Dear Britain: "Get Out of Afghanistan, So We Can Get Out"

Robert Naiman

National Coordinator of Just Foreign Policy
Posted: September 6, 2009 08:56 AM 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/dear-britain-get-out-of-
a_b_278336.html
http://snurl.com/rnh19

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown faces a grassroots challenge over the 
war in Afghanistan at this month's Labour Party conference, the Guardian 
reports:

Gordon Brown faces fresh questions over the war in Afghanistan at this 
month's Labour party conference, with grassroots activists circulating a 
motion demanding that troops be withdrawn. 

I'd give anything for the opportunity to address this conference.

I'd wait until one or two people gave speeches arguing that Britain had to 
keep its troops in Afghanistan out of friendship with the United States. 
Then I'd ask to be recognized, and I'd say,

"As an American, I thank the honorable gentlemen and ladies for their kind 
words of friendship towards the people of the United States. I assure you, 
as you know very well, that the feelings are reciprocated.

"But I beg you, in the name of humanity: show your love differently than by 
continuing to support this war. Do not love us like a drinking buddy who 
gives liquor to an alcoholic. Do not love us by staying, teeth gritted, in a 
car whose driver has had too much to drink. Do not love us by holding back 
your criticism, or praising our war policy with faint damnation.

"Like the majority of Britons, the majority of Americans oppose this war. 
Fifty-seven percent of Americans say they oppose the war in Afghanistan, CNN 
reports. 

"Moreover, the constituencies that the Labour Party represents in Britain - 
working people, members of the trade union movement, women, members of 
minority groups - these constituencies in the United States are 
overwhelmingly opposed to the war. Three-quarters of Democrats in the United 
States oppose the war, CNN says. 

"These constituencies oppose sending more U.S. troops to the war, as is now 
being proposed in Washington. Americans making less than $25,000 a year 
oppose sending more troops by a margin of 70-27, McClatchy News reports. 
American women oppose sending more troops by a margin of 2 to 1; Hispanic-
Americans oppose sending more troops by a margin of 86-9; African-Americans 
oppose sending more troops by a margin of 78-15.

"Even our Vice-President, Joe Biden, opposes sending more troops, the New 
York Times reports." 

"In the political discourse of the United States, the presence of British 
military forces in Afghanistan is being used to justify the presence of 
American military forces in Afghanistan. If Britain is there, we have 
international support. If Britain is there, it is a coalition that is taking 
action, not a unilateral U.S. military action. By supporting the continued 
presences of British forces in Afghanistan, you not only give yourselves 
responsibility for what happens to those forces and for what they do in 
Afghanistan; you also give yourselves some responsibility for what happens 
to the American forces and for what they do in Afghanistan.

"If you love America, if you love Americans, show your love by passing this 
resolution put forward by the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy demanding 
the withdrawal of British troops of Afghanistan. Help America. Help America 
to get its own troops out of Afghanistan. Get out of Afghanistan, so we can 
get out."

-- 
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