Sowell: Another Galling Betrayal

Creators Syndicate ^ | February 18, 2014 | Thomas Sowell

[jazusamo]

The Afghanistan government's recent release of dozens of imprisoned terrorists, many of whom had killed Americans, was a galling betrayal of those Americans who died defending Afghanistan against the Taliban terrorists — as well as those Americans who have returned home with arms or legs missing, or with minds traumatized beyond repair.

If we learn nothing else from the bitter tragedy of the war in Afghanistan, it should be that we should put an end forever to the self-indulgence of thinking that we can engage in "nation-building" and creating "democracy" in countries where nothing resembling democracy has ever existed.

It would be a feat to achieve one of these objectives, but to achieve both at the same time is a gamble that makes playing Russian roulette look like a harmless pastime.

F.A. Hayek said, "We shall not grow wiser until we learn that much that we have done was very foolish." Nothing is more foolish — and immoral — than sending men into battle to risk their lives winning victories that are later lost by politicians for political reasons.

That started long before the war in Afghanistan. Vietnam was a classic example. Years after that war was over, the Communist victors themselves admitted that they lost militarily in Vietnam, as they knew they would. But they won politically in America, with the help of Americans, including the media — as they also knew they would.

The war in Iraq was more of the same. American troops won that war but our politicians lost the peace. Terrorists have now taken over, and raised Al Qaeda flags, in some Iraqi towns that American troops liberated at the cost of many lives.

[jazusamo]

Sorry for the late posting, cable down.

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[tet68]

God bless Dr. Sowell.
BTTT.

[bigheadfred]

Nothing is more foolish — and immoral — than sending men into battle to risk their lives winning victories that are later lost by politicians for political reasons.

He got that from me. ;-)

[jazusamo]

Bump! You’re definitely both right. :-)

[onyx]

Dr. Thomas Sowell is rigth on!
Here's additional some truth to back his statements.

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[Thom Pain]

Mystery solved. Now we know what WalMartians do when they are not shopping. They are legislators!

[onyx]

I sure garbled by sentence in my hastiness ... oh well.

"If we can't be serious, we have no right to send young Americans out into the hell of war."

AMEN.

IMHO, it's past time, but not too late, to bring our brave troops home from those HELL HOLES!

[jazusamo]

Thank You my FRiend, Great post!!

[jazusamo]

Amen to that!

[Little Ray]

Couldn’t hold them forever.

We should have tried them as “unlawful combatants” and shot them.

[88keys]

pinging for later - thanks for posting!

[onyx]

Dr. Thomas Sowell is an American Treasure!

Thank you so much for keeping us current with all his essays.

[kaehurowing]

The Democrats lost Vietnam, and now they are losing Iraq and Afghanistan.

[yldstrk]

I completely agree, the amount of planning that went into WW2 was leaps and bounds ahead of this lame effort in Iraq and Afghanistan

[GOPJ]

If we learn nothing else from the bitter tragedy of the war in Afghanistan, it should be that we should put an end forever to the self-indulgence of thinking that we can engage in "nation-building" and creating "democracy" in countries where nothing resembling democracy has ever existed.

I still think it can be done - but not by the liberal elites running things in DC.

[Carry_Okie]

No transformation of any enemy can even begin until they have been utterly defeated. In this case, the enemy is Islam. Until we accept that, we are in for a long defeat.

[jazusamo]

Well said, we have to fight them ruthlessly with a mission to win.

[Tallguy]

No amount of tactical perfection can compensate for strategic stupidity.

[jazusamo]

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