This war announcement will be to a U.S. population that largely does not support the war and deeply divides us. Most of us go about our daily lives apparently unaffected by the decision and the war as our kids are not at risk of being killed or maimed for life. There is no equal or fair sharing of the burden of war. There are camps of supporters and non-supporters of the effort. Those whose kids are at risk are largely supportive of the troops and worry daily about their well being. There are those who support the war effort but are not willing to raise the necessary taxes to pay for the effort or provide the necessary medical and psychological support to the troops upon their return. Then there are those of us who work daily to try and stop this war escalation before it even happens.
The current war in Afghanistan has become a civil war against a corrupt American backed central government with the principle driver of the insurgency being poverty and unemployment. Afghanistan has a 40 50% unemployment level with a rate of malnourishment of 35 per cent. Two thirds of the country lacks access to safe drinking water fueling a childhood death rate of one out of five by age 5.
In these harsh economic survival conditions the Taliban is able to recruit individuals who would rather be doing anything else. Day labor goes for $4 dollars daily in Kabul. The horrible fact is that American soldiers are being killed by desperate Afghani men who would be willing to put down their arms for $5 a day.
But what are the alternatives? One is the so-called Afghan Marshall Plan, a proposed exit strategy. This civilian assistance surge amounts to a countrywide jobs program. It is anticipated to cost about $4 billion dollars, or less than what our military operations cost for 2 months. Indeed there are many alternatives to war in Afghanistan. Appropriate foreign aid, supporting reconciliation and conflict resolution while working with the international community to identify, support and protect the process of peaceful conflict resolution stand foremost.
Ultimately most agree there is not a military solution to the situation in Afghanistan. There needs to be a reconciliation process bringing together the varied warring factions including the Taliban. The rudimentary steps in this process supported by the international community and the U.S. military are just beginning. This reconciliation process can occur now or later. The principle difference of waiting until later will be in the cost of American and innocent Afghani lives.
Commentary by Robert Dodge, MD, Ventura County, CA
Robert Dodge is a family physician. He is co-chairman of Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions, a board member and nuclear ambassador of Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles, a board member of Beyond War and team leader for their Nuclear Weapons Abolition Team.
Merle Goehring of Peace Network of the Ozarks, in forwarding a message from United for Peace and Justice, a nonpartisan forum for anti-war and social change activists, encourages those of a like mind to keep pressure on Congress to vote no on no more money for war in Afghanistan, by signing on to Barbara Lee's bill (HR 3699) and supporting Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Jim McGovern's bill (HR 2404) which calls for an exit strategy. Contact may be made to the Congressional switchboard via phone at (202) 224-3121 or 225-3121 or through a post on this website.
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