[Peace-discuss] "The US did not choose to fight a war in Afghanistan"!

[C. G. Estabrook]

A flat-out lie this morning from Obama as he announced the expansion of the war
that he was elected to end.  He seems to think he can get away with saying anything.

We're occupying Afghanistan and increasingly Pakistan because of 9/11, he says
-- even more shamelessly than the last administration did -- and we're doing it
more brutally.

He has to say it's because of 9/11, of course, because he has no authority to
wage war for control of Mideast energy resources.  The killing he's doing in
AfPak has Congressional authorization only under the "Authorization for Use of
Military Force Against Terrorists," enacted September 18, 2001, and authorizing
the use of the US military against those responsible for the attacks on
September 11, 2001. The authorization granted the President the authority to use
all "necessary and appropriate force" against those whom he determined "planned,
authorized, committed or aided" the September 11th attacks, or who harbored said
persons or groups.

So he has to pretend that that's what he's doing in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The mendacious conclusion of his speech today is below.  --CGE

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"The United States of America did not choose to fight a war in Afghanistan.
Nearly 3,000 of our people were killed on September 11, 2001, for doing nothing
more than going about their daily lives. Al-Qaeda and its allies have since
killed thousands of people in many countries. Most of the blood on their hands
is the blood of Muslims, who al-Qaeda has killed and maimed in far greater
numbers than any other people. That is the future that al-Qaeda is offering to
the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan -- a future without opportunity or hope;
a future without justice or peace.

"The road ahead will be long. There will be difficult days. But we will seek
lasting partnerships with Afghanistan and Pakistan that serve the promise of a
new day for their people. And we will use all elements of our national power to
defeat al-Qaeda, and to defend America, our allies, and all who seek a better
future. Because the United States of America stands for peace and security,
justice and opportunity. That is who we are, and that is what history calls on
us to do once more."

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