From one of the best news services in the internet: Information Clearing House.
Manufacturing Consent For The Continued Occupation Of Afghanistan
Obama’s War
Tens of thousands of fresh American troops are now on the move in Afghanistan, led by a new commander and armed with a counterinsurgency plan that builds on the lessons of Iraq. But can U.S. forces succeed in a land long known as the “graveyard of empires”? And can the U.S. stop the Taliban in neighboring Pakistan, where U.S. troops are not allowed and the government is weak?
This program contains graphic language and violent imagery. Viewer discretion is advised.
Video Posted October 14, 2009
Click this link to go to the relevent ICH page to watch the 5 part Frontline (PBS) documentary.
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
The United States has soldiers in Pakistan. It just doesn’t have very many of them.
I believe that if the Obama Administration increases the number of troops in Afghanistan then the military needs to act swiftly and decisesivly to 1) hunt down and kill or capture bin Laden, 2) to eradicate the Al Queda terrorist network in Afghanistan from the face of the Earth once and for all, and 3) to end the Taliban’s reign on most if not all of the provinces they control. If these three objectives can be met within a year’s time of dramatically increasing the number of American soldiers in Afghanistan I think the road to peace and stability will open. If the first two of these goals can’t be met then the United States shouldn’t worry about doing much more than hunting down identified terrorists and protecting their embassy and diplomats. In other words, if they can’t meet these goals they should withdraw the majority of American forces in Afghanistan right now rather than after a major escalation. If they can meet these goals then they should add more soldiers in the short term and then withdraw them after the Afghanistan and its border with Pakistan is stabilized.
Don’t you think it shouldn’t have any soldiers in Pakistan? I don’t think the Pakistani constitution allows foreign troops on its soil (other than natural emergency relief perhaps). Every Pakistani citizen is justified in attacking any invader they come across.
As for 1) Shouldn’t he be hunted down and tried? By what system of so called ‘western justice’ or ‘democracy’ can one do such hunt and killing? I really don’t understand how 1) is rationalised here.
2) Al Qaeda were set up by the CIA, even to the extent of their name. That all of a sudden these people willingly adopted the name according to the US definition would be funny if it wasn’t such a large sign-post of the utter rubbish that is talked about these people. I advice you to read this Craig Murray article in which some of the ridiculous claims of AQ are buried, esp the ‘we have to fight them over there so that we don’t have to fight them over here’
3) In my eyes, there are very few Taliban these days. The US killed many of them. There are some that remain, but don’t head militias based on Taliban philosophy. What I mean is the wholly legitimate Afghan resistance comprise of Afghans who for a number of reasons want the Coalition of the Killing out of their country, and don’t want a Washington/London stooge at the helm imposing a foreign system of economic debauchery on them as we in the west are forced to ‘enjoy’.
The road to peace is for the US to stop thinking via it’s vile foreign policy that it can control the world (for the sake of its ever powerful master Israyhell I must add)
The Us MUST worry about due process or even the pretence that it is a virtuous nation falls. Bush is a terrorist, Bolton, Cheney, etc. The establishment in the US has for years committed genocide upon its indigenous people, The Mexicans, Latin and South Americans, The Filipino’s, The Africans, the Asians as the nightmare of its extermination of hundreds of thousands of Japanese people by the bombings to two Japanese cities in WW2 and so on… and don’t forget the causalities via US and British economic policy.
They should withdraw ALL forces (and influence) from Afghanistan irrespective of any consideration.
These arguments you have to make war to make peace are nonsensical doubletalk, and of course invite the reciprocal argument onto the proponents – with actual greater validity.
Do you believe the official 9-11 story? Which incidentally >50% of the commissioners now disown? Are you safe with the pentagon attack and the collapse of WTC7?. Are you aware forensic proof of military explosives nano-thermite was used on 9-11 as already been found. I guess you do or you are likely to not want to hunt an kill all these people without evidence and a trial.