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Is keeping soldiers in Afghanistan for this long a good idea? To answer this question in short, yes it is. The war on terror began all because of the malicious terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. President Bush then declared war and it is still going on until this day. Many have questioned whether or not the United States has any good reason to stay over in Afghanistan any longer. There are three main reasons the Americans should keep a stern force in Iraq. First, is that the American soldiers are training Afghan soldiers and are essentially, rebuilding the country. Second, this nation needs our soldiers there in Iraq to have an answer to Isis. Third and finally, the United States have went through this same problem back in 1945 after World War II. We pulled out our soldiers and within the next seven years they were headed back due to the concern of the Korean war. These three reasons all clearly lay out why the United States troop have to stay in Afghanistan to ensure the safety of America.

Without the American forces in Afghanistan the country would be over run and in pieces. The United States militaries main goal is to build something successful with the Iraqi soldiers but something that will last. Because of the American troops training, the country is better equipped for the threats of Al Qaeda and Isis. Not only are the US forces training other soldiers but they are also doing work throughout Afghanistan in the places that used to be a warzone. The United States have helped rebuild things like schools, hospitals, and bridges. All these are things that they contributed to destroying due to the war. The soldiers continuing presence in Afghanistan not only is training soldiers and rebuilding buildings and bridges but their presence is piecing the country back together. Keeping the forces in Afghanistan another day is another day of them repairing the country.

With a nation as successful and impactful as America there are going to be rival nations attempting to overtake it. One of the more recent risks to the country is the growth of Isis. Isis began in April of two thousand and thirteen in Syria and various parts of Iraq. With a group as malicious as Isis it is imperative that the United States has forces over in Iraq to keep them at bay. The attacks on nine eleven were originated and planned when there wasnt an American presence in Iraq. The goal of U.S troops would be to keep a firm grip on Isis and not allow them to attack America or allow them to take over several spots in Iraq. The United States has to leave their troops in Afghanistan because of terrorist groups such as Isis, always being a threat. Without the American presence Isis would run free wreaking havoc and destroying all the progress the US soldiers have made throughout the years.

The third and final reason the Americans need to leave soldiers in Afghanistan is because we encountered in 1945 with World War II. In May 1945, there was an urgency to bring the troops home. This bringing soldiers home was called, Operation Magic Carpet. They completely pulled the troops out and within the next seven years the U.S troops were back in Germany due to risks of the Korean war. Once the early 1950s came around the United States had about 75,000 troops in Germany. As the years went on, this number grew to around a quarter of a million soldiers. This example is one the American government should note. Our past as exemplified by the war with Germany, without an American presence wars are bound to begin. This historical story from World War II exemplifies another reason why the Americans need to keep their presence in Afghanistan.

America is arguably the most influential nation in the history of the world; Not only financially or politically but in terms of military force. The United States has put forth much effort keeping the war under control. These efforts include keeping the troops over in Afghanistan. The troops have been training soldiers and repairing schools and hospitals that have been destroyed. The soldiers presence is a great answer to the uprising of Isis and the threat they present. Finally, the American people have an example of what not to do as based upon the end of World War II. The best thing the American people can do is recognize that we need the soldiers in Afghanistan to preserve our safety. Instead of arguing and causing conflicts, we as a people should unite behind our government and military; supporting them as they are overseas protecting our freedom.

Josh Daniel is a resident of Troy and a student at Edison State Community College

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Soldiers still in Afghanistan for good reason - Piqua Daily Call

Members of Afghanistan's security forces fire rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers during an operation against militants in Kot district of Nangarhar province, February 16, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

A mortar attack by Taliban militants has killed five civilians of one family, including four children, in Afghanistan's northern province of Takhar.

Sunatullah Timor, the provincial governor's spokesman, said on Friday that the militants fired mortars at a security post in Khwaja Bahuddin district the previous day. One of the projectiles hit a nearby home, killing all the people inside.

The militants also killed a local security policeman and his wife and mother in the same district, Timor said.

Last year, the United Nations expressed deep concern over the rise in the number of children killed or wounded in Afghanistan.

In a report released on October 26, 2016, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said child casualties saw a marked increase between January and September that year.

The UN report said the mission had documented a total of 639 deaths and 1,822 injuries among kids, adding that child casualties had risen every year since 2013.

Afghan forces have been engaged in fierce clashes with Taliban to contain insurgency in various parts of the country.

Taliban militants were removed from power following the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan, but they have stepped up activities in recent months, attempting to overrun several provinces.

Thousands of foreign troops are still in Afghanistan, but apparentlymaintaining security remains an issue amid almost frequent incidents of violence across the country.

Read the rest here:
Taliban mortar attack kills five civilians in northern Afghanistan - Press TV

The head of U.S. Central Command said on Wednesday that the Pentagon is reviewing whether to send additional U.S. forces to Afghanistan.

We are in the process of going through a review of our posture in Afghanistan and how we have to look at that going forward, Gen. Joseph Votel told lawmakers.

Votel would not give additional details on the review during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on security challenges in the Middle East, saying its findings are pre-decisional.

Votel told Senate lawmakers earlier this month that he anticipates more U.S. forces being sent to Afghanistan to break what he calls a stalemate in a 15-year conflict.

There are roughly 8,400 U.S. troops now in Afghanistan on a dual mission of training, advising and assisting Afghan forces in their fight against the Taliban and conducting counterterrorism missions against groups such as al Qaeda.

But Gen. John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, told the Senate Armed Services Committee in February he has a shortfall of a few thousand troops in the mission.

Votel on Wednesday also addressed the recent rise of civilian casualties from airstrikes in Iraq and Syria and allegations that U.S.-led coalition forces are responsible.

He agreed with an official'scomments made Tuesday that there is a fair chance that our operations may have contributed to civilian casualties, but added that the investigation continues and theres still much to learn from the initial assessments.

We acknowledge our responsibility to operate at a higher standard, he told lawmakers. We take every allegation seriously and we are executing a well developed process to assess and if necessary investigate these allegations.

More than 200 civilians were reportedly killed when a building in west Mosul, Iraq, collapsed from what may have been a U.S airstrike. The Pentagon is reviewing the incident.

The recent civilian casualty reports and President Trumps promises to review the rules of engagement in the Middle East have left human rights groups and independent monitors suspicious that Trump has relaxed the rules.

Votel stressed that though the nature of the fight and the Pentagons approach to it have evolved over the two-and-half-year operation, We have not relaxed the rules of engagement.

Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) defended the four-star general and asked that everyone be cautious in addressing and investigating the airstrikes.

In a dense urban environment there may well be some casualties and even the finest military in the world can make mistakes, Thornberry said. But we also know for certain that ISIS uses human shields, and that they can arrange civilian deaths to further their misguided narratives. I think we should always give the benefit of the doubt to the professionals who are working every day to keep us safe.

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Top general hints at additional troops in Afghanistan - The Hill

ISLAMABAD

Afghanistan is expected to get up to 200 helicopters and other aircraft as part of a four-year plan to improve the nation's security forces to help beat the Taliban insurgency, according to Dawlat Waziri, the spokesman for the Afghan Defense Ministry.

Waziri said discussion of the plan is part of the agenda of a top level U.S. delegation expected to visit Kabul over the next couple of weeks. U.S. officials have not publicly confirmed the reported trip, but their Afghan counterparts have been discussing the expected agenda.

Ahead of the visit, Afghanistans National Security Adviser Haneef Atmar held a one-hour video conference Wednesday with his American counterpart H. R. McMaster to discuss bilateral security cooperation between the two nations.

FILE - In this Oct. 24, 2015, photo, Afghan National Security Adviser Mohammad Hanif Atmar speaks during an interview with The Associated Press, in Kabul, Afghanistan.

On the agenda

The trip by the first high ranking U.S. delegation to visit Kabul since the change of administration in Washington is also expected to discuss continuing U.S. assistance to the country, according to the speaker of Afghan parliament Abdul Raouf Ibrahimi.

A source says Russia, Iran and Pakistan will be discussed.

Another high level Afghan source said the delegation would also discuss the involvement of Russia, Iran, and Pakistan in Afghanistan.

While U.S. officials have long accused Pakistan of providing sanctuaries to the Taliban, they have recently become wary of the growing influence of Russia and Iran in Afghanistan.

John McCain, Chairman of the U.S. Senates Armed Services Committee, in a hearing of the committee in February, said Iran was arming and funding the Taliban and Russia was meddling in Afghanistan to prop up the Taliban and undermine the United States.

FILE - Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 8, 2017.

General John Nicholson, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, told the same committee that there has been an increase in external actors interfering in Afghan attainment of peace and stability, adding that Russian involvement had become more difficult and Iran was directly supporting the Taliban in Western Afghanistan.

Russia is hosting a regional conference on Afghanistan in April in which the U.S. was invited but has declined to attend. Afghanistan is still debating whether to attend according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Increased use of Special Forces

Afghanistans four-year security plan would also double the Afghan Special Forces, upgrading what is now a division of Special Forces to a corps, according to Defense Minister General Abdullah Habibi in his briefing to the Afghan parliament.

FILE - Afghan Special Forces prepare themselves for battle with the Taliban on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah capital of Helmand, Afghanistan, Oct. 10, 2016.

The Special Forces have been one of the most successful units of the Afghan security apparatus in its fight against the Taliban. The defense minister added the forces would be used to drop into Taliban controlled areas, denying them the opportunity to plant landmines as they flee.

The plan is also supposed to focus on the training and literacy of Afghan security forces and strengthening intelligence services.

According to the Defense Ministry spokesman, the beefing up of the air force, including not just the aircraft but also radar systems and other parts, would be completed by 2020.

NATO and EU delegations are also expected to visit Kabul in the next few weeks.

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Afghanistan to Get Helicopters, Aircraft as Part of Security Plan - Voice of America

THE TOPLINE: The general in charge of U.S. military operations in the Middle East was on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, where he lawmakers pressed him on counter-Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) operations, Afghanistan, civilian casualties and more.

The Hills Ellen Mitchell reports:

The head of U.S. Central Command said on Wednesday that the Pentagon is reviewing whether to send additional U.S. forces to Afghanistan.

We are in the process of going through a review of our posture in Afghanistan and how we have to look at that going forward, Gen. Joseph Votel told lawmakers.

Votel would not give additional details on the review during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on security challenges in the Middle East, saying its findings are pre-decisional.

VOTEL ADDRESS CASUALTIES: Votel also spoke about the reports of an increase in civilian casualties, particularly the 200 or so deaths in Mosul when a building collapsed.

Also from Mitchell:

He agreed with an official's comments made Tuesday that there is a fair chance that our operations may have contributed to civilian casualties, but added that the investigation continues and theres still much to learn from the initial assessments.

We acknowledge our responsibility to operate at a higher standard, he told lawmakers. We take every allegation seriously and we are executing a well developed process to assess and if necessary investigate these allegations.

Votel stressed that though the nature of the fight and the Pentagons approach to it have evolved over the two-and-half-year operation, We have not relaxed the rules of engagement.

Read about Mitchells entire piece -- on both Afghanistan and Mosul -- here.

GOP DEFENDS TRUMPS RULES OF ENGAGEMENT: Republican lawmakers are defending the Trump administration from criticism about an increase in civilian casualties from air strikes in Iraq and Syria, arguing that rules of engagement under former President Obama were too strict.

They say the rules should be loosened because they have resulted in missed opportunities to strike Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) targets and have discounted the judgment of the commanders in the field.

They missed targets because they had to go back and have an NSC that met for weeks, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said Tuesday. I think you need to tell the military commanders what you expect and then let them do their job. Now, that does not mean there will never be a mistake, of course."

Read the rest here.

MCCAIN, GRAHAM PAN POTENTIAL CR: With the deadline to fund the government coming up in a few weeks, defense hawks are coming out strong against the potential for another stopgap funding measure.

The Hills Jordain Carney has the story:

A pair of Senate Republicans are signaling they will not support a short-term funding bill ahead of next month's deadline to avoid a government shutdown.

GOP Sens. Lindsey GrahamLindsey GrahamOvernight Finance: Senate Dems call for investigation of acting SEC chairman | Wyden: Russia probe should focus on Trump financial ties | Dems seek more money for IRS Overnight Defense: Top general talks Afghanistan, civilian casualties | Defense hawks slam short-term funding McCain and Graham: We won't back short-term government funding bill MORE (S.C.) and John McCainJohn McCainOvernight Finance: Senate Dems call for investigation of acting SEC chairman | Wyden: Russia probe should focus on Trump financial ties | Dems seek more money for IRS Overnight Defense: Top general talks Afghanistan, civilian casualties | Defense hawks slam short-term funding McCain and Graham: We won't back short-term government funding bill MORE (Ariz.) two of the Senate's most vocal defense hawks said separately that they would oppose a continuing resolution (CR) over concerns about its impacts on the Pentagon.

"It would decimate the ability to defend the nation and it would put the lives of our men and women in uniform at risk," McCain, who chairs the Armed Services Committee, told The Hill.

Graham separately told reporters that he wouldn't back a CR, even if it funded the government through the end of the end of September, over similar concerns.

Read more here.

ON TAP FOR TOMORROW:

The commander of U.S. Transportation Command will testify before the House Armed Services Committee at 9 a.m. at the Rayburn House Office Building, room 2118. http://bit.ly/2nZ3VhN

The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for former Rep. Heather Wilson to be Air Force secretary at 9:30 a.m. at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, room G-50. http://bit.ly/2na7kZo

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley will testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at 10 a.m. at the Dirksen 419. http://bit.ly/2odr0MZ

A House Armed Services subcommittee and a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee will hold a joint hearing on Russias violations of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty at 10:30 a.m. at Rayburn 2172. http://bit.ly/2nvxDNN

ICYMI:

-- The Hill: Senate intel panel 'within weeks' of completing initial Russia review

-- The Hill: Top general: ISIS extraordinarily savvy in cyber

-- Miami Herald: Pentagon picks national security lawyer to run Guantnamo war court

-- Reuters: Inside Mosul, a huge blast, then screams, dust and horror

-- Associated Press: Syrian experts visit critical dam spillway near main Islamic State base

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Overnight Defense: Top general talks Afghanistan, civilian casualties | Defense hawks slam short-term funding - The Hill