Unlike the unpopular war in Iraq, Afghanistan was widely viewed in the US as a moral war, based on the logic that since al-Qaeda was responsible for the September 11 terrorist attacks, and since the group is hosted by an equally militant Taliban government, both groups must pay. So far, the people of Afghanistan have paid many times over the price expected. Thousands were killed, and an entire generation was scarred by a new civil war, and yet a new foreign military occupation. FULL ARTICLE
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16 comments ↓
The time to leave Afghanistan is now, not in the fall, not next year, not after the next election. Today. Not tomorrow. Now.
It’s the graveyard of empires.
An excellent post. And historically correct. There is more to go with what is reported. Once upon a time the Afghan countryside was green and beautiful. Life was slow and simple. But the Neo-Cons had settled on their next target - Afghanistan, because of the Caspian Oil and the routing of a pipeline that the U S Oil Consortium lusted for.
Unfortunately Russia had ideas about where the line should go, a different route run by Russia not the United States.
The line is now being built, where the Russians wanted to build it and maybe that is why the war continues. One thing is for sure. The Afghans are tired of being the pawns in this proxy war for the middle east Oil.
Cliff, I’m sure they are tired of it. They’ve had to deal with more war in just one generation than we’ve had in more than a century. I’m sure the “surge” will only result in a surge of resistance too. It always does, doesn’t it?
Yes Allen. Violence begets violence. The sad truth is that the Afghans haven’t started a war with anyone. But their country has been devastated and untold numbers of civilians have been killed. All because Big Oil wanted their Oil and don’t want to pay for it. Let the citizens of the U S and USSR fight and die for it. The Corporate big shots won’t be on the front line.
Yeah, you’d think that Afghanistan was just a wasteland, but empires throughout history have sought to subdue it, and have come crashing down too.
i must admit that ” historically” the article is correct. But what is the author’s purpose ? is he trying to get those of us, who don’t have any real political voice or pull with the washington /military establishment some information to warn us of what has happened? Or was he trying to get us to rally around the new president and chant “hell no we won’t go” type of motivation ? The reason I ask is I am reminded of an old country preacher named Lester Rolloff who is credited to have said..I don’t talk to be heard…it’s because i have something worth while to say”…Was this what the author was trying to do ?? “Exercise” his Liberty of the sake of ” Exercising it ” ? Hmmm this Lou Dobbs Independent Populist wants to know !!
I’m not sure of the author’s motivations, but judging from his previous articles on this site, I would assume that it would be a strong anti-war position on Afghanistan.
Personally, I consider this war, like the aggression in Iraq, to be unjust, immoral – and unconstitutional.
Hey Mr. Anderson..I couldn’t agree more…
I’ll second that, Steve. Or is that a third now? Either way, this war needs to end now, not later. It’s totally immoral, and on top of it, we just can’t afford this. It’s complete insanity!
A very good essay. However there is no mention of the 9/11 truth. Bin Laden was not responsible for the September 11th attacks, so the justification for the invasion was a lie. The evidence that 9/11 was an inside job notwithstanding, there is no evidence implicating Bin laden, and the Taliban government offered to hand him over if the US had produced any evidence.
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Here’s a hypothetical question on Afghanistan – IF, and just for the sake of argument, IF there was undeniable proof that Bin Laden was responsible for the 9-11 attacks, would there THEN be a justification for an invasion of Afghanistan – and an ongoing war still today, years later?
Crystal. If you will allow me to answer that – the answer is no. And what is the reason for that answer? Think back - didn’t the Taliban offer to give up Bin Laden before the war?
There are two different reactions to that. But remember that the last one is that they offered to give him up.
Presto – no more reason for the war, except that no war no profits for the War Industry.
My opinion is that this and the Oil there has driven everything we have done in the Middle East.
I’m right with you on that one Cliff. Some of these 9-11 truthers really miss the point. In fact, they end up enabling the opposition – they enable more war and more empire. Why? Because their only claim to opposition to the war in iraq, the war in afghanistan, the violations of liberty are because 911 was an “inside job”
But that’s a bunch of garbage. Those things are bad whether it was an inside job or not.
Yes Frank. One night early last year I was watching C-Span Book Notes. The guest was Retired General Wesley Clark.
During the conversation with the host he just happened to mention that in the early 90’s , he talked to some Generals in the Pentagon and I believe he said Rumsfelt, about the plan to invade Iraq and the Oil protection needed for the takeover after the war.
They were looking for a good event to satisfy the American Public on going to war. Obviously 9/11 was like manna from heaven to them.
And do you remember the Iraqi Oil PLan? Kucinich read it on the House Floor and I wrote a commentary about it ” Why your Sons and Daughters died in Iraq”. This has to be the most disgraceful time in Americas History.
I followed up later and found that the plan would let U S Oil take over the existing fields and pay the Iraqis 12% of the oil taken out. Any new fields would belong to the U S Oil interests completely.
Kucinich’s speech was really powerful, Cliff…that article hit me pretty hard. It still never ceases to amaze me what lengths they’ll go to in order to attack other countries and steal their resources.
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