As the March 19th rally and march headed through the streets of Portland yesterday, a young boy stepped up to the front line with us. His sign:
His whole life we have been engaged in the wars of occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thinking back over my lifespan, it seems we have been interfering (covertly and overtly), invading, bombing, overthrowing governments and generally spreading death and destruction for profit. As Phil Ochs sang; "We've shot and bombed and burned our way across the world and back and the blood money keeps a'rollin' in"
Follow me after the Fleur-de-Kos
In my previous diary, 8 years in Iraq 9+ in Afghanistan, there were some comments to the effect we have started withdrawing "combat forces" from Iraq on schedule and why protest the Iraq war/occupation? My reasons are based on the fact that the whole clusterfuck was based on lies and that no one has been held accountable for the resulting wholesale destruction of Iraq.
This is not to mention that Afghanistan is hell in a hand basket, full of one of the most corrupt regimes on the planet and our drone war is destabilizing the region. I have often thought that there should be a cadre of historians at the White House who would advise the president on any country or region we are going to get involved in instead of the usual ideologues that have an agenda contrary to the facts. Or as my friend of many years said:
"The reason people don't learn from the past, is because the past was a repetitious lie to begin with."
Mike Hastie
U.S. Army Medic
Vietnam 1970-71
The theme of this year's event was; Eight Years in Iraq -- Nine Years in Afghanistan:
How is the War Economy Working for You?
Yesterday at 7:30 AM, I checked the Cost of War website. At that time the cost of both wars was $1.166 trillion. This morning at 9:00PM it is $1.168 trillion. $2 billion in a little over 24 hours.
The point is that this and the previous administration haven't a clue on how to manage either of these wars/occupations. GW and his gang of murderers went in without an exit strategy and the present administration, having inherited one of the worst foreign policy disasters in history, have "stayed the course".
OK smarty pants, what's your solution? A couple of years ago I wrote Think outside the box: Afghanistan. Its a long diary with some of my thoughts and observation on the situation in Afghanistan and maybe some idea on a solution:
After the invasion of Afghanistan there were speeches and experts explaining how Afghanistan would become a much more civilized country because the United States and its coalition partners would help rebuild and modernize its infrastructure and political system. Sadly this was never the plan or if it was, it was criminally mismanaged. After the "successful" defeat of the Taliban, there was an opportunity to commit resources to restore the basic needs of the citizens of Afghanistan such as reliable electricity, clean water, sewage treatment facilities, communication and most importantly, transportation. Unfortunately the United States under the Bush administration changed directions and put all of it energy into the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Afghanistan was left on the back burner and became a textbook example of how not to win the "hearts and minds" of a nation.
Basically its about bringing in the other nations with a stake in stabilizing the region. As General Wesley Clark stated (note the date):
"The solution to terrorism is not going to be found in bullets. It's not going to be found in precision ordnance or targeted strikes. It's really going to be found in changing the conditions. It's going to be found in establishing a global safety net that starts with security and goes to economic development and political development and the kinds of modernization which let others enjoy the fruits of modernization that we as Americans enjoy."
~ Gen. Wesley Clark, October 17, 2001, Annual Lecture sponsored by the Center for the Study of Force and Diplomacy at Temple University
Just prior to writing that diary, I wrote one on the Hague Afghanistan Conference.
The Hague, March 31 (2009) (DPA) An international conference on Afghanistan began here Tuesday with delegates from some 80 countries welcoming the US' new anti-Taliban strategy and vowed to support its reconstruction.
The new US approach was 'absolutely right', said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, noting that Germany supported the search for a regional solution to the conflict in Afghanistan.
'We know that the stabilization of Afghanistan cannot succeed unless the situation in neighbouring Pakistan is also taken into account,' Steinmeier said.
Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb said Europe was 'very happy with the new American strategy focused on civilian crisis management'.
Since then? Crickets.
Afghanistan is corrupt, Iraq is pretty much non-functional as a nation and its an emergency to defund NPR of $5 million. I think that pretty much sums it up.
So I will continue to protest against these 2 obscenities that have been foisted upon the world by the murderous regime of George W. Bush and continued by the present administration.
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I am a soldier of peace