I came across a story today that should put to rest any delusions about what the U.S. is doing for the people of Afghanistan. The article relates that the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan said that a U.S. Army division stormed their way through a hospital to search for insurgents late Wednesday evening. In the process these troops kicked down doors, tied up security guards and visitors, and forced patients out of beds. Before leaving they demanded that the hospital report any wounded insurgents that came seeking care Read Here. Â
The Army admits that the hospital was searched. What is at question is whether this search violated Geneva Conventions that states that hospitals, it workers, and patients be respected during combat operations. It is at question, the article goes on to inform, because it doesn't specify if this particular convention pertains to searches as well. This question over whether this was a violation would be laughable if it were not for the fact that this has been going on for eight years-searches and civilian deaths due to bombings.
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This is the war Obama has said over and over again is the right war-the one we should have been fighting all along to bring democracy to the Afghan people and most especially to liberate the women of Afghanistan from the oppressive theocratic rule of the Taliban. As we approach the anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan I think it is worth looking at what this war and occupation is really about and what a true horror it is for the people of Afghanistan. In October 2008, Larry Everest, writer for Revolution Newspaper, wrote a 3 part series called "A War for Empire: Not A Good War Gone Bad . It had nothing to do with keeping us safe from terrorism, ridding the land of Taliban rule, or liberating the women of Afghanistan Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 . And to really understand what the U.S. military presence has meant for the women of Afghanistan I encourage you to read his other piece, "Isn't the Taliban A Horror Women? So Shouldn't the U.S. Stay In Afghanistan? Read Here
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Friday will be eight years since that September day which many in this country say "changed everything . Well on the one hand if look you look at it from the perspective of what is being legitimated and codified by escalating the war in Afghanistan. What I mean to say is that what did not change was the U.S. conquest for Empire but what has changed is the extent to which our government will go to get us to along with these imperial crimes. The campaign and subsequent election of the first Black President came at a time when the empire needed a face lift to continue it's crimes, lest the already "Bush doctrine wary people really start screaming over things like torture and illegitimate wars/occupations. If you consider the barely audible peep over these crimes from the so called leadership of the anti-war movement, most of whom abandoned their principles as they jumped on the Obama bandwagon, the plan to quell unrest here is working. You can look at a commentary from Andrew Sullivan who was quite delighted and enamored with the Senator hailing from Illinois for further emphasis on what I'm saying Here.
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