Rumors that U.S. led NATO was going to use a U.S. airbase in Kyrgyzstan, to attack Iran, resulted in the U.S. Ambassador to Russia denying such claims.
However, the President of Kyrgyzstan has forbidden the U.S. airbase (which is located on a civilian airport) from being used to launch attacks against Iran.
The U.S. is supposed to stop using the airbase in 2014. According to Pentagon statistics, the base handles up to 15,000 personnel and 500 tons of cargo per month.
“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USMC General John Allen says U.S. led military advisers are being withdrawn from the Interior Ministry, and other government locations “for obvious force protection reasons”.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.
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?
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.
“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…”
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
“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.
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.“
“…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.
Nobel prize winner, U.S. President Barack Obama, is extending sanctions against Libya, even though the person supposedly responsible for the sanctions is dead!
In February 2011, Obama placed “emergency” sanctions against Gaddafi. But Gaddafi was beaten and finally shot to death towards the end of last year.
On February 23, 2012, Obama claimed: “The situation in Libya continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”
Those “extraordinary” threats are the surviving members of Gaddafi’s family. So this sounds personal, as if the leadership of the United States wants all the male members of the Gaddafi family dead, just like what happened to the Hussein family in Iraq.