Afghanistan
The present phase of the war in Afghanistan began in October 2001 when George Bush invaded following the events of 9/11. His aim was to overthrow the Taliban who he claimed were harbouring Osama bin Laden. This was easily achieved but by intervening in one side in an ongoing civil war, and replacing the Taliban with the Northern Alliance and its allies in government. But 12 years on the war has failed in its aim of bringing peace, stability, democracy or human rights to the ordinary people there. Women suffer under some of the most archaic laws, and the country remains one of the poorest in the world, one of the most corrupt and one of the most dangerous for women in the world.
Stop the War has always opposed this intervention and occupation and called for the troops to withdraw. We demand the full withdrawal, and not the range of trainers, special advisers and bases which the US intends to maintain there after the supposed withdrawal date of 2014. The Afghanistan intervention has done the exact opposite of what the British government claims. Far from making Britain safer from terrorism, it has made the threat of terrorism greater.
The war has also created greater instability in the region, with Pakistan suffering drone attacks. While the British government claims there have been no terrorist attacks planned from Afghan soil since 2001, al Qaeda has spread to many countries across the Middle East. Talk of success in Afghanistan is the opposite of the truth: the war has not achieved what it wanted to do and the proposed withdrawal and talks with the Taliban illustrate that. But how many more have to die before the government and the army have the honesty to acknowledge this?
Statements
- Afghanistan: end the war now February 2012
- Motion passed by the TUC September 2011
- 9/11 and Ten Years of the "War on Terror" September 2011