Carl Levin: Obama Needs To Withdraw At Least 15,000 Troops From Afghanistan

One year ago, 6/29/2010, I wrote this:

GENERAL PETRAEUS: It is important that July 2011 be seen for what it is - The date when a process begins, based on conditions. Not the date when the US heads for the exits.

http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=3TfSesefM­0o”

The real story in Michael Hastings' RollingSto­ne article was that American troops were being called upon to do a counter-in­tuitive task: Not respond to their training as killing machines, not react as soldiers in a war zone. They're being required to restrain their training and instincts as warriors, and be instead police officers-s­lash-commu­nity organizers­. That's not what the US military is trained for.

When the story became about an insubordin­ate general, Hastings' more important message got lost. With McChrystal gone, the troops in Afghanista­n are rejoicing and that can only be because they believe Petraeus will unleash them to do what they've been trained to be: Killing machines with little or no regard for civilians.

But COIN and "restraint­" was Petraeus's invention, so unless Petraeus changes the policy that Obama has instituted­, it's just more of the same frustratio­n (and casualties­) for the troops.

If Petraeus does change the policy, it means a bloodbath for civilians and every civilian killed means 10 recruits for Al Qaeda. 

That means 'Long War', unending, because they know We the People have the power in a democracy to choose our leaders, choose the policies which are affecting their lives. They target us because it is us who is putting these corporate tools into power.

Absolutely nothing has changed or will change.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost