Time to End the Wars

Filed in International, National by on June 21, 2011

The US Conference of Mayors did something on Monday that they haven’t done in over 40 years. They passed a resolution calling for an

accelerated end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What is important to me at least is that the last time the Conference acted on this subject, we were mired in the rice paddies of Viet Nam, fighting another unpopular war. The resolution becomes the official policy of the Conference.

However, the Mayor of Kabul, doesn’t think this is such a good idea.

On Sunday, Muhammad Younus Nawandish, the mayor of Kabul, expressed some reservations about the idea of an American withdrawal. Nawandish spoke to the conference on Saturday. He told HuffPost that his country was still “in need of security from the international community.”

“We understand that the U.S. military will not stay in Afghanistan forever. But still we need your existence for the stability of Afghanistan. If they withdraw now there is a possibility of falling Afghanistan back into during the Taliban regime,” Nawandish said through an interpreter

Maybe I’m too much of a cynic, but what Mayor Nawandish really said was that “we need your money because we have to steal what we can so we can live in luxury once we decide to flee from the peasants.” Then again, my Pashto is a bit rusty these days.

Seeing that this resolution was the first of its kind in 2 generations, I thought this would be a fitting musical tribute:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01-2pNCZiNk[/youtube]

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A rabble-rousing bureaucrat living in Sussex County

Comments (7)

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  1. cassandra m says:

    This was reported on NPR the other day, including a bit about one R Mayor who did not want this group to pass this resolution. Michael Nutter’s response:

    We have to at least recognize in this big, great country that we have to be able to do more than one thing at a time. We should not allow ourselves to get caught in a slightly false debate that we’re either going to support military activities, or we’re going to support cities. We can actually do both in the United States of America.

    The President of this group (Villagarosa, Mayor of LA) points out that people in DC aren’t paying much attention to anything but themselves and their own politics while everything else falls away.

    One of the things I hope gets said as there looks to be a drawdown in troops here is that while we might be leaving this place in slightly better shape, it is nowhere near ready for prime time. The threats from Afghanistan and Pakistan are genuine, but may be a more immediate problem for the Russians, Europeans, India than it is for us. Build upon Bob Gates’ recent messaging that we cannot be the world’s policeman and it is time for everyone else with a stake to get in the game. Then just go and let the Afghanis and Pakistanis do whatever they do…..

  2. anon says:

    No end to these wars. John Kerry and John Insane McCain have done a deal that would permit Obama to continue his “war” in Libya for up to a year? Obama has been pressured by the Pentagon to permit from 5000 to 10,000 troops to return. Vets groups say thats how many were scheduled to return on their rotations. So is Obama becoming George WAR Bush before our eyes. Yep he is. Al Gore slammed Obama for his reckless record on the environment.
    Thinking many progressives are going to sit out 2012…not work for the democrats, not give any money, just let the chips fall. If Obama wants to act like a republican and run foreign policy worse than Bush, than he doesnt deserve to be re-elected. He is the Commander in Chief, he tells the Generals what to do, not the reverse. He has no cahones, no change, nor choice, just imperialism run amok.

  3. anon says:

    Washington Post: Obama is ready for 10,000 troops to leave Afganistan. Veterans groups say, its a cruel joke, those troops were on the rotation schedule…who the hell is kidding who here? This is all Betrayus doing. Why Obama listens to that lying republican is beyond the pale. Watch for Betrayus to announce next year that HE is going to run for President against Obama…thats their dirty trick, and Obama fell for it.

  4. Jason330 says:

    link?

  5. cassandra m says:

    I can’t tell if you asked that with a straight face.

  6. Frieda Berryhill says:

    Is it amazing how John Kerry the hero of the Vietnam Peace movement can now team up with McCain to keep the war going……..Well, he married in REAL money ….could money really be the root of all evil ?