War in Afghanistan

[Dr Vivisector]

To paraphrase Clarke,

All these countries are yours, except Afganistan. Attempt no landings there.

Until the people there want to join the rest of us in the 21st century, quarantine the place. No poppy products or neoterrorists out.

[Khaunshar]

So, the 101st Airborne just confirmed they are being deployed in Afghanistan early 2010. Which makes it their fifth (in numbers, 5!!!) tour of duty since 2002.

When I read that, I nosed around a bit, being vaguely interested in all kinds of military matters as an ex-soldier myself, and found out that the US military is actually almost out of soldiers that can be deployed at all, and even now has to really stretch the rules to get the alleged numbers of the next reinforcement on the ground. And thats including the National Guard already.

Are you fucking nuts? Ok, rather, are the people responsible (including the president, obviously) totally utterly fucking idiots whenever the word "Afghanistan" comes up?
There are good, very good actually, reasons why not even Germany, with its pretty cozy safe spot in the middle of the EU and only a handful of foreign affairs interesting enough to meddle in has ever stretched its army to this point. There is a reason why you got reserves. There is a reason why you dont regularly re-task Heavy Infantry and Armoured Divisions as Light Infantry and Recon.

And there are a host of excellent reasons why you dont send EVERY COMBAT BRIGADE that is available into two wars, especially in a time where trouble is brewing in at the very least two other possible military opponents, namely Korea and Iran.

If the USA, the biggest war machine on this world, has to pour its entire might into two relatively backwater countries in order to just get back to something of a stalemate, am I the only one seeing this as a major "ok, you guys actually won, we even cheated and didnt win, but we are too stubborn to actually lie down" to those people riling against the USA?

I mean, a retreat as a sign of weakness? Maybe, but having to commit everything you can muster into a stalemate that increasingly becomes a meat- and soulgrinder for your troops, and having it on display globally, is much worse.
Its not a sign of weakness, its proof of inability, which is something that doesnt just get mentioned on FOX News to get a new Glen Beck installment, but is actually an encouragement to exactly those people you claim to fight.

I sincerely hope this isnt going to happen. I mean, this is vietnam-level idiocy.