AMNESIA, OR JUST PLAIN INSANITY?

We Americans are like children: short memories
and an even shorter attention span. Like children,
we want everything NOW. We are not prepared
to hunker down for the long haul, especially if the
final outcome is in doubt, as it very much is in
both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Iraq is now (in reality) a dictatorship, in that the
Maliki gov't (Shiite) we have backed from its be-
ginning refuses to accept the last election and
turn over control to the winning coalition of com-
bined Sunni, Shia, and secular groups.

After years of preaching democracy, we need to
put our money (and troops) where our mouth is
and back the transfer of power in Iraq to the
coalition that won the election. That, of course,
may open old wounds and result in fresh fighting.
That can't be avoided in any case, if the M. gov't
is determined to stay in power, which appears to
be the case. It will have to crush its main oppo-
sition, and is now arresting and holding leaders
in that opposition, and cooking up false charges
of past sins of others to justify harsh measures
in the future. We need to cut off funds to M.
until he recognizes and obeys election results.
We continue to pour a lot of money down that
rat hole, as we have been doing for years.

And speaking of rat holes, we turn now to
(surprise!) Afghanistan. Increasing numbers of
folks here are advocating cut and run there. But
not me! If you'll Google "ethnic map of Afghani-
stan" you may see why it's neither necessary nor
prudent to give up entirely in that country and walk
away as suggested by some.

The non-Pashtun part of that country (the Tajiks,
Uzbeks, Hazara, Turkmen, etc.) that made up the
"Northern Alliance" vs. the Soviets successfully
resisted Taliban rule right up to 9/11, and can do so
again, plus adding Kabul within their perimeter of
protection, with our help. (They like us, and want us
to stay.)

This would not require a large force on our part, as
most of the Afghan army we are training and equip-
ing now are Tajiks and Uzbeks. Nor would it take
a lot more money than we have already invested.
It is probably the best we can realistically hope for
at this point. Besides, our domestic politics won't
allow for us to just walk away and forget it. Too
many of ours have died there, to let it all go now.

Here's an additional ethnic note: Northern Afghan.
was under the Persian Empire for 400 yrs. The
Persians prized education and spread it throughout
their realm. That had lasting results. There are
strong cultural and commercial ties between Iran
and northern Afghan. They speak a common lan-
guage (called Dari in Af.). Education is more wide-
spread in northern Af. than in the south, and more
prized. They are also less religious and more secular
in outlook, and more cosmopolitan. They are com-
fortable with foreigners, and welcome them. India
has strong commercial ties in the north, but is not
welcome in the south.

In fact, the Pashtuns in the south are a whole dif-
ferent story! Mostly rural and very religious (fund-
mentalist, in fact), they are also mostly illiterate.
They are often hostile to foreigners and intolerant
of other religions (including fellow Muslims, such as
Shia and Sufis). They make up half the Afghan
population, and 100% of the Taliban. There are 35
million more of them across the border in Pakistan.
They are fierce fighters, and have never been con-
quered or ruled by outsiders. The Pakistan gov't
respects that and leaves theirs alone. We should
do likewise, in my view.

President Karzai (a Pashtun himself) is probably
correct when he says he doesn't think the Taliban
can be defeated. We can kill huge numbers of them
with "overwhelming firepower" as people like Sen.
Mc Cain advocate, but that will kill large numbers
of civilians as well. That does the opposite of "win
hearts and minds." What's the point? What good
will that accomplish, either there, or internationally?

What is it, exactly, that we're trying to do? Is it
doable at all? There are 3 billion Muslims, remember.
Are we going to kill them all? Or just keep fighting
them forever? Repeating the same behaviour over
and over and expecting a different result is insanity.
Freud said that. I say amen!


What do you say?

jgoodwin004@centurytel.net