Losing the War in Afghanistan by Shear Stupidity

 

Afghans once welcomed interested westerners

This week's dispiriting news from Afghanistan, that Qurans were 'accidentally' burned, infuriates me.  I start with the ridiculous assertion that a holy book of Islam can be 'accidentally' burned.  It's like we invaded the Vatican and 'accidentally' desecrated communion hosts.  No one in any capacity in Afghanistan should be that dumb, or that culturally unaware.  It's not like it's a big secret that Moslems don't like the Quran being burnt (deaths have recently resulted from a previous case of Quran burning).  Everyone in Afghanistan must know the basics of Afghan culture and how Islam is practiced in the country we have invaded and now occupy.  We have spent billions of dollars and lost thousands of U.S. lives and now the whole enterprise may be lost by an Afghan Spring of our own 'accidental' making.

 

The other thing about this disaster is the role of cultural ignorance that many Americans like to celebrate.  We can't afford to be an international player if we are going to remain tone deaf to other cultures' values.  Why do so many politicians and commentators see this form of knowledge as weakness?

 

Although I seldom agree with Newt Gingrich, he may be onto something.  We should take this Afghan uprising against U.S. and NATO occupation as the opportunity to leave Afghanistan.  Bin Laden is dead; we've done all we can do to rid Afghanistan of Al Qaida, let's take this opportunity to get out now!