Why America Won't Win the Afghan War

America's reliance on military strength to solve what it perceives as personal conflicts has meant that other avenues of approach have not been tested enough, for example: the ideological one. A lot of lip-service is paid to ideas that are vague enough such as 'liberty' or 'self-determination' but it is understood that usually is reserved for Americans, aside from what the terms may mean or not mean. As soon as the subject shifts to anyone on the outside, then they are not deserving of the same rights as Americans, by default. Similar to how once in America, rights only referred to whites, but now blacks are included, also. Took a long time, but the notion that having Obama become president means that blacks are now equal to whites is made over an over by political commentators or sociologists or what not—perhaps so, but that observation is in itself racist, if you think about it. I'm not disputing that symbolically the Obama election represents a giant leap in the evolution of race-relations in America, however. That's all fine and dandy, but at some point it also needs to start including others, like say for example within our own border: illegals, who are simply seen as subhuman and deserving of abuse yet are part of the fabric of America, and contribute to the overall picture in however small a way. But to get back to advancing our cause world wide, it certainly should involve seeing others as equals and not just as someone to be manipulated and exploited in any which way but that which is determined by the inhabitants of said territory. At some point people begin to see that their cause and America's cause are simply not in tandem. At some point the people want to decide their own destiny and suffer the benefits or the harm of whatever action they took, but let it be their own. There is no dignity in being invaded and having a system enforced by military means. Perhaps it sounds cliché, but the change has to come from within, and be done by the people themselves for it to have the same kind of moral weight and validity...and therefore have any lasting effect. Or better yet, let people truly determine their own destiny and just butt out... Sometimes you just need to cut your losses, also... Not like I'm directing this to Obama or anything. Not like I think he is in actual control of anything, and is anything other than a mouthpiece for the same movers that were in power during Bush. Actions speak louder than words, and so far Obama is just a continuation of Bush...nothing more. Out of Iraq, and right into Afghanistan...but with the same motives.