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Latest Articles: War, War, War
Video Cluster Nasty: Banks back 'civilian killer' bombs?
Post Date: 2009-11-17 21:11:43 by Horse
3 Comments
Poster Comment:Barclays, Citi, Deutsche Bank and HSBC are major finaciers of cluster bombs.
Another Abu Ghraib? Iraqis Abused by UK Occupation Troops
Post Date: 2009-11-16 13:51:18 by Horse
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British occupation soldiers forced an Iraqi detainee to wear an orange jump suit and told him that he was to be executed at the US-run Guantanamo Bay camp, according to allegations in a report Monday. The 23-year-old man said he was beaten and sexually abused and flown to a British detention centre in southern Iraq which he believed was the “war on terror” camp in Cuba, the Independent said. The man’s case is among accusations being investigated by Britain’s Ministry of Defense that soldiers tortured Iraqi civilians, including the abuse of a 16-year-old boy at knifepoint. A British medic was also accused of records of abuse. Phil Shiner, the lawyer representing the ...
Reading the Af-Pak Tea Leaves
Post Date: 2009-11-16 06:05:17 by Ada
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It’s tough to tell what’s going to happen with Af-Pak. We get so many conflicting reports. For a time, we heard that President Obama was leaning toward sending 30,000 additional troops there, and that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton were encouraging him to do so. Then we heard from National Security Adviser James Jones, who said not to expect Obama to make a decision on Afghanistan troops levels until the first week in December. Somewhere in between came a story from Pakistani journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad that said Hillary had cut a multi-dimensional dope deal with ...
How the U.S. Funds the Taliban
Post Date: 2009-11-15 05:18:55 by Kamala
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How the U.S. Funds the Taliban By Aram Roston, The Nation Posted on November 13, 2009, Printed on November 15, 2009 www.alternet.org/story/143898/ On October 29, 2001, while the Taliban's rule over Afghanistan was under assault, the regime's ambassador in Islamabad gave a chaotic press conference in front of several dozen reporters sitting on the grass. On the Taliban diplomat's right sat his interpreter, Ahmad Rateb Popal, a man with an imposing presence. Like the ambassador, Popal wore a black turban, and he had a huge bushy beard. He had a black patch over his right eye socket, a prosthetic left arm and a deformed right hand, the result of injuries from an explosives ...
Stealing Money, Selling Heroin and Raping Boys -- The Very Dark Side of the Afghan Occupation
Post Date: 2009-11-15 04:59:12 by Kamala
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Stealing Money, Selling Heroin and Raping Boys -- The Very Dark Side of the Afghan Occupation By Patrick Cockburn, CounterPunch Posted on November 13, 2009, Printed on November 15, 2009 www.alternet.org/story/143956/ Just when President Barack Obama looked as if he might be railroaded into sending tens of thousands more US troops to Afghanistan the American envoy to Kabul has warned him not to do so. In a leaked cable to Washington sent last week, the US ambassador to Afghanistan, Gen Karl W. Eikenberry, argues that it would be a mistake to send reinforcements until the government of President Hamid Karzai demonstrates that it will act against corruption and mismanagement. General ...
Suicides in U.S. Army Are on Track to Reach New High (Update1)
Post Date: 2009-11-14 10:54:53 by christine
5 Comments
Nov. 13 (Bloomberg) -- The number of suicides among active- duty U.S. Army troops this year reached 133 in October, 18 more than in the same period last year and putting the service within reach of a new annual high. The 133 reported suicides, including the National Guard and Reserves, between January and October compared with 115 during the same period in 2008 when the service recorded 140 by year’s end, an annual record, the Army said in a statement. The rate of suicide within the Army last year was 20.2 per 100,000 personnel, exceeding for the first time the age-adjusted rate in the civilian population, which was 19.2, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. The ...
Americans owe it to their strained military to reconsider merits of the draft [Full Thread]
Post Date: 2009-11-13 20:01:40 by scrapper2
55 Comments
Veterans Day 2009 finds our nation not only feeling anxiety about new battles looming in Afghanistan but grieving over the dead and wounded of Fort Hood, victims of what officials say is a gunman troubled over the horrors conveyed by war-weary soldiers, his mission as an Army psychiatrist about to deploy to Afghanistan and his failure to resolve Muslim beliefs and inner demons. But beyond these issues, what does this all mean for our nation’s all-volunteer military? As we prepare to again honor those who have served in the so-called “war on terror” as well as other conflicts in other climes, is it not finally time to ask if we as a society are truly doing right by those we ...
From whence the troops? [ Obama voters may want to consider what the logical answer is...hmmm...]
Post Date: 2009-11-13 19:38:34 by scrapper2
6 Comments
WASHINGTON — The shooting at Fort Hood thrust into the headlines the challenges that an all-volunteer army faces when fighting two extended wars at the same time. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have gone on longer than World War II, though not on the same scale, and the military is feeling the strain. That's why it was something of a surprise when Gen. Casey, the Army chief of staff, said over the weekend that he favors sending more troops to Afghanistan. When Casey was the commanding general in Iraq, he opposed additional troops, which led to his reassignment. Perhaps he has seen the light, or he sees a consensus emerging that President Obama is likely to increase U.S. troop ...
Obama's Afghanistan dilemma fuels comparisons with Johnson and Vietnam in '64 [ and on Stage Right, cue "conscription" or in Obumski Speak "National Volunteer Service" ?]
Post Date: 2009-11-13 18:20:25 by scrapper2
7 Comments
WASHINGTON — It's a decision that is clearly the most difficult of Barack Obama's young presidency - whether to heed the pleas of top military officials to send more troops to Afghanistan in a conflict some fear could become his Vietnam. The president's dilemma has drawn parallels to Lyndon Johnson's deliberations about Vietnam 45 years ago as Obama grows noticeably thinner and confesses to skipping meals as he ponders the risks of escalating the U.S. presence in Afghanistan. Like Johnson, Obama came to power with an ambitious domestic agenda as a controversial war raged overseas. His presidency hasn't yet been hijacked by an enormous U.S. casualty rate in a ...
Get Your Kids Fit For Slaughter!
Post Date: 2009-11-13 13:03:58 by bluegrass
4 Comments
Although ancient Sparta was not without its virtues -- among them courage, loyalty, and discipline -- it wasn't a free society in any sense. It was said that Sparta was always either at war or preparing for war, and those preparations began at the earliest possible age. The Spartan state made a proprietary claim on each child shortly after he was born. The infant would be given a physical examination for defects that would impair his ability to serve as a soldier. If such imperfections were found, Plutarch informs us, the child would be cast off a cliff to his death. If the child passed that inspection he would soon be bonded to an older warrior who would raise him as the state's ...
Questions that Must Be Asked
Post Date: 2009-11-13 06:26:40 by Ada
3 Comments
To this point in time the only evidence that has been presented concerning the terrible murders at Fort Hood has been that presented by accomplished liars and killers of innocent people: the government. To detail and list the lies of the government and its propaganda arm, known as the media, would take more time and space than is available. Need I say more than "Iraq has weapons of mass destruction," "Read my lips, no new taxes," "I did not have sex with that woman, Miss Lewinski," "I am not a crook"; and "all our POWs are home." Web sites abound with documentation of the lies of the state, its leaders and component agencies. What more can ...
Say Nyet to Afghanistan
Post Date: 2009-11-13 05:58:13 by Ada
1 Comments
Mikhail Gorbachev, head of state of the Soviet Union when it withdrew from Afghanistan, has two words for Barack Obama: get out. Gorbachev, now 78, said in an interview in Berlin that he sees no chance of American success in Afghanistan even with more troops. "I believe that there is no prospect of a military solution," he said. The U.S. "should be preparing the ground for withdrawal rather than additional troops." Gorbachev noted there was little chance that Obama would take his advice. Maybe yes, maybe no. ABC’s George Stephanopoulos offers a ray of hope. He says Obama is looking for "off ramps" out of Afghanistan, that Obama’s not satisfied with ...
Obama Calls for Revised Afghanistan War Options
Post Date: 2009-11-12 10:28:51 by christine
1 Comments
The president won't accept any of the war options before him without changes, a senior administration official said, as concerns soar over the ability of the Afghan government to secure its own country. WASHINGTON -- After months of deliberating, President Obama opted not to accept any of the Afghanistan war options presented by his national security team, pushing instead for revisions to clarify how and when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government, a senior administration official said Wednesday. That stance comes in the midst of forceful reservations about a possible troop buildup from the U.S. ambassador in Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, according to a ...
On Afghanistan, Obama Chooses "None of the Above"
Post Date: 2009-11-12 07:54:48 by Phant2000
34 Comments
President Obama chose General Stanley McChrystal to chart out a new Afghanistan policy eight months ago -- and we're still not there yet. McChrystal's primary recommendation was for a "surge" of 40,000 more troops. If that wasn't enough, The New York Times has outlined three primary strategies for troop increases said to be under consideration -- with McChrystal's plan being one of them. Three of the options call for specific levels of additional troops. The low-end option would add 20,000 to 25,000 troops, a middle option calls for about 30,000, and another embraces Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal’s request for roughly 40,000 more troops. Administration ...
Official: Obama wants his war options changed
Post Date: 2009-11-11 23:57:38 by Prefrontal Vortex
1 Comments
Official: Obama wants his war options changed By BEN FELLER and ANNE GEARAN (AP) – 1 hour ago WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama does not plan to accept any of the Afghanistan war options presented by his national security team, pushing instead for revisions to clarify how and when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government, a senior administration official said Wednesday. That stance comes in the midst of forceful reservations about a possible troop buildup from the U.S. ambassador in Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, according to a second top administration official. In strongly worded classified cables to Washington, Eikenberry said he had misgivings ...
Envoy urges no US troop increase
Post Date: 2009-11-11 23:53:03 by Prefrontal Vortex
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Envoy urges no US troop increase The US ambassador in Kabul has written to the White House arguing against sending thousands more American troops to Afghanistan. In a leaked cable, Karl Eikenberry expressed doubts about the competence of President Hamid Karzai's government. The message arrived amid intense debate over strategy, with President Obama yet to make a decision on troop numbers. This dramatic intervention seems to put the envoy at odds with generals wanting reinforcements, correspondents say. On Wednesday, Mr Obama he held his eighth meeting in a series aimed at refocusing Afghan policy. Mr Eikenberry, a former US commander in Afghanistan, also raised concerns about ...
US India Joint Maneuvers
Post Date: 2009-11-11 21:15:32 by christine
22 Comments
A U.S. Air force paratrooper packs his parachute after his landing during 'Cope-India-09', a joint exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the U.S. Air Force in the northern Indian city of Agra, October 19, 2009. A six-day joint exercise begins here on Monday. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi (INDIA MILITARY POLITICS)
The Evil Empire
Post Date: 2009-11-11 19:43:04 by Max
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The Evil Empire PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS 09 November, 2009 THE US government is now so totally under the thumbs of organized interest groups that “our” government can no longer respond to the concerns of the American people who elect the president and the members of the House and Senate. Voters will vent their frustrations over their impotence on the president, which implies a future of one-term presidents. Soon our presidents will be as ineffective as Roman emperors in the final days of that empire. Obama is already set on the course to a one-term presidency. He promised change, but has delivered none. His health care bill is held hostage by the private insurance companies seeking ...
WMD ‘Finder,’ Ray Gun Pusher Wants Anti-Muslim ‘Backlash’
Post Date: 2009-11-11 11:02:32 by tom007
3 Comments
First, he said he found Saddam’s WMD bunkers. Then, he claimed that the U.S. military was zapping animals to death with real-life ray guns. Now, full-time kook and former Air Force Office of Special Investigations agent Dave Gaubatz is calling for a “professional and legal backlash against the Muslim community and their leaders,” following the Ft. Hood massacre. Which plays right into the hands of America’s opponents. For years, Gaubatz has warned that Muslims in this country form a kind of Fifth Column — and that President Barack Obama is part of this seditious group. (He’s also called Obama a “self admitted ‘crack-head.’”) ...
Tomgram: Droning On (Drones and War Crimes)
Post Date: 2009-11-11 10:58:16 by tom007
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Tomgram: Droning On ShareThis (Click to E-mail this Tomgram, or post to Facebook, Digg, Reddit and many others) [Note for TomDispatch Readers: A number of you have recently written in for clarification on contributing to this site through your purchases at Amazon.com. Here's my best shot at a useful explanation: If you click on any book image at this site -- like the book-cover image of The End of Victory Culture below, or of Bruce Franklin's War Stars in the note that follows this piece -- or if you click on any book link in an introduction or an author bio you'll end up at Amazon.com. If you then buy that book -- or anything else including DVDs, humidifiers, kitchen ...
Afghanistan’s Oil Binge: 22 Gallons of Fuel Per Soldier Per Day
Post Date: 2009-11-11 10:30:18 by tom007
1 Comments
Wanna know why the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are so expensive? Here’s one big reason: The U.S. military consumes 22 gallons of fuel per soldier, per day. And each gallon costs $45 or more to haul to the battlefield. That’s according to a new Deloitte study, flagged by our friend Paul McLeary at Aviation Week. Actually, $45 per gallon is a lowball estimate; according to the Navy, it’s more like $300 to $400. (Talk about sticker shock.) But the costs of guzzling that much gas won’t be measured just in dollars, the study warns. Fuel has to be driven in to Afghanistan’s isolated bases. Which opens up U.S. convoy to improvised bomb attacks. Which invariably leads ...
Joseph Cohen aka Yusuf Khattab - a jew converted to islam
Post Date: 2009-11-10 22:17:31 by Rotara
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Poster Comment:Watched 'homegrown hate' on cnn tonight. Had to (LOL) do some research which then caused a tremendous HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !! to ensue...
Polls Give False Impressions About War
Post Date: 2009-11-10 17:39:50 by Horse
14 Comments
Polling results have tracked so closely with the politicization of the Afghan war that it’s difficult to discern the public’s actual views in such a polarized environment. The polls tell us less about what the public is really feeling than about how well the two parties – in concert with the military – are spinning their positions. We see this, unfortunately, in the erratic poll results that seem to bend and weave with the 24-hour news cycle and coordinated PR blitzes, sometime producing curious contradictions even within the same survey. Take the swinging opinion on Afghanistan throughout the last year. When President Barack Obama came into office on a promise to win ...
90,000 Casualties, but Who’s Counting?
Post Date: 2009-11-10 17:34:20 by Horse
2 Comments
Veterans Day arrives tomorrow, and with it, the anticipated harvest of heartbreaking anecdotes driving the press coverage and our ever wandering attention back to less desirable realities: the disfigured but persevering hero, the homeless warrior, the unemployable sergeant, the father or son or daughter who came home a stranger and cannot be reached. Usually, there is nothing more powerful than a personal story to pound home the cost of eight years of war overseas, but I think today there is something even more disturbing to bear. It’s the number 89,457 [.doc]. As of Nov. 9, that’s how many American casualties there were in Iraq and Afghanistan since Oct. 7, 2001, when the ...
Blazing Afghanistan
Post Date: 2009-11-10 06:23:46 by Ada
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Afghanistan has become a Mel Brooks movie. President Hamid Karzai handpicked an election commission that threw the election his way. UN overseers declared the election was crooked and decreed that a runoff was required. Karzai didn’t want to face a runoff, but John Kerry and other U.S. officials talked him into accepting it. Karzai’s opponent, Abdullah Abdullah, demanded that the crooked Karzai change the crooked election officials before the runoff, and Karzai refused. So Abdullah refused to participate in the runoff, and Karzai’s handpicked election officials canceled the runoff and declared Karzai the winner. The U.S. and other Western powers swarmed to decree Karzai ...
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