Here is the beginning of Arnold Ahlert\’s excellent, insightful, factual….and virtually ignored by most mainstream media…reality check on the “ending” of the war in Afghanistan:
OnChristmas Day at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, followed by a White Housepressrelease on Dec. 28, President Obama announcedthe end of the war in Afghanistan. “We\’ve been in continuous warnow for almost thirteen years-over 13 years,” he said, “andnext week we will be ending our combat mission in Afghanistan.Obviously, because of the extraordinary service of the men and womenin the American armed forces, Afghanistan has a chance to rebuild itsown country. We are safer. It\’s not going to be a source ofterrorist attacks again,” he added.
Ifthat message sounds familiar, it\’s because virtually the samemessage was delivered on Dec. 14, 2011 at Fort Bragg, NC. That\’swhen Obama announced that “America\’s war in Iraq will be over”and that “we\’re leaving behind a sovereign, stable andself-reliant” nation. That would be the same Iraq where, swiftlyafter Obama\’s precipitous military withdrawal, Islamic militantsembarked on a barbaric campaign of terror, seizing large swaths ofIraqi territory and wiping out much of the security gains achievedthrough the loss of thousands of American lives in that country.
American troops decisively won the war in Iraq. And just as decisively, Obama (threw) that victory away.
Is Mr. Ahlert correct?
Well, are you happy with the way Iraq turned out? Do you remember that when President Bush left office it was an incipient democracy that had freely elected leaders and there was at least some minimal hope that its three main factions, Sunni, Shi\’ite and Kurdish, could live together in peace?
That is now ancient history. In the absence of any significant US military presence, the “jayvee” squad, as President Obama called ISIS just a year ago, is in control of much of the country. The three factions are not in any way living peacefully and the country teeters on the brink of collapsing altogether.
But at least it won\’t be alone. The taliban – which President Bush drove out of Kabul -is enjoying a major resurgence during Obama\’s term of office, and is poised to take Afghanistan back.
Who will stop them? Barack Obama? Do you think his name makes them tremble with fear? Or shake with laughter?
Two more years of this nightmare. Let\’s hope we can hang on for dear life.
