Official Resigns Over Afghanistan War
Marine Corps veteran and now-former Foreign Service officer Matthew Hoh has resigned from his position because he fails “to see the value or worth” of continued engagement in Afghanistan.
“It is with great regret and disappointment I submit my resignation from my appointment as a Political Officer in the Foreign Service and my post as the Senior Civilian Representative for the U.S. Government in Zabul Province…I did not enter this position lighltly or with any undue expectations nor did I believe my assignment would be without sacrifice, hardship or difficulty. However, in the course of my five months of service in Afghanistan, in both Regional Commands East and South, I have lost understanding of and confidence in the strategic purposes of the United States’ presence in Afghanistan. I have doubts and reservations about our current strategy and planned future strategy, but my resignation is based not upon how we are pursuing this war, but why and to what end. To put simply: I fail to see the value or worth in the continued U.S. casualties or expenditures of resources in support of the Afghan government in what is, truly, a 35-year old civil war.”
I have reservations about the intentions of Mr. Hoh and find it hard to believe he didn’t move into the post with a pre-conceived agenda. After all, he refers to U.S. involvement as an “occupation” similar to the Soviet Union. He mentions that Afghanis don’t want our system of government. Really? Is that why record numbers of citizens have voted in every election we’ve secured since we invaded the country in 2001? I find that hard to believe. If they didn’t want our system of government they wouldn’t be protesting the last election results! They’d just accept the Taliban style of governing and just accept it. What Mr. Hoh neglects to inform us is exactly what kind of government, then, that the Afghanis do “want.”
Hoh used the same tactics in his letter that the rest of the anti-war crowd used in Iraq to explain the insurgency there.
“The U.S. and NATO presence and operations in Pashtun valleys and villages, as well as Afghan army and police units that are led and composed of non-Pashtun soldiers and police, provide an occupation force against which the insurgency is justified.”
In other words, the reason there is violence in Afghanistan is because we are there. It’s our fault! He continues,
“The United States military presence in Afghanistan greatly contributes to the legitimacy and strategic message of the Pashtun insurgency. In a like manner, our backing of the Afghan government in its current form continues to distance the government from the people. The Afghan government’s failings, particularly when weighed against the sacrifice of American lives and dollars, appear legion and metastatic…”
Another blame America first defeatest? I think so. Hoh uses the entire anti-war playbook. He questions why we go into Afghanistan but not other nations where terrorists are located. Remember when the anti-Iraq War hippies were complaining that we didn’t go into the Sudan or other nations?
Hoh is worried about how we’re assisted a failed and corrupt state without recognizing a primary mission of the conflict there, which is to train the government and military how to operate without corruption. Our military and government expend great amounts of energy to defeat a mindset that, worse than that of Iraq, has been ingrained in the Afghan culture for centuries. His letter says, “if we bear our military and financial contributions [because of poverty and corruption in] Afghanistan, we must reevaluate and increase our commitment to and involvement in Mexico.” This is a non-argument as Mexico didn’t – yet – train and send terrorists to kill thousands of Americans (drugs excepted). Apples and oranges, but the media is reporting it lock step, of course.
I question Mr. Hoh’s intentions. I’ll be keeping an eye on this. As is customary with this White House, they are feigning ignorance about yet another big story that is a potential black eye to the President’s strategy in Afghanistan – or lack of one!
carl smith
October 28th, 2009 at 10:25 pmFunny how all the anti-war propaganda sounds the same. I had the same feelings when read his letter. This guy is full of it. Keep up the good work CJ.