Joe Biden's been chatting to the BBC. His take on the war in Afghanistan is that it is in the interests of the US and the UK. "It is worth the effort we are making," he said, warning that the terror groups on the border with Pakistan could "wreak havoc" on Europe and the US. He reiterated the Obama administration's rationale for the conflict. "This is the place from which the attacks of 9/11 and all those attacks in Europe that came from al-Qaeda have flowed from that place - between Afghanistan and Pakistan." So we should be in Pakistan too, then, clearing out the caves and cosy hiding places there? I doubt it.
This is a war without a clear purpose. On Mondays it's about democracy in Kabul. Tuesdays it's about fighting the Taliban. Wednesday it's back to the terrorist agenda of al-Qaeda. Biden says the terror groups who shelter along the Afghan-Pakistan border combine with the country's role in the international drug trade - supplying 90% of the world's heroin - means the war in Afghanistan needs to succeed. So are we trying to suppress and eradicate the drugs trade, fight terrorism or put democracy in place? Or do all three at once?
I would think such incoherent thinking is just fuel to the average Afghan cave-dweller. These guys have been living rough since they started to walk upright. Their only respect for modernity is mobile phones and designer specs. Taking pot shots at the beggars isn't going to change the mindset much.
If it was down to me, I'd hire a fleet of planes to spray the poppy crops, I'd give ten minutes warning that exocet missiles were coming at those caves, I'd put extreme pressure on the Pakistani, Somali and other governments to shape up, and I'd chuck out the bearded wonders wandering the streets of London and other cities as undesirable aliens.
But it isn't down to me!
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4 comments:
The thing with most bloggers is that they don't have the first clue about what they are talking about. This one is no exception.
Well, Elizabeth, perhaps you can enlighten us all? I wouldn't want you to think I was flogging a dead horse!
Arden,
I owe you a huge apology, no mistake about it.
I came to your blog by way of the HuffingtonPost.com and, more specifically, that site's so-called 'big news page' for Vice President Biden.
Suffice to say that this page can be a very frustrating place for a Biden fan, such as myself. There one will find blog after blog after ignorant blog denigrating and disrespecting the Vice President. You have no idea.
Anyway, in a brief moment of unrestrained weakness, I tried to set a couple of them straight and I am afraid that your blog got somewhat caught up in that. Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
You are quite right - the situation in Afghanistan has been handled so incompetently by the previous US administration that I am seriously beginning to doubt if anything can be salvaged. I'll say this, though...if anyone can help to rectify this situation, it is Vice President Biden, and the rest of President Obama's foreign policy team.
And, so...if you wish to avoid the wrath of Elizabeth Miller in future, then you best not be writing anything that may end up on Joe Biden's big news page at the Huffington Post! :)
Seriously, I hope you will accept my deepest apologies for making such an offensive and unwarranted post on your blog. It will not happen again.
Cheers!
Thank you for your very nice remarks. Much appeciated. I was really commenting on the situation. Joe Biden's a decent guy and he gives the President "balance".
My only niggle is that a lot of this Afghanistan war thing is like the crookedest road in the world in San Francisco. We need to march along a much straighter, and safer, road!
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