19 January 2014 Morality, war, and the Middle East

Cassi Creek:  Yesterday’s local newspaper, which arrived today for some reason, contains a weekly column penned by Dennis Prager.  Prager, a willing shill for any right wing idiocy, makes the claim that withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan is immoral. 

          Praeger cites the inter sect war now being waged in an effort to eliminate one sect of Muslims by another set of Muslims.  The Sunni/Shia conflict has been taking place since the death of Mohammad.  The United States is neither responsible for it, nor capable of stopping it.  We could deploy our entire military to Iraq to “re-stabilize” the country’s political status with no hope of success.  Even if we were able to stop the internecine fighting, conflicts between tribes and clans would be the follow-on. 

          Afghanistan is much the same.  It has never been that stabile a country.  The British Empire, Soviet Union, and now the United States, have sacrificed troops and equipment in efforts to control conflicts in Afghanistan.  Billions of Pounds Sterling, Rubles, and Dollars have been poured into the rat hole that is Kabul.  Those same moneys have, for the most part, been shifted into Swiss accounts as insurance for the continued longevity of the “elected” national and tribal leaders who will be all to happy to leave their nation behind when the Taliban resume their quest for control of the failing state. 

          The immorality, Mr. Praeger, lies in the continued use of U.S. troops and money to prop up corrupt regimes that trade in repressive methods of government.  We need not sacrifice any more of our troops in a war against ideology and/or religion.  If Mr. Prager is so eager to maintain a military presence in this or any other region of the world, he is welcome to don the nation’s uniform and take up the role of foot soldier. 

          There is little chance of that happening.  Mr. Prager declined to fight for South Vietnam &/or the U.S. military’s mission when he had the opportunity.  He became just another Chicken Hawk, squawking his willingness to send other men and women out to fight and die while he declined to serve.