Vol. 74/No. 26      July 12, 2010

Washington is now working overtime to undo the damage from having to dismiss the top commander of the Afghan war for the second time in about a year. Regaining confidence in the war effort among the troops and maintaining the support of the Afghan government and Washington’s allies are some of the challenges in front of Obama’s new commander. At his confirmation hearing, Petraeus presented no alternative strategy for the war, and reiterated that the military conflict will be an “enduring one.” The war, with mounting civilian and military casualties, has already dragged on for nearly nine years, with no end in sight.

Washington proclaimed itself the savior of Afghanistan when it invaded that country in 2001—the opening shot in its “global war on terror.” But it has never tried, because of almost certain failure in the long run, to make its military campaign in Afghanistan a popular war. Unlike any previous major military conflict in U.S. history, Washington has avoided patriotic appeals to “sacrifice” for the war effort.

With the latest military changes at the top of the Afghan war, Washington is trying to put in place a new military command that can make some progress in the war to advance its imperialist interests. The only course that is in the interests of working people in Afghanistan, the United States, and the world over is the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all U.S. and allied troops from that country
 
 
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