I just came across this post at Red Jenny’s blog and it is DEFINITELY worth checking out. I don’t agree with everything the author says, but his case is incredibly persuasive; the West needs to withdraw from Afghanistan quickly and completely.
Washington’s strategic aims in Afghanistan appear to be non-existent unless they need the conflict to discipline European allies who betrayed them on Iraq. True, the al-Qaeda leaders are still at large, but their capture will be the result of effective police work, not war and occupation. What will be the result of a NATO withdrawal? Here Iran, Pakistan and the Central Asian states will be vital in guaranteeing a confederal constitution that respects ethnic and religious diversity. The NATO occupation has not made this task easy. Its failure has revived the Taliban and increasingly the Pashtuns are uniting behind it.
The lesson here, as in Iraq, is a basic one. It is much better for regime-change to come from below even if this means a long wait as in South Africa, Indonesia or Chile. Occupations disrupt the possibilities of organic change and create a much bigger mess than existed before. Afghanistan is but one example.
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The reason Nato is in Afghanistan is to circle Iran, contain Russian influence in the region and primarily to occupy land through Pashtun territory, to build oil pipelines from the Caspian Sea to the Arabian Sea. The former Taliban government was quite willing to hand over Bin Laden but the U.S. would not accept this compromise. The Taliban refused to let them build a pipeline and that is why they were toppled. The four countries that are actively fighting are the U.S. who own Exin-Mobil and Chevron, Canada with Husky and Suncor, the Dutch with Royal Dutch Shell and the brits with British Petrol. The other Nato countries will not send troops to kill the natives to secure the oil pipeline for these countries. We should get out as soon as we can these people do not want a western style democracy, it would kill their identity and traditional ways. We have no right to force this on them and we are guilty of war crimes, killing innocent people including women and children for the sake of oil. To understand Afghani society Google its history and then you will understand why it is futile for us to be there. We will never win and the Afghanis will fight to the last man to get rid ot this illegal occupation. History is on their side.
Comment by klara palotay — March 1, 2007 @ 4:35 am
The article was written by Tariq Ali, who has some VERY interesting analyses. I recommend his book Clash of Fundamentalisms - I love the cover graphic.
Comment by Red Jenny — March 1, 2007 @ 12:48 pm