The Frailty of the American Empire of Military Bases in the Face of the Mujahideen Threat

By Shihab al-Deen Ghaznee

Recent reports indicate that the number of American military bases abroad currently approach 865 bases with the number of bases in Iraq and Afghanistan approaching 100. The annual American expenditure for these military bases reaches approximately 102 billion dollars. This is not a simple matter, for these are enormous sums and staggering expenses that only a country like America can bear.

It is astonishing that an American newspaper, the Christian Science Monitor, published on the 28th of May this year articles which reported that the American State Department will build an embassy complex in Islamabad at the cost of 736 million dollars, a sum that exceeds the budget of Afghanistan for ten whole years. The reports indicate that offices for 330 employees will be built for 111 million dollars, while 197 million dollars will be spent on building houses equipped with the most modern means and the most advanced accessories. 405 million dollars will be spent on the primary and alternate buildings for the embassy.

Additionally, Washington wants to build consulates in the cities of Lahore and Peshawar, one of which will monitor news of events along the Pakistani-Indian border, and the other will follow news of events in Afghanistan. Likewise, America wants to expand the area of its embassy in Kabul, for which purpose America is trying to buy large tracts in the area of Wazir Akbar Khan, valued at 87 million dollars, and link them to its existing embassy. The reports indicate that negotiations for the purchase of this land are currently ongoing and that this land may have already been sold.

In these diplomatic centers are concentrated around 1000 American employees tasked with producing intelligence information and monitoring the political, security and especially military situation and developments. Their primary purpose is to follow events in the entire region of Central and South Asia.

The mission of the American embassy in Kabul is summarized as follows:

A. Maintain and perpetuate the military occupation of Afghanistan.
B. Exploit the lackey regime in Kabul for its benefit.
C. Monitor current events in Iran, China and Russia from these centers.
D. Plan programs and undertake initiatives in Central Asia.

A salient point is that Kyrgyzstan decided in February of this year to expel American forces from its Manas airport and vacate that base. The president of Kyrgyzstan, however, went back on his decision and permitted the Americans to stay on the condition that they increase the payment of rent to his government by 300% (meaning that the amount of rent paid has been increased from 17.4 million last year to 60 million this year). It would appear that America’s aims in using this base focus on the following issues:

A. Deliver military equipment and supplies to American forces in Afghanistan by the quickest and most secure route.
B. Reach natural resources in Central Asia.
C. Establish military bases in the republics of the former Soviet Union.
D. Search for and attract new members for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
E. Establish western democracy and free market economy in the region.

If we examined American forces and their military bases on the global level, it would be confusing. For America has established many bases in Japan, and Japan pays all the expenses of these bases. Yet precise statistics indicate that American forces stationed there commit sexual crimes against Japanese women on the average of twice a month. Additionally, those forces possess in the state of Okana alone 38 military bases. Likewise in Germany, America has built 227 military bases. The question which poses itself is what are the threats facing these countries that require America to build military bases there?

It appears that this is tyrannical treatment and that it is not within the capability of those countries to rid themselves of the American tyrant and its recurring aggression. In addition to American military bases outside the country, inside America itself they have built approximately 5429 military bases for a sum total of 6294 military bases. Again, the question that poses itself is what is the need for America to build this many bases outside its country?

From another aspect, America is building these bases outside its country at a time when an attack from abroad on a nation like America is an unlikely occurrence. Rather America is able to launch intense raids on other countries without bearing any hardship. Yet America is distinguished by the following characteristics:

A.) America is considered among the largest and richest countries in the world.
B.) America is the third largest country in the world in terms of population.
C.) It is surrounded east and west by oceans 3 to 4 thousand miles in expanse.
D.) It is bordered only by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south.
E.) It is located a long distance away from Europe and the rest of the nations of the world, making it difficult to attack or occupy.

America is still considered among the richest countries in the world and has no rival on the global level. For that it sees it as necessary to establish military bases in all parts of the world and force other nations to submit to its policies and bow their heads to its supremacy. America spends huge sums to obtain this, spills blood and expropriates natural resources, especially petrol, and places its agents on the seat of power and suppresses those who oppose it and provokes bloody conflicts while facing complicated dangers.

Nonetheless, evidence and experience indicate that the end of American supremacy is approaching. For supreme divine law indicates that Allah Almighty does grant a long life to tyrannical usurpers and overreaching aggressors. It is to be expected that America, sooner rather than later, will proceed on the path of the pharaohs and Hammon, the Romans, Alexander, Nazi Germany, the Communist ideology, Hitler, etc… because the time for divine retribution has come. For when mankind exceeds his limits, aggrandizes himself and claims divinity, Allah takes him after that and the retribution is severe and painful.

Here we will mention some examples of the stifling of its haughtiness, the end of its domination, the end of its hubris and cockiness with the following:

General Mike Mullen, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confessed that his forces are in a vicious confrontation against the Mujahideen and that they are incapable of continuing the conflict in this country. He added, saying “People ask me how long will the war in Afghanistan last and when will security be stabilized? I tell them that I don’t know how long it will last because I know that the Afghanistan conflict is very difficult and that it is unlikely that the accomplishments we expect will be achieved”.

The American defense secretary admitted that his forces are stressed and worn out from the war in Afghanistan. The French Press Agency quoted American Defense Secretary Robert as saying that his forces are not able to sustain the war in Afghanistan because “because this conflict will need a lot of time and it is not within the capacity of his forces to continue it”. He added “the families of troops stationed in Afghanistan are not happy with their family members remaining in Afghanistan”. The American defense secretary had hinted that “America is discussing sending 30,000 more troops to help those forces fighting in Afghanistan and raise their collapsed morale”. Additionally, Gates requested that members of the NATO alliance send more troops and military equipment to Afghanistan. On the evening of 17 July this year, American Liberty Radio quoted the new American general Stanley McCrystal as saying he was worried about the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, stating “the Mujahideen are organizing their forces in the north of Afghanistan and their military operations are escalating daily”.

Likewise the British Times newspaper published an article in which it reported that it is difficult for American and British forces to achieve success in Afghanistan, adding “American forces remain stationed in Afghanistan because normalizing security and stabilizing the situation are an impossible task”. The newspaper declared: “the coming of American forces to Afghanistan and occupying was a mistake from the start. With the passing of each day, matters become more complicated and fears increase”. The newspaper continued its article saying “foreign forces in Afghanistan number more than 80,000. Even if they are able to wrest control of some areas of the country from the hands of the Mujahideen, the Kabul government is unable to maintain control and stay there. For this reason there is no benefit to American forces staying in Afghanistan”. Additionally, the British Times regarded the mission of the new commander General McCrystal as complex and dangerous. The newspaper declared that the situation in Afghanistan is very tense and that it is not in the capacity of foreign troops to control the deteriorating situation and that they are living under intense pressure and unable to continue the conflict there.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown claimed that insurgent operations are escalating with each passing day and that this current summer was the worse yet for foreign forces in Afghanistan. Brown admitted to the impotence of foreign forces before the Mujahadeen resistance, alluding to the evolution of Mujahadeen operations and their use of advanced tactics which in its turn has led to foreign troops facing their most vicious battles yet during this present summer.

Recalling the history of Afghanistan and the continuous heroics of its people, American hubris and haughtiness will certainly collapse in this land of Jihad and sacrifice. The time has come for the fall of their arrogant empire despite their long-term strategic planning and their use of different tactics. The land of Afghanistan is the land where empires fall. History recalls that the forces of Alexander the Great sustained its greatest losses in the battles they fought the Afghans. In the 19th Century the people of Afghanistan were able to drive out the British after they engaged them in a series of bloody battles. Then came the Soviet Union, and now comes the turn of the alliance led by America in its attempt to subjugate the “Graveyard of Empires”. Does America have the capability to achieve that? It appears that it is not possible to attain this security, and that American forces will be vanquished and forced to withdraw after sustaining huge losses in men and material. The Obama strategy to subjugate Afghanistan and the region are all far-fetched fantasies. The best proof of this are the ferocious battles waged by the Mujahideen during the current year that have led to the apprehension and fears of the leadership in Washington. They know for certain that sending more troops is not a successful recipe for achieving success and reaching their goals. Even the lackey Karzai has stated that he submitted a proposal for negotiating once again with the Mujahideen rather than pumping in more troops. He has hinted that sending more troops would only cause the situation to deteriorate and become more tense and that the only solution is to sit down at the negotiating table.

These confessions and statements indicate that the use of force is not the way to solve crises and end problems, and that if America insists on continuing its war and its failed strategy then it will topple on the face of the earth and its empire will fall. It must therefore back off its new policy and review its failed strategy with deep thought and close scrutiny

The Ignored Puzzle Pieces of Knowledge » Al-Somood: The Frailty of the American Empire of Military Bases in the Face of the Mujahideen Threat