Is that how we Americans think of ourselves in Iraq, Afghanistan or Pakistan? I never did. However, apparently not only the terrorists have that point of view, but so do many (some say the majority) of citizens in those countries and even the leaders with whom we are supposed to be aligned voice that view in public. From what I can see if you are a western non-Muslim you have no friends or allies in that part of the world, so be it. Hey, if my neighbor doesn’t want me in his yard I don’t go – even is he has a nice pool…on a hot summer day.
My feeble understanding of all this just doesn’t get it. From our point of view we are trying to help people first get rid of a dictator and second keep out insurgents trying to oppress them in a different way. I still don’t get it. Who the heck are the good guys in all this? I think our politicians need to check the history books and see if they can find any successful external intervention in these countries over the centuries. Who wants them anyway?
If there was a widespread popular desire for help, that would be one thing, but that does not appear the case. Are we fighting to preserve cultures that stone people, cut off hands of thieves, behead a couple who marry out of their class (true event) or have a law against women driving? Hey, there are different cultures and they are welcome to theirs, but I am not certain I see much worth Americans dying for or being maimed.
What is the mission, what are our vital interests, what would happen if we left? Would the Taliban take over Afghanistan, would religious zealots run Iraq? Tell me why that matters, please. I’m no pacifist or appeaser, I don’t think we should turn the other cheek when attacked and clearly we need to be on the offensive in preventing such attacks, but I don’t know how to equate that with ten years of the type of wars we are fighting.
We have an articulate president these days, he has no drawl, he doesn’t pause frequently when he speaks, he doesn’t fly a jet fighter, so please Mr. President, splain this to us again.
Related articles
- Ayman al-Zawahiri in his own words – BBC News (news.google.com)
- Time to extract U.S. troops from the Afghanistan quagmire (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
- Afghan leader says U.S. in contact with Taliban (calgaryherald.com)
- Taliban deny Osama bin Laden’s death will impact Afghan war (longwarjournal.org)
- US the new Soviets in Afghanistan (rt.com)
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