Above: U.S. Army in Afghanistan. Credit: U.S. Army
Shawn Snow, The Hill: Long wars and ugly nationalism test Americans' patience
Just before the NATO summit in Warsaw, President Obama announced a new Afghan policy to maintain 8,400 troops in Afghanistan through next year; a shift from a previous goal of reducing America’s effort in the war torn country to an embassy size protection force of 5,500 combat troops. The shift in strategy counters Obama’s promise of ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As he prepares to leave office America has re-entered the Iraq conflict with several thousand troops on the ground; maintained a force posture of over 8000 troops in Afghanistan with expanded rules of engagement that allow U.S. forces to target the Taliban; witnessed the entrance U.S. forces in Syria; and an ever increasing counter-terrorism operation in Africa. America’s wars are expanding with no end on the horizon and with that have come a hyper partisan atmosphere and a toxic election cycle.
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WNU Editor: I can sense this desire for change .... and not President Obama's "hope and change" mantra of the 2008 election cycle. And while Donald Trump is now viewed as a manifestation of this desire for change, the fact is that in many countries public opinion is shifting away from the status quo .... and a desire to have something different. The Brexit vote is Europe's wake-up call, the Middle East is now a different place (for better and for worse) since the start of the Arab Spring, and in Asia it is the rise of nationalism and growing boundary disputes that is dominating the news cycle. So yes .... many Americans are losing patience .... but so is much of the world.
3 comments:
Ok. Here and in Europe many want change...change to what? What, for example, change would Trump bring? He promises to bring back jobs from China but how would he manage this, and at what cost to consumers? Promises to get rid of Obama health program...and replace it with?
Europe clearly scared of hordes of refugees coming into their nations from the Middle East. What to do about this?
Not saying things ought not change. But am asking what rational helpful changes can and should be made.
Polls in the States show that neither candidate is looked at with pleasure. The security state is entrenched and corporate America has its interests taken care of without fail. American's want change but are really not offered such.
The relatively few American's that leave the U.S. and visit Western Europe come back stunned. Streets that are not crumbling, cities that are livable and desirable, and health care you can afford. How can these old countries do things that the U.S. cannot achieve? Cognitive dissonance ensues.
American's realize that the dream is gone. Grab what you can while you can. Upward mobility is almost non-existent and people do not think that their children will do better than their parents.
In response to this growing perception of inequality, social and economic, and lack of opportunity, the media propaganda machine is busy selling the myth of change and danger lurking at every corner should the law and order candidates not be elected.
The height of absurdity is Ms. Clinton talking about the need for citizens to obey the law.
The difference between reality and myth and no mechanism for bringing fairness back to the U.S. is leading to violence. People lack hope. That is dangerous.
Nobody in power is really listening.
Were a person living in Italy or Germany in the 1930's to listen to today's political discourse, they would find some striking similarities. Many would feel right at home.
Democracy dies with a whimper.
Perhaps some day citizens in the U.S. could select their candidates and leaders via direct democracy. That could start to heal this country.
The Electoral College, faceless people none of them elected by the people, decide who runs this country and has their hands on the nuclear trigger.
Rest easy world.
" But am asking what rational helpful changes can and should be made."
Neoliberist capitalism is in a putrid phase, but the attack on salaries, pensions, welfare and workers rights continue everywhere.
Try to start another type of economy in a little community hit hard by economic crisis, reconstruct social relations among peoples in trouble with civil associations and others, and if work, expand it.
This may not work for the whole nation, but it can create a safe place for many and a good experience of humanity, even in case of civil war.
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