Could the Brit Iraq War Inquiry be Expanding?

But probably not here in the states, for we're a Nation of Arrogance and Apathy, but Fear and what we call our Politics rules our critical thoughts and common sense and especially fear of bringing possible extreme criminal leaders, and their support groups, to justice!

The Chilcot Iraq War Inquiry is on a break for the holidays. Holidays of celebrating the birth of the 'prince of peace' from one religious ideology as well as other celebrations from this worlds other religious ideologies, all of these based on a number of religious themes and teachings but one stands out that isn't followed 'tolerance' of each other and even outside of religions the racial and religious makeup of others.

The other holiday will see the end of a very destructive decade! It started out very questionable towards greater world peace, a goal everyone is supposed to want and led by this country, the United States, as we preach our rhetoric of democracy and freedom for all from that once big house on the top of the hill of power, then went rapidly downhill from there! We've possibly created the decades of hate and retaliation from our failed policies and extremely failed moral judgments to come. The death and destruction wrought, the hatreds raised, the feeding of the reality into that which others have described us as really being was the decade passing into the coming decades of possible criminal terror that knows no border and has ghost named groups as enemies!

But the reason for the subject title comes from a little article, one of many, after apparently a radio news announcement in one of the countries of the 'coalition of the willing' that have been coming out after the first couple of weeks of the British Iraq War Inquiry before the break for the afore mentioned Happy Holidays.

JAPANESE LAWMAKERS DEMAND INQUIRY INTO SUPPORT FOR IRAQ WAR

Politicians from Japan’s ruling coalition are to demand an inquiry into Japan’s decision to support the Iraq War.

Lawmakers from the Democratic and Social Democratic parties have criticized the decision by the cabinet of then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to support the United States’ use of force in Iraq...>>>>>

They say they will be seeking a third party inquiry next year.

Why could this be important especially if other countries, who might have changed governments and or feel a guilt from being participants in the death and destruction, come forward seeking answers?

There are an awful lot of questions still needing answers or pieces of the already known to fill in some blanks, we've already seen some filled and now on the record in public testimony as to what was going on within our administration starting even before Sept 11.

One of those questions still out there and rarely mentioned, if at all, was how much did it cost us as a Nation to gather the other countries, some sending handfuls of military troops most not, to support the invasion and destruction of Iraq based of falsified intelligence and a want for regime change of a once friend of this country and control of that country and it's resources. Which in turn caused the abandonment of helping the Afghanistan people after the overthrow of the Taliban and walking away from really seeking out and destroying the perpetrators of the Sept 11th hijacking attacks on this country, the purpose of which is why we went to War in the first place.

What were given to these small countries, many with little power nor military to offer only the support sought by the corrupt administration here in the United States who were collecting and cheery picking intelligence and spin to justify their wants of not only regime change, and possibly hiding the failed policies of the past forever, but control as an added member of an empire with our military based in country for the coming decades.

Did it cost us, from our empty treasury, to garner the British support as well? Probably, but that may never come out as it's already been mentioned in the Inquiry that Iraq was already on a short list, near the bottom, of potential trouble countries as seen by the Blair government at the time and I'm sure they, empire builders of old, were seeking a cut of the lucrative monetary wealth the U.S. was also seeking from the oil and more!

If more of these countries of the 'coalition of the willing' come forward with their own inquiries, or individuals of do same, we may get the answers to what we promised and gave them in return for their support and especially those who sent their own military troops in many sacrificing their lives on our failed whims of total power and control of others and greasing the wheels of the military industrial complex with more enemies to profit off of for years to come.

These Inquiries may just minimize the blowback sure to come from our failed policies, we may have been witness yesterday, Christmas day, of an act of retaliation and blowback, hopefully a singular attempt! But since the past decade began, as we finish it out with the coming year, there have already been many forms of criminal terror in many countries.

Below are a few other picks of articles coming out of the British Inquiry and before they reconvene.

Press TV/News Analysis/Iraq war inquiry/12/11/2009


Blair to Testify Before Iraq Inquiry

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is scheduled to testify before an independent inquiry on his nation's involvement in the Iraq war early next year, United Press International reported yesterday (see GSN, Dec. 18)...>>>>>

To this decade of deception, goodbye and good riddance

Just over 10 years ago I was waiting on top of the Mount of Olives, notebook in hand, for the end of the world. It was December 1999, and newspapers were peddling the spectre of a catastrophe to mark the dawn of the new millennium.

In Jerusalem the story was that a fringe Christian sect would commit mass suicide or blast open the Golden Gate in the Old City walls, unleashing a torrent of blood.

Snip

The clearest example is the response of the US after the al Qa’eda attacks on New York and Washington in September 2001. A clear-eyed analysis of the goals of Osama bin Laden shows that his aims were, and always have been, regime change in the Islamic world, starting with Saudi Arabia and Egypt, rather than any grand plan to destroy the United States. But bin Laden was elevated by the US to the status of global threat, unleashing the full force of the US military into a “war on terror”, starting in Afghanistan, which was probably justified, and then moving to Iraq, which was a disastrous sideshow...>>>>>

Grieving mother grills Iraq inquiry

THE mother of an East Bierley soldier killed in Iraq travelled to the capital on Friday to pose questions to the Iraq Inquiry.

In an open letter to the former prime minister Tony Blair, Pauline Hickey asked him to explain the government's reasons for invading Iraq in March 2003.

Snip

Mrs Hickey said Mr Blair had a "moral duty as a renowned committed Christian" to meet the families of the fallen and explain his stance.

The anti-war campaigner has never managed to speak to Mr Blair, but as reported in the Spenborough Guardian last year, she did meet Gordon Brown and Defence Secetary Des Browne, but got "no direct answers."...>>>>>

THE mother of the first woman soldier killed in Iraq has slammed the Government - branding ministers THICK.

She hit out as fury erupted after Gordon Brown was told he will not give evidence to the Iraq war inquiry until AFTER the general election.

Mrs Manning said: "The MoD are not interested. To them, our kids are numbers. If only they would listen to us, answer our questions. We actually went to see Des Browne when he was defence minister, and asked quite a few questions. He came out with a stupid quip like, 'Well I don't know anything until I'm told'. I mean, how thick are these people?"

Her daughter, Staff Sgt Sharron Elliott, 34, died when her boat hit a bomb mounted on a bridge near Basra in November 2006....>>>>>

Tony Blair costs British taxpayers £6m a year to protect

Tony Blair is costing British taxpayers £6 million a year to protect – more than the current Prime Minister, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.

Snip

Whitehall insiders are becoming increasingly concerned over the security costs as Mr Blair travels the world on lucrative private sector work.

It is feared that Mr Blair’s security will become even more costly next year following his appearance before the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war which could make him more of a terrorist target.

Mr Blair is typically abroad most weeks and the average bill for his close protection team of bodyguards is more than £16,000 a day, according to Whitehall sources. The protection bill is three times higher than previous public estimates....>>>>>

Did you have a 'Merry Christmas'?, well have a 'Happy New Year'? and the years to come!!

Here's hoping the Japanese follow the British lead and that answers are forth coming to the many questions!!

Watch the Inquiry Live when in Session

Written Transcripts by Date

Oral: The Video's by Date

See how the Inquiry is unfolding on the Sky News Timeline

BBC Iraq inquiry - day by day timeline of evidence given

Afghan Winter Warmth & More

True Craftsmen, as crafts and tradespersons around the world.

Custom-made stoves blend warmth, art in Kabul

When snow covers the mountains north of Kabul and temperatures drop below freezing, many residents of Afghanistan's capital rely on their bukhari stoves to heat their homes.

The stoves burn wood, sawdust, diesel fuel and kerosene. Each is made by hand.

Most of the stoves are made in a block in north Kabul, and as you approach it, a symphony of noise rises, beginning with a faint staccato that grows into a crescendo of every pitch — the sound of men working with metal as each component of each stove is carefully made.

Young boys rush about, ferrying parts through the 30 or so shops in the market. The men have decades of experience in the craft. Intricate designs are pressed into the sheet metal with rotary presses...>>>>>

Brother Craftsmen, Tradesmen, and my guess is, like in most of this world, they get more respect there then we here in our so called advanced educated society!!

Raw Video: Pfc Bowe Robert Bergdahl, POW

For better then a week now there have been reports that the Taliban were going to release a video of Pfc Bergdahl and than just silence till this morning.

This is just starting to hit the many outlets in many places, the AP seems to have released the video a few hours ago and others are picking up the story now as I refresh google search!

Purported Taliban footage of U.S. soldier

The Taliban released Friday a video purporting to show a U.S. soldier who was captured more than five months ago in eastern Afghanistan. (Dec. 25)

Taliban video 'shows captive US soldier Bowe Bergdahl'

Pfc Bergdahl is the only known American captive of the Taliban

The Taliban has released a video purporting to show US soldier Bowe Robert Bergdahl who was captured in Afghanistan almost six months ago.

The video has not been verified, but shows a man wearing sunglasses and a US military-style helmet and uniform.

He appears healthy and speaks calmly and clearly, and does not appear to be under duress, the AP news agency said...>>>>>

The following one just was posted by the LA Times a few minutes ago.

Video shows captured U.S. soldier, Taliban says

The Taliban movement today released a video that it said showed Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl, a U.S. soldier captured nearly six months ago in Afghanistan.

The American military had no immediate comment on the video's authenticity.

Bergdahl, a member of a unit based in Fort Richardson, Alaska, is the only U.S. service member known to have been seized by insurgents during the Afghan conflict, which is now in its ninth year.

He vanished June 30 from his base in Paktika province, bordering Pakistan, and military authorities acknowledged at the time that he appeared to have walked away from his post for unknown reasons....>>>>>

The following clip is one just posted and mixed in with a few other reports about the snow storm etc., haven't seen another yet calling for a swap so not sure how accurate unless others start updating.

Taliban demands prisoner swap

The Taliban is renewing its demand for a release of prisoners in exchange for Pfc. Bowe (boh) Bergdahl. The airborne infantryman was captured by the Taliban in eastern Afghanistan in June. The Taliban has released a new video that it claims shows Bergdahl. In it the Idaho native gives personal information before delivering a lengthy criticism of the U.S. war in Afghanistan.

This incident has left way to many questions with the way it's been described by the military. If he did actually 'just walk away' why didn't any others on watch see him leaving and stop him, or were there other's on watch. Security at this base comes across as extremely lax, his side of the story needs to be heard or a better rational description from the military instead of what they given then went silent on!

Family pleas for captive US soldier's release

In Idaho, Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl's family pleaded on Christmas Day for his release and urged him to "stay strong."

Bergdahl disappeared June 30 while based in eastern Afghanistan and is the only known American serviceman in captivity. The Taliban claimed his capture in a video released in mid-July that showed the young Idaho soldier appearing downcast and frightened. He hadn't been heard from until Friday's video, in which he looks well and speaks clearly.

Snip

Lt. Col. Tim Marsano of the Idaho National Guard issued a statement Friday from the family of Bergdahl, who live outside Hailey, Idaho. In their statement, the family urged the captors "to let our only son come home."

And to their son, the family said, "We love you and we believe in you. Stay strong."

Marsano met with the family Friday morning at their home. He told the AP that the family had not seen the video but had talked to other relatives who had seen it...>>>>>

BOWS FOR BOWE

Friends and family of Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl have started collecting pictures of yellow ribbons in support of Bowe, posting them on a blog at Bows for Bowe

America's war in Afghanistan

In Russia, foreboding about America's war in Afghanistan

Thirty years ago this week, the Red Army began its invasion of Afghanistan, a move that sank the Soviet Union in a decade of guerrilla war and hastened the collapse of the Cold War empire.

Today, as former Soviet soldiers watch American troops trying to pacify the same stretches of Afghan land they once fought for, aging Soviet generals and grunts alike are reminded of a war they'd rather forget....>>>>>

MSF Releases 12th Annual "Top Ten" List

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Releases 12th Annual List

Civilians attacked, bombed, and cut off from aid in Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), along with stagnant funding for treating HIV/AIDS and ongoing neglect of other diseases, were among the worst emergencies in 2009.

Continuing crises in north and south Sudan, along with the failure of the international community to finally combat childhood malnutrition were also included on this year's list. The list is drawn from MSF's operational activities in close to 70 countries, where the organization's medical teams witnessed some of the worst humanitarian conditions. Read the full press release »

"There is no question that civilians are increasingly victimized in conflicts and further cut off from lifesaving assistance, often deliberately. In places like Sri Lanka and Yemen, where armed conflicts raged in 2009, aid groups were either blocked from accessing those in need or forced out because they too came under fire. This unacceptable dynamic is becoming the norm. Our teams on the ground are witnessing the very tangible human consequences of these crises directly, either in war zones or in the AIDS and nutrition clinics in which they work. We're therefore compelled and obligated to speak out.”

— Dr. Christophe Fournier
MSF International Council President

MSF began producing the “Top Ten” list in 1998, when a devastating famine in southern Sudan went largely unreported in U.S. media. Drawing on MSF’s emergency medical work, the list seeks to generate greater awareness of the magnitude and severity of crises that may or may not be reflected in media accounts. View the full "Top Ten" archive.....>>>>>

Remnants of War, Just One

There are many for if there is an end it doesn't come for decades later for those invaded and occupied by others. The innocent are the ones who suffer the most and in greater numbers by the destruction and death from the moment of invasion and decades later with what's left behind by those who are ordered to invade and then occupy in these Wars of Choice based on lies or for reasons of material worth a small country can add to a power that wants to control.

This is just one of many of the long running destructive remnants of our generations War of Choice, an extremely destructive Weapon of Mass Destruction, Dioxin, Agent Orange and the others used as we occupied a small country Vietnam for over a decade. Destructive not only to the Vietnamese Civilians, then and now, but also to many soldiers who served in country and elsewhere, where it was stored and packaged for shipment to Vietnam and stored at bases to be sprayed over the country at the whim of the commanders of war.

Scientists have been raising the alarm about dioxins since the 1960s....>>>>>

Agent Orange Continues to Poison New Generations in Vietnam

Deformed fetuses at Ho Chi Minh City's Tu Du Hospital, where doctors blame the high incidence of deformities on the use of Agent Orange during the war. STR New / Reuters

This lonely section of the abandoned Danang air base was once crawling with U.S. airmen and machines. It was here where giant orange drums were stored and the herbicides they contained were mixed and loaded onto waiting planes. Whatever sloshed out soaked into the soil and eventually seeped into the water supply. Thirty years later, the rare visitor to the former U.S. air base is provided with rubber boots and protective clothing. Residue from Agent Orange, which was sprayed to deny enemy troops jungle cover, remains so toxic that this patch of land is considered one of the most contaminated pieces of real estate in the country

Snip

After years of meetings, signings and photo ops, the U.S. held another ceremony in Vietnam on Dec. 16 to sign yet another memorandum of understanding as part of the continuing effort to manage Agent Orange's dark legacy.....>>>>>

In 2007 and 2009, the US Congress allocated a total of US$6 million for efforts to ease the impact of dioxin in Vietnam.

The sum comprises US$2 million under cooperative agreements on providing health, education and social services for the handicapped in Danang. It is part of a larger sum of over US$46 million that the US has provided for assisting Vietnamese people with disabilities.

In September 2009, the US spent $1.9 million helping Vietnam set up a project to treat and contain dioxin left in the Danang airport after war...>>>>>

Put those monetary figures above into perspective, and just on the economic impact to those companies who's products are used in waging and fighting our Wars of Choice. Just take one years, out of the last couple of decades and more, compensation paid to the corporate heads of these companies add in the company perks, written off as company expenses, and the bonuses given. Now think of same for all the executives under these corporate leaders, and these are given out even if these executives prove to be incompetent or try and cover up the known within that corporate world. And that's not even looking at the wealth made from investors especially the big investors!

"If those were in Canada or in the U.S., they would require immediate cleanup," Boivin says.

Snip

But critics believe the U.S. is playing a grim waiting game: waiting for people to die in order to avoid potentially costly lawsuits. For a country currently engaged in two wars, accepting comprehensive responsibility for wartime damages could set an expensive precedent. "They know what the problem is and where it is," says Chuck Searcy, country representative of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. "Why do they now need an environmental impact assessment? They are studying this to death."

Snip

Dow and Monsanto, the chemical's largest manufacturers, eventually shelled out millions in damages to U.S. troops who were exposed to it while it was being used as a wartime defoliant from 1961 to 1971. The U.S. government still spends billions every year on disability payments to those who served in Vietnam — including their children, many of whom are suffering from dioxin-associated cancers and birth defects. In October, the Department of Veterans Affairs added leukemia, Parkinson's and a rare heart disease to the list of health problems associated with Agent Orange. Yet U.S. official policy maintains that there is no conclusive evidence that the defoliant caused any health problems among the millions of exposed Vietnamese or their children....>>>>>

Still, the Vietnamese people (and the government, though more quietly) contend it's the U.S. that should be doing more — much more. Some point out that the U.S. spends only a fraction on Agent Orange cleanup compared to the $50 million it spends every year on searching for the remains of American soldiers missing in action. Thao Griffiths, country director of Vietnam Veterans of America, which works on lingering war issues, points out that the legacy of each is equally painful. "The issue of MIAs for Americans holds the same importance that Agent Orange does for the Vietnamese," she says. And until the issue is resolved, the legacy of the war will continue to haunt both sides....>>>>>

Many Vietnam Veterans, like the VVA, have worked with the Vietnamese in trying to resolve the issues, and guilt, of what our country did to theirs as we occupied it for a number of years. Many were, and still do, travel to Vietnam in that advocacy even before this country finally normalized relations with we once called our enemies.

Faces of Agent Orange {2page pdf}

For Gary Jones, the puzzle that is Agent Orange can be explained, or more to the point, not explained, by two words — “circumstantial” and “coincidence.” The words are at once the core and the conundrum of his Agent Orange experience....>>>>>

Also members of Veterans for Peace helping to build and support orphanages and other needed facilities within Vietnam for the Vietnamese and what we left behind and our Government has yet to compensate for the death and destruction wrought. Like the Veterans Viet Nam Restoration Project and the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign, in this there has been ongoing help in fighting the Chemical Companies in the United States Courts over these past decades.

The Chicago Tribune has a five part series on the legacy of the Dioxins, Agent Orange, left behind and still contaminating the Vietnamese people as well as the American Soldiers, our brothers, who haven't yet perished from their contact with while In-Country or handling it anywhere.


Photo Gallery: The Legacy of Agent Orange

Memories of the Vietnam War are dimming, but veterans and Vietnamese nationals who were exposed to Agent Orange and other dioxin-laced defoliants are still experiencing devastating health effects, and birth defects have brought the impact into a second generation. Yet the U.S. government has yet to make full amends, either in the U.S. or overseas.

Part 1 of 5: For U.S., a record of neglect

U.S. veterans exposed to Agent Orange face delays and a maddening bureaucracy as they seek compensation for related illnesses. In Vietnam, where untold numbers of people suffer from the same maladies and the chemicals continue to poison the environment, government officials wonder how the U.S. can ignore the ongoing effects of the defoliants....>>>>>

Part 2: 'Insult to injury'

For many U.S. veterans, the bureaucratic fight to be compensated for health problems linked to Agent Orange amounts to a new and unexpected war, long after the shooting ended overseas....>>>>>

Part 3: Born into controversy

The most contentious question surrounding the use of defoliants in the war is their impact on citizens, particularly the suspected link between the herbicides and birth defects....>>>>>

Part 4: A poison still potent

New research finds former U.S. airbases in Vietnam remain polluted from defoliants, underscoring the urgency of a solvable problem. The U.S. has done little to clean up the hot spots....>>>>>

Part 5: Danger not averted

The Tribune unearths documents showing that decisions by the U.S. military and chemical companies that manufactured the defoliants used in Vietnam made the spraying more dangerous than it had to be....>>>>>

At each, and on the main page, there are links to video's as well as side links to other information and photo's.

These are the Weapons of Mass Destruction used in mans waging of War and Occupations on others, long lasting, and the defoliants are only one of many remnants of these wars. As we are still occupying two other small countries, in this new century and generation, we are leaving behind many of these same remnants and even more in our use of the modern weaponry or just needs, like burn pits, as we occupy them.

These not only contaminate the ground but also the water supplies as well as getting into the air that is breathed, once in the air they can travel for miles as they are now in our atmosphere, collecting and trapped there and continually moving around the planet.

Add to them the contaminations and pollutions man produces, or uses, especially in industrialized nations, making that which we need or just the materialistic items we crave, and we are contaminating much of our earth, soil, the waters we drink and gather a food supply from, and the air we all breath, collecting and trapped in the atmosphere that sustains not only our lives but that which is living on this planet.

The more we contaminate the faster the planet evolves and that evolution, with the contamination by man, not only continues to kill after our wars but will cause and disfigurements and death of all living things on this planet many already gone and never to return. And we don't know what many benefits they might have had as to disease or in helping sustain a planet of life.

Angry 'Stop-Loss' Hip Hop Song=Jail

Marc Hall jailed for angry 'Stop-Loss' Hip Hop song

By Courage to Resist. Updated 16, 2009

Stop-lossed Army Specialist Marc Hall (aka Hip Hop artist Marc Watercus) was placed in the Liberty County Jail Friday, December 11 for speaking out against the continuing policy that has barred him from exiting the military, including recording an angry and explicit song. He was shipped off to jail after talking to to his Ft Stewart, Georgia commander Captain Cross about not wanting to redeploy...Who To Contact to Help Marc Out

Ex Senator Faced '2nd Vietnam'

Former Sen. Max Cleland Details Political War Wounds in Memoir: Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome

Vietnam Vet Tells ABC News' David Muir: 'I Went Down Into Almost a Death Spiral'

As a young Army platoon leader in Vietnam, Max Cleland sent hours of audio dispatches home to his parents not knowing just how true his words would become.

"I'm definitely coming back a little bit differently than when I came here," he said on tape.

On April 8, 1968, just days from the scheduled end of his tour in Vietnam, Cleland spotted a hand grenade in the grass as he jumped off a helicopter. It had been dropped by another soldier, and Cleland reached for it, not knowing it was live.

In a flash of fire, Cleland lost both legs, his right arm and, almost, his life.

Snip

Cleland's descent began after he lost a bruising battle for re-election to Republican Saxby Chambliss in 2002. Losing was tough enough, but the way he lost added to the pain. Chambliss' campaign questioned Cleland's "courage to lead" in a campaign ad that flashed pictures of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.

Snip

Playing on television screens at Walter Reed was the inspirational video Cleland had starred in as a senator to help the newly injured returning from war.

"The irony was overwhelming," he said. "I mean, you know, because I could see myself saying those things and they were great and accurate at the time, but I hadn't received the second wound, the second Vietnam, the second loss of sense of meaning and purpose and direction in life.

"I would look down the hall," he added, "and I would see a younger generation, you know, missing arms, legs ... and I thought, 'Oh my God.'"..>>>>>

Max Cleland talks to David Muir


Max's Book: "Heart of a Patriot: How I Found the Courage to Survive Vietnam, Walter Reed and Karl Rove"

Click here to read an excerpt of Cleland's book, "Heart of a Patriot," in PDF form

The Effects of War One in six Americans soldiers suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder



US: Soldiers Forced to Go AWOL for PTSD Care

With a military health care system over-stretched by two ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, more soldiers are deciding to go absent without leave (AWOL) in order to find treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Snip

"What I saw and what I did in Iraq caused my PTSD," Jasinski, 23-years-old, told IPS during a phone interview, "Also, I went through a divorce - she left right before I deployed - and my grandmother passed away when I was over there, so it was all super rough on me."

In addition, he lost a friend in Iraq, and another of his friends lost his leg due to a roadside bomb attack.

Snip

During his pre-deployment processessing "they gave me a 90-day supply of meds to get me over to Iraq, and I saw a counsellor during that period, and I told him "I don’t know what I’m going to do if I go back to Iraq."

"He asked if I was suicidal," Jasinski explained, "and I said not right now, I’m not planning on going home and blowing my brains out. He said, ‘well, you’re good to go then.’ And he sent me on my way. I knew at that moment, when they finalised my paperwork for Iraq, that there was no way I could go back with my untreated PTSD. I needed more help."...>>>>>

Afghan Landmine Victims

Red Cross assists landmine victims in Afghanistan

An Afghan man and a child with artificial legs are seen at the International Red Cross Orthopedic (ICRC) rehabilitation center on December 10, 2009 in Herat, Afghanistan. The aims of the ICRC rehabilitation center are to educate and rehabilitate landmine victims and others with deformities to help them return their former lives. According to the UN mine information network, 62 people on average are killed or injured by mines each month in Afghanistan. UPI/Hossein Fatemi

An Afghan child with only one leg sits next to artificial legs at the International Red Cross Orthopedic (ICRC) rehabilitation center
on December 10, 2009 in Herat, Afghanistan.

Mine-stricken Afghan girls with artificial legs practice walking at the International Red Cross Orthopedic (ICRC) rehabilitation center
on December 10, 2009 in Herat, Afghanistan.

Job Creation in Afghanistan

Afghan employees work on artificial legs at the International Red Cross Orthopedic (ICRC) rehabilitation center on December 10, 2009 in Herat, Afghanistan.

Afghan men with artificial legs wait for their doctor to check them at the International Red Cross Orthopedic (ICRC) rehabilitation center
on December 10, 2009 in Herat, Afghanistan.

There are Thirteen More Photo's at the UPI site link with descriptions on the right hand side for each as you view them.

ICBL International Campaign to Ban Landmines

Landmine Survivors Network

Adopt-A-Minefield Landmine Clearance and Support

Operation Free

We are packing our bags and heading east next week to join the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. A delegation of veterans from OpFree will be there to make sure the world understands the grave threat climate change poses to global security. We know that climate change makes the world a more dangerous place and that dependence on oil makes America vulnerable. That's why it's time for America to get on the team with the rest of the world and lead by example to combat this threat

We'll be livecasting our press events and updates from the conference.

To keep up to date on activities, sign up here for reminders to watch and/or listen to our broadcasts: "Live from Copenhagen with Operation Free."

Our veterans will bring personal stories and a front-lines perspective to the national security threat, a vital and oft-overlooked aspect of the ongoing negotiations. Most of the veterans served during the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. We hope you'll join us in Denmark.

Thanks for all you do,

Operation Free

Jon Powers

Home for Christmas before Afghanistan!!! {UPDATED}

UpDate: It was announced that they've gotten their goal of the $35,000 needed and will be traveling home for Christmas before shipping out to Afghanistan!!!

These soldiers are coming from pretty high unemployment number counties in South Carolina. Why they're training in Wisconsin only the military can give that answer, what with all the bases in North Carolina and South Carolina you'd think they's have had regional training spots closer to home. This is also probably hitting other units in other parts of the country as well.

Christmas homecoming in jeopardy for Fort Mill soldiers

More than $35,000 must be raised to get guardsmen home before leaving for Afghanistan

But if wives and mothers like them can't raise at least $35,000, their men might not get home for Christmas before leaving for Afghanistan.

Snip

Guardsmen have dealt with similar situations in past deployments.

Under federal military guidelines, neither the S.C. National Guard nor the Army can pay for transportation for the soldiers on leave, said Lt. Col. Pete Brooks, spokesman for the guard. The government can pay for leave after deployment — such as travel home from the war zone — but not before the soldiers are actually deployed overseas.

Snip

The Fort Mill unit as a whole went to Iraq in 2003-04 and many went to Afghanistan in 2007-08. Many in the unit are readying for their second or even third deployment in the past six years to an Afghanistan war zone that is the most dangerous it has ever been.

Bonnie Hoagland, with a husband and two sons in the unit, said the system needs to be changed to allow the federal government to cover travel costs after the soldiers leave home before deployment.

“I don't know any families right now — at this time of year, in this economy — who have that kind of money to come home,” Hoagland said.

Snip

Want to Help?

To donate to the Fort Mill National Guard unit's return home for Christmas, contact:

Wanda Bennett with the Family Readiness Group at 803-519-6292

The Rock Hill National Guard Armory, Family Readiness Group, 126 Airport Road, Rock Hill, S.C., 29730.

The National Guard Association of South Carolina, 132 Pickens St., Columbia, S.C. 29205; 803-254-8456 or National Guard Association of South Carolina...>>>>>

In searching for the news video of the above story, couldn't find it yet at the local station I caught it on, I found another from early last month about North Carolina's Operation Home Front

Operation Homefront helps military families during holidays



The article link gives you what's said in the video if you can view that.

Word is like many groups that seek donations for a whole host of issues many helping the Soldiers, Families and Veterans are hurting as well. These shouldn't be having any problems, but it comes down to the citizens of this country and will cheer on these Wars then Occupations of Choice but if called upon to Sacrifice Themselves they go all 'teabag' meme's with waving "Don't Tread On Me" flags and packin loaded guns in large gatherings with children around!!

If the Military called for funding all these, outside of the Bloated Defense Budgets that no one complains about, these same types and like minded would be screamin foul just like they will in false outrage that soldiers and families of need to resort to asking for donations to have time with their families before going off to the long running occupation of others!!

You may want to find out if your state or locale have similar programs and if they too are struggling with funding.

Postage and Other Economic Outrages Against Soldiers

Letters, never a letter

I get no letters in the mail

I've been forgotten, yes, forgotten

Now I'm a soldier, a lonely soldier

Away from home through no wish of my own

-Bobby Vinton

I recently found that families of military people pay regular postage and shipping costs when they mail packages to soldiers in a war zone.

America ships soldiers off to Afghanistan and Iraq for free. If you come back in a body bag, they ship that back for free, too.

However, we make families who send soldiers socks, food and underwear pay shipping costs.

In a world where we spend billions to bail out Wall Street bankers and run trillion dollar government deficits, our government makes the families of soldiers pony up for postage.

That's not right...>>>>>

Iraq War Inquiry, Day Eight

Friday, 12.04.09, was the eighth day of the British Iraq War Inquiry which has been bringing forth some very interesting, and adding to the possibility of incriminating, pieces of information pertaining to what had been going on within the administration of President Bush prior to what happened on Sept 11 2001, on the day of the destructive deadly attacks of Sept 11 2001 and in the immediate days following and leading up to the invasion and lack of concern about after the destruction and then occupation of Iraq.

Before, on and right after 9/11 the administration was seemingly more focused on Iraq and not on Afghanistan as the evidence grew that the al Qaeda group, harbored by the Taliban in Afghanistan, were the criminal terrorist who carried out the attacks that tragic day. While planning and placing military troops, U.S. and NATO, in position for an attack and invasion of that country discussion and planning started on also invading Iraq and seeking the needed reasons for such an attack trying to connect Iraq to the 9/11 attacks and support of al Qaeda.

On day seven we find out more about how the issue of Iraq and Saddam was being handled as to the Defense Department and U.S. Military Planners:

The military planning track involved a dialogue between Donald Rumsfeld and the central command at Tampa. The Washington chiefs of staff were less involved. The system of "well-structured" discussions between the state department and the Pentagon and other agencies that had existed at the time of the first Gulf war was not evident this time round.

Boyce mentions the "dysfunctionalism" of Washington. He says that he would find himself briefing his American counterparts on what was happening in different parts of the US administration. Rumsfeld was not sharing information....>>>>>

While most of the reporting about the inquiry is coming out of the British media there are a few popping up here in the states, like this one from the Tennessean

Britain right to open investigation over war

I see that Britain is finally getting to the bottom of the cause and the lies that led up to the invasion of Iraq (“British open inquiry on Iraq war causes,” Nov. 25). Of course, this is more than our own Bush political party will condone.

That’s all well and good for future reference, but it does nothing to punish the perpetrators behind this mass illusion, which was orchestrated by Mr. Bush and his underlings.

Snip

We already know that planning for the invasion started when Mr. Bush took the oath of office and had nothing to do with terrorism or weapons of mass destruction.

Evidently part of that oath had nothing to do with honesty....>>>>>

Good to see a few are paying at least a tiny bit of attention, here in this country, as the inquiry unfolds.

Iraq war inquiry sees fingers pointed at US

Lord Boyce called American lack of communication "dysfunctionalism"

The Iraq inquiry has produced another week of compelling evidence.

We are beginning to understand how and why Iraq ended up in such a parlous state after the 2003 invasion.

A number of witnesses have pointed a finger of blame at the United States for the chaos that ensued....>>>>>

I'm beginning to think that if there ever was there won't be any more high fives or exchange of Christmas cards or gifts in either direction across the pond starting this year, eight years in the Iraq occupation and nine years into the Afghanistan occupation, which now is growing.

Ex-UN weapons inspector condemns Blair, Bush on Iraq

Blix said he warned Blair not to invade

George W. Bush and Tony Blair's conviction that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was a threat blinded them to the lack of evidence justifying a war to depose him, an ex-UN weapons inspector said Saturday.

Hans Blix, who led the UN weapons inspection team in the run-up to the 2003 invasion, told the Daily Mail that the then US and British leaders had "misled themselves and then they misled the public" about the reason for the conflict....>>>>>

Treasury accused over Iraq funds

The inquiry heard Whitehall was told there was no extra cash for rebuilding

The Treasury refused to release extra funds for the reconstruction of Basra, the Iraq war inquiry has been told.

Dominic Asquith, the former Foreign Office director for Iraq, said more money was requested to help rebuild the southern Iraqi city.

But Mr Asquith said government departments were told they would have to find the cash from existing budgets.

This was despite the fact that rebuilding was supposed to be a high priority for ministers, he added....>>>>>

UK sent large force to Iraq to raise standing with US, Chilcot inquiry hears

Former deputy chief of the defence staff says major military role meant Britain was able to show it was a 'serious player'

Britain committed a large land force to the invasion of Iraq in an attempt to buy influence with the United States, the official inquiry into the war has been told.

Lieutenant General Sir Anthony Pigott, who was deputy chief of the defence staff responsible for commitments, said that by taking on a major military role the UK was able to show the Americans that it was a "serious player". After Tony Blair's meeting with George Bush at the president's Texas ranch in April 2002, Pigott said he set up a small team to look at the options for military action against Iraq....>>>>>

Everything that is coming out of this inquiry as to what was going on within the British Government and Military can only be thought of as Compounded here in the United States as to our own Government and Military Leaders, we were the driving force the rest were following our lead, which continued!

Brown refused to increase Iraq funds

Gordon Brown as chancellor refused to increase funds for the reconstruction of southern Iraq in spite of pleas for more resources from the frontline, an inquiry heard on Friday.

Dominic Asquith, a senior Foreign Office official, told the Iraq inquiry that efforts to rebuild Basra, where British forces were based, were held back by a lack of money.

“The direction was that this was a high priority but we weren’t being given the extra resources to deliver,” he said. “It was left to Whitehall departments to put the case to the Treasury for resources to cover this to which the answer was ‘There are no resources’.”...>>>>>

And of course we all know, and are living in, what has happened since as to Economies around the globe.

And more information keeps dripping out, one can only imagine, especially as our country moved on from any accountability, what was going on within our own Government and Military, all this while we and others were still occupying Afghanistan and the insurgent forces were growing and improving their tactics and attacks!

Lord Goldsmith 'was stopped from going to Iraq by John Reid'

Shocking new evidence reveals how the Labour Government bullied the Cabinet Minister who told Tony Blair that the Iraq War was illegal.

Former Defence Secretary John Reid banned the head of the Army, General Sir Mike Jackson, from taking Attorney General Lord Goldsmith to Baghdad to investigate alleged mistreatment of Iraqi civilians by British soldiers.

According to a Ministry of Defence source, Dr Reid told the Army chief: 'I'm your commanding officer. You're not taking Goldsmith with you, is that clear?'

Snip

Lord Goldsmith, who was leading moves to crack down on British soldiers accused of brutality against Iraqis, agreed - but when Dr Reid found out, he pulled rank on Sir Mike, one of the most respected British Army commanders of his generation.

Snip

Today's disclosure follows a report in last week's Mail on Sunday that Lord Goldsmith told Mr Blair eight months before the conflict that it was illegal - and was 'bullied' into backing down at the last minute....>>>>>

Wonder if this will get even a slight mention today on our Sunday Morning Talking Heads Shows, just wonderin, especially if any discussion is done as to the escalation of the Afghanistan Conflict by the US and NATO!!

"Trooper"

Murphy OShea, an Iraq Veteran, has a hard time re-adjusting to society upon his return from a long tour. His world crumbles when he discovers his father, Bill, a Vietnam Veteran, is dying. Trooper is a story of a father and son, two veterans from two very different Wars, helping each other to get through each day, and heal the wounds of War.

Trailer

“Finally, a film producer that gets it right! Trooper may serve well to educate an unaware public about the epidemic level of emotional trauma that today’s young warriors are living with. It is a dark journey and this film captures its pain—and also gives us a glimmer of hope.” Rev. Bill McDonald Founder The Military Writer’s Society of America.

MOVIE REVIEW: TROOPER

Iraq War Inquiry, Day Seven

Today, Dec 4th, they're already into day eight of the Inquiry with that covering "Military Planning" and "The view from London and Baghdad 2004-2007".

But so far some of what has come forth has been that the administration, long before Sept 11 2001 were focusing on regime change in Iraq and probably looking for ways to justify their wants. On 9/11 Condi Rice mentioned not only al Qaeda as being suspected guilty parties to the attacks that day but also Saddam might have had a hand in them. This while the rest of the Country was intently focused on the devastating Deaths and Destruction and while the President was flying around the Country instead of directly back to Washington from the Florida visit when the attacks took place. Not three days later even President Bush was talking up possible Saddam's guilt

Well yesterday it was Donald Rumsfeld turn on the wheel, the then growing darling of the U.S. press but soon to find out by many "you go to war with the secretary of defense you have!". On day 7 we find out that while seeking backing from the Brits he was only conferring with Col. Franks in Florida and little to nothing with the Joint Chiefs or other Military nor Civilian connections in Washington. In other words, they testified, that back in the First Gulf War everyone was in the loop, this coming invasion of Iraq, while busy seeking reasons for, almost everyone was kept out of the need to know anything and the Brits were answering the questions of the State Department and others. As you'll see in the cut of the transcript below.

Now remember We and the Brits, along with other NATO forces, had already planned then invaded Afghanistan, troops on the ground and an intense Guerilla Insurgency by the Taliban and supporters of had been started.

Iraq inquiry – live

Minute-by-minute coverage as Chilcot hears evidence from Admiral Lord Boyce and Sir Kevin Tebbitt

Today, for the first time, we're going to hear from the armed forces. The Iraq inquiry is taking evidence on the military preparations for war and it will be quizzing Admiral Lord Boyce, the chief of the defence staff from 2001 to 2003. Boyce will be appearing alongside Sir Kevin Tebbit, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Defence from 1998 to 2005.

Snip

Sir Roderic Lyne starts the questions. He goes back to late 2001. Britain went into Afghanistan. As far as Iraq was concerned, the containment policy was beginning to "creak". In the US people were beginning to talk about "doing Iraq" after Afghanistan. At what point did the MoD start thinking about the contingency of full-scale military action against Iraq and discussing it informally with officials in the US?

Boyce says that in the later part of 2001 he heard talk from the Americans about Iraq. "We absolutely did not want to get involved in such conversations." No contingency planning went on in relation to Iraq. The MoD was heavily preoccupied with Afghanistan.

Snip

But it was clear that the "axis of evil" speech meant the Americans were considering military action. Tebbit knew from his own visits to the US that the neocons were pushing for military action. In the papers prepared for Blair's visit to Crawford "we needed to consider that option".

Snip

Tebbit says: "I think that was indeed that case." In July 2002 everyone involved tried to make sure those conditions were being pursued. But the environment in Washington made this "hard". The military planning track involved a dialogue between Donald Rumsfeld and the central command at Tampa. The Washington chiefs of staff were less involved. The system of "well-structured" discussions between the state department and the Pentagon and other agencies that had existed at the time of the first Gulf war was not evident this time round.

Boyce mentions the "dysfunctionalism" of Washington. He says that he would find himself briefing his American counterparts on what was happening in different parts of the US adminstration. Rumsfeld was not sharing information....>>>>>

Seems talk of Iraq's oil was also being brought up, the reasons sound legit but could there be that underlining many still think was a big part of toppling Saddam, our oil was under the Iraqi's sand.

Sir Kevin Tebbit gives evidence at the Iraq inquiry

Former permanent secretary at the MoD gives evidence at the Iraq inquiry, where he says Britain had to consider the oil in the north of the country when invading

Secrecy delayed Iraq war planning

The former Chief of the Defence Staff was told to remain silent on preparations for the Iraq War in case it harmed the UK's chances of securing a UN Security Council resolution, the Iraq War Inquiry has heard.

"I was not allowed to speak, for example, to the chief of defence logistics," said Admiral Lord Boyce, who was Chief of the Defence Staff from 2001 to 2003.

Snip

The Former Chief of the Defence Staff revealed that American officials, Donald Rumsfeld in particular, would not countenance the idea of Britain not being involved in the conflict without a UN resolution. "We know you say that, but come the day you will be there' was the attitude," said Lord Boyce...>>>>>

ONLY 24 HOURS TO SPARE IN RUSH FOR IRAQ

Tony Blair and his Cabinet gave military chiefs so little time to plan the Iraq war that some units were ready only 24 hours before the invasion, the inquiry into the conflict heard yesterday.

Former chief of defence staff Admiral Sir Michael Boyce said ministers were worried deployment details would leak out, wrecking efforts to get a UN resolution requiring Iraq to give up weapons of mass destruction.

The issue was considered so sensitive he was ordered by the then Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon not even to discuss war plans with the chief of defence logistics...>>>>>

Armed forces chief reveals Campbell role

Alastair Campbell, the former Downing Street spin-doctor, asked the head of the armed forces to give Tony Blair a more "glass half-full" assessment of Iraq war preparations, it emerged yesterday.

Lord Boyce, the former chief of defence staff, told the Iraq inquiry that he was "taken aside" and asked to give more optimistic advice after warning the prime minister over military planning. The inquiry did not ask who urged Lord Boyce to offer more upbeat analysis. But he later confirmed to the Financial Times he was approached by Mr Campbell.

Lord Boyce told the inquiry that he had been "very frustrated" because he had been prevented from ordering kit and mobilising troops for the Iraq war as ministers feared "military signals" would "scotch" public support.

Snip

Lord Boyce said the military efforts were "anorexic" and "terribly underresourced" because senior US officials never prepared for the army to have a peacekeeping role. "I could not get across to them that the coalition would not be seen as a liberation force and that flowers would not be stuffed at the end of rifles," he said...>>>>>

Americans knew us better than we knew ourselves

There was one gesture from Sir Kevin towards the end; a small, placating, slightly circular sort of gesture across his arm to Lord Boyce (who'd just said that the Yanks' Iraq troop commitment had been "anorexic"). "We certainly encouraged them to have a maximum coalition effort," he said before adding: "That perhaps is the way round it."

There were some big things in yesterday's evidence but it's the little things that last. "That perhaps is the way round it" was a highlight for Sir Kevin Tebbit, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence. It was very nearly a flawless performance – we still need a better way round the lack of a second resolution. He said it didn't matter in the end because it was the result of "unreasonable behavior by the Security Council". That needs more work. He'd been running interference on Lord Boyce, who'd had a number of frank things to say. "We kept telling the Americans how important to us the UN and Parliament were but there was a complete reluctance to believe us. 'We know you have to say that but come the day you'll be there.'" That's what the Americans said – and how right they were. They knew us better than we knew ourselves....>>>>>

You get the jist of yesterdays testimony and for more you can find a growing slew of reports esopecially at outlets over the pond but even some here are taking notice. The Guardian has been doing alot of reporting and archiving those at that link.

One of many devastating issues developed as to the invasion and long occupation of Iraq not covered in the so called media, one would think there's a want and need to keep it out of site, is the creation of millions of refugees, Iraqi refugees, within their own country or escaping to the neighboring countries, the cleansing of Iraq!

Iraqi Refugees: Women on the Margins

Many Iraqi women refugees, sheltered temporarily in Syria, bear the scars and trauma of extreme violence suffered in their homeland. Ethnic and religious-based persecution tore apart previously stable communities in Iraq, removing these women and their children from their traditional support systems. Stripped of the normal protections of home and extended family life they exist on the margins of society.

Refugee widows and single women without the support and protection of male relatives face substantial psychological and physical risk. When we were speaking with Iraqi refugees earlier this year, many single heads of families remarked on their ability to access Syrian public health care and education for their children and the kindness of many Syrians. Yet other refugee widows and single women expressed their unhappiness and fear over some of neighbors questioning their character and virtue, believing good women would not live alone...>>>>>

And, as mentioned above, while all this planning, quietly, was taking place as to invading Iraq and toppling Saddam we had troops in Afghanistan, Afghanistan where al Qaeda was hold up and the Taliban regime was protecting. As it seemed the focus even before the invasion of that country took place to get to the guilty band of extremist who carried out 9/11 was on and growing towards Iraq, the President was telling everyone we were going to get bin Laden Dead or Alive but we were going to get him.

He hasn't been gotten and we're well into our ninth year of occupying the country. And while everyone was focused on Iraq the Taliban and their supporters have only grown in numbers, we created the recruiting tools needed, especially the killing of innocent people, in Afghanistan and for the last few years across the border into Pakistan.

Here's a light shined on that Country as we are set to send in more military troops:

Covert Black Ops: How to Create More Enemies

Especially when not overseen nor carried out by Military/Intelligence Personal but outside the Military and it's Chain of Command as well as UCMJ and International/National Laws by Private Government Contractors!

Dec. 3: Rachel Maddow is joined by Jeremy Scahill whose cover story in The Nation magazine is about U.S. contractors working in Afghanistan, and Blackwater founder Erik Prince's roots in the CIA.

The Secret US War in Pakistan

The source, who has worked on covert US military programs for years, including in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has direct knowledge of Blackwater's involvement. He spoke to The Nation on condition of anonymity because the program is classified. The source said that the program is so "compartmentalized" that senior figures within the Obama administration and the US military chain of command may not be aware of its existence.

Snip

The military intelligence source says that the drone strike that reportedly killed Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, his wife and his bodyguards in Waziristan in August was a CIA strike, but that many others attributed in media reports to the CIA are actually JSOC strikes. "Some of these strikes are attributed to OGA [Other Government Agency, intelligence parlance for the CIA], but in reality it's JSOC and their parallel program of UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] because they also have access to UAVs. So when you see some of these hits, especially the ones with high civilian casualties, those are almost always JSOC strikes." The Pentagon has stated bluntly, "There are no US military strike operations being conducted in Pakistan."

Snip

The military intelligence source also confirmed that Blackwater continues to work for the CIA on its drone bombing program in Pakistan, as previously reported in the New York Times, but added that Blackwater is working on JSOC's drone bombings as well. "It's Blackwater running the program for both CIA and JSOC," said the source. When civilians are killed, "people go, 'Oh, it's the CIA doing crazy shit again unchecked.' Well, at least 50 percent of the time, that's JSOC [hitting] somebody they've identified through HUMINT [human intelligence] or they've culled the intelligence themselves or it's been shared with them and they take that person out and that's how it works."

The military intelligence source says that the CIA operations are subject to Congressional oversight, unlike the parallel JSOC bombings. "Targeted killings are not the most popular thing in town right now and the CIA knows that," he says. "Contractors and especially JSOC personnel working under a classified mandate are not [overseen by Congress], so they just don't care. If there's one person they're going after and there's thirty-four people in the building, thirty-five people are going to die. That's the mentality." He added, "They're not accountable to anybody and they know that. It's an open secret, but what are you going to do, shut down JSOC?"...>>>>>

Why they hate us: How many Muslims has the U.S. killed in the past 30 years?

Tom Friedman had an especially fatuous column in Sunday's New York Times, which is saying something given his well-established capacity for smug self-assurance. According to Friedman, the big challenge we face in the Arab and Islamic world is "the Narrative" -- his patronizing term for Muslim views about America's supposedly negative role in the region. If Muslims weren't so irrational, he thinks, they would recognize that "U.S. foreign policy has been largely dedicated to rescuing Muslims or trying to help free them from tyranny." He concedes that we made a few mistakes here and there (such as at Abu Ghraib), but the real problem is all those anti-American fairy tales that Muslims tell each other to avoid taking responsibility for their own actions.

I heard a different take on this subject at a recent conference on U.S. relations with the Islamic world. In addition to hearing a diverse set of views from different Islamic countries, one of the other participants (a prominent English journalist) put it quite simply. "If the United States wants to improve its image in the Islamic world," he said, "it should stop killing Muslims."

Snip

Contrary to what Friedman thinks, our real problem isn't a fictitious Muslim "narrative" about America's role in the region; it is mostly the actual things we have been doing in recent years. To say that in no way justifies anti-American terrorism or absolves other societies of responsibility for their own mistakes or misdeeds. But the self-righteousness on display in Friedman's op-ed isn't just simplistic; it is actively harmful. Why? Because whitewashing our own misconduct makes it harder for Americans to figure out why their country is so unpopular and makes us less likely to consider different (and more effective) approaches...>>>>

Innocent civilians killed, especially in large numbers, all have relatives, friends and regional ties to their countries and neighbors, who survive them many being younger children or young adults, does anyone think they just say "Oh well it was a mistake and we forgive!!", would you!

As well as these types of policies, silent or known, have grave 'blowback' on not only Military personal, in the occupied theater of operations, but also civilians anywhere from criminal terrorist actions!

Covert Black Ops: How to Create More Enemies

Especially when not overseen nor carried out by Military/Intelligence Personal but outside the Military and it's Chain of Command as well as UCMJ and International/National Laws by Private Government Contractors!

Dec. 3: Rachel Maddow is joined by Jeremy Scahill whose cover story in The Nation magazine is about U.S. contractors working in Afghanistan, and Blackwater founder Erik Prince's roots in the CIA.

The Secret US War in Pakistan

The source, who has worked on covert US military programs for years, including in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has direct knowledge of Blackwater's involvement. He spoke to The Nation on condition of anonymity because the program is classified. The source said that the program is so "compartmentalized" that senior figures within the Obama administration and the US military chain of command may not be aware of its existence.

Snip

The military intelligence source says that the drone strike that reportedly killed Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, his wife and his bodyguards in Waziristan in August was a CIA strike, but that many others attributed in media reports to the CIA are actually JSOC strikes. "Some of these strikes are attributed to OGA [Other Government Agency, intelligence parlance for the CIA], but in reality it's JSOC and their parallel program of UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] because they also have access to UAVs. So when you see some of these hits, especially the ones with high civilian casualties, those are almost always JSOC strikes." The Pentagon has stated bluntly, "There are no US military strike operations being conducted in Pakistan."

Snip

The military intelligence source also confirmed that Blackwater continues to work for the CIA on its drone bombing program in Pakistan, as previously reported in the New York Times, but added that Blackwater is working on JSOC's drone bombings as well. "It's Blackwater running the program for both CIA and JSOC," said the source. When civilians are killed, "people go, 'Oh, it's the CIA doing crazy shit again unchecked.' Well, at least 50 percent of the time, that's JSOC [hitting] somebody they've identified through HUMINT [human intelligence] or they've culled the intelligence themselves or it's been shared with them and they take that person out and that's how it works."

The military intelligence source says that the CIA operations are subject to Congressional oversight, unlike the parallel JSOC bombings. "Targeted killings are not the most popular thing in town right now and the CIA knows that," he says. "Contractors and especially JSOC personnel working under a classified mandate are not [overseen by Congress], so they just don't care. If there's one person they're going after and there's thirty-four people in the building, thirty-five people are going to die. That's the mentality." He added, "They're not accountable to anybody and they know that. It's an open secret, but what are you going to do, shut down JSOC?"...>>>>>

Why they hate us: How many Muslims has the U.S. killed in the past 30 years?

Tom Friedman had an especially fatuous column in Sunday's New York Times, which is saying something given his well-established capacity for smug self-assurance. According to Friedman, the big challenge we face in the Arab and Islamic world is "the Narrative" -- his patronizing term for Muslim views about America's supposedly negative role in the region. If Muslims weren't so irrational, he thinks, they would recognize that "U.S. foreign policy has been largely dedicated to rescuing Muslims or trying to help free them from tyranny." He concedes that we made a few mistakes here and there (such as at Abu Ghraib), but the real problem is all those anti-American fairy tales that Muslims tell each other to avoid taking responsibility for their own actions.

I heard a different take on this subject at a recent conference on U.S. relations with the Islamic world. In addition to hearing a diverse set of views from different Islamic countries, one of the other participants (a prominent English journalist) put it quite simply. "If the United States wants to improve its image in the Islamic world," he said, "it should stop killing Muslims."

Snip

Contrary to what Friedman thinks, our real problem isn't a fictitious Muslim "narrative" about America's role in the region; it is mostly the actual things we have been doing in recent years. To say that in no way justifies anti-American terrorism or absolves other societies of responsibility for their own mistakes or misdeeds. But the self-righteousness on display in Friedman's op-ed isn't just simplistic; it is actively harmful. Why? Because whitewashing our own misconduct makes it harder for Americans to figure out why their country is so unpopular and makes us less likely to consider different (and more effective) approaches...>>>>

Innocent civilians killed, especially in large numbers, all have relatives, friends and regional ties to their countries and neighbors, who survive them many being younger children or young adults, does anyone think they just say "Oh well it was a mistake and we forgive!!", would you!

As well as these types of policies, silent or known, have grave 'blowback' on not only Military personal, in the occupied theater of operations, but also civilians anywhere from criminal terrorist actions!

Violation of Disability Rights

Protest of McDonalds over Violation of Disability Rights

Capt. Luis Montalvan was joined by supporters to protest his mistreatment by McDonald's employees when he went there to eat with his service dog, Tuesday.

Protest of McDonalds over Violation of Disability Rights

Luis Carlos Montalván's Facebook Page for more on this.

Why they hate us........

How many Muslims has the U.S. killed in the past 30 years?

Tom Friedman had an especially fatuous column in Sunday's New York Times, which is saying something given his well-established capacity for smug self-assurance. According to Friedman, the big challenge we face in the Arab and Islamic world is "the Narrative" -- his patronizing term for Muslim views about America's supposedly negative role in the region. If Muslims weren't so irrational, he thinks, they would recognize that "U.S. foreign policy has been largely dedicated to rescuing Muslims or trying to help free them from tyranny." He concedes that we made a few mistakes here and there (such as at Abu Ghraib), but the real problem is all those anti-American fairy tales that Muslims tell each other to avoid taking responsibility for their own actions.

I heard a different take on this subject at a recent conference on U.S. relations with the Islamic world. In addition to hearing a diverse set of views from different Islamic countries, one of the other participants (a prominent English journalist) put it quite simply. "If the United States wants to improve its image in the Islamic world," he said, "it should stop killing Muslims."

Snip

Contrary to what Friedman thinks, our real problem isn't a fictitious Muslim "narrative" about America's role in the region; it is mostly the actual things we have been doing in recent years. To say that in no way justifies anti-American terrorism or absolves other societies of responsibility for their own mistakes or misdeeds. But the self-righteousness on display in Friedman's op-ed isn't just simplistic; it is actively harmful. Why? Because whitewashing our own misconduct makes it harder for Americans to figure out why their country is so unpopular and makes us less likely to consider different (and more effective) approaches...>>>>

Obama: War President?!

Last night after the Presidents speech at West Point, and since, everyone is attempting to break it down, praise it, or totally attack the policy of another escalation of troops into an already long running occupation of the country of Afghanistan. This occupation stopped being anything about the attacks on this country on Sept 11, 2001 as soon as the first drumbeat towards invasion and then long occupation of an innocent country and people Iraq. Afghanistan stagnated into an occupation and insurgent war of continuing death and destruction to all involved but especially to the greater innocent population of Afghanistan now into it's ninth year!

I watched two reports, this morning on the Rachel Maddow show, which touch well on what I'd like to say, that gives us cuts of speeches made by then President bush about Afghanistan, in comparing what President Obama laid out last night on the current Escalation {Not surge} of military personnel into the long occupation of Afghanistan, and his vision called "The Bush Doctrine" and what was left to this Present Administration and Country by Them. And this is just about the two present occupations, not the economy, the deficit which is tied in by the costs of both occupations off the books plus, the possible rampant corruption from the incompetent policies and the no bid contracts to War profiteers, and much more!

We now know, coming out daily, that the bush admin, prior to 9/11 and then within hours of the destruction and deaths of 9/11 and going forward, they were starting to focus more on Iraq and Regime Change there than on Afghanistan, al Qaeda and bin Laden. How do we know that, besides what had already surfaced these years, through the British Iraq War Inquiry with pieces of information coming daily since last week. There's a day off from testimony today but more coming from the Inquiry again tomorrow when British Military and MoD personal testify! What I hope is that there are some questions as to what these military and MoD personal might have also been discussing with their American military and DoD counterparts as to what was already going on the Afghanistan invasion and beginning occupation by U.S. forces, British forces joined with others through the United Nations.

The Bush Doctrine


Rachel next discusses the concept of "Counter Insurgency" with Lt Col. John Nagl an architect of the current counter Insurgency concept, supposedly updating what was left from our Vietnam occupation debacle.

I would hope that in McCrystal's wants, and now President Obama's CiC policy, they understand that the Taliban, probably al Qaeda {the ghost enemy meme which is anyone we label as a member of or supporter that we can't pigeon hole anywhere else in our Fear/War Speak just as we use Terrorists while waging Terror}, and the others of another Mujahadeen are also going to be building up forces from around the regions, especially Afghanistan and Pakistan but possibly the destroyed Iraq, just as they built up against the Soviets, only now they're really pissed off as to the damage and deaths caused in the region, not just Afghanistan, these past years! The Insurgent forces, people of the country and region already did so after the previous buildup of troops only months ago. We've seen the results in the rising number of military personal killed and maimed these last couple of months and the brazen attacks on coalition forces outposts around Afghanistan.

CounterInsurgency in Afghanistan


Lets look at "Counter Insurgency" which covers many aspects after an invasion and starting occupation of a Country invaded:

Counter-insurgency is common during occupation and armed rebellion.

One extremely important aspect of any try at success in an Insurgent War, the fighting back by the invaded and occupied as to the occupying forces, is the winning of the Hearts and Minds of the population by the occupying forces. You already go in at an extreme negative as soon as the bombs start dropping, the artillery and missiles start flying and destroying and the bullets start flying and killing. They are killing and maiming more of the innocent population then any insurgent push back causing many of the survivors of to join or support the insurgency, for many obvious reasons.

Saying the above there was a point of a very possible chance of success in our invasion of Afghanistan after 9/11, and the "Counter Insurgency" ideals. The World watched what happened that day, they joined in our sorrow and rage and the evidence seemingly showed who was responsible. We and they knew where those who planned and came out of to implement these attacks came from, Afghanistan militant camps, allowed to function in a country ruled by a rogue government few in the world recognized and many within wanted gone.

That chance quickly dissolved as the drums of another invasion, war and then occupation started beating towards the innocent people of Iraq and we're still there as well.

Once the Taliban regime was toppled and they and the ghost enemy al Qaeda were put on the run, instead of boxing them in, as they ran across the border into Pakistan, and with the help of the then Pakistan regime and the regions other countries possible help, and bringing in what had been promised the rebuilding monies and the NGO's needed to help the Afghans rebuild after years of destructive war with the Soviets and then the rule under the Taliban, we allowed the occupation to basically stagnate into ongoing killing, maiming and destruction in many area's of the country for the next eight years and still ongoing, now ramping up with more occupation forces! The line was crossed way back and any chance has been lost as to "Hearts and Minds" of those who call Afghanistan home. Too many deaths, too many maimed, too much destruction, too many refugee's in country and outside of it's borders now after this almost decade of War!

What we, the arrogant, apathetic, military and once economic power United States, as well as other so called developed nations, are asking the Afghan people as well as the Iraqi people and many in Pakistan is to forget the terror and destruction wrought on them over many years of invading and then occupying their countries, just forget and accept what we are now trying to do, whatever that may be, and become our friends!

Would You!

No You Wouldn't, as we've watched this Country, since 9/11, deteriorate into one of hate speak towards each, acts of violence on each other with twisted political and religious ideologies at the base of, and extreme racism coming out once again! As well as being witness to these long occupations, the numbers rising of the soldiers we've sent being killed and maimed, the civilians of these occupied countries fleeing into refugee status as well as killed and maimed in ever growing numbers, we've been witness to the rising hatreds, fear and want for total destruction of those 'over there so we don't have them here' and the hatreds towards each other fed on by the few who manage to jump on those fears with a mike in their hands or ability to use extremism on our airways, in public gatherings as well as the halls of our government!

We, as Americans, can get extremely Mad and keep that feeling growing into Hatreds of others, not just those who are guilty but any who come from the same area's of the planet or believe in ideologies or religions many don't accept and even live amoug us.

But let those we've sent our military forces in to occupy get Mad and start Hating us and that's Unacceptable!

The following is used as a signature by a brother veteran:
Blood cannot wash away blood. Hate cannot wash away hate. War cannot wash away war. ( an Afghan Proverb )