Krause: A voice of hope from America
PakistanPal
I find it heartening, indeed, when so many voices in America are
clamouring for a troop "surge" to bring about that "big win" in
Afghanistan, a win so many us know will only end is destabilization
and disaster, that there are still voices of reason. This voice is
from Iowa, an area of America's heartland known for agriculture and
good common sense. The voice from Iowa is that of candidate for the
United States Senate, Bob Krause. Bob Krause knows security isn't
winning or losing but building confidence in America, a confidence
shaken by years of senseless adventure and a shortage of common sense.
As reported, addressing Democrats at the Iowa Democratic Party's
annual Jefferson Jackson Day dinner on Saturday night, Bob Krause took
the lead, who became the first candidate for the U.S. Senate race to
call for a drawdown of troops in Afghanistan.
"It is my view as a retired military officer and a student of military
strategy that we need to disengage from Afghanistan because what we
are doing is not strategically sustainable," Krause told the crowd at
a rally following the keynote speech by Vice President Joe Biden. This
message was well received by the audience.
"We are in direct danger of committing our remaining uncommitted
national reserve of troops so that we have nothing left for
emergencies," Krause explained. "Further, I seriously doubt that we
need to keep the Taliban at bay in Afghanistan to secure our national
security. We are putting large numbers of U.S. and foreign troops in
the land that invented xenophobia. Unfortunately this troop insertion
stirs the pot and makes the situation much worse than it needs to be."
Elaborating more on the issue, Krause said, "I hope that, when
President Obama makes his troop strength decision after Thanksgiving,
he does not accept the advice of the neoconservatives, and instead
does the prudent thing and closes out this war that former President
Bush lost through inaction several years ago."
In extended remarks after the speech, Krause added, "Joe Biden in
right on this one. We are spending $60 billion per year in the war in
Afghanistan and 2 billion on Pakistan, even though Pakistan is
strategically more important to us."
Krause, very rightly has said that "Pakistan is more important to the
US," Pakistan has been ally of America all along the cold war era.
People of Pakistan have always wanted very cordial and friendly
relations that was fully endorsed by the people when President
Eisenhower stopped over in Karachi on his journey to some country in
the region, also when Vice President Johnson visited Pakistan on a
state visit
.
People had thronged the roads from Karachi Airport to the State Guest
House where he stayed. But the US, U turns based on Kissinger
doctrines disillusioned the nation when in 1971 Pakistan was left
under the Indian knife.
During the Johnson visit, he was so moved by the rousing reception
that enroute he stopped his car, came out and mingled with the people.
There, randomly he invited Bashir Ahmed, a camel cart driver to the US
as a state guest. Bashir came back as an ambassador of goodwill.
President Johnson presented Bashir a truck as a personal gift. Bashir
gave up his camels and began a transportation business.
President Johnson also gave Bashir money to fund scholarships for
students at a small school close to Bashir's home. I was a student at
that school. It is something all of us have remembered all our lives,
something about America. To us, America meant hope.
Obama administration certainly needs to review its policies with an
independent mind and consult with people like Joe Biden and Krause who
have better understanding of the region than some of the Pentagon's
military advisors.
Seemingly tied to the failures of the Bush administration, calling
for, not only a "surge" but building a massive Afghan army which would
never have the capability nor intent to fight a Pashtun based Taliban
is folly. The neo-cons are bent upon taking to the US on its worst
path of destruction. Whose agenda are they following needs a deep
study within more sober and balanced minds, minds that base decisions
on reality and fact and not rumour and influence.
Krause's observation, "If the Pakistanis can control the Pashtuns
within their own borders, it will have a very positive spin-off effect
on the Pashtun nation in Afghanistan," has lot of substance; it needs
to be seen in proper context taking the people of Pakistan into
confidence.
"Insuring that Pakistan can continue as a cohesive nation is where our
strategic emphasis needs to be. Having our forces in Afghanistan
drives Taliban into Pakistan and actually helps to destabilize
Pakistan." Krause could not be more right in saying this. White House
must make a note of what he has said. This is also the voice of the
American people that's getting louder by the day.
Krause warned that our trying to control Afghanistan directly with U.
S. troops not only causes backfires, but it is incredibly costly. "If
we put in an additional 40,000 new troops -- at a cost of about 1
million dollars per soldier in the field -- this will put the new war
budget for Afghanistan at $100 billion," said Krause. "This for a war
that, even by known guerrilla warfare statistical planning factors, we
would be unlikely to win because it just is not enough troops."
Need we bring up the lessons of Vietnam?
Krause also pointed out that this figure does not include the "80 year
tail on government costs for treating the additional 10,000 per year
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder cases that would likely come from the
insertion of the additional soldiers." Every soldier who suffers from
severe combat stress or a TBI (traumatic brain injury) is a son or
daughter, a husband, a mother, a parent. Those who sacrifice in war
and suffer, seldom suffer alone.
"Iowans need to call President Obama and ask him to listen to those
who are urging caution, and not to those who want to continue and to
escalate this strategically untenable battle," concluded Krause.
Every word of Krause needs to be given a serious thought by the
Obamans and not follow the trail of General McChrystal who wants
escalation in war. What General McChrystal sees as a "mission" is
simply accomplishing a task best left undone. Any possible McChrystal
"win" is worse than any possible contingency tied to immediate
withdrawal.
According to a Chinese proverb, a country may be destroyed but the
will of the people can not be. In Afghanistan, after the carpet
bombings by B52s and raining of Daisy Cutters that has certainly left
very high casualties but the resistance has not been defeated.
Bush has inflamed the world, Obama must extinguish it before it's too
late.
Too much of meddling and pushing should be stopped forthwith, let the
people of Pakistan feel that they control and manage the country,
America is only in support as a friend. People strongly resent the
sermons that the US officials give when visiting Pakistan and they
also feel that we don't need aid as much as open and favoured trade
policy with the US.
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