Kabul, Afghanistan: emancipation US-style.

Temperatures in Kabul today are -2 C / 28.4 F. This is an internally displaced child standing outside “her shelter” which the photojournalist advisedly did not show. After over 16 years of grandstanding displays & conferences pledging UN & international humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, it wouldn’t be smart to show that most are living rough or in makeshift cardboard tents.

For the Pakistani government officials & politicians who insist Afghan refugees should be forced back, this is the reason why that would be criminal.

To the people of Afghanistan let us say that the failure of the antiwar movement thus far to mobilize solidarity to get the US out has been catastrophic & there is nothing we can say to assuage that. Except that we will do our damnedest to change that & rebuild the international antiwar movement. You have paid long enough for our historic failure.

US out of Afghanistan. War reparations in the billions to the people of Afghanistan.

(Photo by Mohammad Ismail/Reuters)