Speaking today on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Senator Lindsay Graham (R – SC) called for the United States to establish permanent military bases in Afghanistan so they could retain control over the nation permanently beyond the still ongoing occupation.
Sen. Graham maintained that the permanent military presence would “be enormously beneficial to the region” and was vital to ensure that the Karzai government would have “an edge against the Taliban in perpetuity.”
Graham’s comments again point to the view that, even beyond the theoretical end to the seemingly endless NATO occupation of Afghanistan, there’s going to be a major war going on that requires a permanent US military presence.
But the Senator’s demands to secure this scheme in 2011 may be hasty even for the ultra-hawkish crowd he generally panders to. With the war worsening through multiple escalations in 2009 and 2010, the war, which will be entering its second decade later this year, is far from won, and the decision of how best to secure eternal hegemony over Central Asia seems to ignore the fact that 150,000 NATO troops don’t seem capable of bringing the war to anything resembling an ending.
This is "news" in the sense of (a) Graham openly calling for the establishment of such. Who ever doubted intended permanence?; (b) Graham is firing a shot across the bow of the new TEA &/or GOP Representatives (as Sen Moynihan did of Clinton's election).
Thirty four US soldiers died in Afghanistan in December, 2010. Eighteen of those deaths occurred in Helmand on seventeen separate December days. Thirty US soldiers died the previous three months in Helmand for a total of forty eight dead US soldiers in Helmand province the last four months of 2010.
Despite the escalation of combat deaths in Helmand in December not one news story appeared in any major media outlet or sadly any alternative outlet concerning the barest of facts about the near continuous series of battles that must be occurring to sustain such heavy losses in one remote province.
This Israel First neoconservative chickenhawk Senator needs to censured. He and other neocon AIPAC owned Israeli Firsters have advocated that the US fight Iran for Israel.
Here in OZ, one Aussie wounded would be headline news for a day! However the end result would be 'ho hum somebody has to do it'. The Australian people generally believe (apart from the fact that we are there to support our American allies) that we are there to liberate Afghan women and girls so they can be educated etc.& Bin Laden also is there somewhere! Not many aussies care that Australia invaded a nation who did nothing to us to whatsoever for no reason whatsoever! We also suffer from who is going to win Master Chef or stock market figures or……..
It makes about as much sense for you Aussies to be fighting in Afghanistan as it did for you to be fighting the Turks at Gallipoli. All you saps did was trade one master for another….
Because they didn't want to distract the CONSUMER from spending during the holiday season. No reason to BOTHER the 92% of the American people who have no stake in the wars and don't support them – except for the pretty (and now faded) magnetic ribbons that festoon their cars.
You need to raise the taxes of every nutcase who supports this idea to pay for it, and you need to reinstate the draft if you want to rule the world. And by the way, leave my children and grandchildren out of your absolutely crazy scheme. Support the military industrial complex with those in favor of world-wide hegemony. I can’t believe you gave voice to such an idiotic idea.
Graham seems to be a supporter of " war without end". The Soviet defeat in Afghanistan was partly due to the fact that with it's failing economy back home it made it very difficult to continue the war. This is what is happening now to the US and Nato. Europe, and Britain in particular, are unable to justify to it's people their involvement in Afghanistan knowing the economic crisis in many EU countries. Graham is just trying to show that is a good old fashion right-wing Republican. He is still afraid that some of the tea-baggers ( to use Bill Maher's phase) will dig up some of the liberal bills that he has supported in the past.
Let me guess where he wants the Permanent bases!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Along the same route as the proposed 1990's Oil Pipeline from Afghanistans Neighbors that have oil.
Thats were they found Karzai!
Isnt it!
Israeli Army Chief Gabi Ashkenazi in a wiki leak wire dated 2009 stated it was a good time for Israel to reattack Gaza or invade Lebanon. The general also was in charge of the slaughter on the turkish ship.
The Guy is also pushing for an attack on Iran and today a new story has that Israel is in danger of being attacked by Iran within a year. The reason I mention the guy is raving war mongers like Israeli Army Chief Gabi Ashkenazi or Senator Graham are really just talking heads for the military industrial complex. Senator Graham stated his political career as one of the 12 angry house of represents member who beat the drum to get Clinton impeached. He is also an army reserve office who has collect a pay check from the army reserve while he voted to pass a law in which a member of congress cannot be called to active military duty. Now why would a guy want to be in the reserve and pas such a law except he knows if he is successful in getting more wars stated he could end up facing an angry guy with a rifle and a grudge.
It might be a good time to question why we have any military outside of the 50 states. Our founding fathers wanted us to avoid getting involved in matters outside of the nation. They have been proven correct in so many way that it might be a good time to question the forever wars and the evil people who like Israeli Army Chief Gabi Ashkenazi who believe it might be a good time to start a new war.
You're right on many points but it bears reminding that what the "founders" have said, and what the Feds have done for over two hundred years, are two completely different things. I would no more expect them to do otherwise than stop the tides.
my guess is he wants them in the southern provinces of herat farah and helmand right along the path of TAPI
Graham is nuts. We need to get our asses out of the region and stop promoting war. What has happened to this once great country? We have started two wars on lies. We have not investigated 911 and evidence reveals both US and Israel were involved. Congress and two Presidents have bankrupted the country. A nation of laws has been lost as we cannot even determine whether President Obama is a natural born person. Gramham needs to wake up or get the hell out of the way so the Nation can correct its course.
The proposed military base in Afghanistan should be commanded by Graham and staffed by every moron in South Carolina who voted for Graham who is one of the biggest idiots in the Congress.
You know, perpetual war for perpetual peace.
We should brand these people Al Queda operatives and send them to Guantanamo. They've done more to fulfill Al Queda's intentions than Al Queda could ever dream of accomplishing without their "material assistance."
Babyface Graham is always there to beat his little drum for wars.
We need to get out of there. The people do not want us there. The govt. does not want us there. We have no national interest there. We are losing too many soldiers and billions of dollars for a losing cause. Afghanistan has always been a failed state. Their people are more loyal to their tribe than their national govt. We are the infidel. They have no loyalty to us. To establish a permanent base there is to blatantly declare that we are an empire and that they are our colony. Same is true with Iraq. Al Maliki wants us out by 2011- we said maybe (maybe not).
I sometimes wonder if I am nuts……..I now feel better, because so many of our elected officials are nuts. This one really is. My problem is I let these coo coos persuade me that they know what they are doing. Most of the coo coos never put on a uniform and yet they want others to fight for their plans to take over the wealth of the world.