Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn talks to members of Women Against State Pension Inequality Campaign (WASPI) during his visit to Cleveleys Community Centre on August 18, 2017 in Blackpool, England. On Tuesday, Corbyn warned UK Prime Minister Theresa May against applauding Trump's plan for an escalated war in Afghanistan. (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
UK's Jeremy Corbyn Admits What Most in US Won't: "War in Afghanistan Has Failed"
"After 16 years of bloodshed and destruction," says Labour leader, "the Taliban are undefeated and terrorism is no less of a threat."
The sitting generals like it. The retired generals who dominate corporate news shows appear to like it. The Beltway Establishment is impressed. Democrats like Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia want "more details." The neoconservatives really like it. And the weapons manufacturers are liking it all the way to the bank.
But on Tuesday, in the wake of President Donald Trump's newly announced strategy for the U.S. war in Afghanistan, British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said the new plan would only continue the "failure" of American policy in South Asia and called on Prime Minister Theresa May not to "obediently applaud" her approval nor jump on board to join in the folly.
"The war in Afghanistan has failed," Corbyn told the Mirror. "After 16 years of bloodshed and destruction, the Taliban are undefeated and terrorism is no less of a threat at home. In fact it has spread. The British Government should make clear to Donald Trump that his strategy of more bombing and a new troop surge will continue this failure, not obediently applaud his latest policy U-turn."
While the U.S. certainly has outspoken critics of the war--some of them in Congress and many of them consistent in their opposition--few prominent politicians, journalists, or political observers have been willing to decry the nation's longest war as the misadventure it is.
According to the Guardian, the UK government has no current plans to increase its troops levels in Afghanistan even as the Associated Press reported Tuesday afternoon that Trump's plan will call for approximately 3,900 troops, some of which could arrive in the country "within days."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
The sitting generals like it. The retired generals who dominate corporate news shows appear to like it. The Beltway Establishment is impressed. Democrats like Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia want "more details." The neoconservatives really like it. And the weapons manufacturers are liking it all the way to the bank.
But on Tuesday, in the wake of President Donald Trump's newly announced strategy for the U.S. war in Afghanistan, British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said the new plan would only continue the "failure" of American policy in South Asia and called on Prime Minister Theresa May not to "obediently applaud" her approval nor jump on board to join in the folly.
"The war in Afghanistan has failed," Corbyn told the Mirror. "After 16 years of bloodshed and destruction, the Taliban are undefeated and terrorism is no less of a threat at home. In fact it has spread. The British Government should make clear to Donald Trump that his strategy of more bombing and a new troop surge will continue this failure, not obediently applaud his latest policy U-turn."
While the U.S. certainly has outspoken critics of the war--some of them in Congress and many of them consistent in their opposition--few prominent politicians, journalists, or political observers have been willing to decry the nation's longest war as the misadventure it is.
According to the Guardian, the UK government has no current plans to increase its troops levels in Afghanistan even as the Associated Press reported Tuesday afternoon that Trump's plan will call for approximately 3,900 troops, some of which could arrive in the country "within days."
The sitting generals like it. The retired generals who dominate corporate news shows appear to like it. The Beltway Establishment is impressed. Democrats like Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia want "more details." The neoconservatives really like it. And the weapons manufacturers are liking it all the way to the bank.
But on Tuesday, in the wake of President Donald Trump's newly announced strategy for the U.S. war in Afghanistan, British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said the new plan would only continue the "failure" of American policy in South Asia and called on Prime Minister Theresa May not to "obediently applaud" her approval nor jump on board to join in the folly.
"The war in Afghanistan has failed," Corbyn told the Mirror. "After 16 years of bloodshed and destruction, the Taliban are undefeated and terrorism is no less of a threat at home. In fact it has spread. The British Government should make clear to Donald Trump that his strategy of more bombing and a new troop surge will continue this failure, not obediently applaud his latest policy U-turn."
While the U.S. certainly has outspoken critics of the war--some of them in Congress and many of them consistent in their opposition--few prominent politicians, journalists, or political observers have been willing to decry the nation's longest war as the misadventure it is.
According to the Guardian, the UK government has no current plans to increase its troops levels in Afghanistan even as the Associated Press reported Tuesday afternoon that Trump's plan will call for approximately 3,900 troops, some of which could arrive in the country "within days."