Ex-diplomat says Afghanistan in ‘civil war,’ calls for US withdrawal, page 1

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Topic started on 3-11-2009 @ 12:24 AM by whaaa

When former U.S. diplomat to Afghanistan Matthew Hoh resigned on Sept. 10, 2009, he did so in a very public manner.

Now freed from the constraints of speaking on behalf of the United States government, he's taken to the media, spreading his view that America's involvement in Afghanistan is senseless and must soon end.

"I hit a point in my conscience where I just felt it was senseless, what was happening," he explained on a Monday broadcast of NBC's Today Show. "Our troops are fighting people who are fighting up because we're occupying them. ... What we are doing there doesn't attain any strategic value or any goals for the United States."

Interviewer Matt Lauer, paraphrasing Hoh's resignation letter (PDF link), said that America still views Afghanistan "through the lens of 9/11."

"And you say that the people we're fighting there, the insurgents, do not see it that way at all," Lauer continued. "They are not fighting to support the Taliban, the people who allowed violence to come to our shores. They're fighting for their individual communities and their valleys."

rawstory.com...

And yet again Obama is seeking to put more troops into Afghanistan.
I still remember Nam. Will we never learn?
God help Us!!

reply posted on 3-11-2009 @ 09:51 AM by whaaa

Another article on this same subject.

www.gallup.com...

It seems the attitude that Afghanistan needs to pay for their part in 911 is very persistant. I feel this is propaganda to justify another "Nam"

www.newsweek.com...

reply posted on 4-11-2009 @ 05:44 AM by mattpryor

Have any polls been conducted among Afghanis about whether NATO should stay or go?

Was listening to an Afghani living in the UK on question time the other week, he seemed to think that we're doing good work in the country and that we should stay.

I also get the impression that there's a media campaign in the UK to pull British troops out at the moment. Every soldier death is made into headline news and juxtaposed with opinion polls about public dissatisfaction with our continued presence there. Smacks of an agenda to me.

[edit on 4-11-2009 by mattpryor]

reply posted on 4-11-2009 @ 09:20 AM by whaaa

reply to post by mattpryor

Every soldier death is made into headline news and juxtaposed with opinion polls about public dissatisfaction with our continued presence there.

Every soldiers death should be headline news.

What did they die for? Do you think that the Afghanis are in a "civil war"?

reply posted on 4-11-2009 @ 09:59 AM by mattpryor

reply to post by whaaa

Well, yes I agree. But they haven't been until recently.

I've just noticed much more scrutiny of Afghanistan in the press recently - I haven't decided whether that's a reflection of public opinion or the media trying to influence public opinion. Chicken and egg maybe.

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