The EXEGETIST: A Library Of Independent Political Thought. By: Jack H. Dawsey

Afghanistan: Is It America’s Waterloo?

 By: Jack Dawsey

Careful historians may record that neither President Ronald Regan, nor his ramped-up military spending of the 1980’s won the Cold War.  Instead, historians will likely note that a little known country in Central Asia, Afghanistan, bankrupt the mighty USSR. 

Afghanistan, unknown by many American school children until 9-11, is rich in heritage, albeit foreign to Western culture.  When the former USSR invaded Afghanistan, the rebels hunkered down and repelled the air and ground assault with a tenacious zeal.  The proud Afghans defended their ancient homeland.   

Today, many in the former USSR are reduced to poverty.  Some are without food while others are without basic shelter. Subsequent to their invasion of Afghanistan, the proud Soviets witnessed an economic decline they never envisioned.  In the opinion of this writer, the Soviet people had one basic problem: blind political allegiance.

They were blinded by their arrogance and misguided by their political leaders, and as a result, were robbed of their national treasure through a series of foolish military interventions.

While their political leaders boasted of invincibility (and got drunk on Vodka), the proud Soviet people were hoodwinked into a no-win war in Afghanistan.  Is America making the same mistake?  

Personally, I think the arrogance of the one mirrors the other.  Much like the former USSR, the American Congress is drunk.  The people too are drunk, but not on hard drink.  Their stupor is a mental mind-set that I call: “paralysis-analysis.” We are paralyzed by our news media, cable, radio talk, and TV psychobabble.  We are so connected to our IPOD’s and IPHONE’s that we have become oblivious of the real world.  While we eat, drink and be merry, our young men and women are sacrificing life and limb in a corrupt foreign government.  The words of Rudyard Kipling’s The Young British Soldier apply.  

“When you’re wounded and left on Afghanistan’s plains, And the women come out to cut up what remains, Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains, An’ go to your Gawd like a soldier.”

I ask, “Will Afghanistan be America’s Waterloo?”  I also ask, “If the War is truly legitimate, then to succeed our whole nation demands personal sacrifice and commitment.  If it takes a village to raise a child, (so some say), it takes a nation, committed, to win a war. America is not committed.  The ½ of the 1% of Americans currently in uniform cannot win this war, alone. Uncle Sam needs you too. The whole population must adorn a uniform, (figuratively speaking), and go to war -if the war is legitimate. 

Sacrifices may include such things as a special war tax, and or it may include the rationing of goods and services.  It may even demand reinstituting the military draft.  And doubtless, it requires a mind-set to secure our ports and borders.  Isn’t it foolish to wage a foreign war while neglecting our ports and borders?  It’s imperative that Americans change their priorities, (and their political leaders).

Moreover, if the security of Western civilization is at stake, (as republicans and democrats would have us believe), I asks, “Is America the only responsible nation, and must the American soldier bear the preponderance of the war alone?”

Where are the commitments of Europe and the Far East?  Shouldn’t they have a junk-yard dog in this fight?  They need to be fully vested.  As a starter may I suggest the 3-M Program: Manpower, Money, and Machine?

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