It’s easy to understand why Americans are not thinking so much about the war in Iraq. And the war in Afghanistan. And our increasing bombing raids in Pakistan. The US (and global) economy has fallen off a cliff, and many of us are worried about our jobs, our rent, our health insurance, and supporting our families. Large numbers of Americans are facing these fears right now, having already lost their jobs and homes, and are scrambling with anxiety and determination to get back on their feet. So the fear is understandable.
In addition, the eyes of the public and the media are on the new president and his plans to save the country, both from a near-decade of Bush-era catastrophe and the damage of capitalism unbound. Everyone wants to know what Barack Obama is capable of, if he can pull us out of this nosedive, and at the very least, bring us back to the pre-Bush status quo.
But the Iraq war continues, with its sixth anniversary coming up in March. We’ve been in Afghanistan for more than 8 years. And now that the Obama administration is stepping up bombing in the parts of Pakistan that are likely hiding Al Qaeda and Taliban members, we are edging closer to a third war. Even worse, none of these wars are going well.
Much has been made of the “surge” strategy in Iraq, and it is popularly believed that this tactic is responsible for the decrease in violence in the country. This is not true. Most experts and journalists on the ground in Iraq report that the decrease in violence was due to two things: the end of the civil war in Iraq (because one side, the Shia, had effectively defeated their opponents), and the fact that the US began paying money to Sunni insurgents to not attack Americans. The country is still exceptionally violent, and remains largely ruined by the years of war and occupation. To go over the numbers again, over 4000 Americans soldiers have died, and over 30,000 wounded. Before the US invasion, it was estimated that around 27 million people lived in Iraq. Now it is estimated that over 1 million Iraqis have died in the chaos, that over 2 million Iraqis have fled the country, and that nearly 3 million Iraqi refugees remain inside the country, with nowhere to live and nowhere to run to.
Obama now talks about moving US troops from Iraq into Afghanistan to try to “win” the war there. But no one knows what “winning” means. The country has been a war between tribal villages, drug traffickers, religious fundamentalists, and violent warlords for almost three decades. What would an Afghan peace look like? And how are more American soldiers and rifles going to bring these sides together?
And finally, Pakistan is not a stable place as it is. Since the so-called “war on terror” began, the US has been pushing the Pakistani government to fight against its own anti-American population on our behalf. Obviously, the people of Pakistan are very hostile to the idea of their government killing their brothers and sisters in the name of some foreign power. Every bit of support for the US or Pakistani blood spilt by the Pakistani government increases the likelihood that the people there will rise up and remove it by force.
Clearly, this madness has to stop.
President Obama ran on a platform of ending the war in Iraq, and he is allegedly taking steps to have all of the troops removed in 16 months. This is a good start, but why the long wait? And why continue a long, confused war in Afghanistan? And why are we risking turning the nuclear-armed country of Pakistan into an enemy?
We, the people who oppose war, must again make our voices heard. We urge you to start speaking out again. Call the White House, contact your Congressmen, write letters to your local news media, talk to your friends, get out in the streets. Tell them how you feel.
Axis of Justice is a non-profit organization formed by Tom Morello and Serj Tankian. Its purpose is to bring together musicians, fans
of music, and grassroots political organizations to fight for social justice. 
I thought Obama was the hope but unfortunately now I see that history can repeat! do not want another buch!
do not want another buch!
How long will it take for people to see that it doesn’t belong to us to rule ourselves? Every form of government has been tried and has failed. Can’t even cure the common cold! Obama is just another man to continue our pain.
From mankind’s beginning we have dominated ourselves to our own injury. Over what? Power, property, money, oil! It all stems from greed! Many people want to do something to make a change for the good. But they don’t have the power! How many people have died for country, for a belief in what they were convinced was the right thing to do, for their “God”? Religion has had their hands stained with blood for centuries. Our World Wars have had the blessings of Popes and Deacons. Religious leaders blessing one side while other religious leaders blessing the other side. They’re all blood guilty! Allah approves of suicide bombers, while the U.S. believes they have “God” on their side. How arrogant man is to think that The True God approves of any of it let alone bless any of it!
Soon, the United Nations will destroy all of religion. They have meddled in politics for too long and the governments are sick of it! The UN has the power to do it and what is more, the people will be behind them 100%. We are all sick of the wars fought “in the name of God”. United Nations – Get on with it already!
sorry not4, but I dont agree. No religion advocates war. (The pope may have blessed the crusades, but he did not write the bible, and does not speak for all christians). “Allah approves of suicide bombers”. No, he does not. No true Muslim would kill themselves and thousands of innocents, and the Qur’an even staes that the kiling of innocents is evil.
Besides that, religion gives people a great moral code. Do not kill, do not steal, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, love thy neighbour, etc.
Priests and popes are not the figureheads of their religions.
Tis argument is a pretty complex and completely of the topic of invisible wars, but suffice to say that if we actually did follow our religions, there would be no war.
As the Strokes said, “Religion is not the problem. The problem is people.” Im from Northern Ireland, I know the difference between real religious believers and people who use it as an excuse for violence. No one in the IRA can call themselves a real Catholic, no one in Al Qaeda can call themselves a Muslim.
Good article !
We have to keep hope and as someone you know said, I think that it’s our duty to “Wake Up” against human’s stupidity !
Obama is or was one of these hopes, but don’t forget he is a politician !
As you say: wait and see !
In France too, we trust them when they seem to promise good change that actually never come…
I have nothing to say BUT i feel for all who have died and for all the iraqis that have nowhere to go, surely we must be able to HELP them.
Obama can’t just end the war like that .. this is politic, he has to respect agreement that Bush signed with Iraq in 2008. Afghanistan is a hopless contry, think about that .. if NATO windraw from Afghanistan .. The taliban will ultimatly kill everybody that help us .. so that mean even more casualties than now .. they will slay innocent people .. until the end of the world, without pity or mercy .. but yeah I would defently like to end both wars but there is so much issues .. and what about Bin Laden ?
In this world there are people like hitler in it. they want to overrule america. we cannot just look the other way and let them attack us, or attack other innocent people due to their religious beliefs. we are all stuck in the middle, with america being as large as it is, there is always people who want that power. like in 1943 with china and germany. they are dictators trying to rule over other peoples grounds. We cannot just end war and we cannot just start it either….i believe no matter what we will always have war. we cannot stop it. but! we can stop our own killings in the states. I do not believe in justifiable death. because someone here killed his family ( another example: the USA killing others in iraq/afghanistan) doesnt mean we have rights to make his life go away, to kill. before we can start worrying about other problems dont you think we need to work on our own problems here?
The sad thing is that the wars in Afghanistan…and now maybe even Pakistan couldve been prevented. The war in Iraq is just a show of force and Americas greed. Afganistan, however, is another issue. if people will recall The Soviet-Afghan Conflict, in which the US supported Mujahideen Resistance fighters against Soviet Occupation and the Afghani Marxist Democratic Party. This can be seen as a proxy war for the US, as the US backed the Mujahideen with weapons, training, and financial support. However as the 9 year conflict came to a close, with the Soviets leaving the country, the US lost all interest in the country, and dropped all support that they had promised the Mujahideen to unite and rebuild the county. The Mujahideen had to unite the country itself, under a Taliban-Al-Qaeda government, the same Mujahideen Resistance fighters we had given support to in the 1980s attacked us on 9-11 because we had screwed THEM over, now finally get back at us.
In all reality, the US is itself responible for the 9-11 attacks.
-controlusplease
I liked what thoughtcrimes had to say. It is people. (sorry for spelling in advance)
Some people would use money, land, and etc.. to get what they want.
It is scary when evil people get power, such as leaders of the taliban or immoral, unethical, evil men in general. These people are usually great performers, they are intellegent, and did their homework. They find followers. The people that follow this kind of man, usually have nothing to believe in, nothing to make them feel they have a purpose, hateful people, or people born into it.
This man will give them meaning and they now have a purpose and something to call there own. They are given jobs, and now feel some power. These men are given a house to live in, clothes, money, food, and they can take care of their family.
Most of the men that follow such a man know better. They know when something is wrong or right, but they can find justifications in there own minds to why it is they do what they do, and believe what they believe. They say because he, the evil man of influence, told me so, showed me in our good book from God himself. They also see that they have a roof over there head, off the streets, food in there stomachs, food for their families. The justifications can make a man believe, not religion.
Why do you think the War is so hidden? Think about it, is our America just as bad as the Taliban to their own people that live in it? We can chose to do many things to make sure we are heard. Do we, or do we also justify the shit thats going on in our own minds? We just sit back and let it happen. We are now stuck in a war that will not end, and we should want to know why it wont end or hasn’t ended. or the date it will end. I demand answers. Why do you hide? When people hide things it is usually because it is unjustifiable, embaressing, wrong, evil, or they have no answer. Demand an answer. I want to know why!!!