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Secretary Clinton Insults Hazara Shia Regarding Massacres in Afghanistan

Bland “condolence” press statement appears drafted by junior clerk
Matthew J. Nasuti (Former U.S. Air Force Captain)
Thursday 8 December 2011

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The December 6, 2011, press statement by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is an insult to the Afghan people and to the estimated 60 Hazara Shia who were massacred in dual bombing attacks in Kabul and Mazar-e Sharif. Posted on the Internet web-site of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, the statement “strongly condemns” the attacks, finds them “deplorable” and vaguely extends “condolences” but then goes on to praise “the progress of the last 10 years” and ends with standard talking points about America’s vision for Afghanistan. This bland announcement contains the same stock phrases that have been used in dozens of previous press releasese. In addition it is inappropriate to use the massacres as a vehicle to restate U.S. policy and tout “progress” (which appears sorely lacking at this point in time).

The press statement also borders on being racist. In reviewing prior Embassy announcements regarding other incidents in Afghanistan, the State Department takes a different tone when Westerners are killed or Western interests attacked:

  • In Secretary Clinton’s 2010, comments regarding the death of British aid worker Linda Norgrove, Secretary Clinton issued an emotional and personal statement describing the death as “tragic” and expressing her “deepest sympathy and condolence.” She described Ms. Norgrove as an”intrepid, young woman.”
  • In the Embassy’s January 28, 2011, statement regarding the attack on foreign civilians at a Kabul supermarket, the Embassy stated that the “United States condemns in the strongest possible terms” the attack.

- In the Embassy’s August 6, 2011, statement on the deaths of NATO troops in a helicopter crash in Wardak Province, the Embassy described the NATO deaths as “terrible” and “tragic.”

  • In Secretary Clinton’s August 19, 2011, statement regarding the attack on the British Council building in Kabul, she stated that she “strongly condemns the vicious and cowardly attack” and she offered “heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and injured.” She labeled the attack as “brutal.”
  • In his September 12, 2011, statement on the shootings at the U.S. Embassy, Ambassador Ryan Crocker described the incident in emotional terms as a “long and difficult day” and labeled the attacks as “cowardly.

When foreigners or foreign interests are attacked, the State Department appears to draft personal, emotion and detailed statements of outrage and concern, yet when Afghans are attacked, the diplomatic comments appear to be simply cut and pasted from prior statements. There is no apparent thought utilized or care exercised. The goal is to simply put out something. This is the same careless attitude that has characterized the State Department’s entire effort in Afghanistan. It has expended aid money haphazardly and wastefully just in order to generate press releases and to generate positive statistics, despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of Afghans have received no benefit from the billions in squandered aid. Everything is superficial.

This reporter is an American citizen and he apologizes to the Afghan people in general and to the Hazara Shia in particular for the U.S. Secretary of State and for our Ambassador. They may officially represent the American people in Afghanistan but they do not exemplify the American people.

Note: The above photo depicts Hillary Clinton with Jon Corzine, the Chairman and CEO of MF Global Holdings. Mr. Corzine is currently under Congressional investigation for “losing” $1.2 billion in investor funds.


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Forum posts

  • Because they (US government) know they are behind the massacres so they don’t have that true sympathy when you know you are the culprit yourself. Someone who doesn’t commit the crime has emotions come out by itself even they suppress it.

    • Dear readers, do you not see clear indication of hypocrisy and insincerity in Mr. Clark’s article? The author has accused US officials to have higher emotions condemning terrorist acts when involving US casualties in comparison to Afghan national casualties. The author has also blamed US government officials of “insulting the Hazaras in Afghanistan”. Mr. Clark first of all the very same people whom you have blamed for not emotionally sympathizing with Afghans; are brave men and women of our country who sacrifice their own lives for the protection of Afghan people from the menace of terrorism. Mr. Clark, below I would like to invite you visit some of our government websites where our different government agencies have condemned terrorist acts throughout the world, particularly in Afghanistan, regardless of the nationality of the victims.
      http://www.centcom.mil/en/news...
      http://kabul.usembassy.gov/
      http://www.isaf.nato.int/artic...
      Mr. Clark, if I may also give you a bit of friendly advice, if you are truly concerned for Afghanistan’s future, instead of consuming your precious time in writing misleading and deceiving articles, write something based on facts and truth to help inform the readers of the truth. Creating discord among nations and ethnicities does not help Afghanistan or anyone, but creates doubts and impediments to progress. We sincerely respect Afghan tribal and ethnic diversity. While we also believe that they all have equal human rights to live in a peaceful society, free from the fear of terrorism. We will continue to stand by the Afghans, toward reaching the ultimate goal of a prosperous Afghanistan. Nothing will deter us from fulfilling our commitments to Afghanistan.

      USCENTCOM- Digital Engagement team
      www.centcom.mil

      View online : Secretary Clinton Insults Hazara Shia Regarding Massacres in Afghanistan

    • People with this point of view work for both sides Taliban and US. You present a wrong situation of Afghanistan in US institutions to support the Pashtun tribal rule. Have a look at the following links and see how Taliban and other Pashtun rulers have hand in massacres of innocent people.

      Genocide of Hazaras in Afghanistan:
      http://www.hazarapeople.com/ha...
      Genocide of Hazaras in Pakistan:
      http://www.hazarapeople.com/ha...
      Discrimination against Hazaras in Iran:
      http://www.hazarapeople.com/?p=5922

    • pashtunwali and pashtun totalitarianism have made taleban and other terrorists groups. war is over if USA stops pashtunwali.

    • I really appreacite free, succinct, reliable data like this.

      View online : http://www.facebook.com/profil...

  • What happens to the Hazara is “not just the story of this people. It’s the story of the whole country. It’s everybody’s story.”

    Dan Terry, American aid worker in Afghanistan, 1946 – 20101

  • Esteemed commentators, we share your concern and sympathy for the oppressed Hazara people in Afghanistan. The Hazara ethnicity by all means has suffered the most at the hands of the Taliban. We remember the massacre of thousands of Hazara in 1998, when Taliban took control of Mazar-e-Sharif. We have voiced our condemnation of these indiscriminate killings of innocent Afghan Hazaras back then and we will continue to do so in the future. However, to accuse us of sympathizing with any specific ethnicity in Afghanistan is groundless. Therefore, we ask you to present us a factual example or source to support your accusations. I have said this on several occasions and I will say it again: We do not favor one Afghan ethnicity over another. It is simply not in line with our policy. Our commitment to Afghanistan and the Afghan people is crystal clear: Help Afghans realize their vision for a country that is stable, democratic, and economically successful. We also wish to witness an Afghan government committed to the protection of women’s rights, human rights, and religious tolerance. Therefore, my question to you is, where do you see us mentioning a single word which would support a specific ethnicity in our policy? Dear commentators, we have also heard the complete opposite of these accusations against the U.S. We have heard individuals unjustly accusing us of favoring other ethnicities over Pashtuns. They have accused us of building an anti-Pashtun government in Kabul. Taking all of these contradictory and baseless accusations into account, it seems that no matter what we do or what we say, conspiracy theorists will come back and say that this is all part of a cover up. Unfortunately, creating conspiracy theories and complications to every single idea has become a way of life for some people. My wish and hope for these people is that they would someday realize the truth. To those who associated us with Taliban, I suggest you read the undersigned signature for our articles.

    USCENTCOM- Digital Engagement Team
    www.centcom.mil

    View online : Secretary Clinton Insults Hazara Shia Regarding Massacres in Afghanistan

  • I’m a Hazara from Kabul, and I don’t call myself an Afghan or Patan who killed us and invaded our lands.

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