Housekeeping: Casualty Lists, Apologies

I have not been able to keep up the regular discipline. I want to get back to that.  It's important. 

I'm sorry that the country flags on older postings have disappeared.  The image hosting service that held them is defunct and it will take a long while to load up all the images again and to fix the old posts. 

How many times can we "lose" Afghanistan and still "win"?

Can you believe that some people are still arguing about when Operation Enduring Freedom became Operation Enduring, when it 'officially' jumped the shark?

They need to take some Viagra.  We knew this time last year that there was very little al-qa'ida in Afghanistan.  

The Romance is Gone

The days of sending nongay soldiers off to fight and die, "over there", while their gay countrymen remain stateside-safe is over, to the extent it ever really existed.

See here, a British platoon in Afghanistan loves their gay comrade, apparently. With luck, someday we can write the same, even about Christianist America.

Finally

By DEXTER FILKINS

NYT: June 21, 2009

KABUL, Afghanistan — The new American commander in Afghanistan said he would sharply restrict the use of airstrikes here, in an effort to reduce the civilian deaths that he said were undermining the American-led mission.

The Truth of the Situation, Part II

LESSON: ALWAYS LISTEN TO RADICAL DOUBT

Fascinating and instructive:

It has now emerged that Mr Kurras, the former West Berlin police officer who shot the young student protester Benno Ohnesorg in 1967, was actually a spy working for East Germany's secret police, the Stasi.

For years, Mr Kurras deceived his colleagues in the West Berlin police service and the German public.

The death of Ohnesorg on 2 June 1967 during a demonstration against a visit by the Shah of Iran sparked the student protest movement in West Germany and the turmoil of 1968.

...

"The Stasi merely described the shooting as an 'unlucky accident' in the file and they broke off contact with Kurras after the shooting," he adds.

The Truth of the Situation

...is beyond our eyes.

But, in one version of it, a guy who was tortured by al-qa'ida - tortured - was held at Gitmo for ... wait for it ... being an al-qa'ida sympathizer / operative.

Of course, releasing someone in such circumstances quickly and unharmed would be more "proof" he was a spy, enough to keep him 'off the battlefield' or 'out of the hands of the enemy', so there would be little reason, absent other evidence, to detain them indefinitely ... unless you didn't know anything, in which case detention would be dicey anyway.

What a mess.

The living for the dead?

So far, this (U.S. frees suspect) doesn't look like it is working so well (two bodies named) ...

Why Cheney Is Talking

LIKE DeLAY, HE THINKS IT'S ALL A POLICY DIFFERENCE

He doesn't want to leave the field to his "enemies", in particular, the FBI testimony. It's classic Rove-DeLay.

Except, it is really Geobbles.

Re, "We do not torture":

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

-Joseph Goebbels

Just for the record, there could well be criminal referrals for torture, despite how you view the "policy pronouncements".

WHY TORTURE IS A POLITICAL PARTY FIT

As for constantly telling the American public they are under treat and need the "safeguards" of torture to remain "safe", it's Goering rather than Goebbels:

“Naturally the common people don't want war... That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.

Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists [cf. also Krauthammer's Excusionism in which he singles out pacifists] for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”

-- Hermann Goering

And that is how you get a very generous and giving people, Americans, to behave like rats and embrace torture.

Taliban To be Smoked Out With Cell Phone War

There will be a cell phone war for the Taliban, soon.

If it was half as provocative as the one that caused Hizb'allah to charge, it could be a stroke of genius. (Assuming it doesn't turn into another Tora Bora ... humph!).

True or false: you don't have to jam all the time, just intermittently, to be effective.

Is the Pressure Rising or Ebbing in the Mideast?

IF OR WHEN

The logistical and practical challenges to an Israeli airstrike are formidable, despite Netanyahu's distinct effort to deliver a credible threat of the same. (There are serious covert ops inside Iran underway, according to the press, not covered by the Asia Times' assessment).

ARE UNANNOUNCED CONSEQUENCES EVER AN ENGAGEMENT 'STRATEGY'?

Sadly, it's not clear what the international reaction to an Iranian bomb-test would be (from France, for instance, who last suggested publicly that they would rely on the nuclear deterrent...).

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH, FOR IRAN?

Also, it's not clear that the Mullahs would take it that far, in the absence of a proximate cause to do so. They may be content to be a "threshold nuclear power", as that has already put a self-satisfying, end-game umbrella over their ongoing regional games.

STALINISM HAD 70 YEARS TO RUN ITS COURSE ... THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION IN IRAN IS A BABY, STILL

Or, it could mean that hardliners are anxious to find an excuse to war, over a long time (Stalin and Franco were at it a lot longer than have been the Mullahs). As long as there is significant oil wealth, the chance of a moderate leadership emerging is slim, even with the demographic changes to sweep the country. Truly, their only options to gin up war are with the Israelis and with the Iraqis. The latter might prove self-defeating. (They could attack themselves, the moderates, the unpure, in civil war, but that seems remote).

THE PRESSURE INSIDE ISRAEL HAS GOT TO ENORMOUS

The pressure inside Israel to act has got to be enormous. To turn over Israel's security to an international scheme of deterrence has to be almost unthinkable, in some quarters. The feeling that they may have a 'window' while the U.S. is still in Iraq may be seductive. The worry that the ongoing management of the I/P conflict might have military overtones of a new scale has to be deeply unsettling.

Hizb'allah No Longer Defending Lebanon

They are openly engaged in cross-border battles.

The gloves are completely off their longstanding rhetorical cover (which no thinking person believed as anything but a stepping stone to the power they have today, frankly).

Casualty List - April 2009, Afghanistan

MONTHLY CASUALTY LIST: ISAF-AFGHANISTAN

------	Name, Age	Srv Branch	Country
	Rank, Unit
	Location; Circumstance of Death
	Name Not Released Yet, 21	German Army	Bad Saulgau-Germany
	Hauptgefreiter (senior corporal), Panzergrenadierbrigade 37
	Kunduz; 29-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - RPG attack
	Tobie Fasfous, 29	British Army	Bridgend-UK
	Lance Sergeant, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards
	Gereshk (north east of ) (Helmand province); 28-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
	Michelle Mendes, 30	Canadian Army	Wicklow-Canada
	Major, Chief of Defence Intelligence
	Kandahar; 24-Apr-09; Non-hostile
	Trond Petter Kolset, 30	Norwegian Intelligence service	Steinkjer-Norway
	Kaptein, Not reported yet
	Takht Pul (Balkh province); 17-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - suicide bomber
	Richard A. Dewater, 21	U.S. Army	Topeka, KS
	Private 1st Class, 1st BN, 26th Infantry Reg, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
	Korengal Valley; 15-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
	Francisco X. Aguila, 35	U.S. Army	Bayamon, PR
	Corporal, 82nd Sustainment Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps
	Kabul; 14-Apr-09; Non-hostile
	Karine Blais, 21	Canadian Army	Les Méchins-Canada
	Trooper, B Squadron, 12th Armoured Regiment
	Shah Wali Kowt District; 13-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
	Jacob I. Ramsey, 20	U.S. Air Force	Hesperia, CA
	Airman 1st Class, 712th Air Support Operations Squadron
	Kabul; 10-Apr-09; Non-hostile
	Blaise A. Oleski, 22	U.S. Marine	Holland Patent, NY
	Lance Corporal, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force
	Helmand province; 08-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire
	Iuliu-Vasile Unguras, 32	Romanian Army	Dej-Romania
	Capitanul (Captain), Batalionul 21 Vânatori de Munte (21st Mountain Battalion)
	Qalat (20 km. nord-east of); 07-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
	Adam M. Kuligowski, 21	U.S. Army	Arlington, VA
	Specialist, Special Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault),
	Bagram; 06-Apr-09; Non-hostile
	Azdin Chadli, 20	Royal Dutch Army	Uden-Netherlands
	Soldaat der eerste klasse (Private 1st Class), 42 Pantserinfanteriebataljon van de Limburgse Jagers (42 Armored Infantry Battalion "Limburgse Rifles")
	Tarin Kowt; 05-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - rocket attack
	Phillip A. Myers, 30	U.S. Air Force	Hopewell, VA
	Staff Sergeant, 48th Civil Engineer Squadron
	Helmand province; 04-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
	Tiberius Petre, 33	Romanian Army	Târgu Mures-Romania
	Capitanul (Captain), Batalionul 1 Operatii Speciale "Vulturii" (1st Task Force Battalion -"Eagles")
	Kabul (Southwest of); 03-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire

Casualty List - April 2009, Iraq

MONTHLY CASUALTY LIST: MNF-IRAQ

-------	Rank, Nationality	Srv Branch	Country
	Rank, Unit
	Location; Circumstance of Death
	Tyler J. Trahan, 22	U.S. Navy	East Freetown
	Petty Officer 2nd Class, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit Twelve
	Fallujah; 30-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - bomb
	James R. Mcilvaine, 26	U.S. Marine	Olney, MD
	Sergeant, 1st BN, 7th Marine Reg, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force
	Anbar Province; 30-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire
	Mark A. Wojciechowski, 25	U.S. Marine	Cincinnati, OH
	Staff Sergeant, 7th Engineer Support BN, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force
	Anbar Province; 30-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire
	Leroy O. Webster, 28	U.S. Army	Sioux Falls, SD
	Sergeant, 3rd BN, 82nd Field Artillery Reg, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division
	Kirkuk (near); 25-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire
	Benjamin Moore Jr., 43	U.S. Army	Waycross, GA
	Company Sergeant-Major, 2d BN, 27th Infantry Reg, 3d Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division
	Contingency Operating Base Speicher; 24-Apr-09; Non-hostile
	William C. Comstock, 21	U.S. Marine	Van Buren, AR
	Corporal, 2nd Supply BN, Combat Logistics Reg 25, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Mari
	Anbar Province; 22-Apr-09; Non-hostile
	Brad A. Davis, 21	U.S. Army	Garfield Heights, OH
	Corporal, 82nd Brigade Support BN, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
	Baghdad (near, east of); 22-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
	Ray A. Spencer Ii, 20	U.S. Marine	Ridgecrest, CA
	Lance Corporal, 3rd BN, 3rd Marine Reg, 3rd Marine Division
	Al Anbar Province; 16-Apr-09; Non-hostile - gunshot wound
	Raul Moncada, 29	U.S. Army	Madera, CA
	Sergeant, 563rd Military Police Co, 91st Military Police BN, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division
	Karbala (5 km south of); 13-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack (EFP)
	Michael J. Anaya, 23	U.S. Army	Crestview, FL
	Specialist, 2nd BN, 27th Infantry Reg, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division
	Bayji; 12-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
	Christopher D. Loza, 24	U.S. Army National Guard	Abilene, TX
	Sergeant, 1st Squadron, 124th Cavalry Reg, 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 36th In
	Walter Reed Army Medical Center; 10-Apr-09; Non-Hostile - Illness
	Gary L. Woods Jr., 24	U.S. Army	Lebanon Junction, KY
	Staff Sergeant, 1st BN, 67th Armor Reg, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
	Mosul; 10-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - suicide truck bomb
	Bryan E. Hall, 32	U.S. Army	Elk Grove, CA
	Staff Sergeant, 1st BN, 67th Armor Reg, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
	Mosul; 10-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - suicide truck bomb
	Jason G. Pautsch, 20	U.S. Army	Davenport, IA
	Corporal, 1st BN, 67th Armor Reg, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
	Mosul; 10-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - suicide truck bomb
	Bryce E. Gautier, 22	U.S. Army	Cypress, CA
	Private 2nd Class, 1st BN, 67th Armor Reg, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
	Mosul; 10-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - suicide truck bomb
	Edward Forrest, 25	U.S. Army	Fenton, MO
	Sergeant, 1st BN, 67th Armor Reg, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
	Mosul; 10-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - suicide truck bomb
	Israel Candelaria Mejias, 28	U.S. Army	San Lorenzo, PR
	Specialist, 1st BN, 2nd Infantry Reg, Task Force 3rd BN, 66th Armor Reg, 172nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team
	Baghdad (north east of); 05-Apr-09; Hostile - hostile fire - land mine
	Stephen F. Dearmon, 21	U.S. Marine	Crossville, TN
	Lance Corporal, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force
	Al Anbar Province; 03-Apr-09; Non-hostile
	Daniel J. Beard, 24	U.S. Army	Buffalo, NY
	Sergeant, 147th Postal Company, 21st Theater Sustainment Command
	Diwaniyah; 03-Apr-09; Non-hostile