the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Jun 16, 2008
Even more than Iraq, the war in Afghanistan has been virtually ignored by the news media in recent months.
They’d like us to forget that the U.S. has 28,000 troops in the country, and that the number is increasing to 32,000 over this summer. In total, over 65,000 international troops are stationed in the country right now–and yet, the government of the U.S. puppet, Hamid Karzai, barely controls the capital of Kabul. Civilians continue to suffer; even the U.S. admits that over 500 civilians were killed in the first five months of 2008. But given the way the warlords control most of the country, no one can have any idea of what is happening in most areas.
The U.S. war in Afghanistan has just as little to do with ending terrorism as the war in Iraq does. But for seven long years, the Afghan people have been suffering the results of a terrorist war–carried out by the U.S. against them.
The people of Afghanistan had nothing to do with the terrorist attack on 9/11, any more than the people of Iraq did. But just like the people of Iraq, the people of Afghanistan are being made to pay so that the U.S. can flex its muscle around the world.
This war, like the war in Iraq, was planned and carried out by the Bush administration–but it was wholeheartedly supported by the votes of both parties in Congress.
So what can we expect from the presidential candidates of these two parties in this election?
John McCain, of course, backs the war in Afghanistan, just as he supports the war in Iraq. He states openly that he would continue to do so as president.
But Barack Obama is no better–and in some ways, he’s worse. According to him, the problem in Afghanistan–is that there need to be MORE troops there. His proposed Iraq De-escalation Act of 2007 stated directly that troops pulled out of Iraq should be redeployed to Afghanistan.
This war has been carried out–quietly, but murderously–for almost seven years now, seven years of catastrophe for the Afghani population.
We can’t wait on elections to demand an end to it.