Afghanistan remains a country under occupation [political analyst, Yemen]
"Afghanistan is no closer to controlling its institutions than Washington is to defeating terror."
"inherited a disbanded mercenary army which the state cannot possibly maintain on its own."
"NATO has locked Kabul into a financial trap to better assert control and defend its interests in the region."
Afghanistan
= pawn in The Great Game
see (other):
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/33619/david-fromkin/the-great-game-in-asia
"war in Afghanistan is to the benefit of foreigners" former Pres Karzai
Afghan: strong resentment toward Western powers
Afghans ... have come to understand USA as yet another imperialistic power
[prior powers: British & Russian]
civilian casualties in targeted attacks justified by US as: collateral damage
USA footprint of neo-imperial power operates unchallenged
March 2012 - US Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales
found guilty of killing 16 Afghan civilians
rampage
No US handover to Afghan authorities
“One prime prerogative of all empires is that it is subject to no laws or accountability other than its own, even when it comes to crimes committed on other nations’ soil and against its people,” Greenwald wrote.
“One prime prerogative of all empires is that it is subject to no laws or accountability other than its own, even when it comes to crimes committed on other nations’ soil and against its people,” Greenwald wrote.
Washington plays Big Brother to impoverished Afghanistan
Afghanistan has hand in own demise by developing codependency
Afghanistan
severely diminished — empty shell
no institutional substance
very limited economic resources
abject poverty
plagued by hunger
home to billions of dollars
untapped natural resources >> energy + precious minerals
economy continues to rely heavily on foreign aid
"United States and its allies have instead thrown billions of dollars at the military, prioritizing the development of a mercenary army via private U.S. contractors rather than bank on Afghans to rebuild their state"
Afghanistan
cannot pay troops’ salaries without help
does not own its army
foreign powers pay the bills
security has deteriorated
Afghanistan
cannot even feed itself
hunger is rampant
/ yet it is expected to provide for upkeep of mercenary army
Despite military handover
vulnerable to outside control due to financial destitution
corruption, nepotism and political wrangling
= issues
vicious circle of political dependency
belief that solutions lie outside of own borders
Afghanistan toss up: Taliban or neo-colonial servitude
Afghanistan
must revive economy / provide sustainable source of income
SOURCE
The War Is Over, But Afghanistan Remains Shackled By Neo-Imperialism
http://www.mintpressnews.com/war-afghanistan-remains-shackled-neo-imperialism/200553/
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COMMENT
Mercenaries and other US federal contractors always come out on top.
I'm assuming they're US mercenaries. ***
Greenwald arguing against the US refusal to hand over the soldier (that probably lost the plot), isn't something I'd support. I wouldn't hand over anybody, for even worse treatment than they'd get in the US. Imagine the barbaric treatment he'd be subjected to if the Americans handed him over.
That was a good article.
Resources is probably why the West is there ... that, and whatever the strategic rewards of 'The Great Game' offers ... (I've forgotten ... might have to brush up again on that).
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