Shah Noori and Gareth Porter via Counterpunch report in detail what happened in the Afghan village of Tarok Kalache when the Americans moved in to take control of it from the Taliban. This is a typical story of war, it's not fiction, it's just matter-of fact. About real people being ruined and killed by America's military-industrial complex, right now.
Worthwhile to read the whole article: link
One resident of Tarok Kalache, Dad Gul, 60, told IPS he was taken back to the pulverised village by ANA and U.S. soldiers 10 days after the end of the U.S. operation. The soldiers told him there had been an IED in his house, and when they got to site of his former home, the Americans pointed to an object lying on the ground and said, "This is the bomb."
"Actually it was my pressure cooker," said Gul. "I grabbed it and told them, 'This is mine! This is not a bomb!' "
This seems to be a typical story of what the Afhanistan war is like, told from up close. It isn't a nice story. When I consider that "we" are sponsoring this... this thing, and have been doing so for many years now, I'm led to reconsider my use of the term "we". In my name, in our name, the military-industrial complex of America is waging this war. I don't recall any of us ever getting a chance to vote on the matter. And I don't expect any of us to ever get that chance, anytime soon. Not with the war machine controlling both parties, and most of our media.
In fact I don't believe "we" are in Afghanistan at all - I think they are. It's criminal, what they are doing. It may or may not be legally criminal, but in my book it is morally wrong. They aren't fighting for us, they're fighting for themselves. The soldiers who fight for them, for whatever reason, are certainly not fighting for me, and maybe not for you either.
If this ravagement were closer to us, if it were among us, we would see it for what it is, and put a stop to it as soon as possible. Halfway around the world this is a war, to forgive, to forget, and to ignore. None of the bleeding and dying is going on next door.
All our gold and silver is being stolen away to run this travesty of a war, while every public benefit from teachers, to cops, to bridges, to old retired folks... you name it, we are getting cut to the bone. So many people hurting here at home, the economy in ruins, while a self-appointed elite of policy makers continues to spend our money like water over there. They do not represent us. We have almost no practical access to the decisions they are making on our behalf.
There's no logical point to this war, no over-riding moral purpose, and most people will admit that it is likely to end badly. It certainly has ended badly for every other would-be empire that ever tried to hold Afghanistan. So you have to ask - why is it still going on? Who is behind it? Who is forcing this thing on us? Who stands to benefit? And why are Americans expected to consider themselves responsible for it?