Listen to a reading of this article: ❖ I love how everyone's just pretending the Afghanistan Papers never happened and the Taliban takeover is some kind of shocking tragedy instead of the thing everyone knew would happen because they've been knowingly lying about working to create a stable government this entire time.
Was checking out at Home Depot awhile back and they asked me if I qualified for a veteran's discount. I told them I protested the Vietnam war in D.C., does that count? Meeting silence, I continued: "Why should guys who fought that idiotic war get rewarded instead of those of us who tied to stop it?" I don't know if I made anyone think that day, but I was always glad I said it.
But it is only "some". I mean the generals that aren't taking responsibility for what is happening in Afghanistan today are also veterans. The US military can be compared to a religious cult that few escape with their mental health intact. Even the ones who were turned into bullies have been"molded" into something they would not have been.
Another gem. You have such a succinct way of calling things as they are. These topics are avoided or traversed as though they are so complicated with many variables but you just cut straight to the heart of the matter - Thanks Caitlin.
Caitlin is dead on target, including her put-down of the MSM who are quite content to parrot DC propaganda or suffer eternal harassment from officials. Afghanistan repeats the same mistakes we made in Vietnam which derailed the lives and careers of draftees like me and many of my peers just as it has volunteer service members of today. Google Danny Sjursen to learn more. Biden is trying so hard to avoid a photo similar to the embassy evacuation of Saigon. Except for Afghani's who we paid well to work for us, they generally hate westerners. Read some history books about the British occupation or the Russians.
The Afghan military was a scam to get free stuff from the USA - pay, clothing, guns, vehicles. That is what motivated the South Vietnamese military too. They were fine with returning to civilian life. It was mostly a paper military and I am sure our people on the ground there know it to be true just as my generation knew it in the early 70s. It would not surprise me to learn that Biden was made aware of all that but realized there was no graceful exit - there never is.
im from iraq and I enjoyed reading your article and you were spot on evey single word of ypur article.....I must say this world is corrupt and the entire planet needs a serious overhaul
There was one reason for the US funding the Mujahadin and then invading Afghanistan. The incredible mineral wealth discovered by Russian geologists for the socialist Afghan government.
As soon as they invaded, US geologists were all over the place checking on the original geological surveys. I suspect the US would have exploited those resources if it could have won the war, but affter deciding that the terrain was just too difficult for complete control, they opted for their second choice - preventing anyone else such as the Afghans themselves from profiting from them.
Lots of lithium there for sure. On a somewhat related note, the Taliban -- whatever their many faults -- cracked down on the opium fields Afghanistan is famous for. After the Americans arrived, vast opiate epidemic in Europe and America. I've seen no facts to back up the connection but the timing itself is suspicious as hell.
Riff, wasn't there also a suspicion that heroin on the streets of black neighbourhoods in the US during the Vietnam war was a result of US military airlifting opium from Vietnam and sending it back to the US and covertly distributing it as a deliberate policy to weaken black communities who were seen as a threat re: The Civil rights movement?
Right. Way more than a suspicion. The CIA loves having unlimited off-book funding away from the pesky oversight eyes of congress, as lame as that is these days, and if that means empowering so-called terrorists or drug cartels, then so be it. It's all for the greater good, as they see it. We saw the same thing with cocaine in Central America with the Contras in the 80s and I'm certain these behaviors haven't magically stopped.
Here's the thing, even without any suspicions: The American military with all their resources and toys have been there for 20 years and Afghanistan is a major source of opiates. If they couldn't stop the flow drugs after all this time, then that alone is reason enough to yank their "incompetent" asses out of there, and I use that term in its most ironic form possible.
GW destroyed the Afghani underground railroad for women. RAWA had secret routes in and out of Pakistan to help women escape. They begged GW not to invade, that they, RAWA, knew Osama was in Pakistan and because of their work they could deliver Bin Laden to him. Beg the question: Why did they not work with RAWA and Pakistan more closely?
GW and HRC love women so much, they invaded and do not take the advice of those saving women's lives. These routes that took decades to build, were destroyed.
Was it any wonder Bin Laden was found in plain sight?
I was member of Women in Black FOREVER, did regular vigils, got informed. this is little known history that got buried. So, when HRC, GW, and the others were feigning AGAIN that they GAF about the women, I just screamed. How much disingenuous BS can they shovel?
See:
Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan - GW destroyed them.
America actually welcomed the Taliban since INception. I'm not just talking about the Charlie Wilson affair, but also Bill Clinton in his presidency, on the record, for a brief moment before realizing the (the golden boy) had "F-d" up, officially cheered and welcomed the Taliban in the days before the Air India hijacking in y2k.
My guess is, the US welcomes this present development with ulterior motive, despite the theater they play on the "news", as a tool in their other mid east obsession: Iran.
Was checking out at Home Depot awhile back and they asked me if I qualified for a veteran's discount. I told them I protested the Vietnam war in D.C., does that count? Meeting silence, I continued: "Why should guys who fought that idiotic war get rewarded instead of those of us who tied to stop it?" I don't know if I made anyone think that day, but I was always glad I said it.
I’m glad you did too. The sick look on some veteran’s faces when someone says the cliched ”Thank you for your service”, says it all.
But it is only "some". I mean the generals that aren't taking responsibility for what is happening in Afghanistan today are also veterans. The US military can be compared to a religious cult that few escape with their mental health intact. Even the ones who were turned into bullies have been"molded" into something they would not have been.
Another gem. You have such a succinct way of calling things as they are. These topics are avoided or traversed as though they are so complicated with many variables but you just cut straight to the heart of the matter - Thanks Caitlin.
Caitlin is dead on target, including her put-down of the MSM who are quite content to parrot DC propaganda or suffer eternal harassment from officials. Afghanistan repeats the same mistakes we made in Vietnam which derailed the lives and careers of draftees like me and many of my peers just as it has volunteer service members of today. Google Danny Sjursen to learn more. Biden is trying so hard to avoid a photo similar to the embassy evacuation of Saigon. Except for Afghani's who we paid well to work for us, they generally hate westerners. Read some history books about the British occupation or the Russians.
The Afghan military was a scam to get free stuff from the USA - pay, clothing, guns, vehicles. That is what motivated the South Vietnamese military too. They were fine with returning to civilian life. It was mostly a paper military and I am sure our people on the ground there know it to be true just as my generation knew it in the early 70s. It would not surprise me to learn that Biden was made aware of all that but realized there was no graceful exit - there never is.
im from iraq and I enjoyed reading your article and you were spot on evey single word of ypur article.....I must say this world is corrupt and the entire planet needs a serious overhaul
JFK had a withdrawal plan for Vietnam, despite what Chomsky and Establishment historians have claimed. Look where it got him. See here: https://sites.google.com/site/michaeldavidmorrissey/essays/2019-01-26-vietnam-how-they-played-us
And FDR was murdered because he wasn't going to drop the bomb: https://www.criminalelement.com/the-murder-of-franklin-delano-roosevelt-tony-hays/
Not cool to piggyback off of Caitlin's audience to advertise your own, ah, work. Not cool at all.
Not quite as bad as linking to a site that won't allow us to see the essay. ;-)
There was one reason for the US funding the Mujahadin and then invading Afghanistan. The incredible mineral wealth discovered by Russian geologists for the socialist Afghan government.
As soon as they invaded, US geologists were all over the place checking on the original geological surveys. I suspect the US would have exploited those resources if it could have won the war, but affter deciding that the terrain was just too difficult for complete control, they opted for their second choice - preventing anyone else such as the Afghans themselves from profiting from them.
Lots of lithium there for sure. On a somewhat related note, the Taliban -- whatever their many faults -- cracked down on the opium fields Afghanistan is famous for. After the Americans arrived, vast opiate epidemic in Europe and America. I've seen no facts to back up the connection but the timing itself is suspicious as hell.
The many photos of US soldiers guarding opium fields is evidence.
What a fun morning: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K4EX25OVyGw/TtdwXGaeGdI/AAAAAAAAMl0/r7Mq6NQDf6A/s1600/ACFB9.jpg
Riff, wasn't there also a suspicion that heroin on the streets of black neighbourhoods in the US during the Vietnam war was a result of US military airlifting opium from Vietnam and sending it back to the US and covertly distributing it as a deliberate policy to weaken black communities who were seen as a threat re: The Civil rights movement?
Right. Way more than a suspicion. The CIA loves having unlimited off-book funding away from the pesky oversight eyes of congress, as lame as that is these days, and if that means empowering so-called terrorists or drug cartels, then so be it. It's all for the greater good, as they see it. We saw the same thing with cocaine in Central America with the Contras in the 80s and I'm certain these behaviors haven't magically stopped.
Here's the thing, even without any suspicions: The American military with all their resources and toys have been there for 20 years and Afghanistan is a major source of opiates. If they couldn't stop the flow drugs after all this time, then that alone is reason enough to yank their "incompetent" asses out of there, and I use that term in its most ironic form possible.
*the flow of drugs. Dang, Caitlin, I hate having no edit button. ;-}
or being unable to post images like US soldiers guarding opium crops in Afghanistan.
Gary Webb's book Dark Alliance: https://archive.org/details/dark_alliance_original_series-gary_webb_cia_cocaine
Funny isn't it how this dovetailed with Biden's crime bill he was so proud of.
GW destroyed the Afghani underground railroad for women. RAWA had secret routes in and out of Pakistan to help women escape. They begged GW not to invade, that they, RAWA, knew Osama was in Pakistan and because of their work they could deliver Bin Laden to him. Beg the question: Why did they not work with RAWA and Pakistan more closely?
GW and HRC love women so much, they invaded and do not take the advice of those saving women's lives. These routes that took decades to build, were destroyed.
Was it any wonder Bin Laden was found in plain sight?
I was member of Women in Black FOREVER, did regular vigils, got informed. this is little known history that got buried. So, when HRC, GW, and the others were feigning AGAIN that they GAF about the women, I just screamed. How much disingenuous BS can they shovel?
See:
Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan - GW destroyed them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/.../Revolutionary_Association_of...
Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan - Wikipedia
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG
https://www.liberationnews.org/using-womens-rights-to-html/
Using ‘women’s rights’ to wage war
America actually welcomed the Taliban since INception. I'm not just talking about the Charlie Wilson affair, but also Bill Clinton in his presidency, on the record, for a brief moment before realizing the (the golden boy) had "F-d" up, officially cheered and welcomed the Taliban in the days before the Air India hijacking in y2k.
My guess is, the US welcomes this present development with ulterior motive, despite the theater they play on the "news", as a tool in their other mid east obsession: Iran.
Do you remember? https://twitter.com/PauloFilho_90/status/1426906438576840705?s=20