In 2001, we Americans invade Afghanistan and side with a predominantly Tajik Northern Alliance that, at the time were getting their ass kicked by the Taliban, a predominantly Pashtun group. We immediately help form a government that includes Tajiks in a majority of high government positions (although not the President). Security comes quickly to the northern, Tajik areas and we take the fight to the Taliban. Much later, in an effort to secure long-term peace, we engage in talks with the Taliban using a principal Tajik leader as our pointman. This Tajik was killed a few days ago by a Pashtun bearing a TBIED (or Turban Borne Improvised Explosive Device). Yeah, fairly macabre – embrace it!
So what happens at the demonstrations mourning this dude’s death? Chants, by Tajiks, of “Death to America! WTF? Really? Most of these asshats would be dead or reduced to poverty under Taliban rule, but they are instead suckling at the teat of the American money spigot and they have the nerve to chant “Death to America!?” It’s past time to pack our trash and go home. I say let them fight it out. We’re only in an ethnic cleansing lull anyway.
Afghanistan, you must understand, is like a recidivist drug abuser. You know what I’m talking about – the guy that has relapsed multiple times, dropped out of rehab more time than you can count. No matter who helps him, he continues to go back to the drugs, even as he knows that it will kill him. Yet, there is always that one idealistic person that stands ready to help, ready to pour their heart and soul into curing him even as he knows the effort will fail. America is that person. Sucker.
As I contemplate the futility of our efforts here given the population’s apathy or outright hostility to American-led efforts (and I’m not talking about the Taliban and associated groups either), I came across one politician’s solution. Apparently, our intel reveals a connection between some of the recent attacks in Kabul and ISI, the Pakistani intelligence agency. Wow! What a revelation! It ranks right up there with the sky is blue, grass is green and the Chicago Cubs will always suck. Tell us something we don’t already know.
Anyway, this “elder statesman” wants to take military action against Pakistan. The slippery slope dictates this will eventually mean boots on the ground since these guys will never advocate cutting our losses if action short of boots on the ground does not work (you only have to look at their statements on Afghanistan to recognize this). So let me see if I get this straight: we’ve been in Afghanistan for ten years and have had thousands of troops on the ground to eliminate a threat posed by a “weak” (the term used by our leaders, not me), backward, uneducated militia. In that time, we’ve expended vast amounts of money and sacrificed the lives of brave souls and we still haven’t succeeded in taming a country of roughly 30 million. And what is the solution? Take military action against an even more militant country (after all they supply these fanatical folks) with a population of over 175 million? Oh, and did I mention they have nukes? What do you think will happen when the Christian invaders come? Maybe we’ll be greeted with cheers and flowers like in Iraq. Oops, wait a minute….
I see the mind-numbing futility of this effort here and am saddened. However, these calls to broaden the war or remain longer cause me great anger. I just don’t want to see a time where my son is drafted and sent over here to participate in a needless effort that no longer has any real bearing on our national security so that politicians can fulfill their own visions of grandeur or some idea of a world that looks like America. You can’t have my son, Mr. Graham.
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