Wednesday, May 23, 2012

A Relief for My Family

My younger brother, Vincenzo, returned from the greater Kandahar metropolitan area yesterday. He's finished a year-long tour of duty that he'd started while my baby brother Gomez was still there. For the first time in a long time, both of my younger brothers aren't in the theatre of war. It's a relief for my family, but there are other families that have members still involved in a war with no real objectives, and no real exit strategy. The military presence hasn't been matched by adequate humanitarian aid or diplomatic efforts.

Personally, I think our biggest failure in Afghanistan was our lack of involvement in the region after the Afghan-Soviet War. We armed a coalition of tribal partisans, nationalists, and religious fanatics to the teeth and trained them how to wage a guerrilla war with modern weapons, and set them loose, then made no efforts to get them to stand down and to learn to form a normalized, modernized society. We blew it then, we blew it in 2001, and we're still blowing it, and the end result is lost and shattered lives (both NATO and Afghan) Right now, our policy is, basically, to swat mosquitoes with a howitzer- it's dangerous, counterproductive, and destined to be unsuccessful.

It's time to bring all of the NATO troops home.

11 comments:

Vonnie said...

So so so happy that your family is home and safe.

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

We armed a coalition of tribal partisans, nationalists, and religious fanatics to the teeth

We used to call them freedom fighters. Now we call them terrorists. They haven't changed, it's just that now we're foreign army.

We should get out, we're only going to keep making it worse.

Good for your family for a little respite.
~

wiley said...

Welcome home! Peace be upon them.

Just as many countries are still suffering the effects of the arbitrary boundaries drawn after WW II, many countries are still suffering the effects of the allegiances formed during the Cold War and the aftermath of the Cold War's end which, for many undeveloped countries was neglect and surplus arms.

Dragon-King Wangchuck said...

Hey, glad your brothers are out of war zones. May you and all those others with loved ones in teh line of fire enjoy your happy reunions!

Hamish Mack said...

Good new, dude. Would the bros. be interested in a guest posts here to tell us what they think about it all?

Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

Thanks to all.

Would the bros. be interested in a guest posts here to tell us what they think about it all?

That's a sticky issue, because they are both career officers- Vin will be elligible for retirement in three years, Gomez in five. They aren't really at liberty to comment.

Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

Thanks to all.

Would the bros. be interested in a guest posts here to tell us what they think about it all?

That's a sticky issue, because they are both career officers- Vin will be elligible for retirement in three years, Gomez in five. They aren't really at liberty to comment.

Hamish Mack said...

Fair enough. It is just for interest's sake and that's not worth buggering up your career for.

Dr.KennethNoisewater said...

I'm thrilled for you and your family!

bbkf said...

huzzah for the brothers bastardo!

Frivolous said...

Congratulations on your brothers coming home. I understand completely why you would be so relieved. It's great they're back and unharmed.