Several years ago, Afghanistan had the second highest infant mortality rate, but now that troop levels have steadily gone up, Afghanistan is world's worst place to be born-UN.
Afghanistan has the highest infant mortality rate in the world -- 257 deaths per 1,000 live births, and 70 percent of the population lacks access to clean water, the agency [UN] said.
We are talking about a war that is turning Afghanistan into a graveyard for our soldiers, civilians, and newborns, and a diaristpicks a sentence out of context, written by someonewho is begging Obama not to escalate the killing, and spins it in the worst possible way he can to shoot the messenger.
The diarist may take aim at the messenger, but I will put the message back on the table:
Stop the killing in Afghanistan. Bring the troops home.
A majority of Americans now see the war in Afghanistan as not worth fighting, and just a quarter say more U.S. troops should be sent to the country, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
[Washington Post: Public Opinion in U.S. Turns Against Afghan War] In fact, most Americans (75%), of all stripes, Democrat and Republican alike, not just liberals, do not support the escalation in troops. We've all had enough of the lies and the propaganda. We've all had enough of the senseless killing and the inhumane way the civilians suffer after their countries have been aerially bombed into the "Stone Age."
The diarist claims to be disgusted by the way he has spun a sentence, but most of us in America and the rest of the civilized world are nauseated by the torture and the misery caused by these wars based on lies.
General McChrystal is the one who has dissed someone's mother: he was responsible for telling Pat Tillman's mother a false story about how her son died in Iraq, yet instead of being disciplined, we are all now listening to his insubordination, publicly speaking out against our Vice President's ideas about what to do in Afghanistan before an official announcement is made.
General McChrystal was responsible for misinforming the family of Pat Tillman about the cause of his death. The Tillman family was first told their son was hit with enemy fire. It took a lot of effort on their part to discover the truth about Pat's death, who had been hit by three bullets in the forehead, killing him in "friendly fire." [Tillman's mother says general lied again about his death]
Testifying before a Senate hearing earlier this year, Gen McChrystal admitted "I would do this differently if I had the chance again", and said he had not read the paperwork on the silver star citation thoroughly.
Krakauer, who spent five months in Afghanistan researching the book, described that claim as "preposterous" and "unbelievable".
The allegation of a cover-up was made after a concerted campaign by Cpl Tillman's family. His father, Pat Tillman Snr, earlier this year said of Gen McChrystal, "I do believe that guy participated in a falsified homicide investigation."
Gen McChrystal was one of eight officers recommended for discipline by a subsequent Pentagon investigation but the army declined to take action against him.
Constitutional law expert, Bruce Ackerman wrote in the Washington Post, A General's Public Pressure, October 3rd:
In a speech in London on Thursday, Gen. Stanley McChrystal publicly intervened in the debate over Afghanistan. Vice President Biden has suggested that we focus on fighting al-Qaeda and refrain from using our troops to prop up the government of President Hamid Karzai. But when this strategic option was raised at his presentation, McChrystal said it was a formula for "Chaos-istan." When asked whether he would support it, he said, "The short answer is: No."
As commanding general in Afghanistan, McChrystal has no business making such public pronouncements.
With the tragic distinction of having the #1 infant mortality rate in the world, Afghanistan, because of this war, is already "Chaos-istan," and tossing more bombs on this war torn country will not improve conditions, but ravage it even more.
Clearly, Michael Moore meant to pay a compliment to President Obama's mother's excellent parenting. Politicians fall prey to a form of Stockholm syndrome while PACs hold their political lives hostage in Washington. I think what he meant was for President Obama to hold fast to the values he was taught growing up in her loving care and not be swayed by the bullying of lobbyists, in and out of uniform, while making this life and death decision.
Most of us voted for change from the previous president's tendency to use violence to force his agenda. After eight long years of horrific war with little to show for it, We the People favor a peaceful approach which will be less costly in lives and treasure to settle the problems in the Middle East; only 25% of Americans want an increase of troops.
Sadly, the diarist cherry picked words to attack a good man and make us all forget that we are talking about war here.