Tag: pentagon

Why Are Military Families in Holiday Need?

Today, alongside the country’s meekest and poorest, thousands of children and wives of deployed soldiers are lining up for charity in order to make their holidays as full of cheer as the rest of ours. How easily we accept that military children – in part because of low pay and the crushing financial burdens of … Continue reading “Why Are Military Families in Holiday Need?”

The Long-War Trifecta

Iran has announced that it will build 10 new nuclear facilities. Big deal. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the facilities are necessary to meet the country’s goal to one day generate up to 20,000 megawatt-hours of electricity per year, a grand ambition. That program would require 500,000 centrifuges. Iran presently has 8,000, only half of … Continue reading “The Long-War Trifecta”

The Children’s Crusade

"It really boils down to one of two decisions, getting out or getting in." – President Lyndon Johnson, speaking about Vietnam "Soldiers came to school today," announced the kindergarten kid. “They only kill bad people. They don’t kill good people.” This story comes to us by way of Jon Letman of Truthout.org. The kindergarten kid … Continue reading “The Children’s Crusade”

Bad Apples

The Independent posted a Nov. 15 story regarding allegations of sexual and physical abuse of Iraqi civilians by British soldiers. The Ministry of Defense is investigating 33 new torture cases. Human rights groups caution that the British army may face hundreds of claims of sexual and physical abuse. The Independent outlined details more sordid than … Continue reading “Bad Apples”

Reading the Af-Pak Tea Leaves

It’s tough to tell what’s going to happen with Af-Pak. We get so many conflicting reports. For a time, we heard that President Obama was leaning toward sending 30,000 additional troops there, and that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham … Continue reading “Reading the Af-Pak Tea Leaves”

Neocons and Pentagon Rage Against the Dying of the Fight

Despite the public relations campaign that has so many folks convinced the surge was a success, Iraq is still a zoo. It has been almost three years since the surge strategy was announced and David Petraeus was installed as commander in Iraq. As professor and retired Army officer Andrew Bacevich puts it, Iraq is "now … Continue reading “Neocons and Pentagon Rage Against the Dying of the Fight”