tagged w/ War in Afghanistan
-
Here's an excellent observation from Mediaite's Rachel Sklar, who reminds us that while the "big news to come out of Meet The Press this week has been author Jon Krakauer's assertion that General Stanley McChrystal, commander of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan, was implicated in the cover-up about the death of Pat Tillman," that big news had already been more or less broken by Jon Stewart and The Daily Show:
Krakauer was on [The Daily Show] over a month ago. It's surprising that this one flew under the radar, given how many sharp-eyed journalists, bloggers and media-watchers tune into the Daily Show, and regularly report on the news it makes. But it can and does happen, and happened here. What this says about Krakauer, McChrystal and his book is no different than what was picked up from Meet The Press. But what this says about so-called 'fake' news is, keep your eye on it. People with important things to say make a point of trying to say them on the Daily Show. So don't fall asleep before the interview.
All of that is absolutely right, and it's worth pointing out that Stewart conducted his interview with a greater awareness of where the "news" is in an interview with Jon Krakauer. That meant that Daily Show viewers got an interview that began with the Pat Tillman story and went on for six probing minutes. Meanwhile, at Meet The Press, Krakauer sat on the set like window dressing, and the subject of Pat Tillman wasn't broached until the show's final sequence of questions. Why have him on then?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/03/daily-show-beat-meet-the_n_343923.htmlHere's an excellent observation from Mediaite's Rachel Sklar, who reminds us that... more
-
-
he man chosen by Barack Obama to lead the war in Afghanistan also helped cover up the friendly-fire death of NFL player turned soldier Pat Tillman, writes Jon Krakauer. He administered a fraudulent medal recommendation to keep the public in the dark. So why isn’t anybody talking about it?he man chosen by Barack Obama to lead the war in Afghanistan also helped cover up the... more
-
-
US Senator John Kerry said, in an interview to be aired Sunday, it was "irresponsible" to send more US troops to Afghanistan at this time, amid a deepening election crisis that has placed the Kabul government's legitimacy at stake.
The United States should not proceed with a new Afghanistan strategy committing a potentially major increase in US resources, including tens of thousands more troops, without first securing a clear partner in Kabul, Kerry told CNN.
Kerry is not promoting sending more troops now. That would be irresponsible, he said, when Afghanistan’s election is not yet finished.
“I don’t see how President Obama can make a decision about the committing of our additional forces or even the further fulfillment of our mission that’s here today without an adequate government in place or knowledge about what that government’s going to be,” he said.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government has been plagued by uncertainty and a legitimacy crisis after allegations of widespread fraud in the August elections whose preliminary results put him on top, and ongoing charges of corruption.
Obama is nearing a decision on the way forward in Afghanistan, after weeks of deliberations with his top advisers, but also as public support wanes for the conflict.
The US contingent, set to reach 68,000 troops by the end of the year, is experiencing heavy casualties as it combats a Taliban that has regrouped and gained momentum. Related article: Obama's tensions with generals.
Among those options being considered are to follow a grim assessment by the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, and adopt a counter-insurgency strategy that requires at least 40,000 additional troops.US Senator John Kerry said, in an interview to be aired Sunday, it was "irresponsible"... more
-
-
if your not to busy with balloon boy,watch this child cry about his daddy getting shot in his own home. Global War on Drugs. Open Season on Reason. enjoy that poppyseed bagel..if your not to busy with balloon boy,watch this child cry about his daddy getting shot... more
-
-
It's lonely at the top. There are times when being the president of the United States can be the toughest and loneliest job in the world. And at no time is that feeling greater than when a president is confronted with his most fateful decision in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the armed forces: To commit U.S. troops into armed combat, especially in a war that's unpopular with the American people. President Lyndon Johnson (above) found that out the hard way in 1965 with Vietnam. Now President Obama faces a similar decision on Afghanistan that could make or break his presidency . . .It's lonely at the top. There are times when being the president of the United States... more
-
-
The Liberal Democrats become the first major political party to call for an end to Britain's war in AfghanistanThe Liberal Democrats become the first major political party to call for an end to... more
-
-
dlamb
-
added this
-
2 months ago
- |
-
First Sgt. Jose San Nicolas Crisostomo, from Spanaway, Washington, is the oldest member in the U.S Military to die in Afghanistan. The Vietnam veteran and recipient of the Bronze Star was killed by a roadside bomb in Kabul on August 18 while driving a Humvee. He would have turned 60 this month.
Read article for more.First Sgt. Jose San Nicolas Crisostomo, from Spanaway, Washington, is the oldest... more
-
-
Plenty.
Take a look at President Obama's approval disapproval ratings on various issues in this late May 2009 Gallup poll.
(The same results persist in more recent polling, but I use this poll because of its use of two separate relevant indicators.)
Note that the two questions on federal budget--the handling of the deficit and controlling government spending--are the only two areas on which the President received negative ratings. The poll may ask people what they think about Obama, but it's actually about the mood of the American people. Anxiety about deficits is rising. Politically, that means that the President's opponents have a line of attack with traction: "out-of-control government spending." The politics around this issue mean the President will be somewhat constrained in his policies by anxieties about spending, and that means any spending commitment could crowd out other priorities.
Politics aside though, the simple fact is that we could be insuring millions of Americans with the same dollars we're spending on war in Afghanistan.
So, what are the health care opportunity costs of continued military action in Afghanistan? Here's a quick video overview, using clips from "Rethink Afghanistan", Part Three: Cost of War:Plenty.
Take a look at President Obama's approval disapproval ratings on various... more
-
-
Children of U.S. military troops sought outpatient mental health care 2 million times last year, double the number at the start of the Iraq war, and there was also an alarming spike in the number of military kids actually hospitalized for mental health reasons.
Internal Pentagon documents show the increases, which come as the services struggle with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a shortage of therapists.
From 2007 to 2008, some 20 percent more children of active duty troops were hospitalized for mental health services, the documents show. Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, inpatient visits among military children have increased 50 percent.
The total number of outpatient mental health visits for children of men and women on active duty doubled from 1 million in 2003 to 2 million in 2008. During the same period, the yearly bed days for military children 14 and under increased from 35,000 to 55,000, the documents show.
Overall, the number of children and spouses of active duty personnel and Guard and Reserve troops seeking mental health care has been steadily increasing as the military struggles with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Last year's increase in child hospitalizations coincided with the "surge" of tens of thousands of additional U.S. troops into Iraq to stabilize the country.
However, reasons for the treatment increases are not clear from the documents. Besides the impact of service members' repeated tours in overseas war zones — and the severe economic recession that has affected all American families — the military has been encouraging troops' family members to seek mental health help when needed.
The military plans additional research.Children of U.S. military troops sought outpatient mental health care 2 million times... more
-
-
Al-Qaida's top commander in Afghanistan urged Turkish Muslims in a new audio message to send money to militants fighting coalition troops in the country, saying they are low on funds.
Mustafa Abu al-Yazeed said many militants in Afghanistan are unable to fight because they lack the necessary equipment.
"And we, here in Afghanistan, are needy of money," al-Yazeed said in the message released Wednesday. "And the reason for the weakness of the operations here is the inadequacy of equipment."Al-Qaida's top commander in Afghanistan urged Turkish Muslims in a new audio message... more
-
-
Exclusive footage from the recent US airstrikes in Afghanistan provides a sobering look at the dire situation on the ground. The footage will be incorporated in the new documentary, "Rethink Afghanistan."Exclusive footage from the recent US airstrikes in Afghanistan provides a sobering... more
-
-
Practical ways to get involved and take action.
The war in Afghanistan is a quagmire bordering on a catastrophe. With a current price tag of $2 billion a month, this drawn-out conflict took the lives of 155 American soldiers and 2,118 Afghan civilians last year--the bloodiest year of the war to date. Western airstrikes alone killed 522 civilians, fueling hostility toward the United States and causing more Afghans to join and support the Taliban insurgency that has spread into Pakistan. President Obama has escalated our military presence by committing an additional 17,000 US troops and 4,000 trainers to work with Afghan security forces. Where is the public outcry? The Nation and Z.P. Heller, editorial director of Brave New Films, have put together a list of things you can do to oppose the warPractical ways to get involved and take action.
The war in Afghanistan is a... more
-
-
In 2008, The Guardian commissioned him to produce an online project called “Six months in Afghanistan.” The project was to include photography, short films, audio slideshows, and blogging.
More at www.frontlineclub.com Read our blogs at http://frontlineclub.com/news/blogs.html Watch our live channel at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/frontline-club Follow us on Twitter @frontlineblog http://www.twitter.com/frontlineblog
“I wanted to use the full range of multimedia options open to me to tell the story of the war in Afghanistan,” says McHugh, “and The Guardian gave me the opportunity to do this, and the platform to present the results to a worldwide audience.”
McHugh will present a selection of this multimedia work at The Frontline Club, and will talk with Roger Tooth, The Guardian’s head of photography, about the reasons why he has moved from working solely in traditional photojournalism into other fields.
“I still believe the power of a well composed still photograph is unsurpassable” McHugh says. “But, as the internet gathers pace, and a hungry news audience demands ever more information, while at the same time it becomes more difficult and more dangerous for journalists to travel and work on the modern battlefield, it is a logical step for some of us to blur the long-established separate roles.”
McHugh goes on to say, “I have heard it described as ‘convergence journalism’ by some, and others have called me a ‘multimedia practitioner,’ but really, the label is unimportant. The simple fact is that by learning and adopting these new skills, I have been able to produce a much stronger body of work, and have brought the reality of the situation in Afghanistan to far more people than through purely still photography, and as a journalist, that is my job.”In 2008, The Guardian commissioned him to produce an online project called “Six... more
-
-
Stephen Grey is one of the UK's most distinguished investigative journalists and in December 2007 set off to Helmand, southern Afghanistan to see firsthand a conflict that was turning increasingly brutal and resulting in heavier losses for British armed forces. The reports that he filed for the Sunday Times - as he witnessed the death of both civilians and a British soldier -- won praise.
More at www.frontlineclub.com Read our blogs at http://frontlineclub.com/news/blogs.html Watch our live channel at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/frontline-club Follow us on Twitter @frontlineblog http://www.twitter.com/frontlineblog
But Stephen concluded that, in the chaos of frontline reporting, much of the true story has remained blurred. To research his new book - Operation Snakebite - he dug deeper into the events he witnessed, returning to Helmand and to Kabul and interviewing more than 200 British and American troops, plus officials, to reconstruct not only a gripping battle story but to make wider findings. He will be discussing this, and also what the British really make of working with President Karzai, the true story of talking to the enemy, revelations over 'takedown' operations conducted by US and British special forces, crucial equipment shortages and the unresolved tensions between Whitehall and the frontline.
A former editor on the Sunday Times' investigations unit, the Insight team, Stephen Grey has continued to contribute to the newspaper, as well to the New York Times, Guardian, Times, Independent, New Statesman and Newsweek. He is best known for his world exclusive revelations on the CIA's secret rendition program. He has reported for Channel 4's Dispatches, BBC Newsnight, BBC Radio Four and the World Service. He has been nominated for, and won, several major press awards.
Nick Fielding is a journalist and former Senior Sunday Times journalist leading global investigations. He is the author of two books: Defending the Realm: Inside MI5 and the War on Terror and Masterminds of Terror.Stephen Grey is one of the UK's most distinguished investigative journalists and in... more
-
-
We have said many times that liberals do not understand the military. We have said they do not understand the application of military force and they surely do not understand when to use it, as a threat, and when to actually apply that force. ...We have said many times that liberals do not understand the military. We have said... more
-
-
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Decisions about withdrawing troops from Iraq and sending more troops to Afghanistan have been delayed until the Pentagon provides President Barack Obama with more detail about the risks and implications of the issues confronting him, according to two senior Pentagon officials.
Both officials, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue, have a direct understanding of the discussion regarding troop withdrawals. They said the military is not concerned about the delays, but that there is concern about the deteriorating levels of security in Afghanistan.
Hang in there Dale Massey. Keep your head down bro.WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Decisions about withdrawing troops from Iraq and sending more... more
-
-
"Freedom isn't free," he said. "Somebody's paying for it every day. How do you say 'thank you' to somebody like that?" "Freedom isn't free," he said. "Somebody's paying for it every day. How do you say... more
-
-
Since everyone is at least a bit familiar with John McCain’s record when it comes to strolling through a market in Baghdad with hundreds of his closest guards, or how he wants to stay in Iraq for 100 years (except when he flip flops on that).
But not that many really, truly know just how horrific his voting record is when it comes to the troops. And it is pretty consistent – whether it is for armor and equipment, for veteran’s health care, for adequate troop rest or anything that actually, you know, supports our troops.
Since everyone is at least a bit familiar with John McCain’s record when it comes... more
-
-
As U.S. and European officials ponder what to do about the situation in Afghanistan, they are coming to a perhaps surprising conclusion: The simplest way to stabilize the country may be to negotiate a truce with the Taliban fundamentalists.
The question isn't whether to negotiate with the Taliban but when. There's a widespread view among Bush administration officials and U.S. military commanders that it's too soon for serious talks, because any negotiation now would be from a position of weakness. Some argue for a U.S. troop buildup and an aggressive military campaign next year to secure Afghan population centers, followed by negotiations.
A few years ago, it would have been unthinkable that the U.S. would consider any discussion with the Taliban militants who gave sanctuary to Osama bin Laden as he planned the devastating attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The painful experience of Iraq and Afghanistan has convinced many U.S. commanders that if you can take an enemy off the battlefield, that's better than getting pinned down in protracted combat.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates made the argument for negotiations with the Taliban during a meeting with NATO allies who are weary. "There has to be ultimately -- and I'll underscore ultimately -- reconciliation as part of a political outcome to this," Gates said. "That's ultimately the exit strategy for all of us."
Gen. David Petraeus, who has overall responsibility for the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan, has made similar arguments. He believes that the U.S. must work to separate the "reconcilables" among the Taliban from those who are allied with al-Qaeda, and draw the moderates into the government. Petraeus successfully pursued that strategy with Sunni Muslim insurgents in Iraq -- encouraging them to break with al-Qaeda then forming alliances with them.
Petraeus believes an effort to co-opt the Afghan insurgency should probably be accompanied by a stronger U.S. troop presence, just as it was in Iraq. He argues that it's a mistake to think that there's a purely military solution in either country. "You can't kill or capture your way out of this," he explains.
A move to negotiate with the Taliban is already underway thanks to a quiet diplomatic push by Saudi Arabia. Late last month, at the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Saudi King Abdullah met in Mecca with representatives of the Taliban and other Afghan insurgent groups headed by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and Jalaluddin Haqqani.
Afghanistan's president, Hamid Karzai, who was represented in Mecca by his brother Qayoum Karzai, supported the Saudi mediation. "We're at the very early stages now, but we do have hope for the future," Qayoum Karzai said.
President Karzai is said to have demanded that the Taliban's leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, publicly renounce bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, as a condition for further talks. A Taliban representative took this demand to Mullah Omar in his hideout in Afghanistan and returned to Mecca with a positive answer, according to a source familiar with the talks.
Mullah Omar has sent the Saudis a list of seven demands of his own, according to this source. Among the items on the Taliban agenda are a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan; a role for Taliban representatives in provincial and national government; assimilation of Taliban fighters into the Afghan army; and amnesty for guerrillas who fought against the United States.
The Saudis have proposed a second round of discussions in Mecca, when the hajj pilgrimage season begins. U.S. officials are said to be skeptical, but France and Britain appear to be encouraging the Saudi effort. Some Pakistani government and army leaders are also supportive.
Gates notes that we reached just such an accord in Iraq with Sunni insurgents. "At the end of the day, that's how most wars end," he said.
As U.S. and European officials ponder what to do about the situation in Afghanistan,... more
-
-
A suspected US missile strike has killed at least eight students at a religious school in north-western Pakistan, witnesses say.
The school, in North Waziristan, is close to the residence of a fugitive Taleban leader, Jalaluddin Haqqani, witnesses told the BBC Urdu Service.
At least two missiles, reportedly fired by pilotless US drones, hit the school early on Thursday.
The Pakistani army is investigating the incident. The US has made no comment.
The attack comes hours after the Pakistani parliament unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the government to defend its sovereignty and expel foreign fighters from the region.
The resolution also called upon the government to prevent the use of Pakistani territory for attacks on another country.
There have been persistent US accusations that Pakistan is not doing enough to eliminate Taleban and al-Qaeda sanctuaries in the border region.
[End of excerpt]
Full story at link by BBC NewsA suspected US missile strike has killed at least eight students at a religious school... more
-
