The War Unwinds
Last night President Obama gave his vision for the end of our war cycle.
He noted that the war in Iraq has ended and that half of our troops are no longer at risk. He didn't mention that we had no real reason for putting troops in Iraq in the first place.
He noted that Al Qaeda, the hyper-violent sect that attacked America on 9/11, has been pretty much defeated. He spoke of our continuing support for Afghan security forces that would keep it from returning. He mentioned that the Taliban, a group of militant purists, took part in the negotiations. Like the Christian evangelicals, they take their holy book literally. Violence in the name of God is an act of worship for them. And now they will be renouncing violence and becoming a political party.
While for much of the last ten years we have been fighting this very same Taliban, more numerous even than the Taliban are the "militants" we have been fighting - people who have no identification other than that they were simply defending their country. We have been fighting the people who wanted us to leave. We sorely wore out our welcome, if we ever had one.
Our interest now is to help them maintain a peaceful society. With our 'iron hand in a kid glove' now in a straight-jacket behind bars.
Our military's supply route through Pakistan to Afghanistan is still frozen. We have refused to apologize for killing 24 Pakistani soldiers by a mistake due to our incompetent messaging. Pakistan won't play our game any longer. We won't play their game any longer.
Peace is about the only option left. Constructing peace appears to be the work at hand.
Bravo for peace.
He noted that the war in Iraq has ended and that half of our troops are no longer at risk. He didn't mention that we had no real reason for putting troops in Iraq in the first place.
He noted that Al Qaeda, the hyper-violent sect that attacked America on 9/11, has been pretty much defeated. He spoke of our continuing support for Afghan security forces that would keep it from returning. He mentioned that the Taliban, a group of militant purists, took part in the negotiations. Like the Christian evangelicals, they take their holy book literally. Violence in the name of God is an act of worship for them. And now they will be renouncing violence and becoming a political party.
While for much of the last ten years we have been fighting this very same Taliban, more numerous even than the Taliban are the "militants" we have been fighting - people who have no identification other than that they were simply defending their country. We have been fighting the people who wanted us to leave. We sorely wore out our welcome, if we ever had one.
Our interest now is to help them maintain a peaceful society. With our 'iron hand in a kid glove' now in a straight-jacket behind bars.
Our military's supply route through Pakistan to Afghanistan is still frozen. We have refused to apologize for killing 24 Pakistani soldiers by a mistake due to our incompetent messaging. Pakistan won't play our game any longer. We won't play their game any longer.
Peace is about the only option left. Constructing peace appears to be the work at hand.
Bravo for peace.
posted by Dan McIntyre at 7:01 AM
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