Seven more Americans were wounded in Afghanistan today. Two high ranking American officers were killed yesterday in a government ministry that should have been the safest place in the country — and the killer got away. Angry local crowds are filling the streets demanding that we get out of their country and out of their lives, unquestionably the popular sentiment of most Afghans.
Enough already with Afghanistan. Enough!
It was recently announced that America’s active military presence in Afghanistan would end in 2013 instead of 2014, but trainers and contractors would remain for many more years. That should be revised again. We should get out much sooner. Get out altogether.
There is no good reason for us to be there for another year, another few months, another week, another day. No good reason why another American need die there, be wounded there, or why we should sink another nickel into that corrupt sinkhole.The only things keeping us there are the inertial force of stupid past policies, and the geopolitical musings of think tank wonks.
Enough already with Afghanistan. Enough!
A group of murderous yahoos took control of the Afghan government and sanctioned 9/11. Most paid via shock-and-awe. The reanimated Taliban we are now confronting, however, show no inclination to have any government they create in the future back similar 9/11 murderers because they know the very certain nasty consequences for themselves.
The U.S. homeland will be no more nor less safe from a terrorist attack whether we remain or leave Afghanistan. Any such attacks are more likely to originate in Pakistan, the Middle East, Europe or our own cities. Safety for America is not increased by staying in Afghanistan longer. Quite the opposite is true. The longer we are there, the more angry it makes potential terrorists everywhere.
Enough already with Afghanistan. Enough!
Will Afghanistan sink into chaos when we leave as its endlessly feuding factions fight for their incomprehensible goals? Almost certainly. But that will be true if we stay in country for five more years, ten, a hundred.
And after more than a decade in the place, why should we care? What cultural, religious, historical, economic or political affinities do we share with this country and its people that call for more sacrifice from our own people? There is nothing further we can do there that will promote our own interests. Nothing. Except leaving.
Let the Pakistani intelligence network play its games here. Let India and Iran join in. Let Russia — if it has any residual desire to do so. Let them all play at the Great Game. We don’t know how to play it. The only real indigenous backers pushing us to continue doing so are corrupt local officials who want more of the money we shovel into their maws.
Enough! Enough! Enough!
We were liberated from the sump of Iraq after a decade by the government we installed there. It was at least democratic enough to give us a final out by demanding we leave completely by last December as most Iraqis wanted. No such situation will liberate us from Afghanistan. We have to do it ourselves.
So let’s. Everything worth carting out let’s get out by the first of next year. Everything else just leave to be fought over or rot.
If we wish to retain our status as a world super power in the future, wish to protect our people and wealth, wish to retain a semblance of rationality when making foreign policy, let us never again get sucked and pinioned in a place where we can’t exit when it makes sense to do so.
About Afghanistan. Final judgment — Enough!
More from this writer at: http://blog.wallstreetpoet.com/