Dan Lyons
Archives:
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01/2010
~ Tuesday, June 30, 2009
US KILLS DOZENS OF AFGHANS/
In spite of chatter about reducing innocent casualties,
Indiscriminate airstrikes continue (denounced by Afghan govt).
Gates says added troops won’t reduce need for airstrikes.
TVPRESS/30JUNE
Airstrikes enrage Afghans; more GIs casualties from ground battles
Would enrage Americans.
TURKISH JIHADISTS /
More and more Turks are enlisting in the Jihad movement (anti-Western)/
This bodes ill for Germany, which has troops in Afghanistan and 300,000
Turkish residents./ Turkey used to be a secular society, allied with West.
Also, many Chinese Muslims are fighting in Afgh.
LATIMES/30JUNE
This illustrates the point that eliminating the Pashtun insurgents would NOT
Protect US & Europe (US honchos said the point of the Afghan war
Was not to convert Afgh to a full democracy, but to eliminate a training
Base for jihadists who might attack us.)
Now it turns out (as expected) that jihadists have many training bases
Worldwide. / Our Afghan war is pointless./We should pull out and concentrate on Homeland Defense.
~ Monday, June 29, 2009
PAK/US AT CROSS-PURPOSES/
The Pak.govt. of course is hostile to
Taliban who attack Pakistan.\
But it sees Tal who attack only Afgh as ‘good’ Taliban.
LONDON INDEPENDENT
ARMY CAN’T STAY IN SWAT FOREVER—
perhaps 7 or 8 months.
Then Taliban might return.So far, few refugees have returned.
LONDON TIMES/29JUNE
ILL-CONCEIVED, ILL-ADVISED, ILL-TIMED/
Says Afgan informed observer of the coming Waziristan campaign.
Pak. Observers agree that the US airstrikes are counter-productive.
WASH POST/30JUNE
~ Saturday, June 27, 2009
GOVT. DOESN’T CONTROL SWAT/
Only the towns & roads.
500 yds from roads,
Tal still in control.
No Tal. Leaders have been caught or killed.
They are among the refugees,
And will return with them.
NYTIMES/27june
WILL SWAT BE REALLY PACIFIED?
US envoy says signs will be when refugees return
And Taliban doesn’t come back.
LONDON TELEGRAPH/27JUNE
PAK.REFUGEES WON’T GO HOME/
Assoc,Press/27june
The fact that they prefer horrible camps
shows hollowness of Pak. Army’s
Claim it has pacified Swat valley.
~ Friday, June 26, 2009
“AFGHAN GERMANS ARE NOT IN A WAR”
says honcho. They’re helping rebuild Afgh.
Meanwhile, 3 more Germans return in coffins,
REUTERS/26JUNE
$ WILL FALL VS. COMMODITIES,
NOT VS. OTHER CURRENCIES/
China will switch its 2 trillion dollars into commodities/
Says famous historianNialFergusson /GLOBALPOST/26JUNE
Is this bad? Expensive oil will encourage wind,solar power in US/
Expensive imports will encourage buying US goods,
Will act like a tariff on imports.
AFGHAN WAR UNPOPULAR IN GERMANY/
Attention concentrated by 3 recent Germans killed./
‘No pol can explain why we’re there.’
Germans stick to ‘peaceful’ areas;
But Taliban are now attacking them there.
NYTIMES/26JUNE
GIs MORE AT RISK IN IRAQ IN JULY/
NO MRAP VEHICLES ON CITY STREETS IN DAYTIME/
Humvees are very vulnerable./
10 GIs wounded recently.
WASHINGTON POST/26JULY
200 IRAQIS KILLED THIS WEEK/
by bombs./65 casualties Friday.
Google.com/26june
People wonder if Iraqi security forces
Can control violence—but American forces
Are not completely controlling violence now.
~ Thursday, June 25, 2009
PAK.ARMY’S BAD STRATEGY/
They’ve been siding with ‘less bad’ Taliban,
Hoping to split Tal. Ranks.
But these attempts have backfired.
TIME MAG./25JUNE
MODERATE PAK.CLERIC KILLED/
This shows Tal. Can strike anywhere/
Son (& many other Pakistanis)
Says US & Israel are supporting Taliban,/
To destabilize Pak. And grab their nukes.
WASH POST/25JUNE
7 IRAQ BOMBS/10 GI CASUALTIES/
In widely scattered areas, to show
weakness of Maliki’s security force,
5 days before GI pullback from cities.
NYTIMES/25JUNE
US MUST STOP DRONE ATTACKS IN PAK/
Say Pak. Honchos. Latest attack killed dozens.
These attacks block separating natives from Taliban.
GOOGLE.COM/25JUNE
~ Wednesday, June 24, 2009
150 IRAQ CASUALTIES FROM ONE BOMB/
Shia casualties, designed to make Shia turn on outnumbered Sunnis,
As soon as GIs cut back their forces.
BBC/24JUNE
THE FRUITS OF MEGATECHNOLOGY:
One billion hungry;
2 million in US living in polluted air, cancer risk;
Millions of casualties from planes & bombs.
Millions unemployed from automation.
Diseases spread around world by quick, cheap
Transportation.
Thousands killed by cheap, ingenious handguns.
Millions of auto casualties.
Whole world threatened by global warming.
For arguments explaining technical backfires,
See lamar.colostate.edu/~dlyons,
Chapter two
WHITE PHOSPORUS HORROR/
Girl still burning—oxygen mask melted/
When MDs scraped skin, fire burst out.
MSNBC/24JUNE
US continues use of phosporus in Afgh.
US GOVT. SENDS MSG THAT IT DOESN’T CARE ABOUT IRAQ/
Says US pundit./ This is dangerous for Iraq./
CSMONITOR/24JUNE
Real danger after US pullback is retaliatory slaughter
of outnumbered Sunni by Shia.
SWAT REFUGEES WORRY ABOUT TALIBAN RETURN/
Why does army open a new front in Waziristan,
when Swat campaign is not finished?/
Waziristan campaign may force more Taliban into Afghanistan.
WASH POST/24JUNE
SAUDIS SUPPORTED QUAEDA/
Says a US govt. honcho. Much evidence assembled
By surviving relatives of 9/11 casualties will be
Disallowed in trial, with Justice Dept backing.
NYTIMES/24JUNE
~ Tuesday, June 23, 2009
DLYONS IS NOT OBJECTIVE/
Pentagon spends millions on prowar propaganda./
It’s only right that DLYONS
And INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE
Document the hopelessness & pointlessness
Of our 2 wars.
(Lyons cites a dozen different sources,
US & foreign.)
TAL. THREATENS MANY AFGHAN DISTRICTS/
Says Afgh. govt. honcho. He says they control 11 districts,
And threaten 150 more.
Their bomb attacks increase week by week.
http://quqnoos.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3227&Itemid=48
TAL.ALLY OF PAK.GOVT. KILLED /
He was going to lead an uprising vs. the extremist Tal.leader
Whom govt. has vowed to kill in Waziristan.
FINANCIAL TIMES/23JUNE
WE’LL LET BAD GUYS GO, TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY/
Say US mil. Honchos in Afgh—
rather than risk civilian deaths./
This will let Taliban hide among civilians.
LATIMES/23JUNE
~ Monday, June 22, 2009
PAK.POLICE ON RUN FROM TALIBAN IN SWAT & OTHER THREATENED REGION/
Says Arab sourceTHENEWS.COM.PAK
Top officers also refuse to serve these areas.
40,000 PAK. ADDED TO 2 million REFUGEES/
from Waziristan, even before govt. attack there.
REUTERS/22JUNE
PAK.ARMY WON’T FIGHT TALIBAN ATTACKING AFGH/
Only those attacking Pakistan.
LONDON TELEGRAPH/22JUNE
US can console itself that this
protects Pak. nukes.
70 IRAQ CASUALTIES ON MONDAY/
from several bombs/
BBC/22JUNE
Casualty toll is actually over 100.
Widespread locations of bombs
show power of insurgents.
~ Sunday, June 21, 2009
LIMITS ON PAK.MOVES VS. TALIBAN/
Many soldiers sympathize with Taliban/ Also, Pak has limited Resources of planes, copters. /Also Waziristan is tougher area/Also govt. will have trouble HOLDING Swat valley even afterMilitary victory/ Also a new flood of refugees may be recruited
By Taliban./
Army may settle for forcing Taliban not to attack Pak, only Afgh/
CSMONITOR/21JUNE
GOP SCREAMS ABOUT HEALTH-CARE COSTS;SILENT ABOUT PENT.COSTS/
PENT. BUDGET ABOVE THAT DURING VIET WAR/
8 US CASUALTIES IN AFGH/
from rocket into main US base/
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-afghan-attack21-2009jun21,0,5418942.story
PRACTICALLY ALL AMERICANS WANT GOVT. HEALTH CARE/
85% WANT COMPETITION WITH PRIVATE HEALTH PLANS/
reuters/21june
~ Saturday, June 20, 2009
PROTALIBANS HELP PAK. REFUGEES/
Govt. aid is clumsy & corrupt.
But Islamic charities show up with food & aid.
CSMONITOR/20june
4 NATO TROOPS, MANY AFGHANS KILLED/
MANY TALIBAN KILLED, ALSO/
GOOGLE.COM/20JUNE
US honcho just said, “Success lies NOT in killing Taliban,
But in protecting Afghans.”
DOZENS OF IRAQIS KILLED / MORE WOUNDED/
Shia Turkmen casualties bombed/
WASH POST/20JUNE
Blocks US claim of 'victory,then get out.'
~ Friday, June 19, 2009
THIS IS A LONG WAR/says Pak.blogger.
It’s already lasted 7 years/
Soon Americans will turn completely against it.
US AIRSTRIKE UNDERMINES PAK.GOVT.EFFORTS/
Pak. Is trying to win over warlord, but US bombed
His region.
NEWS.YAHOO/19JUNE
“OUR JOB IS NOT KILLING TALIBAN,
BUT PROTECTING AFGHANS’
say US honchos. But they go right on killing innocents by necessarily inaccurate airstrikes. Afghans are enraged.
They have to use airstrikes; using skimpy ground forces would spike casualties, Enrage Americans.
A pointless, hopeless project.
LATIMES/19JUNE
BUSH AFGHAN FIASCO/
Holbrooke, Obama/s honcho, says Bushie ‘development’ campaign in AfghWas the worst project he’d ever seen/
it actually recruited for taliban,
with Billions of US tax dollars.
WASH POST/19JUNE
~ Thursday, June 18, 2009
WAR CAN’T END THIS RECESSION/
In 1930s, coming WWII restored US jobs/
But that was because weapons-making then
Was labor-intensive./
Today with automation & shameless Pent.outsourcing,
War cannot make jobs/
CSMONITOR/18JUNE
COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT ON PAK.TRIBE /
In So.Waziristan./ Critics warn it will backfire /
Half a million refugees may be added to 2.5 million
Already.
LONDON TIMES/18JUNE
~ Wednesday, June 17, 2009
WARLORDS RULE AFGH/
Say critics./It’s said they’re financed
By foreign govts./
Their brutal rule was what made
Many Afghans back Taliban originally,
As the less unjust regime./
Msnbc/17june
US IN AFGH FOR A LONG TIME/
Says new US commander.
CBS/17JUNE
If GI casualties spike, US people & Congress
Won’t stand for an ‘endless’ (pointless) war.
~ Tuesday, June 16, 2009
OBAMA BLUFFS N.KOREA
Says he won’t allow nukes to N.K.
MSNBC/16JUNE
They've aleady got enough nukes
to wipe out S.Korea (w/tens of thousands of GIs)
plus Japanese cities.
Unless they're really crazy,
these are to deter US attacks.
We bombed their cities flat 50 years ago.
PRICES DROP MOST IN 60 YEARS/
Wholesale prices plummet./
This shows that continued danger is DEFLATION,
Not inflation.
FINANCIAL TIMES/16JUNE
PILOT GLAMOUR EVAPORATING /
Air force is now training more Drone directors than fighters & bombers combined./
USATODAY/16JUNE
In WWII, fighter pilots had much glory; /but by Korean war, we had destroyed Enemies’ fighters; they had no bombers./ So fighter pilots were superfluous,/
But bomber pilots were still necessary and glamourous. So were copter pilots in Vietnam-endangered and glamorous./
But now our Drone airstikes could be directed from miles away by mean old ladies./
No adventure, glamour left in airforce.
RETURNING REFUGEES MORE IMPORTANT THAN MIL. VICTORY
Says Holbrooke, US honcho./
But millions are still stuck in awful camps,
Subject to propaganda from infiltrating Taliban.
WASH POST/16JUNE
~ Monday, June 15, 2009
WOULD WORLD AID FOR PAK.REFUGEES
BE PROPERLY USED?/
Pakistan honchos beg for aid, warn about Taliban threat to other nations—
FINANCIAL TIMES/15JUNE
But in past they have used aid to bolster their anti-India efforts.
~ Sunday, June 14, 2009
MOSTLY PAK. INNOCENTS KILLED BY DRONES/
PAK. PAPER SAYS 50 CIVILIANS KILLED FOR EVERY TAL. LEADER/
IPSNEWS/14JUNE
NEARLY 1000 US OUTSIDE BASES /
--we don’t need them; we bombed Afgh from Kansas/
--we can’t afford them.
INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE/14JUNE
UN OFFICIAL PROTESTS US CARELESS AFGHAN AIRSTRIKES/
UNITED PRESS/14JUNE
They alienate ordinary Afghans.
KURDS CLAIM OIL IN KIRKUK/
Kurdistan is now de facto autonomous, but fight is over oil-soaked Kirkuk
Region.Baghdad claims 1st share of oil, vs. Kurds.
GUARDIAN/14JUNE
If Kurds win, then Southern Iraq, with the rest of the oil,
Will also secede.
AFGHAN SLAUGHTER BY US, FROM FALSE INFO /
A blood feud between villages led to informer deceiving
Americans into bloody airstrike.
THE GLOBE&MAIL/14JUNE
US bound to be misled by lying informers/
Almost no Americans speak local languages.
~ Saturday, June 13, 2009
RUSS MIGHT SWITCH FROM DOLLAR RESERVES/
At this news, US bonds and dollars sank in value/
This means we must pay higher interest to bond-buyers./
BLOOMBERG/13JUNE
We can’t afford our 2 wars—even more, Pent. Profligacy.
ALTERNATE JIHADIST HAVENS / in Somalia, Yemen AND OTHER PLACES.
Say US honchos.
MSNBC/13JUNE
Once again, wiping out Taliban in Pakistan would NOT
Make America safer !
AFGHAN CIVILIAN CASUALTIES ‘ONE OF OUR GREATEST VULNERABILITIES/ SAYS GATES.
Thousands of new GIs, hopefully, will relieve necessity for so manyAirstrikes—
but resulting increase in GI casualties will Shrink already-weak US support
for ‘endless’ Afghan war.
NEWS.YAHOO/13JUNE
AIRSTRIKE MISSES TAL. TARGET,
KILLS CIVILIANS/
10 CIVILIANS KILLED/TAL. LEADER ESCAPES/
latimes/12june
US can’t resist using counter-productive airstrikes
~ Friday, June 12, 2009
CHINESE ECONOMISTS FIND US BONDS ‘RISKY’ /
17 out of 23 agree. The worry is that US can print money,
and thus trim the worth of the bonds/
CHINA NEWS
But some say other investments are MORE risky/
3 to 4 million Pak. Refugees/
Taliban infiltrating among refugees./
Govt. absolutely unable to help them./
DeBorchgrave in United Press/11June
DEATH CONTROL (VS. BIRTH CONTROL) BACKFIRES/
Over 1 billion people now go hungry.
GLOBE&MAIL/12JUNE
Optimists used to say that food supply growth exceeded
Population growth. But no more.
Megatech has made overpopulation possible.
For explanation of why megatech must backfire,
See lamar.colostate.edu/~dlyons
DISPUTE OVER # OF CIVILIANS KILLED BY ALLIES/
NYTIMES/12JUNE
It doesn’t matter what really happened./
Afghans will believe Afghan sources, not claims of infidel invaders.
AFGHAN ,PAK.SUCCESS WOULD BE POINTLESS/
Qaeda leaders move to havens in Somalia, Yemen.
Afghan success would not make America safer.
NYTIMES12JUNE
MONEY SHORTAGE FOR PAK.REFUGEE AID/
Aid agencies says they must close or cut aid programs
For biggest ever civilian displacement.
REUTERS/12JUNE
WAZIRISTAN ATTACK? Pak. Army already striking in this volatile, Tal.-influenced area./ If a full attack caused a civilian flight,
They would be added to the millions fleeing from Swat—
Whom govt. cannot aid adequately.
REUTERS12JUNE
LAST WEEK MOST VIOLENT EVER IN AFGH /
Tal. Attacks up 66% this year./
Commander says he will try to minimize civilian casualties./
2 innocents killed recently./
Voice of America/12JUNE
As long as allies rely on airstrikes, artillery,etc.,
They will kill innocents./
If they rely only on foot-troops, higher casualties
willShrink US support for war./
~ Thursday, June 11, 2009
VEHICLES DESIGNED FOR IRAQ WON’T WORK IN AFGHANISTAN /
Only 5 so far retrofitted for Afgh.
UNITED PRESS/11JUNE
IRAQ TACTICS DON'T WORK IN AFGH.
MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS/11JUNE
DOZENS OF CASUALTIES FROM TRAIN BOMB /
Fighting in many places in Pakistan/
Majority seems to be opposing Taliban.
MSNBC/11JUNE
DIRE REPORTS ON AFGH/
Petraeus: Security deteriorated over 2 yrs/ tough times ahead/GIs can’t live among Afghans/
GATES: Allies will pull out /If stalemate in a yr, US support Will shrink/
CBS/11JUNE
ALLIED CASUALTIES SPIKE IN AFGH /
Main Tal. Attacks are on Brits in Helmland./
Soon US GIs will outnumber Brits there./
Britain will NOT send more troops there permanently,
Only till after election.
LONDON GUARDIAN/11JUNE
CAPITALISM PLUS MEGATECH->DISASTER
The fatal flaws in free-market economies (e.g. tendency of wealth to move from workers to owners) are magnified by megatech, which generates world overproduction./
Ordinary people would love to consume more, but they have few resources;/
Wealthy don’t consume much more with new wealth./
So there is ‘shortage of demand’, deflation, recession, depression.
For argument about necessary troubles from megatech,
See lamar.colostate.edu/~dlyons
EUROPEANS OPPOSE MORE TROOPS TO AFGH /
5000 more will go there, but will be pulled out after election./
US has more troops fighting there than all other countries
Combined./
We broke it, we own it.
GLOBALPOST/11JUNE
Canada will pull out in 2 years.
NEARLY 100 IRAQ SHIA CASUALTIES /
Citizens rally to protest govt. failure to protect them.
LATIMES/11JUNE
Worry that Shia will strike back at outnumbered, outgunned Sunnis.
~ Wednesday, June 10, 2009
ONE BILLION $ FOR PAK,AFGH EMBASSIES /
This will strengthen local suspicions of our imperial designs.
CSMONITOR/10JUNE
Hilariously, these palaces will be inhabited
By functionaries who don’t speak local languages !
TALIBAN ARE US PUPPETS?/
This is widely believed in Pakistan, .
Even among the educated and among the clergy.
LONDON TIMES/10JUNE
Actually, this could helpUS if it
Legitimizes Pak. Action vs. Taliban !
PAK/AFGH BORDER IS 750 MILES LONG /
& is completely open to Taliban moving back & forth.
NEWS.YAHOO/10JUNE
NEW KOREAN WAR?/
rather, continuation of the 1950s war? /
North Korea has repudiated the 1950s truce. /
Huge artillery installations could threaten Seoul,/
and the tens of thousands Of GIs stationed in So.Korea.
Only China could stop N.K. from a ‘preemptive’ attack/
If we try to stop & inspect N.K. ships .
NEWS.YAHOO/10JUNE
MORE THAN 85 CASUALTIES IN PAK. BOMBING /
Western type hotel, from 1 truck bomb that
Got into hotel parking lot.
VOICEofAMERICA/10JUNE
~ Tuesday, June 09, 2009
TALIBAN WINNING INFO WAR IN AFG ‘HANDS DOWN’ /
Says Canadian expert.
Why not? Western troops don't speak the languages !
He wants Western troops to leave garrisons,
man outposts in 'model villages' (as was tried in Vietnam).
But that would spike casualties,
lose support of Western people.
PULL-OUT: FAST OR SLOW?/
It’s said that Obama will pull out GIs from Iraq
Slowly & carefully.
REUTERS/9JUNE
But when most GIs are gone, if insurgents
Renew attacks on remaining GI.s….?
MOST IRANIANS WANT PEACE W/US, NOT ISRAEL/
From a strange polling agency, calling from
Outside the country./CNN 9june
MIDDLE-CLASS SUNNIS AREN’T RETURNING
TO IRAQ /
Says an observer in NEWSWEEK.
Most middle-east Muslims (Sunnis) see Iraq as a failure.
“WE CAN’T DO BETTER MILITARILY IN AFGH THAN SOVIET DID WITH 500,000 TROOPS.”
Says anonymous US army honcho.
NEWSWEEK
WHY IGNORE SOME ATROCITIES, CONCENTRATE ON ISRAELI ATTACKS?/
Asks a right-wing Brit writer/
LONDON GUARDIAN/9JUNE
Well, SriLanka has little relationship to Brits & US—
but Israelis are funded by US, and Afghan atrocities are committed by us.
6TH REVIEW OF AFGHAN STRATEGY ORDERED/
withn 60 days./ Problem is growing disenchantment in
Congress for the war, demand for exit strategy,
threat of withdrawing funding./
Benchmarks for progress promised, but not yet delivered./
“We must persuade Afghans to back us”.
NEWS.YAHOO/9JUNE
AFGHAN ARMY WON’T BE READY IN 2 YEARS/
Say US troops.
NYTIMES/9JUNE
We can’t withdraw GIs until it’s ready;
And it’s said that within 18 months,
US people & Congress will demand withdrawal.
~ Monday, June 08, 2009
35 SHIA CASUALTIES FROM BAGHDAD BOMB/
msnbc/8june
Obviously such bombs are from Qaeda,
Trying to stir up strife between Sunnis & Shias./
(No other Sunnis would be dumb enough
to provoke Shia (outnumbering Sunnis 3 to 1).
~ Sunday, June 07, 2009
MORE MEN UNEMPLOYED /
Breadwinner role threatened/
LONDON TIMES/7JUNE
Likely result? More crime, abuse of women & children.
SUCCESS IN AFGH., IRAQ WOULDN’T MAKE US SAFER/
ALGERIA TRAINING CAMPS FOR TERRORISTS
ILLUSTRATES THE MANY NESTS ALL OVER THE WORLD./
YAHOO.NEWS/7JUNE
We should put the $ spent on these 2 pointless wars
Into Homeland Defense (e.g., searching the thousands
Of huge containers entering our ports every day.)
Neither will Obama 'making nice to Muslims'
make us any safer. Even 1 in 1000 implacable
Muslims makes one million implacable enemies
worldwide.
~ Saturday, June 06, 2009
WHY SHOULD CHINA FUND OUR WARS?
2 WARS TERRIFIC THREAT TO OUR ECONOMY /
FUTILE FEDS ATTEMPT TO PREVENT RISE IN INTEREST RATES/
When US honcho has to go begging to China,
We can’t afford these wars.
INFORMATION CLEARING HOUSE/6JUNE
THOUSANDS OF GIs SEVERELY WOUNDED BY AFGHAN BOMBS /
MSNBC/6JUNE
US media list only deaths;
but some wounds are worse than death.
PAK.SWITCHED US $ FROM VS.TAL. TO VS. INDIA
Says Pentagon/
UNITED PRESS/6JUNE
This shows how much we can count on Pak to fight Taliban.
~ Friday, June 05, 2009
NEW SUNNI COALITION AIMS TO KILL IRAQ GIs /
And to undermine present ‘collaborating’ govt.
UNITED PRESS /5JUNE
MORE TALIBAN BOMBS, MORE GI CASUALTIES /
BOMBS UP 80% THIS YEAR (# TRIPLED IN HELMLAND) /
GI DEATHS UP 66%
London telegraph/5june
REFUGEES MAY TURN TO TALIBAN/
Says Pak. President. (Of course he uses
This threat to extort more $ from West.
FIN.TIMES/5JUNE
UP TO 80 PAK. CASUALTIES /
From 2 attacks outside Swat. Army now says cleaning up SwatWill take 2 months—army must stay there for one year./
Army is looking for Taliban leaders./
Refugees are not allowed back into Swat./
GOOGLE.COM/5JUNE
RIGHT-WINGERS ARE MORE EASILY DISGUSTED /
Studies show that those who react most strongly (e.g.,
To blood, insects) are most right-wing.
They instinctively oppose even harmless gays.
Liberals care about actual harm to humans.
NEWS.YAHOO/5JUNE
St.Paul’s abhorrence of homosexuality
Sounds more like disgust than calm morality.
~ Thursday, June 04, 2009
AFGHAN MP RIPS US KILLING OF CIVILIANS /
Huffington post/4june
MPs regularly publicize US killing in their
Area.
OBAMA’S SENSIBLE APPEASEMENT OF MUSLIMS /
World must wonder at the nuttiness of US backing of
Israel, enraging over one thousand millions of Muslims
Worldwide.
DIRECT PAK. SUPPORT FOR TALIBAN /
Say US officials /
Taliban Money from Gulf region individuals
Exceeds their income from drugs./
Pak. Govt could be playing double game,/
Helping Tal. Who attack Afgh, not Pak.—
While assuring US that they’re fighting the insurgents.
TELEGRAPH/4JUNE
TALIBAN COMMANDERS NOT CAPTURED /
Of course they may have been blown to bits in Swat /
But some say Pak. Army doesn’t want to destroy Taliban.
GUARDIAN/4JUNE
They attacked only under pressure (and $) from Americans.
~ Wednesday, June 03, 2009
AFGHAN BOMB ATTACKS WILL JUMP 50%/
When more GI targets are sent there.
TWIN CITY/3JUNE
5 GIs killed just now. 64 killed this year.
EXPANDING AFGHAN ARMY:
BILLIONS OVER MANY YEARS/
Cost will be 4 times entire Afghan economy.
NEWS.YAHOO/3JUNE
IRAQ STRATEGY WON’T WORK IN AFGHANISTAN/
Says new commander there./ Tal. Have no reason to compromise;
Perception is that they’re winning./ He’s counting on better intelligence
(how, when hardly any US officials speak Pashto?) and building up
the Afghan army.
LATIMES3june
CIVILIAN CASUALTIES THREATEN US AFGHAN CAMPAIGN/
Says new commander there.’I cannot overstate my concern.”/
AssocPress/3june
With airstrikes, civilian casualties are inevitable.
~ Tuesday, June 02, 2009
AFGH/PAK SITUATION ‘INCREASINGLY DIRE’/
Says Pent. Honcho. Pak. Can’t be trusted to fight Taliban
Effectively—but we’ll give them thousands of millions of dollars.
It’s said we’ll send 10,000 MORE GIs (besides the 12,000
We’re sending now.) Casualty and money costs will rise.
THE STATE/2JUNE
DANGEROUS AFGHAN INSURGENT GROUP / HaqqaniVery effective, with ties to Paskistan
Intel. Agency and to Arab insurgents. In Khost, they are de facto govt. One must get
Their permission to travel.
UNITED PRESS /2JUNE
WILL REDUCE AFGHAN CIVILIAN CASUALTIES/
Promises new US Afghan commander.
REUTERS/2JUNE
Promise not credible if US continues
Bombing, shelling Taliban
In populated areas.
CUTS IN US/ RUSS NUKE STOCKPILES WILL REASSURE IRAN ? /
So says Obama./
GUARDIAN/2JUNE
Why would less than 5000 h-bombs in each stockpile
Persuade Iran to abandon its deterrent plans?
ALLIES CAUTIOUSLY SUPPORT KARZAI/TALIBAN TALKS /
But not Taliban control of central govt,
Not contingent on US pullout.
GLOBE&MAIL/2JUNE
MEASURABLE AFGHAN PROGRESS NEC. IN 18-24 MONTHS/
Says new commander.
NEWS.YAHOO/2JUNE
He probably means sooner./
When will weak popular/congressional support for war fade?
CAN JIHADISTS CONVERT YOUNG PAK. REFUGEES?/
Some evidence this has already started.
GLOBAL POST/
As long as media are forbidden access,
why believe Pak.army's claims of success?
FEW PAK. TROOPS FIGHTING TALIBAN /
Only 12,000 troops fighting on 2 fronts.
NYTIMES/2JUNE
Meanwhile about a million Pak. Troops on India front.
NEW AFGHAN COMMANDER PREDICTS MORE CASUALTIES /(This will sap already-weak US support.)
Says there is no simple answer; ‘but we must succeed’.
FOX NEWS/2JUNE
That was said of Vietnam, but we didn’t succeed.
It’s not clear at all that we will ‘succeed’ in Iraq.
~ Monday, June 01, 2009
CLEARING AREA IS NO GOOD/says US honcho in Afgh./Taliban come right back./ We must have a permanent presence./
US is determined to protect voters in coming election/
Taliban is determined to intimidate people in their strong areas Not to vote./
People think ‘internationals’ will pick next President—their vote won’t count.
Nytimes/1june
