SAUDI INDIVIDUALS CAN STILL FUND TALIBAN,OTHER TERRORISTS/
Say Congressional investigators.

USATODAY/30SEPT

 
DECREPIT AFGHAN FORCES/
The only way US can back out gracefully is to seem at least
To leave Afghan army & police in charge of
fighting Taliban.

But this effort faces staggering difficulties:
--Whereas Iraqis included many soldiers trained in Iran/Iraq war, not so in Afgh.

--When GI leader suggested an Afghan force to go to a disputed village, he was told that wouldn’t be safe.

--1 in 4 Aghan soldiers in 1 district are on leave or AWOL.

--McCrystal dream of a competent Afghan army of 240k.

--Fewer than 1 in 3 Afghans are literate;malnutrition is rampant,and Taliban pay their grunts
more than Kabul does !

--40GIs died in Sept (as in previous months)—
how many wounded?

--“A lot of these guys are useless. If we left, they couldn’t stop Taliban from waltzing back in.”

--Afghans rarely wear the body armor they’re issued.

--US GIs have to talk to villagers; Afghan troops just stand guard. (perhaps afraid of Tal. Retaliation.)

--A village elder was eager for US money, but wouldn’t submitto identification—“I wouldn’t want Tal. To know I’m collaborating with US.”

--14000 more GIs needed to train Afghan soldiers.

--McCrystal project would take 3 to 5 more years.

--An Afghan officer took out his troops
halfway thru a patrol, so they could go eat.

--Corruption: robbing civilians.

USATODAY/30SEPT

 
WHO WILL BE BLAMED FOR AFGHAN FAILURE? /
Toward the end of the Vietnam fiasco, Pres.Johnson was inclined to deny demands for more troops—but when MacNamara Endorsed demands, Johnson caved in—
for fear he’d be blamed For ‘1st US defeat’.

Analogously, Gates at first seconded Obama’s reluctance
To escalate—but lately he’s been talking about failure
As unthinkable.

If Obama refuses more troops, he’ll be blamed for failure
by united military & from Congressional and media hawks.
Petraaeus & McCrystal demanded more troops
So they won’t be blamed for failure.

(But retreat has already been ordered;
they’ll defend only cities, not the villages
where most Afghans live.)

But if Obama sends 40k more troops,
He’ll still be blamed for failure,
Just as Johnson was blamed
and had to flee the Oval Office.

 
MYTHICAL SALVATION BY AFGHAN ARMY/
--our target: 250 k troops/
--Now only 80k

--70% of officers are Tajik, not respected by Pashtun grunts/

--Grunts heavily infiltrated by Taliban.
DeBorchgrave in UNITED PRESS FEATURES

 
OBAMA’S NOT CONCERNED TO SAFE FACE
IN AFGHANISTAN/
Or to show we have an ‘unwavering commitment’ there.
on MEET THE PRESS,reported in THE ECONOMIST.

He’s concerned about the GIs over there.

So he must be worried about military plans
to protect GIs less, Afghans more.

 
MOST AFGHANS HATE FOREIGN TROOPS,
DON’T WANT MORE GIs/
ABC/29SEPT

 
--Aghans support hampered by civilian casualties
and cultural insensitivity/


--Mission creep has distracted us/

--no evidence of fewer poppies/

--weak, corrupt police drive people back to Taliban/

--No change in oppression of women

So says Brit Parliament committee

GUARDIAN/8JULY

 
OBAMA ACCEPTS KARZAI
AS AFGHAN PRESIDENT/
LONDON TIMES/29SEPT

 
LESS EMPHASIS ON PROTECTING GIs/
Said explicitly by McCrystal.

Unlikely that Afghan forces can be spiked
As fast as McC hopes.
FINANCIAL TIMES/29September

This means more GI casualties,
Plummeting home support

 
US STARTS WARS
IT DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO FINISH/
Say Pak. Intel honchos/

They deny they’re helping Afgh. jihadists.

They fear McCrystal’s requested 40K new GIs
would be Counterproductive.
DAVID IGNATIUS IN WASH POST/29SEPT

 
QETTA IS NEW PAK. HAVEN FOR TAL/
Some call MullahOmar the ‘mayor of Qetta’

US admits it has almost no intel about the area.
But it was said that US was ready to bomb the city !

Rumors of US pullout make Pak. Govt.
Even less willing to cross Tal. Attacking Afgh.

WashingtonPost/29SEPT

 
AFGAN BOMB KILLS AT LEAST 30/
BBC/29SEPT

 
RT-WINGERS SAY PULL OUT OF AFGH/
The CATO Institute gives sensible reasons.

A hawk group says we should stay in for TEN more years.

CHINA NEWS/29SEPT

 
6 QUESTIONS FOR OBAMA RE:AFGH/
says a Dem legislator/
--Why are we in Afgh?
--Why does it matter?
--What exactly is our mission there?
--What will it cost?
--Will we have any allies in our mission?
--How long will we have their support?

CNN/29SEPT

 
MAJORITY OF EVEN GOP SAY NO SURGE/
57% OPPOSE SENDING TENS OF THOUSANDS MORE GIs
TO THAT HOPELESS., POINTLESS WAR/
Of course only 1 in 3 Dems think we ‘must win’ in Afgh.
GEORGE WILL IN NEWSWEEK

 
AFGHAN STALEMATE/ GIs can go anywhere
in this region; SO CAN TALIBAN/
We would win village by village…/
ABC/28SEPT

But talk is of pulling back to population centers,
Abandoning villages where most Afghans live.

 
“COMMUNISM’S FALL PROVES MAN NEEDS GOD”/
says Pope./
REUTERS/28SEPT
He’s really saying world needs to submit to Pope,
the Vicar of Christ.

 
“SEND JUST A FEW THOUSAND MORE TROOPS?”/
then pull out of villages, and just protect population centers/
then bomb the hell out of villages harboring jihadists.

UNITED PRESS/28SEPT

This sounds like a clear prescription for expensive failure.

 
OBAMA DOOMED IF HE CROSSES GENERALS?
They demand he not hesitate to esacalate war/
LONDON TIMES/28SEPT

But he’s also doomed if he commits 40K more GIs.
And GI casualty rate doesn’t drop in a year.

So he’s doomed to a one-term Presidency—
He might as well follow his conscience and pull out.

 
CANADIAN GENERAL LAMBASTS AFGHAN LOCALS/
For not warning Canadians of planted bombs./
He threatens to cut ‘development’ efforts in that area.
GLOBE AND MAIL/28SEPT

 
“WE COULD DO GOOD THINGS IN AFGH FOR 100 YRS & STILL FAIL”
says McCrystal./

But he also says that if we don’t throw in 40k more GIs,
And set about ‘nation-building’ for more years,
We’ll fail in a year.

LATIMES/28SEPT

One would hope he’s covertly saying we must pull out.

 
“OBAMA CAN’T DOWNSIZE
TO AFGHAN VICTORY”/
Just bombing Qaeda won’t work./
We have to have our troops mixing with natives/
says hawk writer MaxBoot
LATIMES/28SEPT

He’s right—we must either escalate or evacuate./
McCrystal didn’t say escalating would lead to success,/
Just that not escalating would mean quick failure./
We should evacuate.

 
“MCCRYSTAL HAS SHOWN US A WAY FORWARD IN AFGH”/
says a GOP legislator./
Voice of America/28Sept
Peoople talk of progress and regress,
but rarely of DEGRESS—
Going forward and DOWN.

 
MCCRYSTAL’S DEMANDS WOULD MEAN
AN AFGHAN ARMY OF 400K/
Never has Afgh had an army like this/
Even the officers are illiterate.

Central govt. is now illegitimate/
Police force is completely corrupt/
Talk is of ‘progress’ within 1 year !

 
PETRAEUS TRAPPING OBAMA/
Pressure to authorize 40k more troops quickly./
Obamites have ‘buyers’ remorse’ over war/
Petraeus may run for Pres. In 2012.

CBS/27September

Obama should face up to a one-term presidency;
He’ll be even more discredited when the new surge
Doesn’t improve Afghan situation.

So he should go public on his
new rejection of the war.

 
6 MORE NATO SOLDIERS KILLED/
how many wounded?
UNITED PRESS/27SEPT

 
SUPPORT FOR OBAMA’S AFGHAN POLICY DROPS/
To 44%/
A majority want us out in 2 years.
UNITED PRESS/27SEPT

 
US MIGHT BOMB PAK.CITY OF QUETTA
THAT HARBORS QAEDA LEADERS/
Brit Honcho calls that move ‘unthinkable’./
Qaedas may move to Karachi—bombing that city would be
Really unthinkable./
LONDON TIMES/27SEPT

 
DON’T TALK DOWN EUR. AID IN AFGH—
OR THEY WILL PULL OUT/
Says Danish honcho./

He acknowledges that some European troops are forbidden to do any real fighting.

European populaces want to see light at end of tunnel.

LONDON TIMES/27SEPT

 
TALIBAN $ MAY BE IMPOSSIBLE TO BLOCK/
From poppies, extortion,
AND FROM FOREIGN CONTRIBUTORS/
WASHINGTON POST/27SEPT

 
PAK.TRAINING CAMPS FOR JIHADISTS
HARD TO CLOSE DOWN/
They have adjusted to attacks by makeshift,mobile sites.
CSMONITOR/27sept

 
SUPPOSE AFGHANS EXPELLED 2 SUPERPOWERS/
Big boost in Jihadist morale, says Gates/
So he opposes deadline for pullout.
USATODAY/27September

But their morale will be boosted even more
When 40K more GIs are wasted without prevailing.

Anyway, McCrystal has set a deadline for 'progress'
(or what?) in about a year.

The only 'progress' Americans will accept
is a big drop in GI casualties--
and no honcho has predicted that soon.

 
45 security persons killed by Tal. in Pakistan,
plus some tribal elders
CSMONITOR/27SEPT

 
200 GIs killed in 3 months in Afgh/
VoiceOfAmerica/27sept
Probably 800 wounded/

 
EVEN OUR PRAGMATISTS ARE DREAMERS !
Richard Holbrooke (our top honcho re: Afgh & Pak) is reputed to be
Very tough, informed, and pragmatic.

And yet he can mouth this absurdity:
“I still believe in the possibility of the United States, with all its will
and all its strength,
and I don’t mean just military,
persevering against any challenge.”
Packer in NEW YORKER28SEPT

We’re practically bankrupt,
--we have a President imprisoned by his foolish Campaign speeches
for escalation in AfPak,

--a Congress imprisoned by Big Money
(especially the trillions available to War Corporations)

--we haven’t really won a real war since WWII.

—we’re in a war that our top honcho says we’re losing (and will lose in a year if he doesn’t get 40K more GIs to throw into the mill!)

--McCrystal doesn't say we'll prevail with all these extra troops.

--we’re involved in 2 wars where our elite don’t understand local languages or cultures,

--We seem ready to let Israel drag us into another war in Iran,

--only 40% of Americans want us to persevere in Afghanistan.

--This number has been sinking and will go on sinking.

 
BASIC AFGHAN UNIT IS TRIBE/
If we don’t win them over, we might as well get out.
UNITED PRESS FEATURES/16September

It would take years to win them over;
American support would plummet even more.

US is moving to protect cities, not tribal villages.

 
TALIBAN ATTACKS ‘WEAK-LINK’ GERMAN TROOPS/
A large majority of Germans wants out of Afgh/
Constantly attacked, Germans can’t perform their non-combat missions/high casualty rate

2D FRONT, FAR FROM AFPAK BORDER
LONDON TELEGRAPH/26SEPT

 
GIs ARE HOSTAGES/
--in Korea, 30k GIs could be slaughtered if we bombed No.Korea/
--in Iraq, 130k GIs could be slaughtered
if we (or Israel) bomb Iran.

 
4 IN 10 SAY ‘WITHDRAW’
(6 in 10 Democrats)

50% say No more GIs to Afgh
USATODAY/26SEPT

 
‘WE MUST CONVINCE VILLAGERS WE’LL STAY TO PROTECT THEM”/
says Canadian general./
GLOBE&MAIL/26SEPT
But apparently decision has already been made
to settle for protecting Afghan cities,
Not the villages where most Afghans live.

 
DECISION-TIME SHORT FOR OBAMA/
If he decides to de-escalate (& then pull out) he has time/
But if he decides to escalate & send up to 40k more GIs,
He has to say ‘yes’ soon, so new GIs will be there
Before next Spring, when fighting will escalate.

The 20k added already have done little good.

NEWS.YAHOO/26SEPT

 
‘MORE AFGHAN TROOPS’ IS NOT A STRATEGY,
but a rhetorical device to avoid sending more GIs,
says expert Cordesman.

Afghan troops lack training, supplies, sometimes lack pay for 2 months!
GLOBALPOST/26sept

 
2 BOMBS CAUSE 200 CASUALTIES
IN PAKISTAN/
SEATTLEPI/26SEPT

 
MCCRYSTAL SAYS HE NEEDS
HALF A MILLION TROOPS/
Most from Afghan army/ They must be armed and trained..
And he needs 5 years—after 8 years already./
HUFFINGTONPOST/26SEPT

 
AFGHAN GUERILLAS SUPPORTED BY PAKISTAN?
Top US general, McCrystal , said this flatly—
He also mentioned support from’Gulf Region Arabs’
(e.g. Saudi Arabians)

Al Jazeera/26sept/

 
OBAMA SLIPS BACK TO MISSION CREEP/
Lately Obama has narrowed his focus to eliminating Qaeda in Afgh--
Which is a result we might able to accomplish./
But just now he talked about our goal of ‘stabilizing’
Afgh. AND PAKISTAN./
VOICE OF AMERICA/26SEPT

This is a fantastically difficult task, probably impossible./
There’s little reason to think we have stabilized Iraq,
Where sectarian violence is still a reality, ready to explode soon.
(All we've done is lower GI casualties, and Iraqi casualties (perhaps
temporarily.)

Setting up stable, credible, functional governments in Afgh & Pak.
Looks impossible. The recent ridiculous election in Afgh. illustrates this.

Morevover, we don’t NEED stable governments there, not in order to
Make our Homeland safer. Rather, stable governments there
Won’t WORK to protect our homeland—not when so many other
Places can harbor jihadists.


It looks like Obama is giving in to the hawks like McCrystal, committing himself To a years-long effort in that region, wasting thousands of Gi casualties
And hundreds of billions of US money, when we’re practically bankrupt.

 
FEWER THAN 1 IN 3 AMERICANS WANT MORE GIs SENT TO AFGH/
Assoc.Press/25September/

If they know about McCrystal’s prediction that we’ll lose war without more troops,
That means that only 29% want us to stay in Afgh.

 
INDIA, PAKISTAN, AND AFGHANISTAN/
80% of Pak. Army is on Indian border,
not fighting Taliban/
Pak. Honcho admitted that much US aid to Pak,
intended for anti-Taliban Efforts,
was diverted to anti-India measures./

Pakistan leaders foresee NATO pulling out of Afgh,
Worry that India would have great influence
in post-Nato Afgh,
--so they back Taliban as counter to India.
REUTERS/25SEPT

 
AFGHAN PASHTUNS HOPE TO RESTORE THEIR FORMER PRESTIGE/
By backing Taliban.
LONDON TIMES/25SEPT

 
SURPRISING TALIBAN POWER REVEALED BY US SURGE/
Says Canadian general/
GLOBE & MAIL/25SEPT

 
17 US ALLIES ARE CASUALTIES IN AFGH/
nytimes/25sept

 
PAKISTAN UNLIKELY TO BE MUCH HELP FOR US IN AFGH/
--they foresee pullout soon of Nato/
--they worry that India might have powerful influence
in Afgh when Nato pulls out/
--they see Taliban as the main force in Afgh
that would back Pakistan interests/
SEATTLEPI/25SEPT

 
ANTI-US PAKISTANIS THREATEN COOPERATION/
Only 13% like America/
Visas refused for US agents supposedly trying to help Pakistan.
US is tripling $ for Pakistan.
WASHINGTON POST/25SEPT

 
MCCRYSTAL DIDN’T SAY WE’D WIN WITH 40K EXTRA GIs/
He just said we’d probably lose without them./
Hawks try to hurry Obama’s decision—they won’t.
OPINION in McClatchy Papers.

 
5 GIs KILLED IN AFGH/
in different attacks
LONDON TIMES/25SEPT

 
SAME OLD MANTRA/ In USATODAY/24SEPT,
2 EXPERTS ARGUE THAT WE CAN’T ‘GO SMALL’
IN AFGH--RELYING ON PLANES & SHIPS TO BOMB
QAEDA IN IRAQ, NOT ON MORE TROOPS.

Why can’t we just pull out? “This would give Qaeda
A physical sanctuary”…but they can have this
Also in Somalia, Yemen, etc.

“We’d lose intelligence from Afghan natives.”
But how much RELIABLE intel do we get from them now?
Only 18% of Afghans want the flood of new invaders
That McCrystal is asking for.
Anyway, once we abandon Afghan, we won't need
detailed intel about events there--
just as we needed no close intel on Vietnam
once we pulled out.

“We’d lose our base in Afgh for bombing Pakistan.”
But we could occupy this base near the afpak border
With very few troops.

“It would also be a propaganda victory for jihadists.”
But surely our floundering there for 8 years
Is already a propaganda victory. The longer we take
To bug out, the more GI casualties, the greater will be
Their propaganda triumph.

 
AFGHAN GOVT. CORRUPTION IS
AS BIG A PROBLEM AS TALIBAN/
Said McCrystal./ MSNBC/24SEPT

Each problem seems insoluble—together they dictate
That we get out.

 
AFGHANISTAN IS NOT A STATE,
BUT AN AMALGAM OF STATELETS/
Says Brzizinski/msnbc/24Sept/

We can’t count on any central govt. to be
our effective ally vs. Taliban.

 
CIVILIAN CASUALTIES WILL LOSE US
THE AFGHAN WAR/
Says McCrystal/ Also:
Overwhelming firepower won’t help.

CBS.24SEPT

 
SOMALIA COULD BECOME A NEW AFGHANISTAN/
i.e, a sanctuary for terrorists/ UN honcho worries.
REUTERS/24September

We can’t afford to support UN-endorsed govt. in Somalia
While we’re spending on our 2 wars.

 
OBAMITES NOW WORRYING ABOUT
ANOTHER VIETNAM/

Biden suggests resorting only to bombing Pakistan Qaeda.
LONDON TIMES/24SEPT

 
HALF A MILLION ALLIED TROOPS NEEDED OVER 5 YEARS
IN AFGH/(Mostly Afghans--he dreams)
Says unpublished part of McCrystal assessment.

Both this number and this time-frame
will be fiercely rejected By Americans.

Only 18% of Afghans want foreign troops increased.

HUFFINGTONPOST/24SEPT

 
CORRUPTION UNDERESTIMATED
AS BLOCK TO AFGHAN SUCCESS/
Out of 46 ‘progress-measurements’ sent to Congress,
Only 1 refers to govt. corruption.

But blocking corruption is absolutely essential to success;
Without this, no number of troops will suffice.

FINANCIAL TIMES/24SEPT

 
“PROTECTING VILLAGES WORKS’/says Canadian general.
GLOBE&MAIL/23September

Maybe, but the cost of GIs getting out of armored cars
And mixing with the natives will probably be a spike
In allied casualties.

Home populaces won’t stand for that.

 
VITAL US INTEREST IN AFGH? /
A pseudo-deabate in rt-wing NATIONAL REVIEW
Starts with both writer agreeing that we do have
A vital interest in Afgh.

But they offer no evidence that this is true.
During Vietnam war, hawks claimed the same thing,
By inventing the ‘domino effect’—defeat in Vietnam
Would spread Communism in Asia.

But it didn’t.

We DO NOT have a vital interest in Afgh.
There are havens for terrorists all over the world—
Even in Britain. And there are terrorists still loose
In US ! So prevailing in Afgh would NOT
Make our Homeland safer.

We need to concentrate on Homeland Defense:
preventing Homeland attacks,
and repairing after attacks we can't prevent.

 
WITH CORRUPT GOVT, EVEN 1 MILLION US TROOPS WON'T HELP./
say Afghans/US leaders talk about troop numbers instead
of govt. reforms because they can control GI numbers,
but they can't reform govt.

CS MONITOR/23SEPT

 
QUALIFIED US CIVILIAN EXPERTS WON’T GO TO AFGH/

CSMONITOR/23September

US was counting on civilians to help progress in Afgh.

 
TALIBAN SURPRISES TOP US GENERAL:/
Their expansion of ‘shadow governments’ all over Iraq,
Their coercive power, and their expansion into Northern Afgh,
Far from Afghan/Pak border.
NYTIMES/23SEPT

 
GOVERNOR WARNS OF INCREASED TAL. POWER IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN/
“ Karzai’s regime has ignored need,e.g., to provide jobs
For youth so they can’t be recruited.

Danger for Northern supply route, as for supply route
from South,Thru Pakistan.

EURASIANET.ORG/23SEPT

 
“WE CAN’T ALLOW AFGH.
AGAIN TO HARBOR TERRORISTS—
SO WE MUST SUCCEED THERE”/
NATO CHIEF ECHOES HAWK MANTRA.
CNN/23September

One could as plausibly say,
“We can’t allow SOMALIA to harbor terrorists—
So we must INVADE Somalia !” !!

Maybe we should also bomb Britain.

 
“IRAN IS MAIN TERRORIST SPONSOR”
says Netanyahu, that shameless liar.

On ABC WORLD NEWSER

Pakistan seems to hold that crown—
and rich individuals In Saudi Arabia.

 
AFGHAN WAR IS IRRELEVANT
TO HOMELAND SAFETY/
Because so many OTHER places can harbor terrorists.
Says expert L. Gelb on MSNBC/

But he wants US to stay in this POINTLESS war
for 2 or 3 more years./
(why? ? Americans won’t tolerate this.)
His Basic strategy—wherever Qaeda really raises threat,
We bomb them./ (bomb Britain ? !)

“We CONTAINED Russia, China—why can’t we CONTAINThese clowns?”

Bombing alone can’t stop or deter stateless terrorists.
We could contain Russia, China with conventional
Army, navy, H-bombs. But these ‘clowns’ have more power Against our conventional forces.

All the aircraft carriers, missiles, etc.
Are useless against the threat of BIOWAR.

We should concentrate all our resources on
Homeland Defense—Prevent attacks if possible,
repair after attacks we can’t prevent.

Pentagon gadgets are ALSO IRRELEVANT
to our Homeland's safety.

 
PAK.SPARES QUAEDA WHO ATTACK AFGH/
Says US ambassador to Pakistan/
LONDON TELEGRAPH/23SEPT

 
COST OF BRIT PULLOUT/
DAMAGE TO BRIT REPUTATION/
DAMAGE TO ARMY’S REPUTATION/ETC.
LondonTimes/23September

Are these the values Brit troops are dying and being wounded for?

Fewer than 1 in 3 Brits want to stay in ‘as long as necessary’.

 
BRIT TROOPS LOSING WAR BECAUSE OF TALIBAN & NO SUPPORT FROM HOME POPULACE/
LONDON TIMES/23SEPT

 
SOME PAKISTAN ASSISTANCE TO TALIBAN/
Says McCrystal./ This statement is surprising for its boldness, Probably sincere.

He also says that Iran is helping Taliban;
This is less plausible—US honchos grab any chance
To blame Iran for anything.

LATIMES/23SEPT

 
US CASUALTIES DOUBLE AS WE SHIFT FROM PROTECTING GIs TO PROTECTING AFGHANS/

TALIBAN TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THIS POLICY-SHIFT/
WASHINGTON POST/23SEPT
Perhaps this policy-change will lessen GI casualties
IN THE LONG RUN—
But in the long run, this adventure is dead.

 
ALLIES ALIENATED FROM AFGHAN WAR/
66% OF Brits want their troops cut back or brought home/
56% of Germans/

Support is probably even lower than this after 2 scandals:
--Brit rescue of journalist, with 1 Brit killed;
--German colonel’s blunder calling in airstrike which
killed dozens of Afghan civilians/

Only 1 in 4 Brits think govt. was right to get entangled in Afgh.

CSMONITOR/23SEPT

 
VITAL WAR ROLE OF INTERPRETERS/
NYTIMES/ SOLDIER’S BLOG/23SEPT
We must use AND TRUST native interpreters,
Because we have almost no Americans who understand
Arabic, Pashto, etc—the languages of nations we occupy.

Until we can produce a large cadre of Americans
Who understand foreign languages and cultures,
We should pull out of foreign adventures
And concentrate on Homeland Defense.

 
COUNTERINSURGENCY WON’T WORK WITHOUT RELIABLE AFGHAN GOVT/
Says expert/ VP Biden suggests we use FEWER troops, forget about beating Taliban,
Concentrate on wiping Qaeda out in Pakistan.
we spend $30 in Afgh for every $1 in Pak; yet Pak. Is much more important,
NYTIMES/23SEPT

 
"OBAMA REFUSAL TO INCREASE GIs
WOULD UNDERMINE ALLIES’ EFFORTS"/

‘If we fail in Afgh, confidence will sink
for FUTURE US MILITARY EFFORTS.”
REUTERS/23SEPT

NO—30 yrs after Vietnam fiasco, Americans were willing
To plunge into TWO SILLY WARS.

 
AFGHAN OPIUM/ More is produced than consumed./
Probably, Taliban is storing surplus underground,
To sell later./CNN23SEPT

 
MORE ADVICE TO ESCALATE OR EVACUATE

USATODAY editorial (22Sept) sounds sympathetic to
Generals who demand up to 40,000 more GIs in Afgh.
They discredit relying only on drones bombing Pakistan,
Or substituting Afghan forces for GIs
in the foreseeable Future.

One part of their advice is sound: Obama shouldn’t
Compromise by giving a few thousand more troops—
He must decide to go whole-hog or get out.

 
CONSTRUCTING AFGHAN NATION:
HOW? VS. WHY?/
This ‘nation-building’ project was Obama’s choice earlier/
and is focus of McCrystal’s Call for more troops—

but now Obama’s talking
Only about protecting our Homeland from terrorist attack.
ABC/22SEPT

 
ALTERNATIVE TO AFGHAN ESCALATION:
MORE BOMBS ON PAKISTAN/
MSNBC/22SEPT

 
AFGHAN WAR IS ONLY TO PROTECT US HOMELAND/Says Obama./

CBS/22September

But Afghan war is IRRELEVANT
to protecting our Homeland.

Terrorists can find havens in many nations:
e.g., Somalia, Yemen, PAKISTAN, BRITAIN etc.

We should protect Homeland directly,
By pulling out of our 2 expensive wars
And concentrating on Homeland Defense—
e.g. preparing for biowar attack.

 
US HAS ALWAYS BEEN A DUMB, BULLYING NATION/
Our ambassador to Britaindenies this for the future—

--DUMB—we want to ‘lead the free world’,
but we can’t form a cadre of Americans who understand
foreign languages and cultures/ only 1 in 10 functionaries
in Iraq embassy were fully competent in Arabic.

--BULLYING—even now we’re setting up a military base
in Colombia to intimidate hostile Venezuela.
We have hundreds of military bases all over the world.

For the near future, we should pull out of world affairs
And concentrate on Homeland Defense.

 
FOREIGN INVADERS GIVE UP
ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS/
Values of ordinary Afghan are close to Taliban values.
If we stay in, we might have to support a theocratic
Or autocratic government.
LONDON TIMES/22SEPT

Why should we want to ‘rescue’ a population
Where males oppress half the population?

 
OBAMA WANTS PULLBACK ?—
ONLY FIGHT TALIBAN,
NOT ‘SAVE’AFGHANISTAN?
LATIMES/22SEPT
He knows that this is the only mission Americans would tolerate—
And they might not go even for this,
since success might well not make our Homeland safer.

 
PULLBACK FOR US FORCES/
from sparsely populated Afghan areas
To protect heavily populated areas.
NYTIMES/22SEPT
This will give Taliban free rein to organize in abandoned areas,So they can better attack populated areas.

It’s said that most Afghans live in little villages.

 
WHY DO HAWKS WANT TO HURRY OBAMA DECISION
ON MORE TROOPS TO AFGH?

Perhaps they figure that opposition to the war will spike,
So the only time more troops could be authorized is right now.
REUTERS/21SEPT

 
WE PUT TOO MUCH EMPHASIS ON PROTECTING OUR FORCES/
Said McCrystal several times—when we should emphasize protecting Afghans.
Wow !

This policy, spiking GI casualty rates, is sure to turn almost all Americans
Against the war—58% already.

 
WE’RE HERE BECAUSE WE’RE HERE
BECAUSE WE’RE HERE/
Doomed Brit troops sang this as they marched to death
in foolish WWI.
The more blood & money is sacrificed in Afgh, the harder it will be To pull out.

LONDON TIMES/21SEPT says that we must answer 5 questions:
--CAN WE SUCCEED?
--WHAT COUNTS AS SUCCESS?
--MUST WE BLOCK THE DRUG TRADE?
--CAN WE BUY OFF NON-FANATIC TALIBAN?
--WHAT RESOURCES (MEN & MONEY) ARE WE WILLING TO SEND?
--CAN POLS AT HOME (IN ALL NATO COUNTRIES)
STAND AGAINST SPIKING POPULAR OPPOSITION TO WAR?
*****
SENSIBLE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS
DICTATE QUICK PULLOUT.

 
WE ACCEPTED THUGS AS ALLIES/
In invading Afgh./ Now they’re in our puppet govt,
Which is ignoring its masters.

If we can’t install a respectable govt,
Effort is doomed.
LONDON TIMES/21SEPT

 
ESCALATE OR EVACUATE/
Is McCrystal’s message for Obama.
TYSDAL IN LONDON GUARDIAN/21SEPT

 
CIA BULKING UP IN AFGH/ but no mention is made
Of need for agents who speak the language !
LATIMES/21SEPT

 
AFGHAN FORCES NOT PAID, NOT EQUIPPED, NOT FUNCTIONING/

CORDESMAN SAYS LEVIN’S PROPOSAL
TO EXPAND AFGHAN FORCES
BEFORE SENDING IN MORE GIs—
THIS IS PRESCRIPTION FOR FAILURE.

(Perhaps Levin was saying covertly that
if we CAN’T beef up Afghan forces,
we might as well pull out.)
GLOBALPOST/21SEPT

 
TAJIKS Vs. PASHTUNS IN ONCE-PEACEFUL NO.AFGH? /
Taliban is moving in, taking advantage of hatred between
Ethnic leaders.

GLOBAL POST/21SEPT

 
US FEARS THAT SPIKE IN AID TO PAK.
WILL BE MISUSED/
By Pak. Govt. & by contractors hired by US.
Aid will triple this year—but if no improvement,
Congress will balk in future.
NYTIMES/21SEPT

 
AFGHAN ELECTION FIASCO IS HELPING TALIBAN/
Their propaganda tells people that govt. is illegitimate,
And that foreign occupiers are arguing
about what puppet to install.

Why should Tal. Negotiate when they’re winning?

Taliban senses that occupiers are losing their stomach for this war.

WASHINGTON POST/21September
Taliban know they can just outwait occupiers,
Then take over when they pull out.

 
AFGHAN ARMY IS JUST A WASHINGTON DREAM/
A person in Afgh. for years debunks myth
Of Afgh.army, police, that just need expansion to take over,
& let GIs go home.
HUFFINGTON POST/21SEPT

 
IS NATION-BUILDING ESSENTIAL TO CASTRATE TALIBAN?
That’s the issue before Obama../McCrystal thinks it is—but Karzai’s Corruption, spike in casualties, opposition from legislators AND THE PEOPLE/
Make Obamites question this.
WASHINGTON POST/21SEPT

The invisible issue: is castrating Taliban worth the cost?

 
MY FULL STRATEGY SOON (INCLUDING THOUSANDS MORE TROOPS)
OR WE’RE DEFEATED—
EVEN WITH MORE TROOPS.
Says McCrystal/ “No immediate plans for more troops”, says Obama.
A finger in the eye of Obama from McC, says observer.
CNN/21SEPT

Or maybe McC is saying covertly, "Pull out !"

 
16 GI CASUALTIES IN OUR 2 WARS/
13 casualties in crashed copter in Iraq/
3 killed in Afgh—how many wounded?
ABCTVNEWS/20

 
PAK. WON’T TARGET TAL.LEADERS
ATTACKING AFGH,/
Says US ambassador to Pakistan/

They know US will pull out, & Taliban will control Afgh—
So they don’t pick a fight with Afgh attackers.
MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

They want $100 thousand millions 'to fight Taliban',
even tho former leader admits they spent previous aid
to arm vs. India.

 
THEY THINK MORE ABOUT HOW TO PREVAIL THAN ABOUT WHETHER WE NEED TO PREVAIL/
We could castrate Qaeda in Afgh with few troops—
But Pent. Wants to ‘build a nation’—

Only in Germany and Japan was US able to ‘reconstruct nations’—
And in Afghanistan we’d have to CONSTRUCT a nation,
In an impossible society.
RT-WING CATO INSTITUTE in
HUFFINGTONPOST/20SEPT

 
ISLAMIST POWER IN SOMALIA/
Govt (backed by foreign troops) controls
only parts of capital.
ALERTNET.ORG/19SEPT

Given the terrorist danger from Somalia, Yemen, etc.—
And even Britain !
Why the obsession with Afghanistan?

 
90 PAK. CASUALTIES/
mostly Shia/

HUFFINGTON POST/19SEPT

 
REVIEWER ANALYZES MANY
PRESTIGIOUS PROPOSALS FOR AFGH,
AND SHOWS THE FATAL DEFECTS OF EACH ONE.

WallStJournal/18Sept

 
76 MILLION UNWANTED BABIES EACH YEAR/
POOR WOMEN WANT CONTRACEPTIVES BUT CAN’T AFFORD THEM/
SUCH SWELLING OF POPULATION INCREASES THREAT OF WORLD WARMING/
CBS/18SEPT

WHAT A SHAME THAT WORLD WENT FOR DEATH CONTROL
BEFORE BIRTH CONTROL.

 
US NEEDS HELP OF IRAN, RUSSIA, INDIA
FOR AFGH/
Reuters/18sept

Shows folly of letting Israel bomb Iran.

 
WE DON’T YET HAVE SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY\
IN AFGH/
Says new Brit commander/
LONDON TIMES/17SEPT
So much for US claims of a new, promising strategy.

 
WE’RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME IN AFGH/
Says new Brit mil.honcho/
We don’t need tanks and bombers
For fighting non-state enemies./
GUARDIAN/18SEPT

 
9 NATO TROOPS KILLED THURSDAY IN AFGH/

NEWS.YAHOO/18SEPT

 
SUCCESS MAY NOT DEPEND ON AFGHANISTAN/
Hawk writer notes our attack on Somalia/
Also weakness of binLaden/
HUFFINGTONPOST/18SEPT
If Qaeda is less of a threat,
Why the obsession with Afghanistan?

 
DOZENS OF PAKISTANI CASUALTIES/
In Northern city/far from AFPAK border/
Near supply route for NATO allies.
BLOOMBERG/18SEPT

 
WHY ARE WESTERN INVADERS HAVING SUCH A TOUGH TIME ?
In US, Britain, & Germany, enlistees are often only sons—
So each casualty produces great impact on society,/

While Afhan women produce about 4 sons each;
Only the oldest inherits—younger sons desperately flail for a living.
WALL ST.JOURNAL/17SEPT
Taliban money (plus adolescent male vainglory) provides plenty Of Taliban recruits.
(They pay twice as much as Afghan army !)

 
“WE ALL WANT TO GET OUT OF AFGH.SOON”
says Italian PM (reported on ABC TV news)
after 10 Italian casualties from 1 Afghan bomb.
“But Italy won’t pull out unilaterally.”

"It's best for Italian soldiers to get out as soon as possible."

Leader of BERLUSCONI's main partner-party wants Italians home by Christmas.
(NYTIMES

 
SILLY ARGUMENTS FOR STAYING IN AFGH/
USATODAY (17Sept) presents pseudo-debate between pseudoliberal
And ferocious right-winger on continuing the war.

e.g “binLaden says as long as we stay in Afgh, he’d continue campaign against us.
If that isn’t a battle worth fighting, I don’t know what is.”

“Hey, we won in Vietnam !”
“Unlike WWI & WWII, Afgh. represents a global threat.”
:”This is patient enemy,with never-ending supply of recruits.
That’s why it’s critical to destroy their morale.”

“Walking away seems like surrender to these fundamentalist fanatics..
will make them fight all the harder..”

“Yemen may be new jihadist base..and don’t forget Somalia.”(So why the obsession with Afghanistan?)”

“Pakistan is next to Afghanistan, populated with radical Muslims,
and armed with nukes. Enough said.”
**************
Pseudo liberal agreed we should go on fighting in Afghanistan.

Poll cited showed majority shrinking who say we made no mistake
In invading Afgh./(But 58% want us to pull out now.)

 
IRAN RETALIATION/
It’s said that Israel will bomb Iran this year/
Iran will retaliate also vs. US.
They may not have nukes yet,
But they have huge amounts of enriched uranium—
They could ‘dirty bomb’ Israel, New York,
Chicago, US embassies, bases in Iraq,Afghanistan…
rendering these sites uninhabitable for months.

Besides slaughtering Iraq GIs.

 
SOMALIA HOPELESS, DOMINATED BY JIHADISTS/
NEWSWEEK

Even if we could prevail vs. Taliban, places like Somalia,
Yemen would still host terrorists to attack US.

In fact, most plausible threat came from BRITAIN !

Again, we should cut Pentagon’s bloated budget
And invest in Homeland Security.

 
HOW MANY NUKES IN WORLD?
Over 23,000/some in unstable nations like Pakistan/
Some in crazy nations like Israel,No,Korea/
Iran coming up.

People have forgotten about nuke threat—
But it is among worst dangers in world.

Megatech does much good, but even more harm.
See LAMAR.COLOSTATE.EDU/~DLYONS
Chapter two

 
AFGH LIKE VIETNAM?/Main problem in both wars: corrupt, weak allied governments./ Karzai’s regime is 5th most corrupt in world./
We’re now going to give aid directly to locals/
,but this will requireHuge numbers of competent foreign civilian advisors—
nowhere near that number In pipeline.
LATIMES/17SEPT

 
IRAN NOT ‘EXISTENTIAL’ THREAT TO ISRAEL/
Says hawk defense minister./So no reason to bomb Iran/
But US ‘Israel’ lobby will go on lobbying for war/
HUFFINGTONPOST/17SEPT

 
afghan PROGRESS-MEASUREMENTS TOO VAGUE/
Say many legislators, Dem & GOP/
CSMONITOR/17SEPT

 
72 AFGHAN CASUALTIES, INCLUDING 10 ITALIAN SOLDIERS/near US embassy/
NYTIMES/17SEPT

 
‘HERO’ TILLMAN & BROTHER OPPOSED IRAQ WAR/
As “Imperialist Folly”/
Sad that most Americans could be deceived to support the war/
LONDON TELEGRAPH/16SEPT

He was killed by ‘friendly fire’ but Pent. Lied,
To use him as hero.
He predicted that if he died, this trick would be used.

Book: WHEN MEN WIN GLORY
Warriors trained to kill don’t mind telling lies.

 
1 in 3 Karzai votes ‘suspicious’ /
say European sources./
Word of this will get to Afghans immediately,
Will undermine invaders’ strength,
Strengthen Taliban.

FINANCIAL TIMES/16SEPT

 
1 BILLION HUMANS HUNGRY/
this after much-touted Borlaug ‘Green Revolution’

Death-control without birth-control is disastrous.

Know-how without know-whether is incompetence.

For arguments that megatech does much good,
But even more harm,
Goto LAMAR.COLOSTATE.EDU/~DLYONS
chapter two

 
1 BILLION HUMANS HUNGRY/
this after much-touted Borlaug ‘Green Revolution’
Death-control without birth-control is disastrous.
Know-how without know-whether is incompetence.
For arguments that megatech does much good,
But even more harm,
Goto LAMAR.COLOSTATE.EDU/~DLYONS
CHAPTER TWO

 
Afghans switching loyalty to Taliban/
Their custom is to side with likely winner—
Which right now is Taliban.

One slogan: Kabul courts for the rich, Taliban justice for the poor.

TIME MAGAZINE

 
WILL OBAMA GO ALL-OUT IN AFGHANISTAN?
Spending enormous of money & blood
In a war already repudiated by 58% of Americans?

Hell have to SHOW (not just repeat) that prevailing there
Will drive a stake to the heart of jihad threatening our homeland.
(& he’ll need to back up 4 other claims.)
LATIMES/16SEPT

 
GIs SET FOOT IN SOMALIA/
Retaliation may be against Western interests
In Africa.
GLOBALPOST/16SEPT
This will encourage myth that US is at war with all Moslems.

It confirms belief that danger of terrorist attack on US
Does NOT come mainly from Afghanistan.

 
RIGHT-WING FUSSES ABOUT HEALTH-CARE COSTS,
IGNORES WILD PENTAGON SPENDING/

Total cost of our 2 wars will be over $3 millions of millions.

CSMONITOR/16SEPT

 
HUFFINGTON POST columnist NAIMAN gives sensible arguments for a negotiated Pullout from Afgh
like our agreement in Iraq.

He notes that once Americans have turned against a war
(as 58% have now) they never change their minds.

 
MORE BAD NEWS ABOUT AFGHANISTAN/
Japan is going to pull out its support/
3 Gis killed

“More troops in means more casualties”,
more opposition from Americans.

Optimists say Americans will demand withdrawal
A year from now if they don’t see ‘progress’—
Cnn/16sept

They will define progress by GI casualty rate,
And new strategy will raise casualty rate.

 
TOP PENT. HONCHO CONTRADICTS LEADING DEM. LEGISLATORS,
Saying we have to increase troops in Afgh.
LONDON TIMES/15SEPT
Obama is in a tight fix—either defy his generals,
Or enrage his liberal, antiwar supporters.

BinLaden is pretty perceptive in saying
That Obama is ‘powerless’.

 
US BOMBS SOMALIA/
Thus admitting that jihadists abound outside Afgh/
But not admitting that Afghan war is pointless, as well as hopeless.

 
KARZAI ACCUSED OF TREASON BY RIVAL
LONDON TIMES/15SEPT

ALLIES DREAMED OF A 'UNITY' GOVT
WITH KARZAI & THIS RIVAL.

 
5th Brit soldier killed in area allegedly ‘cleared’ of Taliban/
LONDON TIMES/15Sept

 
PENT.HONCHO SAYS MORE COMBAT TROOPS ESSENTIAL/
If we send just trainers, Afghans will conclude we’re on our way out.

McCrystal found situation worse than he expected.
NEWS.YAHOO/15SEPT

 
AFGHAN VILLAGES TURN AGAINST GIs/
Their elders have been imprisoned./
GLOBALPOST/15SEPT

 
AFGHAN ‘CIVILIAN SURGE’ FIZZLES/
Too few civilian experts (e.g. in agriculture),
not really qualified/
CSMONITOR/15SEPT

Civilian experts seen as important as GIs.

 
OBAMA SAYS BOMBING ALONE WON’T WORK IN AFGH /
People like Geo.Will have suggested pulling out troops.
NYTIMES/15SEPT

 
WAR-SUPPORT PLUMMETS/
Drops from 53% (in April) to 39%/ 58% oppose/
GOP support drops 8 points from 2 wks ago/
CNN/15SEPT

 
SOVIET FIASCO IN AFGH IS NOT STUDIED BY US/
It should be, to avoid similar fiasco.

Afghan army was undermined by recruitment, desertions, corruption.

Afghan troops were undermined by threats to their families.
FOREIGN POLICY

 
KEY CITY KANDAHAR IS DOMINATED BY TALIBAN/
They intimidate at night./
No Afghan troops available/
Not enough NATO troops available/
Kandahar is top emergency,
Reason for sending more GIs.
MSNBC/14SEPT

 
BinLaden says Obama 'powerless' to stop wars,
alliance with Israel is main enrager
of world's 1000 millions of Muslims.

 
WESTERN HONCHOS SAY ‘DON’T PULL OUT’/
But US support has sagged, & European support has plummetted.
ALERTNET.ORG/14SEPT

 
BRIT SOLDIERS KILLED IN “CLEARED” AREA/
LONDON TIMES/14SEPT

 
US HASN’T GOT MORE TROOPS TO SPARE IN AFGH/
Says NATO honcho./More troops must come from Europe
(bloody likely !)

They’ll settle now for tribal society (not central govt)/
As long as tribal leaders will prevent jihadist infiltration.
GUARDIAN14SEPT

 
EVEN AFGHAN OFFICERS CAN’T READ/
Project is : after 1 year, they could write their name & serial # of rifle.
NEWS.YAHOO.COM,14SEPT

Iraq is most literate Arab country.

 
US MAY BE DRIVEN OUT LIKE SOVIETS/
Says former Carter advisor./
Increasingly, Afghans see foreign troops as invaders.
NYTIMES/14SEPT

 
NUMBER OF AMERICANS SPIKES,
WANTING GIs TO COME HOME
44% NOW VS. 24% 2 MONTHS AGO.
CBS/13SEPT

 
US WILL FOCUS ON EASTERN AFGH.BORDER WITH PAK/
This will strand Brits focusing on Helmland in the South.
GUARDIAN/13SEPT

 
2D afghan ELECTION DISASTROUS—
SO IS IGNORING VOTE FRAUD

FINANCIAL TIMES/13SEPT

 
ALLIES TALKING PULLOUT/
Germany, Italy, Britain, Japan talking—
Canada & Netherlands have already
Announced deadline/

NEWS.YAHOO/13SEPT

 
AFGHAN TROOPS DESERT/
If told they’re going to real fighting/
So US trainers lie to them.
LATIMES/13September

But later on, when they face real fighting….

 
GIs ENFORCING MARTIAL LAW, NOT UNDERSTANDING AFGHAN CULTURE OR LANGUAGES, IS DISASTER/ says anonymous US honcho./
But recruiting, training Afghan forces is almost impossible.
WASH POST/13SEPT

 
BAD INTEL,TIPOFF TO TALIBAN, LANGUAGE TROUBLE
All contribute to a disastrous Tal. Ambush
on US/Afghan mission.

MCCLATCHY PAPERS/13SEPT

 
IRAQ SUNNI ALLIANCE WITH US WAS BASED ON US $/
Now that’s shrinking, and Anbar govt. is increasingly corrupt.
NYTIMES/13SEPT

 
AFGH WON’T HAVE STABLE GOVT. IN 18 MONTHS/
Says think-tank.
GOOGLE, hosting AFP/13sept

 
POLICE RENEGADE IN NO.AFGH.
(PEACEFUL EARLIER) KILLS 15 COLLEAGUES/
He poisoned 8, then called in Tal. Allies to kill 7 more.
NYTIMES/12SEPT

 
GIGANTIC INCREASE IN TROOPS REQUIRED
FOR PETRAEUS-TYPE CAMPAIGN/

5 Times present number of GIs.

Shrinking goal to prevent quaeda takeover is possible.
But that’s not what McCrystal is asking.

HUFFINGTONPOST/12SEPT

 
SUPPORT FOR OBAMA ON WAR
SINKS BELOW 50%/
CBS/12SEPT

 
5 AMERICANS KILLED IN AFGH/
along with dozens of Afghans/
REUTERS/12SEPT

 
‘MOST IMPORTANT AFGHAN EVENT THIS YEAR “/
This from Obama about the election./
Turned out to be an awful fiasco.
FINANCIAL TIMES/12SEPT

 
OBAMA HAS BURDEN OF PROOF THAT CONTINUED (ESCALATED) AFGHAN WAR IS WORTH IT./
Will it be successful?/
Will it make US homeland safer (when other jihadist havens pose similar threat)?
LATIMES/12SEPT

 
US/BRITAIN RIFT OVER AFGHAN ELECTION/
US says, ‘Oh well, western elections are also imperfect./
Recount would help Taliban.”/

Britain says “We will not be parties to whitewash.”
CSMONITOR/12SEPT

 
PROTECT ONLY AFGHAN POPULATION CENTERS?/
Desperation plan/ But most Afghans live outside these centers.
NYTIMES/12SEPT
Those outside cities would be left to Taliban control.

 
DOZENS KILLED IN ATTACKS IN MANY PARTS OF AFGH
Voice of America/12sept

 
QUAEDA NOT IN AFGH/ but in Pak,near Afgh border/
--Tal. Were not defeated in Pak. Swat valley,./
--Allied offensive in Helmland was
a major disappointment/
--Taliban has attacked in
97% OF AFGHANISTAN!

--13 million Muslims worldwide (1 in 100)
sympathize with jihadists..
says A. deBorchgrave in UNITED PRESS/EMERGING THREATS/11SEPT

We should cut into useless Pent's budget
and spend enough on Home defences.

 
NEW TOKYO GOVT. MAY CUT SUPPLY HELP FOR AFGH/
No more ‘Yes-man’ to US/
LONDON TELEGRAPH/11SEPT

 
OBAMA’S RHETORIC IS BUSH’S, WARMED OVER/
When asked, “Why stay in Afghanistan?”
He just says “9/11 !”

 
OBAMA GIVES CONFUSED ARG FOR STAYING IN AFGH/
“If AFGH SLIDES INTO CHAOS OR QUAEDA REGAINS STRENGTH THERE..”
danger to US.
MSNBC/11SEPT
But if 1st happens, not 2d, we are in NO increased danger !

McCrystal says Quaeda is weaker in Afgh.

Popular support for war is down, sinking further.

 
WE WILL BE ATTACKED AGAIN, WITH BIOWAR/
Says Gary Hart/in HUFFINGTON POST/11SEPT/
The $50 million budgeted for Homeland Defense
Is Inadequate.

Once again, we should pull out of Iraq & Afgh,
Spending part of huge Pent. Budget on Home Defense.

 
SINGLE WAR AIM NEEDED..
(to prevent attacks on West}
LONDON TIMES/11September

But that aim is already discredited/
Terrorist danger does NOT come only from Afgh—
In fact it doesn’t come from Afgh at all !

 
‘AFPAK’ STRATEGY INSULTS PAKISTAN/
says Pak. President./ 2 very different countries./
But they both face the same challenge./
Pak. Just wants more money, right away.
FINANCIAL TIMES/11SEPT

 
HERE ARE COSTS OF CONTINUING AFGHAN WAR/
IS IT WORTH THE COST?/
This from McCrystal, top general.
NEWS.YAHOO/11SEPT

It is NOT worth expected blood,money.
So Obama is foolish not to get out quickly.

 
AMERICANS WON’T TOLERATE YEARS MORE
OF AFGHAN WAR/
Experts say prevailing would take 5-15 years more./

English & Germans want pullout soon.

A new attack on US homeland likely
Would come from Somalia, not from Afgh.

GLOBALPOST/11SEPT

 
TOP MIL.EXPERT IN SENATE SAYS NO MORE TROOPS TO AFGH UNTIL…
Training and deployment of Afghan forces are speeded up.
(He says 2 years). Pelosi said there are not enough House votes to OK troop increases./
Question is: Is there any hope of
reversing Taliban momentum
Without more troops?

If not, these are calls for pullout.
NYTIMES/10SEPT

 
IRAN ATTACK ‘NOT VIABLE’/
Says French general./Too risky/
He says we mustn’t let Israel attack.
MSNBC/10SEPT

Russia's Putin says "No mil. attack on Iran, no new sanctions."

 
SPIKING RIFLE PRICES SHOW
AFGH GETTING LESS STABLE/

US is likely stuck with Karzai—it’s said that
95% of the plums go
As patronage to his cronies.

TIME MAGAZINE

 
BRIT TORY SAYS ‘BRIT TROOPS MUST NOT DIE SUPPORTING CORRUPT ELECTION.’ /
Traditionally, opposition party doesn’t criticize a war while
Troops are ‘on the ground’./
European summit will discuss exit strategy.

LONDON TELEGRAPH/10SEPT

 
GIs’ CULTURAL IGNORANCE
IMPEDES AFGHAN PROGRESS/
A single incident: a big crowd at a funeral is mistaken for a Taliban Gathering,
is nearly attacked.
ABCNEWS/10SEPT
More new troops will be even more ignorant.

 
MOST BRITS OPPOSE AFGHAN WAR (only 1 in 4 say Brits did right to enter this war
60% want Brit forces pulled out or reduced.. )

AND THIS POLL WAS BEFORE DEATH OF BRIT IN RESCUING JOURNALIST—
WHICH BRITS RESENTED.

Most Europeans also are disenchanted by this war.

CSMONITOR/10sept

 
AFGH & VIETNAM/
Not the same, says Congressman/
HoChiMinh was popular in Vietnam—not so with Taliban./
He admits Taliban provides services not available from Karzai regime./
MCCLATCHY PAPERS/10September

Afghans don’t like foreign infidel invaders either
Question is Will enough Afghans choose Tal.
As lesser evil?
The more troops we send there, Gates admits,
The more we will seem like an occupation force.

 
47 CASUALTIES IN SHIA/KURD VILLAGE IN IRAQ/
FROM SUICIDE BOMBER/
Seeming strategy: stir up hatred between Kurds & Arabs.
LATIMES/10SEPT

 
OSAMA MET PAK. LEADER 5 TIMES/
Says a former Pak.intl. honcho.
UNITED PRESS/9SEPT

 
BRIT HELP IN AFGH WILL SHRINK AFTER ELECTION/
Says Brit honcho who quit govt. in protest/
Our first concern must be for our troops.
LONDON TELEGRAPH/9September

This contradicts McCrystal’s claim that 1st concern
Must be to protect Afghan natives.

Brit PM calls international conference
About timeline for pulling out.

 
AFGHAN VOTE RECOUNT WILL TAKE 3 MONTHS/
Until then, political paralysis, possible ethnic violence.
Second vote may be impossible in Afghan winter.
LATIMES/9SEPT

 
7 GI CASUALTIES FROM 1 AMBUSH/
Tal. Tipped off, perhaps by Afghan colleagues of GIs.
MCCLATCHY PAPERS/9September

This incident illustrates danger from new strategy
a) sending small groups of GIs on foot with Afghan ‘allies’
into hostile areas/
b) reluctance to permit US airsupport where there are civilians.

If we send in lots of GIs under such rules,
GI casualties will spike,
Homeland support will shrink even further.

 
EXPERT GROUP WARNS WE’RE GOING OVER A CLIFF IN AFGH /
4 top experts reluctantly speak out to say our govt. doesn’t understand Pashtun thinking—
sending in a lot of combat GIs, who don’t benefit The natives,
will galvanize uncommitted Pashtun (in Afgh & Pak)
To help Taliban, even tho they don’t like them.

NYTIMES/6SEPT/ Kristov Column

 
BRIT ‘PENTAGON’ CENSORS a CLAIM
THAT BRITAIN FACES STRATEGIC DEFEAT IN AFGH./
LONDON TIMES 6SEPT

 
21k added GIs didn’t work—so send 45k more !
This is proposal McCrystal is about to send to Obama.

Many experts say if we can’t set up a stable, incorrupt govt
In Kabul, no number of troops added will work.

And in fact we can’t set up such a govt in Kabul.

 
WE’RE STUCK WITH KARZAI—
and continued failure.
TIME MAGAZINE

 
8 GIs KILLED TUESDAY IN 2 WARS—
HOW MANY WOUNDED? Pent. Won’t say/
MSNBSC/8SEPT
&CNN
Some wounds are worse than death.

 
ONLY 1 IN 4 WANT MORE TROOPS TO AFGH/
New poll shows/
4 in 10 want to start pulling out.
CBS/9SEPT

 
1ST GET OSAMA, THEN GET OUT/
Also rout al-Queda/
Nutty proposals by usually-sensible
Wickham (at USATODAY/8SEPT)

We’ll never ‘get’ Osama; if one of our bombs
Hits him, followers will hide his corpse
And he’ll never die—like that disappeared Imam.

It will take decades to ‘rout al-Qaeda’

Wickham derides our decades-long war
Vs. a religious sect in a far-off land.
But his proposal is just as goofy.

 
KARZAI’S FORCES NOT READY FOR 3 YRS OR MORE/
Says Gen.McCrystal./
His revealing comparison:
Taliban is agile matador—NATO is dumb, clumsy bull.

LONDON TELEGRAPH/8SEPT

In 3 years, Dem Congress & Obama will be voted out.

 
TALIBAN PROVIDING HOSPITALS, COURTS, AND SECURITY/
VS. KARZAI’S CORRUPT GOVT./
YET KARZAI WILL GET BACK IN FOR 5 YEARS/
LONDON TIMES/8SEPT

 
JAPAN’S NEW GOVT. WILL PULL OUT OF AFGH/
London guardian/8sept

 
WE CAN’T TURN AFGHAN WAR AROUND
IN 18 MONTHS—
BUT WE CAN MAKE A START/ says Pent. Honcho.

One resemblance to Vietnam:
no reliable, incorrupt local partner.

LATIMES/8September

Most Americans now repudiate the war;

In 18 months, with high GI casualties,
With no end in sight,
Practically all Americans, and Congressmen,
Will oppose the war/

 
PAKISTANIS GET MORE HOSTILE TO US/
Most rate US as biggest threat.
MCCLATCHY PAPERS/8SEPT

 
AMERICANS OPPOSE MORE GIs TO AFGH/
Only the GOP minority differ.
MCCLATCHEY PAPERS/8SEPT

 
DON’T MAKE AFGHANS THINK GI SAFETY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THEIRS ! /says McCrystal./
latimes/8sept
But he’d better not let Americans think Afghans’ safety is more important !

And GIs will turn against him if this is his firm policy.

 
GERMAN GENERAL ON HOT SEAT/
For calling in airstrike, killing many civilians./

First, killing civilians was denied, then admitted./

German pols still deny they’re in a war !
(forbidden by German constitution)/
WASH POST/8SEPT

 
ARE MORE TROOPS NECESSARY & SUFFICIENT TO QUELL QUAEDA?/
Experts disagree. Some say we could succeed by enough bombing./
Others say that’s what Clinton tried, and failed./
Many say we need lots of troops to ‘clear and hold’ until Afghan
Forces are trained./
NYTIMES/8SEPT

Obama doesn’t have enough time to do this,
Before Americans/Congress repudiate war completely.

 
US EFFORT IS UNLIKE FAILED AFGHAN ATTEMPTS BY BRITAIN & RUSSIA/
We have no imperial ambitions or lust
for natural resources./
(But we’re told that we can’t bugout without discrediting
US as world power. That’s an imperialist argument.)

Our goal is to help the Afghan people build a nation,
gain security, get prosperous,Etc.
NYTIMES/8September

But Americans are told that the goal is to
prevent another 9/11./
They no longer buy this, any more than
our European ‘allies’.

The writer concedes that Americans may not tolerate
the long war Necessary to help Afghans.
He also concedes that our military may not be competent
In these complex efforts.

In other words, our adventure is as feckless
As was the Russian fiasco.

 
ALLIED AIRSTRIKE IS A COUP FOR TALIBAN/
Says expert/ Many Afghans have battery radios/
Taliban sent message about airstrike before
McCrystal visited to apologize.

Every relative of Afghan casualty is fodder for Taliban.

CBS.7SEPT

 
TALIBAN PAYS TWICE AS MUCH AS ALLIES TO ITS GRUNTS /
LONDON GUARDIAN/7SEPT

 
ONE GERMAN PARTY PLATFORM: OUT OF AFGH ! /
Top honchos dare not say German soldiers (being attacked regularly) Are in a war !
LATIMES/7SEPT

 
WE’RE NOT TRYING NATION-BUILDING/
Says Gates. We’re just trying to build a stable Afghan govt
Which can keep terrorists out who would attack America.
NYTIMES/7September

To do that, they’ll have to reform the group of anarchic
Tribes into one stable nation. Bloody likely.

 
SLOB US ATTACK ON SWEDISH HOSPITAL/
They burst in, broke doors, demanded that Taliban wounded Be Okd by them before admittance.
NYTIMES/7SEPT

Generals can chatter about befriending Afghans,
But GIs are trained to kill, not befriend.

 
LABOR GROUP PROPOSES BRIT PULLOUT FROM AFGH/
London guardian/6SEPT

 
2 in 3 Frenchmen want their troops out of Afghanistan/
CBS TV NEWS/5sept

 
1500 ALLIED TANKERS SAID TO BE ATTACKED AT AF/PAK BORDER
20 COMPLETELY DESTROYED/
GEONEWS /QUOTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL NEWS

 
2 IN 3 GERMANS SAY “GET OUT NOW !”
Taliban attacks in once-peaceful North Afgh
(in hands of Germans) may be aimed at influencing upcoming German elections.
Rival candidate says “Set now a date to get out.”

Germans will be more unhappy to find that it was
Their troops who called in disastrous airstrike
That killed dozens of Afghan civilians.

 
HUNTING TALIBAN IS ONLY 5% OF TASK/
Says McCrystal./ GIs must make friends with Afghans
And work as equals with Afghan govt. forces/


Is that likely? Is that what GIs were trained for?/
GIs despise Afghans, and Afgans fear & hate GIs./

GIs don’t even speak the language./

Soviet commanders also told their 150,000 soldiers
To befriend Afghans./ But Afghans drove them out.

 
CLAIMED DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VIETNAM & AFGHANISTAN/
‘Vietnam didn’t threaten us, whereas terrorists in Pak. & Afgh. Openly threaten our world interests.”
CFR.ORG/5SEPT

Notice that he DOESN’’T say jihadists pose a great threat
To our Homeland—only to our ‘interests’—
i.e., to our fragile Empire.

During Viet war, hawks said that VC victory WOULD threaten ‘free world’.

The West IS threatened by jihadists worldwide.
But (impossible) victory in Afgh will not lessen that threat.

 
BRITS ARE ON THEIR WAY OUT OF AFGH/
Says pundit at LONDON TIMES/5September

Spaniards, Dutch, & Canadians have announced
Their exit dates.

Britain will pull out only when Americans do.
But that will happen rather soon.

However, Brits pulled out of Iraq before US !

 
DEMS BALK AT MORE TROOPS/
Senators call instead for rapid increase of Afghan govt. forces.—
BEFORE we add more troops./
ASSOC.PRES/5SEPT

But mil. Honchos say that would take 3 more years—
Longer than exasperated Americans would tolerate.

Honchos say we must convince Afghans that we’re there
To help them/ but Americans don’t care about helping
Primitive Afghans—THEY must be told that our goal
Is protecting Americans from terrorist attacks.

 
NO PROGRESS IN 18 MONTHS, as Obamites wish.
Says Newsweek./And they quote Pent. General:
“Time is not on our side.”
Still, they say we must stay in,
To avoid ‘triumph for our enemies.’

But that argument would have supported endless
(foolish) Fight in Vietnam

There are worse things than triumph of enemies
In an 8th-century nation. Continuous, pointless GI bloodshed
And draining of our bankrupt treasury are worse.

Our enemies worldwide can 'triumph' in sense
that they can attack our Homeland.
We should minimize that 'triumph'
by pulling out of our 2 goofy wars
and concentrating on Homeland Defense.

 
“STAY IN AFGH TO SAVE PAKISTAN” says hawk.
He says Taliban taking over (parts of) Afgh would enable them to
Undermine Pak. Govt, (which has nukes).
WALL ST JOURNAL/5September

But if we interfered with Afgh Taliban enough,
They could retreat to Pakistan and possibly take over there.

This argument is too subtle
to stop erosion of US support of this war.

 
QUICK PULLOUT FROM 2 WARS WOULD SAVE
$1 MILLION MILLIONS/
Says Congressional agency
ARMYTIMES/4SEPT


That would fund new Health Program—
But savings would likely go to Pentagon.

 
LYONS NOT OBJECTIVE/
Pentagon spends millions on prowar propaganda
(e.g., on FOX)

so some bloggers should emphasize
bad news about Pentagon follies.

 
90 CASUALTIES FROM IRAQ BOMBS/
CNN/4September
‘Surge success’ may be only temporary.

Will parallel strategy work in more difficult Afgh?

 
OBAMA’S SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON HIS ABILITY TO RECRUIT ALLIES IN AFGHANISTAN/
Says columnist in GUARDIAN/4SEPT
Obama’s popularity has shrunk;
his aides denounce balking allies

(most Europeans oppose the war;.
2 in 3 Americans oppose more troops.)

 
GIs GO ON DYING TO ‘STABILIZE THE REGION’?
A columnist for LondonGuardian (4Sept) gives this as
Reason we can’t bug out.

GIs should die only to protect America from direct attack--\
And only if such sacrifice will WORK to protect us.
(Many jihadist havens around the world threaten us,
not jusTaliban.)

 
EVEN FELLOW PASHTUNS TURN AGAINST KARZAI/
His corruption, and his use of rival tribes in govt,
Enrages them. /
Also, his flunkies tell US that their enemies are allied with Taliban.
FINANCIAL TIMES/4SEPT

 
LONDON HONCHO QUITS OVER AGHANISTAN/
Says Brown can’t say truly that Afgh. is important to Brit security.
FINANCIAL TIMES/4SEPT

 
TALIBAN SKIMS OFF $ FROM US AID ! /
Protection racket pressures contractors./
GLOBALPOST/4SEPT

 
NEGOTIATE WITH TALIBAN?/
(with local commanders)/
NOT while they see their winning/
Not until there’s a real, legitimate govt. in Kabul.
NYTIMES/1September

In other words, not before war loses
Support of practically all Americans.

 
AWFUL WEEK IN AFGH/
GI casualties/ huge bomb in Kandahar/
US stuck with illegitimate Karzai/
NYTIMES/4SEPT

 
SOME TOP OBAMA HONCHOS OPPOSE MORE GIs TO AFGH/
Biden certainly/Clinton is for huge increase/
Gates is ambivalent/
Mullen points out that
we DON’T HAVE ALLTHAT MANY GIs AVAILABLE/
Compromise likely—25K MORE targets for Taliban.
NYTIMES/4SEPT

2 in 3 Americans oppose troop increase.

 
8 SENSIBLE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHEN TO START A WAR—
ALL ANSWERED WRONG IN AFGH/
MCCLATCHY PAPERS/4SEPT

 
“OUR NEW STRATEGY HAS NOT HAD TIME TO WORK “/
says Gates./
Remember when Nixon inherited Johnson’s war?/
He said “I have a plan !”/
But 5 years later we were still
In the swamp—
more GIs died under Nixon than under Johnson.

 
2PAPERS FOR PULLOUT/
SanFrancisco Chronicle asks
“Will we win for a govt. worthy of our effort?”

DenverPost “Pushing Afgh from 8th century to 21st
will take far too long.”

Quoted in USATODAY/4SEPT

 
NATO AIRSTRIKE KILLS 90 AFGHANS/
“Many of them civilians’/
This gives Karzai another chance
To criticize foreign invaders.
VOICE OF AMERICA/4SEPT

Mil. Honchos chatter about winning hearts and minds
Of Afghans, but go right on bombing them indiscriminately.

 
BRITS MAKING SAME OLD MISTAKES IN AFGH/
Say experts/
London Times/3Sept/

So are Americans.

 
ALLIES ‘FALTER’ BECAUSE THEY SEE WAR IS HOPELESS, POINTLESS/
John Burns in NYT gives general, irrelevant reasons for Europe balking at real help
In Afghanistan. (Netherlands and Canada have already set pullout dates—
2 in 3 Brits want out now.)

He never mentions the main reason: Europeans see that the war is hopeless;
(guerillas win stalemates). It is also pointless, because success in Afghanistan
would make us no safer from jihadists all over the world.

 
ANTI-TAL. EFFORTS IN NW PAK. ARE FAILING/
Need for detailed knowledge of each village
And its relationship to Taliban.
GUARDIAN/3September/

That means that success is impossible.

 
1.6 BILLION in South Asia face food,water shortage/
Technophiles used to brag that hi-tech food-production was
Outracing population increase. /
But now we see that is not true,
Because of global warming./
SEATTLEPI/3September

Would that birth-control had outgrown
Death-control.
Megatech does much good, but even more harm.
See LAMAR.COLOSTATE.EDU/~DLYONS

 
150,000 SOVIET TROOPS GOT DRIVEN OUT/
They were also told to befriend natives/
How will 40,000 more GIs help?

 
EXPERT SAYS AMERICANS WILL TOLERATE MORE WAR
TILL END OF 2010—BUT
The more troops we send in, the more casualties..
(the Taliban says, “the more targets !)
and high casualties may ‘make the clock tick faster.”
CNN/2SEPT

 
FORMER KABUL ALLY FORCED INTO TALIBAN/
Prominent leader is now forceful Taliban warrior.
WALL ST.JOURNAL

 
NEARLY 2 IN 3 AMERICANS NOW OPPOSE WAR/
Up sharply from April/ War supporters down sharply.
THE SWAMP (Chicago Tribune)/2Sept

 
RIGHT-WING PUNDIT SAYS “GET OUT NOW !”
George Will, a fountain of right-wing dogmas,
Says we can’t win in Afgh, so OUT NOW.
Most European allies agree,
As do practically all Brits,
And most Americans.
UNITED PRESS/2SEPT

The faster Obama bugs out,
The quicker Democrats will recover.

 
US & ALLIES WORRY ABOUT AFGHAN ELECTION/
--Some say we should force Karzai to accept runoff election/
but Taliban might do better at crippling that/
--Others say we should force ‘National Unity’
govt. with Abdullah as Prime Minister.
LONDON TIMES/2SEPT

 
SCIENCE-FICTION TRICKS FOR AVOIDING GLOBAL WARNING?
Prestigious sci. group hints at necessity,
But warns of side-effects.
TIMESONLINE.CO.UK/2SEPT

For theory as to why megatech does much good,
But even more harm,
Goto LAMAR.COLOSTATE.EDU/~DLYONS
Chapter two

 
KARZAI SHOULD STEP DOWN/
Says a columnist in LONDON GUARDIAN/2September
He lists K’s awful failures as national leader/

But who’ll MAKE K step down?

Perhaps NATO could say they’ll quit protecting him
From assassination ?

 
POPULAR AFGHAN SUPPORT SHRINKING/
For foreign troops & also for corrupt government/
GATES MENTIONED ‘GLOOM & DOOM’

He also noted that available forces and costs
Might limit expansion of war effort.
NEWS.YAHOO/2SEPT

 
IRAQI CASUALTIES HIGHEST IN YEAR/
LATIMES/2SEPT

Surge success may be temporary;
but Americans won’t care.

We should worry that any vaunted
Afghan success will be temporary.

 
NEW TALIBAN EFFECTIVENESS/
Allies surprised by increased competence./
New successes boost Taliban morale./
Many dimensions of improved performance;
Perhaps trainers from outside Afgh.

Tal. Can wait till US pull out (WHENEVER that appens)
They’ll still be there and ready to take over.
WASHINGTONPOST/2SEPT

 
OBSTACLES TO WINNNG AFGHAN HEARTS/
MORE ROADS, AGRIC.AID NEEDED/
(New roads might be mined.)
Now, agric. Experts can’t go safely more than
1000 feet outside their forts./

Disastrous to make big predictions about improvement,
With shortfall in results.
CSMONITOR/2SEPT

 
BIDEN SAYS AFGHAN SUCCESS IMPOSSIBLE/
Americans won’t stand for NECESSARY LONG-TERM commitment/
Up to 45,000 MORE troops will be demanded.
“Success’ will mean that INCREASES in GI deaths
will stop.
MCCLATCHY PAPERS/2SEPT

 
FEW FAVOR MORE TROOPS TO AFGH/
Recent poll shows only 1 in 3 Americans
favor troop increase/
Only 29% think we’re winning
MCCLATCHY PAPERS/2SEPT

 
OPIUM CROP SAID TO DIMINISH—
SO WHY IS PRICE DROPPING?
Opium dealers are safe from govt and Taliban.
Opium still pays far more than wheat.
NYTIMES/2SEPT

 
NEGOTIATE WITH TALIBAN?
POSSIBLE THEORETICALLY,
But it might undermine morale of allied troops/
And it has no chance while Taliban is winning !
NYTIMES/2SEPT

 
NOBODY IN THIS DISTRICT VOTED—BUT KARZAI GOT 24K VOTES/
opponent got zero votes
NYTIMES/2SEPT

 
RIGHT-WING WALL STREET JOURNAL runs prowar article/
Downplaying disastrous news and mentioning only glimmers of hope.
It admits ‘results’ will not show in less than 12-18 months
(the Pentagon mantra)..That’s only ‘results’, not prevailing.

Over half of Americans say war is not worth it.
Many more will say this in 12-18 months!

 
100 casualties in Afghan mosque/
include one top honcho & several officials/
CHINA NEWS/2SEPT

 
GI casualties in 8 months of 2009 have already topped
Casualties for any of 8 YEARS before.

 
NO AFGHAN SUCCESS QUICKLY? THEN NONE AT ALL./
AFTER 8 YRS ALREADY,
People and their legislators won’t stand for endless war/

 
PROMISED ‘SURGE’ IN US CIVILIAN HELPERS SAGS IN AFGH/
Language difficulties one problem. (no, impassible barrier ! )
MSNBC/1SEPT

 
AFGHAN GOVT HONCHO ALLIED WITH TAL. BOMBERS?

Arrested bomber had phone number of Defence honcho,
Who said US had arrested ‘the wrong man’.

CBS/1SEPT

 
HOLBROOK DISMISSES AFGHAN VOTE-FRAUD/
“We have such fraud in US also.”

NO COMPARISON in DEGREE of fraud !

 
TAL. CAN STILL STRIKE BACK IN SWAT/
New clashes/Naturally, Pak. Army says they won.
REUTERS/1SEPT

 
SYSTEMATIC VOTE FRAUD WILL WEAKEN US EFFORTS IN AFGH/
No legitimate govt. will result/
NATO’s presence will be seen even more as occupation./
LONDON TIMES/1SEPT

 
MANY PARALLELS WITH SOVIET FIASCO IN AFGH./
Russ soldiers also told to befriend natives/

Gorbachev had the good sense to bugout.
GUARDIAN/1SEPT

 
WE’LL SETTLE FOR DEFENDING AFGHAN CITIES/
Says McCrystal—most(by far ! ) Afghans live outside cities;
They’ll be left to Taliban domination.

FINANCIAL TIMES/1SEPT

 
TAL.HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD/
GIs have short tours—how long will US stay in?
GLOBALPOST/1SEPT

 
INTO HELMLAND ON FOOT/
MRAPS ARE TOO CUMBERSOME/
Also, marines must go on foot to meet,
Befriend natives.

All this means higher GI casualties.

GLOBALPOST/1SEPT

 
‘WE’RE BEING SUCKED INTO ENDLESS WAR”/
says legislator just back from Afgh./
Sounds like Obama will defy his own supporters,
And plunge further into the swamp.

Gates warns that too many troops
will show we're occupiers, not helpers..
especially since there will be no legitimate
Afghan govt to cover us.
NYTIMES/1SEPT