Political clips from a liberal 8/19 #3

Truth be told...

Our plan to win the Afghan war

Problems with Pakistan escalate...

Pakistan has decided to scrap all existing anti-terror cooperation agreements with the United States in a development that may not only take the uneasy alliance between the two countries to the point of no return but also impede world efforts at bringing sustainable peace in Afghanistan.

Read more: http://battleland.blogs.time.com/2011/12/05/u-s-pakistani-relations-continue-tailspin/#ixzz1fhiXTmTN

Wow, ain't this something...

Pakistan is lobbying Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai to dump the U.S. a long-term strategic partner and "look to Pakistan -- and its Chinese ally -- for help in striking a peace deal with the Taliban." In an April 16 meeting, Pakistan leaders told Karzai that "Americans had failed them both" and that he "should forget about allowing a long-term U.S. military presence in his country."

From "The Progress Report, 4/27/2011"

On the war front

I wonder if THIS will turn into something.

From the MoJoblog...

Yesterday we told you that Pakistani officials came to Washington to demand that the US put the kibosh on its covert activities in their country, and suspend all drone strikes along its border with Afghanistan.

The US' response: today, drones fired four missiles into Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal region, killing six militants belonging to the pro-Taliban Haqqani group. It was the first strike since an attack on March 17 that killed 38 suspected militants.

How does Pakistan feel about America's latest drone strike? A top Pakistani official said this to CNN: "What is this? A message (from the Americans) that it's business as usual, irrespective of what we ask of you? If it is, it's a crude way of getting your message across," he said.

For the United States, literally firing back at the call for curtailing its operations is an unmistakably aggressive move. And it seems to indicate that it's is tired of playing games with Pakistan.

Why are we at war and what is the cost?

NATO forces killed nine children yesterday in Afghanistan.


Our troops murdered nine children as they collected firewood for their homes.


We butchered nine children.


Now imagine that one or more of them were YOUR children.


We are killing children and our troops are dying - and for what?  Tell me what we have accomplished.  Explain why those nine children had to die because I don't get it. And the cost of the war is what, in part, is bankrupting our nation.  It is time to bring our troops home.


The link below will take you to a video that is a little dated, dealing more with the Iraq war than that war in Afghanistan, but it is nonetheless relevant to today.  Think about it.


Support the Troops By Bringing Them Home

Is it stupid? (video)

A Big Hole

From Acerbic Politics

Afghanistan - the U.S. commitment

From Acerbic Politics

Obama - still a part of the system

From Acerbic Politics

War is Hell on everyone

Afghanistan Expenses

The following is from Gawker - click HERE to read the rest of the article...
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The Pentagon is mad at the White House because the White House insists on giving an accurate prediction of the cost of troop escalation in Afghanistan.

See, the White House budget office calculated that adding 40,000 troops would cost $40 billion a year. The Pentagon, amusingly, decided to calculate the cost per-troop, instead of a big yearly lump sum, and also their estimate was precisely half what the White House predicted.

But, whoops, one of those Pentagon memos, where they hide the "truth" about things, leaked to the LA Times.

Welcoming Dad Home From Afghanistan

Breaking The Law For Jesus

From Bits and Pieces

These are the people American's are dying to lose their lives for. What a waste...

From the Progress Report
April 3, 2009

WOMEN'S RIGHTS -- AFGHAN PRESIDENT UNDER PRESSURE TO REVOKE LAW LEGALIZING RAPE:

In a transparent effort to "appease Islamic fundamentalists" ahead of elections in August, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan pushed through legislation on March 31 that legalizes marital rape. The Shi'a Family Law "negates the need for sexual consent between married couples, tacitly approves child marriage and restricts a woman's right to leave the home." The bill, which does not apply to Sunnis, states, "Unless the wife is ill, the wife is bound to give a positive response to the sexual desires of her husband."

After remaining "suspiciously quiet " on the matter, U.S. officials are now asking Karzai to turn back the offensive legislation. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton confronted Karzai during this week's conference regarding Afghanistan at the Hague. "My message is very clear. Women's rights are a central part of the foreign policy of the Obama administration," Clinton said. That sentiment was echoed by State Department spokesman Robert Wood, who said, "We urge President Karzai to review the law's legal status to correct provisions of the law that limit or restrict women's rights."

NATO head Japp de Hoop Scheffer "said the planned laws violated human rights and were unjustifiable when Nato troops were dying to protect universal values." However, the bill is a "big tick in the box" for Karzai among Shi'a clerics and the Hazara ethnic minority who comprise important voting blocks for the "increasingly unpopular" president. As the head of women's affairs at the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission said, "Because of the election I am not sure we can change it now. It's too late for that."

Rethinking the War in Afghanistan

US undermined Iran after they helped us in Afghanistan

Under George Bush the U.S. managed to screw up most everything it touched with regards to foreign affairs. Here is a decent argument about why Iran has become more militant toward the U.S. than they were previous to 9/11.

TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE Trailer

A stunning inquiry into the suspicious death of an Afghani taxi driver at Bagram air base in 2002, the film is a fastidiously assembled, uncommonly well-researched examination of how an innocent civilian was apprehended, imprisoned, tortured, and ultimately murdered by the greatest democracy on earth. Intermingling documents and records of the incident with candid testimony from eyewitnesses and participants, the film uncovers an inescapable link between the tragic incidents that unfolded in Bagram and the policies made at the very highest level of the United States government in Washington, D.C.

Solving The Afghanistan Problem

From Crooks and Liars. This is a hoot.

The Afghan chieftain looked older than his 60-odd years, and his bearded face bore the creases of a man burdened with duties as tribal patriarch and husband to four younger women. His visitor, a CIA officer, saw an opportunity, and reached into his bag for a small gift.

Four blue pills. Viagra.

"Take one of these. You'll love it," the officer said. Compliments of Uncle Sam.

The enticement worked. The officer, who described the encounter, returned four days later to an enthusiastic reception. The grinning chief offered up a bonanza of information about Taliban movements and supply routes -- followed by a request for more pills.