Tag Archives: nato

International, Opinion, U.S.

Karzai & NATO going head to head, sure sign that the U.S. has lost Afghanistan

“NATO must learn that air strikes on Afghan homes are not allowed and that Afghan people have no tolerance for that anymore. If they don’t stop air strikes on Afghan homes, their presence in Afghanistan will be considered as an occupying force and against the will of the Afghani people.”-President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai

Karzai is talking tough, but his words are not aimed at “Taliban”.  Instead his words are targeting U.S. led coalition forces.  Karzai’s threats come a after an interview with NATO’s secretary general: “The Afghan society is not yet prepared to take full responsibility for the security.”-Anders Fogh Rasmussen

If the Afghans aren’t ready to take full responsibility for security, than how can their president make such bold statements against U.S. led coalition forces?

Another sign that the U.S. is losing in Afghanistan is that Rasmussen has reportedly asked the United States, and other NATO members, to increase their military budgets and expect to possibly stay longer than the new 2014 withdrawal date.

The latest fiasco in Afghanistan involves yet another “accidental” air strike on civilian homes, which killed 12 children and two women.  There have been conflicting statements from NATO; one official said they targeted a “compound” and there were no reports of civilians. The most recent NATO statement says they missed the target and hit two homes instead.  If you’ve been following the war in Afghanistan for even a year, you’d recognize an MO (modus operandi) with the U.S. led coalition: Kill everyone and then claim, “Ooops, we missed the target.”

Another point to make; Hamid Karzai would not be making such bold statements against the coalition, if he didn’t feel secure in doing so.  It’s an indication Karzai has found support from other international powers, and no longer needs the United States.  Recently the Afghan government made an alliance with Iran.

International, U.S.

African Union pushes NATO to accept their peace deal with Gaddafi

“I can say that the Libyan leader is ready to implement what is in the roadmap by the AU.”-South African President Jacob Zuma

For the second time, Gaddafi has accepted an AU cease fire and peace plan.  The first time U.S. led NATO, and the rebels, rejected the offer.  The South African president said: “…the importance of the ceasefire proposed by the AU on condition that NATO and (others) stop bombing and give the Libyan people a chance to solve their problems by themselves.”

The African Union is upset because Libya is a member of the AU, and the AU sees NATO’s actions against Libya as an attack against the African continent.

 

International, Opinion, U.S.

Karzai gives U.S. final warning, orders Afghan troops to stop “arbitrary” U.S. military action

“The president called this incident a great mistake, the murdering of Afghanistan’s children and women, and on behalf of the Afghan people gives his last warning to the U.S. troops and U.S. officials in this regard.”-Press statement from the office of President Hamid Karzai

On May 28, yet another U.S. led NATO attack killed more civilians than militants. That’s several air strikes killing civilians for the month of May, as well as U.S. led attacks that killed Afghan police.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai says he’s had enough, and has ordered Afghan government forces to take night combat operations away from U.S. led coalition forces, and, to stop any U.S. led military action viewed as “arbitrary” by Afghan forces.  Karzai said the U.S. led coalition was “…murdering Afghanistan’s children and women.”

As usual coalition leaders apologized for killing civilians: “I want to offer my sincere apologies for the nine civilians who were killed during the incident in Now Zad District, Helmand province, that occurred on 28 May.”-Major General John Toolan, ISAF commander southwest Afghanistan

As usual President Obama said they would take the matter seriously: “President Karzai has expressed on a number of occasions his concerns about civilian casualties. Those are concerns that we share and take very seriously.”-Jay Carney, spokesman for President Barack Obama

You know what president Obama? Actions speak louder than words, and I think the Afghan government is tired of smelling the bullshit!


 

International

Gaddafi Alive

An audio recording of Gaddafi was played on Libyan TV May 13.  He state that he was alive and called the West “cowards”.  For weeks Italian media speculated that he was wounded or dead.

“I thank all the presidents, ministers, ambassadors and all the people of the world who have expressed their deep concerns on my life after the attack.”-Muammar Gaddafi

 

International

NATO bombs Muslim clerics in Libya

In the rebel controlled city of Berga, at least 16 civilians were killed, 40 wounded, after NATO planes bombed them.

Witnesses say most of the victims were Muslim clerics.  They were holding a religious meeting at a home in the city.  Many rebels now doubt that NATO is acting to protect civilians in rebel held territory.  They point out that NATO rarely acts when they need them, and, as in the recent airstrike on Berga, NATO has bombed civilians on several occasions.

International, Opinion, U.S.

NATO says it will occupy Libya

“In a post-Gaddafi era, I think we will still have a role to play in assisting a new Libyan government in a transition to a sustainable democracy.”-Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO Secretary General

Rasmussen explained that NATO will focus on rebuilding Libya’s security and military units.

Basically what Rasmussen is saying is that U.S. led NATO plans on setting up shop in Libya, after they kill off Gaddafi.  What was that Obama said about this not being a long term adventure?

 

International, Opinion

Rumors that Gaddafi is dead

Italian media is claiming that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is dead.  They point out that it’s been nine days since he was seen in public, since the time a NATO airstrike killed one of his sons.

Several foreign envoys are also spreading the rumor by saying there is talk within the Libyan government about who will take charge.  If Gaddafi is dead, then it is proof that he was not in total control of the Libyan government, because the Libyan military continues to pound rebel positions.  It might also explain why NATO leaders stated, a second time, that there is no military solution to Libya.