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On patrol in the village of Paspajak, Logar province, Afghanistan (photo: The U. S. Army/flickr)
After months of arguing over who should control the practice of American troops performing armed raids of the homes of Afghanistan’s citizens, the US Government and the Afghan government have apparently agreed on how such intrusions on peoples’ homes may continue. Via the New York Times:
The agreement gives Afghan forces a lead role in the operations, and also brings the raids under Afghan legal jurisdiction by requiring a court warrant within 48 hours of a raid in order to continue detention of any suspects.
What a relief. I’m sure that the people of Afghanistan will be reassured to know that when armed soldiers crash through their doors in the middle of the night, arrest anyone they choose and detain them at some unknown location for at least 48 hours, that the bewildered and intimidated family — assuming they weren’t shot up during the break in because they thought their homes were under assault from armed criminals — will be allowed to ask without fear about where their family members are being held.
Then, if they can figure out how, they’ll be able to plead for their release in front a non-existent Afghan judiciary paid by the US and fully conversant with and respectful of the law of probable cause. Finally, assuming there is such a court and they can find it and aren’t intimidated about using it, the families can wait with full confidence as the US and/or its bought and paid for Afghan military think about releasing someone after the troops, the Afghan intelligence services, the CIA and whoever else is involved are done questioning them in the usual humane manner.
That should win their hearts and minds.
This is such a great solution, I propose we bring it to America. From now on, joint US and Afghan forces should be allowed to break down the doors to American homes in the middle of the night and haul away anyone they want and not worry about answering for it for a couple of days or so, if ever. And all that Stand Your Ground stuff when people carrying assault rifles are knocking down your front door? Why, that only applies when it’s convenient for Americans. The Afghans don’t understand such niceties.
12 Comments
“This is such a great solution, I propose we bring it to America.”
The scary thing is that this is entirely possible.
Random raids. Just when I think things cannot get any worse, they do. You are spot-on about the fact that, once ‘caught up’ in such a situation, trust and believe ‘getting out’ will be nothing short of miraculous. Just unbelievable.
We don’t need Afghan compradors here.
Goddamn words on a piece of paper are worthless after the fact.
You can’t afford the Afghans (or the Irakis either) while MEK are currently otherwise engaged. Nils desperandum you can still have your heart’s desire. There’s lots of unemployed members of The First Infantry Brigade, the Treasury Police, and La Mala Sombra who’d be happy to help and for a very reasonable fee too. Why it’d be quite like old times. Then there are plenty of Contras who could also be taken on, to say nothing of their Mexican comrades oh wait you can’t afford the Mexicans they cost almost as much as Afghans these days.
mfi
mfi
Well, it’s always good when there’s a competitive labor market to hold down wage inflation.
Perfect timing: one of the rotating ads that popped up when I opened this post shows “military re-enactments of our band of brothers tour” with a picture of German soldiers. The goddess is mocking us all, I fear.
Well, that worked SO well in South Vietnam. As for Afghanistan, it’s not called the “graveyard of empires” for nothing.
President Obama deserves credit for our great victory in Afghanistan.
“‘Twas ever thus” — Mr Natural
In Afghanistan, The US, and beyond: Every government’s principle enemy is its own people.
Can someone explain the horrible consequences of just turning around and leaving Afghanistan? You know, the war we’ve fought the longest without winning. The one that half the population has forgotten about. The one where we don’t seem to have any goals or definition of victory.
Why give up in Afghanistan? We continue to win! /s
Check.
What a way to win the hearts and minds. If this wasn’t so tragic, in it’s utter stupidity, it would almost be comical.
This going to work really well I’m sure because it only involves the us military and not the cia so people so see everything is normal. Yep the killings can go on and on and on until we run out bullets because I sure don’t any light at the end of this tunnel of madness.