As one ThreatAxis member makes last minute preparations tonight before departing to Afghanistan tomorrow, this correspondent has been given to wonder about the apparent attempts of the United States to focus more on Afghanistan… and less on Iraq.
Media and other groups around the world are just beginning to notice this trend. Ever a leader, the BBC reported on this very issue, outlining several of the problems faced by the United States and its allies during the coming months.
The issue is twofold. First, Iraq. There can be no doubt that the war in Iraq was grim. Former President George W. Bush sacrificed his own political career and reputation being what he was supposed to be: a leader listening to his people. Americans have quickly and conveniently forgotten that they are all complicit in the Iraq war to some degree: On September 12th, 2001, everyone was calling for retribution, and crying out in favor of war. Regardless of any political niggling that may have come later, regardless of perceptions about weapons of mass destruction, President Bush did not push America into war. America pushed the President into war.
And into war they went. Iraq is now ostensibly “free” – free of its tyrranical and genocidial dictator, at least – but the official analysis of the security situation there remains “fragile, reversible, and uneven” throughout Iraq. This key phrase says it all. Right or wrong, the United States went in to Iraq, and this brings with it responsibility to do what is possible to rebuild the nation for its innocent civilians. The dictator was evil, the terrorists were obviously there… but the civilians were still innocent. The people who are yammering for their “troops to come home” are the same irresponsible yet ultimately responsible people who were screaming for war and retribution seven years ago.
But this war was fought nowhere if not in the media. Cameras focused upon, and bureaus replayed repeatedly the terrifying damage to the twin towers, as the world looked on helplessly, with horror. America’s response was well-documented. Cameras focused upon, and bureaus replayed repeatedly the terrifying bruality of the war in Iraq, as the world looked on helplessly, with horror. America’s response was, again, well-documented. And now there is a new effort, to draw media attention away from Iraq. America’s response can be easily predicted.
This is especially true when the sheep-like public is given something new to look at: namely, Afghanistan, the second piece of the issue. Here, the entire field is different. There is not a single leader, bringing unspeakable horrors down with the single pull of a switch. There is not a single aggressor nation, seeking retribution. Instead, we have a country overrun by a group of tribal leaders, the Taliban, who themselves are being used by Al Qaeda as a shield for continued operations, all the while placing the Afghanistan populace in peril and pain. The details are, of course, numerous – Dr. Sean M. Maloney sums the situation up brilliantly in one of his writings which explains why the world is involved with Afghanistan, and should remain involved – however, the short of it is that, in Afghanistan, the allies are clearly the “good guys”, and are loved by the population, and can see themselves as rescuing the oppressed nation from its evil terrorist oppressors – a statement which, although it sounds cliche, turns out to be quite correct.
Clearly, President Obama has a mandate from his people: End the war in Iraq. But as the military leaders have been telling Congress all along: a responsible withdrawl from Iraq is something that will take time, and, likely, be messy. How convenient it will be to give the world something else to watch, especially something so noble as Afghanistan, during this time. Americans appear to have had enough of “mess”, and Iraq. This distraction might just be what the new administration needs to successfully “change course” – while still “staying the course.” Savvy political leaders have long known that a little distraction goes a long way – as does a little media manipulation. Afghanistan has sadly been forgotten by America, and Iraq is pretty much dead. Long live Afghaniraq!!!
Against all odds, this correspondent hopes the public can continue to tell the difference. Afghanistan needs their support. As, for that matter, does Iraq.
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