This is the eleventh year of the
U.S. occupation of Afghanistan, the longest running war in U.S. history.
Tens of thousands of Afghan people
have been killed or wounded, along with thousands of U.S. troops. There are still
100,000 U.S. soldiers there, sent to kill and be killed—and for what?
They are aimed at keeping this geostrategic
region in the hands of the same tiny group of bankers, billionaires and CEOs that
are destroying the lives of millions of people in the United States. At a time when
health, education and other vital government programs are being slashed or eliminated,
the war devours $330 million per day.
The leading Republican and Democratic
candidates repeat the same myths about the Afghanistan war. Below are eight of the
most common myths and their reality.
Myth 1 — They attacked us on 9/11.
We are fighting in self-defense.
First of all, none of the 19 hijackers
that took part in 9/11 were from Afghanistan or Iraq. Secondly, the people of Afghanistan—the
greatest victims of this war—have no relationship whatsoever to 9/11. Afghanistan
is one of the poorest countries in the world and as a nation never posed any threat
to the United States.
Myth 2 — This is a war to defeat Al-Qaeda.
Al-Qaeda, an international fundamentalist
organization, has almost no presence in Afghanistan. When asked about the number
of Al-Qaeda members in Afghanistan, CIA Director Leon Panetta admitted, “At most,
we’re looking at 50 to 100, maybe less.”
Myth 3 — This is a war to defeat the Taliban.
The Pentagon’s entire strategy is
aimed not at defeating the Taliban, but at cutting a deal with some of its leaders
to maintain the illusion of U.S. invincibility. The Pentagon is making soldiers
fight so U.S. negotiators can gain the upper-hand at the bargaining table. The bodies
of U.S. troops and Afghan civilians are the bargaining chips.
Myth 4 — The “insurgents” are driven by religious fundamentalism.
An Afghanistan public opinion poll
in 2010 revealed that the “most important reason young men are joining the Taliban”
is the foreign occupation of their country. Another 33 percent join because there
are no jobs. “Ideology” and “religion” were not significant factors.
Myth 5 — This is a war to defend women.
Since the occupation began, there
has been a 50 percent increase in suicide attempts among Afghan women and girls.
In 2009, the U.S.-puppet regime approved a law that permits marital rape and requires
a woman to get her husband’s permission to work.
Myth 6 — The U.S. government wants to spread “freedom.”
If Washington truly supported democracy,
it would not be propping up the brutal Saudi monarchy and the Israeli apartheid
state, or supporting the suppression of protesters in Bahrain and Yemen. The U.S.
government only takes military action to forward the interests of Big Oil, Wall
Street bankers and massive corporations.
Myth 7 — The war is “winding down.”
This August, U.S. combat deaths
in Afghanistan broke a new record making it the deadliest month since the 10-year
occupation began. Although withdrawals have been promised, General David Petraeus
said, “This is the kind of fight we’re in for the rest of our lives and probably
our kids’ lives.”
Myth 8 — Afghanistan is being “stabilized.”
Speaking about Afghanistan, General
Petraeus said, “You have to recognize that I don’t think you win this war.” According
to official military estimates, there are 1,800 different resistance organizations
in Afghanistan fighting the occupation. The Afghan people see the U.S. presence
as a brutal occupation by a foreign invader and will never accept such domination.
