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OV Newsflash (11/25/2009): As Zero Hour Is Upon Us in Afghanistan..

November 25th 2009 07:17
: Wow!!!!


I have been listening to an explosive interview with Jeremy Schaill. Although some may question the source, the fact remains that the war is being privatized. The fact that mercenaries are being hired to execute the war is absolutely scary. It is indeed an eye opener and should give all a reason for pause.



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OV Week-End Notes (10/31/2009): What a Busy Day!!!

November 1st 2009 05:49
: Never a Dull Moment!!!!


Saturday was quite a day!!! The useless Karzai refused to accomodate Dr. Abdullah, his main challenger as the country is gearing up for a second round. There have been stories throughout the day that Dr. Abdullah will withdraw from the second round. I even saw a New York Times report that Dr. Abdullah will in fact withdraw.


What I found disappointing was Secretary Clinton's reaction when asked about the potential withdrawal of Dr. Abdullah. She noted that President Karzai's acceptance of the second round signifed legitimacy already, not withstanding whether Dr. Abdullah will stand or not. The problem is that Karzai has no crediblity at all. If he was running for election in the United States, he would be crucified. Yet, the Adminstration has decided to stand by this man while the country is being ravaged by an increasingly vibrant and hostile insurgency. What the Adminstration should have said to America's man was that he should not be afraid to do the right thing. Karzai's man was in charge while the fraud happened. Does anyone blame Dr. Abdullah for not trusting this guy? It is like putting the fox in charge of the chicken. The Fox will see to it that the chicken are eaten alive. Yet, Karzai does not want to accomodate the changes and the Adminstration is going to let it ride. Unfortunately, it is the wrong move at the wrong time as America is at a crossroads--as the Economist's KAL so eloquently said two weeks ago.

The Secretary was also in the Middle East trying to revive the peace process. The Adminstration, it appears, is backing off the pressure it has put the Israelis on to stop settlement activity. The Israelis are continuing on. Now, the Secretary is trying to get the Palestinians to come to the negotiating table. The Secretary's view is that the Israelis have made unprecendented moves. I respectfully disagree with the position of the Israelis, especially when they are continuing their settlement activities and will end up creating Bantustan-Like enclaves while continuing to encircle Gaza--the world's biggest prison. The Israelis, of course, have a different point of view on this. The Israelis have already taken Jersuleam off the table. So, with all due respect to the Secretary, I am trying to figure out what this "unprecedented" committment by the Israeli side is? As it stands, I regard it as a dead-end unless something drastic changes.

Now, back in the United States, it is election time again!!! Although I am a bit election-weary, the races in New Jersey and Virginia are interseting. But, the one that I have found especially hillarious is the race in upstate New York. The "Official" Republican Candidate withdrew due to the fact that the conservative party's candidate's full court press had just gotten too much. Sarah Palin, Fred Thompson and other "conservative" luminaries have come out behind the Conservative Party candidate. Newt Gingrich was right when he noted that at 20%, you have a great movement. But, to govern, you have to have a 50 1 margin. The conservatives seem not to listen to the old rebel himself--who probably wants to run for President.

The world will know in a few hours the fateful decision by Dr Abdullah. The question will be then, what now?

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Handling the Taliban

July 29th 2009 08:53
: A Lot to think about
As the surge intensifies in Afghanistan, the issue of "handling" the Taliban seems to be gathering steam. UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband's call to "split" the Taliban is interesting. Yet, the so-called allies in the region seem to not again have their act together. This article that Ahmad Rashid just wrote for the BBC World Service has given me a lot of think about:

Really Long Link

Hopefully, Mr. Holbrooke will have had a chance to take a look at Ahmad Rashid's write-up and assess where things stand. The insurgency is a major problem that is threatening to destabilize the whole South Asia Region. Despite all the blood and treasure so far, nothing is yet to be achieved.
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Ahmadinejad On a Roll.....

May 25th 2009 19:44
: And?
Quite a Cast of Characters


The incumbent President has been on a roll. Throughout the past two days alone, he has hosted a summit on Afghanistan with the The Presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan, has had two news conferences and has been busy on the campaign trail. This is while his opponents are relegated as a afterthought in Iranian Official Media


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Never a Dull Moment....

May 24th 2009 14:25
: Another hopeful sign?
I am right now seeing reports that the ban on Facebook has been lifted. I welcome it. This is while two interesting developments have occurred. A summit has concluded between Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. That's also a welcome development in my view--not withstanding the profound reservations I have had about all three men. HOpefully the dialogue will yield some positive results.


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The Storm Around Nancy Pelosi

May 16th 2009 01:14
: So What????
I have been assessing what has been going around Nancy Pelosi since her news conference yesterday. What is sad about this argument is how much of a diversion this has all become as we are faced with more of the same in Afghanistan.

I saw an archive of the news conference that led to so much over the last day or so. She was clearly unprepared and was not on top of her game. For such a savvy political player, blaming the CIA was also wrong. She played right into the hand of the punditry. Joe Scarbarough was brutal this morning on Morning Joe. She made herself into a laughing stock


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The Laurel and Hardy of South Asia Speak!!!

May 10th 2009 22:20
: 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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Obama & the AfPak Dynamic Duo

May 7th 2009 03:38
: How low can we go?
The Image
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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Scary Prospects in Pakistan

May 6th 2009 13:09
: What now?
I have been reviewing reports on the escalating violence in Pakistan. The Pakistani Taliban spokesman has just told Al Jazeera that the deal made by the Pakistan Government is dead. Refugees have been getting out in droves.

When the deal was announced, United States Government officials came out against the it. Maybe their  judgement was right in that t he Taliban wanted to regroup and restart their offensive. The Taliban refused to disarm after they got the right to impose Sharia law in SWAT valley They have been quite sophisiticated in their tactics and will not stop now


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The Continued Happy Talk About Iraq & Afghanistan

May 1st 2009 09:51
: 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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Ahmad Rashid on Islam

April 11th 2009 07:47
: Someone who should be listened too....
The misconceptions about Islam has continued. Although the commentary by Ahmad Rashid is a bit outdated (due to the the worsening situation in Afghanistan today), the analysis he presents in this interview is interesting and insightful:


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An Insightful View of Afghanistan

April 9th 2009 16:25
: Why won't anyone listen?
Afghanistan has emerged as a central front because of all that has been going on. The new policy by the Obama Adminstration, in my view, will threaten to take the United States down the same misguided and lethal path that has led to eight years of failure. As I have written throughout the last number of months, the Taliban are winning.

One of the msot insightful analysis I have seen so far is this interview done by Paul Jay


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An Alternative View of Obama's Plan For Afghanistan

April 1st 2009 07:07
: 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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Continued Concerns About Pakistan

March 19th 2009 18:14
: What is the end game?
Pakistan is a country of 175 Million People. The United States has apparently considered expanding the Afghan War to go deep into Pakistan. Right now, Pakistan is on fire. I have continued to warn against the Afghan War, the plight of the ordinary Pakistanis and Afghans and the instability it represents.

Zardari the Crook has no crediblity whatsoever in Pakistan. Yet, it seems to me that the United States has thrown its' lot behind Zardari and the elites in Pakistan today. The U.S. seems to make the same mistake again and again. Pakistanis want what others want: to have the right to determine their own destiny, to have the right to a decent living and the future. I think the Chief Justice being restored is a cause for celebration. I had reservations about whether The Chief Justice would continue his efforts. I continue to do so


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Karzai Being Listened to?

February 16th 2009 18:46
: Why even waste time.....
I just reviewed reports that Karzai's "proposals" will be part of the proposed Obama Strategic Review of the options in Afghanistan. I laughed!!!

It is a big mistake to waste time on this man. He has been President for seven years. I am trying to understand what value does he bring to the table. if he had any sway over Afghanistan, the country would have been a lot better off than it is now. The drug trade is flourishing, the man can't even control his capital city, his brother is a major smuggler--and the Adminstration wants to listen to him. People continue to be killed every day as this tragedy unfolds


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Pashtunistan: A Sign of Things To Come

February 12th 2009 06:01
: Scary.....
The Financial Times has reported on some rather scary emerging trends in Afghanistan and Pakistan. I have written about Afghanistan. I have noted the challenges and the useless role the so-called President of Afghanistan has played. The nature of Governments in both Pakistan and Afghanistan has meant that the so-called Durand Line which separates the countries has seized to exist.

One of the many realities on the ground is the fact that both Pakistan and Afghanistan is on fire. It is clear that both governments only control their capital cities. What was especially distrubing to me was how the Taliban have penetrated all parts of Pakistan. The Governor of Sindh said that that the Karachi underworld is helping to finance the Taliban. How Richard Holbrooke can bring back these two failed states back from the brink will be a miracle. I was pleased to see that he was appointed because he pulled off a near-impossible in Bosnia. As such, I will give him the benefit of the doubt to see what he can do. He does not have much time left


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Witness to History: An Historical Inauguration

January 21st 2009 04:12
: ..and now the real work begins......
History.....
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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