Mendacity, Hubris, and the Tragedy of Afghanistan – American Greatness bit.ly/2TIVV74
The very same collection of intelligence, national security, military, diplomatic, and political experts rubbing their hands in eager anticipation of Trump’s ouster is responsible for mismanaging our longest war, a debacle that continues to cost American lives.
It is they, not Donald Trump, who fudged the numbers. They, not Donald Trump, manipulated internal reporting and politicized field intelligence to mislead the public.
They, not Donald Trump, conceived failed strategies borne of ignorance, careerism, and ineptitude. They, not Donald Trump, posed the gravest threat to national security and a peaceful global order.
They, not Donald Trump, perpetuated a war that has resulted in the deaths of thousands of American soldiers, wounded and disfigured tens of thousands more, and killed untold numbers of Afghans.
This is one more shameful example of why the Democrats’ impeachment crusade is so dangerous. While Democratic lawmakers continue to obsess with how to remove Trump from office, and Republicans fight back, the country’s legitimate problems are ignored.
As the news media howls about a few hundred million dollars in delayed U.S. aid to Ukraine, tens of billions are wasted each year on useless plans to build a “little America,” as Sopko called it, in Afghanistan. America’s running receipt in Afghanistan is around $1 trillion.
But the country is a disaster; civilian deaths are at record numbers—23 Americans were killed in 2019, the highest number since 2014. Two soldiers have already been killed this year by a roadside bomb. The Taliban is back in charge. Afghanistan is regressing, not progressing.
And as the White House, too, is distracted by impeachment, there is little reason to hope the president will be successful in ending our failed adventure in Afghanistan. Even plans to remove a few thousand troops from Syria were met with handwringing on both sides of the aisle.
Americans should indeed be concerned about political leaders who lie and hide the truth in order to protect themselves.
We should hold to account those in power who abuse their authority and refuse accountability. We should be outraged about efforts to exploit foreign governments for political gain.
All of that applies not to a brief phone call between President Trump and the president of Ukraine but to the ongoing tragedy that is the war in Afghanistan.
So far, the ruling class’s diversionary tactics are working. At some point, we can hope, a reckoning will begin and the very people now asking all the questions about Trump’s conduct will be forced to answer some questions themselves.
A cynic can dream.
A cynic can dream.
