Tag Archives: police

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: Oil in Afghanistan! U.S. will stay until 2024. More school kids poisoned. New military pact with Germany. General Allen leaving.

“Pakistan and other regional countries should carefully study the strategic pact and make sure that United States will have a long term commitment to Afghanistan, and Washington will continue its cooperation with the Afghan government until 2024.”

May 15, 2012, U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Ryan Crocker, made that statement in Nangarhar Province.  It subtly threatens Pakistan, and shows that the U.S. is planning on being in Afghanistan for a long time.

Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai is in Germany, to sign a new military pact with the European country.  The signing is expected to take place on May 16, then Karzai will fly to the U.S. to take part in the NATO summit there.

In Khost Province, dozens of students have been poisoned at Warzai high school.  At least 52 students are in local hospital in serious condition.

U.S. Marine Corps General John Allen, the top commander in Afghanistan, will leave to take command of U.S. forces in Europe, next year.  Unnamed Obama administration sources said they wanted to transfer Allen by this coming winter, but advizors considered it premature.

No replacement, for General Allen’s position in Afghanistan, has been picked.

24 hour, ISAF Joint Command Morning operational update for May 15, 2012: More search and capture missions for “leaders” and “facilitators”.

ISAF reports several “suspects” were captured.

Afghan officials report three Afghan troops were killed when they ran over a mine.  Another soldier was wounded in a separate incident.

Operations were conducted in Paktika, Herat, Logar, Helmand, Uruzgan, Nangarhar and Khost provinces.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines announced they will begin pumping oil from the northern Amu River, within five months.  The expect to pump 5,000 barrels per day (bpd) at first, and then max it out at 45,000 bpd!

“Four rivers gush forth from Paradise: the Euphrates, the Nile, the Sayhan, and the Jayhan [aka Vaksu, Gozan, Oxus, Amu Darya, Amu River].”
(Musnad, II, 260-261)

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. and Pakistani forces attack each other. NATO ambushed. Unending supply of Taliban?

May 14, 2012, officials in Laghman Province say five Afghan soldiers were killed, and two wounded, after their vehicle ran over a mine.

Pakistani border officials say U.S. forces fired artillery rounds into Pakistan from Afghanistan, the night of May 13.  They say U.S. troops fired at least eight mortar rounds from Afghanistan’s Khost Province into Pakistan’s North Waziristan.

Pakistani military officials say they responded in kind.

In Gahzni Province at least seven people were killed when a U.S./NATO supply convoy was ambushed.  Mujahideen attacked the private security contractors guarding the convoy.  Four security contractors and three civilians were killed.

In Faryab Province, an explosion in a market place killed seven people and wounded eight.

Australia’s Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, re-stated that Aussie Diggers will be leaving Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

According to the Welsh news media, NATO is now considering making the “Taliban” part of the new Afghanistan: “If they’re able to maintain peace in their own country when we leave that for us is winning. That does not mean defeating the Taliban because at the end of the day those people who perhaps support the Taliban inevitably will be part of the political solution that is a peaceful Afghanistan.”-Brigadier Philip Napier, British Army in Wales

The mother of a Welsh soldier killed in Afghanistan says it’s time to face reality: “You’re never going to defeat the Taliban because they can keep replacing everybody that they ever lose….”-Hazel Hunt, son killed in 2009

24 hour, ISAF Joint Command Morning operational update for May 14, 2012: More search and capture missions for “leaders” and “facilitators”, in Kandahar, Paktika, Logar and Nangahar provinces.

In Paktika Province Afghan and occupying forces met resistance and called in an airstrike.

In a separate report Afghan officials claim the day’s operations resulted in 18 Mujahideen killed, four wounded and 11 captured.

 

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Education suffers under U.S. occupation. More U.S./NATO troops killed. British confirm police attack their troops. Feinstein wants U.S. to stay, wants war with Pakistan!

“It was sheer terror. They’d strap gasoline cans to IEDs. Our soldiers burned alive. You’d hear them screaming, and you couldn’t do anything.”-Mack McDowell, retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant

May 13, 2012, ISAF reports two U.S./NATO troops killed in eastern Afghanistan by an explosion.

Also today, officials from the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed that two of their personnel were killed by Afghan cops.  A soldier from the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, and an airman from the Royal Air Force, were shot dead in Helmand province on May 12, 2012.

One of the cops was killed, the other is missing.

In Kabul Province a member of the Afghan Peace Council was assassinated.  This makes the second member of the Peace Council to be assassinated. Last year the head of the Council was killed.

On May 13, Kalifornia warmonger Dianne Feinstein gave an interview which was basically her rationalization for why the U.S. needs to stay:  “Militarily, I think the Taliban are not going to beat us…….have a safe harbor in Pakistan and the Pakistanis are doing nothing to abate that safe haven……the Taliban has done is insinuate itself in a shadowy presence, with shadow governors. They controlled over a third of the land which people live. They expanded into the north, into the northeast. And while we were there in one province, they closed 14 schools in 17 districts and then they killed five education officials and wounded others.”

Feinstein, a Democrat and current chairwoman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, has been in political power since the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, yet she hasn’t learned a goddamn thing from that history lesson!

Speaking of education, on May 9 the Ministry of Education reported more than 500 schools had been closed. Well that was for this year alone!

May 13, 2012, Afghan education officials now reveal that in 2011 at least 650 were closed due to the ongoing violence.  At least 300,000 school aged kids were unable to go to school in 2011!

Out of the approximate 650 schools that were closed in 2011, only 30 were re-opened.

Another U.S. political nincompoop, Republican Mitt Romney, recent said “We should not negotiate with the Taliban. We should defeat the Taliban.”

Where has he been? That was one of the primary goals of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001!  Ten years later not only have the backward “Taliban” (who make up the majority of the Mujahideen) not been defeated, they’re gaining momentum!  Just like what happened to the Soviets in the 1980s.

According to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, the majority of U.S. Afghan war veterans support President Barack Obama, but only because they think he’s the best hope for getting out of the tar baby called Afghanistan.

24 hour, ISAF Joint Command Morning operational update for May 13, 2012: “Leader” captured in Logar province. There was an attempt to capture a second “leader”, but they got one “suspected” Mujahideen instead.

“Facilitator” captured in Kandahar Province.

Attempt to capture “leader” in Khost Province. Several Mujahideen captured.

Afghan government officials are reporting, separately from the ISAF report, that they have killed 18 Mujahideen, wounded 11 and captured 4.

Their military operations took place in Kapisa, Takhar, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Logar, Ghazni, Khost and Paktika provinces.  Afghan Interior Ministry also added that occupying forces took part in the Afghan “led” operations.

International, U.S.

World War 3: Even more U.S./NATO deaths. Yesterday’s drug bust report has been revised upward! Afghan army officers increasingly refusing to co-operate with Occupying forces illegal night raids!

May 12, 2012, ISAF revised the previous days report concerning a huge drug bust.

ISAF revealed that it was a series of drug busts taking place between May 8 and 10. The upwardly revised numbers are; “…6,600 pounds (3,000 kilograms) of hashish, 407 pounds (185 kilograms) of opium, 1,320 pounds (600 kilograms) of poppy seeds and 330 pounds (150 kilograms) of morphine.”

As I’ve said before: “Ending opium production was one of the excuses for the continued U.S. occupation of Afghanistan, but the opposite has happened (as it always does where ever the U.S. takes over).”

In Helmand Province, an Afghan army soldier was killed by an explosion.

In Badghis Province four Afghan cops were killed when their vehicle ran over a mine.

According to the Washington Post, Afghan army officers are refusing to conduct illegal night raids, despite demands by the United States!

“In the last two months, 14 to 16 (night) operations have been rejected by the Afghans. The U.S. has said, ‘This operation better be conducted. It’s a high-value target.’ Then, my people said, ‘It’s a high-value target. I agree with you. But there are so many civilian children and women (in the area).’ “-General Sher Mohammed Karimi, Afghan army

The Afghan army officers’ concerns over civilian casualties are proving to be justified.  The United Nations announced that the number of civilians killed or wounded has dropped 20% this year!  Gee, maybe the U.S. was intentionally targeting Afghan civilians?

ISAF reports that a U.S./NATO troop was killed in a non-combat incident in  southern Afghanistan.  However, ISAF also reported that three U.S./NATO personnel were also killed in southern Afghanistan; two when they were attacked by Mujahideen (Afghan police say a group of men wearing police uniforms attacked and killed the two U.S./NATO troops), and the third was killed by an explosion.

Here’s tid bits from ISAF’s 24 hour Joint Command morning operational update, for May 12, 2012:  In Kandahar Province, Afghan and occupying troops attempted to capture a “leader”.  They were attacked by Mujahideen.  ISAF claims two Mujahideen killed.

In Logar Province, Afghan and occupying troops attempted to capture a “commander”. They were attacked by Mujahideen.  ISAF claims three Mujahideen killed.

In Paktika Province, Afghan and occupying troops assassinated a “commander”, and one other person. They called in an airstrike on the “commander’s” house.

In Ghazni Province, Afghan and occupying troops attempted to capture a “leader”.  They report capturing one person and explosives.

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S./NATO troops killed. Explosions. Even more drugs found!

May 11, 2012, explosion reported near the airport in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar Province.

A fueler exploded before entering the airport compound.  Local police say the truck was rigged with explosives, and meant to be detonated once it got onto the airport grounds.

Jalalabad Airport is currently being used for occupying forces’ military purposes only.  The driver of the fuel tanker actually escaped!

In Helmand Province, eight people were killed in two explosions.  One explosion took place after a civilian vehicle ran over a mine, killing a family of seven, the other explosion took place after police arrived on the scene, killing one cop.

Two U.S./NATO troops were killed, one by an Afghan army soldier, the other by a Mujahideen ambush.  ISAF did not give any more details, however an unnamed Afghan official said the “friendly fire” incident took place in Kunar Province.

NATO and U.S. allied occupying countries have lost about 150 personnel since the beginning of 2012.

24 hour, Joint Command Morning operational update for May 11, 2012: Attempt to capture “facilitators” in Helmand and Zabul provinces.  Several Mujahideen captured.

In Helmand Province, an Afghan/U.S./NATO seek and destroy anti-drugs mission was ambushed by Mujahideen. ISAF claims several Mujahideen killed.  ISAF claims they found “…a drug cache containing 330 pounds of morphine base, more than 400 pounds of opium, 880 pounds of poppy seeds, and more than 2,000 pounds of drug-processing materials.”

 

 

 

 

Idaho, International, U.S.

World War 3: Cops & bombers killed. Drone crash. UN gives 60 vehicles to Afghanistan. Afghan war criminal begs NATO to stay. Prisoner swap deal for Idahoan?

May 10, 2012,  Logar Province, at least three U.S./NATO personnel wounded in rocket attack.  Also, another U.S./NATO recon drone has crashed in Logar Province.

A large co-ordinated suicide bomber attack has left at least six bombers and two Afghan police officers dead.

The attack took place against a government compound in Yahia Khel district, Paktika Province.  Afghan officials did not say that any of the bombers succeeded in exploding themselves, but that the deaths were the results of firefights between the Mujahideen and police.

24 hour, Joint Command Morning operational update for May 10, 2012: 17 tons of explosives found in Kandahar Province.

“Facilitator” captured in Kandahar Province.

In Uruzgan Province Mujahideen tried to ambush a Afghan/occupying force patrol.  ISAF says one Mujahideen was killed.

Operations to capture “leaders” took place in Paktika and Ghazni provinces.

May 9, 2012, General Zahir Azimi said the Afghan army is ready to begin phase 3 of security operations: “Several regions including cities and 230 districts across the country are going to be handed over to Afghan security forces. Afghan national army soldiers have the capabilities to take security lead in cooperation with the other security institutions.”

Phase 3 should take place in the next two weeks.  However, war criminal, and Afghan politician, General Abdul Rashid Dostum, is begging U.S./NATO forces to stay: “President Barack Obama should know that the Taliban group will resume civil war if U.S. and NATO decides for a rapid pullout of their troops from Afghanistan, and there will be no achievements despite efforts international community who have spent billions of dollars and have lost several soldiers.”

Dostum was involved in the murder of hundreds of “Taliban” prisoners in 2001 (known as the Dasht-i-Leili massacre).

May 9, 2012, the United Nations began delivering the first of 60 vehicles to the Afghan government: “I am very happy to announce that as part of our forthcoming donation of around 60 vehicles, we are starting the first round with our crucial partners of the Ministry of Labor and Ministry of Justice.”-Ján Kubiš, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education reports that 550 schools in 11 provinces, mainly for girls, have been closed because of the ongoing war!

The parents of the only known U.S. prisoner of the “Taliban” are demanding that President Obama include their son, Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, in an upcoming prisoner swap deal.

Bergdahl is from Hailey, Idaho. According to the Idaho Mountain Express, his parents have become frustrated and are pushing for a swap deal for their son and Afghan prisoners in Guantánamo Bay.

“I’m pushing it hard. We started out by trying to encourage the Taliban to take care of our son…. Now, we’re worried that the government isn’t concerned enough to put him on the (negotiating) table.”-Bob Bergdahl

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Attacks not being reported by ISAF. Drug war designed to raise the price of Opium.

“The price hike will definitely pressure us a lot. The tendency towards cultivation will grow, it will create resistance, law and order issues, and it will raise the casualty rate.”-Zarar Ahmad Muqbel Osmani, Counter Narcotics Minister of Afghanistan

Anti-opium officials in Afghanistan report that a double whammy of poppy field burning by police, and a fungus that is destroying the plant’s ability to produce opium, is resulting in skyrocketing prices for the drug.

The fungus is attacking crops in Helmand, Kandahar and Farah provinces.  Ending opium production was one of the excuses for the continued U.S. occupation of Afghanistan, but the opposite has happened (as it always does where ever the U.S. takes over).

2011 saw a 61% increase in opium production under U.S. occupation.

May 8, 2012, Ghulam Gawas Malayar, the deputy provincial police chief of Farah Province, reports five of his police officers killed after they drove over a mine.

In Paktika Province four Education Ministry workers, and their bodyguard, were killed when their vehicle hit a mine, and then they were ambushed by Mujahideen.  The local education director was wounded.

In Logar Province two police officers were killed in a Mujahideen ambush.

None of these incidents were reported in Tuesday’s 24 hour report given by Afghan government and ISAF officials.  The incidents are being reported by local officials.

May 9, 2012, representatives from the 203 Thunder Brigade, Afghan army, say two of their troops were wounded by an explosion in Paktika Province.

And now for the ISAF 24 hour report (Joint Command Morning operational update) for May 9, 2012.: Once again more missions to capture “leaders”, this time in Kandahar, Helmand, Ghazni and Wardak provinces.

The statement said they captured several Mujahideen, but there was no indication that they actually captured the “leaders” they were going after  (Afghan government sources claim they captured the “leaders”).

In Helmand two big drug busts.  One weighing 470 kilograms (1,030 pounds), the other coming in at 900 kilograms (1,980 pounds).  You gotta wonder; ten years of supposedly fighting the drug trade in Afghanistan, and the result is an increase in drug trafficking!

 

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. admits to targeting civilians, Karzai says new military pact is finished if such attacks continue.

May 8, 2012, U.S. led ISAF admitted they killed a family of civilians: “At this point in the investigation we are able to confirm the incident and will be formally apologizing in the next couple of days…”-Lieutenant Colonel Stewart Upton, USMC, ISAF

The attack was reported by local Afghan officials on May 7, but the U.S./NATO airstrike actually took place on May 4.

This is not the only recent case, other local Afghan officials are reporting an increase in the number of civilians who are getting killed by U.S./NATO forces.

As a result President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, says the new military pact he signed with President Barack Obama, in a midnight meeting, is threatened.  A spokesman for Karzai said: “Karzai signed the strategic pact with the United States to avoid such incidents (civilian casualties) and if Afghans do not feel safe, the strategic partnership loses its meaning.”

And now for another 24 hour ISAF/Afghan government forces’ seek, destroy or capture report, May 8, 2012: 25 Mujahideen were killed throughout the eastern regions of Afghanistan, including Kabul, Zabul and Paktia provinces.

A “leader” was captured in Faryab Province.

A “bomb maker”, and several Mujahideen were captured in Zabul Province, along with weapons and ammo.

Two Afghan army soldiers were killed, one by an explosion in Logar Province, the other was killed in Maidan Wardak Province.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: More U.S./NATO deaths. More civilian deaths. U.S. investigation finds Taliban are stronger than ever. French elections threaten NATO in Afghanistan.

May 7, 2012, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said at least three U.S./NATO personnel were killed in eastern Afghanistan, by an explosion.

Around 147 NATO service members have been killed in Afghanistan since the beginning of 2012.

In Helmand Province local officials say a U.S./NATO airstrike killed a woman and her five children.  In Badghis Province five people were killed and 11 wounded, after U.S./NATO airstrikes.  ISAF has not commented on the reports from local officials.

Girls at yet another high school were poisoned on May 7.  More than 31 girls were treated for poisoning in Bamiyan Province.  Officials are concerned because the school was already under 24 hour security watch.

Hospital officials say the girls breathed toxic gas.

Officials from Paktika Province say four Mujahideen were killed on May 6, after a firefight with Afghan police.

The four Mujahideen had taken a provincial compound, and 32 people hostage.  Police claim only one civilian was killed.

Also on May 6, ISAF announced that two U.S./NATO personnel had been killed.  One was blown up in eastern Afghanistan, and the other was shot by an Afghan army soldier in southern Afghanistan.

Elections in France has some NATO officials worried.  Right wing warmonger, Nicolas Sarkozy, lost the election.  Socialist Francois Hollande is the new President of France.

One of Hollande’s campaign promises was to get French troops out of Afghanistan now: “I believe that, without taking any risks for our troops, it is the right thing to withdraw our combat troops by the end of 2012.”

On May 6, FOX News interviewed Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman, Democrat Dianne Feinstein. She stated: “I think we both say that what we found is the Taliban is stronger.”

House Intelligence Committee Chairman, Republican Mike Rogers, backed up her statement.  Their report contradicts the Defense Department’s claim that “Obama’s” increased troop deployment to Afghanistan has weakened the Taliban.

Oddly ISAF has not issued the usual 24 hour report for May 7, yet.

Here’s a very skimpy 24 hour seek, destroy or capture report, and update to previous reports, for May 6, 2012: A “leader” was captured in Kandahar on May 6.

Weapons captured or destroyed in Uruzgan Province on May 5.

In Helmand Province U.S./NATO/Afghan forces were attacked by Mujahideen on May 3.  Several Mujahideen killed.

International, U.S.

World War 3: Aussie Diggers blown up in Afghanistan. U.S./NATO troops kill teacher in illegal night raid. Cops killed. Assistant to Karzai assassinated?

It seems the usual ISAF/Afghan 24 hour report for May 5 was a little lacking in detail, much more is being reported by other Afghan officials, and other countries.

Sebghatullah Sanjar, Afghanistan’s Chief of the Policy Department at the Afghan presidential palace, was killed in a car accident.  The Kabul police chief said Sanjar’s car was slammed by an armored military vehicle.  His wife and daughter were also killed.  The military vehicle driver has been arrested.

Australian Defence Ministry reporting today, May 5, that at least three “Diggers” were wounded after a bomb went off on May 3.  The official report says they were “…mid-way through the mission.” when the bomb exploded.

Lieutenant General Ash Power also said: “Insurgents engaged the partnered force multiple times during the mission.”

Two of the wounded were in serious condition and were flown to Germany for medical treatment.

The Australian Defence Ministry press release said: “Defence delayed the release of this information until the mission was complete…”

Local officials in Nangarhar Province say at least four police were killed, and four wounded, in two separate incidents.  The incidents took place between May 4 and 5.  One group of police were attacked by Mujahideen, the other cops drove over a mine near the Afghan-Pakistan border.

The parliament representative for Kunar Province, Saleh Mohammed Saleh, said on the night of May 4, U.S./NATO troops raided a home and killed a school teacher.  They also detained five people.

Saleh is protesting saying the night raid violates recent agreements signed between Afghanistan and the United States.

13 government officials have been arrested on corruption charges: “A number of high level finance ministry and local administration employees have been detained over corruption charges and embezzlement of 25 million Afghanis and their legal cases will be forwarded to judiciary institutions in the near future.”-Abobakar Rafiee, Attorney General

However, officials from Afghanistan’s Finance Ministry say only three people were arrested, and the case actually happened a year ago. Those arrested are still awaiting trial.  So why is the Afghan Attorney General presenting it as if it just happened?