letters in a local paper echoing concerns over Afghanistan

Another military-industrial president in progressive garb
Bill Branyon | 12/30 | 12:00 AM | 7 Comments


The best possible spin on Obama's plan to kill thousands of ... Afghans is that he's a captive of our military-industrial complex. It may be political — and maybe personal — suicide to oppose the complex. The worst spin is that Obama believes that killing, maiming and impoverishing more people will create a friendlier Afghanistan. And that he's following Dick Cheney's scheme to establish American hegemony in many Middle Eastern countries, so that we can preserve our oil-based, ecology-killing, fast economic growth.

Regardless, Obama should know that any American-backed solution to Afghanistan's agony will be quickly demolished, should we ever withdraw our troops from there. Most Afghans hate us for the horrendous destruction and suffering we've inflicted upon their land. Our thousands of bunker-busting smart bombs, heartless predator drones and door-smashing house invasions have created a public-relations situation similar to the story told in Apocalypse Now, in which Americans inoculated a Vietnamese tribe against some disease but the villagers then cut off their arms. Those Afghans who smile for our cameras are doing so because we have our awesome arsenal pointed at their heads.

The sad truth is that we progressives who voted for Obama with fervent hope in our hearts actually voted for what in practice has become the latest disguise of the military-industrial complex. He is their black camouflage. And if you believe Obama's withdrawal promises, I have some bundled, sub-prime mortgages to sell you.

Perhaps what's left for progressives is to stage yet another march on Washington and try to symbolically wash our hands of Obama's bloodthirsty policies.

But for whom should we vote in 2012? Nader? Which means the Republicans might win and invade Iran, or worse. Maybe it's impossible to restrain our corporate/Pentagon overlords. But we might as well keep working at it because it's the only meaningful politics around.

— Bill Branyon
Asheville


Talking peace, preparing for war
Eileen Walkenstein | 12/30 | 12:00 AM | 2 Comments

The juxtaposition of President Obama's receiving a Nobel Prize for peace and his decision to continue the war in Afghanistan and send 30,000 more troops there brought to my mind one of Berthold Brecht's searing statements:

"When the generals talk peace, they are preparing for war."

— Eileen Walkenstein
Asheville

http://www.mountainx.com/opinion/letters.php

and I will not support any military action in Afghanistan, nor anywhere else.