Obama came into office saying he would get the troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan. I think I remember him saying he wanted justice for all the dead troops. I think, I'm not too sure. I too heard him say things he didn't do. Guantanamo ticked the first box. I though did not think he would change the world, by then socialism had already seeped into my brain and I knew well parliament would get us nowhere. Behind those smiling faces are hands that prop up those arched backs. Politicians are skeletons with no spirit, no muscle, no feeling behind that smile. Yes, I too recur to puppet imagery when it comes to talking about politicians, surely we can find another metaphor? How does Legomen sound? Always anchored in place for the right photo, always smiling and always looking ever-so-smart! But hollow.
Anyhow, the case is Obama is pulling the troops out of Afghanistan. They won't come out straight away, 10.000 by the end of this year, an extra 33.000 next year and then there are another 57.000 who will come out later. Later, unspecified. I'm in favour of the withdrawal of course, Obama though says it is now time for "nation-building" and is calling it a victory. Don't be dumbfounded, the US has gained nothing from this conflict but blood stained hands- and lets not forget, helped find some precious minerals (the rights to mine have probably landed on American tables). And I am seriously concerned to know what anyone can mean when calling armed soldiers "nation builders". Who's nation? What colour?
Karzai, a puppet alas with strings still visible, showed himself grateful to the US and concluded saying Afghans have gained "control of their own land". Afghans though fear the status quo in Afghanistan and say the US is leaving a country not only torn by but still at war. Afghanistan is in a worse state than what it was; there is now more corruption, less democracy and women can be sprayed with acid if they are brave enough to show their faces. The allied powers went into Afghanistan and excused the war by telling us they were going to improve these three issues. They haven't. It's a black hole in to which green notes are still being dropped. Brown University pronosticates a total expenditure of $4.400.000.000.000.
The taliban aren't being kind enough when they say there has been no progress. The taliban now effectively control almost all of Afganistan but Kabul and the American public believes that the Taliban will end up usurping power. But that doesn't matter, the US has won! They are in a "position of strength" according to Obama. Since Obama took office, more than 800 Americans have died in Afghanistan, the total number of coalition deaths in ten years amounts to almost 2600. The number of dead women, children and men are unaccounted for. The poverty on the streets, the empty fields, burnt books, burnt classrooms... All these will take longer to measure. Obama has left a war-ravaged country already, ravaged by more war, torn with inequality and with more corruption than ever before. If this is a victory, I must have my priorities wrong.
The only reason he is leaving is because he promised he'd get the troops out. He has now brushed his hands and is off to the White House again. As a side point, the White House has 132 rooms, if an Afghani family of say 8 was to fit into each of these rooms, we could house more than a thousand Afghanis, right next to Barrack and his dog! Obama no longer has time for Afganis, let alone poor ones! He has the elections coming up. Technically he is getting the troops out, after a long two-year killing spree, they are returning just on time to fulfil his promise. This is all it is, an electoral promise to apease enough voters to vote for him. From here he will have another 4 years, where to next? Where is the next oil-drunken spree?
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