Eikenberry in Afghanistan Speaks From His Heart

Hamid Karzai, cossetted and secured by the USG since his emplacement in December 2001 (has it really been almost a decade?) commented on the USG occupation of Afghanistan. Ambassador Eikenberry, retired Army Lt General with two combat tours in Afghanistan, responded angrily, almost tearfully. He told university students in Herat, “When Americans, who are serving in your country at great cost in terms of lives and treasure, hear themselves compared with occupiers, told that they are only here to advance their own interest, and likened to the brutal enemies of the Afghan people…they are filled with confusion and grow weary of our effort here…Mothers and fathers of fallen soldiers, spouses of soldiers who have lost arms and legs, children of those who lost their lives in your country — they ask themselves about the meaning of their loved one’s sacrifice. When we hear ourselves being called occupiers and worse, our pride is offended, and we begin to lose our inspiration to carry on.” Poor baby! Ah, the hard life of an Empire’s public servant among the ungrateful heathen. I wonder how Eikenberry’s past and present work has impacted the “inspiration” of Afghans and the families of those displaced, dead, scarred, and maimed over the past ten years?

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2:54 pm on June 19, 2011