There is no “end game” strategy for the war in Afghanistan. That is what a military official told President Obama last week, according to an NBC report cited by Think Progress’ Faiz Shakir yesterday. In other words, the ultimate outcome for our military presence in Afghanistan is unclear, not just to the activists and bloggers who have been wrestling with this war at Get Afghanistan Right, but to those inside the Pentagon as well. If we have any chance of avoiding further catastrophe in the region, we better make damn sure we Rethink Afghanistan.
That is exactly what Brave New Foundation is calling for in a new campaign launched today. They will hold a series of debates on the issues surrounding this war in the coming weeks, but currently they’re asking everyone to sign the petition urging Congressional oversight hearings like those held in 2007 regarding the Iraq war. Vice President Biden, who orchestrated the Iraq hearings as Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, said, “No foreign policy can be sustained in this country without the informed consent of the American people.” Isn’t informed public consent what we need now before committing more troops to Afghanistan?
Already, the Pentagon is backing away from the Bush administration’s ludicrous goals of building a lasting democracy in Afghanistan, the graveyard of empires. They plan instead to shift focus to eliminating Taliban and al-Qaeda safe havens and establishing regional stability between Afghanistan and Pakistan. And yet even this limited objective has the President requesting at least 10,000 more troops to the war-torn region–the first of several planned deployments. This escalation, according to a new report from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, will only sustain a Taliban resurgence that until now has thrived off of our military’s deeply unwelcomed presence. It will perpetuate a violent conflict while hurting our chances of effectively using reconstructive aid and diplomacy to help the suffering people of Afghanistan.
This war has been called a quagmire. It has been compared–by everyone from Brave New Films bloggers to Newsweek to Senator John Kerry–to the unwinnable war in Vietnam. And public support has begun to wane; a recent BBC/Harris poll indicated only 1/3 of Americans favor sending additional troops to Afghanistan. Perhaps that is because we are already war-weary after being misled into Iraq. Perhaps we are grasping the terrible casualty rate, considering 2008 was the bloodiest year of this war to date, both for our soldiers and Afghan civilians. Maybe we are beginning to connect the dots between the staggering costs of this war ($36 billion a year) and the inability to pull our country out of a recession that resulted in 2.3 million people facing foreclosure last year, and employment falling by 1.9 million in the last four months of 2008 alone.
Whatever the case, it is clear we must have informed public consensus before escalating this war. We must debate it online and in Congress until we’re blue in the face. We must rethink Afghanistan before committing more lives and dollars to a war without a discernible end game.
Yep — exactly as I expected. Democrats wanted us to surrender in Iraq. Now we need to consider surrendering in Afghanistan…..
Ridiculous.
F you Greenwald – you Communist shrill.
surrender what Erick?
Everyone says that it is us against them, but that is not true. People in Iraq and Afghanistan just want to live as we do. Its all of us together against just a few assholes. Do you really think that we are doing any good, and if so tell me Erick, why are we there really? Because in 7 years all I have heard from your government and mine is complete bollocks.
Stupidity rears it's head again. We are there because the terrorists that attacked us on 9-11 got safe harbor and protection from the Taliban – Islamic facists who oppress and murder. If we leave Afghanistan – the Taliban will assert control over the entire country again — and provide a base of operations for terrorists like Al Qaeda as well as a brutal regime that will commit more atrocities.
Here you go Sipple you Nazi. here's what your buddy the facist dictator Chavez is up to. And you tell me it's not about anti-semtism. Asshole.
CARACAS, Venezuela — As President Hugo Chavez intensifies his anti-Israel campaign, some Venezuelans have taken action, threatening Jews in the street and vandalizing the largest synagogue in Caracas where they stole a database of names and addresses.Now many in Venezuela's Jewish community fear the worst is yet to come.
Venezuela's Jewish leaders, the Organization of American States and the U.S. State Department say Chavez's harsh criticism has inspired a growing list of hate crimes, including a Jan. 30 invasion of Caracas' largest synagogue. About 15 people overpowered two security guards at the Tiferet Israel Synagogue, shattering religious objects and spray-painting “Jews, get out” on the walls. Most worrisome, according to Elias Farache, president of the Venezuelan-Israelite Association, was their theft of a computer database containing many names and addresses of Jews in Venezuela.
like I said… complete bollocks
If this is true then lets be clear. I have nothing but the harshest condemnation for this madness.
But… I know what your Israeli lobbie in the U.S is like and unlike you I like to examine all sides, so a source for your data would be greatly appreciated. What does it mean “some Venezuelans have taken action”? can this be connected to “Chavez intensifies his anti-Israel campaign”?
I am sorry John, but you have proven that you like to regourgatate propaganda in the past only for it to be discredited later. Case in point IDF footage of Hamas firing rockets from UN school to justify bombing was later uncovered to have been dug out of archives from months before – there is lots like this John.
I am not a sheep John, though you have proven that you are slow to regognise lies. Show me your source… lets have a look, lets use our brains, and lets see what is the real truth and what is propaganda.
No need for that souce John I have found it on the AP. What the hell is wrong with you John. Why did you leave out the second paragraph:
“Chavez has personally taken care not to criticize Israelis or Jews while accusing Israel's government of genocide against the Palestinians. He vehemently denies inciting religious intolerance, let alone violence.”
This is you all over – Lies, inuendo and personal ad-hominem attacks. I dont think you have any concept of what 'debate' really is.
If you want me to condemn Chavez for egecting the Israeli ambassator in protest to the wanting terrorism by Israel then you can forget it. It goes up on my list of Hugo's pro's. Like names you attribute to people on this site its just another example of you not knowing what the hell you are on about. You have chosen your sides… America and Israel and in your world they can do no wrong, all crimes are “hickups” and all that stand up to these crimes are just “not equil”.
Your words are loud and clear.
There you have it ladies and gentleman – the scum in Scotland once again going out of his way to support violence against Jews and dictators. Why don you just come out of the closet and join the Nazi party you anti-semitic piece of garbage?
while hurting our chances of effectively using reconstructive aid and diplomacy to help the suffering people of Afghanistan.
That the best that you can do JohnE? You pick a story up off the AP and then crop it to fit your way of seeing things. When I catch you at it all you have in retaliation are personnal attacks that mean nothing to me.
Why did you miss out the second paragraph? The second paragraph negates the true meaning of the peice. Why?
The facts in the article communicate what the reality is — what a dictator like Chavez says publicly is “totally irrelevant” as he is a liar. It's called seeing through the bullshit.
Of course, there you go again defending Jew haters and anti-semites. I believe you support the Nazi ideology and I believe you hate Jews Sipple.
Of couse John, that is why you cropped the article. Seeing through your “bullshit” isn't hard at all.
You 'crop' an image you 'edit' prose. You are the most ignorant poorly educated right-wing lunatic I have ever encountered.
That the best that you can do JohnE? You pick a story up off the AP and then crop it to fit your way of seeing things. When I catch you at it all you have in retaliation are personnal attacks that mean nothing to me.
Why did you miss out the second paragraph? The second paragraph negates the true meaning of the peice. Why?
The facts in the article communicate what the reality is — what a dictator like Chavez says publicly is “totally irrelevant” as he is a liar. It's called seeing through the bullshit.
Of course, there you go again defending Jew haters and anti-semites. I believe you support the Nazi ideology and I believe you hate Jews Sipple.
Of couse John, that is why you cropped the article. Seeing through your “bullshit” isn't hard at all.
You 'crop' an image you 'edit' prose. You are the most ignorant poorly educated right-wing lunatic I have ever encountered.