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When will the carnage stop?
There have been bombings in Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The bombings occured during a major religious ceremony. The idiocy of it all boggles the mind!!!
In Iraq, pilgrims were attacked at the Holy City of Karbala. Bombings caused deaths in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city. Public funerals are being planned right now. 31 people lost their lives. They were mostly women and children. After the first attack, a second attack occured at the hospital that the victims were taken too. Even worst, I am monitoring reports that a third bomb was defused by the Pakistani Authorities.
As for Afghanistan, coordinated bombings yet again caused death and carnage. The people who do this in the name of religion truly do not understand religion at all. When will this stop? Why women and children? When will this senseless carnage stop?
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We Need More "Frank" talk
As I wrote about the carnage in Afghanistan, I nearly fell off my chair when I reviewed an analysis done by General Flynn of the US Army. This is available at Really Long Link
What General Flynn has outlined is another total disconnect in the way the intelligence agencies have operated and the absolute misunderstanding of the realities on the ground. The fact that General Flynn had the courage to speak up for the way things are right now should be another wake-up call. Although I was disappointed that the Pentagon Spokesman expressed "shock", this should be another sign that things have to change and change very quickly if there is even a slight chance of "success
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A page out of John Le Care
Now that the euphoria of the New Year has passed, it is back to reality!!!!
I have been reviewing reports about the carnage in Afghanistan. It turns out that the suicide bomber in Afghanistan that killed seven CIA operatives was a triple agent. He was a 36 year old Doctor who was apparently picked up in Jordan, was supposedly turned to target the Al Qaeda Number 2. According to Richard Engel of NBC News a Jordanian Agent was also killed who happened to be a distant relative of the King of Jordan. My reaction to this report was simply this: OMG
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As Only JibJab Can Say It!!
As I continue to finish off 2009 and gear up for 2010, I just ran across JibJab's take on this very, very tough year:
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...what will Karzai have to say to that?
The UN has just announced that it is evacuating 900 staff members from Afghanistan, citing security concerns. To me, this is another indicement of the useless Karzai who leads one of the most corrupt regimes in the world today. As I have written here and in OV's sister sites, Karzai is part of the problem. Dr. Abdullah's declaration regarding the election of Karzai being illegitmate is a step in the right direction. But, political instability is bound to continue and the Taliban will drive a mack truck through it. It will make matters ever more complicated.
If Karzai is such a great guy, then how come the UN has decided to leave? What does Karzai have to say to that
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Why would anyone want this job?!??!
During my morning review on Thursday, I was surprised at the scenes of President Obama attending the dignifed transfer of the fallen at Dover Air Force in Delaware:
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September 17th 2009 17:35
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When will this nightmare be over?
Earlier today, 6 Italian Soldiers lost their lives when a Taliban Suicide bomber rammed a vehicle into an Italian Military Convoy near the US Embassy in Kabul. This is right in the heart of the capital. This goes on as the uncertainty over the Afghan elections continues. There is one hopeful sign that I think must be explored. The Italian Prime Minister has come out noting that NATO has to leave Afghanistan. I find this signifcant because he has been on of the stalwarts of support for this campaign
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September 17th 2009 06:19
Afghanistan's election is still up in the air. Karzai the fool is ahead of his main challenger, Dr. Abdullah The EU monitors, though, thankfully have had the courage to tell the world that over a million votes that Karzai the fool has gotten are dubious at best. Karzai and his flacks have come out blasting the UN. The world seems to realize that the truth somehow lies in between.
Now, as this uncertainty continues, I have seem some ideas floating around about Abdullah and Karzai entering into some sort of a coalition. I hope Abdullah does not accept it, because Karzai is the problem. Karzai's authority only extends to his own palace only. He can't even control Kabul, let alone the country. I was at least gratified to see that President Obama seems to have shut down the idea of more troops for Afghanistan
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Will it get worst for "Obama's War"?
As I write this, reports are coming in that 90 people have died as a result of a NATO bombing in Northern Afghanistan. NATO went after a fuel convoy that was stolen by the Taliban. This comes on top of another incident that saw the death of a key Afghan Intelligence Official a few days ago that I commented on in an earlier write-up.
The question is this: Why is this significant? It is signifcant on several fronts. For one thing, the battle for the hearts and minds that is now the focus of US and NATO strategy is not working. I find Admiral Mullen's Stark acknowledgement that "Time is not on our side" especially chilling
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This is the first formal "Chronicle" I have launched on Afghanistan. I have periodically written about Afghanistan here and in OV's sister sites, Kitten Politics & Smooth Political. With how things have evolved, this will be the first in a series of chronicles to reflect upon the tragedy that his Afghanistan.
I have just reviewed a report from the BBC noting an explosive meeting between Ambassador Holbrooke and Hamid Karzai. It is bad enough that only 30% of the people voted. The Taliban already have won because they were able to scare the people into not voting. That's the reality and it cannot be changed
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As the world awaits the results of the Afghan Election, I could not help but report on the Daily Show's take on the Afghan Elections:
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Truly Never a Dull Moment!!!
It has been a very busy week-end. There is of course Burma and the fact that Jim Webb got to see the Pro-Democracy Leader and the Chief Thug who runs Burma today. There is the burning debate over healthcare that dominated the airwaves over the week-end on U.S Sunday Talk Show Circuit. There was of course Afghanistan and the upcoming election. And last, but no tleast, there is of course Iran.
Here was a sampling of the debate over healthcare
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..and we thought we've got it under control!!!
The news from Afghanistan is not pretty. A day does not pass without a death or an injury being reported. There is of course the showcase video being shown of the captured US Army Soldier being held by the Taleban.
There is another bigger picture that makes the upcoming election even more impossible to predict. According to the statistics I have reviewed from the Afghan Ministry of the Interior, there are 28,000 polling stations in the country. This is a country that is not the most developed in the world. According to the Afghan Interior Ministry's own data, 124 out of the 364 Districts in the country are unsafe. Major candidates are not venturing out of the major cities. With this lousy picture, how a credible election can be held is something I am trying to figure out. It will be quite a challenge to say the least
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...when will it all stop?
A Soldier Comes Home
President Obama's Nominee for the Afghanistan Commander was before the US Senate. He told the Senate about the long road ahead. He also told the Senate that the war is "winnable". But before there is light at the end of the tunnel, such scenes will become ever more
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Should we believe them?
Zardari and Karzai, the Laurel and Hardy of South Asia, have spoken on the predicament faced by their countries. Zardari was quite forceful and eloquent in laying out the stark choices. He is asking for more help:
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What a Beautiful Scene
The useless Karzai and the playboy Zardari have seen President Obama. I am sure that the President read the riot act to both of them. When I saw the President's statement, everyone was happy and gong-ho. I am still trying to understand why the United States supports such men who have been nothing but a disaster for their countries
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And the Truth???????????!!!!!!??????
I caught the program, Empire, that Al Jazeera's Marwan Bishara hosts talking about U.S. Foreign Policy and the future. The analysis done is chilling. The session he hosted had Seymour Hersch, Lakhmar Brahimi and Tariq Ali. Tariq Ali and Seymour Hersch are considered "lefties" by the Conservative Community. But, sometimes lefites have words of wisdom that should be listened to.
In Iraq, there is some consesus that there is reasonable security. Hannity, in his radio interview on Thursday with Governor Rendell of Pennsylvania, said that the United States won the Iraq war. My reaction was, really? How? The fact is that Suicide bombers are back in fashion as America begins to withdraw. If the United States did in fact win, then why do we still have 150,000 troops in that country? Why are people dying
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Washington Ought To Listen....
I have continued to express reservations about Afghanistan and have profoundly concerned about the way ahead. I think Pepe Escobar's Report is as insightful as it gets:
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Is the Message Coming Through?
I have been making the rounds of the Sunday Talk Shows. NBC and ABC had Tim Geitner on and CBS' Face the Nation had the President on as well: (available at http://www.cbsnews.com).
As I listened to the Face The Nation Interview, I was glad that Bob Schieffer brought up Mexico. I have regarded Mexico as the soft underbelly that is indeed a major threat to the security of the United States. I did also find Meet the Press quite insightful in explaining in layman's terms how the plan is supposed to work. As I listened to all the shows, the central message I heard was that the Obama Adminstration views the strategies on both the economy and Afghanistan was on track. Time will only tell
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I am not surprised at the Republicans...
The President Arrives For His First Day....A Busy One too!!!
The first day of the Obama Adminstration has begun. The President began his day by attending the National Prayer Service and got down to work. I saw him when he met with the White House and signed off on the new Ethics Rules. He has also been meeting with the Economics and National Security Teams. They have hit the ground running. Unfortunately, the Senate has not done the job by confirming the nominees. At least three key members are yet to be confirmed. A new Era has truly begun
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..and now the real work begins......
A New Dawn Has Arrived
Barack Hussein Obama is now the 44th President of the United States. Throughout my lifetime, I have had the privilege to read on the traditions and was finally able to be a true witness to this momentous transfer of power due to the power of technology. I have continued to marvel at how someone with so much power gives it up so willingly because the people are truly sovereign in America. This was quite moving when the President and the First Lady escorted Former Mr. and Mrs. Bush
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Eagerly Awaiting The Seize Fire.....
As the bombing and the rocket firing was continuing, Tipzi Livni got U.S. guarantees on a prevention of Hamas rearming. Qatar and Mauritania cut their Israeli ties. There are reports coming through stating that Israel is nearing the "end game". I am still trying to understand what the "end game" is.
As the talking is going on, I continue to get reports on the grim statistics. So far, almost 1200 people are dead and over 5,000 have been wounded. I just saw a twitter update from Al Jazeera'z Zeina Awad noting, "...one of the biggest air strikes to date". Gaza's infrastructure has totally collapsed. I saw reports on two Israeli Human Rights groups petitoning the Israeli Supreme Court to compel the Army to begin allowing humanitarian aid to the civilans. There is of course a report on another UN school again being hit with injuries
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Mike Pouraryan
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