4 U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan

[Taliban video posted on the Internet over the weekend—a move denounced by the U.S. command as a violation of international law.] --- No no! Double standards apply here. Only we are obliged by these outdated international laws. Terrorists have carte blanche to kill as they please and we are all to blame for their hurt feelings and natural instinct to hate and kill us. We are victims of our own liberal ideals.

Robert McNamara said something along the lines of that one of the main lessons of Vietnam was that you shouldn't start what you can't or won't be willing to finish. That seems to apply here. The question is not about fighting terrorism, the question is if fighting terrorism by trying to remake Afghanistan ever made sense in the first place. And if it didn't there should have been a different strategy.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has warned that U.S.-led forces must demonstrate progress in Afghanistan by next summer or face a public perception that the conflict cannot be won. Heavy losses this month have already triggered a public debate in Britain that the war in Afghanistan may not be worth the price.

FAce saving. If NATO failed in afghanistan ,other rising power like China will challenging the western dominaces of world power,that was the true intentions of Mr. Gates believes!

The conflict in afghanistan will brought a bigger chaos to NATO and the unity of western alliances! This war has been lost long long time ago!Just not a single western leader willing to confess it!

Actually this war was won a long time ago, but the Taliban couldn't accept it.

They only represent a small part of the southern population, and in fact don't even represent them, but by clever use of propaganda, and cynical manipulation of the villagers' beliefs and superstitions, plus a willingness to use cold barbarity to instill fear into the people, they have caused endless misery and suffering there. Their political aim is clear, but the people generally do not want them interfering in their lives.

If the Taliban really want to be part of the political process again, they should look at the IRA in Ireland and consider how best to achieve that without getting more innocent blood on their hands.

Has any western power ever defeated Afghanistan? I think not. Those in Afghanistan fighting the coalition do not think in nightly news soundbites. If the war takes fifty years then for themm so be it. Are the americans and British willing to stay for the long haul? I think not. The public of those countries will not tolerate it. Big headlines and lots of soul searching when 4, 5 or 8 die in a day. How would they cope if fifty died in a day? The coalition will not be victorious in Afghanistan. Better I feel, to withdraw and try to contain. And let's be honest, america is not under threat of attack from Afghanistan should they withdraw. No airforce or navy - and before someone mentions 911 - they were Saudis. Good friends of america. If afghanistan ends up a religious nutcase country then so be it.

Let afghans be what they want,not need for russian/EU/US interference.

If afghans want taliban to rule,in certan provinces so be it.

with a continuation of the one-sided reporting of casualty figures the stomach of us/eu populations will dwindle,however with equal emphasis put on the high numbers of taliban fighters being sent to paradise(hehe) then at least some sort of calculation of effectiveness of the operation could be made, at the moment it is just an apparent loss of troops for no gain.The truth is the Taleban are losing the battle on whatever measure you care to choose,don't let the panic propagating press distort the reality.

Despite things like this happening, the allies should stay the course in Afghanistan simply because the Taliban and their good friends Al Queda have proven themselves to be a serious threat not just in Afghanistan but around the World. If Uncle Osama and friends had not attacked the West, and tried to destabilize governments through their links to other islamic extremist groups, the US and others would have not needed to go in to Afghanistan. This, however, is all water under the bridge, and the troops must stay there until either the Afghans can counter the Taliban by themselves, or force of arms blows the Taliban/Osama into oblivion.

water and a lot of blood..under the bridge