Overlooked Ally Stands with U.S. in Afghan War

Thursday, November 5th at 9:07AM EST

6 Comments

Amid the debate in Washington over whether or not to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, it would be easy to overlook the fact that there are thousands of soldiers from other countries in the field with their American counterparts.

There are the British, with thousands of Tommies on the line and a flow of body bags to prove it. So, too, the Australians and Canadians. Germany also has troops here as part of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) as do the Dutch, among others.

And then there are the truly small contingents, whose numbers are few but whose presence, for whatever the individual national reasons, underlines the international nature of the conflict.

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Greater Love Than This Hath No Man

Ausonius (Diary) Thursday, November 5th at 10:49AM EST (link)

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

How much greater is his reward, if he lay it down for the defense of strangers?

Ausonius: 310-395 A.D. Teacher, Poet, Consul, General, Farmer.

Personal Tutor to the future St. Paulinus of Nola and to young Gratian, heir to the throne during the turbulent final years of the Western Roman Empire. When his former student Gratian was assassinated, Ausonius threw up his hands and retired to his farm in Gaul. Rome was captured by barbarians 14 years after his death.

Cato@rock.com

A good reminder

johnt Thursday, November 5th at 10:51AM EST (link)

and gratitude is due. Now if only our “leader” would stop dithering, stop holding his finger up to the wind, and rearrange his priorities, we might cease leaving our allies wondering about our commitment.
But it doesn’t look good.

“a man’s admiration for absolute government is proportinate to the contempt he feels for those around him”. Tocqueville

And they have overall done well.

samdallas (Diary) Thursday, November 5th at 11:07AM EST (link)

The brits and candians in particular have really pitched in if you look at the numbers. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

By your friends shalt thee be known

manukaudave (Diary) Thursday, November 5th at 12:46PM EST (link)

And also, as a New Zealander, may i say that often these soldiers are sent at the risk of considerable Political Capital. Surely, then, these Governments and people deserve the compliment of being able to support a steady and comprehensible Policy from our Big Brother in the States.

I don't think Afghanistan had that issue

samdallas (Diary) Thursday, November 5th at 4:14PM EST (link)

There was a well-articulated and popular (in and out of the US) justification for the war in Afghanistan. It was Iraq where there was political capital at stake as Blair found out the hard way.

I just hope we still have some allies left once the Obamanation is over

Dave Thursday, November 5th at 2:54PM EST (link)

It cannot end soon enough for me.

-Dave

Our elected representatives have failed us.