All the lying, covering up and conniving going on in Afghanistan makes it impossible to believe anything that anyone says about what’s really going on there...anyone includes the American military, American politicians and officials and Afghan politicians and officials as well. Lying, covering up and conniving by Afghan politicians and officials is to be expected. It cannot become the norm for Americans, however, and Americans who do these things must be called to account.
Even President Obama.
Especially President Obama.
Item: Marine Lance Corporal Edward Dycus was shot in the back of the head and killed while on guard duty at an Afghan-U.S. Base in Helmand Province last February 1. He was murdered by an Afghan soldier, who has since been turned over to Afghan authorities for prosecution. The day after Corporal Dycus was murdered, the Pentagon announced that he died in combat, which was a blatant lie.
Item: At least six American military personnel have been murdered by their Afghan colleagues since then, two U.S. soldiers, an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, an Army Major and two Army paratroopers. When announcing the casualties, the Pentagon failed to mention that the Americans were murdered by Afghan colleagues and not in the heat of battle. In announcing the casualties the Pentagon used highly misleading language calculated to cover up the true circumstances of the deaths.
Item: Afghan allies turning their guns on their American colleagues and killing or wounding them is a large and growing problem in Afghanistan. The American public is not generally aware of this, and the American military and American politicians and officials have been less than forthcoming about its extent. The military has also been very disingenuous about it as well.
Item: The top American commander in Helmand Province and his British deputy were almost killed by an Afghan interpreter during a suicide attack on a welcoming party for U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, who was making a surprise to the Province earlier this month. Whether or not Panetta was the actual target is not known since the Afghan died in the attack. Although the attack was thwarted it could easily have succeeded in killing Panetta and the commanders. This was a major breach of security which was initially glossed over by officials, who in any case did not disclose details of the incident for several days after it occurred and used misleading language to minimize it when they did.
That’s a taste of the lying and covering up which has been going on. Now what about the conniving?
There is no question that the most important thing in President Obama’s political life at the present time is getting himself re-elected in November’s Presidential election, there is no question that he will say or do virtually anything to do that, there is no question that lying, deceit, exaggeration, flip-flopping and duplicity have characterized his time in office and his career as a politician and there is no question that bad news from Afghanistan could hurt his chances of being returned to office and good news could enhance them.
The only possible good news he could offer the American electorate is withdrawing the military prior to the scheduled departure date in 2013. In order to do that, however, he has to convince the public that the Afghan military is ready, willing and able to replace it and carry out all of its duties and responsibilities, including combat and security. Afghan soldiers murdering Americans and being instrumental in major security breaches doesn’t help him make his case and hurts him politically and that is why the lying and covering up has been going on. President Obama and his minions are trying to keep bad news from the American public for political gain. Political gain is also why we can expect more and more ‘good news story’s’ from Afghanistan as the election approaches.
It is conniving of the most cynical sort and is entirely in keeping with his personality, attitude and track record. Aside from anything else it jeopardizes the safety and lives of Americans in Afghanistan for purely personal reasons, not for any good military reasons. If I was an American in Afghanistan, whether I was a member of the military or not, or if I was a family member of an American in Afghanistan, I’d be very upset and angry indeed.
Note that I wrote that the scheduled departure date is in 2013. That is a very recent development. The original departure date was in 2014 but it has just been accelerated and moved up. That wouldn’t have anything to do with electioneering would it? Of course it does. It doesn’t have anything to do with military reasons or successfully completing the mission (whatever that is), that’s for sure.
Like I said, conniving from the highest level on down.
Lying, covering up and conniving...the American public and every American who is serving or has served in Afghanistan deserve much, much better. President Obama’s word has always been suspect and so has his commitment to America, his commitment to anything except himself and his ideology for that matter. Events in Afghanistan are just one more example of this.
Jerry Philipson is a retired grandfather who has spent many years working in non-profit social service agencies in Canada and the United States. He holds dual Canadian and American citizenship and has been passionate about politics, civil liberties, freedom and democracy for virtually his whole life. He is particularly interested in the Middle East and America and believes that it is vital for people of good heart and good conscience to speak out against tyranny and dishonesty and to stand up and defend and protect Western values, principles and institutions.
