Monday 27 June 2011

Stated Objectives in Afghanistan - Obama's Report Card

There were four stated objectives for what Bush laughably called Operation Enduring Freedom:
  • Capture al-Qaida's leaders, including Osama bin Laden.
  • Destroy all 'terrorist' camps and supporting infrastructure within Afghanistan.
  • Remove the Taliban regime, which 'supported al-Qaida.'
  • End 'terrorist' activities originating in Afghanistan.
The US, despite Obama's tortuous rhetoric and smoke and mirrors has failed in all four objectives as any reasonable observer would agree. The killing of Osama could be seen as a partial success, but it is no more than that, and will not save a single life in Afghanistan. It may be the cause of many more deaths. How Obama will turn this scenario of abject failure into 'haven't we done well - mission accomplished' will test even the verbal chicanery of his most cynical speech-writers. The 'Peace of Obama's speechwiters' in Iraq will be lost on the families of, for example, the eleven US service personnel who have died there in the last 3 weeks (the heaviest monthly toll for 2 years). It won't stop a similar gloss being  put on the debacle of Afghanistan, particulary in the months before Obama will, inevitably, be re-elected.

1 comment:

  1. I saw the head lines of U.S. troops being killed in Iraq.
    It made me write my last post.
    I am just utterly disgusted with all of it, and them.
    Let them have it their way.
    They will regret it in the long run.
    This can not continue like this.
    When this finally breaks there will be hell to pay.

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