Robert Greenwald: Afghanistan + More Troops = Catastrophe (Trailer for New Film)

[Hissyspit]

Run time: 01:43 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r54SnuOXrY   Posted on YouTube: February 26, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: February 26, 2009 By DU Member: Hissyspit Views on DU: 483

 
Sign the petition: http://rethinkafghanistan.com

President Obama has committed 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan. This decision raises serious questions about troops, costs, overall mission, and exit strategy. Historically, it has been Congress' duty to ask questions in the form of oversight hearings that challenge policymakers, examine military spending, and educate the public. After witnessing the absence of oversight regarding the Iraq war, we must insist Congress hold hearings on Afghanistan.

Watch the first part from our full-length documentary that will serve as a driving force to help make oversight hearings a reality. Sign the petition urging oversight and tell us what questions you would ask.

Sign the petition: http://rethinkafghanistan.com

[avaistheone1]

1. Obama will experience failure in Afghanistan that will haunt his presidency.

I hope Obama will get all the generals out of the room and seriously rethink Afghanistan. If he escalates there his presidency and this country will be stepping into a quicksand that we are not going to be able to maneuver our way out of for decades to come.

I can't figure out why such a smart and good man like Obama is buying into the foolish of an Afghan surge.

[Turborama]

2. Maybe this will help...

Afghanistan solution will need more than military force - Obama
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3744341

PBS: What Afghans Think of America and Americans (particularly post #4)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=385&topic_id=275616

[avaistheone1]

3. I found this survey and article very instructive.

Majority of Afghans blame U.S. -- not Taliban -- for their woes


So much for trying to win the "hearts and minds" of the Muslim world."Poll: Afghans blame US more than Taliban for violence," from Agence France Presse, February 10:

WASHINGTON (AFP) — A nationwide survey of Afghans out Monday shows plummeting support for US and NATO/ISAF forces in Afghanistan, and a rise in the number who believe attacks on those troops are acceptable.

The poll of 1,500 people in Afghanistan's 34 provinces, conducted by three Western broadcast networks -- ABC News, the BBC and Germany's ARD -- also shows lower support for President Hamid Karzai and the Afghan central government.

Forty percent of Afghans surveyed say their country is heading in the right direction, down 77 percent from 2005, according to the poll.

Afghan opinion of the United States has nosedived: 47 percent had a favorable opinion, down from 83 percent in 2005. US favorability plunged 18 percent in 2008 alone, according to the survey.

"For the first time slightly more Afghans now see the United States unfavorably than favorably," ABC News said.

The biggest complaint: civilian deaths resulting from US and NATO air strikes, which 77 percent say is unacceptable because the risk to civilians outweighs the strikes' value in fighting insurgents.

Forty-one percent blame Western forces for poor targeting, while 28 percent blame the insurgents for hiding among civilians.

More worrisome, 25 percent say that attacks on US troops or soldiers with the ISAF -- the NATO-led multinational force in Afghanistan -- can be justified, up from 13 percent in 2006.

The survey comes as US President Barack Obama considers plans to nearly double the number of US troops in Afghanistan, and as the new administration in Washington reviews overall strategy in the region.

Only 18 percent of the Afghans surveyed believe that the number of US and NATO/ISAF forces should increase, while 44 percent want the number of foreign troops to drop.

Just 37 percent say that most people in their area supported the NATO forces, down from 67 percent in 2006.

Obama's election seems to offer little respite: only 20 percent believe his policies will improve things in Afghanistan.

"Thirty-six percent of those surveyed mostly blame US, Afghan or NATO/ISAF forces or the US or Afghan governments for the violence that's occurring, up by 10 points from 2007," ABC said.

Only 27 percent mainly blame the Taliban for the violence, down by 9 points.

Confidence in the Afghan government has also plunged: in 2005, 83 percent of Afghans approved of Karzai's work and 80 percent approved of the national government. That has dropped to 52 and 49 percent respectively.

The survey was conducted in late December and early January in personal interviews with a nationwide sample of 1,534 Afghan adults. Field work was done by the Afghan Center for Socio-Economic and Opinion Research in Kabul, ABC said in a statement.

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/024790.php

[Quantess]

4. Yet again, the warnings go unheeded.

[Truth2Tell]

5. Highly Recommended. Thanks Hissy! nt