Think about a war, waged on your country... on your own soil.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

I just had a thought, and I think it could make the next 3-5 years interesting.

Imagine a nation's (let's call it iraqistan) young children, 5-10 years. Imagine another nation (the US) that is generally, at least in the concerned region, disliked for one of several reasons. All of a sudden, after a minority of iraqistan extremists poke this bully in the eye, here they come. Shock and awe. No more school, no more friends, no more play. It wasn't your fault, your parents' fault, or your neighbors' fault. Tanks, booms, bombs, planes, bullets... A destitute life just got harder. Young children are inquisitive, generally very impressionable.
I wonder what they thought? I wonder what they were told to think? Was it the truth?

This was about 9-10 years ago. These kids are just now becoming young adults; 15-20 years old. Old enough to take action. Old enough to take sides. I wonder whose side they'll be on? Ladies and gentleman, this war is crossing a generational gap and one of two things will happen here. The youth of the war feel the US military helped them, in all of it's obstreperous glory. Or perhaps the youth of the war feel the US is bunch of imperialistic bastards (which is likely the general perception before we dropped tons of munitions, depleted uranium, and death on their country).

I think in the next 3 years, the war will either abruptly turn from this stalemate.
It will be interesting how it plays out because so much rides on the ideologies of the new-age iraqistani soldier.

edited: spelling

[Fumesucker]

1. You haven't won until the children come out to greet you..

This video made me want to :puke:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwqcz308B9I

I wonder how this kid feels about Americans, eh?

[tekisui]

3. Another generation of American-haters.

More chickens to come home to roost, at some point.

[kdmorris]

2. Worse yet

Many of the people in Afghanistan have never known peace. It's not just the kids, but anyone who was born after 1975 or so.

In Dec, 1979, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan and there was war for 10 years (insurgencies, tribal conflicts and rebellions against the Soviet invasion/occupation).

That didn't end until the Soviets left in 1989.

From 1989 to 1996, in the wake of the Soviet withdrawal, there was massive Civil War in Afghanistan, in-fighting amongst the Warlords for power and control of the country.

From 1996 to 1998, the Taliban waged war against the various factions of Warlords, and eventually came to power in 1998.

While there was no "official" war under the Taliban, life was very restrictive for both men and women (though women were more restricted than men) and the punishment for many crimes was death by public execution. TV, music, pork, wearing shorts, (for men) shaving and (for women) leaving the house without a male escort were all forbidden under the Taliban and both men and women were often beaten in the street for not following the rules.

Then, in 2001, more war, more bombs, more hellish existence. I remember hearing someone say "Let's bomb them back to the stone age" in regards to Afghanistan in 2001. All I could say was "It's too late. After 20+ years of war and repression, they already live in the stone age in that country."

[Tailormyst]

4. As a mother I can't imagine living there.

In all wars it is the women and children who suffer the most, yet have the least ability to change circumstances. It's been this way since the beginning of humanity. There is a great documentary about two 911 widows who raised money to help Afghan widows raise chickens for food, eggs and money. These women can't work, can't remarry without losing their children to their dead husbands family, little food, no medical care, no education for them or their children. Such a sad circumstance. They are mothers like me, but the world has forgotten them.

[SoCalDem]

5. The child of your enemy becomes the enemy of your child

that's why wars never really "end"

some future enemies your kids may be fighting: