57 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 20 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds    H2'ed 7/12/11

Has U.S. Foreign Policy Ever Been Such a Mess?

By       (Page 1 of 2 pages)   1 comment
Message Kevin Zeese
Become a Fan
  (63 fans)

Multiple Wars are Symptoms of the Need to Escape the Quagmire of Empire

 

By Kevin Zeese

 

I can't remember a time when the U.S. military has been stuck in so many war quagmires at once. Libya seems destined to fail unless the U.S. gets a lucky shot and kills Gaddafi. U.S. militarists are openly maneuvering to stay in Iraq -- the war Obama told us was over. Relations with nuclear-armed Pakistan are at their lowest levels ever.   And, Afghanistan is getting worse with Obama's minimal, slow withdrawal looking more like staying than leaving.

 

The new Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate, is making his first trip to the war fronts and letting it be known that the U.S. is staying, not leaving. The Wall Street Journal headline said it clearly, Panetta Slips Up on Troop Withdrawal from Afghanistan, and highlights Panetta saying at a press conference "We're going to have 70,000 there through 2014." This is inconsistent with President Obama's stated plan of being down to 70,000 troops next summer and continuing to draw down from there.

 

In Iraq, the New York Times reported Panetta as saying he expected the U.S. to have "an enduring presence" in the region while pushing the Iraqi government to "invite" U.S. forces to stay beyond 2011.   Panetta, echoed the Bush administration when he told U.S. troops in Iraq that we were there because of 9/11 (when U.S. intelligence reports Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11). He later clarified the remark by making it worse saying "we really had to deal with Al Qaeda here." Of course, there was no Al Qaeda in Iraq until the U.S. invaded.   Last month 15 American troops died making June the bloodiest month for American combat-related fatalities since the Bush administration in June 2008. This in the war where Obama told us combat was over.

 

Pakistan has become a major foreign policy problem for the U.S.   The relationship has been on a downward spiral ever since the CIA led drone war got going under Commander-in-Chief Obama.   Then, the arrest of CIA hired Blackwater agent Raymond Davis for killing two Pakistanis -- who Obama falsely told Pakistanis and the American people was a diplomat -- added to the crisis in the Pakistan-U.S. relationship.   That mess resulted in hundreds of CIA agents being required to leave the country.   Panetta was head of the CIA at the time of those blunders and left unable to fix the situation. Finally, the reported killing of Osama bin Laden has made the relationship even worse, with Pakistan expelling US military trainers from the country and limiting the ability of US diplomats and other officials to get visas. The crisis culminated this week in the U.S. withholding $600 million in military funds to Pakistan.

 

Without the Pakistan supply lines the Afghanistan war becomes more difficult and expensive to fight.   And, it has become evident that when the chorus of politicians and corporate media in Washington was recently singing about the success of the Obama surge and the need to protect U.S. gains, they were deluded or lying.   Since then, the Taliban showed they could successfully attack one of the most guarded hotels in the country, the highly-protected Inter-Continental Hotel in Kabul. And, this week they showed they can kill one of the most guarded people in Afghanistan, President Karzai's brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, a notorious governor in Southern Afghanistan.

 

The bad news continues, Libya the war that was supposed to last "days not weeks" is now in its fifth month. Gaddafi has survived assassination attacks against him, mass demonstrations of support have been seen and now NATO seems divided on how to continue.   There are reports of people dancing in the streets of Tripoli as they see victory with peace talks beginning and bombing slowing.   What seems to be occurring is NATO countries are trying to find a way out of war that cannot succeed in changing the regime in Libya.

 

Next Page  1  |  2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Well Said 3   Valuable 3   Supported 2  
Rate It | View Ratings

Kevin Zeese Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Kevin Zeese is co-chair of Come Home America, www.ComeHomeAmerica.US which seeks to end U.S. militarism and empire. He is also co-director of Its Our Economy, www.ItsOurEconomy.US which seeks to democratize the economy and give people greater (more...)
 
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Why I Was Among Eight Health Care Advocates to Get Arrested in the Senate Yesterday

The Seeds of Rebellion Are Taking Root, and Protests Against Injustices Are Blooming Across the Country

BREAKING NEWS: BIG BREAKTHROUGHS FOR SINGLE PAYER HEALTH CARE

Ron Paul Press Conference Unifies Third Party and Independent Candidates Around Four Key Positions

Paperless Electronic Voting Machines Flipping Votes from Obama to McCain in West Virginia

Max Baucus Should Not Be Deciding Health Care for America

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend