Decisions by Ira Schwartz

“Indecision is a virus that can run through an army and destroy its will to win or even to survive.” Wendell Mayes

It’s been eight years since our troops first set foot upon Afghani soil. It’s been eight years of fighting and dying. After eight years exactly where do we stand?

Let’s take a quick look at the score card. In 2001 our army managed to literally chase Al-Qaeda out of the country and into the hills of Pakistan and drive the Taliban from power. Today the Taliban again control almost 80% of the country and are driving us back into our strongholds. In 2004 the Afghanis drafted a constitution and elected a president. Today that President, Hamid Karzai, is afraid to leave the security of his palace and is constantly denying charges that his administration is corrupt. P.S. It is. In 2002 the U.S. had approximately 5,200 boots on the ground in Afghanistan. Today we’re closer to 32,000 and our generals say we need more. Before they decide to send more troops or not the present administration wants to “re-evaluate the situation”. Sound familiar? It should. Remember a little place called “Vietnam”?

And therein lays the problem. Despite Korea and Vietnam the powers that run our military machine are still stuck in a World War ll mentality. The enemy must be forced to surrender at all costs. If we look at Korea and Vietnam in that respect then we lost both those wars. However, both South Korea and Vietnam now have strong and stable governments with strong and growing economies. Without our intervention that probably would not have happened.

So what is our strategy in Afghanistan? Why are we there?

If we are there to chase Al-Qaeda out, we did that. To topple the Taliban? We did that too. To win over the minds and hearts of the Afghani people? The Afghani people could care less about who runs their country as long as they are left alone and can grow their poppies and smoke their Hashish in peace. To set up a stable central government? A western style democratic government will never work in that region of the world. To win the war? Who did we go there to fight; Al-Qaeda or the Taliban? We’ve beaten Al-Qaeda; we will never beat the Taliban. Remember the Taliban are Afghani. They exist and live in every city, town and village in their country. The British tried to subdue them in 1838 and 1878 and failed and we all know what happened to the Russians. So where does that leave us? In an endless war we can’t win? Not necessarily.

A strong, credible government does need to be established, if for nothing else than to stop the tribal conflicts and constant infighting. The government needs to be an Afghani government not a bastardised version of our own. The government needs to include all the Afghani people including the Taliban. If we include them into the mix the war stops immediately and the US government gains credibility in the Islamic world. Besides we also get an experienced, well trained army that hates Al-Qaeda as much as we do as an added bonus. Unrealistic you say? Look at Somali.

Our administration now accepts the Somali non-democratic moderate Islamic government. This thaw in our relationship allowed the US to take out an Al-Qaeda agent in Somali suspected of master minding the 2002 bombing of a Kenyan hotel. What did the Somali government due about the US attack? Nothing.

Will this work in Afghanistan? We’ll never know till we try. But I can tell you this, as soon as we pull our troops out the Karzai government will fall and the United States will takes its place in history alongside the British and the Russians as one more invading army that failed.

Supporting Our Troops

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending the GI Film Festival at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. The Festival took place in one day and showed films that portray American enlisted men and women in a favorable light as opposed to the usual Hollywood fare. This festival was an offshoot of the main GI Film Festival which takes place in May every year in Washington D.C. The main event lasts seven days and includes showings of approximately 50 films. This was a one day shortened version in which the crème of the crop were exhibited. You can find out more details about the festival at: http://www.gifilmfestival.com/. I also recommend that if you are so inclined, you make a donation to this worthy cause.

Among the screened films was a documentary entitled “About Face,” which was directed by Steve Karras. To me, the film is a masterpiece. It depicts a group of Jewish Refugees from both Germany and Austria that joined the American and British Armed Forces in WWII to fight against their native lands. The film was both moving and educational. In fact, I must state I was not even aware there was so many of these refugees. Apparently, they numbered approximately 10,000. And, because of their knowledge of the native languages of the enemy, many of them were placed in positions that put them directly into contact with the same Germans who were persecuting their family and relatives.

The film explored the motivations of these soldiers and the feelings that many of them have regarding Nazism and the war to this day. You must remember that although these people were Jews, they were also Germans. Their native language was German. They were schooled in Germany prior to the Nazi takeover. All of their friends were Germans and some of those friends were even fighting in the war against the Allies. One of the refugees interviewed stated that he came across a childhood friend of his towards the end of the war and that it was an emotional experience for them both.

Another of the refugees was shown going back to his hometown for the first time since leaving before the war. He was walking the streets of his childhood and searching for some of his boyhood friends. Again, the question came up regarding what he would have done in the event he was confronted with killing one of them. Remember, these were all Jews who were fighting the same Nazis who had decreed that Jews were inferior and must be annihilated.

When asked while standing on one of the beaches at Normandy, what should be done to stop another holocaust and war with the scope of WWII, one of the documentary’s subjects stated, “Never allow another fanatic to gain control of a powerful country.” To no surprise, this garnered the most applause from the obvious partisan crowd.

Another film that I found extremely moving was a documentary entitled “Bedford: The Town They Left Behind.” This film traces the effects of D-Day on a small town in Virginia that had the largest per capita casualties on D-Day of anyplace in the United States. It also deals with the current effects of the citizenry as a result of the National Guard troops being called up in 2004 to fight in the “War on Terror.” Obviously, the D-Day losses are still considered and in the minds of the residents. A common question being asked by the residents today is, “Could this possibly happen again?”

This film was almost as emotional as “About Face.” It is hard to believe that this town was so affected by the losses sustained on D-Day. It was just their turn of bad luck that the National Guard branch based in Bedford was on the front lines storming Normandy on June 6, 1944. The town truly paid its price for Democracy. And, to their credit, the town people have learned to be proud of their boys and not regret the sacrifices which made.

There were many other films shown at the festival that were moving and made me proud of the Armed Forces and of being an American. Among them were “Spitfire 944” a short about an American pilot seeing a crash landing in which he survived during WWII 50 years after the war for the first time on film; “Witt’s Daughter” which fictionally explored the effects on a family of a soldier’s absence during the Korean conflict; and, “A Touch of Home” which is a documentary about the Vietnam War’s Red Cross Girls and their memories of the experience.

At the conclusion of the screenings, Gary Sinise hosted a reception honoring the filmmakers, the festival and the Armed Forces in general. Mr. Sinise appeared with his usual humbleness and towered praises upon the people that risk their lives for democracy and for the United States of America. This is a man that has devoted a major portion of his free time to supporting the military and asks for nothing in exchange. He is a true patriot and a true gentleman.

On the whole, the experience was a great one. It was both pleasant and unusual to be with a group of filmmakers and film aficionados that were of a like conservative mind and proud to be Americans. The usual gatherings of film people are full of condemnation of the country and its form of government. I hope that you all find a way to see these truly patriotic films. In closing, I salute the troops. I salute Gary Sinise for his untiring work for them and his love for America. And, I salute the founders and supporters of the festival. Thank you.

© 2009 by Frank T. DeMartini. Permission to copy will be granted freely upon request.