What Obama means for Afghanistan

The world was watching the American election and the victory of Barack Obama whilst the illegal occupiers in Afghanistan killed yet another 50 innocent Afghans in yet another wedding party. Those who were killed did not have access to television to watch the American election and never heard of Barack Obama but they were still killed by their occupying forces for no reason other then being Afghans. "We cannot win the fight against terrorism with air strikes," Mr. Karzai said in comments directed at US President-elect Barack Obama.While seven million Afghans face famine and starvation this winter Barack Obama and Mr. Karzai, who is backed by the US and NATO and does not even have control of Kabul, are planning more US and NATO troops to go to Afghanistan. The Russians had 114,000 troops there but were defeated and I am sure the US and its allies will meet the same fate as the resistance to the occupation has now moved to a national level.I do not know why the world is so pleased with the victory of Barack Obama. It is as if Obama had solved all the problems of the world overnight.Like many of you I am optimistic for a good and peaceful future for my home land. But such a future will not come from a man who has wants to send more troops in. More troops for Afghanistan can only lead to more innocent deaths, and further destabilise Pakistan which is a nuclear power.The Taliban and Hezb-e-Islami are back and stronger and more popular than ever. NATO and the United States have no choice but to negotiate with them. That's the impression one gets from Afghan officials in Afghanistan and also from the occupying forces there. The Afghan people have lost confidence in NATO and the United States. The majority of the Afghan people do not accept the current illegal occupation of Afghanistan and also do not accept a government that is linked to the occupation. Most Afghans do not see any difference between the Russian occupations and the current one. The Afghan government had met in Saudi Arabia the representatives of Taliban and Gulbudeen Hekmatyar the former Prime Minister and was once a very close friend of the west.The best option for Mr. Barack Obama is to leave Afghanistan to Afghans and put his own house in order. If he is going to restore any credibility to the American reputation he should immediately announce the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan. Afghanistan is not in need of foreign occupation, soldiers, mercenaries, and secret services. Afghanistan needs physicians' hospitals, teachers, schools, universities and the prerequisites for a free and just Afghan society are first of all Bread, water, health, education, and housing and NOT B52, Bombers, illegal occupation and the unjust killing of thousands of innocent Afghans. If Barack Obama can stop all this in Afghanistan I am sure all the resistance to the occupation will cease and most of the Afghans will embrace the Western concept of Democracy.

Mohammad N Asif

Exiled Afghan Journalist

President, Scottish Afghan Exiles