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!*"The Afghanistan Trap" by Mumia Abu-Jamal
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nattyreb
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Oct 14, 2009 15:34 PDT
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The Afghanistan Trap
[col. writ. 10/7/09] (c) '09 Mumia Abu-Jamal
The Afghanistan war is due for a recycling, but it may not go the =20=
way the U.S. has planned.
Begun under dubious circumstances, more as a demonstration war to =20=
set the stage for the real drama of Iraq, Afghanistan has almost =20
always been more useful as a proxy war, fought by others, rather than =20=
a direct war, fought by Americans.
But 9-11 changed all that, and today, 9 years later, Barack Obama =20=
is beginning to resemble, more and more, another congressman who =20
became a president: Lyndon B. Johnson.
What makes that resemblance all the more remarkable is Johnson's =20=
inheritance of the Vietnam War, and his decision to escalate it.
We may never know exactly why he felt forced to escalate troops =20
even as he secretly knew it was a lost cause, but comments made to =20
congressional leaders in the bloody aftermath of the 1965 U.S. armed =20
intervention in the Dominican Republic revolt gives us some glimpse =20
into his thinking.
Johnson ordered tens of thousands of U.S. troops onto the island =20=
to put down a popular rebellion and install a right wing dictator, =20
Joaquin Belaguer, who ravaged the nation for nearly 30 years. Johnson =20=
summoned two Republican lawmakers to the White House, Senator Everett =20=
Dirkson and representative Gerald Ford, to crow, "[I've just taken an =20=
action that will prove that Democratic presidents can deal with =20
Communists as strongly as Republicans.
So, Dominicans were saddled with a U.S. Puppet dictator for =20
decades, denied the right to choose their own leaders, and experienced =20=
untold repression, so that U.S. presidents could claim strength and =20
political advantage over their adversaries in the other party.
Obama, despite his plea for "new politics", is faced with an =20
opposition unlike any other president in history.
What would this opposition do if he announced a withdrawal from =20
Afghanistan? The roar and howls of protest would be deafening.
"Weak on Terrorism!", "Betrayer of the Afghan People!" and on and =20=
on .....
For President Johnson, Vietnam was the quicksand that devoured =20
his presidency, his domestic agenda, and from which there was no escape.
For President Obama, facing a nation that had been called =20
'graveyard of empires'. quicksand may prove a step up.
Obama didn't start the war, but he did inherit it.
What he does now, either escalation or withdrawal, may determine =20=
whether Afghanistan becomes what it was for the former Soviet Union: =20
another
Vietnam.
--(c) '09 maj
{Source: Chester, Eric Thomas, Rag-Tags, Scum, Riff-Raff and Commies: =20=
The U.S. Intervention in the Dominican Republic: 1965-66 N.Y., =20
Monthly Review Press, 2001) .p.90}
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
The Power of Truth is Final -- Free Mumia!
URGENT Need for Petition Signatures at: =
http://www.iacenter.org/mumiapetition/
Audio of most of Mumia's essays are at: http://www.prisonradio.org
http://mumiapodcast.libsyn.com/
Mumia's got a podcast! Mumia Abu-Jamal's Radio Essays - Subscribe at =20
the website or on iTunes and get Mumia's radio commentaries online.
Mumia Abu-Jamal's new book -- JAILHOUSE LAWYERS: PRISONERS DEFENDING =20
PRISONERS V. THE USA, featuring an introduction by Angela Y. Davis -- =20=
has been released! It is available from City Lights Books: =
http://www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=3D87286100448090
If you are planning to organize an event or would like to order in =20
bulk, you can also receive a 45% discount on any bulk orders of 20 =20
copies or more. The book retails for $16.95, for orders of 20 copies =20
or more the discounted price would be $9.32 per book, plus shipping =20
and handling. Prepayment would be required and books are =20
nonreturnable. If you or your organization would like to place a bulk =20=
order, please contact Stacey Lewis at 415.362.1901 or =
sta-@citylights.com
Let's use the opportunity of the publication of this brilliant, =20
moving, vintage Mumia book to build the momentum for his case, to =20
raise the money we desperately need in these challenging economic =20
times, to get the word out =96 to produce literature, flyers, posters, =20=
videos, DVD's; to send organizers out to help build new chapters and =20=
strengthen old ones, TO GET THE PEOPLE OUT IN THE STREETS =85 all the =20=
work that we must do in order to FREE MUMIA as he faces LIFE IN PRISON =20=
WITHOUT PAROLE OR EXECUTION!
Please make a contribution to help free Mumia. Donations to the =20
grassroots work will go to both INTERNATIONAL CONCERNED FAMILY AND =20
FRIENDS OF MUMIA ABU-JAMAL and the FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL COALITION (NYC).
WWW.FREEMUMIA.COM
Please mail donations/ checks to:
FREE MUMIA ABU JAMAL COALITION
PO BOX 16, NEW YORK,
NY 10030
(CHECKS FOR BOTH ORGANIZATIONS PAYABLE TO: FMAJC/IFCO)
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
215 476-8812
212-330-8029
Send our brotha some LOVE and LIGHT at:
Mumia Abu-Jamal
AM 8335
SCI-Greene
175 Progress Drive
Waynesburg, PA 15370
WE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM CAN *NOT* REST!!
Subscribe: mumiacolumn-@topica.com
Read: http://topica.com/lists/mumiacolumns/read
Subscribe ICFFMAJ email updates list by e-mailing
icff-@aol.com!
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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-family: 'Calligraph421 BT'; font-size: large; "><div =
align=3D"center"><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"4"><strong><u>The =
Afghanistan Trap</u></strong></font></div><div align=3D"center"><font =
face=3D"Arial" size=3D"4"><strong><u>[col. writ. 10/7/09] (c) '09 Mumia =
Abu-Jamal</u></strong></font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"4"></font> </div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"4"></font> </div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial"> <font size=3D"4">The Afghanistan =
war is due for a recycling, but it may not go the way the U.S. has =
planned.</font></font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"4"></font> </div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial"> <font size=3D"4">Begun under =
dubious circumstances, more as a demonstration war to set the stage for =
the <strong><em>real</em></strong> drama of Iraq, Afghanistan =
has almost always been more useful as a proxy war, fought by others, =
rather than a direct war, fought by =
Americans.</font></font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"4"></font> </div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial"> <font size=3D"4">But 9-11 changed =
all that, and today, 9 years later, Barack Obama is beginning to =
resemble, more and more, another congressman who became a president: =
Lyndon B. Johnson.</font></font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"4"></font> </div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial"> <font size=3D"4">What makes that =
resemblance all the more remarkable is Johnson's inheritance of the =
Vietnam War, and his decision to escalate =
it.</font></font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"4"></font> </div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial"> <font size=3D"4">We may never =
know exactly why he felt forced to escalate troops even as he secretly =
knew it was a lost cause, but comments made to congressional leaders in =
the bloody aftermath of the 1965 U.S. armed intervention in the =
Dominican Republic revolt gives us some glimpse into his =
thinking.</font></font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"4"></font> </div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial"> <font size=3D"4">Johnson ordered =
tens of thousands of U.S. troops onto the island to put down a =
popular rebellion and install a right wing dictator, Joaquin Belaguer, =
who ravaged the nation for nearly 30 years. Johnson summoned two =
Republican lawmakers to the White House, Senator Everett Dirkson and =
representative Gerald Ford, to crow, "[I've just taken an action =
that will prove that Democratic presidents can deal with Communists as =
strongly as Republicans.</font></font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"4"></font> </div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial"> <font size=3D"4">So, Dominicans =
were saddled with a U.S. Puppet dictator for decades, denied the right =
to choose their own leaders, and experienced untold repression, so that =
U.S. presidents could claim strength and political advantage over their =
adversaries in the other party.</font></font></div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial" size=3D"4"></font> </div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial"> <font size=3D"4">Obama, despite =
his plea for "new politics", is faced with an opposition unlike any =
other president in history.</font></font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"4"></font> </div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial"> <font size=3D"4">What would this =
opposition do if he announced a withdrawal from Afghanistan? The roar =
and howls of protest would be deafening.</font></font></div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial" size=3D"4"></font> </div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial"> <font size=3D"4">"Weak on =
Terrorism!", "Betrayer of the Afghan People!" and on and on =
.....</font></font></div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial"> </font></div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial"> <font size=3D"4">For President =
Johnson, Vietnam was the quicksand that devoured his presidency, =
his domestic agenda, and from which there was no =
escape.</font></font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"4"></font> </div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial"> <font size=3D"4"> For =
President Obama, facing a nation that had been called 'graveyard of =
empires'. quicksand may prove a step =
up.</font></font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"4"></font> </div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial"> <font size=3D"4">Obama didn't =
start the war, but he did inherit it.</font></font></div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial"> </font></div><div><font =
face=3D"Arial" size=3D"4"> What he does now, =
either escalation or withdrawal, may determine whether Afghanistan =
becomes what it was for the former Soviet Union: =
another</font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"4">Vietnam. </font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"4"></font> </div><div><font face=3D"Arial" size=3D"4">--(c) =
'09 maj</font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"4"></font> </div><div><font size=3D"4">{Source: Chester, =
Eric Thomas, Rag-Tags, Scum, Riff-Raff and Commies: The U.S. =
Intervention in the Dominican Republic: 1965-66 N.Y., Monthly =
Review Press, 2001) =
.p.90}</font></div><div>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D</div><div><br=
| | </div><div><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-family: =
|
Arial; font-size: small; "><div><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px; ">The Power of Truth =
is Final -- Free Mumia! </span></div><div><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Arial"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span"=
style=3D"font-size: small; "><div><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
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align=3D"left"><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" face=3D"Arial"><span =
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align=3D"left"><div><div align=3D"left"><div><div align=3D"left"><div><div=
id=3D"57422c453a98c70098a0d9c44af34d29"><div align=3D"left"><div =
align=3D"left"><div align=3D"left"><div><div><div align=3D"left"><div =
align=3D"left"><div align=3D"left"><div align=3D"left"><div =
align=3D"left"><div align=3D"left"><div><div><div align=3D"left"><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px; "><br></span></font></div><div =
align=3D"left"><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px; =
"><b>URGENT</b><b> Need for Petition Signatures =
at:</b> <a =
href=3D"http://www.iacenter.org/mumiapetition/">http://www.iacenter.org/mu=
miapetition/</a></span></font></div><div align=3D"left"><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px; "><br></span></font></div><div =
align=3D"left"><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px; ">Audio of most of =
Mumia's essays are at: </span></font><a =
href=3D"http://www.prisonradio.org/"><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px; =
">http://www.prisonradio.org</span></font></a></div><div =
align=3D"left"><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px; =
"><br></span></font></div><div align=3D"left"><a =
href=3D"http://mumiapodcast.libsyn.com/"><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px; =
">http://mumiapodcast.libsyn.com/</span></font></a></div><div =
align=3D"left"><div><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px; ">Mumia's got a =
podcast! Mumia Abu-Jamal's Radio Essays - Subscribe at the website =
or on iTunes and get Mumia's radio commentaries =
online.</span></font></div><div><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px; =
"><br></span></font></div><div><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px; =
">Mumia Abu-Jamal's new book -- JAILHOUSE LAWYERS: PRISONERS DEFENDING =
PRISONERS V. THE USA, featuring an introduction by Angela Y. Davis -- =
has been released! It is available from City Lights =
Books: </span></font><a =
href=3D"http://www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=3D87286100448090"><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px; =
">http://www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=3D87286100448090</span></font></a><=
/div></div><div align=3D"left"><div align=3D"left"><p align=3D""><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px; ">If you are planning to organize an event or =
would like to order in bulk, you can also receive a 45% discount on any =
bulk orders of 20 copies or more. The book retails for $16.95, for =
orders of 20 copies or more the discounted price would be $9.32 per =
book, plus shipping and handling. Prepayment would be =
required and books are nonreturnable. If you or your organization =
would like to place a bulk order, please contact Stacey Lewis =
at 415.362.1901 or </span></font><a =
href=3D"mailto:sta-@citylights.com"><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px; =
">sta-@citylights.com</span></font></a></p><div><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px; ">Let's use the opportunity of the publication =
of this brilliant, moving, vintage Mumia book to build the momentum for =
his case, to raise the money we desperately need in these challenging =
economic times, to get the word out =96 to produce literature, flyers, =
posters, videos, DVD's; to send organizers out to help build new =
chapters and strengthen old ones, TO GET THE PEOPLE OUT IN THE STREETS =85=
all the work that we must do in order to FREE MUMIA as he faces LIFE IN =
PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE OR EXECUTION!</span></font></div><p align=3D""><font=
class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px; ">Please make a contribution to help free =
Mumia. Donations to the grassroots work will go to both =
INTERNATIONAL CONCERNED FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF MUMIA ABU-JAMAL and =
the FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL COALITION (NYC).</span></font></p><p =
align=3D""><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px; =
">WWW.FREEMUMIA.COM</span></font></p><p align=3D""><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px; ">Please mail donations/ checks to:<br>FREE =
MUMIA ABU JAMAL COALITION<br>PO BOX 16, NEW YORK, <br>NY =
10030<br>(CHECKS FOR BOTH ORGANIZATIONS PAYABLE TO: =
FMAJC/IFCO)</span></font></p><p align=3D""><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px; ">FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: <br>215 =
476-8812<br>212-330-8029</span></font></p><div><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px; ">Send our brotha some LOVE and LIGHT =
at: </span></font></div><div><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px; =
"><br class=3D"webkit-block-placeholder"></span></font></div><div =
align=3D"left"><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-size: 13px; ">Mumia =
Abu-Jamal <br>AM 8335 <br>SCI-Greene <br>175 Progress =
Drive <br>Waynesburg, PA 15370 <br><br>WE WHO BELIEVE IN =
FREEDOM CAN *NOT* REST!! <br><br>Subscribe: </span></font><a =
href=3D"mailto:mumiacolumn-@topica.com"><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px; =
">mumiacolumn-@topica.com</span></font></a><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px; "> <br>Read: </span></font><a =
href=3D"http://topica.com/lists/mumiacolumns/read"><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px; =
">http://topica.com/lists/mumiacolumns/read</span></font></a><font =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-size: 13px; "> <br>Subscribe ICFFMAJ email updates =
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div></span></font></div></div></span></font></div></span></font></div></sp=
an></font></div></span></span></font></div></span></span></font></div></sp=
an></span></font></div></span></div></font></span></div></div></span></spa=
n></font></div><div><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" size=3D"3"><span =
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