The Fall of General McChrystal

by Thomas Riggins

After reading the Rolling Stone article that brought down McChrystal, I can only say that Obama really had no other choice but to "accept his resignation"--i.e., fire him. The arrogance and contempt shown by the general and his immediate staff towards the president and his team, of which McChrystal was obstensively a part, is hard to understand. What planet did McChrystal and his staff think they were living on to make such inflammatory comments about the president and vice president and other members of the administration?

However, there is even a greater story here than the downfall of an unwise general. Below is the conclusion to the Rolling Stone article which indicates that Afghanistan is a LOST CAUSE.

"After nine years of war, the Taliban simply remains too strongly entrenched for the U.S. military to openly attack. The very people that COIN [Counter Insurgency--tr] seeks to win over – the Afghan people – do not want us there. Our supposed ally, President Karzai, used his influence to delay the offensive [the surge], and the massive influx of aid championed by McChrystal is likely only to make things worse. "Throwing money at the problem exacerbates the problem," says Andrew Wilder, an expert at Tufts University who has studied the effect of aid in southern Afghanistan. "A tsunami of cash fuels corruption, delegitimizes the government and creates an environment where we're picking winners and losers" – a process that fuels resentment and hostility among the civilian population. So far, counterinsurgency has succeeded only in creating a never-ending demand for the primary product supplied by the military: perpetual war. There is a reason that President Obama studiously avoids using the word "victory" when he talks about Afghanistan. Winning, it would seem, is not really possible. Not even with Stanley McChrystal in charge. "

Note the following:

1. THE TALIBAN IS TOO STRONG FOR THE US TO OPENLY ATTACK.
2. THE AFGHAN PEOPLE DO NOT WANT US THERE.
3. SO FAR ALL THE US HAS DONE IS BRING ABOUT PERPETUAL WAR.
4. WINNING THIS WAR SEEMS NOT REALLY POSSIBLE.

This pessimism is only greater if you read the entire article. So while Obama was right to get rid of McChrystal, he is making a great mistake in taking the American people down the road of perpetuating this meaningless war. This was Bush's war, Bush's lunacy. We must convince Obama to abandon it or it will destroy his presidency and open the doors of reaction here at home.

Building a New Peace Movement, an Interview with Judith Le Blanc

Originally from PoliticalAffairs.net

PA: Currently it seems as though the economic crisis and the health care debate have really pushed peace movement issues off the priority list? What do you think the peace movement can or should be done to re-center that effort?

Judith Le Blanc: The peace movement played a critical role in the results of the 2008 elections, and for anybody who has read Game Change and was active in the anti-Iraq War movement, you can really can see that it made a difference. Behind the scenes in the campaigns, both during the democratic primary and in the general elections, people were concerned about the positions the candidates were taking, because they knew the power of the grassroots sentiment opposing the war in Iraq.

The peace movement is now in a period of transition, transitioning from a kind of historical role of being one of the decisive movements working on one of the most critical issues facing the country. Now organizations that sprang up from the grassroots and formed national coalitions that were able to mobilize hundreds of thousands are in a transition from that historic moment to a moment where we have to build a new kind of peace movement from the grassroots up, a peace movement that links the issues and organizes on the basis of relating to other movements which are adjusting to the economic crisis.

Read the whole interview here...

Rethink Afghanistan

Teachers Union Anti-War Resolution

Teachers Urged to Oppose Escalation in Afghanistan; Unemployment Insurance for Part-timers

by Mike Tolochko

The New York State United Teachers [NYSUT] is a labor organization of all the teachers and educational professional staffs in New York State. The group represents over 450,000 members. They come from every corner of the very diverse world of New York State. The very rural areas of Western and the northern tier of New York State. Plattsburgh, which is close to Montreal; Buffalo, which is close to Toronto; all the way down to New York City and Long Island. This year's meeting will be taking place in Buffalo, NY, April 2-3, 2009

This year the combined strength of the full organization is fighting against the cutbacks that are being proposed. NYSUT has held many demonstrations in Albany, NY to express their rage.

Here are a couple of resolutions that will be proposed.

Proposed Resolution #2 Oppose Escalation of the War in Afghanistan is being submitted by the Professional Staff Congress from the City University of New York. The resolution draws attention to previous passed resolutions:

"Whereas, NYSUT, at its 2008 Representative Assembly, and the AFT at its 2008 Convention, affirmed a resolution entitled, "Against the Current U.S. Policy of Permanent and Preemptive War," which stated that 'the war on error' is an ideological construct that observes the real reasons for the war-which include control over wealth and resources.'"

The resolution cites the importance of Afghanistan's oil and natural gas and the strategic location of these reserves. The resolution also cites the New Administration desire to increase the number of troops being sent. The resolution then says, "Resolved that NYSUT opposes escalation of the war in Afghanistan and communicate to the NY State congressional delegation its opposition to the proposed escalation of the war and to the opening of additional fronts of the way." And, then the PSC class for "NYSUT participate in revitalizing the anti-war movement."

Extend Unemployment Insurance Rights

This resolution [#31] focuses on the rights of part-time and contingent workers. CUNY has been hiring more and more part-time teachers, as has been the pattern across the countries in all colleges and universities. This resolution calls on NYSUT to push for unemployment insurance for part-time instructors.