Nobody Should Die for COIN
Especially because it won’t work, says Keith Boyea
Month: August 2010
Middle East Sound of Music
Sherri Muzher on the one-state solution
Wednesday: 92 Iraqis Killed, 379 Wounded
Updated at 4:52 p.m. EDT, Aug. 25, 2010
A two-hour long multiple attack against Iraq’s fragile security forces took place in major cities throughout Iraq, leaving no region untouched. At least 92 Iraqis were killed and 379 more were wounded in the apparently coordinated attacks. Although security personnel were the focus of the violence, many civilians were caught up in the mayhem as well. The bloodiest attacks took place in relatively quiet Kut and in the capital. Meanwhile, a member of the Iraqiya list, which won the most seats in parliament, called for an emergency session to discuss today’s development. A similar day of violence in Baghdad last August was dubbed “Bloody Wednesday.” Today’s attacks may have left less casualties in their wake, but the reach of the attacks — from Basra to Ninewa to Diyala and Anbar, with Baghdad in the middle — was astouding by any measure.
Ouster of Contractors Throws Afghan Strategy in Doubt
Charging that U.S. private security contractors are “mafia-like groups” being financed by U.S. taxpayers to carry out “terrorist activities” with the support of the U.S. government, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered a four-month phaseout of all private security companies in his embattled country. Asserting his oft-challenged authority as the country’s chief executive, Karzai’s move, … Continue reading “Ouster of Contractors Throws Afghan Strategy in Doubt”
The Bomb-Iran Debate From Hell
For Star Trek fans, the news is grim. Some set of maniacs on planet Earth is ready to take all the pleasure out of that low-budget TV show and its ensuing set of big-budget movies. They are actually planning someday to manufacture phasers, ones large enough to vaporize incoming missiles and others small enough to … Continue reading “The Bomb-Iran Debate From Hell”
Dog Days
In these, the dog days of summer, normal people everywhere are on vacation. They go to a resort: swimming, boating, family photos on the beach – these are the woof and warp of American life. Standing outside – and, in their estimation, above – that life, with its prosaic concerns, the War Party never takes … Continue reading “Dog Days”
Old War in New Bottles
In the week since the much publicized withdrawal of “combat” troops from Iraq it has become more evident that the Iraq War continues under a new name: “Operation New Dawn.” The first off-message comments came from the Department of Defense. Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said shortly after the “end” of the war, “I don’t … Continue reading “Old War in New Bottles”
The Possible Prosecution of WikiLeaks
The U.S. Justice Department is apparently considering prosecuting Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, which is a Web site that publishes classified documents from governments, under the rarely used Espionage Act of 1917. Such a prosecution would have adverse effects on the American people’s right to know what their government is doing in a republic … Continue reading “The Possible Prosecution of WikiLeaks”
Palestinian Patients Suffer From Hamas-Fatah Rivalry
RAMALLAH – Cancer patient Ahmed Abu Fuad needs chemotherapy to survive. Muhammad Subeh needs an eye transplant, while paramedic Alaa Sarhan desperately needs surgery to remove shrapnel from his body. But these Gazans are unable to leave the area to seek the required medical treatment elsewhere, and it is not because of the Israeli siege. … Continue reading “Palestinian Patients Suffer From Hamas-Fatah Rivalry”
Tuesday: 21 Iraqis Killed, 52 Iraqis Wounded
At least 21 Iraqis were killed and 52 more were wounded in various attacks across the country. The U.S. military said the number of U.S. troops in Iraq now numbers around 49,700 and will stay that way until next year’s actual withdrawal. This completes the removal of “combat troops” from the country.