With President Obama’s recently announced military buildup, America’s leaders are on the verge of doing the virtually impossible — making the situation in Afghanistan even worse. The worst aspect of events post-2001 is that the U.S. and the world are less safe, since the world now sees the U.S. as the leading military power attacking possibly the poorest nation on earth. Since the U.S. started its bombing in 2001 an estimated 7,309 Afghan civilians have been killed by U.S.-led forces as of June 20, 2008, not counting those who died after the impact of an explosive. To understand the enormity of America’s invasion, it is vital to know something of Afghanistan’s recent history, for which we must thank James Lucas:
America’s Nation-Destroying Mission in Afghanistan
by James Lucas, March 06, 2010
Interference by the U.S. in the internal affairs of Afghanistan has been a tragic chapter in our nation’s history.
Over three decades ago, there were social movements in Afghanistan to improve the standard of living of its people, to provide greater equality for women, and there was a functioning, if imperfect, democracy. However the U.S., using subversion, weapons, and money was able, as the leader of coalition of nations, to stop progress in these areas of human welfare.
In fact, the gains that had already been made were actually reversed. By 2010 the economic and social status of Afghans has been set back generations; women’s status has deteriorated to such an extent that the prevalence of self-immolation has increased among discouraged women, and there is no democracy now, with the U.S. making major decisions as an occupying power.
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