The Phases of War: Public Rejects Afghanistan War, Iraq's Almost Ending -- and Who Doesn't Want War

[polly7]

Last edited Fri Feb 13, 2015, 11:39 AM - Edit history (1)

With Iran?

By Phyllis Bennis

Source: Institute for Policy StudiesSunday, April 01, 2012

https://zcomm.org/znetarticle/the-phases-of-war-public-rejects-afghanistan-war-iraqs-almost-ending-and-who-doesnt-want-war-with-iran-by-phyllis-bennis/

Excerpts:

There’s a great deal of talk about Sgt. Robert Bales, the apparent gunman in the villages in Kandahar, and whether he had PTSD or other impairments. And we’re right to be concerned about the still-inadequate care U.S. veterans get when they come home – soldiers can be simultaneously victim and war criminal. (Iraq Veterans Against the War have mobilized their Operation Recovery campaign to defend soldiers’ right to heal before being redeployed – a campaign that also denies the Pentagon access to these young instruments of battle for illegal wars.) But we shouldn’t forget that those 2/3 of Afghans – something like 20 million people – face PTSD or other mental disorders with only FORTY-TWO psychiatrists and psychologists in the entire country. I talked about this reality on NPR’s The Diane Rehm Show last week, as well as the potential consequences for U.S. policy and decisions about ending the U.S. war in Afghanistan. You can follow the link if you want to listen or read the transcript. (And it would be great if you comment too…)

WHO DOES NOT WANT WAR IN IRAN?

One of the most useful tools in mobilizing opposition to war in Iran comes from the statements of top U.S. and Israeli officials themselves:

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta asked and answered his own Iran question: “Are they trying to develop a nuclear weapon? No.”

Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper, Jr. admitted the U.S. does not even know "if Iran will eventually decide to build nuclear weapons."

The latest 2011 National Intelligence Estimate makes clear there is no new evidence to challenge the 2007 conclusions; Iran still does not have a nuclear weapons program in operation.

More.

[sad sally]

1. It's hard to imagine the millions of Afghan people (men, women and children) who must suffer

from some form of stress related mental illness.

Ever since the initial bombing to destroy the Taliban back in 2002, the US has created even more chaos in a country that was already in shambles. How many more orphans and killers with ptsd will it take until the US admits there isn't a hopeful outcome in Afghanistan?