The True Nature of the War in Afghanistan
The Afghanistan war is not the good war we should have fought instead of Iraq. It is not about making us safer from terrorism. It is not about suffocating the rising tide of Islamic extremism. It is not about spreading women's rights. And it is certainly not about exporting democracy. The war is a part of the grand chess game being played out by the United States and its rivals in what state planners have long regarded as €the most strategically important area in the world€€" the Middle East. In A Woman Among Warlords, the Extraordinary Story of an Afghan who Dared to Raise Her Voice, Malalai Joya€"a young Afghan who has served in Parliament, stood up to the warlords and faced countless assassination attempts while heroically leading the struggle for her country's freedom€" describes in graphic detail the true nature of the war, and the disastrous consequences it has wrought.
€The real purpose€ of the occupation, she writes, €is for the United States and its allies to establish permanent bases to serve their strategic aims€ (198). Joya explains that €Central Asia is a key strategic region, and the United States wants to have a permanent military presence there to counteract China's influence in particular.€ Furthermore, €Central Asia is also very rich in oil and natural gas resources. One of the reasons that NATO wants to stay in Afghanistan is to ensure that the West has better access to these riches€ (199). For example, €it was recently announced that a pipeline is to be built from the Caspian Sea, through Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, and then on to Pakistan and India. The West does not want these resources flowing through Iran or Russia€ (200). Finally, €Afghanistan has many other untapped natural resources,€ such as €massive deposits of copper,€ €iron,€ and €other metals in Eastern Afghanistan€ (200).
These factors make the US government's official version of the war absurd. We are not trying to create a democracy or defeat the Taliban. On the contrary, in accordance with centuries of American foreign policy, our government is merely trying to install a compliant regime and pacify the country enough to maintain €stability.€ The Obama administration clearly has no intention to completely pull out our troops for many years. In fact, it was recently revealed that the new withdrawal date won't come till at least 2024.
Joya says, €To our people, the idea that the United States, with all its military might, technology, and power, could not have already defeated these small medieval-minded groups [the Taliban, etc.]€"assuming that was the real American war aim€"is like a bad joke. Instead it looks like they are playing a game of cat-and-mouse in order to justify keeping their military in Afghanistan€ (198). In truth, €the superpower is using and occupying our country as part of a big chess game. They would prefer to keep the situation unstable so they can stay there indefinitely€ (199)...
Continue reading: http://thebloodycrossroads.com/the-true-nature-of-the-war-in-afghanistan/221235/
€The real purpose€ of the occupation, she writes, €is for the United States and its allies to establish permanent bases to serve their strategic aims€ (198). Joya explains that €Central Asia is a key strategic region, and the United States wants to have a permanent military presence there to counteract China's influence in particular.€ Furthermore, €Central Asia is also very rich in oil and natural gas resources. One of the reasons that NATO wants to stay in Afghanistan is to ensure that the West has better access to these riches€ (199). For example, €it was recently announced that a pipeline is to be built from the Caspian Sea, through Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, and then on to Pakistan and India. The West does not want these resources flowing through Iran or Russia€ (200). Finally, €Afghanistan has many other untapped natural resources,€ such as €massive deposits of copper,€ €iron,€ and €other metals in Eastern Afghanistan€ (200).
These factors make the US government's official version of the war absurd. We are not trying to create a democracy or defeat the Taliban. On the contrary, in accordance with centuries of American foreign policy, our government is merely trying to install a compliant regime and pacify the country enough to maintain €stability.€ The Obama administration clearly has no intention to completely pull out our troops for many years. In fact, it was recently revealed that the new withdrawal date won't come till at least 2024.
Joya says, €To our people, the idea that the United States, with all its military might, technology, and power, could not have already defeated these small medieval-minded groups [the Taliban, etc.]€"assuming that was the real American war aim€"is like a bad joke. Instead it looks like they are playing a game of cat-and-mouse in order to justify keeping their military in Afghanistan€ (198). In truth, €the superpower is using and occupying our country as part of a big chess game. They would prefer to keep the situation unstable so they can stay there indefinitely€ (199)...
Continue reading: http://thebloodycrossroads.com/the-true-nature-of-the-war-in-afghanistan/221235/