GW ChickenHawk got the US into Afghanistan under the pretense of counter-terrorism. He did not tell us that his true intent was to wrest control of gas in the Stans (see map below) from Russia, by building a pipeline through Afghanistan to Karachi. He installed a Unocal employee as puppet President and committed the US to a war of nation building. Because that puppet, Hamid Karzai is so corrupt, that war is doomed to fail and Obama has been wrong to continue it.
Afghanistan is at risk of a deep financial crisis when foreign troops leave in 2014 if the United States is unable to overhaul its multibillion-dollar package of nation-building assistance, according to a congressional report that comes as President Barack Obama weighs the size and scope of the initial phase of a U.S. troop drawdown.
The report, completed over two years by Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the U.S. stabilization programs in Afghanistan have had limited success despite about $18.8 billion in U.S. foreign aid over 10 years – more than any other country, including Iraq.
Misspent foreign aid can result in corruption, alter markets and undercut the ability of the Kabul government to control its resources, said the report, which was posted Tuesday night on the Senate committee’s website. The World Bank found that a whopping 97 percent of the gross domestic product in Afghanistan is linked to spending by the international military and donor community.
"Afghanistan could suffer a severe economic depression when foreign troops leave in 2014 unless the proper planning begins now," the report said… [emphasis added]
inserted from <Huffington Post>
Realistically logistics dictate that if we start withdrawing troops now, bringing them and their equipment home will take between one and two years. The time to start is now.
Thinking back, I am reminded of LBJ, a wonderful President domestically, destroyed by not wanting top face the political heat of withdrawal from Vietnam. That was destroyed his Presidency and cost him a second term. I don’t want that to happen to Obama.
8 Responses to “Nation Building in Afghanistan Will Fail”
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We have to stop this idiotic “nation building”. Start the withdrawal now and supervise any aid given to them. Maybe Elizabeth Warren could oversee that?
Patty, I think Elizabeth lacks the necessary background in logistics. It would be like me supervising surgery.
The only time I can remember “nation building” working, was with Japan. That was a TOTALLY different situation. The only way “nation building” will work, is if we TOTALLY destroy not only a country’s military, but their society and culture also. Total oppression and dictating how to rebuild their country.
I agree, except that through the Marshall Plan we help rebuild Europe too. The Japanese cooperated. Imagine the problems we might have had had they instituted widespread guerrilla warfare against us.
The time has come , long ago really , to begin withdrawing– too many lives have been lost –give the country support and help to at least mend some of the damage done by war—
Amen!
The second we are out of there, the Taliban will be back and no amount of money can prevent that. 😥
Tis true. The question is, how many more lives and how many more dollars delaying the inevitable?