is known as "the graveyard of empires". We've been there for something like thirteen years. The country is the world's largest opium producer, the apparently corrupt Karzai Gov't no longer wants us there, the Taliban are not a threat to the USA, we've more or less decimated their country, a lot of the infrastructure we've built there already has fallen apart, our troops have been killed & maimed, billions of our dollars simply have evaporated, and Al Qaida long ago moved on to Yemen and elsewhere. The fact that we're still there is just plain asinine. Never mind the fact that it's an unconstitutional use of the U.S. Military.
Our Fed Gov't has been rotting from within for decades. Meanwhile, We the People are Distracted by Propaganda & Circuses, Divided by Fraudulent Political Parties, and Conquered by the Super-Rich.
Enjoy the upcoming Fourth of July.
Be Well
Showing posts with label Al Qaida. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Al Qaida. Show all posts
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Leave Afghanistan
It is past time to get out of Afghanistan. Here's why---
1. The Intelligence Service (ISI) of Pakistan (supposedly our ally) aids the Pashtun Taliban. This is the same ISI that reportedly sent $100,000 to M. Atta, one of the 9-11 hijackers. This reason alone is enough to bring our battle-weary, frustrated troops home. These are the same troops who are given highly restrictive Rules Of Engagement, rules that are more suited to police officers than to combat troops.
2. The central government of Hamid Karzai and his brother is corrupt to the core. The Afghanis know this, and they know that we support the same corrupt, central government.
3. We are trying to establish a central government in a country that has almost no history of such a thing.
4. The Pashtun Taliban are at war with Karzai's government. Once again, we are in the middle of a civil war.
5. The new U.S. target date for withdrawal is 2014. The chances are good that by 2014 things won't be much "better" than they are right now. For certain, they'll be worse for us---more dead and disabled troops, more billions of dollars spent fruitlessly.
6. The Soviets committed 500,000 troops to their war with Afghanistan years ago...and they lost. Afghanistan is known as the "Graveyard of Empires" for very good reasons.
7. Polls indicate that over half the population in Afghanistan do not want us in their country any longer.
8. There are many, many more Al Qaida insurgents in Pakistan and Yemen than in Afghanistan. Intelligence estimates put the number of Al Qaida in Afghanistan at about 25-50, out of a total of approximately 25,000 insurgents.
9. Logic suggests that there's a high probability that Osama bin Laden is no longer alive. For one thing, why would he stop releasing video tapes that spurred on his fanatics?
I'll say it again: although there are obvious differences, the war in Afghanistan reminds me greatly of our involvement in Vietnam---corrupt governments in both cases, civil wars, restrictive Rules of Engagement, "winning hearts and minds", horrible losses of life (including "collateral damage"), billions of dollars, and Secretaries of Defense from the corporate world.
Here's who is benefitting from us being in Afghanistan: SAIC (Robert Gates was once on their Board of Directors); Halliburton/KBR; private security companies; and numerous other corporations in the defense industry. We probably also should include the Powers-That-Be in our own Fed Government, as the war allows more expansion of government and more intrusions into our personal lives (because it's part of the so-called "War on Terror").
It is long past time to get out of Afghanistan and Iraq. There is much more terrorism in the world now, as compared to before we invaded those countries. Not only that, but our loss of life, limb, and treasure is obscene. And for what... to combat terrorism? I don't think so.
1. The Intelligence Service (ISI) of Pakistan (supposedly our ally) aids the Pashtun Taliban. This is the same ISI that reportedly sent $100,000 to M. Atta, one of the 9-11 hijackers. This reason alone is enough to bring our battle-weary, frustrated troops home. These are the same troops who are given highly restrictive Rules Of Engagement, rules that are more suited to police officers than to combat troops.
2. The central government of Hamid Karzai and his brother is corrupt to the core. The Afghanis know this, and they know that we support the same corrupt, central government.
3. We are trying to establish a central government in a country that has almost no history of such a thing.
4. The Pashtun Taliban are at war with Karzai's government. Once again, we are in the middle of a civil war.
5. The new U.S. target date for withdrawal is 2014. The chances are good that by 2014 things won't be much "better" than they are right now. For certain, they'll be worse for us---more dead and disabled troops, more billions of dollars spent fruitlessly.
6. The Soviets committed 500,000 troops to their war with Afghanistan years ago...and they lost. Afghanistan is known as the "Graveyard of Empires" for very good reasons.
7. Polls indicate that over half the population in Afghanistan do not want us in their country any longer.
8. There are many, many more Al Qaida insurgents in Pakistan and Yemen than in Afghanistan. Intelligence estimates put the number of Al Qaida in Afghanistan at about 25-50, out of a total of approximately 25,000 insurgents.
9. Logic suggests that there's a high probability that Osama bin Laden is no longer alive. For one thing, why would he stop releasing video tapes that spurred on his fanatics?
I'll say it again: although there are obvious differences, the war in Afghanistan reminds me greatly of our involvement in Vietnam---corrupt governments in both cases, civil wars, restrictive Rules of Engagement, "winning hearts and minds", horrible losses of life (including "collateral damage"), billions of dollars, and Secretaries of Defense from the corporate world.
Here's who is benefitting from us being in Afghanistan: SAIC (Robert Gates was once on their Board of Directors); Halliburton/KBR; private security companies; and numerous other corporations in the defense industry. We probably also should include the Powers-That-Be in our own Fed Government, as the war allows more expansion of government and more intrusions into our personal lives (because it's part of the so-called "War on Terror").
It is long past time to get out of Afghanistan and Iraq. There is much more terrorism in the world now, as compared to before we invaded those countries. Not only that, but our loss of life, limb, and treasure is obscene. And for what... to combat terrorism? I don't think so.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
QUESTIONS
To all Republicans and Democrats: why are we still in Iraq? Why are we still expending blood and treasure there? We went in originally to find WMD. The ones found were degraded and/or mostly disintegrated. Then the reason for our presence became: Saddam is a brutal tyrant (no question about that), and his regime must be replaced. We found him and he's now dead. His regime has been replaced. Then the reason became: we need to insure that elections take place. They have. Finally, the reason became: we must battle Al Qaida. From all I've read and heard, they're now mostly in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Why are we still in Iraq? Why is our embassy there the largest embassy in the world? How long do we plan on having troops in Iraq? After we leave (if we leave), will the Sunni-Shiite civil war continue?
These are all legitimate questions, and I don't see any national politician addressing them.
Why are DC politicians not answering these questions? Why are not more people asking them?
Why are we still in Iraq? Why is our embassy there the largest embassy in the world? How long do we plan on having troops in Iraq? After we leave (if we leave), will the Sunni-Shiite civil war continue?
These are all legitimate questions, and I don't see any national politician addressing them.
Why are DC politicians not answering these questions? Why are not more people asking them?
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