Category Archives: U.S.

International, Opinion, U.S.

Taliban on the offensive, Obama lied again, our military leaders are in a state of denial

In March 2011, The Taliban (aka Leadership Council of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) declared another spring offensive (aka Operation Badar, after a Mujahideen leader killed in 2003) against all foreign occupiers, and locals they view as supporting the foreign forces.

“…I can report that thanks to the extraordinary service of our troops and civilians on the ground, we are on track to achieve our goals….But there is no question we are clearing more areas from Taliban control, and more Afghans are reclaiming their communities.”-President Barack Obama, December 2010

Not only did Obama claim the Taliban were on their way out, but so did the Western media.  Many U.S. and U.K. mainstream media outlets stated that the Taliban were on their way out because so many of their leaders had been killed or captured.  Some media claimed that the Taliban were in a state of “shock” from the relentless attacks by U.S. and NATO forces.  Mmmm, the current Spring Offensive shows otherwise.

Not only does Obama seem oblivious to the situation in Afghanistan, so do our military leaders:  In January 2011, USA (under U.S. grammar rules USA without periods stands for U.S. Army, just as USAF means U.S. Air Force, and USMC means U.S. Marine Corps) General David H. Petraeus said this about the Taliban: “The sheer losses that they’ve sustained are tremendous. That in and of itself is very significant, and it’s caused enormous stress on the central nervous system of the command and control structure.”

In a February 2011 USA Today (the USA in “USA Today” is actually, legally, a word not an abbreviation.  It does not mean United States of America Today.  If it did there would be periods behind each letter. But it can not because no one can legally use “U.S.A.” in their business name) interview USMC Major General Richard Mills said this about the Taliban: “This is really the heart of the insurgency. I believe they have been beaten.”

USAF Lieutenant Colonel John Dorrian recently brushed off the 2011 Taliban Spring Offensive as a “propaganda ploy.”

The latest casualty numbers prove it’s not a “ploy”:  In March 2010 the United States suffered 22 KIA (killed in action), in March 2011 the U.S. lost 24 KIA.

In April 2010 KIAs were 14, but this April U.S. KIAs hit 43.

For May 2010, U.S. KIAs were 31.  For 2011 KIAs are at 21, but there are a few days left in the month, and so far there have been attacks and explosions almost daily in the month of May.

For the whole year of 2010, U.S. KIAs in Afghanistan hit record levels of 44o (by the way that was the year the Obama administration claimed the Taliban were beaten back).  So far for 2011, KIAs are at 126, that’s almost the total for all of 2008.

Of course U.S. WIA (wounded in action) numbers are even higher.  While NATO troops are getting hit as well, it’s obvious by the casualty numbers that the Taliban are targeting U.S. forces.  This goes against the claim that the Taliban are on the run, or are afraid to take on U.S. troops (it’s also an indicator of the massive U.S. personnel presence, compared to NATO forces).

Even United Nations officials in Afghanistan are ignorant of the fact that Afghans have been at war for decades.  Ignorant of the fact that the Afghan people have sacrificed themselves for freedom from foreigners.  Ignorant of the fact that the Afghan people ARE the Mujahideen: “Our mission is to make sure that civilians and Afghan people are not affected by now 11 years of conflict. What we are worried about, and I think every Afghan is worried about, is whether the Afghan people and the Afghan civilians will be again the victims of a long conflict.”-UNAMA statement

The people of Afghanistan know full well they could be killed in the fight for independence.  This isn’t the first, second or third time Afghanistan has been in this situation.  The Taliban (who are Afghans) even warned the Afghan people about being collateral targets in the Spring Offensive: “All Afghan people should bear in mind to keep away from gatherings, convoys and centers of the enemy so that they will not become harmed during attacks of Mujahideen against the enemy.”-Taliban 2011 Spring Offensive Operation Badar statement

Silly Western thinking, leaders in Afghanistan aren’t viewed the same as in the West; as in “cut the head off and the body will die”.  Afghan leaders are only representatives of the Mujahideen, if one gets killed they’ll elect another one, and it definitively won’t stop any of their military action plans.

For the latest casualty numbers, for all coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, go here.

 

International, Opinion, U.S.

So much for the claim that the U.S. is creating wars to support their military industry: Pentagon buys Russian helicopters for the Afghans

“It is the first large contract Russia signed directly with the U.S. Department of Defense.”-Sergei Prikhodko, a foreign policy aide to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev

Many critics have claimed the War on Terror is just an excuse to provide new markets for an ailing U.S. military industrial complex.  But the latest arms deal might prove otherwise.

The United States has just signed a $300 million deal with Russia, to supply the Afghan government with Russian made Mi-17 helicopters.  The manufacturer, Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, has become involved in several Western helicopter programs, such as Eurocopter.

This might be the reason Russia suddenly changed its position regarding Gaddafi.  But, what should concern the people of the U.S. is; why in a time of economic upheaval for the working class, does the U.S. spend taxpayer money buying foreign military equipment for another country?

International, Technology, U.S.

U.S. military computers hacked by ?, weapons codes stolen

“Given the military targets, and that millions of compromised keys are in circulation, this is not over.”-Rick Moy, NSS Labs

Reuters reporting that several U.S. military contractors have been hacked.  The cyber attack might have snagged codes for high tech weapons being used in Afghanistan and Iraq.

ECM corporation admits that several of its RSA security keys were copied by hackers several months ago.  This played a role in allowing hackers to access dozens of contractor databases, possibly for weapons codes.  So far officials are not saying what the hackers actually did.

 

 

U.S.

U.S. media totally ignoring Protesters in the United States, arrest numbers prove it

Notice that there is no mention of any protesters on the U.S. main stream media?  At least nothing that involves protesting President Obama, or the Federal Government, or the War on Terror, etc.

The lack of coverage even had several foreign media sites doing round table discussions as to why it seems no one in the United States is protesting (Russia Today for one).

The reality is that U.S. citizens are protesting, and in greater numbers year after year.  The proof: Arrest numbers.  So far for 2011 at least 670 people have been arrested.  Since Barack Obama became president at least 2,600 people have been arrested. The arrest numbers have gone up year after year: 665 in 2009.  1,290 in 2010.

According to Jack Cohen-Joppa, who’s been tracking the arrests, more people are in prison now, for protesting nuclear weapons, than in the past ten plus years.

He also admits that many activists backed off their protests when Obama became president.  But now that it’s become clear that Obama is a liar, the activists are coming out swinging.

Read more here (including list of those arrested and why).

Business/Economics, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Bank failures continue, now it’s local banks going down

Already for 2011, 43 banks have failed.  According to the FDIC, 157 banks failed in 2010, 140 failed in 2009, 25 in 2008 and only 3 in 2007.  Notice a trend?

According to Forbes, the U.S. banking industry has, for the first time in 27 years, reported a drop in revenue.  Down 3.2% for the first quarter of 2011.

It’s interesting that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation claims no banks failed in 2005, or 2006.  U.S. media have incorrectly stated that until 2006 there were no failures (Washington Post), but the FDIC list shows there were several bank failures every year from 2000 to 2004.  For some reason 2005 & 2006 had none.

The concern for 2011 is that the bank failures are hitting local community banks harder, instead of the larger regional and national banks.  One reason could be that the bigger banks got bailout money from the Federal Reserve, and U.S. taxpayers.  The local banks did not.

However, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that 98 banks that got bailout money are on the verge of failing.

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. home foreclosures hit record levels year after year

Reality Trac says U.S. property foreclosures hit 3.82 million in 2010.  A record.

It’s a continuing trend since 2006. The percentage of foreclosure filings just keeps going up: 2.23% of all U.S. housing units received at least one foreclosure filing during 2010.  2.21% in 2009.  1.84% in 2008.  1.03% in 2007.  0.58% in 2006.

The top five states for foreclosures in 2010 are: California, Florida, Arizona, Illinois and Michigan.

International, U.S.

Iran names 26 U.S. officials in Human Rights violation sanctions

On May 24, Iran issued a list of 26 officials from the United States that violated international Human Rights laws.

The list includes: Commander of U.S. forces in Iraq Raymond Odierno.

USS Vincennes Captain Will Rogers III.

Former FBI chief Thomas J. Pickard.

Former commander of the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Geoffrey D. Miller.

Current Guantanamo commander Rear Admiral Jeffery Harbeson.

Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

Former U.S. US administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer.

Former U.S. Army General Tommy Franks.

Iran is joined by Amnesty International, and the UN Human Rights Council in condemning the growing evidence human rights violations committed by the U.S., both outside and inside its borders.

 

International, U.S.

Venezuela to break U.S. oil sanctions with Iran, will cancel oil shipments to U.S. instead

On May 24, the United States imposed new oil sanctions against Iran, and that includes Venezuela’s state controlled PDVSA oil company.

Syria, Iran and Venezuela co-own an oil refinery in the Syrian state of Homs.

Venezuela’s Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez, says they have a right to do business with whomever they wish: “This is a right we are not going to renounce.”

On May 25, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro, announced that plans were underway to stop exporting oil to the United States: “There are several proposals that are being evaluated by President Chavez to respond to the United States’ imperialist pretensions.”

International, U.S.

German bank continues violating sanctions against Iran

European-Iranian Trade Bank AG (EIH Bank), based in Hamburg Germany, says it will not abide by European Union sanctions against Iran.

Earlier in the week the EU froze the bank’s assets.  Bank officials say it will not stop them: “Nothing has changed; the same Bundesbank office which approved our transactions during the investigation will continue to approve our transactions under sanctions.”-Norbert Eisenmenger, EIH finance and marketing

Last year the United States blacklisted the EIH bank, saying the bank was providing financial services for other banks doing business with Iran.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Surprise; China does not own the United States

“China’s hold or ownership is only 8 percent of our outstanding debt and in no way does China’s position influence U.S. foreign policy.”-Gary Locke, U.S. Commerce Secretary

The United States Commerce Secretary made the statement while being interviewed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, for the job of U.S. ambassador to China.

Locke says the majority of U.S. government debt is held by…U.S. domestic investors.  Find out who they are and you’ll know who the real shadow government is.