Staying the Course

Obama faces a critical decision in regards to Afghanistan and American foreign policy. We invaded Afghanistan in 2002 in response to the terrorist attacks by AL-Qaeda on September 11th. Since then the people of Afghanistan have suffered terribly. Their already poor country was shattered by political infighting and civil war as the new government headed by Karzai attempted to stave off threats from the deposed Taliban. Since the war began, thousands of innocent civilians have died in Nato bombing raids, Taliban reprisals, terrorists attacks, and the like. Sadly enough, this suffering civilian population is all too familiar with being in such a precarious situation.

Historically speaking, none of this is new. When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan towards the end of the Cold War, America ran covert operations to supply weapons and supplies to the mujahadeen fighters who were conveniently killing our enemies for us. Using the maxim that the enemy of our enemy is our friend, we supplied weapons to Osama Bin Laden and his supporters who were successful in driving out the Soviet invaders. Much like the deceit and deviousness that America is so good at, the covert weapons that we supplied allowed them to win the war. However the problem doesn't come from the weapons supplies. The problem is that as soon as the war was over, we went home. We gave no money to rebuild homes and schools that had been destroyed in the fighting. Hospitals and other peices of infrastucture that are necessary to run a modern country were left devastated by the Soviet occupation. We sent a clear message to the Afghan citizens; that they were nothing more than pawns in a global game chess being played out by the two superpowers. However this game didn't involve wooden or marble peices, but the flesh and blood of human beings who paid the ultimate price while unwittingly fighting the enemies of America for us.
The right thing to do in any sich case would be to give aid when it was necessary, no matter what war or parties caused the devastation. However because our direct and secret involvement escalated the conflict and multiplied the devastation, it became a moral imperative for America to help Afgahnistan rebuild. Instead we ignored the problem and did nothing.

The power vacuum left by the Soviets and Americans was filled by the only locals with guns the Taliban.Ironically, we are the ones that supplied them with the weapons that they would later use against us in the name of Allah. Put simply, had we not been cowards in the 1980's and ran home to ignore the problem, we wouldnt be fighting a war in Afghanistan today. Don't believe me? Run a quick counterfactual scenario. Suppose America ahd been responsible in 1980 and worked to fix a problem we helped create. Had America funded schools, hospitals and other necessary projects to acheieve an acceptable standard of living, then the people would be eternally grateful. All of the hate filled rhetoric of the Taliban about how the west is evil and immoral would have never taken hold because they would owe us for rebuilding their newly liberated country. It is quite conceivable that a pro-America democracy could have been established as early as the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1989. The last 20 years then would have been filled with peace and prosperity for Afghanistan, instead of suffering under the oppressive Taliban who kill all who oppose them, civilian or otherwise. What kind of people kill thier own just to stay in power?

Unfortunately America didn't do the right thing twenty years ago. What's worse is that there is now political pressure from the left for Obama to not escalate the war in Afghanistan. They keep calling for the troops to come home. They argue that the real war is no longer in Afghanistan but is in Pakistan, where the majority of the terrorists have fled. Obama's generals are arguing for more troops. They know the fight can be won if we perserver. The generals are not caught up in all the politics and appeasement that corrupt Washington and make America do the things we know to be wrong. Politically speaking, the right call is for Obama to cut our losses in Afghanistan and get out of dodge. Public support for the war has dropped dramactically as casualties increase and timetable drags on with no clear end in sight. The analysts are correct in saying that Pakistan, with it's internal discord, current civil war with Al-Quaeda, and unsecured nuclear material is the real threat to American security. I think that these problems should be addressed as well. However the moral decision is to stay the course and to help secure Afghanistan for its people. Otherwise chaos will reign and the status quo of fear and death every moment will continue.

Can you imagine living like that? It is easy for Americans to ignore the plight of others because we have it so good here. What if your car was blown up by terrorists while you were on the way to Macy's for that Saturday morning sale? What if your child picked up a landmine and never came home from playing outside? What if your wife or girlfriend was attacked by misogynist nut jobs who use an extremist interpretation of religion to declare that their place is at home, covered from head to toe and basically the slave of all their male relatives? How would we respond to such atrocities? How does one live in such a place.

More than likely your response is the same as mine, a blank stare. Because we as Americans simply can'te relate to this kind of suffering. We have no reference to or experience with sucha level of violence and loss. However the Afghani people do. This has been their existence for as long as the war has been going on. And we sit here and complain about the cost of gas and rising unemployment and bicker about healthcare while everyday Afghans leave their house wondering if they will ever see their loved ones again. America has a chance to do something about all of this. Our generals believe that we can win this war once and for all. We must increase troop levels in Afghanistan, not for our security, but for the security of the Afghani people.

America will find that we reap what we sow. If we leave Afghanistan to its fate again untold numbers of innocents will die when the Taliban return to power. Any who collaborated with America in forming their current government will die. All of the local leaders who have denounced the Taliban will die. Any and all who have spoken out and stood up for their rights as indivduals and as a fledgling nation will be silenced. And their blood will be on our hands. America has a wonderful opportunity here. If self serving interests and ideology are all that would motivate America to stay then consider this. Staying in Afghanistan would send the message to our enemies and allies alike that we are willing to fight for the right thing. All of the propoganda of peole like Osama Bin Laden who say that America isn't interested in fighting for Muslims would be void. We are fighting to protect Afghans from the handful of crazies that wish to impose the harshest from of Shariah or Islamic law upon their country. Such stringent punishments are a perversion of the religion of islam. That is why so many people have come out in opposition to this oppression.

We now stand at a crossroads, once a decison is made there can be no turning back.
Will America stand for morality and freedom, or will we go as home as cowards with our tail between our legs like in the 1980's? Only time will tell. I pray that Obama makes the right decision.