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The Forum > Article Comments > The awakening within Afghanistan > Comments

The awakening within Afghanistan : Comments

By Kellie Tranter, published 12/4/2011

Koran burning had less to do with demonstrations in Afghanistan than photos of US troops posing with civilians they had killed.

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Afghanistan is not so much a country, Kellie, as a collection of warring tribes who hate each other. What makes things a lot worse, Kellie, is that these people are Muslims, which means that they are the victims of an evil, racist, and mysognist ideolgy which has failed its adherents when it comes to social progess.

Now Kellie, can we get back to basics?

The enemy is not the USA. The enemy is Islam.

The USA is the world's foremost democracy, it was attacked by terrorists who were using Afghanistan as a base courtesy of what could laughingly be called a "government" made up up religious fruitcakes, and who had imposed an administration which even Pol Pot or Kim Jong Il would admire for its brutality.

Taliban Afghanistan was a country where aid workers got flung into rat filled dungeons by wild eyed crazies with kalashnikovs for the crime of trying to prevent the local from starving to death.

So I find it rather strange, Kellie, that all your bile is reserved for the USA, which is not only defending itself and other western nations from similar attacks by invading Afghanistan, it is doing exactly what the terrorists had hoped to provoke.

The only problem for the terrs is that things are not going to script. The Yanks and their allies have done a very good job at exterminating so many terrorist leaders that they need people like yourself who possess mixed up loyalties and values to open a new front for them.
Posted by LEGO, Wednesday, 13 April 2011 5:03:00 AM
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KT's - nail biting essay has much credit. The marginalized Afghan's have little say, in the present occupation of their Homeland - that flaunts Liberty, and is virtually impossible to bring Democracy ( as we know it ) and justice, to their War ravaged Country.

Three Presidents, and 7 trillion dollars later, the casualties have now exceeded 11,758 killed, 59,465 combat personnel wounded and injured ( source: Wikipedia )US returned Veterans suffering PTSD, suicides, depleted uranium poisoning, mental dystrophy, family fractures, dislocations, mass unemployment, and in many cases disillusionment with their Country's Foreign Policy objectives. ( source: American Veteran's for Common Sense Assn )

The grim reality, is the untold and often traumatic intrinsic aftermath of Service families. From extended combat Duty Overseas, marriage break-ups, separations, drug and alcohol abuse, violence, home defaults, etc. Who can possibly evaluate, and put a price on this tragic dilemma ?

This endless, and unwinnable War, is taking it's toll on the World's greatest Military Machine, in History. Now, 10 years old, it is replicating what History has decreed the " grave-yard of Empires ", in more ways, then ever, imagined.

Despite Obama's (2009) announcement of an eminent withdrawal of all US Troops by 2014, the reality is, the US is enlarging two of the World's largest Military bases eg. Bagram AFB, and Kandahar AFB at $ 1.6 B. Presently, 150,000 troops from 47 Countries are involved in NATO -ISAF contingent.
Posted by dalma, Wednesday, 13 April 2011 2:42:10 PM
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Presiding General Patraeus ( replaces 6 former US Commanders ) has escalated the conflict by utilizing Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, as staging areas, for arms storage build-ups. Extended the Iran-Pakistan-India Gas pipeline & Trans-Afghan gas pipeline. Moreover, he is now deploying Abrams M1 Battle Tanks, fitted with the latest laser range-finders, with night vision scopes.

Recently, the discovery of huge mineral deposits of Lithium - used in Electric cars, batteries, space technology, etc, Reputedly $1 trillion worth, has added a new dimension to Afghanistan's ongoing saga.

Meanwhile, the infamous Kazai sponsored Drug Trade, is fueling the Economy, and the Taliban resources. 3.3 million Afghan's produce over $ 2.7 B worth of Opium, which kills and maims 100,000 world-wide. Particularly vulnerable are the neighboring Russians, who share border townships. Putin claims it has replaced vodka, and is now an epidemic.

The training of the ANA ( Afghan National Army ) has been an unmitigated disaster. 171,000 strong,only 1:10 can read or write. Systematic corruption, desertions, drugs, bribery, tribal pay-backs, etc undermines any credibility, as a viable alternative military Force. ADF personnel are actively engaged in this pursuit.

The paradoxical collective damage, in the 1980 ( Soviet War ) by assisting the Mujahideen, to overthrow the invaders, by arming them to the teeth with RPG's, IED's, food and supplies has rebounded.

Isn't it ironical, the Taliban, are now a fearsome foe, and arch enemy.

What goes round, silly enough, comes round.
Posted by dalma, Wednesday, 13 April 2011 3:06:32 PM
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Yes Dalma,

Wasn't all that exacly what they said about Iraq.?

And yet they were wrong. Iraq has the first real democracy in the region. It may not be very strong yet, but they have a chance. It was bloody and costly, but for the first time, Shiite, Kurdish and Sunni Iraqis are sharing power and participating in a democracy. It may not be the western ideal, but there is room to grow. Before there was none. The current Arab uprisings have UNDOUBTEDLY been nutured by the sight of ordinary Iraqis participating in the political process.

It is simply absurd to suggest that the problems of corruption, drugs warlordism etc, whch are endemic in some parts of Afghanistan, are American inventions. They are patently NOT. These problems were temporarily supressed during the rule of the Taliban, who imposed strict rules and BRUTAL punsihments, to force compliance.

You say 'only 1 in 10 Afghan soldiers can wread or write' ? What an incredibly specious statistic that is. Firstly, the actual number is generally put somewhere between 14% and 18%, which compares reasonably well with the national average which is 28%. But you didn't mention how many women were allowed to study under Taliban rule. Or what books the Taliban allowed people were allowed to read.

Are you claiming the low literacy rates as a US failure? Because that would be totally absurd. The Taliban did everything in its power to stunt education as we know it, in favour of recitation of the Koran. To saddle the US with Afghanistans poor literacy rates is vacuous in the extreme.

In any case, the effectveness of an army is not measured by the results it gains on a reading test. It is in the security it can provide. The process of progressivley shifting the burden of security to the afghan forces is the only way to get out of afghanistan without abandonning the place to total civil war, and anarchy, with the likelihood of more terror groups moving into the region.

What is it exactly you are suggesting we should do?
Posted by PaulL, Wednesday, 13 April 2011 11:02:08 PM
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The protest happened, not because of the Koran burning itself, but due, solely to, the Person who made it a major cause. Yes, one Hamid Kharzai himself, it would be amusing, but in the same period as bringing this to his "nation", he also announced that he wished to do a deal with the Taliban? With the result that he lost support in the Balkh (where Mazar-e-Sharif is) Province, the Panjshir Province and several others? Where he lost the support of the Northern Alliance Supporters (non-Pashtun, mainly Hazara & Tajik regions)? The ones backed by India, not Pakistan?

I mean, one can hardly blame him for seeing the writing on the wall can one? His Cousin (and reported smuggler), Yar Muhammad Khan, is killed by the UN/NATO forces (supposedly accidentally:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/05/afghanistantaliban-peace-_n_751972.html) while another cousin is playing with the Taliban. You cannot blame them, with the support of the US, Pakistan & the Taliban, he can lead (for a while) part of Afghanistan (& he is a Pashtun like the Taliban).

However, the Taliban, Pakistan and the Pashtu controlled government would like nothing more than to destabilize the Northern Provinces would they? Presumably the Obama administration is assisting in this unholy endeavour? I wonder why? Wouldn't be anything to do with the finding of massive reserves of mineral and oil wealth in Southern Pakistan would it (I mean, American foreign policy would never be driven by greed)? If they don't continue to support Pakistan/Taliban, then Pakistan will not hang onto Baluchistan (and there goes the mining concessions - India supports the Northern Alliance & Baluchi Separatists).

Yes, everything to do with an article in a anti-US paper, you just keep on believing that(http://www.jamestown.org/programs/gta/single/?tx_ttnews[tt_news]=709&tx_ttnews[backPid]=239&no_cache=1). This is being driven by gas (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/pakistan1.htm), copper and gold and the US Companies that want them. This all boils down - not to anything at all to do with Afghanistan - but with the multiple Billions of US Dollars needed for re-election (http://www.tethyan.com/: http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page36?oid=39325&sn=Detail: http://www.dawn.com/2011/03/19/its-time-balochistan-got-its-rights.html) and the Companies involved. India's demand for minerals is nearly as insatiable as China's & both look likely to outstrip US demand.
Posted by Aaron 1975, Monday, 18 April 2011 7:19:55 PM
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