Why Support The US War in Afghanistan?

In an earlier post i propounded the view that the attacks on the WTC were no different to the US attacks on Yugoslavia, both massive acts of international terrorism. I'd now like to continue by saying the US war on Afghanistan is good.
What are the likely results of this war?
Either the US will win and we will see the viper's nest of terrorists removed from the Middle East. This will stabilise Russia's southern flank, remove the pipeline of drugs and arms into Kosovo and Turkey, and result in a more stable Europe.
Or, the Taleban will inflict serious losses on the US. The US, bloodied, will withdraw into its Atlanticist shell and stop imposing itself on the world. The EU might then develop in peace, free of American meddling, while the world will also prosper.

There is no "bad side" to the war in Afghanistan

Atlanticist shell - i like that
i'm pretty unconvinced of the first happening anytime soon. but i also believe the US coalition will never fully retreat before they achieve their (LOL) 'objectives' in the afghan conflict.
i just cant wait for the afghan winter to come along and make an already superb defensive terrain even harder to attack.
vadz, have you seen details about that the AC-130??
what a beautiful support plane that is. shit, i liken it to a flying battleship.

Well the winter will ALSO effect the Afghans, don't forget.
The AC-130 Spectre is a 'showpony'. It is only useful when pretty much ALL air defence weapons have been neutralised and it can orbit above defenceless, badly dug in units. Designed first for operations to clear LZs in 'Nam. I'd say that I wouldn't want to be an AC-130 pilot because they're more likely to end up shot down than any others.

well this is true, but the northen alliance will cope with the snows alot better than the Taleban southern forces will as they're used to the harsher climate.

ok fair call. i'm just easily impressed by howitzers & such forth
er but i digress

What about Pakistan? If the people there get pissed off with their government supporting the US and overthrow it, then they will be in charge of a country with nuclear capabilities... I don't think the US forcing Pakistan to help them will work out well in the end.

Or am I off the mark?

I think everyone is looking the wrong way. Correct me if I'm wrong here (which incedently i don't think i am) but isn't the country that is spwning these radical islamic fundementalists, Saudi Arabia? The U.S. govt. simply can't officially look too hard at this aspect. The majority of U.S. oil comes from the Saudis and the U.S. govt. has a longstanding relationship with the Saudis. It is not advantageous for them to cast the eye of suspicion that way. They have too much to lose.

well indeed jbird, a large part of the funding for these fundamentalist groups does come from wealthy Saudi Arabia.
hehe did you guys see Prince Alwaleed in New York last week? he presented mayor giuliani with a cheque with $10million, but in a simultaneously released written statment, he "insisted that the US should re-examine its policies in the Middle East and adopt a more balanced stance toward the Palestinian cause"

hehehe Giuliani shortly rejected the donation!

Saudi Arabia provides a lot of funding but it comes from private, not governmental sources. It's difficult for the US to crack down on it but believe me they will be trying hard to stop the cashflow from Saudi.
Afghanistan is where the actual terrorists and weaponry comes from. It's a valid target IMHO

I wasn't trying to imply that it was. I simply wanted to exress my opinion that was that the tesrucion of the al-Qaeda group will not brinng and end to the situation.

*of topic*

omg, my uncle came around and had the nerve to say 'have you noticed that all problems in the world at the moment are result of the muslim religion'
*got so mad* so i replied...
'dearest uncle, 50 *or so* years ago most of the problems in world were as a result of jews'
then he said something along the lines of...
'NZ should not allow people of such a disgraceful religion into our country' (refering to muslims)
*very mad replied*
'yeah well darling uncle dearest, in 20 years time over half the population of the world is gonna be muslim.... so you beter get used to it'

yeah i didn't have good reason's etc, but damn i hate his facist views and religious stereotypes....

anyonw else fiind this kind of prejudice more than frustrating, especially when you know the people are educated...

I think it sucks that the worlds problems are caused by any religion., but thats just my opinion.

orr maybe it could be the conflicting religions, not religion by itself *okay*

and muslim's dont excommunicate, soo yeah they cant kick those guys out

Bn1: Agreed, religion - or FUNDAMENTALIST religon is the issue if you ask me. Religious fanatics who believe their religion is the 'right' one are the problem. There are many religious people who believe in lots of different things but are prepared to allow others to believe what they want. Religion in that sense is not necessarily bad.

Hmm, Egypt is also a training ground for terrorists and extremist views. Osama's right-hand man Zawahiri (spelling?) is Egyptian I think, and was involved in the killing of those tourists a while back...

In terms of the funding, I think you're right Vadinho, it probably does come from mainly private soruces, but in some cases it is helped along by the governments right? For instance, the Taleban looking the other way with regards to the drugs trade in Afghanistan. Some say they are taking a cut of the proceeds too. (Can't be easy financing a government from taxes in a place like Afghanistan)

*agrees with voicinsideyou for once*

fundamentalists are bad.... real bad.

ahh my simplicty is pure class (sometimes *hehehe*)

To quotes bill hicks

"we america went to war in the gulf, every american was sitting in front of thier t.v watching cnn with a budweiser and big mac and a hard-on"

a bit more of the same i suspect

i reckon wars are baaaad, im totally against them, but u gotta do what u gotta do, just gotta find the best way to handle these delicate situations.

Seems the afganistanis are planting poppies up large now that the taliban are gone.

i dont think we should support usa attempts to attack af. they are the biggest terrorist of all. they just mask their mass distruction in red tape and paper work. all of which they think justify all the wrongs they have committed against other countries.