We Are Worth More Dead

On both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border as well as in various regions of Afghanistan, U.S. airplanes continue to murder innocent people in their effort against the rising insurgency led by the Taliban. Their actions require an apology from time to time, accompanied by some clarification regarding the number of deaths, whether it was twenty, thirty, a hundred or more.

In a statement published recently, the American army said that 26 Afghan civilians were killed during raids in western Farah province early last May. This report deviates from statements by Afghan officials: according to the national government, at least 140 civilians perished in those early May attacks.

The U.S. Central Command has pledged to change tactics in order to reduce the number of dead among civilians, while at the same time pointing out that air strikes are “an appropriate means to destroy the threat posed by the enemy.”

Raids continue despite ongoing pleas by the Afghan and Pakistani governments. Officials are concerned that an inability to protect their people is causing growing dissent and unrest within the population. Although the frequency of air raids seems to have decreased on the Pakistani side of the border, many believe that under-cover military operations are still underway. The recent massacres in the Swat valley are proof of continuous military activity in the region.

It is clear that Obama’s “soft power” speech to Muslims will not affect the bitter fighting in the region, especially when the aggressors consider themselves to be worth far more than the innocent civilians they should be protecting. When the freedom of a single captive Israeli soldier is more important than the liberation of 12 thousand Palestinian prisoners, it is obvious that the blood of Afghans is cheap in the eyes of the Americans. Bereaved Afghan families receive 500 dollars per person lost, while the compensation for the Lockerbie bombing victims was 10 million dollars per person.

We are confronted with an exceptional disregard for Muslim blood. Those who welcomed Obama’s solemn speech at Cairo University and saw it as the beginning of great change need to start asking themselves “what is the true nature of this change?” A few may have regained consciousness after the president so enthusiastically welcomed Netanyahu’s speech- they have awakened from the dream that Muslims might be accepted by any leader of the United States as a free and equal people.

In the context of Afghanistan and Pakistan, blind air raids have killed thousands of innocent men, women and children and destroyed homes, businesses and towns. With each death, hatred towards the U.S. increases. America has delivered death instead of the new means of living that they promised before and after the invasion.

Since the occupation of their country, Afghan citizens have only seen more death, not the schools, universities and public welfare their oppressors promised. Given this situation, it was natural that Osama bin Laden has received, among jihadists, some of the highest praise in the world. The very core of the Afghan rejects occupation, no matter its form, its perpetrator or its goals.

It is clear that Obama is repeating his predecessor’s mistakes. If the new president believes that his focus on the Afghan scene is a successful strategy, he will soon find he is fatally mistaken but only after losing a good deal of men and money. And the Europeans participating in the coalition can look forward to the same fate.

What concerns us most is Obama’s disregard for our Muslim identity, despite the change in tone, he has proven to be like many leaders before him: all talk and no action. In Turkey and later in Egypt, the man sold us honey-sweet words and he will undoubtedly do it again. The reaction to the new president and his old tricks has been strong. Muslims across the globe are saying to each other, “don’t look at his tears, look at what his hands are doing.”