Bring the troops home – Get out of Afghanistan

Vanguard November 2010 p. 1
Alice M.

Statements by Prime Minister Gillard and Opposition leader Tony Abbott in the federal parliament “debate over the war on Afghanistan has brushed aside the opinion of the majority of the people, who just want Australia to get out of this endless, unjust and messy war like many other countries have already done.

In fact, Gillard has turned her back on the people and signalled that Australia will continue to send soldiers to Afghanistan for up to 10 years.

In the process, the debate has exposed a good number of federal politicians who are out and out ‘lackeys of US imperialism’ who put their subservience above Australian lives, sacrificed to preserve and expand the American empire. They conveniently ignore the massive loss of civilian life in that tortured country, the stench of corruption at the highest levels of the Kazai government, the rigged elections, the grabbing of oil, gas and mineral resources by the US military and their favourite corporations.

Just as contemptible are the politicians who cynically mouth hollow words about ‘bringing democracy’, ‘freeing women from feudalism’, and ‘destroying the base of terrorism’ etc., to cover the fact that Australian troops are only in Afghanistan to give the US occupation some semblance of international support. They whip up fear of acts of terrorism against Australia and use the anti-terror smokescreen to justify the unjustifiable. As a last resort, they point to the US Alliance, saying that the US will defend Australia from foreign invasion, ignoring history which shows that US imperialism only ever acts in its own interests and that Australia is essentially a tame puppet to those interests.

The Labor leading politicians, in particular, try to pretend that US Democrat president Obama is somehow different to the Rambo Republican, Bush. But as author Tariq Ali has pointed out on his recent visit to Australia, “From Palestine through Iraq to Iran, Obama has acted as just another steward of the US empire, pursuing the same aims as his predecessors, with the same means but with a more emollient rhetoric. In Afghanistan, he has gone further, widening the front of imperial aggression with a major escalation of violence, both technological and territorial.”

As for having an ‘exit strategy’, Prime Minister Gillard has only stated that the current troop commitment is not ‘capped’ and those further military forces will be sent if requested. There are also signs that the US intends to expand the imperialist war in Afghanistan into neighbouring Pakistan.

Swimming against the tide of politician’s lies and abuse have been a courageous few; Greens politicians such as Adam Bandt, the independent Douglas Wilkie, retired General Stretton and others.

These honest politicians and ex-military have stood up for the real interests of both the Australian people and Afghan people and given expression to their clear demand to get out this dirty imperialist war. Australians want an independent and peaceful foreign policy that respects national sovereignty of countries and people.

· No more support for American wars – get out of Afghanistan!