If the title sounds crazy, have a little patience — just wait till you have heard me out.

We have a long tradition: wherever we go with our military, we befriend some of the local population. Unfortunately, those that finally eject us don’t take kindly to this friendship. They have a habit of imprisoning, and worse, executing these ‘collaborators.’ So what can our friends do?

Look what happened in Vietnam. We were defending South Vietnam from the wicked, murderous Commies of the North — now they are sharing noodles together … while we try to cozy up to them. As it is, their brethren who followed us here opened enough restaurants to keep us in noodles. And now they use the money they earn to help out family back in the home country — all the parties eating noodles together for mutual profit. Pity, we didn’t think of this earlier and avoid the needless death of hundreds of thousands, enormous suffering, displacement … all the ravages of war. To what end?

Not only Vietnam, we caused havoc in Laos and Cambodia toppling governments, bombing vast areas, all pointless. The hapless Cambodians ended up with Pol Pot … millions died. You’d think we might have helped them, but no — irony of ironies, our erstwhile enemies, the wicked, murderous Commies of North Vietnam rescued the Cambodians from Pol Pot. Are they all mad at us. Of course not. They are nice people and guess what … you can find plenty of Cambodian restaurants … Laotian too, if you look.

If you think this is an isolated case, think again. The Iraqis are already passing samples in Sam’s Club and manning sandwich counters at Seven-Elevens. Or take the Koreans. Win or lose, we win with the food. The Japanese, the Filipinos, the trend is unmistakable … the Mexicans, now so ingrained it’s adapted into Tex-Mex.

Let’s just cut to the chase: Think of the Revolutionary War. We whacked the British … with the help of the French. The British and their loyalist friends escaped to Canada where they whacked the French. Guess what! We got the Acadian refugees now celebrated for their Cajun cuisine. Well not quite you say. Okay! You’re right Napoleon sold them to us but we got ‘em all the same.

Are you convinced? Well, here we are in Afghanistan … in the middle of both a civil war and a war against occupiers. None of the participants had anything to do with 9/11. Al Qaeda, the remnants — a couple of hundred die-hards — are in Pakistan, not in Afghanistan. So what are we doing there? Oh, we want to deny Al Qaeda a sanctuary in Afghanistan. After what has happened, do we think the Afghans are nuts? Who thinks they’ll let ‘em in, so we can bomb the crap out of ‘em again? Back of the class with you. Go stand in the corner ’till you can get your head straightened out. Oops! that’s the President.

Okay, so all the guys helping us are soon going to be here. Like the South Vietnamese generals, it’s straight into the restaurant business — Karzai’s Kebab and Chop Shop. Of course, his brother has a natural outlet with the cartels — you know what I mean. He’s been one of the largest suppliers of the raw stuff. Now he’ll be going in for vertical integration.

So get those syringes cleaned up — the stuff’s getting cheaper. Knives and forks ready … the kebabs and Afghan Pullau is on its way. And if you’re clean, don’t ask for hash browns as a side order!


ZNetwork is funded solely through the generosity of its readers.

Donate
Donate
Leave A Reply

Subscribe

All the latest from Z, directly to your inbox.

Institute for Social and Cultural Communications, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit.

Our EIN# is #22-2959506. Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law.

We do not accept funding from advertising or corporate sponsors.  We rely on donors like you to do our work.

ZNetwork: Left News, Analysis, Vision & Strategy

Subscribe

All the latest from Z, directly to your inbox.

This is your article this month.

We’re glad you keep coming back. If Z’s work has informed, challenged, or inspired you, that’s no accident: there are no paywalls, no ads, and no billionaire owners here, and there never will be. Independent media survives because readers choose to support it.

Billionaires fund their own media. We fund ours. Help us reach 1,000 sustaining donors:

Number of donors685
Our goal1,000

Sustainers at $9/month or more receive the digital Z Magazine.

Already a sustainer? Click here and we won’t ask again. Thank you!

Your reading count is stored only in your browser and is never sent to us.

Sound is muted by default.  Tap 🔊 for the full experience

CRITICAL ACTION

Critical Action is a longtime friend of Z and a music and storytelling project grounded in liberation, solidarity, and resistance to authoritarian power. Through music, narrative, and multimedia, the project engages the same political realities and movement traditions that guide and motivate Z’s work.

If this project resonates with you, you can learn more about it and find ways to support the work using the link below.

Independent media is not disappearing because the ideas are weak.

It is disappearing because platforms reward speed, outrage, and algorithmic visibility over thoughtful analysis.

More than 100,000 people read Z every month, free of paywalls, ads, and billionaire owners. It takes fewer than 1 in 100 of them to fund all of it: 1,000 donors who keep Z independent, for everyone, and build what comes next.

Number of donors685
Our goal1,000

Sustainers at $9/month or more receive the digital Z Magazine.

Subscribe

Join the Z Community – receive event invites, announcements, a Weekly Digest, and opportunities to engage.

Exit mobile version