[Peace-discuss] Dear Britain: "Get Out of Afghanistan, So We Can Get Out"

[Robert Naiman]

I think you answered your own question.

On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 9:57 AM, C. G. Estabrook<galliher at illinois.edu> wrote:
> How can one argue that "the presence of British military forces in
> Afghanistan is being used to /*justify/* the presence of American military
> forces in Afghanistan"?  Perhaps only in the sense that the USG can speak of
> a "coalition"  occupying Afghanistan -- pretending slightly to cover as it
> were the obvious imperialist behavior of the US.  But does anyone believe
> that?
>
> It's revealing that, when the dispute blew up in the UK over dead soldiers
> in Afghanistan, the great worry of American officials was not that Britain
> would withdraw its troops -- they didn't seem very concerned about that --
> but that /*the debate would spread to the US populace/*:
>
> "Bruce Riedel, an analyst [I.E., EX-CIA] at the Brookings Institution who
> pulled together the Obama administration's policy review on Afghanistan and
> Pakistan this year, said: 'The British are crucial to the Nato mission in
> Afghanistan. [WHY?  HE EXPLAINS:] Public opinion here [IN THE US] will be
> affected negatively against the war if our key ally in Helmand starts to
> look for a path out'"!
>
> Riedel chaired Obama's "Afghanistan review" at the beginning of this
> administration. His astonishing bit of candor is from the FT, July 16, 2009.
>
> --CGE
>
>
> Robert Naiman wrote:
>>
>> Gordon Brown faces fresh questions over the war in Afghanistan at this
>> month's Labour party conference, with grassroots activists circulating
>> a motion demanding that troops be withdrawn, the Guardian reports. I'd
>> give anything to address this conference. I'd wait until people gave
>> speeches arguing that Britain had to keep its troops in Afghanistan
>> out of friendship with the United States. Then I'd ask to be
>> recognized, and I'd say,
>>
>> "As an American, I thank the honorable gentlemen and ladies for their
>> kind words of friendship towards the people of the United States. I
>> assure you, as you know very well, that the feelings are reciprocated.
>> But I beg you, in the name of humanity: show your love differently
>> than by continuing to support this war...the presence of British
>> military forces in Afghanistan is being used to justify the presence
>> of American military forces in Afghanistan...If you love America, if
>> you love Americans, show your love by passing this resolution put
>> forward by the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy demanding the
>> withdrawal of British troops of Afghanistan. Help America. Help
>> America to get its own troops out of Afghanistan. Get out of
>> Afghanistan, so we can get out."
>>
>>
>> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/dear-britain-get-out-of-a_b_278336.html
>>
>>
>> http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/9/6/777781/-Dear-Britain:-Get-Out-of-Afghanistan,-So-We-Can-Get-Out
>>
>> http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/node/323
>>
>> --
>> Robert Naiman
>> Just Foreign Policy
>> www.justforeignpolicy.org
>> naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
>>
>> Senator Feingold Calls for Timetable for U.S. Troop Withdrawal from
>> Afghanistan
>> http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/exit-afghanistan
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>



-- 
Robert Naiman
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org

Senator Feingold Calls for Timetable for U.S. Troop Withdrawal from Afghanistan
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/exit-afghanistan