Comments on: Who are we fighting and what are we fighting for?

By: opit

opit — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:02:43 +0000

Funny. I distinctly recall a call to a ‘Just War’ – an oxymoron akin to ‘justified murder of strangers because they’re different’ – and an undertaking to support Israel…before any Inauguration. For that observation most were ignored : rather like Iraq.
Kucinich and Ron Paul couldn’t get any traction. How many even knew Ralph Nader got 6% of the votes ?
Fact is Obama may have made pretty noises…but the torture of civil rights of people worldwide continues in the expansion of Bagram AFB’s cages.
I really wish I could find an article again with maps illustrating U.S. bases in the Middle East…guarding a route for a pipeline of Iraqi oil to Israel.

By: tas

tas — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:26:30 +0000

The root of the problem may be America’s kneejerk response of violence. After 9/11, most Americans wanted to bomb the shit out of something and Afghanistan was the closest target to thus who committed the tragedies in NYC and DC. But two big questions needed to be asked before going to war in Afghanistan: How long would we stay there?; and Would fighting Afghanistan help us stem Muslim extremists in the long run? This bleeds into other questions, like will waging war in Afghanistan make us safer?; Will committing to Afghanistan be a strategic mistake if our military is needed elsewhere?

Perhaps one of the most important questions to ask if if Americans have the stomach for a long war. This means we must ask whether or not it’s worth one soldier dying for the cause they are fighting for — if not, most Americans will sense it and turn against the war. For example, Vietnam.

Then, of course, we have to ask whether a war is worth expending the budget over fighting. The answer to this query runs in conjunction to the answers for all the other questions I’ve posted.

And perhaps these are loaded questions since, well, I thought of them and also think that the answers are all negative. Personally though, I think they are basic logically and strategic questions about when to goto war. If President Obama can’t answer simple questions about the conflict but commits more troops to the war anyway, I’ll have a lot of trouble voting for him again come November 2012. For a president who was elected into office on a platform of change, here’s his opportunity to make good on that promise.

By: Chief

Chief — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:41:43 +0000

Scott Ritter had a piece in TruthDig
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20091029_mcchrystal_doesnt_get_it_does_obama/
that is a coherent cry for common-sense.

I posted about it here http://libertystreet.wordpress.com/2009/11/01/when-you-are/ yesterday and also previously at Liberty Street.