NguMedea Benjamin noNicolas JS Davies, ngoFebhuwari 15, 2020
NgoFebhuwari 15 kuphawula usuku, eminyakeni eyi-17 eyedlule, lapho imibhikisho yomhlaba wonke yokulwa nokuhlasela kwe-Iraq yayiskulu kangangokuba New York Times yabiza umbono womphakathi wonke ngokuthi "amandla amakhulu wesibili." Kepha i-US ayizange iyinake futhi yahlasela i-Iraq. Ngakho-ke sekuye kwaba yini ngamathemba amakhulu lolo suku?
Amasosha aseMelika awakaze ayinqobe impi kusukela ngo-1945, ngaphandle kokuthi ubala ukuthola imiphumela emincane yezikoloni zaseGrenada, ePanama naseKuwait, kepha kunosongo olulodwa oluye lwakhipha ngaphandle kokudubula ngaphezulu kwabambalwa ababulewe isibhamu futhi ezinye igesi. Kuyamangaza ukuthi, lokhu kusongela okukhona yikhona okunganqamula ukuthula ngokuthula kube ngosayizi futhi kususe izikhali zayo eziyingozi kakhulu futhi ezibizayo: izakhamuzi zakhona ezithanda ukuthula.
Ngesikhathi sempi yaseVietnam, abaseMelika abasebancane ababhekene nelottery lokufa nokufa baqala ukwakha okunamandla ukunyakaza okulwa nempi. UMongameli Nixon uphakamise ukuthi kuqedwe lo mbhalo njengendlela yokuhlehlisa umnyakazo wokuthula, ngoba ekholelwa ukuthi abantu abasha bazoyeka ukubhikishela impi uma bengasenaso isibopho sokulwa. Ngo-1973, lo mbhalo waphela, wahamba ibutho lokuvolontiya elacindezela inqwaba yabantu baseMelika kusukela kumthelela obulalayo wezimpi zaseMelika.
Ngaphandle kokuntuleka kohlaka, inhlangano entsha yokulwa nempi — kulokhu efinyelele emhlabeni wonke — yavela esikhathini esiphakathi kobugebengu buka-9/11 kanye nokuhlasela okungekho emthethweni kwe-Iraq e-Iraq ngoMashi 2003. Umbhikisho wangoFebhuwari 15, 2003, ubhikisha kwakunguye imiboniso emikhulu kakhulu emlandweni wesintu, ukuhlanganisa abantu emhlabeni wonke ukuphikisana nethemba elingacabangeki lokuthi i-US izokwethula "ukuhlaselwa kanye nokushaqeka" kwe-Iraq. Abantu ababalelwa ezigidini ezingama-30 emadolobheni angama-800 baba nengxenye kuzwekazi ngalinye, kufaka phakathi i-Antarctica. Lokhu kudalwa okukhulu kwempi, kukhunjulwe kumbhalo Sibaningi, kuholwa New York Times intatheli uPatrick E. Tyler ukuze amazwana ukuthi kwakukhona manje amandla amakhulu emhlabeni: I-United States kanye nemibono yomphakathi emhlabeni jikelele.
Umshini wezempi wase-US ukhombise ukudelela ngokuphelele imbangi yakhe yokuqala, futhi udalule nempi engekho emthethweni esekelwe kumanga asebekade eqhubeka ngezigaba eziningi zodlame neziyaluyalu iminyaka engu-17. Njengoba ingapheli ukuphela ezimpini zase-US kanye nezihlangene e-Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Libya, Syria, Palestine, Yemen nase West Africa, kanye nesibalo sokwanda kukaTrump futhi impi yezomnotho ngokumelene ne-Iran, iVenezuela neNyakatho Korea esongela ukuqhuma iye ezimpini ezintsha, siphi amandla amakhulu wesibili manje, lapho siyidinga kakhulu kunanini
Kusukela kwabulawa iMelika General Soleimani wase-Iran e-Iraq ngoJanuwari 2, inhlangano yezokuthula isiphinde yangena emigwaqweni, kufaka phakathi abantu abebemasha ngoFebhuwari 2003 kanye nezishoshovu ezisencane kakhulu ukuthi zingakhumbula isikhathi lapho i-US yayingeyona impi. Kube nezinsuku ezintathu ezihlukile zokubhikisha, eyodwa ngoJanuwari 4, enye ngomhlaka 9 kanye nosuku lomhlaba jikelele lokusebenza ngomhlaka 25. Le mihlangano yenzeka emadolobheni amakhulu, kepha ayizange ihehe cishe inani elaphuma ukuzophikisana nempi elinde ne-Iraq ngonyaka ka-2003, noma lezo zemihlangano kanye nemigwaqo eqhubekayo njengoba impi yase-Iraq iqhubeka ibuswa kuze kube manje. okungenani 2007.
Ukwehluleka kwethu ukumisa impi yase-US e-Iraq ngo-2003 bekudumaza kakhulu. Kepha isibalo sabantu abasebenzela impi yokulwa nempi yaseMelika sehla senyuka kakhulu ngemuva kokhetho lwango-2008 lukaBarack Obama. Abantu abaningi bebengafuni ukukhombisa umengameli wokuqala omnyama wezwe, futhi abaningi, kubandakanya neNobel Peace Prize Committee, bakholelwa ngempela ukuthi uzoba "ngumongameli wokuthula."
Ngenkathi u-Obama ehlonishwa ngokungagodli Isivumelwano sikaBush nohulumeni wase-Iraq ukuthi asuse amabutho ase-US e-Iraq futhi wasayina isivumelwano se-Iran yenuzi, wayekude nomongameli wokuthula. Wengamela a imfundiso entsha Yempi eyifihlakele neyinqolobane eyanciphisa kakhulu ukubulawa kwabantu abezempi baseMelika, kepha yakhipha impi eyandayo e-Afghanistan, umkhankaso wokulwa ne-ISIS e-Iraq naseSyria wokuthi wachitha yonke imizi, a ukunyuka kweshumi ku-CIA drone isiteleka ePakistan, Yemen kanye naseSomalia, kanye nezimpi zama-proxy aseLibya naseSyria lokho ukufutheka namuhla. Ekupheleni, Obama uchithe isikhathi esiningi kwezempi waphonsa amabhomu amaningi emazweni amaningi kunokwenza kukaBush. Wenqabile futhi ukubamba uBush nezikhulu zakhe ababhekene namacala abo empi.
Izimpi zika-Obama azange ziphumelele ukwedlula ezakwaBush zokubuyisa ukuthula noma uzinzo kunoma yilawo mazombe noma ukuthuthukisa izimpilo zabantu babo. Kepha u-Obamaindlela yokufihla, ethule, ne-media-free"Impi yenza izwe laseMelika laba nempi engapheli yezomnotho. Ngokunciphisa ukulimala kwabantu baseMelika kanye nempi yempi ngokujaha okuncane, wanyakazisa izimpi zaseMelika kude nasezithunzini wanikeza umphakathi wase-Melika inkohliso yokuthula phakathi kwempi engapheli, ngokuhlukumeza ngengalo nangokuhlukanisa inhlangano yokuthula.
Inqubomgomo yemfihlo yezempi ka-Obama yaxhaswa umkhankaso onamandla wokulwa nanoma ngubani onamhlophe ababenesibindi abazama ukuyihudula bayikhanyisele. UJeffrey Sterling, uThomas Drake, uCanning Manning, uJohn Kiriakou, u-Edward Snowden kanye noJulian Assange manje baye bashushiswa futhi bagqunywa ejele ngenxa yokuhunyushwa okusha kwe-WWI-era Espionage Act.
NginoDonald Trump eWhite House, sizwa amaRiphabhlikhi enza izaba ezifanayo zikaTrump — owayephethe ipulatifomu yokulwa nempi — uDemocrats ayenzela u-Obama. Okokuqala, abalandeli bakhe bamukela inkonzo yezindebe ngokufuna ukuqeda izimpi futhi babuyise amabutho ekhaya njengokwembula lokho umongameli afuna ukukwenza ngempela, njengoba eqhubeka nokwanda izimpi. Okwesibili, basicela ukuthi sibekezele ngoba, naphezu kwabo bonke ubufakazi bangempela bezwe, bayaqiniseka ukuthi usebenza kanzima ngemuva kwezigcawu zokuthula. Okwesithathu, ekupholiseni okokugcina okungaqondakali ezinye izimpikiswano zabo ezimbili, baphakamisa izandla zabo bathi “nguyena kuphela” umongameli, futhi iPentagon noma "isimo esijulile" sinamandla kakhulu ukuba naye angabusi.
Abasekeli baka-Obama noTrump ngokufanayo basebenzise le ndlela ethuthukile yokungazibandakanyi kwezombusazwe ukunika umuntu ngemuva kwedeski lapho ibhungane lalivame ukumisa wonke amakhadi athi “phuma ejele mahhala” ngempi engapheli ubugebengu bempi.
Impi ka-Obama no-Trump "yokufihlakala, ethule, nekhululekile kwabezindaba" iye yanika izimpi zaseMelika impi namasosha ukulwa negciwane lentando yeningi, kepha izinhlangano ezintsha zomphakathi sezikhulile ukubhekana nezinkinga eziseduzane nasekhaya. Inkinga yezimali iholele ekunyukeni kwe-Occupy Movement, futhi manje isimo sezulu esibucayi kanye nokujaha kwezwe laseMelika kanye nezinkinga zokufika kuleli zonke zivuse ukunyakaza okusha okuvela phansi. Abameli bakaXolo bebelokhu bekhuthaza lezi zinhlangano ukuthi zijoyine isimemo sokuncishiswa okukhulu kwePentagon, begcizelela ukuthi amakhulu ezigidi asindisiwe angasiza ukuxhasa yonke into kusuka ku-Medicare for All to the Green New Deal ekufundeni mahhala ekolishi.
Imikhakha embalwa yenhlangano yokuthula ibilokhu ikhombisa indlela yokusebenzisa amaqhinga wokudala nokwakha ukunyakaza okuhlukahlukene. Inhlangano elwela amalungelo abantu neyasePalestine ifaka phakathi abafundi, amaqembu amaSulumane namaJuda, kanye namaqembu abamnyama nabomdabu abalwa nezinkinga ezifanayo lapha ekhaya. Futhi ugqozi yimikhankaso yokuthula enhloneleni yaseKorea eholwa abaseMelika baseKorea, njenge Abesifazane bawela i-DMZ, okuhlanganise ndawonye abesifazane abavela eNyakatho Korea, eSouth Korea nase-United States ukukhombisa abaphathi bakaTrump ukuthi kubukeka kanjani ngempela ukuxhumana kwezwe.
Kube nemizamo ethandwayo ephumelelayo yokuphoqa iCongress engathandabuzi ukuthi ithathe izikhundla zempi. Sekuphele amashumi eminyaka, iCongress ijabule kakhulu ukushiya umongameli enza impi, icaphuna iqhaza layo ngokomthethosisekelo njengokuphela kwamandla agunyaziwe ukumemezela impi. Ngenxa yengcindezi yomphakathi, kube nokushintsha okuphawuleka.
Ngo-2019, zombili izindlu zeCongress uvotelwe ukuqeda ukusekelwa kwe-US kwempi eyaholwa yiSaudi Yemen nokuvimba ukuthengiswa kwezikhali eSaudi Arabia ngempi eyayise Yemen, yize uMongameli uTrump veto zombili izikweletu. Manje iCongress isebenza kwizikweletu ukuvimbela ngokusobala impi engagunyaziwe e-Iran. Lezi zikweletu zibonisa ukuthi ingcindezi yomphakathi ingashukumisela iCongress, kubandakanya neSenethi elibuswa yiRiphabhlikhi, ukuthi iphinde ibuyise amandla ayo omthethosisekelo wezempi nokuthula egatsheni eliphezulu.
Okunye ukukhanya okuhle kuCongress umsebenzi wokuphayona weCongressikazi wokuqala we-Congress, u-Ilhan Omar, osanda kukhipha uchungechunge lwezimali ezibizwa ngokuthi yi-Congress Indlela eya ku-PEACE okuphonsela inselelo inqubomgomo yethu yakwamanye amazwe. Ngenkathi izindleko zakhe kuzoba nzima ukuzithola kuCongress, babeka umaki lapho kufanele siphokophele khona. Ihhovisi lika-Omar, ngokungafani nabanye abaningi kuCongress, empeleni lisebenza ngqo nezinhlangano ezingama-grassroots ezingacindezela lo mbono phambili.
Ukhetho lukamongameli lunikeza ithuba lokucindezela i-ajenda yokulwa nempi. Umpetha wokulwa nempi osebenza ngempumelelo kakhulu futhi ozinikele kulo mjaho nguBernie Sanders. Ukuthandwa kokubizwa kwakhe kokuthola i-US ekungeneleleni kwayo kwasebukhosini kanye nokwakhe amavoti I-84% yezindleko zokusebenzisa imali empini kusukela ngonyaka wezi-2013 azibonakaliswa nje kuphela ezinombolweni zakhe zokuvota kodwa nasendleleni abanye abamele ukhetho beDemocratic Party bashesha ukuthatha izikhundla ezifanayo. Bonke manje bathi i-US kufanele ibuyele enkampanini yenuzi yase-Iran; bonke basigxekile isabelomali “se-bloated” sePentagon, yize bekuvamisile njalo ukuvotela yona; futhi iningi lithembise ukuletha amabutho ase-US ekhaya evela eMiddle East enkulu.
Ngakho-ke, njengoba sibheke esikhathini esizayo kulo nyaka wokhetho, yini amathuba ethu okuvuselela amandla amakhulu wesibili emhlabeni futhi aqede izimpi zaseMelika?
Njengoba kunempi enkulu entsha, akulindelekile ukubona imiboniso emikhulu ezitaladini. Kepha amashumi amabili empi engapheli idale umuzwa oqinile wokulwa nempi phakathi komphakathi. Ngo-2019 Pew Research Center Ukuvota kutholile ukuthi amaphesenti angama-62 abantu baseMelika athi impi e-Iraq ayifanelekile ukulwa kanti amaphesenti angama-59 asho okufanayo ngempi e-Afghanistan.
E-Iran, iSepthemba 2019 University of Maryland wabonisa Ukuthi ingxenye eyodwa nje kwezinhlanu zabantu baseMelika yathi i-US "kufanele ilungele ukuya empini" ukufeza izinhloso zayo e-Iran, kuyilapho ikota ezintathu zithi izinhloso zase-US azivumeli ukungenela kwezempi. Kanye nokuhlolwa kwePentagon kokuthi impi ingaba yingozi kangakanani ne-Iran, lo mbono womphakathi wabhebhethekisa imibhikisho yomhlaba kanye nokulahlwa kwakhe isikhashana okuphoqe uTrump okwesikhashana ukuthi abhale phansi ukunyuka kwakhe kwezempi kanye nokusabisa nge-Iran.
Ngakho-ke, ngenkathi inkulumo-ze yethu kahulumeni yempi iye yaqinisekisa abantu baseMelika abaningi ukuthi asinamandla okumisa izimpi zayo eziyinhlekelele, yehlulekile ukukholisa iningi labantu baseMelika ukuthi asilungile sifuna ukuyifuna. Njengakwezinye izingqinamba, izishoshovu zinezinkinga ezimbili ezinkulu okufanele zinqotshwe: okokuqala ukukholisa abantu ukuthi kukhona okungahambi kahle; okwesibili ukubakhombisa ukuthi, ngokusebenzisana ukwakha umnyakazo odumile, kukhona esingakwenza ngakho.
Ukunqoba okuncane kwenhlangano yezokuthula kukhombisa ukuthi sinamandla amaningi wokuphonsela inselelo impi yamasosha aseMelika kunalokho iningi labantu baseMelika elikubonayo. Njengoba abantu abathanda ukuthula abaningi e-US nasemhlabeni wonke bethola amandla abanawo, amandla amakhulu wesibili esiwababone kafishane ngoFebhuwari 15, 2003 inamandla okukhula aqine, azibophezele futhi azimisele ngokwengeziwe ngomlotha weminyaka engamashumi amabili impi.
Umongameli omusha onjengoBernie Sanders eWhite House uzokwakha ukuvula ukuthula. Kepha njengakwezinkinga eziningi ezifuywayo, lokho kuvulwa kuphela kuzothela izithelo futhi kunqobe ukuphikiswa kwezintshisekelo ezinamandla uma kukhona ukunyakaza okuningana ngemuva kwaso sonke isinyathelo sendlela. Uma kunesifundo kubantu baseMelika abathanda ukuthula ku-Obama neTrump, kusho ukuthi ngeke sikwazi ukuphuma ngaphandle kwenkundla yokuvota siyiyekele kumpetha eWhite House ukuze kuphele izimpi zethu futhi kusilethele ukuthula. Ekuhlaziyeni kokugcina, kukithi ngempela. Ngiyacela sijoyine!
UMedea uBenjamin uhlanganisa CODEPINK for Ukuthula, nombhali wezincwadi eziningana, kufaka phakathi Ngaphakathi kwe-Iran: Umlando Weqiniso Nezombangazwe YeRiphabhulikhi Yase-Islamic yase-Iran. UNicolas JS Davies yintatheli ezimele, umcwaningi we-CODEPINK kanye nomlobi we Igazi Ngezandla Zethu: Ukuhlasela KweMelika nokubhujiswa kwe-Iraq.
