Afghanistan - Bananastan

On January 26, 1972, A Motion Picture titled The Hot Rock was released to theaters in the USA. This movie starred Robert Redford, George Segal and a host of well known actors of that day including the acclaimed stage and screen actor Zero Mostel. In short, the movie was about four (4) guys who steal a diamond from a Museum. There are so many mishaps in doing this that they have to steal it a few more times during the course of the movie. In the end, Robert Redford is able to finally claim the prize when he obtains the gem from a Hypnotized Safety Deposit Box Concierge by using the code word Afghanistan – Bananastan. There is a lot more to the movie. But, you will just have to see it for yourself.

Though, for President Obama, there is no secret password to solve the problem that faces our Nation with Afghanistan and Pakistan. After the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, came crashing to the ground from terrorist attacks, the Taliban Leadership in Afghanistan spoke out and claimed responsibility along with the Terrorist Group called Al-Qaida. We soon began Military Action in Afghanistan to uproot and destroy the Taliban, Al-Qaida and to capture or kill Osama Bin Laden, the founder and Leader of the terrorist group. Unfortunately, the previous Administration of George W. Bush, which was in power when the attack took place, decided to fight a War with Iraq. This war was based on the threat that Saddam Hussein, the Leader of this Middle Eastern Country, had acquired Weapons of Mass Destruction. In particular, Nuclear Weapons. This proved to be false. Whether the Intelligence information, provided by the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency), was negligent or the Bush Administration, deliberately circulated false information to justify the war with Iraq, has yet to be determined. But, the transference of Military Assets from Afghanistan to Iraq allowed the Taliban to regroup and become a power once again to be reckoned with not only in Afghanistan but, in Pakistan as well.


Now, President Obama, along with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, must join forces and find a way to once again turn back or destroy the Taliban and disrupt the Al-Qaida organization as much as possible. The Nuclear Arsenal of Pakistan hangs in the balance. Of course for the United States, it means bringing Military Action to a close in Iraq and shift all resources back to an area most Americans believe the fighting should have taken place all along.

How Pakistan’s and Afghanistan’s Military, respond with US support, still remains to be seen. But, more than Military action will be needed to ensure that, once the Taliban and Al-Qaida are disrupted or destroyed, their ability to recruit members and regroup as a force will be eliminated. Hopefully, these three leaders, along with help from many of our allies around the world, can bring the changes needed to succeed in what could become another long and dragged out campaign. A campaign that will surely be spent, not only with Billions of American dollars but, thousands of American lives as well.

That's how I see it.