April 18, 2012, Australia’s announced early withdrawal from Afghanistan has created rumors of U.S. led NATO breakdown.

For one thing, Australia is not a member of NATO, it is a “contact country” (as is Japan) which will sometimes support NATO action.

NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and Australia is not in the Atlantic.  However, it’s the growing number of NATO “supporting” countries who are not geographically in, or near the north Atlantic, that has Russia accusing the United States of using NATO to expand its empire.  Also the fact that NATO was originally created to “counter the threat of the Soviet Union”, yet 20 years after the demise of the Soviet Union NATO is still around and more active.

However, even if Australia is not a full member of NATO, on April 17 NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Australia’s early withdrawal was “fully within the framework” of the U.S. led NATO plans.

Here’s another ‘however’: Germany’s Defense Minister, Thomas de Maiziere, said “Australia’s message surprised me.”  Germany is one of the oldest members of NATO.

Yet more ‘however’:  NATO Secretary General Rasmussen added to the confusion by saying “All 50 allies and partners within the ISAF coalition have committed themselves to the basic principle of ‘in together, out together’.  And I know that the Australians are committed to that principle as well.”

So is Rasmussen saying all the occupying forces are going to leave a year early, or is he saying Australia is bluffing?

Here’s what recently resigned, former commander of Australian forces in Afghanistan, said:  “There is an unpleasant whiff of politics and self-interest in the strategy to withdraw American, Australian and other foreign combat troops from Afghanistan by 2014 or earlier. The electoral cycles of nations contributing troops to the fight in Afghanistan mean that politicians everywhere are looking for the exits.”-Major General John P Cantwell

By the way, New Zealand officials are now saying they will pull out troops a year early as well.

To make things even more confusing, on April 18 NATO officials accused each other of not paying their way: “I would expect NATO allies and ISAF partners to commit themselves to pay a fair share of the total bill.”-Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO Secretary General

Rasmussen hinted at probably the real reason why many NATO members, and their supporting countries, are trying to get out of Afghanistan early: There ain’t no mo’ money!

Rasmussen said in order to continue the U.S. led military occupation of Afghanistan it will take an estimated $4billion USD per year!  His answer is to turn things over to the Afghan government ASAP: “It is less expensive to finance Afghanistan security forces than to deploy foreign troops in Afghanistan.”

Here’s what I say: No shit Sherlock, and obviously our highly edumacated and wealthy elite leaders did not learn a goddamn thing from the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan back in the 1980s!!!  Anybody remember what destroyed the Soviet Union?  Economic collapse due to military involvement in a war they could not win in Afghanistan (which was part of U.S. plans to destroy the USSR).

The political ho downs of NATO prove that this so called War on Terror is a war totally of the machinations of political elites, which is a violation of a thousands year old rule of warfare: “…He will win who has military capacity and
is not interfered with by the sovereign [political rulers].”  also “No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique….”-Sun Tzu

And here’s what the warrior master Sun Tzu says about the technological superiority of the United States: “Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust.”

And about long wars:  “There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.”

Now to the latest evidence of U.S. military command failings.  A U.S. Army soldier has given the Los Angeles Times 18 pics showing troops in Afghanistan posing with the Afghans they killed.

Gee, we’ve been there done that before.  Of course our military leadership is blaming it on rogue troops, and will “investigate”.  No, this is the fault of our leadership; shit rolls downhill, you idiots!!!

Another proof of failed leadership is the many pics of U.S. troops with prominent tattoos which is a violation of the UCMJ.

Here’s what Sun Tzu has to say about that: “If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, then the general is to blame. But, if orders are clear and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the fault of their officers.”

In other words it is always the fault of the command structure!!!

And yes, the battles rage on.  April 17, in Nangarhar Province local officials say anti-drug operations turned into a big battle.  The provincial governor said Mujahideen, and even farmers and villagers, attacked Afghan and U.S./NATO/ISAF forces.

The battle was big enough that airstrikes were called in.  Government officials claim at least 10 Mujahideen killed.  The governor said the battle actually started three days ago when the anti-drug operations began.