Obama Intends to “Finish the Job”: Will send more US troops to Afghanistan

Several news sources are reporting today that President Barack Obama will announce his plans next week to send more US troops to Afghanistan. McClatchy newspapers is saying that the administration is likely to send an additional 34,000 US soldiers to participate in an occupation now in its 9^th year.

The Associated Press reports that Obama said, “I feel very confident that when the American people hear a clear rationale for what we’re doing there and how we intend to achieve our goals, that they will be supportive.” He was also quoted as saying, “It is my intention to finish the job,” referring to what has been going on since September 11, 2001.

Nowhere in the Associated Press story did the reporter verify what the President meant by finishing the job. The administration continues to claim that the military occupation of Afghanistan is to hunt down the terrorists responsible for 9/11. However, this overlooks the fact that the US military is fighting a Taliban insurgency that had nothing to do with September 11, 2001.

When President Obama makes the announcement next week about the US troop increases to Afghanistan we will continue to provide some analysis and information about any actions in West Michigan.

Blackwater in Afghanistan/Pakistan

We also thought is was important to add that Jeremy Scahill, author of the important book on Blackwater, has just written an excellent investigative piece on the role that Blackwater mercenaries are playing in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Despite the local connections with the Prince family, there has been no reporting in the local news about Blackwater as it relates to the war in Afghanistan/Pakistan.