Why are we in Afghanistan?

I keep asking the question, "Why are we in Afghanistan?" No one has a good answer. A few without television respond, "To get Osama." But everyone agrees that he is somewhere in Pakistan. Then the answer is: "As President George W. Bush said, 'to spread democracy.'" The Brits tried to spread democracy for years. The Russians tried to spread communism for years. But democracy must come from within. I helped liberate Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, sixty-eight years ago and they have yet to opt for democracy. We liberated Kuwait eighteen years ago and they have yet to opt for democracy. In the Muslim world more important than freedom and democracy is tribe and religion. We have made the good college try for over seven years and now should realize that we are not going to teach warlords to like democracy and grow cotton instead of poppies.

Now some answer to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for Al Qaida. I called the State Department after 9/11, and it reported Al Qaida in forty-five countries, including the United States, but not Iraq. Now we have spread Al Qaida to Iraq and determined to have Al Qaida grow in Afghanistan. What we can't understand is that we are creating terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Taliban were our best friends in Charlie Wilson's War -- the only war we've won since World War II. I helped Charlie on the Senate side. I didn't know what was going on, but he was getting Israel to send Stinger missiles to Muslim Pakistan to shoot down the Russians. Now we are determined to turn our former friends into enemies and destroy Pakistan. Yesterday I read an article that it won't be long before charging President George W. Bush with war crimes for killing civilians in Pakistan with drones. Now the same charge could be made against President Obama. Five years ago, I was in Pakistan to learn that Osama bin Laden had a sixty percent approval rating and President Bush was at ten percent. I wouldn't advise an America to walk the streets of any city in Pakistan today. We are ruining Pakistan. Finally, I'm given the answer, "to stabilize Afghanistan." The best way to stabilize is to get out. It became a matter of conscience for me years ago. I always remember the Wartime Prayer found in Eleanor Roosevelt's papers:

"Dear Lord, lest I continue my complacent way, help me to remember that somewhere, somehow out there, a man died for me today. As long as there be war, I then must ask and answer, Am I worth dying for?"

Why are we killing GIs to spread terrorism?

Comments

[kotexbarbie]

Thank you Senator! I read a great article today it was by Ted Rall. I hope folks here will take time out from posting --- eat a little broccoli and even some tofu! There are some REAL answers about Afghanistan here:

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/20447

[Hoelder]

Why are we everywhere? Just to keep Haliburton, Northrop, SAIC etc employed. President Eisenhower warned us about the military industrial complex. The USSR collapsed in 1991, we did not change and now the chicken come home to roost. The USA was defined as a superpower by its adversary. It's time to say good bye.

[Counterpunch]

Erich M. Remarque wrote in All Quiet on the Western Front:

“I think maybe the Kaiser (George W. Bush) wanted a war.

The Kaiser's (George W. Bush) got everything he needs.

Well, he never had a war before.

Every full-grown Emperor needs one war to make him famous (George W, Bush thought he needed two).

Why, that's history.

Yeah, Generals too.

They need war.

And manufacturers.

They get rich.”

Some things never change the GWB wars are not for the general good of the American people, they are for the reasons that Remarque mentioned in 1928!

[Beachrunner]

Why don't we just buy all the opium that originates in Afghanistan and sell it to the drug companies that make narcotics? Win-win.

[andycan]

Here is a voice of reason. Why does it take two lost wars and a depression to allow it to be heard?
Maybe it's time to stop thinking in terms of cold war geopolitics and try another model.

[army193]

Simple answer Oil, Israel...Israel, Oil= WAR

[WASanford]

The only reason we're in Afghanistan is to build a pipeline through it. Perhaps Rick Santellii can rant about how unfair it is for us to have to send our children there to be maimed or killed so folks like him can fly around in their jet airplanes!

[Beachrunner]

Oh please, not the "pipeline" thing again. This has been floating around longer than "Bigfoot."

[boden]

Because the military is trying to fix a problem that should have been dealt with by public relations in the first place. Trying to save face for attacking the middle east (hornets nest principal) when we should of taken the high ground, condemned this behavior and worked with the world who were on our side after 9/11. The world showed us so much good will and the military pissed on them with their hunt / kill machismo.

Basically the Military Industrial complex wanted to be fed. In a very real way Hollywood could of done a better job.

Hornets nest principal of war: When you get stung by a hornet and decide to go kick the nest.

[Romeover]

Why are we in Afghanistan?

$$$$$$$$$$­$$$$$$$$$$­$$

[MrJoyboy]

One can argue that all of America's economic and moral problems stem from our dependence on foreign oil, contributed to by our infantile wastefulness of that precious resource (see SUVs) and our refusal to spend money developing alternatives.

[marignymitch]

Excellent question, senator.

The answer: America's perpetual war machine demands to be fed.

[Wozzeck]

"The Real Reason The United States Is In Afghanistan": http://www.mediamonitors.net/stephaniekirmer1.html

...."The truth of the current day is that our latest war, the “war on terror,” is no exception. In fact, the United States government has published information about the economic importance of Afghanistan...."

[TrishJ]

We're beefing up in Afghanistan while we tarry in leaving Iraq. Who is going to fight this two front war? There aren't nearly enough soldiers for both. And what about Pakistan?

I hope all of the college students who worked their hearts out for Obama are prepared to find military enlistment becomes the payback for all of those promised college loans.

[dualdiagnosis]

Why are we having a surge in Afghanistan? Because the left opposed the war in Iraq, they knew if we left quickly like they wanted to, the American people would be furious that we would leave in defeat and disgrace so to soften the blow and show toughness on the War On Terror they made this mindless argument that Iraq= Bad War/ Afghanistan= Good War. Now that they actually have to implement it, the old real anti-war/a­ppeasement feelings are coming back.

[kate99]

the question is not why are we in Afghanistan its why are we in Iraq

Afghanistan should have been it if we had stayed there and not gone to Iraq the taliban would have been near defeat if not defeated but we took are eye off the ball and went to Iraq hell we would have had osama by now also if we had not done this

and are we not there because the attacks of 9/11 came from there and osama and co were backed and helped by the taliban we even offered them give us osama and co and you can stay in power they said no