The Offensive in Nazi-Talk

After the offensive on Marjah, described as the “Taliban Heartland,” NATO is planning an even greater effort against Kandahar. If the object is to take territory away from the insurgents, then the “birthplace of the Islamist movement,” as Washington government circles called it, must be next.

That’s according to a weekend report from the news agency DAPD (the German branch of Associated Press). In that regard, the capture of Marjah was only a “tactical prelude,” or, as U.S. General David Petraeus called it, “the opening salvo.” In describing their military operations and planned victories during the prosecution of the war, NATO occupation forces and the mainstream media are unscrupulously reaching back to terms used during the Nazi days.

The U.S. military, according to its own report last Saturday, has “eliminated” the “last pockets of resistance” in Marjah. U.S. Captain Joshua Winfrey was quoted by DAPD and other news sources as saying, “Basically, you can say that Marjah has been cleared.” The choice of words alone is reminiscent of the battles against partisan guerrillas during World War II. “Eliminating pockets of resistance” and “clearing villages” during that conflict was accomplished by the German army and the S.S. in eastern and southeastern Europe, where they were both feared and hated. Even back then, resistance against the occupiers was called “terrorism” and was ruthlessly suppressed.

The mainstream media not only goes along with the choice of language, it also accepts NATO press releases without question or criticism. Thus, we read from numerous sources last Sunday, two weeks after the start of the Moshtarak (Together) operation in Helmand Province, that U.S. Marine infantrymen and Afghan troops in downtown Marjah were able to fight their way through to the northern edge of the city, where they linked up with their comrades fighting there. The truth of the matter is, Marjah is a small, manageable collection of mud houses surrounded for miles by subdivided fields (for poppy cultivation) and individual farms. That Marjah was under the “control” of the occupation forces had already been announced on the 17th and 25th of February, along with much flag-waving in the “city center.”

Over the coming months, Afghanistan’s second largest city is to receive “priority” in war planning. Kandahar is a stronghold and “to a certain extent the Taliban’s capital,” according to a high-ranking U.S. official, as reported by the AFP news agency. The recapture of the city is therefore a priority for this year. Tooryalai Wessa, governor of Kandahar Province, confirmed to the DAPD press agency that he had discussed those plans with the Afghan central government in Kabul during his recent visit. He has already contacted various aid organizations to help deal with an expected surge in refugees by providing emergency food and shelter. Up to 10,000 refugees are expected.

On Friday, the German Parliament approved plans to make an additional 5,350 soldiers available for combat operations in the Hindu Kush. According to the AFP, there are already 121,000 foreign troops stationed in Afghanistan.