An excellent source of truth and information is over at http:// www.tomdispatch.com/. I highly recommend the entry of 23 April 2009, "Killing Civilians" or, How Safe Do You Actually Want To Be? This site by Mr. Tom Engelhardt is always most useful and his own articles always worth your time. This latest article by him is particularly important. He gives an excellent look at what "we" are doing in Afghanistan.
We continue to kill innocent civilians, yet we are very slow to admit any "mistakes". When we finally DO admit to having killed civilians, rather than say Taliban or al-Qaeda types, the best(?) we do is to offer an apology and a small payment in cash to the survivors.
What "we" fail to realize, is that for every death of the innocent, "we" create more radicals who now have a valid reason to despise or even hate us. This is the same as we did in Vietnam, Iraq, and many other countries. Is America that bloody damn stupid? Do "we" ever learn from our past mistakes? Do "we" enjoy making more and more enemies with every passing day? When is this country going to wake up and
that wars of choice, in particular, are entirely evil?
If you have read any of my previous posts here, you know that I agree 100% with General Smedley Butler who said there are ONLY two reasons for war. One; to defend OUR homes. Two; to defend the Bill of Rights. ALL other reasons (excuses) for war are a racket. By that, he meant and I agree, that ANY other reason (excuse) for war are a total racket designed ONLY to enrich those who make the weapons and other materials of war. That does include those who make the under wear and socks the troops wear! No kidding folks, those manufacturers also make out like bandits during a war. General Butler knew this and in his small pamphlet "War Is A Racket" (available at Amazon.com and other book sellers), he states that quite clearly. It is NOT only those who make the weapons of war who profit from wars. As I just mentioned, clothing makers reap profits from wars. So do those who make the rations our troops eat and other "normal" products that the troops need for daily living or comfort. In short, war is big business.
Well, I still believe that old poster from the 1960's, "War is unhealthy for children and other living things".
That our new "decider guy", Mr. Oh-bomb-them, has "decided" that Afghanistan is a "good" war is disgusting. If you had really paid any attention to his campaign talk, you KNEW he was not, and never has been, anti war. Yes, he was (and supposedly still is) against the Iraq war. But, that is only because he thinks(?) it is the "wrong" war. In truth, we had and have NO business in either Iraq or Afghanistan. After 9/11, it would have been acceptable to send in teams of special operations types to go after bin Laden and his people. That would have been a valid use of resources. To invade with whole regiments is and was stupid beyond belief. It is like using a sledge hammer to swat a fly, overkill. It is also useless, or worse than useless. The Afghans have NEVER tolerated any invading force, as far back as Alexander the Great! NO invading army has ever :subdued" that country, and we are failing as well. Had we sent in small units with the specific task of killing or capturing al-Qaeda, then we might have had a chance for success. By invading in "full force" the mission was doomed from the very start. Apparently our new "decider guy" isn't quite as smart as some people want him to be.
We will lose in Afghanistan, just as Alexander, the British, and the Russians lost. Don't any of our leaders ever read any history? Apparently not. Or, they must be filled to overflowing with hubris. Either way, it does not bode well for America.
I still stand by my comment that war is the MOST pornographic thing we humans have ever devised.
Some interesting news. Ms. Jane Harman, a Democrat who "loves" the Bushies wire taps has gone and got herself caught on at least one of them! Outstanding! Now, let's sit back and see how this shakes out. It ought to be interesting to say the least. She apparently was tapped discussing tactics with an agent of AIPAC to pressure Ms. Pelosi to make Harman the chair of an intelligence committee. Hmmm, swap money for position? Isn't that just "normal" behavior for our(?) elected officials? Just business as usual? As more than one commentary has stated, it is time (actually way PAST time) for AIPAC to finally register as a foreign agency.
One more item of note. The new foreign minister of Israel, Avigdor Lieberman, has said that "America accepts all our decisions." Translation, whatever Israel wants to do, say with regards to Palestine or Iran, America will "just go along" with whatever Israel wishes to do. And yet, there are those who say that Israel and AIPAC do NOT have great influence in Washington D.C.!!!!
Man, talk about arrogance! America will go along with "Whatever" Israel wants!?!!???!!! Well, hell there Avigdor, thanks for informing us idiot Americans of this.
Of course when we have such "representatives" as Ms. Harman, who seem to be more loyal to Israel than to America, maybe he is right, as far as the "leadership" goes any way.
People, it is long overdue for "we the people" to stand up and tell OUR elected representatives that they work for US, and NOT for Israel. Who elected them? Since when do the Israelis vote in OUR elections? YES, AIPAC and others "donate" huge sums of money to both wings of the ruling party. The best government money can buy is what we get stuck with.
It is time for the people of America to wake up, get up off the couch and take back OUR country while there is still anything worth saving.
semper fi
