Dan Lyons
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~ Tuesday, March 31, 2009
DIFFERENT CRITICS SEE DIFFERENT FLAWS IN OBAMA'S
AFGH. PLANS
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/03/30/world/worldwatch/entry4901828.shtml
KARZAI SIGNS LAW PERMITTING RAPE IN MARRIAGE,
AND FORBIDDING WOMEN TO LEAVE HOUSE (EVEN FOR MD APPOINTMENTS)
WITHOUT HUSBAND'S PERMISSION.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/5080797/Hamid-Karzai-signs-law-legalising-rape-in-marriage.html
PAK.TROOPS NOT TRAINED TO FIGHT ARMED TERRORISTS
Pak.honcho admits.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6003658.ece
10,000 TAL. TROOPS, says analyst--but only 1000 hard-core Qaeda.
The movement is not monolithic, and Tal. in general cannot be
eliminated.
GUARDIAN/31MAR
100 police casualties in police academy outside area of usual Tal. attacks.
in Punjab, most heavily populated Pak. area.
Orchestrated campaign vs.Pak. police.
Apparently Tal. doesn't fear army.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090330.wpakistan30/BNStory/International/home
CLINTON OFFERS TRUCE TO 'NON-VIOLENT'TALIBAN.
Karzai said such an effort must be led by his govt.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090331/ts_nm/us_afghan_conference
VietCong Honcho notes US failure in Vietnam to separate populace from VC,
says Afghan situation is even worse.
Some critics say US should get involved in NO counter-insurgency campaigns.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/vietnam/090326/lessons-vietnam
SUNNI/SHIA GOVT FIGHT ENRAGES 'AWAKENING' TROOPS ALL OVER IRAQ.
added to govt's not paying Sunni volunteers,
and not admitting them into security forces.
These Sunnis could switch back to backing Qaeda--
or they could leave a hole that Qaeda could fill.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/29/AR2009032902551.html?sid=ST2009032902599
STAGGERING PENT.COST-OVERRUNS says GAO.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/30/AR2009033003027.html?hpid=moreheadlines
Understand this: Pent. is NOT a war-machine; it's a money machine for war-corporations.
AFGHAN POPPY-KILLING'THE MOST INEFFECTIVE PROGRAM IN HISTORY OF US FOR.RELATIONS'
says US envoy. "It enrages farmers, turns them toward Taliban.'
Nevertheless it will continue.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-03-30-poppy-fields_N.htm
MORE WORRY ABOUT PAK.COLLAPSING INTO TERROR:
2 ATTACKS IN LAHORE/ARMY DISTRACTED BY THREAT FROM INDIA.
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSISL343581
~ Monday, March 30, 2009
HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF $ WASTED IN AFGH
under Bushies, says SecyClinton.
WashPost/30Mar
One wonders if the huge amounts Obama plans
to add to Afgh/Pak will be well-spent.
WHY DO SOME PAK.LEADERS SUPPORT TALIBAN?
They think US will pull out in less than 5 years,
chaos will return. They'd like to have Taliban-Afgh.
as an ally against India.
UNITED PRESS/A.deBorchgrave/30Mar
THE ECONOMIST (a smarmy, pretend-objective
right wing magazine) pleads with Obama
to make it clear that he will NOT pull out of
Afghanistan.(28Mar-3April)
They offer no evidence that staying in will work,
just wailing that pulling out will be bad.
But that's just the line right-wingers pulled about
Vietnam. They told how NECESSARY the US presence was,
(the awful things that would follow our leaving--most of which
did not happen)--but they never even tried to show that
our continued presence would WORK to beat the VC.
Even ECONOMIST thinks we should stop bombing.
But the word is that bombing in Afgh/Pak will INCREASE.
MORE DRONE ATTACKS IN PAKISTAN
US 'INTELLIGENCE' PREDICTS ATTACKS ON US HOMELAND.
(BUT HOW MUCH GOOD IS US INTELLIGENCE?)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5989417.ece
GIs VIEW AFGHAN SOLDIERS AS UNDISCIPLINED, BADLY LED,
AND HOOKED ON HASHISH.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2009/mar/27/obama-afghanistan-military
SUICIDER EXPLODES ON 2D FLOOR OF POLICE STATION
"If this can happen, how safe are our villages?"
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090330.wafghanbomber0330/BNStory/Afghanistan/home
Afgh won’t be quagmire; says Obama;
Commitment is not open-ended.
(hint of coming bugout--PULLOUT WITHOUT SUCCESS).
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-obama-afghan30-2009mar30,0,1660365.story
CREDIBLE AFGHAN ELECTION?
In August. Tal. Vow to disrupt election.
Govt. collapse possible.
In Spring, heavy fighting expected between Tal.
And new force of GIs.
WashPost/30mar
OBAMA WON'T SEND GIs into PAKISTAN
No incursions without Pak.govt's consent.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iDSpFgODCGq6Q5teUtR8JnWBzrGA
INSURGENTS ATTACK NEW PAK. AREA: In Punjab, a police academy/
With guns & grenades/Surviving attackers surrendered hours later.
WashPost/30Mar
~ Sunday, March 29, 2009
WE’LL QUIT,
say unpaid, crucial Sunni recruits.
CBS/29MAR
Predictable that Shia govt. wouldn’t accept
Ex-insurgents as allies.
UNWINNABLE WAR say Brit honchos.
An Irishman was making progress talking with Taliban,
But Karzai expelled him as a spy.
LONDON TIMES/29MAR
SHIA GOVT. MOVES. VS. SUNNI RECRUITS/
They arrested one leader, then suppressed an uprising (with US help)/
News.yahoo/29mar
BIGGEST AFGHAN PROBLEM: PAKISTAN
In spite of all the billions we spent there already, they are not effectively controlling The Taliban. One agency is HELPING them!
We will now TRIPLE $ to Pak—but will this help?
LATIMES/29MAR
~ Saturday, March 28, 2009
PAK. PRES. OPPOSES US MISSILE STRIKES
as counter-productive.
Worries about coming strikes in Baluchistan.
NEWS.YAHOO
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/5460244/zardari-calls-change-antiterror-policy/
AFGH.SUCCESS NEEDS FACTORS OUT OF O’S CONTROL
Afghan competence,Pak.cooperation,
And European help—so far all of these have been missing.
MSNBC/28MAR
An expert says that concern to cut US casualties makes it near-impossible
For US to ‘get near Afghan people’(scattered in small villages) as in Iraq.
Blog at London Telegraph/28mar
57 KURDISH BOMB CASUALTIES:
LONDON TELEGRAPH/28MAR
When US leaves, open Kurd/Sunni conflict perhaps over oil-soaked
Kirkuk district. All depends on which side is helped by huge
Shia majority.
PAK.ARMY CHIEF A PROBLEM:
He is reluctant to attack Taliban-areas in Pakistan
Against popular opposition.
LONDON TIMES/28MAR
AFGHAN,PAK HONCHOS DIFFER WITH OBAMA:
--Karzai wants talks with ALL Taliban, INCLUDING MULLAH OMAR !
--Pak. Army objects to strings on US aid—only if Pak. Gets more effective
in fighting Taliban.
GLOBALPOST/28MAR
Karzai wants names of non-qaeda Taliban removed from terrorist list.
MORE THAN 3000 GIs HAVE DIED, AFTER 9/11:/
THROWING GOOD LIVES AFTER BAD.
OBAMA SAYS HE CAN DISMANTLE QAEDA.
They have money coming from Afghan poppy fields,/
Also from Saudi Arabia—/
Help from some Pak. Agencies,/
volunteer suiciders from various places,/
And various havens around the world where they can
Plot and train. LOTS OF LUCK!
O. probably knows he can’t succeed,
But he doesn’t dare bug out right away,
Till failure is obvious to all
~ Friday, March 27, 2009
SAUDIS & UAE’S FINANCE TERRORISTS
Obama will ask these govts.to stop their people from such financing.
USATODAY/27MAR
Never forget that binLaden is a Saudi./
If we could get independent of Saudi oil,
We could pressure them more strongly.
WORLD SAFETY AT STAKE IN AFGH ?
Says Obama.(CNN/27mar)
But we can’t ‘destroy’ Qaeda in Afgh, Pak.
Besides, Qaeda has many more havens
Elsewhere.
And as long as we keep bombing Muslims,
Qaeda will thrive.
PAK.AGENCY HELPS TAL. DIRECTLY
London Telegraph/27mar
But we’re going to triple $ to Pak.
If money will do it….??
NEW FIGHTING IN PAKISTAN PART OF KASHMIR ?!
This kind of expansion backfired in Cambodia, Laos.
We’ll have the same # of allied troops in Afgh
As the Soviets had BEFORE THEY WERE DRIVEN OUT.
LONDON GUARDIAN, OPINION/27MAR
WHY DO OUR GIs STILL SUFFER IN AFGH?
Obama quotes average American.
His solution: lots more $ to Afgh & Pak.
If this doesn’t work…?
WASH POST/27MAR
The quicker O. pulls out, the quicker
Americans willl forget about the humiliation
(besides that from Iraq), and the better chance
he’ll have for a 2d term
BAGHDAD SLAUGHTER:
1 BOMBER: DOZENS OF BAGHDAD CASUALTIES/
Mostly women & children/
Survivors cursed police for not preventing attack.
WASH POST/27MAR
These incidents should remind us of the folly
of thinking our huge army, planes can counter individual terrorists.
PAK,AFGHAN TAL.UNITE
They haven’t cooperated as much before,
But Mullah Omar directed them to concentrate
On attacking Americans.
NYTIMES/27MAR
“TRAIN AFGHANS, THEN GET THE HELL OUT’ says big Congress Honcho./
Talk of ‘exit strategy’ and ‘benchmarks of success’ sound like Obama plans
To bug out soon./
But general says 3 more yrs needed, and 10,000 more troops
(besides the 60k now scheduled.)
BLOOMBERG/27MAR
UP TO 70 PAKISTANIS KILLED, MORE WOUNDED
NEAR KYBER PASS, where US was transporting
Supplies into Afghanistan.
President reminded Obama that Pakistanis resent
Americans for bombing their country.
WASH POST/27MAR
~ Thursday, March 26, 2009
US ATTACKS ON PAK ‘MUSIC TO TAL. EARS’
Says Pak.honcho.
Radical mullah runs ‘jihad-oriented’ school.
REUTERS26MAR
TAL. ATTACK PAK. CULTURE
Not just the State, nor the people,
But the ancient cultural theatres,etc.
GLOBALPOST/26MAR
EUROPEANS LOSE INFLUENCE IN AFGH./
US has given up on ‘allies’, is now taking over
Total ownership of war./
Talk about a ‘toxic asset’ !
WASH POST/26MAR
STRONGER TALIBAN SUPPORT FROM PAK. AGENCY:
Some Pak. honchos say when US bugs out of Afgh,
--As it did before-- they’ll want strong Taliban again
To prevent total anarchy.
NYTIMES/26MAR
1 BOMB, 51 IRAQI CASUALTIES
in Shiite neighborhood.
NYTIMES/26MAR
These Qaeda bombs are intended to block
Shia/Sunni reconciliation.
~ Wednesday, March 25, 2009
AUSSIES VS. MORE TROOPS TO AFGH.
& oppose ‘extending their mission’.
Does this mean impending pullout of 1000 troops?
CHINA NEWS/25MAR
~ Tuesday, March 24, 2009
43000 AILING GIs SENT INTO COMBAT
even tho their doctors stated they were unfit.
USATODAY told that story earlier;
Now Inspector General has confirmed the possibility.
USATODAY/24MAR
PESHAWAR CITY TALIBANIZED:
No movies or music.
Natives think part of govt. is helping Taliban.
WASH POST/24MAR
SUNNI CONVERTS FROM QAEDA VS. IRAQ GOVT
‘Awakening’ Converts (bribed inadequately by US) complain that govt’s promise
to integrate them with govt. jobs—this promise has not been kept.
Former insurgents, they may go back to Qaeda service.
NYTIMES/24MAR
~ Monday, March 23, 2009
85 IRAQI CASUALTIES IN 1 DAY/
LATIMES/23MAR
But Americans won’t care, as long as there are almost no GI casualties.
We should never forget the bloody, continuing price of our stupid invasion.
OBAMITES DISAGREE ABOUT CONVERTING TALS BY BRIBES
Strategy announcement delayed
LONDON TELEGRAPH/23MAR
CHINA: REPLACE $ AS RESERVE CURRENCY
LONDON TIMES/BUSINESS/23MAR
$ WOULD PLUMMET, US WILL GO PROTECTIONIST
(THAT COULD BE GOOD for us.)
KARZAI TO BE DISCARDED
NATO will APPOINT a prime-minister to take away power from Karzai.
They will also support provincial govts, not central govt.
Obama will scale back our goals to protecting West from Qaeda,
Not trying to turn Afgh. into a centralized democracy.
GUARDIAN/23MAR
Suppose, after 5 more years, that we weaken Taliban decisively;
There are plenty of other havens for Qaeda to plan & train.
The 5-yr costs in lives & $ will be wasted.
IRAQ BUGOUT MIGHT MEAN GENOCIDE
New book says it’s immoral to stay , but more immoral to leave in a hurry.
He apparently worries that after we pull out, the Shia & Kurds
May slaughter outnumbered Sunnis.
LATIMES/23MAR
300 PROTEST KILLING OF CIVILIANS BY US/
US says those killed were insurgents;/
But locals say they weren’t../
Who will be believed?
WASH POST/23MAR
TAJIKSTAN TROUBLES
Much income from taj workers in Russia—but fewer jobs there now.
US is planning on sending non-lethal supplies to Afgh. from Tajikstan.
GLOBALPOST/23MAR
SAME OLD STRATEGY:
--TRYING TO COUNTER TALIBAN, DEVELOP AFGH, AND IMPROVE THEIR GOVT.—TRYING TO GET HELP FROM PAK.
NEW TACTICS: TRYING TO WEAN AWAY WEAKER TALIBAN,
PERHAPS BY BRIBING THEM (AS IN IRAQ). BUT RICH TALIBAN
CAN PERHAPS COMPETE IN PAY.
LOWER GOALS: PREVENT QAEDA FROM ATTACKING WEST--
NOT AFGHAN DEMOCRACY.
BBC/23MAR
~ Sunday, March 22, 2009
OBAMA CALLS FOR ‘EXIT STRATEGY’ FROM AFGH.
“We can’t allow for perpetual drift.”
REUTERS/23MAR
Before, he has mentioned 3 to 5 year involvement.
The way US war-support has dropped,
This may seem like ‘perpetual drift’—
11 years of winless war?
ANTI-POPPY MOVES HAVEN’T HURT TALIBAN ONE BIT
$500,000,000 EFFORTS ‘HAVEN’T HURT THEM AT ALL’
SAYS US ENVOY
BBC/23MAR
~ Saturday, March 21, 2009
OBAMA PLANS YEARS IN AFGH
3-5 yr. Plan.
MSNBC/22MAR
If this war still continues in 2010,
O. will be one-term President.
WE’VE RUN OUT OF TROOPS IN SOUTH AFGH.
Says commander there; we control only 60% of area.
WASH POST/22MAR
New GIs will be welcome.
PLANS TO PUT GIs IN SMALL AFGHAN VILLAGES
Instead of their working out of big bases, as now.
This may increase GI casualties markedly.
USATODAY/22MAR
12 CANADIAN CASUALTIES IN 1 DAY OUT OF ONLY 2500.
Canadians oppose the Afghan war; only the govt. vows to stay in till 2011.
BBC/22MAR
~ Friday, March 20, 2009
3 RIVAL TAL. GROUPS NOW UNITED--/
Instead of fighting each other, they promise to focus on attacking
the new US GIscoming to Afghanistan.
ABCNEWS/21MAR
NO PEACE DIVIDEND:
Chatter about costs of afgh/iraq wars distracts us from main problem;
Much larger budget for Pentagon.
When wars end, Pent. Will get just as much,
Even tho we’re practically bankrupt.
DOLLAR THREATENED BY UN PANEL:
They say a mixed basket of currencies,not the $,
Should be world’s reserve currency.
REUTERS/21MAR
This may persuade world dollar-holders (in US bonds)
To dump them…first to dump would lose less.
Dollar would sink dramatically;
Good aspect: Our exports would gain, imports lessen
(getting them back toward balance)
and our outside debts would shrink really.
Bad: price of oil,gas would spike up sharply.
But in fact expensive gas would be good--
Americans would turn decisively toward small cars,
electric cars, and scooters.
50 Pak. Civilian casualties by Taliban, who were aiming at US base near Kyber pass,
where most US supplies pass thru.
Hundreds of US vehicles have been torched.
US is looking for alternate routes into Afgh.
Al Jazeera/20MAR
THOUSANDS OF SHIA: “AMERICA OUT !”
Followers of Sadr, now militarily impotent,
Still hate Americans.
GOOGLE.COM/20mAR
~ Thursday, March 19, 2009
SOME PAK.GENERALS SUPPORT TALIBAN;
PAK HAS BEEN HELPING TALIBAN.
Pak. leaders expect US to bug out,
leave anarchy again.
They want Taliban as friends then.
UNITED PRESS/a.DE borgrave/19mar
RUSS SUGGEST REPLACING $ AS RESERVE CURRENCY:
NOVOSTY/19mar
This would plunge value of dollars..on the other hand,
That would make US exports cheaper and imports more expensive,
And would cut real debits overseas--Which might be helpful.
But then China might start sellling trillions of dollars--disaster.
The dollar has plunged the last 2 days.
SILLY POPE:
He reaffirms Vatican’s prohibition vs. condoms in Africa,
In spite of spiking AIDS rate./
CNN/19mar/
Before he said that condoms hike AIDS rate.
Surely he doesn’t claim infallibility on what causes what !
His loony remarks help discredit the Vatican.
PAKISTAN KEEPS OBAMA AWAKE AT NIGHT
Says his envoy. /
mORE THAN aFGH?
Description of lawless Northern area.
‘No Westerner could survive a day."
LONDON TELEGRAPH/19MAR
US ATTACKS IN NEW PART OF PAKISTAN?
Pent.asks Obama for approval/
Pak. Govt.says such attacks are counter-productive
(kill civilians, recruit terrorists)
guardian/19mar
CORRUPT GOVT.W/HUGE ARMY?/
Obama will swell Afghan army, police-force./
Critics ask is this a good idea, to increase arms
For corrupt govt?/
But taliban is said to be a worse threat.
BBC/19MAR
~ Tuesday, March 17, 2009
WHY OPEC WON’T CUT OUTPUT:
Saudi Arabia controls OPEC—if the other members disobey and lower output, Saudis can increase their output (at about a quarter a barrel) to nullify the change.
Years ago a Saudi prince (trained at Harvard) gave the game away: if they raise the gas-price too much, the Western world will develop quickly feasible alternatives to gas-burners.
Gas-price went way up; people stopped buying big cars, and hybrid cars appeared.
Then the price went down, and people went back to being foolish.
(Buffet’s scheme to make electricity by sun&wind, and run cars on natural gas,
has faltered.)
But it looks as if the electric car is coming back. A new type of lithium battery is far more efficient. And Bolivia has plenty of lithium. Another rise in gas-prices and
People will be firmly committed to electric cars.
So the Saudis have ordered their co-consipirators to keep the price of gas low,
To minimize the damage to their markets.
DOZENS PROTEST US KILLINGS:
US says they were insurgents; natives say not.
Who will be believed?
GLOBE&MAIL/17MAR
~ Monday, March 16, 2009
FORCE IN GITMO VS. LET OUT:
Some Gitmo prisoners may not have been US haters when forced in;
But you can bet they’re potential terrorists if they’re let out.
ANTI-MISSILE SHIELD IS ABSURD/
Pent. Has spent $144 thousand millions on this gadget./
Experts say enemy could fool it with balloons!/
Obama may cut further foolish expenses ./
USATODAY/16MAR
ALLIES MISTRUST EACH OTHERS’ ‘SMARTS’:
US complains that allies each have their own chain of command,
are not coordinated./
But that’s because our allies don’t trust our strategy./
Also, about half of our troops are not under NATO command,
But are under US generals.
~ Sunday, March 15, 2009
WHY DID ALQAEDA FAIL IN IRAQ?
That may be the right question; not “Why did we succeed?”/
The real puzzle is why fanatic Qaeda first succeeded among the (pretty secular) Sunnis?/
One hypothesis: The Sunnis had ruled the Shia in Mesopotamia
For centuries./ Then when the Bushies installed majority rule (knowing the results or not)
The Sunnis didn’t realize at first that they were outnumbered 4 to 1 by the
Formerly subject & oppressed Shia & Kurds./
They thought they could bully the other groups and regain power./
So they allied themselves with Qaeda./
But when the Shia govt. took over, and the Americans armed them,
Sooner or later the Sunni leaders realized how vulnerable they were./
When the Americans leave, one real possibility is a slaughter of Sunnis
By Shia & Kurds./ So the Sunnis lost enthusiasm for driving Americans out./
Sunni Quaeda is still bombing the Shia, to enrage them so they won’t make peace
With the Sunnis. / But perhaps the Shia realize that Qaeda is now a small
Fanatic group, not representing most Sunnis./
Let’s hope that makes peace possible.
A THREAT, NOT A WARNING
Why would China honcho disparage US bonds?
UNITED PRESS/15MAR
After all, that might lower the value of $1 million millions
in US bonds Owned by China !
It’s a threat,not a warning: “If you impose tariffs on chinese imports,
We’ll wreck your economy by selling your bonds.”
PAK. MAY SPAWN NEW 9/11 ATTACK:
Obama’s expert says Pak is more dangerous than Afgh.
LondonTelegraph/15mar
NO INTELLIGENCE: Fighting Tal.must be postponed because of lack of intelligence.
Right now 'natives won't tell us anything.'
WashPost/15Mar
CONFIRMED THAT ‘ALLIES’ DON’T THINK PRESENT STRATEGY WILL WORK
US honcho says new strategy will convince allies to help because new strategy
Will work.
VoiceOfAmerica/15Mar
WE'LL SEE.
~ Saturday, March 14, 2009
US KILLS NON-TERRORISTS, Afghan police-general says.
US says differently, but who will be believed?
REUTERS/14march
~ Friday, March 13, 2009
SUPPOSE EVERYONE BROUGHT ONLY WHAT THEY NEED?
This is the right policy for individuals—but disastrous for our collective economy./
Why has it happened? Because the poor (who would spend every cent) have had their income Squeezed,/ while the well-to-do, who spend a small portion of $ on needs,
Have been enriched.
Maybe we need a measure like Japan used—
issuing scrip that can only be used To spend, not save.
WHY DID CHINA SPEAK OUT PUBLICLY about the fragility
Of our economy, and the resulting danger to their 1 trillion holdings
In our treasury bonds?
WallStJournal/13mar
Perhaps they’re warning us that if we impose tariffs on Chinese
Imports, they’ll start selling our bonds, wiping us out.
True, if they sold some bonds, it would lower the worth
Of their remaining bonds—but in a panic, the holder who sells
First loses less
~ Thursday, March 12, 2009
AFGHAN AMBASSADOR DENOUNCES US EFFORT
‘They’re not really trying.’
WashPost/11Mar
"Pak. civilian govt lacks means to help;
Pak. military lacks will--
they see Taliban as ally vs. India."
TAL. AT GATES OF KABUL: they have power on the roads coming in;
Top cop says they can attack anywhere in city, at any day & time.
CNN/11MAR
US will hand Kabul security over to underpaid, corrupt police.
~ Wednesday, March 11, 2009
TERRIFYING THRILLER
I’ve just read the most profound and exciting thriller I’ve ever come across; my hands are still trembling 10 minutes after finishing—I may not be able to type—and my heart is still racing.
It’s CAMEL CLUB by Baldacci. He explains why the fight with Muslims is mainly our fault, but still we have to defend ourselves..and why likely we will end up with
More than 1000 millions of Muslims all over the world (many eager to die)
attacking us.
We must put all of our efforts into Homeland defense, not the useless,
Murderous Pentagon.
Make sure you can take it before you read it.
PAK. ‘ON VERGE OF COLLAPSE’
Says opposition leader when hundreds
Of his followers are arrested.
ABC/11MAR
Most likely, 'democracy' will collapse,
army will take over again.
CUTS IN PENT. BUDGET !
Obama is cutting $50 thousand millions.
Pent. Had $300 thousand millions of cost overruns.
UNITED PRESS/11MAR
Obama can’t fund his ambitious projects
Without putting overstuffed pent. On diet.
QAEDA GROWING IN AFGH
Says a US intel honcho.
Also, he says Iran is helping Taliban,
EVEN THOUGH shia Iran does NOT want Sunni Tal. To retake Afgh !
LATIMES/11MAR
ALIGN WITH ‘TAL.MODERATES’?
IF (WHEN) THIS FAILS—
SINCE WE CAN’T BEAT TALIBAN,
WE SHOULD GET OUT OF AFGH.
~ Tuesday, March 10, 2009
VP BIDEN ADMITS AFGHAN PROJECT ‘DETERIORATING’/
Trying to get more help from our ‘allies’/
Says we need to succeed BOTH in Afgh & Pak.
NEWS.YAHOO/10MAR
WHY WON’T ALLIES HELP MORE IN AFGH?
Because they know the cause is hopeless.
WHY is Obama committed to this hopeless cause?
Because he used Afghan project as excuse for\
bugging out of Iraq.
He'll be a one-term Pres. anyway.
The quicker he gets out of Afgh,
the less long-term contempt he'll face.
COMMANDO RAIDS (KILLING CIVILIANS) SUSPENDED
For at least 2 wks.
Shows final concern for counterproductive raids.
US will hurry up reports about alleged civ. Deaths.
That won’t make them any more credible w/ordinary Afghans.
NYTIMES/10MAR
80 BAGHDAD CASUALTIES: at meeting of dignitaries
trying for Sunni/Shia reconciliation.
3d big bombing in 3 days.
CSMONITOR/10mar
PAKISTAN ON PRECIPICE?
Alarmist Pak. Bloggers are like a man shouting ‘fire!’
While at the firestation (outside world),
They’re debating which hose to use/
REUTERS/10MAR
~ Monday, March 09, 2009
AFGHAN ATTACKS SOAR:
Coalition casualties (Jan/Feb) TRIPLED OVER Jan/Feb 07.
In the 7 yrs war, over 3200 US casualties so far
(& this will rise this Spring:
Tal. Is stronger, and 17000 more GIs will be possible targets.)
(Being wounded in some ways may be worse than death.)
USATODAY/9MAR
Soon Americans will say “Get Out”—faced with economic disaster
And no signs of Afghan success.
GIs FACE TANGLE OF GOALS/ to protect themselves, to search for Tal. Weapons,
AND to reassure natives that they’re there to protect civilians.
WASH.POST/9MAR
“NOT WINNING’ in large areas of Afgh, general admits,
agreeing partly with Obama’s assessment.
BBC/9MAR
Again, not winning against native insurgents is losing.
~ Sunday, March 08, 2009
A GLIMPSE OF OUR FUTURE:
IMPLICATIONS OF ‘THE FLAT EARTH’
This book predicted that first-worlders who now live on mountain-sides of privilege
Would shortly live on flat land with the 3d worlders, competing with them for jobs. These latter would work for much Lower wages than the formerly-privileged—and are more disciplined, so better trained.
And they outnumber the first-worlders by huge amounts: a Chinese who is ‘one in a million’ has a thousand other Chinese as bright and trained as himself.
Some say now that this recession will NEVER end, that the US worker will remain
Only Slightly better off than corresponding Indians, Chinese,etc.
(This will not happen if US is smart enough to go protectionist: putting tariffs on imports so our workers don’t have to compete with 3d-worlders. True, other nations will retaliate, so our exports will drop. But our imports now far exceed our exports,
so cutting our imports would make export-drop worthwhile.)
Assume that our powerful people will see to it that we DON’T go protectionist.
Assume that all Americans except the very wealthy will face a terrific drop in their standard of living. People in 1929,after a ‘gilded age’ in 1920s, suddenly
Faced a similar cliff.
--China & Japan could wreck us by selling off their trillions of $ in US bonds.
But conversely we could wreck them by cutting our imports.
--Most of the newly-unemployed are men; many will turn to crime.
Already, enlistments in the military have risen.
Law-enforcement will be one area of full-employment.
There will be riots, and the govt. is preparing now to combat rioters.
--There will be a terrific drop in the birth-rate, now that condoms can be backed up
by the morning-after pill and abortion.
--Americans will be crowded together, as 3d-worlders are now. A couple just returned from ‘prosperous’ Shanghai, living in apartment reserved for professors without children.
Tiny bedroom & bath, plus one other big room(living, dining,kitchen).
The only stove was a hot-plate, plus a microwave. Heat was low in winter,
So warm clothes were a necessity. No air-conditioning in summer.
--Big extended families—or fellow-church-members who trust each other—
could live together in one large now-empty house (plenty of them
here)—or in one of the thousands of now-empty box-stores.
Big homeless shelters will have to have guards to protect the inmates from each other.(It will be like after Katrina.)
--People will travel by bicycles or scooters (as they did in Europe as late as 1957).
Or they’ll make sure they live within walking distance of a busline. My family
Did this in the fifties.
--the really destitute will have enough food-stamps so they won’t starve.
But those just above the (low) eligibility-level will have to eat a lot of oatmeal and powdered milk and cheap vegetables. And raise rabbits. And patronize soup-kitchens.
--Medical help will have to be rationed, and hopelessly-ill people will have to be allowed to have medically-assisted suicide. We are now the only industrial country without‘single-payer’ or govt. medicine. That will have to change.
---We’ll have to block immigrants—but not as many will try to enter.
-----------
And so on. Most of us will survive, as most survived the 1930s.
But the typical lifestyle of 2000 will exist only in books and movies and TV and
Grandparents’ stories.
---------
My qualifications: 1) I was one of a family of 11 which lived thru Great Depression.
2) I saw extreme 3d-world poverty in Korea during the war.
3) I've been expecting deflation for years, so I've spent much time
thinking about what will happen.
US DRONE SHOT DOWN
in Pakistan,say locals. US denies,
but who will Pakistanis believe?
NEWS.YAHOO/8MAR
Such a success would raise Tal. Morale,
Mean more such attacks.
Such attacks helped drive Soviets out.
AFGHAN PROTESTERS BLOCK SUPPLY CONVOY:
Hundreds said ‘Death to America: civilians killed’
US said differently—but who will be believed?
CBS/8MAR
“Mission accomplished: soldiers died in a good cause.”
This from a Brit general. What else could he say?
TELEGRAPH/8MAR
BISHOPS DISCREDIT THEMSELVES/
A 9-yr old girl in Brazil was raped by her father,
Conceived twins./ Her parents and a doctor aborted her./
The local bishop excommunicated them, backed by the Vatican./
Such incidents are useful; they guarantee that edicts
By the hierarchy will be dismissed scornfully.
BBC NEWS/8MAR
~ Saturday, March 07, 2009
OBAMA: NOT WINNING IN AFGH:
That’s official code for ‘We’re losing.”
AP/7MAR
Insurgents win all ties;
they're there permanently--
sooner or later we'll pull out.
EMBARASSING SIGN OF US LINGUISTIC IGNORANCE
Clinton gave a souvenir with mistranslation to Russ honcho.
This reminds whole world that even top level of Americans
Are ignorant of foreign languages.
NYTIMES/7MAR
We should pull back from foreign interventions
and concentrate on Homeland Defense.
~ Friday, March 06, 2009
US-TYPE ARMIES CAN BE WIPED OUT
If sent to wrong war, sent too far from home, or sent to hostile territory, surrounded by hostiles—e.g., Afghanistan.
UNITED PRESS/6MAR
PAK.MOVING TOWARD ‘FAILED STATE’:
Opposition leader says shocking attack on cricket players
Shows that Pak. Security is failing.
GLOBE& MAIL/6MAR
TALIBAN RULE SWAT VALLEY
After the ‘truce’, Each family must contribute one man to the cause.
Nytimes/6mar
~ Thursday, March 05, 2009
CRICKET ATTACK THREATENS PAK.STABILITY
It gave publicity-oxygen to insurgents.
Cricket is adored by Pakistanis.
Many police fled the scene.
LATIMES/5MAR
~ Wednesday, March 04, 2009
AFGHAN WORRIES THEY’LL BE ABANDONED AGAIN
As US abandoned them after Russ driven out.
Gates says it’s impossible to say when US will leave Afgh.
FinancialTimes/4Mar
PAK. IS THE MAIN FRONT: State collapse there would be bigger catastrophe
Than collapse in Afghanistan, says thinktank.
REUTERS/4MAR
‘SOUL’OF SOUTH ASIA ATTACKED
Cricket is the soul of the region, the only peaceful source of unity
(e.g., of India & Pakistan).
So the attack on SriLankan players
was of vicious importance.
WASH POST/4MAR
NEW SUPPLY ROUTE CAN’T REPLACE PAKISTAN
New route thru Russia (allowing only‘nonlethal’ goods)
can only handle 500 containers a month—/
Pak. Handles 2000-3000 a month (lethal or nonlethal).
NYTIMES/4MAR
~ Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Trainload of NON-LETHAL Afgh supplies goes thru Russia.
REUTERS/3MAR
But what US needs is access for WEAPONS.
OFFER OF WIDE PAK / TAL TRUCE
Mullah Omar, Tal. Founder, calls for stop
to Attacks on Pak.Muslims,
Calls for focus on invaders of Afgh.
NO INSURGENCY EVER DEFEATED WITH HAVEN AVAILABLE
3 RIVAL TALIBAN GROUPS UNITE TO BATTLE NEW
US TROOPS.
DE FACTO PAK/TAL TRUCE IN SWAT VALLEY & WAZIRISTAN.
London Guardian/ 3mar
MORE AFGHAN CIVILIAN CASUALTIES
Says Red Cross/Now more than last year/
More expected with US troop-surge.
LATIMES/3MAR
Success depends on winning over ordinary Afghans.
AFGH QUAGMIRE FEARED by new French envoy to Pak&Afgh.
Completely new strategy needed.
Likely: try to split Taliban moderates from fanatics.
Google.com/3mar
~ Monday, March 02, 2009
1000 BASES OVERSEAS:
We can’t afford all these bases, for instance the ones in Germany!
We bombed Afgh from Kansas—we don’t need overseas bases.
Why do we have them? As bribes for the host governments,
To get them to support Pentagon policies.
FOREIGN POLICY IN FOCUS/3MAR
PAK.IS BIGGEST AFGH. PROBLEM
Says Gates. He recalls that US & anti-Soviet
Allies used these Pak. Border areas as havens
to drive Soviets out.
CNN/2MAR
Truth is, Pak. collapse would be worse disaster
than 'loss' of Afghanistan.
NO SOLUTION IN PAK. UNTIL AFGH IS STABILIZED
Says Pak. General.
ABC NEWS/2MAR
But also no solution in Afgh till Pak. Is stabilized !
WE CAN’T DEFEAT THE TALIBAN,
Says Canada PM, citing Afghan history
Of centuries of insurgency.
GLOBE&MAIL/2MAR
An intelligent response from Iraqi insurgents to Pres.Obama’s
Speech about his Iraq intentions.
INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE/2MAR
~ Sunday, March 01, 2009
KARZAI CALLS FOR EARLY, DANGEROUS POLL
He moves up election-date to a date too early
For US & Britain to get troops there to protect voters.
LONDON INDEPENDENT/1MAR
PAKISTAN IS VITAL & IN PERIL
Pak. Is near economic and social collapse.
Would extremists control the only Muslim country with plenty of nukes?
West is horrified at Pak. Govt’s ‘separate peace’ with Taliban-run
Swat valley.
CSMONITOR/1MAR
Truth is we could ‘lose’ Afghanistan with less awful results
Than losing Pakistan to extremists !!
US WANTS TO SPRAY-KILL AFGHAN POPPIES;
Brits says no.
Issue is whether these extra $ for Taliban
are more important than goodwill of Afghans.
10k-15k TALIBAN/ in 17 Afghan provinces
say Afghan honchos in US.
Strategy must include Pak. Cooperation.
MSNBC/1MAR
BUT will that cooperation happen?
IRAN HAS MATERIAL FOR NUKE:
Says US mil.honcho.
REUTERS/1MAR
If so they likely have made 1 or more bombs.
This is easy once you have material.
A nuke is easy to hide, impossible to find.
They have missiles that would reach Israel cities.
If Israel attacks, and Iran fires nuke-missiles,
Then Israel will wipe Iran off the map.
Small consolation.
