War Without End

 In 2012 the chief aggression against the US military in Afghanistan was brought by Afghan troops who were supposedly on our side. What could possibly have caused such a phenomenon to develop? Think about it. For twelve years we have been occupying this country and killing its citizens, some accidently, as collateral damage and many on purpose as terrorists.  Now I don’t know about you nut if some foreign country had been occupying the Upper West Side for the last twelve years I would be the first one to point my weapon at them.  I think most people, even the pacifists, would feel the same way. Isn’t that why the gun lobby wants us to be able to hold onto our Uzzis and AK47s?

So why are we surprised that a fierce, warlike people who have a history of being invaded, have reacted to our occupation with violence? It’s human nature, for Christ’s sake.

Even Afghans who hate the Taliban have gotten to the place where they are willing to put up with them just to get us the hell out of their hair.

Yeah, I know we’re scheduled to get out in August of 2014 but that’s just a date. It means nothing. It’s something that was identified by a military planner as a date by which we would have accomplished our mission of setting up an Afghan army and police that would be capable of maintaining order in this violent and lawless land. But guess what? The Afghans are using our training and weaponry to kill our kids. Why, because we’re occupying their country. Not an altogether absurd concept.

I just read an absolutely depressing article by Glenn Greenwald, reporting that our government is already extending plans for the war on terror out ten to twenty years. The war that will never end; what a horrifying concept.

But now we hear that Obama is considering pulling out all of our troops this spring or summer. What a great idea. How did he ever think of it?

It would be nice to think that this rumor is true but there is still a lot of opposition to it. Karl Rove will just about kill himself if it happens as will Rush Limbaugh.  I mean, how the hell are we going to kill those evil Muslims if we have no troops over there? Wait, I have it, you are saved Rush. We still have drones. Thank God for drones. Karl will have something to push for.

Actually, I am one of those people who have never really seen the problem with drones. If we can kill the bad guys without endangering our kids and we use drones to do it, so much the better. The problem will only arise when we let the drones make the target decisions for themselves. Rush and Karl will love that. We will be able to kill Muslims to our hearts content and no one will blame them. Of course there are other people who want to do that too but they are the ones who love Big Brother.

It would make me very happy if Rush & Karl were completely thwarted and died of broken hearts but that isn’t likely with Iran on the horizon and any number of war possibilities in the middle east, Africa and south east Asia. The two, fat little draft dodging war- mongers are pushing hard against the nomination of Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense because he actually fought in a war and understands what a hell it is. Can’t have anybody like that running the Pentagon. They want somebody who’ll bomb first and ask questions later. Oh, wait, they had somebody like that, another clown who hid from service and he got us into two wars.

It would be nice if there was some hope that we, as a nation, will ever learn, but you really have to be one hell of an optimist, to believe it.