Afghanistan: 10 years of war, 10 years of occupation
Occupation has come to carry a different connotation of late as the #OccupyWallStreet movement quickly spreads throughout the country. But for millions in Afghanistan it still means U.S. militarism. It still means war. It still means injustice. Today marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, originally deemed “Operation Enduring Freedom” by then president George W Bush.
Based on my mother’s last name, I know I have roots in Afghanistan, as do many of us Sikhs. Hundreds of thousands of our Afghan sisters and brothers have lost their lives in this war, which has escalated under the Obama Administration. Rather than making my arguments for a complete and immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country, I am instead posting this message from human rights activist and former Afghan MP Malalai Joya on the 10th anniversary of this seemingly endless war.
11 Responses to “Afghanistan: 10 years of war, 10 years of occupation”
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would she be an MP under the regime that was previously in power, and that is setting its sights on returning as soon as possible, and that is primarily the force opposing the US now?
How is the condition of the northern part of Afghanistan in rough comparison? What will be the likely scenarios after a US withdrawal? Who will be the powers involved and what are their motivations? Will is likely to be the state of affairs in the near term without US involvement in Afghanistan?
A list of valid questions, shame you won't get any answers here.
If the US withdraws too early, you will likely see another break up of Afghanistan, return of civil war, and eventual take over by some radical Pakistan-backed group. A good approach for the US is to get India more involved. A threat of Indian influence in Afghanistan might be used to get the Pakistanis in line.
^ That's rather simplistic AmericanSikh. 99.9% of the 'resistence' in Afghanistan…..99% of the attacks on coalition forces…..are committed in areas inhabited by the people that do not acknowledge the existence of the Pakistan – Afghanistan border…i.e the pashtuns, as their communities and clans sit on both sides of that border. A far more likely scenario would be a break up of Afghanistan along ethnic lines. The Pakistanis of the north west frontier (where 90% of Pakistan's Sikhs live) are already talking of breaking with Pakistan and joining with their clansmen across Khyber. Afghanistan would thus be divided into 3 nations, which make more ethnic and linguistic sense. The 'problem' nation, as far as western govts are concerned, would be the pathan nation but because it would be a small nation it could perhaps be easier dealt with. However, one would think the new problem then might be the Iranians who would see it as their natural right to take Herat and the east again, with its shia population. The Americans and British got us into this situation. Let them now think of a way out. Things there are as messy as they were in the 1800's. Things change. But not Afghanistan.
Not just them, let’s spare some agency for those in Afghanistan. The scenario I see is civil war. It’s the most simplistic thing in the world to locate all bad actions in one nation or region, however it happens both ways. If you remove the US from the region and all of a sudden you expect violence, torture, repression to go away…..well that does not seem likely. And meanwhile we deal with Pres Perry or Romney and again lament those who voted for the equivalent of Nader
If you do not vote for Obama who will you vote for?
It is clear that for a certain segment of the left no one will be a suitable leader except those who share every of their concerns.
Please let us know who will be the candidate you vote for this time so we can get President Perry or Romney, who according to this view is the same as President Obama. This view is
this view supposes that everyone else in their country and every other country who does not share their views is ignorant or evil-minded. There is an utter incapability to see opposing views in any way that they are legitimate. Literally to oppose their views, which are stated in such a way that there is no other conclusion possible, one is thought to be either unaware and thus in need of education, or else motivated by some bad or incorrect impulse, such as greed or war-mongering.
To think a man who was a community organizer and came from a milieu that would be understandable to the left, namely Pres. Obama is now also not acceptable, and in fact worse? This goes to show that the left does not feel anyone matters but them and other points of view must only be removed and not reconciled.
Pres. Obama is a leader of more than one faction of the country and like it or not he or no other President is going to enact whole-sale the agenda of one ideological faction of the nation. Why not try to understand that the US historically is a center-right nation and try to understand why that might be beyond imputing only ignorance and evil-mindedness to those who do not share the same ideological positions?
This is one of the ways Sikhi is different because all motivations and emotions live in every person, as opposed to a view that some are all or mostly good and others are all or mostly bad and these two forces must be locked into combat until good prevails.
I note she has been suspended by the Afghan Parliament for opposing the corruption of those currently in power.
However, I think it still stands that she was elected in the first place because of the change in regime.
It is clear that the current situation in Afghanistan is problematic, and Joya is a fierce speaker and advocate for human rights. It is however stock and trade of these advocates to speak in the most strident and sharp language, and not everyone can do this.
It stands that their are more than one side to a story and those opposing certain positions are not bad people. For example one can be opposed to corruption and the deaths of innocent people and not agree that President Obama is a war monger. It is still utterly surreal that he is being called that in this video without qualification.
By the way I’m speaking to the issues as they relate to political choices as they pertain to the US and Americans. I can not really understand the views Joya comes to in the way she expresses them bc they come from her milieu. However I do think the context for us in the US is specific as well. Being permanently alienated from the rest of the country such that now Pres Obama is couched in the same terms as Pres Bush, is mind boggling and disheartening. And bodes ill for a spirit of compromise. Unless one believes in all or nothing.
The coming Battle: MUST READ http://members.beforeitsnews.com/story/1110/874/T…