Episode 110 - The US Military is Headed to Venezuela - but not how you think! And A Major Attack In Afghanistan

The US Military is Headed to Venezuela - but not how you think!  And A Major Attack In Afghanistan

 

On Wednesday morning five Taliban terrorists stormed the gates of an American aid organization in Afghanistan.  With suicide bombs and machine guns, they killed the men guarding the gate of counterpart international, an American aid agency who is in Afghanistan trying to help improve the lives of the people.  Afghan special forces arrived within minutes and were able to rescue over 200 people out of the compound safely, before clearing it and killing the remaining terrorists.  In all five people were killed not including the attackers.  

 

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the group attacked the organization because it was involved in “harmful Western activities” inside Afghanistan.   And what are these "harmful activities?"  Well, according to their website, counterpart international engages in the following:

 

Maternal, newborn, and child health

Nutrition and food security

Behavior change communication

HIV/AIDS community treatment, care, and support

Malaria prevention and treatment

People living with disabilities

Water, sanitation, and hygiene

Gender-based violence

 

Now, looking at that list of horrible western activities, it's easy to see why the Taliban has a problem with them.  I mean who wants healthy babies?  Or clean water and nutritious food?  I guess this attack makes it easier to understand why Afghanistan has a six thousand year old culture but still hasn't figured out things like toilets, paved roads, light switches, or beds.  I mean who wants those corrupting western influences?  

 

Well apparently a lot of Afghans DO want those corrupting western influences, judging by the fact that almost ten percent of the country has left for somewhere else since 2001.  In the past three years alone almost a quarter million afghans have fled to europe, looking for a better life.  So I guess there's something to be said for electricity and seated toilets.  But the lack of those things doesn't necessarily qualify a person for asylum.  IN fact, less than ten percent of Afghans who apply for asylum in europe are granted their request and allowed to stay.  Which of course does not make them happy campers.  Listen to these Afghan refugees who are sort of stuck in serbia after being kicked out of Hungary.  

 

So this is obviously not a long term solution.  I mean if the Taliban succeed at driving out a large percentage of their country, essentially making their poorest people someone else's problem, they win!  Not only that, but the emigration from Afghanistan has caused a major brain drain as the wealthiest and most educated have fled as well.  

 

Now for my opinion.  I think this latest attack is just one more reason why the US should not engage in nation building.  In 2001 it was determined after 9/11 that Afghanistan was a threat to our country, so we removed the Taliban from power in a matter of weeks. At that point, we should have pulled our troops out and sent Afghanistan a message:  You can rebuild your country any way you want.  But if we determine you are once again a threat to our country, we will come back and wipe the slate clean once again.  We'll be happy to offer advice and even some limited aid if you ask for it, but other than that we won't meddle in your country.  And leave it at that.

 

Now some would say that would be a recipe for mass chaos and misery in Afghanistan that would cause out-migration.  But what has a billion dollars a week  and 2400 American lives achieved in Afghanistan?  mass out-migration.  So why don't we just save all that blood and treasure?  Others say it would  give our enemies like Iran and China an opportunity to come in and set up a puppet government.  They are probably right.  So be it.  Our message to Iran and China should be the same.  If you threaten us, we will destroy you.  Otherwise, let's do business!  We can be your best friend or your worst enemy.  Your choice.

 

Now do I think this idea of mine would ever happen?  Not a chance.  One thing I've learned about governments and militaries - they all subscribe to the ideology of self-justification.  Nobody wants to work themselves out of next year's budget.  

 

As for the migrant problem - there's this concept called the death of distance - coined in the 1990s.  It predicted that the rise of the internet and smart phones would make every part of the globe accessible to every other part of the globe in a way that would radically change the world as we know it.  And these global mass-migrations from poor countries to rich ones is one of those changes.  Before the internet, a goat herder in zabul province was content to follow a bunch of goats around for his entire life because he didn't know there was any other option.  But when that goat herder in zabul province can watch friends on his smart phone - he's going to end up being less content and wishing he had a more modern life - and really, what does he have to lose if he leaves and walks north?  Add in the generous social welfare programs offered by European states...and it's a no brainer.  

 

It's no different on our side of the pond.  A study released this week shows that fully 25% of Guatemalans - over 4 million people - plan to move to the United States.  Now Guatemala is poor, but not Africa poor.  There are bad neighborhoods, but it's not a war zone.  Honduras is worse.  And Mexico, despite the violence you hear about in the news, is actually fairly safe and stable as long as you aren't part of the drug trade or live in Juarez, Tijuana or Acapulco.  And yet at least forty million Mexicans say they would like to move to the US.  

 

So between Mexico and the rest of central America, you're looking at over fifty million people who are planning to or thinking about emigrating to the US.  If you think that won't bankrupt our already struggling social security, medicaid, medicare and all our other entitlement systems, you're sorely mistaken.

 

Already, pregnant women are flocking to enter the United States illegally in order to have their babies at taxpayer expense.  This is no small problem.  Last year, there were more babies born to illegal immigrant mothers in Los Angeles alone than there were TOTAL births in fourteen states and the district of Columbia, combined.  And nearly seventy percent of illegal immigrant mothers who give birth in the US do so at taxpayer expense - costing us a whopping 5.3 billion dollars per year.  Which would be enough to completely fund the border wall in the United States in a little over two years.  

 

Folks, this cannot continue.  We are taking in more migrants than almost every other country on the planet put together.  And the cost to the treasury...when we are already looking at over 22 trillion in debt - is not sustainable.  That's not racism.  It's not xenophobia.  It's simple arithmetic.

 

Okay, One quick note about Venezuela - Vice President Mike Pence made a speech this week encouraging more top brass to defect from the Venezuelan military, and announcing that we are sending US military forces to the Colombian coast - but not offensive forces.  We're sending the USNS Comfort.

 

[Mike pence speech]

 

This is good news for the venezuelans, but it's kind of a symbolic gesture more than anything because the US Navy hospital ship can treat at best a couple thousand people.  And there are millions in Venezuela who need help.  I'll have some more reporting next week from my recent trip to the Colombian border.  So stick around.

 

That's it for today's show however.  If you're enjoying this podcast, please consider supporting us by going to Patreon.com/hotzone, and like and share the podcast wherever you listen to it.  If you want to watch the podcast, you can do so for free at Opslens.com.

 

So have a good weekend.  I know I will.  I'm Chuck Holton and this has been the Hot Zone.

 

end notes:

 

https://cis.org/Report/Births-Legal-and-Illegal-Immigrants-US