23 September 2012
In a secretly planned trip to Afghanistan, top Chinese leaders paid a visit to President Hamid Karzai. The purpose is to increase business ties, and to create a Chinese military presence in Afghanistan (I guess Karzai has found a new puppet master): “It is in line with the fundamental interests of the two peoples for China and Afghanistan to strengthen a strategic and cooperative partnership, which is also conducive to regional peace, stability and development.”-Zhou Yongkang, Chinese Communist Party
China already has copper and oil mining operations in Afghanistan. Karzai and Yongkang signed a deal in which China will provide $700,000 USD worth of police equipment, and train up Afghan cops for the next three years. This comes after the United States halted the training of Afghan cops because of the increased Green on Blue attacks.
In Helmand Province, at least seven people killed by U.S. ordered airstrikes.
In Nangarhar Province, a peaceful protest blocked the main highway for hours. They are still protesting the U.S. made anti-Islam movie, and newly published anti-Islam comic in a French newspaper.
22 September 2012
ISAF said: “An International Security Assistance Force service member died following an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan today.”
So far 258 U.S. personnel have died this year, 81 for all other allied occupying troops.
Karzai said he will continue to replace provincial governors, as part of his anti-corruption crusade.
The Afghan Interior Ministry has banned all Pakistani publications.
In Ghazni Province, Polish troop thought they were disarming a roadside bomb, it turned out to be a two day old infant. They named her Pola. They announced their find on 22 September, but said it actually took place on 19 September. They will turn the infant over to the Afghan government, but the chances that an abandoned female baby will find a home in Afghanistan are slim to none.
(on 18 September a British Royal Army woman gave birth at Camp Bastion. The woman swears she did not know she was pregnant. It’s magic, Prince Harry Potter?)
The U.S. based International Justice Network accused Obama of running a torture camp at Bagram: “The administrative detention regime that the U.S. government now uses at Bagram is not only illegal under international law, but contravenes the Afghan Constitution in a number of respects…..We know that hundreds of people have been tortured in the U.S. prisons and we also know that some of the prisoners in Bagram have lost their lives as a result of tortures.”
In Herat Province, Mujahideen ambushed a U.S./NATO food and fuel convoy, destroying one fueler.
21 September 2012
In Helmand Province, two Red Coats were killed, one at Camp Bastion the other at FOB Shawqat. Interestingly the British Ministry of Defence is still trying to figure out if the deaths are the result of “hostile action”.
In Herat Province, a local government official was arrested and charged with being a spy for Iran.
In Uruzgan Province, five people were killed when they drove over a mine.
In Paktia Province, an illegal U.S. night raid resulted in a wedding being destroyed. Witnesses say several people were arrested, and even the brides dowry was stolen by U.S. forces. The raid is illegal because under the recent agreement Afghan forces must be involved. Local Afghan government officials say they were never notified.
U.S. officials announced that the last of Obama’s 33,000 surge troops have withdrawn from Afghanistan. There are still 68,000 U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. In classic Bush Jr style, numb nuts Leon Panetta called it mission accomplished: “As we reflect on this moment, it is an opportunity to recognize that the surge accomplished its objectives of reversing Taliban momentum on the battlefield…….At the same time, we have struck enormous blows against al Qaeda’s leadership…”