December 5, 2009
Activists,
Like many of you I was very disappointed in the Presidents'
decision to send an additional 30,000 more troops (young
people-soldiers) to the war zone in bleak Afghanistan, half way across
the globe, now in the beginning of cold winter.
Below is a link to the Tuesday, Dec.1 speech at West Point,
which established a new foreign-national security policy engaging us in
a questionable war for possibly many years to come, maiming and
killing
more of our best, as well as innocent Afghan civilians as
well. Since
struggling alone with disappointment is difficult enough, after
participating the last few years to lobby/protest to end the wars in
Iraq as well as Afghan, I felt to join with other activists and braved
the rain on Wednesday evening, downtown Philadelphia.
This was one of many rallies across the country, ordinary
people from all walks of life showing our disdain for yet another
decision by an administration that is locked into the status quo of
foreign policy - maintaining military
fighting prescence at war. Pres.
Obama decided to be accomodating to the military industrial complex as
well as US business interests rather than the hopes and will of the
American public who wanted him to decide against sending any more
troops. The rally, in the rain, went well with dozens of people
holding signs and banners, shouting slogans, giving voices of protest
to the passersby, honking cars and buses in traffic, and a few hundred
children and families across the street at City Hall celebrating the
onset of the holiday season, lights gleaming everywhere (though not in
Afghanistan).
I spoke with a few friends and some activists I hadn't met before, held
up a banner, "Mourn the Dead and End the Wars",
and realized I needed to understand more about the war(s) to feel
informed about the reality confronting us, once again, and the certain
activism of protest that lies ahead. So, I undertook to do
some
research and compiled an assortment of links below in case anyone wants
to follow-up themselves. Perhaps hundreds of articles have been
written over the last few months, this is but a few of those I felt
offered a variety of information and perspectives on the war, situation
in Afghan, viability of our military against the Taliban and al-Qaeda,
the exorbitant billions of dollars on top of the already
budgeted $130
billion for Iraq and Afghan, in the ever expanding military overall
budget of almost $700 billion for this year! Since the military
industrial complex is making billions from the war perhaps they
should
be made to pay for it and American taxpayers given a war-rebate on next
years taxes. Those members of Congress, over 500, who have
received
campaign/election contributions from the MIC companies and contractors
could chip in their fair share as well, while we call on them to vote
against any further funding to pay for this escalation. The
House has the opportunity and responsibility to "say no" Mr. President,
we want to do the right thing for our constituents and halt any further
funding, while making plans to bring our weary troops home. that
we
recognize, as many "experts' on foreign affairs and international
relations do (who were not called in to testify as part of your review
the past month) that this is an unwinnable war, and we're putting good
blood after "bad" in pursuing it any further. Besides the Taliban
know
how to keep us guessing by moving around the rural areas and "working"
at night on sabatoge and reprimanding other Afghans who work against
them. The repressed women and poverty kept children in the
illiterate
culture under partriarchal and fundamentalist rule, will continue to be
harmed, even raped (as a recent report has testified) and kept in
servitude, in poverty, and given little hope for any kind
of decent
life in the future. About our only hope is that the
Taliban will give
up and surrender, but that is unlikely since they are winning, and a
large part of the US strategy is to protect the cities which the
Taliban have litttle interest in. Reading some of the writers
like Nir Rosen, Ann Jones or Andrew Basevich
you get the impression that continued fighting with the entrenched
Taliban is futile, Too, the Taliban might grin at the audacity of
the
US to plunder their resources, once again, into a corrupt Karzai
government
which, in part, supports the Taliban itself. We've given
$billions$ to
that government, and the culture is worst off than before we occupied
the country 8 years ago.
Anyway, I could go on ranting but will let it go for now. Of
course the question on everone's mind now is what can we do since the
decision has already been made to further advance our armies in Afghan.
Well, there are two ideas that come to mind. The first is spoken
by David Swanson of www.afterdowningstreet,org , that is, to lobby the
House to stop the funding for the escalation (see, WAR: It's
Not the President's Decision,
below) and the second is my idea, that is to talk up the idea of
holding discussions with the United Nations for establishing a UN
Protectorate for Afghanistan, and take over that government for a few years...giving our
resources along with our allies, the NATO nations, to a trustworthy and
competant government would enable the country to be re-built in a
democratic manner truly benefitting the people there. It may
be the
only chance to get around a continuation of corrupt government with
warlords and the vicious Taliban's brutality striving to take
over power, once again. Also, for the progressive,
anti-war movement
in the US to continue protesting, the next major protest in Washington,
DC on Saturday, December 12, 2009, see below, for The "No You
Can't Rally" , Swanson again. Too, let's get behind Sen.
Russ Feingold, Rep. Jim McGovern and Rep.Walter Jones, see
letter to the
President, who want Congress to be given a chance to argue the case for
escaltion and vote on it, and on the funding for the war effort to come
soon.
Support too to Rep. Dennis Kucinich and others who
have spoken out against the war(s) and need to hear from us, to press
them foward.
Let us charge the Progressive Democrats to
take action now and stand up against further military aggression by the
new US policy of escalation, occupation and prolonged military
engagement. Making progress is not maintaining the status quo, as President
Obama has mistakenly done in his December 1st oratory.
Perhaps his recent Presidential opponent, Hillary Rodham
Clinton,
now our Secretary of the State Department, would speak out for the need
for more diplomatic means of achieving a resolution to conflict in
Afghan. In the long-run it is only through diplomacy and
negotiations that progress is to be made. Let us pray and
meditate on this coming to pass over
this holiday season.
Peace on Earth and Goodwill to Men,Women and Children.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Updates and Reviews on the War in
Afghanistan
TV Interviews, TV Special Programs, Films, Articles, Videos,
Reports,
Legislation, Letters to the President, Anti-War Protests,
Congressional Hearings,
Websites, Book Review
TV Interviews:
Amy Goodman, Host of Democracy Now on
Afghanistan, Dec. 2, 2009
Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Afghanistan War Opposition;
Congress Failures
Andrew Bacevich, Author/Teacher on Obama's
Failure Understanding History ...also:
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen.
Russ Feingold, testimony by
Col. Andrew Basevich, April 23, 2009, on
Afghanistan and Pakistan
http://tinyurl.com/cxlds9
Obama's Sins of Omission by
Andrew J. Bacevich,
The Boston Globe, Apr.25,2009; Instead of fostering progress Obama is
intent on maintaining the status quo on national security and US
militarization around the world., also:
Conversations In History, May 9, 2009, Harry
Kreisler, UC Berkeley with
Andrew Bacevich, 1 Hour VIDEO, on US
Militarization, Political Policy..
" poke people to think critically", professor Bacevich.
Nir Rosen, Writer on US Failures in
Afghanistan, with the Taliban.
Something for Nothing, US Strategy in Afghanistan, by Nir
Rosen
Boston Review, Dec/Jan 2010, Part 2 on US Counterinsurgency: Iraq
Part 1)
http://tinyurl.com/yalnk4d Dec. 3, 2009
Lex Kassenberg, CARE International: As Troop
Escalation Begins, Relief Groups Decry Militarization of US Aid to
Afghanistan; Interviewed by Amy Goodman, Democracy Now
TV Special Programs:
Bill Moyers Journal: A Tale of Two Quagmires,
Nov.20,2009
Footage of Pres. Lyndon Johnson, others on the
Vietnam War, comparisons
to today's decision by Pres.Barach Obama for
escalation of 30,000 troops for Afghanistan War.
http://tinyurl.com/y9z389x
Voices From Afghan: Afghan Women's Activist Zoya Speaks Out on
Eight Years of Occupation, Oct. 7, 2009, Democracy Now, VIDEO
and Transcript.
(see Website below for Afghan Women's Mission )
Films:
Brave New Foundation, Film: Rethink
Afghanistan
Articles:
Don't Escalate a Failing War by Ann Wright and Paul Kawika
Martin, 12/2/09, Special to CNN; Need for less military and
more economic and social
development with multi-nation support, including the United
Nations...
(fears of the Taliban) by Kathy Gannon, AP, Yahoo! News
Epicenter of Mendacity: Obama's Illegal
War Against Afghanistan
Obama Had Rejected His Own Speech's Surge Rationale,
Dec.3,
Analysis by Gareth Porter, "NYTimes reported senior administration
officials
were saying privately that Obama's national security team was now,
'arguing
that the Taliban in Afghan do not pose a direct threat to the
US.'...
Aug. 29,2009,WSJ
Why a flexible timetable to withdraw US troops will best advance
our national
security interests...
Us or Them in Afghanistan by Ann Jones;
an inside look and analysis
of the very weak and incompetant Afghan Army, Sept. 20, 2009
Tie Troops to Progress on Afghanistan's Corruption by Jane
Harman
and Michael O'Hanion, Sept. 22, 2009;
counterinsurgencies cannot be won
by foreign powers alone...they require viable partners from the
host country...
AP, Oct.24,2009; "You cannot meaningfully distinguish between
al-Qaida and the co-linked (militant) networks- either in terms of
understanding the landscape
or crafting a policy response", said Vahid Brown, a
researcher at the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point.
by Ray McGovern, former Army
infantry/intelligence officer and then a CIA analyst for 27 years..."No
more slaps on the wrist for Gen. Stanley McChrystal. In my view,
Commander-in-chief Obama should fire him for cause"...
AP Writer Jennifer Loven and National Security Writer Anne
Gearan
"Announcing a start to a US withdrawal by July 2011 does not tie
the United States to an "end date" for the war, officials
said..." The
address (at West Point) could become a defining moment of the Obama
presidency, a political gamble that may weigh heavily on his chances
for a second White House term...
Reports:
Center for New American Security, CNAS
Releases Afghanistan Policy Brief
by Andrew Exum, Oct.20, 2009; Afghanistan
2011: Three Scenarios
Legislation:
January 13, 2009, Senator Barbara Boxer Introduced the
Afghan Women Empowerment Act of 2009. Afghan
women are under siege - from acid attacks, from air strikes, from
illteracy, from the deprivation of basic freedoms like the right to
leave home. ..seeks to alleviate the status (and suffering) of the
women and girls of Afghanistan...
Letters to the President:
Dec.2, 2009 Letter from Sen Russ Feingold, Rep.
Jim McGovern, Rep.Walter Jones wanting Congressional debate and vote on
more troops for Afghanistan.
http://tinyurl.com/y8jrnl9
Dear President Obama; Who Are You getting Your Afghanistan
Advice From? by Ralph Nader, Nov.
18, 2009; "Are you soliciting advise from stateside civic groups of
experience and repute that represent many Americans?..these
organizations represent tens of millions of Americans..from the
clergy, labor, environmentalists, students, peace groups, women's
groups, city councils, consumer, Veterans , teachers groups, and
international security experts..."
Michael Moore Writes An Open Letter to the President:
Don't Escalate Afghanistan, the Graveyard of Empires, Nov. 30,
2009,
"Do you really want to be the new war President?..destroy the
hopes and dreams so many millions have placed in you...it's not
your
job to do what the Generals tell you to do. We are a civilian run
government..."
Anti-War protests:
WAR: It's Not the President's Decision; House of
Representatives Can
Refuse to Fund It; "No You Can't Rally at White House,
Saturday,
Dec. 12, Unity Among Peace Movement Groups; Over
100 Peace Activists;
Baltimore Activists Oppose Obama's Afghan Surge,
Dec.4, Interviews
Anti-War Protests Tues. & Wed. as Pres. Obama
announces More Troops to Afghan occupation by Chip,
www.afterdowningstreet.org
, "On Wed. Dec.2 at federal buildings and major intersections in dozens
of cities- organized by a coalition of organizations representing
veterans, military families, religious groups and anti-war activists -
organizers expects an outpouring (in the rain in Phila :) )
based on recent polls showing more than 50% opposition to further
escalation in Afghanistan...
Congressional Hearings:
http://tinyurl.com/ye4chrh
Senate Armed Services Committee, Hearing on Afghanistan Strategy,
Chaired by Senator Carl Levin, December 2, 2009, Washington, DC. VIDEO,
C-Span, 3 hours...
Chaired by Rep. Howard Berman, December 2, 2009, Washington,DC,
VIDEO
C-Span, 2hrs. 46 min.
http://tinyurl.com/yfom5xp
NATO, Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Monthly
News Conference, Responding to Pres. Obama's Order for 30,000 more
Troops for Afghanistan. VIDEO
Presidential Address on Afghanistan Policy,
December 1, 2009,
White House, C-Span, VIDEO, 40 min. Decision/Order to send
an additional 30,000 troops to Aghanistan by the Summer of 2010...
http://tinyurl.com/yepprbr
VIDEO
Day 2, Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
Top Officials
Defend New Plan; Sec'y of Defense Robert Gates, Head of Joint
Chiefs of Staff, Michael Mullen.
Day 2, House Armed Services Committee, Top Officials
Defend New Plan
Websites:
Zoya, member of the Revolutionary Assn. of the Women of
Afghan
(RAWA) the past eight years of US occupation
have legitimized criminal warlords
and a corrupt government, resulted in thosands of bombing deaths
of civilians, and consequently strengthened the Taliban. While
women
have gained some rights on paper in the nation's new constitution, in
practice more women are being imprisoned, committing suicide, suffering
rapes, and other abuses than ever before.
Book Review
speaks about her work there among the women especially.
http://tinyurl.com/y85pram
Kabul in Winter by Ann Jones,
Part 2, "I don't think 'helping them' was ever an American objective,
and it certainly isn't now. 'Delivering aid' as you put it, was part of
State Department strategy under the Bush administration, designed to
serve US (not Afghan) national interests. In any aid
organization,
it's always difficult to find people steeped in the language and
culture and willing to stay long enough to see projects through, but as
a minimum requirement they should be good at what they're hired to
do"...