Tag Archives: nato

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. NATO forces withdraw from Kabul, Afghans say 4 U.S. officers killed, Afghans rampaging

“Now an ordinary American working in Afghanistan today doesn’t know whether he should expect a bullet from Afghan Taliban or from an Afghan policeman whom he might have trained earlier.”-Ahmed Quraishi, analyst

USMC General John Allen says U.S. led military advisers are being withdrawn from the Interior Ministry, and other government locations “for obvious force protection reasons”.

“Taliban” websites have praised the February 25 killings of four U.S. officers.  U.S. media reported two officers killed, or that two were U.S. officers.

Reports now say it was an Afghan police officer that killed the four U.S./NATO officers.

In eastern Afghanistan, hundreds of people tried to attack the governor’s office in Laghman province.  In Logar province shootings broke out between protestors and security forces.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: More Afghan troops join in attacks on U.S. led forces, two U.S. officers killed, attack UN compound, U.S. officials fearful of riots in the United States

February 25, 2012, day five of riots and two U.S. officers were killed after a firefight between Afghan government forces and U.S. forces, inside the Afghan Interior Ministry.

One of the U.S. officers was a Colonel, the other a Major. One report says they were shot in the head.  The Interior Ministry compound was filled with hundreds of personnel at the time.

Initial reports said an Afghan government soldier, or police officer, shot and killed the U.S. officers, vengeance for the dozens of Qur’ans burned by U.S. forces at Bagram Airfield.  Other reports say they’re was actually a firefight between Afghan government troops and U.S. troops.

This makes the second time, since the riots began, that two U.S. military personnel were killed by Afghan government forces.

Afghans also tried to storm a UN humanitarian aid compound, but were held back by Afghan police.  At least three people were killed, 47 wounded.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials have been busy visiting Mosques in the United States: “This is an issue we know is of concern, not only to Afghans, but to other Muslims around the world, including in the United States. We want to send a strong signal to the American Muslim community that we deplore what happened and apologize for it.”-George Little, Pentagon

Like I’ve posted before; we’ve heard that excuse how many times now?

International, U.S.

World War 3: Afghans force German troops to withdraw, German base will be closed

Heading into day five of Afghan riots, and German troops were forced to withdraw and shut down their base.

German forces announced they closed their Talokan base, in northern Afghanistan, several weeks earlier than planned because of the riots over the U.S. burning of Qur’ans.

Germany controls the Regional Command North, in Afghanistan.  They said more than 2,000 Afghans are rioting in various cities in their area of operation.

 

International, Opinion, U.S.

Arrogant Ignorant Right Wing Republican Nut Jobs say Afghanistan owes the U.S. an apology!

“Obama apologizes for inadvertent Koran burning; now the US trained & protected Afghan Army can apologize for killing our soldiers yesterday.”-Sarah Palin

“It is Hamid Karzai who owes the American people an apology, not the other way around.”-Newt Gingrich

Fact: Not one Afghan has ever been directly linked to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States!!!

Fact: The United States drew first blood when it invaded Afghanistan in 2001!!!

Fact: The United States, and its allies, have “murdered” hundreds of thousands of Afghans since 2001!!!

Fact: U.S. forces have committed acts of desecration (in violation of the UCMJ) from day one of invading Afghanistan!!!

Fact: The United States is behind covert acts of Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing in Afghanistan!!!

The United States will not last long enough to be able to apologize enough to the innocent Afghan people!

I do agree with part of a statement made by Newt Gingrich: “...we should say good bye and good luck, we don’t need to be here risking our lives and wasting our money…”

International, U.S.

World War 3: Afghans storm U.S. Consulate, destroy 20 NATO supply trucks. Lebanon’s Hezbolla blames Israel for U.S. policies

Day four of Afghan riots over the U.S. burnings of dozens of Qur’ans, and USMC General John Allen is pleading for calm: “I call on everyone…to exercise patience and restraint as we continue to gather the facts surrounding Sunday night’s incident.”

In western Afghanistan people stormed the U.S. consultative, at least seven were killed and 50 wounded.

In the province of Khost 20 NATO fuel tankers were attacked and burned.

At least 36 Afghans have been confirmed killed in the past four days of rioting.

“We should search for the Israeli mentality that stands behind various practices in the world. Take for example the burning of Qur’ans.”-Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, Lebanon’s Hezbollah

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: France announces the European Union will steal the money from Syria’s Central Bank

“Starting from Monday, we will take new strong measures, notably a freezing of the assets of the Syrian Central Bank.”-Alan Juppe, Foreign Minister of France

Another “unbiased” announcement made as the Friends of Syria conference commenced: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, is calling on all countries to steal Syrian assets and boycott oil from the country.

International, U.S.

World War 3: United Kingdom recognizes Syrian rebels as legitimate rulers of Syria, implies threat of war against Russia & China

Right before the Friends of Syria conference began, Britain’s Foreign Secretary, William Hague, said they will recognize the U.S. created Syrian National Council as a “….legitimate representative of the Syrian people.”

This supports yesterday’s claim by Russia, that the Friends of Syria conference is biased and therefore not legitimate.

Hague went on to imply a threat of war against Russia and China, if they did not comply with the wishes of the west: “It is very important in Moscow and Beijing for there to be a re-evaluation of the position….We have in the European Union an arms embargo on Syria, so of course we will observe that arms embargo in all directions.“

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: Japan demands exemption from U.S. oil embargo against Iran, prepares for short U.S. war with Iran

“…officials are working hard in order to win a waiver from the sanctions by the end of this month.”-Osamu Fujimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary for Japan’s Prime Minister

Since January, 2012, Japan has been trying to get an exemption from the U.S. oil sanctions against Iran.  Japan’s economy depends on it.

“We have not yet reached an agreement in principle, although we have deepened mutual understanding.”-Koichiro Gemba, Foreign Minister of Japan

Since there is no progress in getting the exemption, Japan is now preping for a possible war in the Persian Gulf, which would cut off 10% of their oil supplies.

Foreign Minister Gemba claims Japan is making preparations that would make any cut off of oil, due to the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, have little affect on Japan’s industries. But that’s because Gemba believes any war with Iran would be short.  Does he know something we don’t?

Gemba explained that Japan has 200 days of oil reserves and 70 days worth of liquid natural gas.  Apparently Japan was told (during their negotiations to get exempted from the U.S. oil sanctions?) by U.S. officials not to worry about a long war.

Gemba added that the Japanese government is going over various scenarios to reduce the impact the war will have on people’s daily lives.

International, U.S.

White Horse & World War 3: “Friends of Syria” meeting to determine U.S. military action, it’s all about Iran. China & Russia refuse to attend

On February 24, 2012, between 50 and 80 countries will meet in Tunis for the Friends of Syria conference.  The results of the conference could bypass the United Nations regarding overt foreign intervention in Syria.

China has refused to attend the conference, saying they are true friends of Syria.  Chinese officials also say they were given little notice of the conference, so they are not sure of the true purpose of the meeting.

Russia has refused to attend because: “The opposition is invited, the legal authorities are not. This means we have here what we had in Libya: a contact group was created. There is a feeling that it all aims at supporting ONE part in the country’s internal conflict.”-Aleksandr Lukashevich, Russian Foreign Ministry

According to the Israeli private intelligence agency DEBKA, sources inside the Pentagon say plans have been drawn up for military action.  Which plan is chosen will depend on the news Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, will bring back from the Friends of Syria conference.

DEBKA says the U.K., France, Italy and even Turkey are preparing for military action as well.

A whistleblower inside the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says the United States has been covertly training the Syrian rebels since May 2011.  Also, as many as 10,000 pro-U.S. Libyans are in Jordan waiting for the invasion.

A political scientist, in Syria, said this was about future war with Iran and Lebanon: “They want a political uprising here in Syria to make the country weak and then go to Iran and Hezbollah.”-Balsam Abu Bulla, political scientist

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham admitted this is all about Iran: “If the Syrian regime is replaced with another form of government, that doesn’t tie its future to the Iranians, the world is a better place.”

I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

 

 

Idaho, International, U.S.

Lessons for the Occupy Movement from the Egyptian January 2011 Revolution: #2 Cyberspace does not win Revolutions! Occupy the land! Keep Lines of Communication open!

I watched the January 2011 Egyptian Revolution from day one.  It did not start with cyberspace, and it did not end with cyberspace.  Rather cyberspace was only a briefly used tool of the Revolutionaries.

“I don’t think the Revolution ever happened in cyberspace…They need physical space, they need public space. Tahrir Square provided that.”-Nezar AlSayyad, Center of Middle East Studies, University of California at Berkeley

The fact that Revolutions need public space is the true reason why local and state governments, in the United Police States of America, are now passing laws that’re making it illegal to gather in public spaces!

On December 9, 2011, the city of Honolulu, Hawaii, created a law that is not only aimed at preventing public gatherings, but is being called “a particularly egregious attack on the homeless”.

On January 24, 2012, Charlotte, North Carolina, passed a “no camping” on city property law.  Even if you’re not camping the law includes things that allow police to have you removed, or arrested, anyway.

On February 21, 2012, the state of Idaho created a law that specifically targets the Occupy movement.  It has extended anti-gathering laws (no demonstrations can last longer than four hours, which only proves what I said in part one) to the state property the Occupy Boise movement is currently using.

The small, and ignorant, Occupy Boise movement has until 17:00 February 27 to clear out.

I say the Occupy Idaho movement is ignorant, because of what they said in a PBS Newshour interview: “I will take it elsewhere. There are a lot of us who recognize that this movement is more important than the place we’re staying.”-Daniel Grad, Occupy Boise, December 8, 2011

In fact, the Occupy Boise movement told local Idaho PBS reporters that they specifically chose the land (land that until now was exempt from the four hour limit law) so as to not cause legal problems!

FAIL!  There’s a saying in the world of business, “location, location, location”!   If there is no need to Occupy land, then what was the point of Egyptian Revolutionaries fighting so hard to control Tahrir Square?

Back to cyberspace.  In Egypt twitter and facebook and other social media tools were not the instigators of the Revolution.  Those tools only became important as Egyptians in one city realized, through their communications, that they were not alone, that Egyptians in other cities were also rebelling.  So cyberspace became a way of communication after the fact.

Even so, as I was watching the live broadcasts, the Egyptian government shut down many cell phone towers, and internet providers (with the help of a U.S. telecommunications company).   Did that stop the Revolution?  Hell no!

Revolutionaries turned to old fashioned land line phones, short wave radios, even the ancient task of running messages by foot.  Some reports said they had taken over radio stations, even broke into police stations to steal the police radios.

But while this proves that cyberspace is not critical, it does prove that communications are critical.

In the military, communications does not refer to just being able to talk or relay messages.  It refers to the ability to keep your forces fed and armed.  (specifically its called: Lines of Communication, called such because supplies tended to follow the same route that hand carried messages, and telegraph lines, did)

The Egyptian Revolutionaries not only took and held land (sometimes losing it, but retaking it later), they kept their Occupiers fed, and they rotated fresh Occupiers in, while the tired Occupiers went out to get rest.  They, without really thinking about it, kept “lines of communication” open to the land they were Occupying.

This is important, because one of the riot control maneuvers used nowadays is called “Kettling”.  This is a way of hemming in protestors, to cut them off from their lines of communication (even though most protestors don’t even know about such things as lines of communication).

The lesson is that you must not rely on high technology, you must Occupy the land, and you must keep your “lines of communication” open!

By the Way, Occupy Boise is appealing to the Federal Court, on the grounds the new Idaho law violates the rights to freedom of speech and assembly guaranteed under the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

LESSONS FOR THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT FROM THE EGYPTIAN JANUARY 2011 REVOLUTION: #1; PEACEFUL PROTEST DOES NOT WORK!!!