Dan Lyons
Archives:
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01/2010
~ Friday, July 31, 2009
OBAMA’S useless EMPIRE/
300,000 stationed at 100 bases overseas
NEW STATESMAN
There’s no military reason for these bases;
We can bomb anywhere from US homeland.
Probably they exist to reward our tame allies—
At enormous US expense.
DRONES NO LONGER ONLY HUNT QAEDA LEADERS/
Emphasis switched to blocking Taliban activities/
Large shortage of drones.
LATIMES/31JULY
MUCH HIGHER GI CASUALTIES LIKELY/
They’ll live in villages and go on foot-patrols/
DANGER FROM AFGHAN CORRUPTION = THAT FROM TALIBAN
Say observers/
DOUBLING AFGHAN TROOPS WILL REQUIRE MUCH MORE MONEY,
AND MORE GIs TO TRAIN & MENTOR THEM.
WASH POST/31JULY
90 SHIA BOMB CASUALTIES IN IRAQ/
Attacks aimed at Sadrites/
NYTIMES 31JULY
Sunni should worry; outnumbered 3 to 1
By Shia, with Shia army trained and supplied
By Americans, slaughter of Sunnis is likely
HOUSE FUNDS WEAPONS PENT. DOESN’T WANT/
$636 THOUSAND MILLIONS IN 1-yr WAR BILL/
Iraq, afgh wars have cost over $1 million millions.
SEATTLEPI/31JULY
War industries’ bribe-power is displayed,
Like medical establishment’s power.
WORST WAR MONTH EVER/
40 GIs killed in July in Afgh;/ many more likely wounded/
(Pent. Won’t say how many.)/
Highest Brit casualties since 1980.
REUTERS/31 JULY
~ Thursday, July 30, 2009
‘DIVIDE TALIBANIS”?
A FANTASY, SAYS FAMOUS EXPERT CORDESMAN.
UPI FEATURE STORIES (A. DE BORCHGRAVE)
He summarizes 2000 yrs of Afghans driving out foreign invaders, from Alexander the Great.
And he notes similar fantasies in
previous US and French Fiascos.
“BRITS UNDERSTAND VITAL NATURE OF AFGHAN WAR”
says Brit honcho.
CNN/30JULY
They understand all right—large majorities say it can’t be won.
And Brits should get out right away.
BIG US HONCHO DOUBTS PAK.GOVT SWAT SUCCESS/
Maybe Taliban have just melted into population,
Ready for more guerilla attacks.
CSMONITOR/30JULY
BIG US HONCHO: “LEAVE IRAQ EARLY/”
He says there are many problems,
But our staying there won’t help./
Ntimes/30july
~ Wednesday, July 29, 2009
ALLIED MIL. IN AFGH CAN’T DELIVER LASTING PEACE,
ACCOUNTABLE, RESPECTED GOVT,
SOCIAL SVCES,
SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY./
Says US honcho./
TIME MAGAZINE/29JULY
These desiderata, even if possible,
Would take years (esp. with Taliban sabotage)—
And we haven’t got years
(with exasperated allied populaces).
BRIT MIL. HONCHO BRAGS ABOUT STALEMATE/
Admits they underestimated Taliban,
But notes that ‘they didn’t drive us out.”
LONDON TIMES/29 JULY
Guerillas win all ties.
IRAQ TROOPS VS. FOES OF IRAN/
US has protected anti-Iran guerilla fighters,
But now Iraq govt is attacking them.
This shows the US-hated Iran is the main winner
Of our silly Iraq war.
WASH POST/29JULY
BRIT MAJORITY WANTS OUT OF AFGH/
They say war can’t be won;/
They want out IMMEDIATELY !
BLOOMBERG/29JULY
'WANT OUT IMMEDIATELY" spiked IN 1 MONTH from 42% to 52% !
(GUARDIAN)
Labor party is cornered/
They might bugout soon.
That will shrink small US #
who want to stay in indefinitely.
NIGERIAN ‘TALIBAN’ ATTACKS/
Attacks are located in several places./
Most Muslims there think they’re crazy./
BBC/29JULY
But if they can dominate one location,
They could set up a haven to recruit Jihadists.
Even if we could wipe out Afghan Taliban,
We’d be endangered by jihadists elsewhere.
We should pull out of Afgh, spending $
& attention on Home Defense.
~ Tuesday, July 28, 2009
US DREAM: ‘BRITS WILL STAND WITH US IN AFGH
FOR 5 OR 10 YRS’/
Says Petraeus.
UNITED PRESS/28JULY
What’s he smoking?/
Only 29% of Brits want that./
Afghan campaign still ‘going South’.
AMERICANS won’t stand with Pentagon
For that long !!
US IN AFGH IS UNSUSTAINABLE/
Says Pak. Honcho. /
Pak. Doesn’t oppose Taliban Operating in Afgh,
because other forces there Favor India./
TIME MAG/28JULY
HUGE $ INFLOWS TO TALIBAN FROM OVERSEAS/
Taliban gets $400 million a year from poppies./
But it gets even more from foreign sympathizers,
Mainly from Gulf States—but also from Europe.
GUARDIAN/28JULY
NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR NEW AFGHAN STRATEGY?
Clear AND HOLD Taliban-run areas./ Revive and improve
Afghan agriculture./.build up competent Afghan army & police./These projects will take months Or years.
But Gates admits Americans won’t tolerate ‘a long stay’
In Afgh.
TALIBAN WRECK INDUSTRY IN PESHAWAR DISTRICT OF PAK./
Firms flee or cut production greatly./
US is ‘trying’ to help, but ignorantly and hypocritically.
WASH POST/28JULY
DISTURBING FOLLOWUP OF INDIAN EXPLOSION/
Pak. Govt SAYS it is attacking insurgent group
(of 160,000).
A group formerly sponsored by Pak. Intel. Agency—
But it is now thought that either (a) this group is secretly
Backed by Pak. Govt, or (b) govt. has lost control of them.
They plus another such group could ‘set Pakistan on fire’.
Nytimes/28july
SWAT VALLEY STILL NOT PACIFIED/
Wealthy landlords won’t return./Taliban undermined the legitimacy of their ownership./
If result is de facto land-redistribution, then peasants will have vested interest In supporting Taliban./
Govt. says hundreds of thousands have returned, but no verification.
Tal. Could use same tactic in Punjab, where a few own huge tracts of land.
US envoy refused entry into Swat.
NYTIMES/28july
~ Monday, July 27, 2009
TRIBAL MILITIAS LOSING STEAM VS. TALIBAN/
They don’t want Pak. Army in to help;
Groups don’t coordinate.
UPI.COM/27JULY
They can't HOLD cleared areas
after army pulls out.
PAK. FUNDS DISGUISED TALIBAN/
They look like others of the 3 million refugees.
CNN/IN THE FIELDS BLOGS/27JULY
NEW RULES AGAINST ROUGH US TACTICS/
DEMANDS KARZAI/
He is also negotiating with less fanatic Taliban.
NEWS.YAHOO/27JULY
US AIRSTRIKES UNITE, STRENGTHEN TALIBAN IN PAK./Say Pak. Honchos/ Pak.
Delays attack on Waziristan because of
Huge repatriation project in Swat/
AND BECAUSE OF RELUCTANCE TO MOVE TROOPS FROM INDIA BORDER.
WASH POST/27JULY
~ Sunday, July 26, 2009
RATIO OF TROOPS INJURED TO THOSE KILLED/
4 Brits injured for every one killed/
LONDON TELEGRAPH/26JULY
Pent. Won’t tell how many GIs injured./
But the ratio is probably the same.
THE ARMY RUNS PAKISTAN/ the elected civilian govt. is helpless./
So US govt. has quit talking about promoting democracy,
And is negotiating directly with the army leader./
Until very shortly, the army hasn’t been motivated to fight the Taliban./
Maybe now it is ready./ We’ll see.
GUARDIAN/26JULY
WILL US DETERMINE AFGHAN PRESIDENT?
Afghan students think so—therefore, they’re apathetic about voting.
They think US is omnipotent;/
US prof reminds them of US weaknesses/
GLOBALPOST/26JULY
But US stupidity doesn’t show that US policies don't control Afghanistan—
It just shows irrationality of that control.
WILL MACHINES OUTSMART HUMANS? /
They will destroy jobs, snoop into private affairs,
Kill autonomously, etc.
NYTIMES/26JULY
For explanation of dangers of megatech,
See LAMAR.COLOSTATE.EDU/~DLYONS
At Chapter Two.
~ Saturday, July 25, 2009
US PULLOUT FROM IRAQ MIGHT BE A ROUT/
Mil. Expert sees possibility of a rout like our fleeing Vietnam.
NEWSWEEK
MRAP VEHICLES (USEFUL IN IRAQ) GET STALLED IN AFGH/
Allied copters are in short supply./
Drug income is $3.5 billion, much going to Taliban./
US took important Tal. Regions—but can they hold them?
LONDON TIMES/25JULY
AFGHAN LIBERATION IS A BIG LIE/
Says woman expelled from Afghan parliament for protests/
Afgh is still dominated by warlords who are creed-brothers with Taliban. /
Govt. is corrupt/ Women are still trampled.
LONDON GUARDIAN/25JULY
PAK.GOVT. IN MOCK FIGHT VS. TALIBAN/
Says Pak. Honcho/ THEY PROTECT TAL. AS
PROXY FIGHTERS IN AFGHANISTAN./
They let Tal leaders escape in SWAT/
Some say they won’t invade Waziristan /
CSMONITOR/25JULY
~ Friday, July 24, 2009
US STOPS BRAGGING ABOUT TAL. KILLED/
--In Vietnam, commanders lied about # of enemy killed;
lie was exposed, today few believe such statistics.
--New emphasis on helping, protecting innocent Afghans,
not on # of Taliban killed.
LATIMES/24JULY
FEW AFGHAN TROOPS FIGHTING IN HELMLAND/
9000 TROOPS ARE THERE, BUT ONLY 650 ARE FIGHTING.
More Afghan troops are urgently needed.
It will take a long time to train enough troops.
CSMONITOR/24JULY
SWAT TALIBAN ARE NOT COMPLETELY CONQUERED/
Says US envoy. He says finishing this job AND STAYING IN TO SEE TAL. DON’T SNEAK BACK IN /
Should be top priority.
GOOGLE.COM/24JULY
Pakistan govt. is now fully committed to
removing Tal. Threat to Pak.,
But perhaps not committed to eliminating
Tal. Threat to Afgh.
But in fact danger to Pak. Is more important than Afgh—
Except to Obama’s political future.
TALIBAN ARE WINNING/
Says expert Cordesman./
Pent. Honchos now talk about making progress, not prevailing./
Prevailing would take years, if not decades. /
We’d need 15,000 more GIs, about double the number
Added to Afghan army & police./ And of course we’d have to spend Extra billions, when we’re close to bankruptcy already. /
Gates admits Americans are war-weary. /
Many Congressional Democrats voted against Afghan funding. /
He says Pent. Has only a year To show real progress./
He didn’t discuss what counts as progress,
How to measure it, or how much progress is needed.
TIME MAGAZINE
We will shortly lose our two main allies,
Canada and Britain.
~ Thursday, July 23, 2009
A change of pace, from war to something more cheerful:
HOW DID THEY WORK IT?
An Irish couple in Mason City Iowa reared a family of 8 children right during the Great Depression. Decades later, after the parents were dead, the surviving children tried to figure out two things: a) how could they afford it? And
(b) how did they manage to conceive all those children with all those children around?
The answer to (a) was backbreaking work and strict frugality. But the children were stumped to answer (b).
Then they remembered an odd fact—poor as they were, the two oldest children (Agnes and John) were sent to a movie every Saturday afternoon (a nickel a ticket).
That’s how Billy and Margaret and Bernard and Clare and Anne and Bridget showed up.
Then the survivors talked to friends from Cedar Falls—also 6 siblings raised in the Depression. Sure enough, poor as they were, the two older children (Andy and Jerry) were always Funded for a Sunday movie—result ? the appearance of Alice and Don and Edward and Liz.
These parents enjoyed movies they never saw.
USUAL SHORTAGE OF TRANSLATORS/
Only 7000 Pashto speakers in US/
Recruiters send over 60-70-yr-olds,
Often incompetent in Pashto.
MSNBC/23JULY
This problem after our EIGHT YEARS in Afgh !!
6 AIRCRAFT DOWN IN AFGH IN 1 WEEK/
US honchos say this is mere coincidence./
GLOBE&MAIL/23JULY
One principal way Afghans drove Soviet out
Was by using shoulder missiles agasint their aircraft.
It’s a mystery why Taliban haven’t used these
Much against allied craft.—so far.
SWOLLEN BAGHDAD EMBASSY IS PRETTY USELESS/
$700 MILLION DOLLARS TO BUILD,/
1800 STAFFERS—/
WASH POST/23JULY
BUT ONLY 1 IN 10 SPEAK ARABIC WELL.
DIR NATIVES VS. TAL. COMPLAIN ABOUT LACKING GOVT. SUPPORT/
Govt. encouraged them to rise up, but is not backing them up./
Taliban are pouring in from other regions.
CSMONITOR/23JULY
“AFGHAN WAR IS WORTH THE EFFORT”/
says Biden. BUT is it worth the GI blood
and billions of dollars?/ When even success
would not make our country a whit safer?
NYTIMES/23JULY
~ Wednesday, July 22, 2009
KURD/ARAB CIVIL WAR IN IRAQ? /
Kurds in defacto secession. /
Quarrel over oil-soaked Kirkuk.
Shia & Sunni Arabs might unite against Kurds. /
Kurds have army of 80,000. /
Kurdish neighbor powers want Kurds kept weak.
NEWS.YAHOO/22JULY
So far, Kurds & US have been allied.
POLLUTION DURING PREGNANCY LOWERS CHILD’S IQ/
News.yahoo.com/22july
More evidence of the harm done by megatechnology
in highway culture.
For explanation, see lamar.colostate.edu/~dlyons, in chapter two
SOPHISTICATED TAL. ATTACKS
VS. US, GOVT BASES/
Using gunmen and suicide bombers/ simultaneous attacks in Several cities./
LATIMES/22JULY
PAK.GOVT. VS. WAZIRISTAN GUERILLAS—
WILL TAKE YEARS./
20,000 GUERILLAS,/ GEOGRAPHY FAVORS GUERILLAS/
GOVT. BOMBING ENRAGES NON-COMMITTED NATIVES/
Latimes/22july
SOMALI JIHADISTS INFILTRATING INTO KENYA/
2 HAVENS FOR QUAEDA—RENDERING OUR AFGHAN WAR POINTLESS.
Nytimes/22july
PAK. OBJECT TO US TACTICS/
--They worry that the marine offensive will drive Taliban into Pakistan./If too many Tal. Do this,
they’d have to pull troops from Indian front—/
But there’s a limit on how many such troops will be moved./
--They still say US bombing of Pakistan is counterproductive, /
seriously impedes Pak. Attempts to pacify border regions.
GOOGLE NEWS/22JULY
Experts agree that danger to Pak.govt is worse
than problems in Afgh.
Pakistan has nukes !
~ Tuesday, July 21, 2009
US BOMBS POPPY-SEEDS/
CNN/21JULY
After war-experts’ warning that this would enrage
Hundreds of Afghan farmers.
FAILURE COMING IN IRAQ/
Experience of long earlier Brit occupation /
(31,000 Brit soldiers killed) /
Eventually they were driven out.
GUARDIAN/21JULY
INADEQUATE PAK. POLICE ARE FRONT-LINE VS. TALIBAN/
Under-equipped, undertrained, over-deployed.
LATIMES/21JULY
Gates says we have only till next summer to show progress.
WHAT ARE AFGHAN PROGRESS BENCHMARKS ?
Reelection of corrupt, incompetent Karzai regime?
Pacifying a handful of districts? Which ones ?
Putting down Taliban? Suppose they pull back
To regroup later?
68 BOMB-CASUALTIES IN IRAQ/
8 DEAD, 60 WOUNDED.
VOICE OF AMERICA/21JULY
US tells how many natives wounded
In Iraq & Afghanistan—but they won’t
Say how many GIs wounded.
Americans don’t want to know the full cost
Of these silly wars.
~ Monday, July 20, 2009
US TRAINING MORE SEDENTARY DRONE GUIDES--who could Be mean old ladies-- THAN FIGHTER JOCKS/
(noted once again by UnitedPress)
First, fighter planes and pilots became obsolete.
Now bomber pilots will be obsolete.
No macho adventure, glamour left in Air Force.—
Only in infantry.
IRAQ GIs UNDER HOUSE-ARREST?/
They can’t move without Iraqi permission.
CBSNEWS/20JULY
Maybe Iraqi govt. wants to hurry them out
So they’ll leave millions of dollars worth of equipment
Behind (as they did in Vietnam).
Americans should want them out quickly also.
US BARRED FROM PASSING IRAQ CHECKPOINTS/
VAGUE AGREEMENT leads to disagreements about
Measures to protect GIs./
WASH POST/20JULY
ANOTHER ALLIED AIRCRAFT DOWN IN AFGH/
Honchos immediately deny it was brought down
by enemy fire./
BBC/20JULY
Honchos have reason to lie about the several craft brought downRecently—they don’t want to admit
Taliban can down planes.
~ Sunday, July 19, 2009
BRIT.GOVT. TELLS NUMBER OF THEIR TROOPS WOUNDED EACH MONTH/
LONDON TIMES/
But US govt. does not give such information.
Yet many times wounds are a fate worse than death.
OUR SOLDIERS ARE TIRED (OF THE WAR)
AND SO ARE OUR PEOPLE;
We’ll have to show progress by next summer.
SAYS PENT.SECY GATES/
ABC TV NEWS/19JULY
But what counts as progess? How much is needed?
BRIT POVERTY THREATENS AFGHAN CAMPAIGN/
It’s either cut back in Afghanistan, or sacrifice other
War goals/
ABC/19JULY
MALIKI GOVT. RESTRICTS GIs FURTHER/
NO JOINT PATROLS./
RESUPPLY CONVOYS ONLY AT NIGHT.
US honchos worry that GIs will be further endangred.
MSNBC/19JULY
GLOOMY VIEW FOR BRIT.CAMPAIGN IN AFG/
Big problem is not shortage of equpment,
But shortage of troops.
LONDON TELEGRAPH/19JULY
2 COPTERS, 1 FIGHTER PLANE DOWN IN AFGHANISTAN/
many casualties/ Pentagon says plane wasn’t downed by enemy—
but a witness says it was.
CNN/19JULY
~ Saturday, July 18, 2009
COLLECTIVE PUN. FOR VILLAGES BY US
If captured GI is not returned.
Why this extra reaction?
A GI killed is hardly noticed;
A GI captured stays in the headlines.
WE CAN’T WIN AFGH/ says an expert Afghan woman.
Taliban can fade into civilian population.
Half of Afghans don’t approve of us—
even though they Dislike Taliban more.
We have two options: protect US lives by airstrikes
(enraging surviving civilians) or letting Taliban get away—
in fact Taliban get away even from our airstrikes.
AFGHAN WAR A BIG BLUNDER—
BUT WE CAN’T PULL OUT/
Says a column in LONDON TIMES/
However, she gives no solid reasons why Brits can’t pull out, Except that Obama can’t pull out, so Brits can’t./
The best we can hope for is continuation of corrupt,
Insane govt.in Afgh.
Nutty. Brits pulled out of Iraq; GIs are still there.
This was fallback Iraq position of hawks,
but Obama defied it. Only 1 in 3 Brits want to stay in
indefinitely.
NO CIVIL GOVT. IN TAL-CLEARED REGIONS/
GIs moved into Helmland without much resistance,
But people fear they will leave & Tal. Will return.
There are no judges,etc. to govern these areas—
Western agencies are there, but they must be supplemented
By Afghan agencies—there are few educated & honest
Afghans who are eligible.
WASH POST/18JULY
~ Friday, July 17, 2009
SWAT OFFENSIVE VS. TALIBAN MAY HAVE ALREADY FAILED/
Says NEWSWEEK/
Refugees say Taliban is still potent in some areas;
Govt is pressuring them to return,
But they are worried.
Govt. has always been incompetent at big projects
Like providing for returning refugees.
18 months to get Afghan troops up to speed/
says Brit journal. The fond hope is that Afghan troops
will HOLD areas the allied soldiers CLEAR.
REUTERS/17JULY
One observer says that all the SUITABLE Afghan officers
Are already in place…no great increase possible.
PAK.MILITIAS FIGHT VS. TALIBAN ‘LOSING STEAM’/
They won’t accept govt. help/mountain geography
Makes cooperation very difficult.
UNITED PRESS FEATURE STORIES/17JULY
INDONESIA BOMBS CAUSE 58 CASUALTIES/
Two US hotels bombed.
WASH POST/17JULY
One more indication that even if we prevail over Taliban-
(Over how many years? How many allied casualties?)
Our homelands will be no more secure.
CANADIANS TURN AGAINST AFGHAN FIASCO/
54% oppose Canadian involvement; only 1 in 3 support it.
SEATTLEPI/17JULY
Brit support is weak./ If we lose our 2 main allies,
Americans will also become disenchanted.
~ Thursday, July 16, 2009
TALIBAN INFLUENCE RISING IN AFGHANISTAN/
MISCONDUCT AMONG FOREIGN FORCES,
MUSLIM SOLIDARITY./
INFLUENCE INCREASING AMONG PASHTUN
AND NON-PASHTUN/
Says Afghan thinktank.
MIDDAYNEWS/16JULY
TOO FEW AFGHAN TROOPS AVAILABLE/
Says McCrystal./US strategy is that we will clear areas of Taliban,
Then Afghans will hold them. But so far…
NYTIMES/16JULY
~ Wednesday, July 15, 2009
PAKISTANIS TRUST CHINA FAR MORE THAN AMERICA/
30% trust US president/ 80% trust China president/
EXAMINER.COM/15JULY
JULY IS BLOODIEST MONTH OF AFGHAN WAR/
Most allied soldiers killed or wounded/
REUTERS,ALERTNET/15JULY
~ Tuesday, July 14, 2009
8 TO 10 YRS FOR EVEN MODERATE SUCCESS
VS. TALIBAN ! /
says Gates./UNITED PRESS/EMERGING THREATS/deBorchgrave
Can we believe Americans will stand for 8 more years of this war, After 8 years already ?
The longer Obama waits to pull out, the bigger political damage Will be done to him & Democratic party.
SHORTAGE OF BRIT COPTERS IN AFGH?
Brit war honcho says Brit troops must go out on foot
To meet & gain support from local natives.
LONDON TELEGRAPH/14JULY
However, this strategy will spike Brit casualties,
Undermine home support for war.
TALIBAN HOME-MADE BOMBS A THREAT/
They no longer depend on smuggling weapons in from outside.
LONDON TIMES/14JULY
BRITS CAN’T AFFORD ‘BIG POWER’ WAR BUDGET/
Till now, they’ve been loyal backing for US Pentagon.
But now they won’t spend to send more troops to Afgh;
Result: they can clear areas but not hold them.
FINANCIAL TIMES/14JULY
IN AFGH FOR 50, 100 YEARS?/
Asks a Brit expert./ We have no political goals./
We don’t know what we’re fighting to achieve./
American forces have only achieved power
To pull out of IRAQ.
CSMONITOR/14JULY
~ Monday, July 13, 2009
INDIRECT COSTS OF WAR/
Returning combat vets are at greater risk of suicide
(more this year than last); their sergeants & officers
don’t know what to do to prevent these suicides.
Also, soldiers with shell-shock are at higher risk
Later of dementia.(USATODAY/13JULY)
But who cares? When our propagandists tell us
That we are morally and prudentially obliged to go to war
Again, most Americans will likely fall for this again.
BRIT TROOPS SAID TO SHRINK BY 7500/
While Brit military honchos say they need to be increased.
LONDON INDEPENDENT/13JULY
‘ENORMOUS TAL. STRIDES’ IN IMPROVING BOMBS/
They can now make them from fertilizer,& paint ingredient/
They also recycle huge US bombs that didn’t go off.
LONDON TELEGRAPH/13JULY
CONFUSED BRIT GOALS IN AFGH/
An article in LondonTimes (Times.online.co.uk) 13 July
Lists half-a-dozen alleged goals which the Brit govt.
Announced—these goals are mainly impossible or pointless.
~ Sunday, July 12, 2009
PENT.DOESN’T COUNT US WOUNDED/
Now they don’t even use word ‘wounded’,
Only’injured’.
COUNTERPUNCH
Sometimes being wounded is worse than being killed.
Hundreds of thousands of GIs come home brain-injured’
Dozens commit suicide.
NEW US POLL-HIGH SAY AFGHAN WAR A MISTAKE/
42%/USATODAY/
As GI casualties spike, this number will become a majority.
Already it's being called 'Obama's war'
and it is.
TRUE UNEMPLOYMENT:20%/
MSN,.MONEY/12JULY
1930s joblessness was only 25%/
We’re in a DEPRESSION, NOT A RECESSION.
WAR IS MILLSTONE ON AFRICA AND US/
OBAMA DISCUSSES WAR’S WEIGHT ON AFRICA,
BUT NOT WEIGHT OF RECENT WARS ON US.
CNN/12JULY
437 IRAQIS KILLED IN JUNE BY BOMBS/
LONDON TELEGRAPH/12JULY
US pullout not a success; but as long as
GI toll is down, Americans won’t care.
US NOT WORKING TO SEAL PAK. BORDER/
Says Pak honcho./ He says binLaden & other Tal. Honchos
Are in Afgh.,not in Pak./ and that US airstrikes in Pak.
Are undermining support for govt.
LONDON TIMES/12JULY
Border is 1500 miles long !
WITHOUT RETHINKING, BRITS MUST COME HOME /
15 BRITS KILLED IN 11 DAYS/
Populace will rank saving soldiers’ lives now
Above remote gamble that success in Afgh
Will protect Britain.
GUARDIAN/12JULY
MOST BRITS SAY ‘PULL OUT !’/
64% SAY OUT/ ONLY 27% SAY STAY/
LATIMES/12JULY
Theyre not fooled by claims
that Afghan fiasco will protect Britain.
TRYING TO WIN A WAR WE’RE LOSING/
Iraq successes don’t work in Afgh/
e.g., we can’t arm the natives, because of
inter-tribe warfare.
WASH POST/12JULY
~ Saturday, July 11, 2009
IMMEDIATE AFGHAN TARGET IS SAFE ELECTION/
Says Obama.. Then our non-military missions will begin./
BBC 11JULY
But election will return the feckless and corrupt
Karzai regime.
NATO ‘ALLIES’: ISAF =‘I SAW AMERICANS FIGHT’/
Most forces in Afgh. have various restrictions against fighting
From their governments/
UNITED PRESS/COMMENTARY/11JULY
These countries no longer approve of Afghan fiasco.
WITHOUT DOUBLING AFGHAN FORCES,
WE’LL LOSE WAR /
This would mean many billions more of dollars,
And thousands more GIs as trainers.
WASH POST/11JULY
8 BRIT SOLDIERS KILLED IN 24 HOURS/
out of only 8000 troops in Afgh.
more than those killed in Iraq.
front-page Brit stories/
opposition parties say these forces aren’t well-equipped/
LONDON TELEGRAPH/11JULY
Brit populace will likely demand pullout,
Just as in Iraq.
A WINLESS,POINTLESS WAR
based on disparate(unproved) assumptions:
“that Ungoverned or hostile Afgh threatens global security,
undermines global stability /
“that we CAN bring them prosperity
and security/
“that this is our moral obligation”
“that these assumptions are compatible
and reinforce each other.”
These same assumptions were made by a Brit honcho
In 1838; luckily Brit govt. was smart enough to reject them.
LONDON TELEGRAPH/11JULY
Also, Amer. & Brit populations couldn’t stop goofy war
In 1838. They can now.
~ Friday, July 10, 2009
DESPERATE US MIGHT NEGOTIATE WITH TALIBAN LEADER/
US can’t win vs. Taliban.
Pakistan will mediate, IF US can persuade India to back down.
CNN/10JULY
SOMALIA A TERRORIST HAVEN/
Qaeda fighters flood in from other countries./
ABC/10JULY
Another indication that even if we prevailed in Afgh,
We’d be no safer at home.
IRAQ INVASION EMPOWERS QAEDA IN AFRICA/
Foreign fighters return from Iraq, now trained in bomb-use.
NYTIMES/10JULY
TOO FEW AFGHAN TROOPS IN MARINE OFFENSIVE/
Says top Marine honcho/ Only 650 Afghans/
CBS/10JULY
Afghan troops are incompetent; but they’re needed
To accompany GIs to reassure natives.
50 IRAQIS KILLED THURSDAY/
Worst since 75 killed in one day in June.
WASH POST/10JULY
US & Iraq govt. can’t protect citizens.
BRITS MAY CUT WAR BUDGET/
CSMONITOR/10JULY
When will US realize we can no longer afford
Swollen Pentagon budget?
IRAQ KURDS IN DE FACTO SECESSION/
New constitution passed by parliament,
Up for referendum.
NYTIMES/10JULY
If this goes thru, Shia in Southern Iraq
Will also secede, leaving Sunnis and central govt
with little oil.
FEWER SCIENCE WORSHIPPERS/
‘Science is our greatest achievement !”47% TO 27%/
SeaattlePI/10JULY
For an argument that megatechnology
Does much good, but even more harm,
See lamar.colostate.edu/~dlyons
AT CHAPTER TWO
BRIT PM SAYS WE HAVE TO STAY IN AFGH/
Before, he said that this war protects Britain from terrorists./
WallSt.Journal/10july
This is nonsense; there are many other havens for
Terrorists, threatening US & Britain./
After all, Britain has already been attacked,
Even during this war.
9 British soldier killed in last 9 days.
Sooner of later, British people will rebel,
demand withdrawal--just as they demanded
withdrawal from Iraq.
~ Thursday, July 09, 2009
RETHINK AFGHAN COMMITMENT/
saysBRIT. POL.HONCHO/
Brits are upset at spiking casualties/
LONDON TELEGRAPH/9JULY
“WE CAN DEFEAT OURSELVES”/
says honcho MacCrystal/
“if we alienate ordinary Afghans while killing Taliban.”
LONDON TIMES/9JULY
AFGHANS MAY RISE UP VS. RE-ELECTED KARZAI/
Says US mil.honcho./
They are alienated by this regime’s incompetence & corruption.
GUARDIAN/9JULY
MANY DEM LAWMAKERS VOTED AGAINST
$ TO CONTINUE AFGHAN WAR/
They worried about ‘another Vietnam’, about lack of exit
GLOBALPOST/9JULY
BUILDING RAPPORT WITH AFGHAN NATIVES WILL TAKE MONTHS OR YEARS/ CSMONITOR/9JULY
But Americans won’t stand for more years of this fiasco,
After 8 years already.
AFRICAN QUAEDA STRONGER/
NYTIMES/9JULY/
Once again, we are overemphasizing relative dangers
From Afghanistan, ignoring other terrorist havens.
We should pull out of Afgh and spend money
And attention of Home Defense.
AFGHAN BOMBS SHATTER RECORD/
This June, nearly 200 GI casualties./
82 attacks killed or wounded at least 1 GI./
736 attacks in June/ USATODAY/9JULY
(MORE THAN 1 IN 3 ATTACKS CAUSED AT LEAST 1 GI CASUALTY.
Attacks are getting more sophisticated.)
1 BOMB KILLS 25 AFGHANS/Another kills 2 GIs/
1st bomb intended for Kabul, but exploded accidentally outside./
Main road out of Kabul is perilous, threatened by Taliban.
FOXNEWS/9JULY
~ Wednesday, July 08, 2009
800 AFGHAN CIVILIANS KILLED BY OUR SIDE/
says UN. Now the new commander says they will
sacrifice advantages to minimize civilian deaths.
Prolonged battles ahead.
UNITED PRESS/EMERGING THREATS/8JULY
SHIA BLOC COULD HELP US/
Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Hezbollah are all
hostile to Sunni terrorists./
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan are all Sunni,
Apt to side with the terrorists.
USATODAY/8JULY
WHY AFGHAN WAR GOES ON AND ON/
Obama foolishly used Afghan crisis
as excuse to bug out of Iraq.
But that war is more hopeless than Iraq.
He should face the fact that in 2010 he will lose
The Dem supermajority in Senate, will be unable
to push programs.
He will also likely be one-term President.
So the sooner he pulls out of Afghanistan, the better
For him & Dems politically. Americans forget quickly.
WARS, GUNS AND AUTOS
“Don’t get excited about our wars; they kill and maim fewer Americans than do autos!”
“Don’t get excited about handguns; they kill and maim fewer Americans than autos !”
Both claims are true—but they don’t mitigate
the horrors of war or of handguns;
They just show that the auto-culture (vs. public transit) is even more horrible.
CHEAP LASERS THREATEN PLANES/
A cheap, pen-sized laser can send beams up to 37,000 feet,
Blinds pilots in takeoff&landing.
LONDON TELEGRAPH/8JULY
FOR AN ARGUMENT EXPLAINING DANGERS OF MEGATECHNOLOGY,
SEE LAMAR.COLOSTATE.EDU/~DLYONS
AT CH.2
11 US AGENCIES SUFFER COMPUTER OUTAGE FOR 3 DAYS/
from cyber attack.
When will we learn that main threat to US is NOT Afghanistan?
NEWS.YAHOO/8JULY
98% OF PAK. DRONE VICTIMS ARE INNOCENTS/
says a Pakistan source./ They ‘galvanize’ the Taliban, /
threaten popular support for govt./
In some contexts, such attacks could be called WAR CRIMES./
CSMONITOR/8JULY
NO SUCCESS IN A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS/
Says Brit honcho. Taliban tactics develop along with ours./
More casualties.
He says Afghan situation is ‘serious’—
That’s military code for ‘hopeless’.
REUTERS/8JULY
FEW COMPETENT AFGHAN TROOPS VS. TALIBAN/
That’s our Achilles heel /
We have only 1 month to provide services in Helmland,
To reassure natives that they’re better off without Taliban.
NYTIMES/8JULY
There are 170,000 Afghan troops & police—but they’re not competent.
~ Tuesday, July 07, 2009
# OF MENTALLY TROUBLED MIL.CHILDREN DOUBLE SINCE 2002/
Number of Those needing to be hospitalized has spiked.
NEWS.YAHOO./7JULY
HIDDEN COSTS OF SILLY WARS.
BOMBING IRAN NOW MORE DIFFICULT/
Taking out their nuclear plants would involve
high civilian casualties,
Slaughtering the very protesters
now praised by the world.
GLOBALPOST./7JULY
7 GIs killed Monday/
It turns out that more were killed than noted earlier.
These attacks were outside Helmland,
Show Taliban strategy of countering marine advances
In Helmland, with mine & guerilla attacks elsewhere.
CSMONITOR/7JULY
These attacks predict spike in GI casualties in future.
~ Monday, July 06, 2009
AFGHAN FIASCO: HOW LONG?
Pent. Honchos say ‘months’ /
USATODAY/6JULY
Actually, it will take DOZENS OF MONTHS/
Added to the 8 years already of wasted
GI suffering and billions of dollars.
IRAQ MIGHT SPLIT/
If oil-sharing is not settled/
NYTIMES/6JULY
VP Biden has been advocating partition
As the only way to avoid civil war.
~ Sunday, July 05, 2009
VILLAGERS DON’T TRUST MARINES/
Many intenational forces have come thru our village,
Promising help that never came.
If you don’t deliver, we’ll have no more meetings
With you.
REUTERS/5JULY
~ Saturday, July 04, 2009
KARZAI PARDONS DRUG HONCHOS/
US chatters about no longer attacking poppy growers
(who supply most heroin in world)
but attacking drug lords.
However, Karzai pardons 10 of these drug lords
(from powerful families.)
US honcho says this is 'disturbing'.
UNITED PRESS/ 4JULY
OK TO ATTACK NASTY IRANIAN REGIME?
We never hesitated because we thought they were nice.
Instead, we worried about their capacity for retaliation,
Especially against 130,000 GIs in next-door Iraq.
AFGHAN VICTORY IMPOSSIBLE/
Amid a blizzard of euphemisms and code-words,
One fact remains—going into Afgh. was a mistake, /
And now we can’t win.
Karzai will win ‘election’, and continue his corrupt,
Incompetent regime./ There is no real central govt. /
In Afgh. US is ready to back decentralized warlords
Instead. (They backed US invasion.)
LONDON TIMES/4JULY
DUBIOUS CLAIMS OF ENEMY CASUALTIES/
Taliban claims crashed Pak. Copter was hit by them.
Why should we believe them?
Pak. & US constantly claim that they have killed
Dozens of Taliban. Why should we believe them?
~ Friday, July 03, 2009
DOZENS OF AFGHAN CASUALTIES/
From Taliban attacks/
IRISH SUN/3JULY
So far, US is not doing well
protecting Afghan innocents.
DEFINING AFGHAN SUCCESS/
“no havens for attacking America’ says Obama.
(not rebuilding Afghanistan !)
CBS/3JULY
But even if we suppress Taliban, there remain
Many such havens all over the world.
Why the terrific emphasis on Pakistan/Afgh.?
RUSS WERE BEATEN,IN SPITE OF OVER 100K TROOPS/
Nobody is talking of defeating Taliban in near future.
Obama sets 2-yr deadline for military defeat of Taliban.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jul/03/colonel-thorneloe-afghanistan-military
If this deadline is not met, what then?
MORE GI CASUALTIES EXPECTED/
Says US commander./
No reason to expect Taliban to split;
They’re winning, & marrying into tribes.
LATIMES/3JULY
MORE CASUALTIES WILL LIKELY COLLAPSE
POPULAR SUPPORT HERE (ALREADY VERY WEAK)
~ Thursday, July 02, 2009
Afgh. project will take ‘a few years’ says Pent. Honcho.
Taliban have the momentum now;
It’ll take a year for us to regain the momentum.
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/world/asia_pacific/aposthe+enemy+has+the+momentum+in+afghanistanapos/3230157
Who thinks, after 7 years of 2 wars, that Americans will
Support ‘a few more years’ of blood and money expended?
Homeland honcho says obsession with Qaeda terrorists
is distracting us from The domestic, right-wing terrorists who are recruiting returning combat GIs./
It’s said that 1% of world Muslims sympathize with jihaists—That’s 10 MILLION sympathizers.
We shouldn’t turn against all Muslims because of the danger from 1 in 100 of them.
But we should worry about ten million threats
all over the world, plus fascist Americans.
We should concentrate on Homeland Defense,
After pulling out of Afghanistan.
Pent. Honcho says we have only one year to reconstruct Afghan economy
before US popular support disappears (already weak). One year? Bloody likely.
A.deBORCHGRAVE IN UNITED PRESS
IRAN IS OUR DEAR, NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR/
Says Shia honcho in Najaf,Iraq./
One more indication that our stupid invasion
Eliminated enemy of Iran (hostile to America)
And set up alliance with Shia-run Iraq.
Iran is winning Iraq war.
US FIGHTING ‘WRONG WAR’ IN AFGH/
What counts is events in PAK./
US doesn’t have a credible strategy/
For instance, all credible Afghan officers
Are already in place./ Not enough./
US hasn’t decided whether to support corrupt central govt.
Or support decentralized warlords./
Says observer in FINANCIAL TIMES
(10 MAY, REPRINTED 2JULY)
OBAMA ENVOY TELLS GENERALS
‘NO MORE GIs YET’/
One general there says that O’s strategy requires 100,000 GIs.
WASH POST/2JULY
MAKING HISTORY: GOOD OR BAD?
AFGH. MARINES TOLD TO MAKE HISTORY /
WashPost/2July
The Bushies made history—worst in US history.
MARINE AFGHAN OFFENSIVE/
4000 MARINES COPTERED INTO TALIBAN STRONGHOLD./
They say they’ll stay and hold region../
And they’ll live right in villages./
CSMONITOR/2JULY
Taliban will fade into population.
But this approach might raise US casualties
Enough to drain already-weak war-support
Among Americans & Congress.
JIHADIST PROPAGANDA IN PAK.REFUGEE CAMPS/
Jihadist ‘Charities’ deliver aid, while govt is slow.
US sends millions in aid, but are forbidden to
Show their faces in camps.
SADDAM BLUFF AIMED AT IRAN/
He hinted he had mass-destr.weapons/
REUTERS/2JULY
After all, he wasted hundred of thousands of Iraqis
In a war with Iran.
We are hostile toward Iran;
But our stupid invasion removed
one of their Main enemies./
US is dumb in foreign affairs;
We should concentrate on Homeland Defense.
~ Wednesday, July 01, 2009
NOT WINNING IN AFGH/ said thinktank in ‘08/
High mil. Honcho says same is true now./
Chatter is about eliminating Karzai-corruption,
Reviving economy, use of Afghan security forces./
First is impossible /3d has not worked until now/
2d is doubtful.
In any case, no more GIs to Afghanistan.
One general says we need 30k more to hold places once cleared of Taliban.
WashPost/1July
