Rumors, Lies, Innuendo, Fear, Uncertainty, and Despair

I suspect that Mr. Obama is determined to follow in the tradition of American presidents and leave some sort of legacy. Health care is going down the tubes, immigration reform is a guaranteed loser for any Democrat, so now he’s going to try his hand at war making—you know, go macho like Lyndon Johnson and the Bush’s.

Mr. Obama lacks the brains, balls, and knowledge to engage in this high-stakes game. But he’ll do it anyway because in the entire history of this country no president ever has died in combat though many have sent tens of thousands of Americans to early and unnecessary deaths.

Here’s today’s story:

The United States will maintain a civilian presence in Afghanistan and Pakistan for a long time, even after American combat troops leave the region, a State Department report said on Thursday.

“While our combat mission in Afghanistan is not open-ended, we will remain politically, diplomatically and economically engaged in Afghanistan and Pakistan for the long-term to protect our enduring interests in the region,” the report said.

Susan Cornwell
Reuters

Let’s ignore the references to Pakistan for today and concentrate on the Obama administration’s intent to “maintain a civilian presence in Afghanistan.” This so idiotic that I feel compelled to say the same thing about Obama that I said a few days ago about Sarah Palin: He’s apparently written a book or two but I don’t think he’s actually read any.

According to Obama we’re in Afghanistan for two reasons:

1. To defeat the Taliban and support the ‘legitimate,’ albeit corrupt and incompetent, government of Hamid Karzai.
2. To deny al Qaeda a safe haven.

Let’s dispense with al Qaeda first. Al Qaeda does not need a safe haven in Afghanistan. They already have bases in Yemen and Somalia and there are hundreds of countries where they can set up shop whenever they like. We know they had a going operation here in the US prior to 9/11. There’s no reason to believe they aren’t operating here now. Twenty bucks says there’s an al Qaeda office in Detroit.  I cannot understand why “denying al Qaeda a base of operations” is a plausible excuse for the presence of American troops in Afghanistan.

Now to Obama’s second point, ‘defeating the Taliban and making Afghanistan “safe for democracy.”’ This is the most naïve scheme imaginable.

Obama is sending more troops to Afghanistan. His plan is magically to exterminate the Taliban in 18 months and bring our boys and girls home.

We’ve had troops in Afghanistan for 8 years and have not succeeded. The Taliban are still there and still functioning and they will be in 18 months  when Field Marshal Obama begins an ordered withdrawal of his forces.

Hamid Karzai - Woud You Buy a Used Car from this Man?

In the Taliban’s place we installed a corrupt and incompetent government that does not have the allegiance or confidence of the people. Within months after the last American combat forces are gone, the present Kabul government will collapse, absconding to the Caribbean with millions of dollars they’ve skimmed off the largess of America.

The Taliban know this and realize they only need lay low until the Yankee Devils are gone.

Over the next 18 months, around 800 young Americans will come home in aluminum boxes. Another 5000 or so will be permanently mutilated. This figure is based on current casualty rates in Afghanistan. I’m hoping I’m way high here—that the Taliban will realize that killing and maiming Americans isn’t the smart thing to do right now. Just be patient.

The Afghans know that the Americans can’t stay forever and that, when the Yanks are gone, the Taliban will be back in charge within months. Ergo, smile at the Americans but don’t piss off the Taliban.

The Taliban actually have learned some important lessons from mistakes they made in the past. They (unlike Obama and Palin) have been reading on guerilla warfare and revolution—Che Guevara, Mao Tse Tung, and Nguyen Ai Quoc (Ho Chi Minh). The Taliban are actually being nice to the locals.

They control Helmand province (that’s in the south if you don’t have your map handy, Mr. Obama). They set up a shadow government in Helmand and have even installed ombudsmen who regularly talk to the natives and ask ‘how are our local Taliban representatives treating you? Are you being treated fairly? Are they helping you solve your problems? Are they threatening you?’ Hell, the Kabul government doesn’t do this.

Karzai’s latest stroke of genius is to ban the possession of ammonium nitrate, an important and inexpensive fertilizer. True, ammonium nitrate also can be used to make explosives. But the Afghans, who are largely agrarian, can no longer possess decent fertilizer, an important element in crop-growing. But not to worry. The Taliban will be able to get the farmers all the ammonium nitrate they need. The Taliban already have better explosives.

Fortunately, opium and marijuana seem to do well without ammonium nitrate. A question for Messrs Karzai and Obama: Now that it’s a felony to possess ammonium nitrate, will Afghan farmers grow more or less dope?

Barack Obama - Would You Buy a Used Car from this Man?

Obama says he’s going to start pulling American troops out in the summer of 2011 and replace them with—wait for it—civilians!!

We have 1000 or so civilians in Afghanistan right now but that number is supposed to increase significantly as the troops begin their departure. The civilians are reasonably safe so long as we have 100,000 troops watching over them but what do you think will be their fate when the troops leave? Rape, torture, kidnapping, ransom, extortion, murder.

Oh, the legitimate government of Afghanistan is going to protect the Americans, but only if they confine themselves to bunkers in Kabul where they will be largely ineffective. And even this will last only until the Taliban take over again.

Do the right thing Barry—get out now. Walk away from Karzai and his den of thieves. Leave behind enough ammonium nitrate so the locals can grow some decent corn.