(The image above is from the website called PressTV.)If you are one of those who think the war is winding down in Afghanistan, then you need to think again. This last week has been a particularly bloody one for American soldiers and civilians in that country. At least 19 American soldiers and civilian personnel were killed in just the last week -- seven in a cargo plane crash, five killed by a roadside IED, and two killed by an Afghan soldier, among other deaths.
The truth is that we are accomplishing nothing by keeping our soldiers in Afghanistan. If our troops drive insurgents out of a province, they just move to another province (and then return when we leave). Any ground gained in this occupation is only for a temporary period. In addition, it is becoming harder for our troops to know who their friends are (if they have any). It is becoming a fairly commonplace occurrence for Afghan soldiers or policemen to turn their guns on our troops.
In other news from Afghanistan this week, President Karzai got worried when it was publicly revealed that the CIA had dropped tens of millions of dollars in cash in secret to the presidential palace. Karzai was afraid the money (which goes into the bank accounts of government officials and war lords) would stop, but he happily announced a couple of days ago that the CIA assured him the secret money drops would continue. It seems strange to me that our government doesn't have the money to help needy Americans, but seems to have plenty to continue under-the-table payoffs to corrupt the Afghan government.
Is there anyone left (except for some misguided dreamers in the government) who actually believes the situation will be any better in Afghanistan at the end of 2014 (the date set by Obama to pull out most of our troops)? Of course not. The number of deaths will be higher (both for soldiers and civilians), and we will be financially poorer for the effort (and the secret payoffs), but that country will still be a mess. We can't impose our will on Afghanistan any more than the Soviets (or the myriad others who tried to conquer that country) could.
It is time to get out of Afghanistan -- and bring ALL of our troops home. Not at the end of 2014, but now.
