David Gushee
Professor of Christian Ethics, Mercer University

David Gushee

Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics at Mercer University; author of 12 books including "Kingdom Ethics".

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Time to come home

Q: In the wake of Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal's dismissal as chief commander of American and NATO forces in Afghanistan, Congress is evaluating our policy and presence there. Is it time for the U.S. to get out of Afghanistan? Do we have a moral responsibility to stay or to leave?

It is undoubtedly the responsibility of the government of the United States to provide security for the people of this country. The question is whether our engagement in Afghanistan is actually enhancing our nation's security. Secondarily, the issue is whether whatever gains to security we might be winning are proportionate to the costs we are paying for those gains.

The initial purpose of our war in Afghanistan was to destroy the terrorist movement that inflicted such appalling casualties on 9/11, which required displacing the Taliban regime that hosted al-Qaeda. Almost nine years later, this initial purpose seems to have been left far behind. We have seen that terrorists who seek to inflict suffering on the United States are coming at us from within our shores and from various foreign lands, and that it is an idea spread virally that threatens us more than a particular movement based in a particular location.

In light of these developments, it is not at all clear that even a successful execution of the current long-shot strategy in Afghanistan will provide significant security gains for the people of this nation. Meanwhile, the appalling costs mount quickly, in lives and treasure. And every drone strike that kills civilians engenders hatreds that also threaten us.

President Obama seems stuck (at least temporarily) in a political rather than a security dilemma. He can't be seen to be the president who "lost Afghanistan" and allowed the Taliban to come back into power. He would be savaged by his political enemies. But "winning" Afghanistan seems implausible, not to mention ridiculously costly in light of those soaring budget deficits everyone is (properly) worried about--and tragically costly in terms of the myriad maimed and dead young Americans.

My Christian convictions lead me to seek peace and loathe war. I grant that this sometimes conflicts with the apparent good of the nation from time to time. In this case, I believe they overlap. It is time to come home, securing our nation through other, more realistic strategies than the costly nation-building we are currently attempting in Afghanistan.

By David Gushee  |  June 30, 2010; 2:22 PM ET Save & Share:  Send E-mail   Facebook   Twitter   Digg   Yahoo Buzz   Del.icio.us   StumbleUpon   Technorati  
Previous: Loving (and leaving) our Afghan neighbor | Next: The morass that is Afghanistan

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(2 of 2)

The Islami Talibani/Al Quadia Ummah & Lovers (includes deny'rs & silent ones) Gots Lots & Lots & Lots Of Attention. So, the None-Kafirs wanted Noise (like Islami-Turkey did via self-serving/created flotilla game/act, ADVERTISING Islams Audacity's via Quran/KoranaHolic pretexts).

Keep in Mind (not Heart) That JUSTly Leaving Afghan/Paki-Landa's is NOt like WE R' running away from SAiGON/NAM or what was once ALEXANDER THE GREAT's old Turf, which They/He/WE/i, actually conquered, or at least "CIVILIZED" these Still Pre-Apocalyptic [semi-Asians] Peoples. aka Ex-Idol/Pagan Worshipers suddenly becoming/converted/Religion, by ARAB forces/conquerors, into now what is known as "Wannabe-ABErahamics via ISLAMi" Ummah, 54+ Muslom/Muzzlemon/Muslim/Moslum Nations now.

Note: Fact: iSlami-OTTOMON-TURKS so-called 1,200 or 1,500 (None Combatant?) Army in Afghanistan R' only SPIES/SPY's For Them. Watch carefully What's gonna be ventriloquistized or played-out, thinking they played-US (like from a Satanic Versus islami Script-ure via The-Elder's of AL TAQiYAH") Soo

LESSON: "Don't Let NO Person/Peoples/Nations/SECTs/CULTs ever Use US (U.S. & Friendly's) or ever "USE-YOU"/ or USE-US (Coalition; aka KAFiRs/Infidels or simply None-Islami 2ndary's) again! WE must Use them (none Kafirs); NOt Them US (Kafir's).

POiNT: "WE THE PEOPLE" (Kafir Nationals) must collect or Get-Back every Dollar/Penny+ that went into OUR War-Effort , to UN-BOLLIX the Bollozed, which al Islam Provoked. Thus Muhammadans came to Americ with /SATANiC/ill intentions & later Americ forced(which is What Elders of Islami WANTED anyways) to going to Muhammadan Mountains or Landa's. See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barter

THEREFORE: "We The People" shall via "BARTER" Take As Much Oil out of IRAQ and as many Resources out of Afghanistan that is s Equitably or TORTilly needed, as COMPENSATION/Reimbursement, To Uncle-SAm & Aunt-Liberty TREASURY & the Coalition's, as is futuristically possible {i.e.; Pay-US-Back, Not via Bombs & Threats, in the Next 10 Years or so} ASAP!

OR "Bomb [None-Kafir/iSlami Afghani/Paki's] Back into the STONE-AGE (e.); NOt back to the Stone-Hedge (w.).

Yes They Can! (pay Us Back via Barter); Yes WE [i] Can (Legally) make Them (pay Us Back via Barterings)!

PS: The GLOBAL-UMMAH (NOt Islami ummah, NOt Kafiri ummah et al) Must Take away Paki's Islami-Nukes. Includes Hindu Nukes & Korea-Nukes & Israeli-Nukes & Irani-Nukes (and Unknowns?). Else Nuclear War is Gonna Be, Somewhere, some how, in less than 12/15 Years. WHEREFORE:

Beware the worlds trouble-making & SATANiC-VERSUS-addicted Islami-TURK's & CO., in Secular-Clothing & fork Tongues & Smiles. important REVEALation: iSlami OTTOMON, is still islami OTTOMAN (Sultan/Caliphi/ates) Mass-Murderers & ARMY's of Forced Religio Converer's of Land Grabbing pre-WWI (pre 1922). Same Garbage In is same garbage out.

Posted by: good-bad-n-ugly | July 1, 2010 11:17 AM
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(part 1 of 2)

The Blesseth "WEST" (not Islami's) "KAFIR-JiHAD" (not Crusade) or "WAR-EFFORT"(s) is or R' NOt in Vane, NOr for naught. see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_effort

i [WE] SALUTE; All whom Died (5,000+), and ALL whom contributed (includes Bloggers) for RiGHTEOUSLY 'trying' to moderate-like & APOCALYPTicalize (Kafirize) such primitive Drug Dealing dark-aged minded PRE-Apocalyptarians (Islami Ummah, aka None_kafirs or almost 1/2 Humans). Maybe in 200 years they'll start to EVOLVE (mentally; not Physically) as Whole Humans.???

PS: i [WE] Visited their god-forsaken Islami-Racist Landa/neighborhood in the 70's & 80's & now via the Holyi-Internet & via the 4th-Estate. So, i [WE] know'th what WE [i] spake'a thing. So, Hear Ye Hear Ye O' me Dear Fellow COALiTION-iTES:

Hark! There is a National "SATISFACTION" factor (i.e., Going To IRAQ, Going to Afghani/Pakistan; under Any Pretexts) And or IF if there is such-a-thing as a "NATIONAL CONSCIOUS" (American) & a "NATIONAL-HEART" (American) between, say an Uncle-Sam & an Aunt-Liberty; THEN

G O O D -- N E W S, O' sweet sweet U.S.A. & Friendly's (Coalition/NATO).

Ya Ya, IT is time to leave and time to pursue NEW-ENDEAVORS {i.e., to reuse U.S.A.'s 1-Million Man employee Armed-Forces Somewhere else [For Humanity "FUTURE-BOUND & SPACE-FORTH" benefit or Sake.

note; SO, Nothing is or was ever in Vain here or there; especially when it comes to Human "MANiFEST-DESTINY" (which is Not only applied Locally anymore), a S-E-C-U-L-A-R thing (Job).

Hence the Phrase "Think Globally (1st) & then Act Locally (2nd); NOt thinking/visualizing the other way around anymore; which is what WE [i] hath been 'trying' to reverese or Historically fix/correct for them both Physically & Mentally).

WE [i] art NOt BIBLiO/Quran/Geeta-MANiACS (thinkers/believers anymore). Thus THEY (from the None-KAFiR ummah or Islami ummah & Similar-situated) R' very SUPER-STUPiD-SATITIOUS folk which is why they R' Dangerous to US; NOt only to ye KAFiR's, but to al iSLAMi(s) ummah, World-Wide; includes those Islami's in good ole U.S. of A. Aye? So,

Unlike "Secularizing" them; That XrSTiANIZING none-KAFiR is like they try to iSLAMiCize US (Kafirs). But they tried to PROMOTE-ISLAM" or rather the Islami's (Hashish smokers+) Bombed OUR World Trade Center (peace Be Upon all those Victims) on 911; which the Great KAFIR (Superior; NOt Satan) advanced minds Built.

Interestingly; We Built Nukes; now they copy-cat US (same like copy-Cat'd the Jewish Ummah ABE religion) only to Use against US? Soo,

Posted by: good-bad-n-ugly | July 1, 2010 10:59 AM
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I'm so glad that i've seen some os Western minds had started to feel what we do feel. Islam orders his people to refuse any occupation whatever the reason is. I think it's simply that far to understand why the Afghani People has never welcomed the U.S. Army and the Others.. Really it's time to go home. there will remin alot of pains in Afghanis Hearts ..

Posted by: MaLCoLMX4S | July 1, 2010 4:42 AM
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P.S.

I suggest you take a listen to Phil Mudd- former deputy director of CIA's Counter-Terrorism Center -

Phil points out there ARE no terrorists.

JUST people - who murder.

Let's stop using the term terrorist.

Let's reach for accountability where accountability is due.

The term Terrorist is nothing short of a repeat of Communist.

An abstract noun - that offers us NOTHING to help discern just what we are talking about.

Posted by: ColdSun | July 1, 2010 12:40 AM
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part II - WP won't publish a long comment- but if I shorten it - it gets published - sorry about that...


If you were a REAL Christian ?

You would not divide by nation state.

You would not support KILLING MERELY on citizen status as to which FLAVOR of nationalism your opponent HAPPENS to belong to.

Bush did a REAL whammy with terrorism ALL the WAY DOWN TO THE US CIA - claiming - Geneva Convention doesn't apply- these 'terrorists' don't belong to a nation state.

I call it 'anationalistic' -

Odd - if you're not with us ? you're a terrorist !

US has NO special DIBS on what life means - or what potential humanity as has yet to reveal itself in FULL BLOOM - something I look forward to - but I likely won't be alive as a person -but MY AFTERLIFE PLANS ? I LIVE THROUGH THE SPECIES - MY FAMILY ! Eternal life is REALLY in my view ? just that - eternal - and you either contract with it ? or you better have some DIME STORY CHEAPENED RELIGION to OFFER A LIVE PRIVATE LIFE - KILL OUTSIDERS - them Afghanny TERRORITS ! Wanted DEAD OR ALIVE ? is that the Christianity you support or are you saying you denounce the United States as an IMMORAL DIVIDING FORCE on humanity that will bring us NUCLEAR HELL for NO REASON AT ALL other than to protect our borders ?

Hey pal - go back to undergrad.

I started University at age 11

I'm 42

I see RIGHT THROUGH YOUR ACADEMIC TRASH you throw around disguising your PATHOLOGICAL DIVISION OF LIFE.

Howdy neighbor !

Let's be friends !

Oh wait - I live in Afghanistan- Looks like David justifies coming and killing me because his PRIVATE - SEGMENTED - SEGREGATED - BORDERLINE RACISM - which is what racism IS - division OF the species ? hmm - actually ? I never realized the connection between racism and nationalism until this VERY INSTANT - thanks Dave -I've advanced my understanding here- but - the FLAW in your message is that you on one hand promote you are Christian - which REALLY - ? Gospel of Thomas ? Christ DID say MORE or less- you do not NEED any 'church' - OR 'religion' ? You've MISSED THE MARK PAL - Which is ?

TO SIN

Enjoy your rhetoric - MINE HAS MEANING

YOURS ? INSOLENT DIVISION OF SPECIES and you actually DEFEND KILLING ANOTHER HUMAN BEING ?

Hey - not my problem - I see life as eternal - I've just DAMNED GRATEFUL to ever have had opportunity to witness it for an instance - and how beautiful the world is - indeed- ESPECIALLY when you go TRANS-SPECIES - when you start to entertain life ? as I promote ? Darwinian ? that ALL life shares the same causal spark as to heart beat?

It's a PRETTY DAMNED FINE UNIVERSE - I don't know why you have a problem with HUMAN BEINGS who live in Afghanistan.

Oh yeah - Panetta says 50 or LESS AQ ARE IN Afghanistan- but then again - maybe we shouldn't rely on CIA intel anymore eh?

Think about it

Tim Miltz

Posted by: ColdSun | July 1, 2010 12:33 AM
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Held for approval - breaking it up into two and reposting: sorry if you DO post the original -

And if you moved ?

Relocated to say another nation ?

What then ?

How your ideals and morals fly a if a FLAG waving in the wind.

Wise man once said - two monks watching a flag waving in the wind - one says flag is moving - the other ? says NO, MIND is moving.

Perhaps you will understand my point that you offer up fragmented ideals here- nationalism BREAKS APART HUMANITY - maybe you didn't study ancient Greek - but it ROOTS from the SAME WORD as Concussion - PERCUSSION - to break apart.

Natioalism DIVIDES humanity RIGHT from the start.

I am guessing you in your cowardice fearing the Nation of the United States will come after you ? because you are not strong enough to stand up for HUMANITY and say - NO MORE - NO MORE DIVIDING HUMANITY !

Or maybe you really do have an ideal that humanity IS undivided... That there IS atomicity - I USED to side with Ghandi - which I still like when he said "I can not separate myself from the most wicked soul for humanity is one".

But lately ? I have derived new meaning out of Darwin - which is - Darwin took it TRANS-SPECIES - Darwin said ALL life is connected- and this brings me full circle back to Black Elk - Chief Seattle -

So - you would rather divide humanity ? and play hostage to the nation of the United States as 'if' USA has ANY SPECIAL DIBS on what humanity is ?

OR ? would you join me in the middle ground- and we'll accept humanism for what it is - and we'll say - no, HUMAN BEINGS populate this planet - and we ought not to live to KILL people who don't belong to our ARBITRARY ABSTRACT BOUNDARIES with BORDERLINE USELESS CAUSAL FACTORS in those boundary creations- TOPPING IT ? ALL on MOVING TECTONIC PLATES.

Perhaps your United States ideal you hold onto will be swapped out if you decide- HEY - I want to move to Germany- and I'll be a German citizen.

You see? You offer a RELATIVE MORAL platform here - using the NATION STATE to justify your phony purported stance that you ARE a Christian.

Posted by: ColdSun | July 1, 2010 12:32 AM
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