US Responsible for Catastrophe in Afghanistan

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Wherever US forces show up, massacres, vast destruction, exploitation and human misery follow.

In his book, titled "The Afghan Papers: A Secret History of the War," Craig Whitlock documented 20 years of US deceit, dissembling, and disaster in the country. 

Accountability has never been forthcoming for its highest of high crimes against humanity anywhere, including at home.

Investigative journalist Nick Turse earlier explained that "(m)urder, sexual assault, and other crimes plague our military operations abroad," adding:

They've been involved in "massacres (of civilians), (other) unjustified killings…prisoner abuse, child rape, child sexual abuse, mutilations, and other crimes, as well as drug trafficking and the theft of government property…"

Despite documented malfeasance throughout the post-WW II period, US crimes of war and against humanity repeat with disturbing regularity against one invented enemy after another.

In his book titled: "The 'Good Soldier' On Trial: A Sociological Study of Misconduct by the US Military Pertaining to Operation Iron Triangle, Iraq," Professor Stjepan Mestrovic documented hundreds of lawless incidents.

They included brigade commander/Col. Michael Steele's order to "kill all military age males" on sight.

Much the same applies in all US war theaters. Mass murder, related violence, torture and other atrocities are OK'd or ignored by field commanders and their superiors.

US rules of engagement are anything goes, cover-up and denial concealing unspeakable horrors in all its war theaters.

All the while, fake news from the field to the White House to media press agents pretends that disaster is battlefield success.

Who lost Afghanistan? US imperial arrogance is responsible for one lost war after another throughout the post-WW II period.

Yet they continue endlessly in multiple theaters.

The world's leading perpetrator of state-sponsored wars and related violence never met a nation free from its control it didn't want to smash — the human cost and rule of law never considered, just advancing America's imperium.

US ruling authorities reserve the right to do virtually anything they please at home and worldwide.

A nation addicted to endless wars for wealth and power risks ending life on planet earth to own it.

Ignored is that good wars don't exist and never did.

Historian Gabriel Kolko called US rage for dominance "violen(t), racis(t), repressi(ve) at home and abroad (and) cultural(ly) mendaci(ous)."

In his book titled "The Good War: An Oral History of World War II," Studs Terkel said it "warped our view of how we look at things" — pretending the most destructive of all wars was "good," adding:

This "twisted memory…encourages (people) to be willing, almost eager, to use military force."

Never just, they're "lunatic" acts, said Terkel, especially in the nuclear age.

Commenting on 20 years of US war in Afghanistan, Vladimir Putin called what's gone on a (made-in-the-USA) "catastrophe," adding:

"It is true. It's not just my words. These are remarks made by American analysts." 

"It is a catastrophe because Americans…spent…trillion(s) (of dollars) for this whole campaign and what is the result?"

"Zero."

"If you look at the number of people who worked for the collective West, the US and their allies, and are now left behind in Afghanistan, it is also a humanitarian catastrophe."

Putin also slammed calls by US officials to continue using Afghan territory "to confront Russia and China."

US failed policies remain unchanged.

"As for Afghanistan," he added, US/NATO "got there and made a lot of mistakes" — learning nothing.

"(T)he same process continues in…other countries." 

"What are sanctions? They are a continuation of the same policy aimed at imposing their standards" illegally.

They're what I call waging war by other means.

Despite no evidence suggesting it — plenty revealing otherwise — Putin hopes that hegemon USA and its imperial partners "will realize that acting like before and trying to 'civilize' other nations is a failed policy."

According to the rule of law the US/West long ago abandoned, the UN, especially the "Security Council('s) five permanent members…should be responsible for maintaining global order," said Putin.

Since establishment of the UN in 1945, the US, Britain, France, and imperial partners consistently went the other way.

Separately, Putin said that Russia will not interfere in Afghanistan under its new government when formed, adding that he's cautiously optimistic about how it will operate.

Last Wednesday, Sergey Lavrov said Moscow is open to normal interactions "with Western countries if they change their approach and stop acting as teachers that know everything and are sinless, while Russia is a student that must do its homework." 

"That is no way to talk to anyone, least of all Russia."

Moscow respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.

It's prepared to deal with them "honestly and on an equal basis," Lavrov stressed.

He and other Russian officials know that hegemon USA demands that other nations bend to its will.

It rejects normalized relations — according to the rule of law — with ones free from its control.

Chances for improved relations between Russia and the US-dominated West are virtually nil.

Normalization is out of the question, reality since Russia's czarist rule ended in 1917.

VISIT MY WEBSITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

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