10.17.11
The Forever War
60 Minutes went to Afghanistan. Ryan Crocker and a four-star general, John Allen, were the featured sources.
They repeatedly made the case how vital Afghanistan was. Afghanistan, informed 60 Minutes, costs $300 million a day. There were videos of schools being built, fortifications being made, roads being graded. Heavy US equipment was everywhere.
The MRAPs explosive resistant truck has morphed into a gigantic armored beast you’d imagine at home in a science-fiction movie set on a hostile desert planet. It looked invulnerable. It also looked like the very picture of fail.
There were 50 some al Qaeda men left in Afghanistan, 60 Minutes estimated.
Here at home, everything rots except the fortunes of those building MRAPs and providing supply for the war.
“Over the last couple of years, about 250,000 teachers have been laid off back home … ” reporter Scott Pelley said. “The U.S. has 98,000 troops here, plus 40,000 from NATO,” he said a bit earlier.
Ryan Crocker wore a dashing pair of sunglasses inside a helicopter.
There are no encouraging words in the comments section of the posted transcript.
Christoph Hechl said,
October 17, 2011 at 7:04 am
11 days ago CBS had this story:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/06/national/main20117023.shtml
Christoph Hechl said,
October 17, 2011 at 7:05 am
oh, sry, that was the same link, just delete me
George Smith said,
October 17, 2011 at 7:26 am
No, it’s OK. That is a different previous one, interviewing another famous general.
Andrew Vierra said,
October 18, 2011 at 10:25 pm
“the picture of fail” I agree and I believe the Generals’ admission of 50 Al Qaeda and a few thousand Taliban = game, set, match. We are “toast” as Chet would say, game over.