Escalation in Pakistan

The war in Afghanistan is seven years old and for the past several weeks we have read reports of our drones attacking Taliban and al Qaeda targets with missiles inside Pakistan.  Why now seven years into the war and not before?  What is behind these recent attacks?  We always knew the Taliban/al Qaeda were there in that region.

 

The answer lies in the type of person we have as President.  Mr. Bush's performance and reckless behavior in fighting the war on terror is dismal.  He faces the prospect of leaving office in a few months with the lowest approval rating of any President in recent memory.  The reason for the recent attacks in Pakistan is a political decision by Bush to finally try to get bin Laden before he leaves office to improve his rating and salvage his Presidency.  One will remember it was Mr. Bush himself shortly after 9-11 who said bin Laden was wanted dead or alive but then failed to pursue him. 

 

Seven years of war in Afghanistan and almost six years of war in Iraq have already been recorded in history.  Those years can not be rewritten and history will not be kind to Mr. Bush.  The American people gave Mr. Bush two chances to serve and uplift America a its people, but he lacked the wisdom, character and humility to serve as President.

It Was Reported Here First On POLITIDOSE

For the past week or so, the news media in general has been carrying stories concerning (1) Senator McCain's flubbing the facts as he has done so many times;  (2) The Huffington Post ran comments by Zbigniew Brezezinski and Brent Scowcroft alluding to the fact that Iran will have influence in Iraq regardless what happens in Iraq;  (3)  Also reporting was comments by administration officials and military officials that more troops will be going to Afghanistan because the war is going badly there. 

 

If all of the above sounds familiar it is because you read it here in Politidose first long before the news media picked it up.  The flip flops and inaccurate statements and the derailment of McCain's straight talking express were covered in articles on Politidose dated November 5, 2007, December 18, 2007 and February 23, 2008.

 

The Iran-Iraq alliance was covered on Politidose in an article dated April 8, 2008.  The Afghanistan problem was covered in Politidose in articles dated December 13, 2007, January 19, 2008, January 20, 2008 and January 29, 2008.

 

Politidose was able to bring those stories to the American people long before our government and news media made the connection.  All this adds to the belief that it is the independent ideas and opinions found on blogs such as Politidose, instead of news companies backed by special interests and corporations, that serve to truly inform and enlighten the American people.  

2001-2008 --- A Return To A Time Of Darkness

We were taught in school that there was a time in our history's past when learning seemed to stop.  It was called "The Dark Ages."  Who ever thought history would repeat itself in the 21st century?  The past seven and half years has been a repeat for our leaders who have failed to learn and then stopped learning from their mistakes altogether.

 

The present Dark Age covers a broad spectrum and I will discuss two of them in this post that came to light just in the last few days.  Nothing needs to be said about Iraq because the problem is so obvious.  Now it is Afghanistan and Iran.

 

Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Afghanistan and said more foreign fighters including al Qaeda militants are operating in Pakistan's tribal areas then in the past and they are flowing into Afghanistan more freely this year compared to last.  Attacks in Eastern Afghanistan where American forces operate along the border with Pakistan are up 40% this year.  June was the deadliest month for U.S. and NATO soldiers since 2001.

 

This Dark Age of leadership goes back to our invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 when we failed to seal the borders.  It was known before our invasion that the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan was a haven for training al Qaeda and the Taliban.  After the tragic events of 9-11, Mr. Bush said his administration would make no distinction between the terrorists and those who harbor them.  Not only did our leadership fail to carry out that policy with Pakistan, but seven years into the war in Afghanistan, our Chairman says the problem is still there and worse.

 

Now we have Secretary of State Condi Rice who just warned Iran that its latest launching of rockets was a provocative act and that the U.S. has the ability to counter them --- another example of this Dark Age of leadership failure where our leaders have learned nothing.  Our leadership has a policy of provocations and going along with the threats of Israel's leaders to other countries.  When leaders fail to learn, innocent people pay the price for their mistakes. 

 

Mr. Bush failed to learn that two can play the same game he tries to play.  That failure is darker than dark.  He played the game in Iraq over WMD that did not exist and went on to destabilize Iraq and the middle east.  Iran does not have a history of  invading other countries nor of launching a war against other countries.  Our own intelligence people said they stopped working to produce a nuclear weapon several years ago.  If they are in fact working to acquire such weapons, the U.S. can contain them like we did the Soviet Union for over 40 years.  We don't need a failure in leadership that will push the U.S. into yet another unnecessary war. 

 

This Dark Age of leadership and learning has put our country and its people in peril.  We see the economic repercussions for this failed leadership that touches the people's lives in almost every situation.  Russia was bogged down in Afghanistan for 10 years and then withdrew.  Our leadership furnished the Taliban weapons to fight Russia and they are now using those weapons we supplied them against our own troops.  We also supported Saddam during his invasion of Iran and ten year war.  We even gave Saddam U.S. intelligence gathered on Iran's military movements.  What has our country learned from those Dark Ages? ---Apparently, nothing.  

 

Can our nation escape this present Dark Age where our leaders have stopped learning.  Have we run out of leaders who understand what America is all about and how to use our military power wisely?  Hopefully the next President will answer those questions, in the way that they need to be answered.  

Our Troops in Afghanistan Deserve Better

Our men and women in uniform are still paying the ultimate price in Afghanistan and Iraq because of the mistakes and incompetence of our leaders.

 

As reported by the Associated Press, the Pentagon just announced the tour of 2200 Marines in Afghanistan has been extended an additional 30 days after insisting for months the unit would come home on time.  The 24th MEU is involved in combat operations in the volatile south in Helmond Province. 

 

Defense Secretary Robert Gates had repeatedly said he did not intend to extend the Marines in Afghanistan.  In fact when he was asked about an extension in early May, Gates said he would "be loathe to do that."  The Pentagon Press Secretary said commanders on the ground asked for the extension.  Being extended in the time of war is nothing new to the troops.  It has happened in many of our past wars, but happened for different reasons.  The extensions of tours for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are a direct result of the incompetence of our Commander in Chief who committed our country to a war and occupation in Iraq over WMD that did not exist, an unnecessary war that depleted our ready troops and reserve levels and as a result short changed our troops in Afghanistan where the real war on terror is located.

 

Our men and women in uniform will continue to serve their country with the highest honor despite their hardships and this setback.  It is hard to comprehend how our leaders have learned nothing from their sacrifice.  After all, the war in Afghanistan has been going on for over six years.

A Regenerated al Qaeda

I and many others have written about how Mr. Bush mismanaged the War on Terror with the unnecessary invasion and occupation of Iraq.  And now we have a report, via the Washington Post, by The Government Accountability Office that  (1) The Bush administration has no comprehensive plan for dealing with the threat posed by Pakistan's lawless tribal areas where bin Laden is believed to be hiding.  (2)  The U.S. has not met its national security goals to destroy terrorist threats and close the safe haven despite having spent more than $10 billion for Pakistani military operations in the border region.  (3)   That al Qaeda had regenerated its ability to attack the United States.  (4)   The report also supports an argument by congressional Democrats that the war in Iraq and administration bungling have helped create new danger in an area largely out of the control of any sovereign state. 

 

The Bottom line: The failure to seal the borders after invading Afghanistan allowed bin Laden, al Qaeda and the Taliban to escape to the tribal areas of Pakistan.  After that failure came the most reckless failure of all: the invasion and occupation of Iraq over WMD that did not exist.  The fight on the real war against terror was dead.  The people will do well to remember Bush's failure as President and Commander-in-Chief and the fact that Senator McCain will continue the same policy if elected President.  The latest poll shows Bush's approval rating at 28%.  That is a tragic statement about an American President, but the worst part is that he has truly earned it---that says it all.

The Absence of Competence

We now learn from a report by the New York Times that Mike McConnell, Director of National Intelligence, and General Michael Hayden, Director of CIA went to Pakistan secretly on January 9 to try and reach an agreement with Pakistan President Musharraf to allow America greater latitude to operate in the tribal areas where Al Qaeda and Taliban militant groups are active.  The report noted that Musharraf rebuffed their proposals to expand any U.S. combat presence in Pakistan, covertly, unilaterally, and/or by joint operation with Pakistan.

 

The war in Afghanistan is past the 6th year and we have failed to find Bin Laden.  Worst of all, our invasion of that country, with the mission to destroy the Taliban and Al Qaeda, failed to seal the area off where we believe Bin Laden and al-Zawahri are hiding, the tribal area bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan.  Instead of fighting the war concerning the people who struck the U.S. on 9-11, Bush's attention was, and still is, on Iraq.  The troop level necessary to fight the war in Afghanistan and seal off the enemy's escape was never there.  It would be hard to choose what war Bush has been more incompetent on, Iraq or Afghanistan. 

 

The U.S. is now getting ready to send more troops to Afghanistan and trying hard to get NATO to respond.  Many military people are saying we are losing the war.  Why is the President, after 6 years of war, and in his last year in office, finally making a push to find Bin Laden?  The answer is that this President is such a small person and has been so reckless in his behavior, that he thinks capturing Bin Laden will erase all the mistakes he has made during his tenure as President.  However, Bush will be remembered as the President who started a war and occupation in Iraq over WMD that did not exist, and a President who failed to fight the real war against the people who harmed our country on 9-11.  Six years later he is trying to find his groove in Afghanistan.  It is hard to absorb the real cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan along with all the loss of life and the area concerned is less stable now then before the wars.  The tragic story is that the American people can not even  be told or explained what our objectives are.  The President and supporters of both wars keep changing the story of why we are there. 

Afghanistan: Failing Because Of Iraq (Part 2)

Once again Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is telling the American people how we are failing in Afghanistan.  The Los Angeles Times reports that Gates said he believes NATO forces currently deployed in the southern part of that country do not know how to combat a guerrilla insurgency.

 

While at the same time, many NATO officials blame inadequate U.S. troop numbers earlier in the war in part for a Taliban resurgence.  Does that sound familiar and reminiscent of our track record in Iraq, where we used too little troops in a completely unnecessary invasion?  Afghanistan was where our enemies were.  We should have been fighting there instead of worrying bout Iraq. So now Gates decides to send an additional 3200 Marines to continue this 6 year old war. 

 

Gates went to Scotland last month and met with NATO leaders to try and convince them to send more NATO troops, but said no one at the table stood up and agreed.  The incompetence of this administration and Mr. Gates in trying to bully other nations is historic.  The U.S. under Mr. Bush has lost all creditability in fighting this war on terror.  Other nations hear that we call this the War on Terror, but they see that the U.S. practically abandoned Afghanistan, where bin-Laden and al-Qaeda were, and focused on Iraq, who was no threat to the U.S.   

 

Iraq seems to have been pushed to the back burner because of the Presidential primaries, that's the way the people in this administration would like it to be.  Get it out of the news.  I truly hope the American people never forget the tragic loss of life among our men and women in uniform because of the reckless behavior of Mr. Bush and his surrogates.  Never again should the people accept such incompetence and reckless behavior in our President.  Our troops and our country deserve better.

The Bush Legacy: Afghanistan And Iraq

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced the U.S. will be sending 3200 additional Marines to fight the war in Afghanistan.  Mr. Bush and Mr. Gates, who recently visited with the leaders of NATO, have both been trying to get NATO to contribute more combat troops to that war with no success.

 

Our previous Presidents were able to offer leadership to NATO, but not Mr. Bush.  His reckless foreign policy has isolated the U.S. more than ever with our allies.  The war in Afghanistan passed the 6 year mark in 2007, which was the most deadly year for our troops and our own military leaders said that things are getting worse.  That is the exact language we heard during the Vietnam war---"things are getting worse so lets send in more U.S. troops". 

 

The American people should remember it was the Reagan-Bush administration who created the Taliban and armed them to fight the Soviet occupation and now they are fighting and killing Americans.  Our military technology is worthless if we have to occupy other countries to protect our national security.

 

And to top it off, Mr. Bush told reporters on his tour of the Middle East this past week that the U.S. could  be in Iraq for 10 years.  All of the reasons Bush gave for invading and occupying Iraq were lies and now we are being told it may be another Vietnam.  We already know the Republican candidates running for President would continue the Bush policies(with exception of Ron Paul), so the American people and our men and women in uniform have a major stake with their vote in November in electing a President who will truly keep our country and its people safe.  Bush failed to keep our country and people safe on 9-11 and almost 7 years later, there is no end in sight.

Afghanistan: Failing Because of Iraq

The United States invaded Afghanistan over 6 years ago.  That was the right decision because Bin Laden's operations and training camps were there and were supported by the Taliban.  After the tragic events of 9-11, the people of the U.S. supported that operation as did most world leaders.  Our military leaders were convinced that we had Bin Laden trapped on several occasions, but we failed to capture him.

 

As of this writing Bin Laden is still at large.  The U.S. has approximately 26,000 troops in Afghanistan and NATO has about 28,000.  The U.S. has about 160,000 troops in Iraq.  Does that make sense when we knew Iraq was no threat to the U.S.?  Everyone knows who struck the U.S. on 9-11.  Our resources were and still are committed to the wrong war.

 

Yesterday, the Washington Post reported that Defense Secretary Gates is blasting NATO for not doing enough in Afghanistan and that Gates wants to overhaul the alliance strategy in Afghanistan.  Violence is on the rise and the U.S. strategic goals for Afghanistan in 2007 have not been met.   In fact, senior administration officials have gone as far as saying that the country is backsliding.  

 

The bottom line is that we have not been fighting the war on terrorism.  We have turned that over to NATO and our rhetoric is hollow.  Our resources have been wasted in Iraq.  The President's self serving statement, "the War on Terror is centered in Iraq," is purely false.  The War on Terror can not be won when you have a faulty foreign policy.  The next President has to have the wisdom to recognize the real threat that terrorism poses, and have a foreign policy that deals with that threat.  Iraq is not a threat; Afghanistan and bin Laden are. 

New Reports Paint Bad Picture

There are two new reports out concerning the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  The war in Afghanistan is in its 6th year and the war in Iraq has been going on for almost 5 years and neither report paints a favorable picture.

 

The Washington Post reported that strategic goals that the Bush administration set out for 2007 in Afghanistan have not been met according to a White House assessment.  Individual battles with the Taliban have been successful, but the Taliban has had unchallenged expansion into new territory.  The U.S. military and intelligence have sharp differences as to where the war is going.

 

2007 has been the deadliest year for U.S. forces in Afghanistan.  The U.S. and NATO forces clear an area out and hold on to it  for a while only for it to be taken back by the Taliban.  The war is being fought in no man's land.  The Reagan-Bush administration armed the Taliban to fight the Soviet occupation and now the Taliban is fighting the U.S. and NATO occupation.  After 6 years there is still no one who can tell the American people how the war will turn out and how many more Americans will lose their lives in an unstable country in an unstable part of the world.

 

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports Al-Hakim, leader of the Supreme Islamic Iraq Council, said that the U.S. has not backed up claims that Iran is fueling violence in Iraq.  Al-Hakim spent years in exile in Iran and is considered close to Iran's leaders.  Al-Hakim is also thought to be Iraq's most influential Shiite politician.

 

I wrote in several past commentaries that however and whenever this war ends, Iraq and Iran will be allies.  The Shiite majority in both countries will stand together.  It is past time to bring our troops home.  One more American death will be too many.  Saddam is long gone, there were no WMD, and we are not fighting the people who are responsible for the tragic events of 9-11.  The new leaders of Australia and Poland have it right.  Both parties in Congress have to get their act together and end the Iraq war as well as work on a solution for the growing violence in Afghanistan.

1994: "Invading Baghdad would create Quagmire"

Wondering who made that seemingly psychic prediction? Well the answer may surprise you, it was one of the principle authors of the Iraq War: Vice President Dick Cheney! In an interview with the American Enterprise Institure in '94, Dick Cheney had this to say,

"If we go go Baghdad it would be us all alone, it would be a U.S. occupation of Iraq....When you take down Saddam's government, what are you going to put in its place? Thats a very volatile part of the world and if you take down the central government of Iraq, you can easily start seeing pieces fly off. Syria and Iran would want to claim parts of Iraq....Another thing is casualties....(in the Gulf War the deaths of soldiers was limited)..but for their families it was too much. The question is how many dead Americans is Saddam worth and the answer is not too many."

Wow, this interview actually shocked me. Dick Cheney actually knew what would happen if we invaded Iraq. So why did America do it? What a difference a decade makes. I agree with everything he said in this interview, so why did he and the President lie to the American people and Congress in order to get this war started? Why did they so strongly put forth the need for us to go into Iraq? They lied about Weapons of Mass Destruction, they lied about al-Qaeda in Iraq, and they lied about Saddam Hussein being involved in 9/11. Maybe if Dick Cheney told the truth to Congress, Congress wouldn't have authorized this War. Maybe if Cheney would have told the American people the truth there wouldn't have been wide-spread support for this war. But a maybe is just a maybe, and now we are in this war and neither Cheney nor Bush want to get us out. They continue to lie to us, with Bush recently saying, "the same people who attacked us on 9/11 are in Iraq." Another blatant lie. The 9/11 hijackers were Saudis. Al-qaeda is based in Afghanistan. If Bush and Cheney truly wanted to get who attacked us on 9/11, and I believe they should, why did we take our eye of Afghanistan where bin-Laden and al-Qaeda was and go into Iraq? We could have found bin-Laden and broken up al-Qaeda by now, but instead we are in the middle of an Iraqi civil war. And now we are at greater risk than ever before of another terrorist attack because bin-Laden and al-Qaeda have been able to reform in Pakistan. Bush and Cheney are right on one thing, Iraq does have something to do with national security, but not as they say. The longer we stay in Iraq, the less safe we are here in America, because the longer we're there, the less time we're spending fighting the islamic extremists who want us dead!