As the Obama Administration objects to the Russian government selling attack helicopters to Syria in the midst of that civil war, another deal to buy the same Russian helicopters has surfaced: our own contract to buy Russian copters for the Afghan military from the same country. I share the disgust over Putin’s continued support for the Assad regime, but I am equally dismayed by Obama’s continuing to spend billions on the corrupt Karzai government to use in its own civil war.
Press secretary George Little insists that “We’re not buying helicopters for the Syrian regime. We’re buying helicopters in support of the Afghan Air Force.” That can be a precious distinction to some. However, I am more aggrieved by the fact that there is little debate over these contracts that continue to gush billions of dollars that are desperately needed at home to help with cash-strapped states and cities. In this one contract, we have agreed to buy 21 Mi-17 helicopters for Afghanistan from the Rosoboronexport company for $375 million by 2016, with an option to buy additional aircraft worth $550 million. The greatest irony is that not only will the money not go to American manufacturers but it will guarantee that future sales are likely to go to the Russians as these helicopters and existing helicopters require maintenance and spare parts.
I cannot express how frustrating it is to see our leaders continuing to spend such money in a war that the majority of Americans no longer support and in a country where anti-American sentiments are growing and whole areas are now back in the hands of the Taliban. We continue to spend huge amounts of money on this corrupt regime as we roll back on educational, scientific, and environmental programs. It is perfectly insane.
Source:
US FUNDS THE TALIBAN????
One of the most important issues today is the war in Afghanistan-Pakistan and the fact that US
Military Aid to Pakistan is being used to fund the Pakistani ISI which is in turn funding Taliban
and Al Quada fighters. While this has been reported sporadically in the media for whatever
reason political pundits on the left and right have effectively ignored this issue.
Joe Klein in an article for Time, August 9, 2010, p. 19, has written an article that every American
citizen should go to their library and read, he writes,
“The commanders are unanimous in their belief that the ISI is running the show….And so,
despite professions of alliance with the US by Pakistan’s then dictator Pervez Musharraf, a
decision was made to keep the Taliban alive. A spigot of untargeted military aid from the George
W. Bush Administration helped fund the effort. A commander of the vicious Haqqani Taliban
network tells Waldman that their funding comes from ‘the Americans–from them to the
Pakistani military, and then to us.’ Waldman reports that the commander receives from the
Pakistanis ‘a reward for killing foreign soldiers, usually $4000 to $5000 for each soldier killed'”.
American tax dollars if not directly, then indirectly are being used to fund the Taliban and put
a bounty on American boys and girls head… Makes one wonder why the establishment right
or left is not reporting on this? If the right is covering for
the mistakes of the Bush administration…why is the establishment left not reporting on this???
…this is the most important issue of the day…we will never win a war where if not directly then
indirectly the US is funding the opposition!!!!
woody voinche
I like Pat Robertson…you dont have to agree with him on everything, but many times he is right…the George Bush New World Order comment was quoted by many other sources and Green Light Diplomacy has been used by Democratic and Republican administrations to further hidden agendas…and short term objectives in the region…i have also quoted Newsweek, the New York Times, the New Yorker, etc. to document other points i have made….Thanks
Woody,
You’re quoting Pat Robertson, the psychotic televangelist?
“(T)he feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians.”
That Pat Robertson? Are you writing satire?
MIDEAST CHESSBOARD
by Woody Voinche
This book is an overview of the major events that have
contributed to the history of three major countries in the
mideast: Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan. From the coup d’etat
that brought about the downfall of Mossadeq and the rise
to power of the Shah of Iran; to the arming of the Shah and
his final downfall(with Iranian Air Force General Rabii telling his
Judges "General Huyser threw the Shah out of the country
like a dead mouse."); the hostage crisis in Iran and the use
of this event by both Republican and Democratic groups in
what became known as the October Surprise; the rise and
arming of Saddam Hussein and the part played by western
interests; the US support of the mujahadeen in Afghanistan
and the role played by Bin Laden and other Islamists culminating
in the breakup of the Soviet Union; the Islamist group on
the periphery of the Alkifah Refugee center in New York and
the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; the events leading up
to 911 and the evidence suggesting the Intelligence agencies
had advanced knowledge of this event; And the evidence that
US forces have had the opportunity to eliinate top al Qaeda
and Taliban forces in Afghanistan and Iraq but for whatever
reason have failed to do this…
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=woody+voinche&x=14&y=18
No Win War???
The New American for November 9, 2009, has an interesting article on General Barry McCaffrey’s statement that the US “faces 10 more years of war in Afghanistan” and that the US should “focus upon a long and expensive nation-building process for Afghanistan’s tribal culture.” There seems to be a mindset in the establishment for the US to maintain a long term presence in the MidEast.
For a long time, the US has operated in the region through hidden agendas. In his book, The New World Order, Mr. Pat Robertson, states that George Bush 1 suggested that the fate of Kuwait was not the main issue, “launching the New World Order was the main thing.” Mr. Robertson further writes, “By words and by silence, the United States flashed Saddam Hussein a green light” … to move into Kuwait and suggests this was used as a pretext for the 1st Gulf War…the implication is that Saddam was entraped with Green Light Diplomacy but there was a much larger agenda(hidden) for moving against Hussein………..
For the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the evidence suggests that the US and its allies are not doing all that can be done to win this war and there is some agenda for prolonging this conflict.
The Advocate quotes Hillary Clinton(Dec. 7, 2009, p. 5A), stating it is “hard to believe” that no one in Islamabad knows where the al-Qaida leaders are hiding and couldn’t get them “if they really wanted to.”
In the aftermath of 9.11, the bombing of the wrong escape route out of Afghanistan into Pakistan and the nighttime airlift by the US of the Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives that were allowed to escape(The New Yorker, Jan 28, 2002, p. 36); Gary Berntsen, the head of the CIAs team at Tora Bora said they tracked bin Laden and (he) “…could have been caught.”(Newsweek, Aug 15, 2005, p. 5); There is evidence that the Pakistani ISI is funding the Taliban and knows where they live but dont arrest them.(Time, Nov. 29, 2004, p. 44)
There is a strategy by the Pakistani government “…which pays tribes and insurgent networks to attack each other with a goal of preventing any one group from getting too strong”.(US News, Oct 13/Oct 20, 2008, p. 24)(a strategy used by the Brits) Pakistani Ambassador, Haqqani presents evidence in his book that the Pakistani military and ISI make “…the pretense of arresting militants in order to get funds from Washinton. But it never shut down the networks.”(Newsweek, May 11/May 18, 2009, p. 29)
The CIA never takes a junior partner role with any of these groups and we have to assume wants this to continue. The New York Times(Oct. 27, 2009) reports that Karzai’s brother is on the CIAs payroll and is a suspected player in the opium trade which finances the Taliban.
All of this only contributes to a more chaotic situation which feeds a hidden agenda for a “no win war” and prolonged conflict at the expense of American boys and girls lives!!
woody voinche
Elsie, Trust me, I did not vote for or ever support Obama. I’ve been speaking truthfully about him for years. He isn’t for women’s or gay rights either. Don’t be so ready to believe election year propaganda about that! Lies are very think and information is very thin right now, just the opposite of what you said.
I’m always struck by the idea that because injustice has occurred in the past we should not worry about it in the present. That makes absolutely no sense. We must address the injustice that is present. That is injustice we are able to do something about, right now!
Lottakatz, love your kitty! Thanks for filling me in on the trade pact.
JT, please write about the court’s ruling against habeas corpus.
Ehh,
“I think the Afghans prefer the Russian helicopters because the Russian helicopters have a much better reputation for reliability than the American ones.”
—————-
All Russian machines are very reliable—-except for vacumm cleaners, dishwashers, food mixers, laundry macines, etc. Try’em and see.
It was the military who could kill if the design failed, who go the reliable desiges
Jill, some of the terms in the new trade pact are amazing. The ones that supersede national law in favor of an independent commission decision are essentially the same as the the clauses in contracts with employers and manufacturers that limit the resolution of disputes and claims to binding arbitration. With this trade agreement corporations effectively exempt themselves from obeying a nations laws. It will no doubt save them some money since they won’t have to pay Congress (by lobbying) for reducing regulations.
I don’t understand why somebody like Jill is appalled at the rot in the leadership of this country right now. I see amorality as always having been part of the government(s) but it’s easier now to learn more about it. To the great dismay of my liberal friends I predicted that Pres. Obama wasn’t ‘their’ guy, except maybe on some issues like gay rights and abortion. As a human rights activist I am very upset it took this long to question the president’s decisions about Afghanistan, Guantanamo, Bagram detention center near Kabul, his virtual silence about the rights of Afghan women, his support to overthrow Gadaffi and the way it was done (killing civilians), the increase in drone attacks, his silence on the Wisconsin recall election and much more. Pres. Obama should NEVER have received the Nobel Peace Prize for starters. He should simply return it.
I think the Afghans prefer the Russian helicopters because the Russian helicopters have a much better reputation for reliability than the American ones. Of course, I hate America for daring to imply that our military procurement system may not be perfect.
GREED HAS NO PATRIOTS NOR BORDERS…… me