Comments on: Winning the Battle of Perceptions: A Quick Look at the McChrystal Recommendations http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/09/winning-the-battle-of-perceptions-a-quick-look-at-the-mcchrystal-recommendations/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:07:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John S. Hatch http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/09/winning-the-battle-of-perceptions-a-quick-look-at-the-mcchrystal-recommendations/#comment-55380 John S. Hatch Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:19:11 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=10621#comment-55380 I'm always disturbed to see Afghans or Iraqis defending their own nations referred to as 'insurgents'. The definition of insurgent is as follows: A person who rises in forcible opposition to lawful authority, esp. a person who engages in armed resistance to a government or to the execution of its laws; rebel. There is no lawful authority in either Afghanistan or Iraq. Those who fight against unlawful invasions are not insurgents. They are patriots. I’m always disturbed to see Afghans or Iraqis defending their own nations referred to as ‘insurgents’.

The definition of insurgent is as follows:
A person who rises in forcible opposition to lawful authority, esp. a person who engages in armed resistance to a government or to the execution of its laws; rebel.

There is no lawful authority in either Afghanistan or Iraq. Those who fight against unlawful invasions are not insurgents.

They are patriots.

]]> By: bozhidar balkas vancouver http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/09/winning-the-battle-of-perceptions-a-quick-look-at-the-mcchrystal-recommendations/#comment-55347 bozhidar balkas vancouver Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:57:22 +0000 http://dissidentvoice.org/?p=10621#comment-55347 The problem i have with the situation in afgh'n is that i must analyze it starting not from facts but postulates and other guesses. We have no factual knowledge about what wld nato consider as own defeat or defeat of pashtuns, et al. We also do not have the factual knowledge of what a perticular situation wld arise in afgh'n that nato wld call success? Wld a total withdrawal of troops [let's say, in '22 or '32] from afgh'n be considered defeat? Or near-total withdrawal but setting up army bases there? And after killing thousands or hundreds of thousands of afghanis? Does it really matter what we call it? It seems to me that the either-or structure of language used to limn afgh'n appears quite misleading; possibly used on purpose. I say this, because it wld have been war planners who wld declare victory or defeat in any US military venture. I do not think they wld ever declare a defeat. They and only they wld write history of afgh'n, palestine, and iraq. Children wld hear only ab. the glory and greatness of america regardless of facts. So, we can discount a defeat; it ain't gonna be labeled that way. That leaves only success as an option. In any case, most people think ab. most military situations in terms of failure or success. After all, amerika had been free, noble, just, prudent, great, etc., even while there was slavery, lynchings, racism, segregation, 180 wars [all just and successful], thinnings of natives, etc. So why change the namecalls? Yes, it is that simple. Just choose a name! tnx The problem i have with the situation in afgh’n is that i must analyze it starting not from facts but postulates and other guesses.
We have no factual knowledge about what wld nato consider as own defeat or defeat of pashtuns, et al.

We also do not have the factual knowledge of what a perticular situation wld arise in afgh’n that nato wld call success?
Wld a total withdrawal of troops [let's say, in '22 or '32] from afgh’n be considered defeat? Or near-total withdrawal but setting up army bases there?
And after killing thousands or hundreds of thousands of afghanis?
Does it really matter what we call it?

It seems to me that the either-or structure of language used to limn afgh’n appears quite misleading; possibly used on purpose.
I say this, because it wld have been war planners who wld declare victory or defeat in any US military venture.
I do not think they wld ever declare a defeat. They and only they wld write history of afgh’n, palestine, and iraq.
Children wld hear only ab. the glory and greatness of america regardless of facts.
So, we can discount a defeat; it ain’t gonna be labeled that way. That leaves only success as an option. In any case, most people think ab. most military situations in terms of failure or success.

After all, amerika had been free, noble, just, prudent, great, etc., even while there was slavery, lynchings, racism, segregation, 180 wars [all just and successful], thinnings of natives, etc.
So why change the namecalls? Yes, it is that simple. Just choose a name! tnx

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