by Dennis Kucinich
WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 21, 2012)
Image by World Can’t Wait via Flickr
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today released the following statement following the announcement that the “surge” in Afghanistan has ended. In 2009, 33,000 additional troops were deployed to Afghanistan. Today, troop deployment levels have returned to the pre-“surge” levels. Sixty-eight thousand brave men and women continue to put their lives on the line.
“The Pentagon announced this week that the last of the 33,000 troops that were deployed to Afghanistan as part of the ‘surge’ have left the country. Since the ‘surge’ troops were deployed in 2009, the situation on the ground in Afghanistan has continued to deteriorate.
“Earlier this week, the United States announced that it was suspending joint military operations with Afghan security forces after a series of deadly attacks from our Afghan partners that left 6 U.S. and British troops dead. Such attacks have been on the rise, with 51 attacks occurring this year. Our multi-billion dollar training program for Afghan security forces is a cornerstone of our strategy in the war, and it is faltering before our very eyes. It is increasingly difficult to believe that these security forces will be ready to assume full responsibility for the security of Afghanistan by the targeted 2014 withdrawal date.
“With a majority of Americans from both sides of the political spectrum joining in opposition to the war, it is time to heed the warnings that many of us have made since the surge troops were first committed: no amount of U.S. troops or money can result in a stable Afghanistan. The longer we spend in Afghanistan, the insurgency becomes ever more resolute to resist the occupation.
“The monetary and human costs of the war to the U.S. and the Afghan people will continue to rise. Even when all of our troops come home, we will still continue to pay billions to support private security forces in Afghanistan. Over 2,100 U.S. service members have been killed in this war thus far.
“The ‘surge’ did not work. The war cannot work. We must bring all the troops home now.”
see
Capitalism Is Always At War by William T. Hathaway
Dandelion Salad 
Pingback: Gareth Porter: Afghan war, dead weight around Obama’s neck « Dandelion Salad
Pingback: As Obama Admin Preps “Enduring Presence” in Afghanistan, Peace Activists Build Ties to War Victims « Dandelion Salad
Pingback: Bearing Witness to 11 Years of an Illegal War of Aggression by Jill Dalton « Dandelion Salad
Pingback: Green Festival: Dennis and Elizabeth Kucinich: Veganism Helps the Environment « Dandelion Salad
More “Blowbacks” to come. All those countries are tired of us invading them, bombing the countries into pieces, death and destruction, that’s all we leave behind. Depleted uranium is poisoning them, undetonated bombs, just like Vietnam. Now more and more drone attacks.
This is total insanity and than the naive American people are surprised that they want to retaliate? I wonder what would happen if the people of those countries would get together and combined want to attack us.
Sure,we have enough military power and obliterate them with nuclear bombs, but we want their resources. If we contaminate their soil, it is useless for us too.
In the mean time the CEO’s from the big corporations make big bucks, the people suffer and we are not even paying attention that those awfull bombings and killings can happen here too.
Any leader of a nation who dares to trade in other currency the worthless dollar is doomed, the Shah of Iran, Saddam and Gadaffi .
Osama bin Laden mentioned it too.
Iran and India have talked about it. If it ever happens the dollar will be nothing and the USA will collapse. What a future to look for especially our children and grandchildren.
Thanks for your comment, Maria, good points.
It’s called BLOWBACK. We are losing just like we lost in Vietnam but our legislators are in bed with the war profiteers and allow these criminal wars to continue as the American people walk around like zombies. In the words of Alfred E. Newman, “What me worry?” Kucinich, however, a man of integrity and insight, has a different take.