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No direction home : Comments

By Kellie Tranter, published 10/6/2011

Propping up President Karzai and his notoriously corrupt regime does not warrant spilling the blood of our fine young soldiers or innocent Afghans.

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Yes, I agree completely. The Afghanistan tragedy is just another in a long series of US foreign policy debacles, the Americans never learn. Don't they realise that Afghanistan is not a nation in any sense?
As long as Australians believe, that, by assisting the US in its 'interventions', we're somehow paying an insurance premium for future American assistance we will never be free of the US and its imperialist foreign policy.
Who could possibly believe that the coalition forces are making progress in Afghanistan?

The Americans are in Afghanistan because they are hubristic and ignorant and Australia is involved because it's essentially a vassal of the USA.
Our troops should be repatriated asap.
Posted by mac, Friday, 10 June 2011 8:54:25 AM
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Kellie, it doesn't seem as though too many of the OLO posters are interested, otherwise there should have been a couple of dozen posts by now. This is a subject about which we should be getting very passionate, particularly in view of the moves to send female soldiers to the front line.

It has been estimated that 97 percent of the Afghanistan GDP is contributed by the American government. Most of that money is going either into the hands of all the contractors or the corrupt Afghan bureaucrats, warlords,etc., leaving very little to actually improve the lot of the locals. We hear a lot of baloney about what difference it will make to the local economy if we leave, but in actual fact, it will make very little difference to the people in the villages. They will be happy to see us all go.

Bring it on.

David
Posted by VK3AUU, Friday, 10 June 2011 1:07:15 PM
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Now that bin Laden is dead, the Americans will start to bring their troops home in accordance with Obama's already published timetable. If we have any sense, we'll do the same. Then Pakistan's intelligence services can resume their interference in Afghanistan uninterrupted.

Tragically, the persecution of women will also resume but there'll be no more Afghan-originated attacks on the USA.
Posted by Senior Victorian, Friday, 10 June 2011 4:15:43 PM
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Hi there Kellie...

I totally agree with you. Even though I'm a great believer in maintaining close ties with the US however, this is a war that can't ever be won.

As you stated inter alia, there's considerable corruption at the top of that governenment, with President Karzai leading the charge. That alone makes it almost impossible to predict a victory.

It was like that in South Vietnam, farmer by day, 'cong by night. How could we ever hope to clearly identify the enmey, let alone defeat him in his own environment. I can unequivocally attest to that !

No matter what we attempt do there, well never dislodge the Taliban from their mountainous strongholds where as tribesmen they've been ensconced therein like, forever. It's their home. The Russians couldn't beat 'em, neither can we.

God, didn't we learn ANYTHING from the Vietnam experience, 500 odd DEAD !

We MUST NOT allow another single drop of blood to be spilt by any of our soldiers - not a single drop !
Posted by o sung wu, Friday, 10 June 2011 4:17:27 PM
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Spot on Kellie.

Based on current exit-strategy criteria, allied forces would be in Afghanistan for many more years if departure rests on establishing a non-corrupt democratic regime. Karzai's regime has already ferretted away much of the funds provided for schools and similar projects into dodgy housing contracts and lining the pockets of the elite.

And many more lives lost for what?
Posted by pelican, Friday, 10 June 2011 5:35:35 PM
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How many troops over there in afganistan are conscripts, how many in the army were drafted.
It seems that the brave soldiers that are in our wonderful armed services are their of their own free will.
Willing to do a service that appears to be mocked and humiliated by some self undeserving individuals.
I say thank you for your unselfless acts and standing up for my free liberal life and all my rights of free speech.
Unfortuately this exercise over in afganistan is only a dress rehearsal for when the real task starts it will be over a much larger area, more than likley including our most beautiful country.
But I suppose we can always just lay down and die!
Vietnam and Korea were different, countrymen against countrymen even when we were there defending a democratic way of life against subjuation.
I think there are a few afganis on the side of the taliban but most want our help, in the long run you will find that Karzai and his corrupt regieme will go the same way as what is happening in most of the despot run countries now.
Posted by MickC, Saturday, 11 June 2011 3:04:16 PM
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I quite agree with the main stay of thinking here. The US has a history of picking fights for its war machine, and even with us being friends, its time our lads came home. We have helped you US, we have always been there for you, now its time you stood in that country your trying to fix.....and Iam being so coy. Now! Australian's are good warriors, and this is why peace is the place where we live. I think, if something comes up our beaches, we'll blow its head off:) with foul intent of course:) The 23 year old that just died, and of course others.....was just a waste in my opinion, and we seem to be killing off our best for some reason, and we import more other people from over-sea's to fill the IQ gaps........does something seem strange there, or is it just me.

LEA
Posted by Quantumleap, Saturday, 11 June 2011 11:44:34 PM
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We are propping up the "corrupt" Karzai governemnt in Kabul, Kellie, because the alternative is a lot worse. Either we create a strong, pro western government in Afghanistan, or we surrender the place to people who really do want to kill you, your kids, your parents, and every other westerner, because we do not worship their God.

Just for your information, Kellie, there is nothing that professional soldiers like more than a "nice" little war where they can finally get to do what they have been so highly trained for. Afghanistan fits that bill nicely. Allied casualities have been trifling, while enemy casualities have been heavy. Being a member of Al Qaida or the Taliban is not conducive to either longevity or good health.

European armies which have not heard an angry shot in 70 years have all got contingents in Afghanistan, and competetition to serve their is fierce. Even the bloody Canadians are in it and their soldiers are doing a great job. The Deutchies have been polishing up their panzers and are having a great old time. There is nothing like a good war to bring out the best in the Germans.

Only this month we got some runs on the board. Osama is dead, and so is that slimebag who masterminded the Killings in India. Another top Talib commander got squished by a Predator drone just a few days ago.

I heard that outdoor barbecues are not popular with the Talibs.

What sets this war apart from every other, is that for the first time in the history of armed conflict, the Good Guys are either
routinely killing off the enemy leaders or scaring the ever loving sheet out of them. Nothing ruins your day more than having your friends vapourised right in front of you as if they were hit by the hammer of Thor.

Personally, Kellie, I think that terrorising terrorists is a great idea.
Posted by LEGO, Monday, 13 June 2011 8:52:01 PM
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This is an unpopular posting.
When the US was hit by an attack, responsibility for which was claimed by someone in Afghanistan, with which the US did not have an extradition treaty, and who boasted of planning further attacks, it's within international law for the US' to attempt to capture or kill that person.
If the US does make the attempt, and disrupts the host country's government, and particularly its ability to provide security for its citizens, international law requires the US to provide that security, or organise others to do so.
Those are the legal reasons the US is in Afghanistan. Doubtless the less honourable reasons are also true - opening the Afghan economy to capitalism, and senior soldiers wanting a little war that doesn't threaten them very much. Australia is only there for the endless paying of our so-called insurance policy - ANZUS, which, of course, is nothing of the sort.
The Taliban, and the many others like them, including large elements of Pakistan's ISI, would like to return Afghanistan to their inter-war period of the 1990s, in which the Taliban attempted to re-make Afghanistan along the lines of their version of Islam, becoming something like Saudi Arabia without the oil, and Syria without the influence on its neighbours.
If this were to happen, it should only do so with the consent of the majority of the Afghan people. It will certainly happen if the foreign troops leave now, and it will happen over the dead bodies of any Afghanis who don't want it to happen.
Posted by camo, Tuesday, 14 June 2011 11:57:30 AM
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