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Australian General tells Truth on Afghanistan
by mitch Monday, Sep 24 2012, 4:08am
international / prose / post

Australian military command became hard realists after the British sacrificed Aussie troops in droves at the ill-planned Gallipoli landing during WWI. Since then we have avoided, as best we could, allowing any foreign command in allied combat situations to unnecessarily jeopardise our fighting forces. And in that regard Oz command has been extremely successful until the likes of Washington lackeys, Howard, Rudd and Gillard, forced us into disastrous, dishonourable and illegal American wars.

A number of Aussie Generals have quietly opposed corporatist American wars for profit since the beginning, but circumstance has now forced them to make their opposition known publicly.

Major General John Cantwell, who once led Aussie forces in Afghanistan, accurately described the war as a, "failure!"

General Cantwell, takes the realist, as opposed to the deceitful political position, regarding the needless sacrifice of Aussie lives. "Show me one thing in Afghanistan that is better ..," he said. "It's not worth the lives, it's not worth it." And he is right, nothing has improved; the Afghan people are living under a thoroughly corrupt American puppet government in Kabul and harsh tribal Chieftains and Taliban in the provinces. Occupation forces allow the Taliban to flourish as they provide a just cause in riding the nation of invasive, foreigners -- any nation would do the same.

So instead of assisting the nation and its people America guards oil and gas pipelines and other installations deemed profitable to Transnational Corporations.

All such activities once constituted normal trade between nations; however, America, unlike China, which conducts civilised business/trade with other nations, has developed the habit of invading and stealing what it requires under various transparent pretexts; the now exposed illegal invasions of Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya etc, paint a very stark portrait of a civilian killing, criminal nation wielding its military might to steal whatever the Corporations covet.

All Imperialist nations have failed in the past and America is no exception today. The sooner Aussie fighters are pulled out of that disastrous, dishonourable war the better for everyone, including the LONG SUFFERING Afghan people.

Tamed mass media report follows:

[Oz] Politicians reassert Afghan commitment

Both sides of politics have reasserted their commitment to the war in Afghanistan, despite a former Australian commander saying the lives lost are 'not worth it'.

Retired Major General John Cantwell, who led Australian forces in the war, described Afghanistan as a failure.

'Show me one thing in Afghanistan that is better because we've sacrificed any one of the 38 that have so far died there,' said Mr Cantwell.

The former head of Australia's troops in the Middle East battles post traumatic stress disorder and says we should never have gone to war there in the first place.

'It's not worth the lives, it's not worth it.'

Despite opposing Australian involvement, Major General Cantwell admits pulling troops out immediately would dishonor those who have died.

Instead he says extra precautions should be taken to ensure no more Australian lives are lost.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr has rejected claims Australian lives have been sacrificed in Afghanistan for no gain.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says 'When the government commits our armed forces to combat we should allow them to do their job as best they can.'

Most of Australian forces will be withdrawn by 2014.

© 2012 Australian News Channel Pty Ltd

http://www.skynews.com.au/national/article.aspx?id=798569