Washington's Forever War in Afghanistan

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

Washington bears full responsibility for nightmarish conditions in Afghanistan - over 16 years of endless war, millions of casualties, and no end of it in sight.

Bush/Cheney launched it four weeks after 9/11, planned months before that mother of all false flags, Bush once deplorably saying:

"The men and women of Afghanistan are building a nation that is free, and proud, and fighting terror - and America is honored to be their friend."

America is their mortal enemy, the scourge of the nation, endless war and related violence continuing as long as US forces remain in the country.

In December 2009, Obama lied pledging "to bring this war to a successful conclusion." He lied saying "(w)e did not ask for this fight." He lied claiming "we've made progress" in the country.

Instead of winding down war, he escalated it, deploying 30,000 more US forces to the country, pledging they'd be home in "18 months."

In October 2015, he lied saying "America's combat mission in Afghanistan came to a responsible end."

Candidate Trump called the Afghan war "a complete waste." He lied saying "I will never send our finest into battle unless necessary, and I mean absolutely necessary, and will only do so if we have a plan for victory with a capital V."

He lied claiming "(t)he world must know that we do not go abroad in search of enemies." 

"I was against (Middle East wars). And I was against (them) very early. And we shouldn't have been in there. And I think it is probably perhaps the worst mistake we have ever made," he roared.

He called Afghanistan and Libya wars mistakes. He complained about wasting trillions of dollars, turning the Middle East into a mess, instead of using funds spent to rebuild America. 

"(W)e don't have the money because it's been squandered on so many (wrong) ideas," he thundered.

In office, he's been a warrior president, deploring peace, continuing Bush/Cheney/Obama wars, threatening possible new aggression against North Korea and Iran, supporting ISIS and other terrorist groups he vowed to combat and eliminate.

He escalated US involvement in Afghanistan. America's presence has nothing to do with the 9/11 attack, a pretext for forever war.

Trump intends continuing it. The country is strategically located. It's a geopolitical prize straddling the Middle East, South and Central Asia in Eurasia's heartland.

Permanent occupation is planned. War won't end. It has nothing to do with combating terrorism. 

Washington wants control over Eurasia's vast oil, gas and other resources. It wants Afghanistan's mineral wealth looted, likely worth trillions of dollars.

Its presence in the country is part of its plan for encircling Russia and China with US military bases. Its strategy is less about winning the war, entirely about maintaining control over the country and its resources, including the world's largest opium supply.

It provides enormous profits for Wall Street. It gives the CIA access to billions of dollars in illicit drug money. 

Millions of Afghans pay the price for America's presence in their country. In the last month alone, Taliban and US-supported ISIS attacks in Kabul continue their endless trauma.

On December 28, an ISIS attack on a Kabul Shia cultural center killed around 50 Afghans, injuring scores more. Victims included journalists, students and children.

Since 2016, over a dozen attacks targeted Afghan Shias, killing over 700, injuring many others.

On January 20, Taliban fighters attacked Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel, killing over 40, injuring about two dozen others. The hotel was attacked earlier in 2011. 

Foreign guests were likely targeted each time. In a war theater, it's dangerous to stay there.

On Saturday, a suicide car bombing killed over 100, injuring around 200 others. The Taliban claimed responsibility. An explosives-packed ambulance was detonated in a heavily guarded district, the result devastating, the third major attack in the past week.

The other one occurred on January 24 in Jalalabad. The Save the Children NGO's office was targeted, killing six, injuring over two dozen others.

US-supported ISIS claimed responsibility. Following the incident, the organization suspended its Afghanistan operations, saying "(t)he safety of our staff remains our primary concern."

As long as US forces remain in Afghanistan, forever war won't end. The human toll will keep mounting.

A national trauma affecting millions of Afghans may continue for another 16 years or longer.

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My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

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