OBAMA: STOP MILITARY FOOLISHNESS IN AFGHANISTAN

Pres. Barack Obama is making a huge mistake committing troops to Afghanistan. Yes, that country is still mired in the 8th Century, with women rarely seen on the streets and with the rule of law practically non-existent in the face of Islamic
fundamentalism.

So what role does the U.S. have fighting over there. Obama says he wants to rid Afghanistan and Pakistan of members of Al Qaeda. But Al Qaeda is composed of ordinary Afghanis and Pakis, young men barely in their twenties who have committed to Islam in the most fundamental way. There is no possibility that the U.S. and Obama are going to defeat those guys by force of arms or warplanes or tanks or special forces raids.

That's what I don't understand about Obama's move. I thought he was more committed to the use of America's soft power. Apparently he still believes in force of arms. Hasn't anybody ever told him the dirty little secret? - that military action never works, unless to create hatred and animosity that will last many generations if not hundreds of years in the minds of the invaded and occupied towards the invader and occupier.

I agree with Obama on this, that the U.S. should help build Afghanistan's schools, roads, bridges, hospitals, highways. That the U.S. should help train and outfit a rule of law police force that will keep public peace and welfare.

But I disagree with seeing the Al Qaeda problem as solvable by military means. Killing Al Qaeda adherents will have no beneficial effect. Shooting Afghan women and children by mistake will not make the U.S. safer, but just the opposite. Conducting special forces raids at 2 AM just reinforces the notion already in the hearts and minds of most Afghanis that the U.S. is a cruel and dishonorable people and nation that Afghans of all ages must repel and destroy.

U.S. - STOP FIRING MISSILES INTO PAKISTANI VILLAGES

The United States under George Bush is making the same catastrophic mistake in Pakistan that it has been making continuously in Afghanistan: bombing villages and houses and schools with war planes and/or unmanned drones.

The BBC reports that at least five Pakistani villagers have died in the latest U.S. air strike with a missile from an unmanned drone.

"The officials said missiles hit the village of Baghar in South Waziristan, close to the Afghan border. . . .

"The incident came as the top US military commander met Pakistani officials to discuss growing tension over US attacks along the border.

"At least six people were injured in the attack, according to BBC correspondent Dilawar Khan in the neighbouring North West Frontier Province.

"Four missiles were reportedly fired at the village of Baghar Cheena, about half a kilometre from the Afghan border."

These attacks from the sky invariably kill local villagers, innocent men, women and children. The very nature of dropping a bomb, even a "smart" bomb, kills ordinary people just happening to be in the vicinity. Children are always vulnerable because the "enemy" here consists of heads of households who happen to be religious jihadists angry at Americans for invading and occupying Islamic countries like Iraq. Bush would have us believe that the "enemy" is an organized group that likes to attack Americans. He forgot to say that this "group" mainly is composed of illiterate villagers and farmers who resent Americans occupying or attacking their country and other Islamic nations.

I call upon the U.S. to stop and desist from any further air raids whether with manned bombers or with unmanned drones. Airplanes should not be used to kill and incinerate people on the ground. Airplanes should perform only peaceful purposes.

Furthermore, I want a United States that does not have "enemies." Otherwise, Americans will find themselves in a state of continuous war, whether with Pakistan, Afghanistan, or whomever.