Why We Should Get Out Of Afghanistan
I have thought alot about this, and I keep coming to the same conclusion. We should get out of Afghanistan NOW, and leave them to settle whether they want to move forward or continue living in the 9th Century.
We accomplished what we set out to do. We ran Al-Qaida out, unseated the Taliban, and helped them set up a new govt. and military. If Al-Qaida comes back we can go back in, covertly, and take them out. If the Taliban reclaims the govt. we can unseat them again or we can threaten them with it, unless they change their views on a whole host of issues, not the least of which, is Human Rights.
The problem with staying is, we will never get done much more than we’ve got done, now. Afghanistan is not Iraq! Iraq’s people haven’t been living in the 9th century. They are somewhat Westernized, and have an idea what Democracy is. We have helped them set up a viable govt. and military, of which has representation from their 3 factions. Some of them are very well educated which bodes well for their hospitals, schools and universities, businesses, military, and yes, their govt. Afghanistan has very little, if any, of this.
President Obama says “we must deny al-Qaida a safe haven in Afghanistan, because it was there that 9-11 was hatched.” That is all well and good, if we are willing to keep 60,000 troops there from now on. I don’t think the Republicans would go along with that. I know the Democrats and a majority of the American people wouldn’t. And anyway al-Qaida has already secured safe havens in several other countries. Are we gonna go into Indonesia, Turkey, Spain, and Germany, as well as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and other Middle Eastern venues and kill’em or run’em out? I didn’t think so! So Obama’s reason doesn’t hold much water.
Anyway, I’m not so sure Al-Qaida is much more than a sprawling, loosely articulated collection of hyper-zealous, anti-American Muslims, after these last 8 years. Plus, I don’t think our govt. has what it takes to allow our brave men and women to go in to these places and do what’s necessary to obliterate the terrorists. Until we get someone in the White House that is willing to turn them loose with everything we’ve got, they should be home, where they can protect the American People.
We have already lost more than 800 American servicemen in Afghanistan, and they cannot be brought back. The vast sum of money expended, so far with absolutely nothing of genuine worth to show for it, represents forgone opportunities forever sacrificed. No matter how you felt about this (Afghan) War in Oct. 2001, it’s not that war anymore. As I said previously, we’ve accomplished what we went in there to do.
From this point forward, it is nothing more than a losing investment. Most of the opposition to the U.S. forces and their Afghan trainees arises, for the most part, from the deeply entrenched tribal character of the Afghan people and their implacable desire to rid the country of any and all foreign occupiers. One need not have studied the history of this place for a long time to have learned this lesson. You only need to look back to the 80′s, when the Russians invaded. They pulled out after 10+ years, gaining not a thing. In fact they left alot of military treasure there.
So you see, these are the reasons I have come to my conclusion. And I think a clear-thinking president would steer clear of trying to accomplish the impossible. I’m not saying Obama is clear-thinking, but the war in Afghanistan is not winnable in any Meaningful Sense. I feel that it’s a waste, suffered at a time when we have a multitude of more urgent needs. To curtail our losses, I feel that we should get out of Afghanistan Immediately.
