What Kind Of Training Are We Doing In Afghanistan?
by James Glaser
June 24, 2011

I went to Marine Corps Boot Camp for 12 weeks. After that there was another 4 weeks of Infantry Training Regiment (ITR). When that was over there was more training depending what your job in the Marines was going to be. If you were a rifleman, you could have gone from ITR right over to Vietnam. Really, I guess no matter how much structured training you get, real combat is learned with on the job training.

Here we are in Afghanistan, and we are told that the only real hold-up to bringing our troops home is that the Afghan Army is not ready to protect their country. We are told that they need more training.

We have been training the Afghan Army for close to ten years now, and President Obama thinks that isn't enough training, and that if we stay there and train them a few more years, we can make that country safe. So let me get this straight, President Obama. We send our troops to 12 weeks of Boot Camp, but you want us to train the Afghans for 12 years? You, Mr. President, are dishonest.

Let's be honest. The real reason we are staying in Afghanistan for a few more years is because it is a cash cow for the Military Industrial Complex. If you can't train men to protect their family and country in ten years, you are not going to train them in 12 or 15 or even 20 years. Let's face it, these Afghans are never going to learn how to do it. If they train much longer they are going to be too old to serve.

Come clean with the American people, Mr. President, and admit we goofed up when we stayed in Afghanistan after we kicked bin Laden out of the country. Also, we should admit that all the Soldiers and Marines who were killed, maimed, or otherwise injured did so to continue the profits of the defense industry. This training excuse is getting old, and the American people are realizing it is just a ruse.

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