The Powder Keg

The Powder Keg of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.

What is very obvious to me and many others around the world at this time is that the interests of the U.S. and Europe might not coincide with enough people in these countries to make the presence the U.S and European troops a useful thing to almost anyone actually living in the area at this time. The troops protect the interests of the U.S., Canada, Europe and many other countries on earth but not necessarily most of the people actually living in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

What I'm saying here is this: the mere presence of U.S. and European troops is destabilizing the whole area in a multiplicity of ways. What I'm saying is that it is very obvious to me that it is now quite probable that we will at the very least lose a capable government in Pakistan and possibly Afghanistan too. If that happens the likelihood is also very high that we will also lose the government of Iran in the process.

The Predator drones and Hellfire missiles are definitely eliminating Taliban leaders but are also destroying the fabric of society at all levels in the area that has existed this way for thousands of years. I no longer believe that Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran can successfully be thrown into the 21st century world as cultures without destroying them almost completely and creating multiple groups of walking wounded.

In other words though the U.S. and Europe may achieve their goals they will do so with the complete destruction of thousands of year old cultures. The level of dissociation within what is left will be horrific for those who live there. However, I don't see another alternative and I feel sick for what it will do to everyone living in those countries.

The Pakistani Government I don't believe is more than two years from complete collapse the way things are presently going. And who will step in to fill that void? The Taliban.

This is awful to see the destruction of Afghanistan and Pakistan on the news every day. But I don't see another option for any country on earth at present. Sickening.