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.

YouTube Preview Image

bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark bookmark
tabs-top


11 Responses to “Afghanistan: 10 years of war, 10 years of occupation”

  1. […] A 10-year history lessonLos Angeles TimesPakistan in Afghanistan: Friend or Foe?TIMECBS News -The Langar Hall -BBC Newsall 2,274 news […]

  2. is there kantay says:

    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?

  3. is there kantay says:

    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

  4. is there kantay says:

    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.

  5. is there kantay says:

    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.