US makes many errors in Afghanistan, passes them by lies
By Press TV US Desk
“The US has made an incredible number of errors and we could pass those errors by simply lying about it…because the American troops were simply lost and broke into the wrong home. That’s happened not dozens of times but hundreds of times.””
A prominent political analyst says the US makes “an incredible number of errors” during its war activities in Afghanistan, simply lying about them to pass them over.
The United States and Afghanistan have signed a deal on the controversial night raids carried out by the US-led forces.
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However, Afghan President Hamid Karzai had demanded an end to such operations, with Afghans saying the raids violate their privacy.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Gordon Duff, senior editor for VT, to further discuss the issue.
The following is a rough transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Technically speaking, in operational terms, what is going to change after this MOU is signed between the Afghan Government and the US military?
Duff: According to the agreement, over the last year, the US has been involved in 3,000 night operations which, as you’ve had described to you, simply refers to having troops breaking into people’s homes in the middle of the night and fighting their children.
The US claims that 81 percent of those raids have yielded terror suspects.
In a recent poll held in the United States, 69 percent of Americans are opposed to US involvement in the war in Afghanistan. By those standards, US troops could break into 69 percent of American homes and could detain suspects as well.
This is an issue we have in this country all the time with our own police. They’re continually breaking into the wrong homes, shooting innocent civilians in their sleep. It’s a very common thing.
The issue is very simple, it was a deal that Karzai cut with tribal leaders to allow the Americans to stay even though the US is totally dependent on these operations.
We agreed because it was more important for us to stay and save face, and depend on the Afghan troops that our commanders have been telling us for 11 years, ‘we’re never coming up to capability’.
Two days ago the Special Operations troops in Afghanistan were no good at all. Today they’re the best in the world. Why? -Because if we don’t use them the US has to leave.
Press TV: There are various types of raids that are carried on homes in Afghanistan, like the ones conducted by the CIA forces. Does this MOU encompass all types of operations targeting Afghan homes or is it just talking about a particular type?
Duff: When they refer to Special Operations forces, the MOU probably includes all CIA and CIA contractors. It’s a fairly wide statement. Your earlier speaker with his point was a critical one.
I remember this during the Vietnam War.
For these raids, you depend on intelligence. That intelligence comes through signals-intelligence which is overhearing satellite calls using our sophisticated equipment or it depends on what people tell us.
Well, that depends on people not lying to Americans. Were I an Afghan who considered myself a patriot, giving information to Americans that would lead to arrests in the middle of the night, might not be consistent with my values.
The US has made an incredible number of errors and we could pass those errors by simply lying about it.
The key issue, there is no way to enter a private home, no matter whose it is, safely. And there is no way for American troops to travel across Afghanistan in the middle of the night with the most remote idea of where they are.
Frankly, so many of these incidents, when I read the real reports on them, are because the American troops were simply lost and broke into the wrong home. That’s happened not dozens of times but hundreds of times.
Press TV: The US government claims to be the torch bearer for human rights in the world. How does this justify violations of the privacy of Afghan homes on such a large scale, as you’ve just pointed out?
Duff: The funny thing is the same issue, people entering American homes without knocking, kicking down doors. The same purpose of Special Operations troops operate throughout the United States all the time.
To Americans, we’re just as armed as any people on earth or more so. If someone comes to my home in the middle of the night and kicks down the door, they’ll find me with an assault rifle firing back. That’s here.
It’s considered a simple human right to defend. It’s part of our right as American citizens to defend our homes. We should extend that right to everyone else. The point you’re making is we are not doing it.
Editing: Jim W. Dean
Gordon Duff posted articles on VT from 2008 to 2022. He is a Marine combat veteran of the Vietnam War. A disabled veteran, he worked on veterans and POW issues for decades.
Gordon is an accredited diplomat and is generally accepted as one of the top global intelligence specialists. He manages the world’s largest private intelligence organization and regularly consults with governments challenged by security issues.
Duff has traveled extensively, is published around the world, and is a regular guest on TV and radio in more than “several” countries. He is also a trained chef, wine enthusiast, avid motorcyclist, and gunsmith specializing in historical weapons and restoration. Business experience and interests are in energy and defense technology.
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