Word from Winkler — Speaking out at a crucial time

I want to express appreciation to the 77 United Methodist bishops who signed a letter to President Obama calling for withdrawal of all coalition forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2010. The bishops have spoken at a crucial time.

Last week, I was among faith leaders attending a meeting at the White House regarding Afghanistan and Pakistan. National Security Council (NSC) staff met with us and asked for candor. I distributed the bishops’ letter to them and emphasized its salient point that no path exists to military victory in Afghanistan.

The bishops have spoken at a crucial time.

A Quaker representative joked that his people liked the letter so much they were rethinking having bishops! At a meeting of the Win Without War coalition, we learned the letter is being distributed widely within the peace and justice community.

The presence of U.S. and NATO forces fuels the insurgency in Afghanistan. It is incomprehensible that the United States invaded Afghanistan only 12 years after Afghan rebels defeated the Soviet military. The United States has killed many thousands of civilians by aerial bombing, pilotless drones and with ground forces. Now eight years later, our forces are in trouble, as the U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan has admitted in asking for more troops.

The horrible Taliban fled from power in Afghanistan when the United States arrived. The Taliban is back, though, despite the U.S.’s superior firepower. Poppy growing, which produces heroin, is higher than ever. Poverty and misery and illiteracy and corruption remain the norm.

Military occupation does not work. Jesus understood this. He lived under Roman military occupation. He had no tolerance for the religious authorities who collaborated with the Romans.

I remember the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993. Police and intelligence agencies traced the bombing to a terrorist cell, enlisted the aid of their police colleagues around the world, tracked down the perpetrators, put them on trial in open court, convicted them, and sentenced them to prison.

The administration decided not to treat them as crimes, but rather as acts of war.

When the terrible events of Sept. 11, 2001, occurred, the administration decided not to treat them as crimes, but rather as acts of war. This was a terrible mistake. Hundreds of thousands of innocent people in Afghanistan and Iraq have died as a consequence. And, Osama bin Laden has still not been brought to justice for the criminal acts he committed.

Fortunately, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 events, will be tried in open court. I hope other members of the al Qaeda terrorist organization are tracked down and punished, too.

Escalating the war in Afghanistan, however, and carrying out attacks in Pakistan will not work. They cannot achieve the justice the families of the victims of 9/11, both then and since, deserve.

There are still some weeks to go before President Obama decides on his course of action in that troubled area. Please sign on in solidarity to the bishops’ letter at Peace in Afghanistan.

Pray the president does not escalate the war. Pray that he sets a timetable for withdrawal of military forces from Afghanistan that comes sooner than later.