Stephen Lendman

Washington remains hostile toward Russia for its sovereign independence.

Along with China, it’s an obstacle to America’s aim for unchallenged global dominance. Both countries are formidable nuclear powers, giving bipartisan US hawks pause about engaging either militarily.

It doesn’t stop them from fabricating reasons to bash them, America’s failed Afghan war the latest example.

On Thursday, US NATO commander General Curtis Scaparrotti lied to Senate Armed Services Committee members, saying:

“I’ve seen the influence of Russia of late - increased influence in terms of association and perhaps even supply to the Taliban,” providing no evidence backing his spurious allegations.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry head of Afghan affairs and special envoy to the country Zamir Kabulov blasted Scaparroti, calling his claims “absolutely false,” adding:

“These fabrications are designed, as we have repeatedly underlined, to justify the failure of the US military and politicians in the Afghan campaign. There is no other explanation.”

There’s no evidence supporting Scaparrotti’s claim because none exists. Last month, General John Nicholson in charge of US Afghan operations falsely accused Russia of “publicly (trying to) legitimize the Taliban,” claiming Moscow’s (nonexistent) involvement this year has become more difficult,”

America’s war on Afghanistan was a lost cause years ago. President Dwight Eisenhower once said “God help this country when someone sits in this chair who doesn’t know the military as well as I do.”

In early 2012, after traveling thousands of miles in Afghanistan with US forces, Lt. Col. Daniel Davis reported on America’s disastrous policies, asking how many more deaths are tolerable for a lost cause.

His opening remarks in an unclassified report said the following:

“Senior ranking US military leaders have so distorted the truth when communicating with the US Congress and American people in regards to conditions on the ground in Afghanistan that the truth has become unrecognizable.”

“This deception has damaged America’s credibility among both our allies and enemies, severely limiting our ability to reach a political solution to the war in Afghanistan.”

His classified report was more explicit, saying:

“If the public had access to these classified reports, they would see the dramatic gulf between what is often said in public by our senior leaders and what is actually true behind the scenes.”

“It would be illegal for me to discuss, use, or cite classified material in an open venue, and thus I will not do so.”

From discussions with commanders, subordinates and rank-and-file soldiers, he found “the absence of success on virtually every level.”

Over five years later, General Nicholson wants more US forces to continue waging futile war - impossible to win.

Most likely, Trump will oblige him instead of ending America’s longest war - followed by all others, declaring a new era of peace.

Churchill once said “Americans will always do the right thing after exhausting all the alternatives.”

Not when it comes to warmaking - waging them forever to feed its ravenous profiteers. Eisenhower’s farewell address warning went unheeded.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at http://www.sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.