Or are they just wrong, immoral, unjust, and against humanity’s interests?
U.S. occupations, bombs, and secret operations have wreaked havoc in the Middle East since 2001, sold to the public on the basis of being in the “United States’ national interest.”
Rolling Stone reported that in 2010 the 5th Stryker Brigade’s “Kill Team” went on a shooting spree, killing unarmed Afghan civilians and mutilating corpses for fun, while US NATO bombing raids kill even more civilians this year than last. The U.S. detains hundreds of Afghans in Bagram, without charges, lawyers, or rights…and Guantanamo remains open, in spite of Obama’s declaration over two years ago that he would close it as a stain on America’s conscience.
Link to download PDF fliers in English and Spanish
The U.S. occupation of Iraq caused the worst humanitarian crisis of our time: over 4.1 million refugees over the last 8 years; 1.2 million killed; the wholesale destruction of the infrastructure, agriculture, electrical, and educational systems. Still in Iraq are 50,000 troops re-branded from “combat” to “advisers” and tens of thousands of private mercenaries at 17 permanent bases.
Obama has increased unmanned drone attacks and secret operations in Pakistan and Yemen, killing hundreds of civilians. The administration of the Nobel Peace Laureate continues to support repressive regimes in Yemen and Bahrain, against the demands of their people, but mounted a $1 billion bombing and secret operation in Libya, under cover of “humanitarianism” and with the collusion of the former colonial powers France and Britain, using the same weapons that could be used in an often-threatened attack on Iran.
It’s an outrage that this government spent $2 trillion on military aggression, more than all the other countries combined while, officially, one in seven, live in poverty and the richest 1% increased their income during this recession. Homelessness, criminal lack of healthcare, and 2.4 million poor people imprisoned are the “American way” as much as U.S. domination of other countries and the wanton exploitation of the earth’s resources.
But, if the richest country in the world provided jobs, education, healthcare for all the people living here, would it be OK to kill people indiscriminately and in protracted occupations for empire?