! It is getting worse not better because How the Americans voted last Election...
1.Avoid war day by day war cost Ingress
2.global economy Ingress
3.international job less
4.global financial cress
5.financial crisis for every manufacture
6.world poverty problem
7.each every single man effected
8.ignore future death million of already death
9.million of of people wounded
10. global environment climate will be change this global agriculture problem
JUSTICE IS IN PERIL. SAVIOUR OF INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE ALONE CAN PROTECT HUMANITY
Mr.M.S.Mohamed Ansari,
154, Angappa Naicken Street,
Chennai – 600 001.
Tamil Nadu, India.
To
The Hon’ble Chief Justice,
The Supreme Court,
United States of America,
Washington, D.C.
Fax no: 213.547.8080
Sir,
Sub: Prosecution of previous President Mr. George W.Bush, for violation of International Code of Conduct.
Mr. George W.Bush, the previous President of United States of America, initiated a war against IRAQ, without obtaining the previous sanction of United Nations Organization (UNO) on the pretext of having nuclear weapons, even though the then IRAQ government openly exhibited to the whole world that it has no nuclear weapons.
According to the CNN WORLD report, in the war 6, 75,000 civilians killed, 7500 troops of USA and its allied forces killed and $ 3.5 Trillion Dollar spent for the war. This spending of $ 3.5 Trillion Dollar is the main cause of action for the present economic crises prevailing all over the world.
After winning the war against IRAQ, the United States of America’s President Mr. George W.Bush, also admitted the same fact, and he openly stated that the Intelligence agency misguided him.
Later on, even the United Nations Organization (UNO) also certified that the IRAQ has no nuclear weapons.
Then it is the bounded duty of the United States of America and its allied forces to withdraw from IRAQ.
But instead of withdrawing from IRAQ, the United States of America and its allied forces formed a government in IRAQ, under their control and administered the entire IRAQ, and its peoples.
This indicates a clear violation of duty by the President of United States of America Mr. George W.Bush and also a clear case of violation of the International Code of Conduct for UNO members.
Thus Mr. George W.Bush attracts prosecution for the above said offence.
Thus I hereby pray this Hon’ble Court initiate criminal proceedings against Mr. George W. Bush, and give him maximum punishment for
a) Initiating the war against the IRAQ
b) Killing its innocent IRAQI peoples
c) Killing troops of USA and allied forces and
d) The present economic crises.
Dated on this day of 13th day of April, 2009.
Yours truly,
(M.S.MOHAMED ANSARI)
COPY TO
The Chief Justice, the International Court of Justice, The Hague, Netherlands.
The Secretary General, United Nations Organization
The Chief Justice, the Supreme Court, IRAQ.
His Excellency Mr.Barack Obama, the President of United States of America, White House, Washington D.C.
– Show quoted text –
Saddam Hussien, His murderous sons and his henchmen deserved what they got!
DAN WHAT ABOUT THE KILLING OF 675000 IRAQI CIVILIANS AND 7500 AMERICAN LIVES BESIDE TRILLIONS OF TAX PAYERS MONEY ON MISGUIDED INFORMATIONS. ANSARI HAS A POINT AND PROBABLY THE ONLY WAY TO GET OUT OF THIS QUAGMIRE.
Saddam Hussein was fully supported by the US before the Quwait invasion and was provided with chemical weapons in order to kill the Kurdis and the Iranian.
Here we go again. I never posted the above about Saddam Hussein. It looks like Pfunnie boy's at it again. We should never have toppled this man!
If You don't like that vote the Republicans and the Tea Party out of office!!!
Sir: Of your charges C is probably the only one he could held responsible for. The illegal death of American soldiers. Bush could be accountable in U.S. court.
America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty countries since world war 2.
FROM WOUNDED KNEE TO IRAQ:
A CENTURY OF U.S. MILITARY INTERVENTIONS
_http://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz/interventions.html
How true that rings,John Smith. Another blogger here with common sense! Thank you.
Will You Please quit putting words on here for Me!!! Why don't You use Your own Name so that People will know who the Idiot is???
Yea right, America has come to the aid of the people of sixty countries to bring them liberty! The support of any dictator was in fact for the freedom of the people, case in point Iran flourished with liberty but now run by religious fanatis who terrorize and murder their people to stay in power! The root of all terror is totalitarianism period!
Don't blame the American People for those that Republican Presidents put into office!!! We have a hard enough time getting the right People in office here...
@LarryKegel: "Don't blame the american people..."?? Who else voted for those presidents? Every country has the government it deserves... nothing else to add, particularly for a people who RE-elected Bush! (shame on you if you fool me once, ... the rest even W knows by now 😉 )
You are quite right. There is lots of evidence of American soldiers, sailors and airmen 'invading' other countries.
If you are ever in Europe, check out the graveyards that sprang up overnight after the D-Day 'invasion'. Lots of American blood spilled during that 'invasion'.
Obama needs the veteran experience. If he has not,he should now to mitigate anomalies perpetrated there.
Who dusted off ole Colin and wound up his spring again.. Sheesh..... Go away....
Colin is one of the best we have. We need him as our next president!
I don't think He wants to be President!!! It is the most dislike job in the United States!!! You have to either be a dedicated Person are corrupted Person to take the job today!!!
I used to think the same as you but after seeing Colin's true side come out during the Presidential elections I changed my mind.
yeah right! And when is is in power he can go to the UN again and LIE to the entire world like he did in 2003! If that is the best you have, poor US!!
"Results inconclusive" as stated by Powell. It is the same I am telling from a long time.
Good post salerno. We need to get the Karzai regime and the Taliban to the negotiating table as soon as possible and quit dilly-dallying around or simply pull out like the Russians did 30 years ago.
@ Salerno and Dindy- Well you are right about one thing: We DO need to get the Kharzi Regime and the Afghan People to do SOMETHING, Well Okay Really, ANYTHING for their own d@mn country and quit waiting for the rest of the world to hand them a perfect Afghanistan.
Afghanistan- It's your country- do your job and take charge already!!!!
20 years ago is when the sovjets moved out, not 30 years...
Lets be positive about troops coming home. Afghan Army should take care of their country and help their citizens and protect from Taliban extremists.
You know how it goes. America is always spilling American blood on foreign soil. It seems to be our mantra.
Well put,Retired LE. Thank you.
Not just American blood Mr. Powell. Over 108,000 Iraqi civilians have died since 2003. By the way, did you ever find the WMDs that so many people died for? And what a great job in Afghanistan! A President that hates the U.S. but doesn't hate our money. How many billions should we give him before it's enough?
Better for our blood to be spent there than here, don't 'ya think?? We need to spend our tax dollars on a WPA style domestic work program and our fighting should always be done outside our borders.
Unfortunately it costs more to fight overseas leaving nothing left for domestic spending on infrastructure and driving new technologies.
the blood here in u.s. will never be spilled there is not one person country or terriorist group that will come to our soil and try to draw blood because they are too afraid so all they can do is hide in their rat holes and draw blood from us on their soil without showing us their faces (cowards)
Harsh Reality;
Harsh Reality: are you sane? Lisa, the real war death rate for Irakis is probably between 300 thousand and 600 thousand. They bury their dead the next day mostly uncounted.
They have to be trained to do do... We have to get Them out of the Districts and then We can train the Police there to take care of the People!!!
"Lets be positive about troops coming home"
Positive about what the fact we leave the Afghan people to the current corrupt Afghan leadership with the Taliban still in control of children’s education of hated and death to other.
Yes lets be positive – terror will triumph – for ill perceived expediency.
We must not weary of our task for to do so invites worse – or have I been reading the wrong history books?
Grow up people! Our government does what IT wants to do, in spite of what our citizens want. It's' always been that way and probably always will!