Afghans and Karzai more comfortable with Obama than Bush or McCain – Hope may have reached the land of hopeless
Kiran Chaube
Jul. 19, 2008

It was the ugly Soviet Invasion supporting a puppet communist leader that rocked the Afghans in 1980s. Then came the Mujahiddin with the help of the Americans that cleansed the country from the hand of the foreign communist invaders. Pakistan took the advantage of the political vacuum and created the so-called Taliban extremism. Talibans came into power and caged Afghans in their own country, in their own homes. People or Afghanistan lost their basic civil right of life and livelihood. Talibans sponsored anti-American Al-Queda who used the Afghans to perpetuate their Jihad against the Americans and the Israelis. Al-Queda, Pakistan and Taliban collaborated to create the 911 terror attacks in US killing more than 3000 innocent civilians. The neo con right wing neo conservatives were waiting for such a situation to unleash their doctrine of American supremacy among those who tend to challenge the Americans.

America invaded the Afghans in the Soviet style supporting the Northern Alliance. Taliban were forced out of power through the use of relentless firepower with the help of high tech air force. Americans never tried a real ground invasion. The theory of shock and awe worked in Afghanistan. Kabul, the capital, had no sign of Taliban when the Northern alliance forces reached the capital city. However, Americans did not like to get clobbered by the Talibans and the Al-Quedqa on the ground. The rough terrain was not the right place to fight. Bush Administration decided to use the Afghan landlords and their militia to capture Osama Bin Laden after surrounding him in Torabora. Osama Bin Laden paid cash to these warlords and escaped to Pakistan’s North East Frontier Province. For some unknown reason American blew up most of Afghanistan but never really cared to capture Osama Bin Laden knowing very well he was in the Pakistan-Afghan border region.

Afghan people do not trust the Bush Administration or the American right neo cons eager to show off their supremacy. They believe John McCain is just a continuation of the neo-con regime.

Obama’s trip to Afghanistan is finally bringing some hope to the Afghans for first time since 1980. Here is a man who is not there to declare American supremacy of culture and heritage. Instead, maybe he will be the first American really interested in capturing Osama Bin Laden and getting rid of Al-Queda.

For the first time they can trust someone from America or Russia.

Barack Obama arrived in Afghanistan on Saturday on a campaign-season tour of combat zones and foreign capitals, making his first visit to the scene of a war that he says deserves more attention and more troops.

``I look forward to seeing what the situation on the ground is,'''' Obama told a pair of reporters prior to his departure from Andrews Air Force Base on Thursday. ``I want to, obviously, talk to the commanders and get a sense both in Afghanistan and in Baghdad of, you know, what the most, their biggest concerns are, and I want to thank our troops for the heroic work that they''ve been doing.''''

``I''m more interested in listening than doing a lot of talking, and I think it's very important to recognize that I''m going over there as a U.S. senator,'''' he said. ``We have one president at a time.''''

``Obama is a good person,'''' said Abdul Basir, 40, a former army officer. ``During his campaign I heard he was saying that if I become president I will withdraw the U.S. troops from Iraq and bring them to Afghanistan and I will attack on the terror center on other side of border (in Pakistan). It is very important and I appreciated that.''''

``But with the Taliban or the opposition groups, he should start negotiations. This is best way because they are also Afghans. A huge population of the Afghans are with the Taliban.''''

The Afghans expressed a readiness to see the end of George W. Bush's presidency. Obama's racial heritage also has drawn attention here.

``He's welcome to our war-torn city,'''' said Habibullah Hamdard, a 42-year-old teacher. ``If he has loved his children, he should love the Afghan children who are dying around the country every day. The white guy couldn''t do anything, let's see what the black guy can do.''''

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