All The Gains Of The Past Few Years Have Been Lost As Iraq And Afghanistan Descend Into Murderous Mayhem

REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

War Gains Lost As Iraq, Afghanistan Descend Into Chaos -- David Francis, The Fiscal Times

A series of car bombs detonated across Iraq on Sunday, killing at least 66 people. It was the deadliest day since Oct. 5, when 75 people were killed in a similar series of attacks.

Yesterday’s attacks marked the continuation of a violent campaign by al-Qaeda affiliated groups in Iraq, which have made a fast comeback since the end of the Iraq war. So far, 5,300 people have been killed in Iraq this year. Last month alone, 880 people were killed; the Washington Post estimates that 20 to 30 percent of the dead are children.

Meanwhile, a roadside bomb in Afghanistan killed 18 people. The death total there has now reached 1,319 this year. An additional 2,533 have been wounded.

Yet the divide between Afghanistan and the United States continues to grow. This weekend, reports emerged that American inspectors would be cut off from nearly all U.S.-funded projects across the country once Americans troops withdraw. It’s another sign of the quickly failing relationship between Washington and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

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My Comment: As much as I have criticized U.S. and allied efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan over the years .... my criticism of Western efforts pales when I criticize Iraqi and Afghan government policies and programs. Their actions have been (and continue to be) criminal and evil .... and they have caused (and continue to cause) untold harm and damage to their countries. The only silver lining that I see in this mess is that it has "turned-off" any U.S. desire to intervene into an even more hellish place (i.e. Syria).