We have another encouraging statement from our ally, Afghan President Hamid Karzai who told Gen. David H. Petraeus, U.S. Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry and other top Western officials in Kabul that one of his greatest enemies is the United States and that he wished he had gone with the Taliban when he had a chance. Previously, if you recall, Karzai stated that he wanted to actually join the Taliban in fighting the United States, so this is just a reminder.
So, just to keep track, our loss of life and limb in Afghanistan is sharply increasing. We have burned through hundreds of billions of dollars in this war as our cities and states are cutting back on public education, parks, and basic services. Yet, we continue to sacrifice our soldiers and treasure in a country where the President is a corrupt lunatic who dreams of joining the Taliban and killing U.S. troops. Of course, he will first have to find one. Recently it was disclosed that our geniuses in the CiA and military have been negotiating with a perfect fraud — a man who falsely claimed to be “Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour,” one of the most senior commanders in the Taliban movement. In addition to giving him a fortune, he was flown to meet with Karzai and our top commanders. The U.S. now says that he was just a guy trying to make some cash.
In his latest diatribe, Karzai said his three “main enemies” – the Taliban, the United States and the international community. Then added, “If I had to choose sides today, I’d choose the Taliban.”
The problem is that many are saying that the Taliban are winning — in part because of Karzai’s corrupt and inept government. Why should they want Karzai? They would much prefer that we carry him. He has proven one of their greatest assets.
In the meantime, we continue to substitute ideological allies with openly corrupt officials — corrupted by the CIA itself.
Afghanistan has become an example of “path dependence” in economic theory — we have invested so much on this gambit that we cannot get ourselves to consider changing course — or at least no politician is willing to take responsibility for such a decision. The result is that we our losses mount as a lunatic leader fantasizes of joining the enemy. The only good thing is that we must be confusing the hell out of our allies, but I know I am confused.
By the way, our latest published loss was Lance Cpl. Michael Geary, 20, of New Hampshire. Geary had wanted to be a marine since he was 14. He fought the Taliban while Karzai routinely call him the enemy and expresses his desire to join the men who killed him. While Karzai debates what side he is on, Geary’s mother has to deal with the loss of this wonderful son as well as losing her job shortly before Thanksgiving and the recent death of her mother from a long battle against lung cancer. I can only imagine what she is thinking when reading these statements from Karzai. I cannot imagine a more tragic series of events for this poor lady. Obviously, Michael did not die for the likes of Karzai and his lack of appreciation does not reflect the sympathy of all Americans for her and her family. Reading about Michael was very hard – he was clearly a very special person who was a credit to both his family and his country.
Source: Washington Post
Jonathan Turley
Support our cause. My pal was just informed they have this.
You should express our support!
Hi! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new apple iphone! Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts! Keep up the outstanding work!
KMansfield, I’m aware of the contractor connection and from what I have read over time, the practice does not rely on contractors because the practice is not new, it is well established and of long standing. The contractors are just another avenue for the commerce.
Religion is a cornerstone of culture and the practice of a religion that has fundamentalist sects that prevent a man from seeing more than the feet of a woman and discourages even conversation until engagement irreversibly harms a healthy sexual appetite. The penchant for the rape of boys in Afghanistan is founded in their religion, not that it promotes it but that it discourages hetro-sexual relationships. How they square that with their religions prohibition of sodomy I don’t know though I do know you are correct about the prohibition.
Right next door in Pakistan there are serious problems with the traffic in children for sex work but the children are primarily female. The difference is the the number of people that ascribe to the most restrictive fundamentalist leanings of their religion I have read but I can’t say that with authority.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/contractor-bought-afghan-policemen-drugs-boys-cable-reveals/
“US contractor bought Afghan policemen drugs, little boys, cable reveals”
By David Edwards
“… As Joel Brinkley reported for SFGate.com, many Afghan Pashtun tribal men take boys age 9 to 15 as lovers. The US State Department recently called “dancing boys” a “widespread, culturally sanctioned form of male rape.”
Sociologists and anthropologists say the problem results from perverse interpretation of Islamic law. Women are simply unapproachable. Afghan men cannot talk to an unrelated woman until after proposing marriage. Before then, they can’t even look at a woman, except perhaps her feet. Otherwise she is covered, head to ankle.
“How can you fall in love if you can’t see her face,” 29-year-old Mohammed Daud told reporters. “We can see the boys, so we can tell which are beautiful.”
“Some research suggests that half the Pashtun tribal members in Kandahar and other southern towns are bacha baz, the term for an older man with a boy lover,” wrote Brinkley. “Literally it means ‘boy player.’ The men like to boast about it. …”
When is Dick Cheney going hunting again?
LottaKatz, I guess you overlooked the part where the US contractors from Dyncorp are buying the little boys.
With all due respect, Islam or any Abrahmic religion does not allow pedophilia. It’s cultural, not religious, but exasperated by poverty (and obviously we also share and tolerate this abhorrent practice within our own culture.) The religious Taliban have a problem with it. The video explains a lot.
This war of occupation has to do with Infrastructure building as much as anything, even Obama mentioned it.
Perhaps Rafflaw can ask his son about the TAPI pipeline development, and mining contracts or if he knows about them?
If these men are fighting for our freedoms, then what’s up with the porno scanners and the TSA gropers, and oppressive crackdown on Wikileaks? Our Fourth and First Amendment rights are being flushed down the toilet.
KMansfield: “artificial boundaries inhabited by multi-ethnic tribes united only by hostility toward foreign occupiers.” That, the open pedophilia (as much a product of their radical religious practices as choice) which you detailed, extraordinary levels of government corruption, and poppies rendered our mission there a farce going in no matter the mission statement du jour.
Mike A, Well said and I’m glad to see you posting lately, I’ve missed you.
FFLEO,
But then he’d just be some old married dude no longer able to save the townspeople from the cattle and railroad barons that plagued every damn town in the West … does he settle down or does he continue on with his mission ….
Okay, I am most likely ‘gonna have to order the DVD from Amazon since I viewed a few more clips on YouTube.
My guess is that there is a happy ending where dude gets that fine lookin’ barroom hussie and they ride of’n to the sunset a’sangin’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEqUyNaSdvg&feature=related
.
FFLEO,
Well, it’s a real problem for him … he’s always ridin’ into town, cleanin’ up the mess and ridin’ out again and you know women … you gotta date and date ’em, even marry ’em … and he’s a good guy!
Now we all know a good guy has to be confidant heterosexual and he’s a heterosexual but he’s also a 31 year old virgin so is he a confidant heterosexual? Hmmm … the plot thickens …
“…well, except for the 31 year old virgin part …”
You are something else, Ma’am!
Just to show you all how deep down shallow I really am … Rustler’s Rhapsody is my favorite flick. And FFLEO … I am certain that back in the day you were Rex O’Herlihan, the singing cowboy. Rent the movie … I bet you won’t disagree … well, except for the 31 year old virgin part …
FFLEO,
I think you’d like that movie. It would appeal to both your sense of humor and your inner-cowboy.
Swarthmore Mom,
I did notice both of those posts by Blouise. I am just trying to figure out how to respond since I play guitar, I do live on a chunk of land in the desert, I once had horses, I started a rodeo club in high school and rode bulls then and in college, but I do not think y’all would believe me if I said I thought I was a bit better lookin’ than that drugstore-lookin’ cowpoke and I think I sing a bit better too. Now, I will admit that out here in the desert I aint got no roots like that to knaw on ’cause the Jackrabbits get ’em first or the ones they don’t et up, the coyotes use as their urine scent posts. Lastly, I do not own no fancy boots or duds like that dude has.
BTW B_lou_eez, I aint seen that movie but it does look like fun.
Mike A.,
Thanks and well done on your description of the mess in Afghanistan.
Swarthmore mom,
It’s a great movie and nothing but fun … and thanks