Tag: diplomacy

National Security, Anti-Americanism, The “War on Terror” and new methods in public diplomacy

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Meanwhile… in Afghanistan

Several dozen Taliban were reportedly killed on Friday by Afghan and U.S. troops. Seeing as this hasn’t become a news item yet in the States begs the question… exactly HOW MANY Taliban are on the loose if death to 40-some isn’t newsworthy?

From the Beeb:

Some 41 Taleban fighters and six policemen have been killed in a battle in southern Afghanistan, a governor in the region has said.

OK, now I see it here on the Reuters wire, but as has been obvious for months, and has seen coverage of its own this week, is the absence of Afghanistan reporting in the U.S. press.

L.A. Times staff writer Paul Watson, based in Afghanistan, broke a huge story Monday, reporting that “memory sticks” or “flash drives” containing sensitive information are for sale at flea markets “no more than 200 yards from a U.S. base.” NBC confirmed the story, but not until Thursday, and on Saturday AP is picking it up.

We know that the security situation in Iraq precludes on the ground coverage from most media outlets. Is it the same in Afghanistan?

It seems Iraq only gets worse… we’re left hoping that Afghanistan will only get better, but, as E&P and others cry out: where da media at?

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Does Anyone Outside the White House Like Rumsfeld?

c. Matson, 4.11.06 via cagle.com
Is Jefferson Davis available?

I mean, whose best friends would really have your back when no one in your Army trusts you, and in the worst of interests re: fellow man? Must be the White House.
A fifth retired general, Major Gen. John Riggs, added his voice to those opposing Rumsfeld. In an interview with National Public Radio, Riggs cited an atmosphere of “arrogance” among top civilian leaders at the Pentagon.

Rumsfeld “should step aside and let someone step in who can be more realistic,” he said.

Raw Story has a piece detailing further plans in which Rumsfeld along with Cheney intend to ignore recommendations from intelligence and use the forces of the detained Mujahedeen-e Khalq (MEK) — a right-wing Iranian terrorist organization — to intimidate Iran.

?These guys are nuts,” an anonymous intelligence source told Raw Story, regarding Tweedle Don and Tweedle Dick.
The Moderate Voice scours the papers and the web for various points of view on the Rummy Must Go symphony.

And never, ever by the “Rumsfeld tried to resign twice” nonsense. Friends don’t let friends cut and run.

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9/11 Flight 93 Cockpit Transcript

The NYTimes is hosting a .pdf of the transcript, released to the jury today in the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui.

Download/View it here.

In Washington, the maturity level has been reduced to the height of corn in drought-ravaged Texas, Scott McClellan extolling the press once again.

Who’s playing the deception game here again?

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Tragedy in Afghanistan

Six chidren killed Tuesday morning when a rocket explodes in their schoolyard.

I am ready to quit blogging about war and politics and all of the horrible, seemingly uncontrollable shit that is nearly impossible for a news-crazed, internet junkie like myself to avoid.

But with all the yammering that continues regarding Iran, Iraq, and the increasingly less surprising revelations from the White House…

… how about a little perspective.

The U.S. has turned over operations in Afghanistan largely to UK-led UN forces, however, this particular rocket, according to first reports, landed just short of a U.S.-led coalition base, landing instead “in the yard of Salabagh School in Asadabad.”

“Shrapnel from the rocket slashed through the children who were studying in the yard because there aren’t enough school buildings,” Hasan said. “Six were killed.”

This is the Afghanistan we liberated and “fixed,” just over four years after allegedly driving the vicious Taliban regime out of power.

This rampant irresponsibility is downright sickening – and everyone is to blame.