dagblog - Comments for "Endgame in Afghanistan?"

Masters said one technique

NCD — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:06:36 +0000

In reply to Well, why be squeamish? When

Masters said one technique (from the Afghan frontier provinces 1930's) that combined torture and execution practiced by the local tribes was to take a captured British soldier, stake him out in the sun, after he got good and thirsty but still alive, prop his mouth open with a stick, and have your women join in by urinating into his mouth until he drowns to death in piss. Then, as related, they came in to forts after hostilities were over asking for campaign medals.

Well, why be squeamish? When

acanuck — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 03:51:03 +0000

In reply to Your summary is better than

Well, why be squeamish?

When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An' go to your Gawd like a soldier.

-- Rudyard Kipling's Young British Soldier (final stanza)

Your summary is better than

NCD — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:58:26 +0000

In reply to Glenn Greenwald nails

Your summary is better than the Greenwald piece.

Greenwald's 'Muslim army occupying America and burning US flags' is a bit of a sloppy metaphor too far. The people of that Af/Pak region cannot really be compared to any other people, army or area. They are unique. A graphic description of their behavior in the 1930's was given in a book by a British officer John Masters in his book, Bugles and a Tiger.

He said after being defeated in a conflict, the tribal rebels would come in to the British bases for the campaign medals, because they thought they deserved them as much as the Brits and Indian allies they had fought against. War was and is a proud way of life. He also described the methods of torture and execution they used on captured British troops, turning it into a family enterprise, methods too gruesome to relate here.

Mormons believe a lot of

NCD — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:41:57 +0000

In reply to I can't remember where I read

Mormons believe a lot of wacky stuff, the 5 Romney sons can go do their missionary work when and if they come back alive from the Iran war their Dad wants to start, or the Afghan war he seems to want to extend forever. Big shot neocons and 'new breed' Republicans are renown war loving, bellicose blowhards, and draft dodgers to the core. They want you to go to war, but they won't join you in defending 'freedom'.

Glenn Greenwald nails

acanuck — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:41:00 +0000

In reply to Endgame in Afghanistan?

Glenn Greenwald nails it:

http://www.salon.com/writer/glenn_greenwald/

The Quran-burning is merely the spark; the invasion, war, ongoing occupation and collateral damage are the explosively combustible mix that even anti-Taliban Afghans hate the West for.

What the U.S. government continually fails to grasp is that, yes, military might can effect regime change. What it cannot do is build (or rebuild) a nation. Only the people of the country involved can do that; occupying foreign troops simply don't know how. It is, by definition, not part of their training. All they can do by their presence is prevent the "locals" from beginning that long process.

The curse of U.S. foreign policy is its bloated military (and the political power that military spending endows it with). When you're holding a multi-billion-dollar hammer, every problem looks like a nail -- despite botched handyman projects stretching over decades from Southeast Asia to the Persian Gulf.

I'm starting to think the only way for America ever to become a normal country is for economic collapse to drain the abscess of its military power. The political structure itself will never acknowledge the underlying problem.

I can't remember where I read

Aunt Sam — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:38:40 +0000

In reply to Romney on Fox News today: "It

I can't remember where I read this and cannot attest to the information's veracity, but it stated that the Romney's (Mormon?) believe the choice to enter into the two year Mormon missionary program replaces/as good as/betters service in military.

But, isn't the missionary program mandatory for Mormons, especially if their goal is to be a 'prominent leader' within the church?

It's so hypocritical and the zenith of hubris to endorse sending 'others' to war, knowing there is no chance they or theirs will be on the battlefield.

Let none forget to remember and loudly acknowledge that the 1%'s physical representation on these battlefields is (even figuring the percentiles for their numbers) is far less than the 99%'s.

Romney on Fox News today: "It

NCD — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 19:37:12 +0000

In reply to What frightens me the most

Romney on Fox News today:

"It is an extraordinary admission of failure for us to establish the relationships that you'd have to have for a successful transition to the Afghan military and Afghan security leadership,"

The UPI article is titled "Romney says Obama blew it in Afghanistan". What Romney means by the above quote is not clear, did he expect Obama to run the Bagram prison and also do cultural sensitivity training while there?

Obama could be a kind of Mr. Rogers in Kabul "It's a Wonderful Day in Kabul Neighborhood..."? Rmoney can turn it all around? After 11 years?

What we do know is Romney has 5 (five) military age sons, and neither they nor he has or ever will put on the uniform to go and 'establish relationships' with the Taliban, the Afghan military, or anyone who might shoot at them while they serve in the US military.

What frightens me the most

Aunt Sam — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 18:27:30 +0000

In reply to Endgame in Afghanistan?

What frightens me the most about any of the GOP wannabes is that it seems that any of this group, with exception of Paul, are atypical Repub warmongers. It appears to be a mandated qualification for most within the party ranks to claim war/attack is always the siren call to sound.

I think Obama chose the correct option for a variety of reasons. Number one is that (IMO) to do otherwise would only serve to place our troops at even greater risk of increased violence/retribution.

I encourage all who are advocating that he should have further incensed those who our troops are locked in combat with to don their own military garb, immediately go over there and put themselves on the front lines, in front of any of our troops.

Apparently six more US troops

NCD — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 15:25:44 +0000

In reply to Now this is

Apparently six more US troops were wounded by Koran protestors throwing grenades near Kunduz, which is in the extreme north part of Afghanistan, where the Taliban is not supposed to operate. One thing unites Afghans, hating the US.

The way things are going, it could be a very dicey getting our people out of Afghanistan, particularly if we can no longer trust or be in the room with their guys without having one hand on a pistol. Clearly we need to get out, the sooner the better. Karzai is saying today the Bagram US Koran disposers should be 'put on trial'.

Interesting tweets, thanks.

NCD — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 15:17:44 +0000

In reply to A tweet from

Interesting tweets, thanks. Apparently the two US officers were summarily executed with shots to the back of their heads in the most secure ministry in Kabul. And the killer has escaped, at least for the time being.

Now that US colonels are being murdered in 'secure' headquarters in the 'most secure' capital, Kabul, maybe the Pentagon brass will derive a different outlook on 'staying the course'. I hope these Afghan twitter tweeters have a back up plan for when the Taliban come back, like President Karzai does, he and his family have a million dollar villa in the gulf, Dubai I believe, and guess who paid for it?