Wednesday, August 31, 2011
New Gay Military Magazine At Military Exchange Stores
An article found inside Outserve Magazine.New Gay Military Magazine Headed for Base Newsstands -- FOX News
With the official repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" less than a month away, members of the military can expect to see a new gay-themed magazine available at military exchange stores on Sept. 20, the same day the repeal goes into effect.
The gay-advocacy group OutServe launched the magazine last Spring and has already produced two editions. The group says its September edition will be available for free at select Army and Air Force bases.
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My Comment: Yup ..... the times are a changing.
Picture Of The Day
A Navy boat launched from the USS New Orleans carries maritime raid force members to a vessel the force's assault element later boarded during counterpiracy and counterterrorism training several miles off southern California's San Clemente Island, Aug. 14, 2011. The force's members are assigned to the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Justin SteinU.S. Air Force Is Putting All Of It's Eggs In One Basket
F-35The Air Force’s Sky-High Hopes For The F-35 -- DoD Buzz
Newspaper editorial boards, white-paperists and blue-ribbon panels all have called for the F-35 to be cancelled, but as we’ve seen many times, it’s so big and expensive it stands a very good chance of surviving in Austerity America. Here’s another reason to throw on the pile: If you cancelled it, you’d be canceling a lot of the Air Force.
The service’s almost complete dependence on its F-35A Lightning II was driven home again last weekend when Gen. Edward Rice, head of Air Education and Training Command, officially ‘rolled out’ the Air Force’s first jet at Eglin AFB, Fla. (The fighters have been around for years, but you know how these guys are — any excuse for pageantry and ceremony, right?) Rice characterized the A as the absolute zenith of aviation, per an official Air Force story:
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My Comment: If F-35 production will only be 3 per month .... cough cough .... sorry, but these "sky-high" hopes for the F-35 are clearly misplaced.
Was Killing Of Al-Qaida No. 2 A Huge Blow To Terror Group
Photo: John BrennanWhite House Counterterror Chief Says Killing Of al-Qaida No. 2 Was Huge Blow To Terror Group -- Washington Post/AP
WASHINGTON — White House counterterrorism chief John Brennan says al-Qaida is on a “on a steady slide” after the death of al-Qaida’s latest second-in-command, Atiyah Abd al-Rahman, in Pakistan.
Brennan told The Associated Press on Wednesday that it’s a “huge blow” in the first official White House comment since Rahman’s reported killing by CIA drone strike in Pakistan’s tribal areas last week.
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My Comment: I have doubts that this is the case. Al Qaeda sympathizers number in the hundreds of thousands .... if not millions. Killing one, two, ten, hundred .... there are more who would want to take the place of those that we kill.
General Petraeus Retires From The Army -- News Roundup
PETRAEUS FAREWELL - Army Gen. David H. Petraeus reviews troops at his retirement ceremony and Armed Forces Farewell on Joint Base Meyer-Henderson Hall, Va., Aug. 31, 2011. Petraeus retired from the military after a 37-year career to become CIA director. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeleyPetraeus Retires, With A Warning -- New York Times
WASHINGTON—An era in the American military came to an end on Wednesday when David H. Petraeus, the most influential general of his generation, retired with a 17-gun salute and a warning that coming budget cuts should not lead to the “hollow Army” that occurred after the Vietnam War.
Just 11 days before the 10th anniversary of Osama Bin Laden’s attacks on New York and Washington, General Petraeus also implicitly cautioned that the United States should not abandon the troop-intensive and expensive counterinsurgency doctrine that was his hallmark when he commanded the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The general spoke as the Obama White House is shifting from a broad counterinsurgency strategy of trying to build roads, schools and good government in Afghanistan to a narrower and more secretive counterterrorism mission of hunting down terrorists.
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More News On General Petraeus Retiring from the U.S. Army
Petraeus Garners Praise at Retirement Ceremony -- US Department of Defense
Petraeus retires, warns against budget cuts. The general is set to take over as CIA director Sept. 6 -- MSNBC/Reuters
General Petraeus hangs up uniform, warns on budget -- Reuters
As he hangs up uniform, Petraeus warns on defense cuts -- AFP
Petraeus: Budget Cuts Must Not Impair Military -- ABC News
Petraeus Retires, Warns Against Military Cuts -- ABC News
Petraeus Bids Farewell to US Military -- Voice of America
David Petraeus officially retires from Army -- Politico
Petraeus bids farewell to military, but not to Washington -- Stars and Stripes
Gen. Petreaus Retires From Army, to Head CIA -- Epoch Times
After Leading Two Wars, Petraeus Retires From Army -- NPR
Petraeus ends 'historic' military career to lead CIA -- CNN
Petraeus Says US Must Maintain Military Versatility -- Voice of America
Petraeus retires from US military ahead of CIA post -- BBC
Obama speaks to Petraeus -- USA Today
Gen. Petraeus Honored in Retirement Ceremony -- PICTURES -- National Journal
The impact of Gen. David Petraeus, in four takes -- Jason Ukman, Washington Post
In the End, Petraeus Really Was That Good -- Spencer Ackerman, Danger Room
Is Al Qaeda Winning?
The Long War's Long Tail -- J.M. Berger, Foreign Policy
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross's new book, Bin Laden's Legacy, wonders which side actually is winning the war on terror.
What if someone came up with a terrific approach to surviving the war on terror and nobody listened? That is the dilemma at the heart of Bin Laden's Legacy: Why We're Still Losing the War on Terror, the new book from counterterrorism expert Daveed Gartenstein-Ross.
That's not to say the book won't be read or talked about. Bin Laden's Legacy is a remarkable and laudable work. Gartenstein-Ross has created both a road map and a score card for the 10 years since the 9/11 attacks redefined America's sense of security. In a narrative that somehow manages to be both concise and comprehensive, the author lays out the multiple battlefields and competing strategies of both al Qaeda and the United States.
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My Comment: It is hard to refute J.M. Berger's analysis. The U.S. is spending itself to bankruptcy, and it's strategy to confront and defeat Al Qaeda the movement has still not been found.
India Naval Vessel Confronted By A Chinese Warship
China Confronts Indian Navy Vessel -- Financial Times
A Chinese warship confronted an Indian navy vessel shortly after it left Vietnamese waters in late July in the first such reported encounter between the two countries’ navies in the South China Sea.
The unidentified Chinese warship demanded that India’s INS Airavat, an amphibious assault vessel, identify itself and explain its presence in international waters shortly after it completed a scheduled port call in Vietnam, five people familiar with the incident told the Financial Times.
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My Comment: India has made it clear recently that they are now focusing their naval assets to the east of Asia .... I guess the Chinese are giving their own message to India that they do not like this policy shift.
Will Kaddafi's Foreign Mercenaries Destabilize The Countries That They Are Returning To?
Tuareg mercenaries, like the above pictured Niger-based fighters, have been reported fighting for Qaddafi in Libya / ReutersQaddafi's African Mercenaries Head Home. Will They Destabilize The Sahel? -- Christian Science Monitor
Now that Muammar Qaddafi has fallen from power, the sub-Saharan African mercenaries who fought for him are returning home – with weapons and military expertise.
In March, as reports swirled that Sahelian mercenaries were fighting in Libya for Col. Muammar Qaddafi, Joshua Keating asked, “What happens when the mercenaries return home?” As Keating noted yesterday, we now have a partial answer. AFP reports:
“Hundreds of Malian and Nigeri[e]n Tuaregs are coming home from the Libyan front. Among them are former Malian and Nigerien rebels, but also Tuaregs of Malian origin who were in the Libyan army,” said a security source at Gao in the north of Mali.
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My Comment: As Gaddafi's mercenaries flee Libya, many are now starting to talk about their experiences. As for those who stay behind, fears of retribution and revenge abound.
My prediction is that many of these mercenaries will not ferment strife or conflict .... they have probably seen enough of it in the past few months. But what will happen in the future (i.e. 6 months or a year from now) .... now that is another story.
What Does Wikileaks Mystery File Contain?
WikiLeaks Releases Mystery File -- AFP
WASHINGTON — WikiLeaks released a mysterious encrypted file on Wednesday after telling its followers on Twitter to stand by for "an important announcement."
WikiLeaks did not identify the contents of the 571 megabyte file and it could not be opened without a decryption key, which the anti-secrecy website said would be released "at the appropriate moment."
In July of last year, WikiLeaks posted what it called an "insurance file," which was also encrypted.
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My Comment: I know that Wikileaks is upset with The Guardian, while the U.S. and other countries are upset with Wikileaks. In addition, others have instigated a direct cyber attack against Wikileak's site. As a result of all of this attention and activity .... my gut is starting to tell me that Wikileaks is about to release most of not all of their encrypted files.
Update: Wikileaks Releases Mysterious Encrypted File -- Gawker
Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- August 31, 2011
The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan travels through the Pacific Ocean with other ships assigned to the Rim of the Pacific 2010 exercise, north of Hawaii, July 24, 2010. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Dylan McCord Defense Cuts Could Threaten `Achilles' Heel' Of U.S. Power -- E. Thomas McClanahan, Kansas City/McClatchy Newspapers
The Japanese government recently issued a diplomatic white paper calling China "assertive" toward its neighbors. Despite the namby-pamby choice of words - China merely assertive? - Beijing pitched a fit.
It huffed its "strong opposition," reminded Tokyo yet again of Japanese aggression in World War II and accused Tokyo of furthering the "China threat theory," as if no such thing existed - even though China never misses an opportunity to rattle its neighbors' nerves.
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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials
Gaddafi great escape shows council's weak grip -- Julian Borger, Martin Chulov, Richard Norton-Taylor, Sydney Morning Herald
Why America Lost in Libya -- Rajan Menon, National Interest
Will they, won’t they ……. US Troops in Iraq -- Gavin Jones, Iraq Business News
Is Iran Cutting Assad Loose? -- Jonathan S. Tobin, Commentary
Assad, Going Down -- Rami G. Khouri, New York Times
Bad, Bad Islamabad? -- Ronald Neumann, American Interest
The Long War's Long Tail -- J.M. Berger, Foreign Policy
The CIA’s Islamist Cover Up -- Ian Johnson, New York Review Of Books
Column: Why the EU, and euro, will survive -- R. Daniel Kelemen and Erik Jones, USA Today
Is the Greek bailout falling apart? -- Michael Schuman, Time
World News Briefs -- August 31, 2011 (Evening Edition)
Gaddafi Sons Differ Over Libya Conflict -- Al Jazeera
Saif al-Islam vows to fight on in new message while brother Saadi says he is seeking negotiations to end bloodshed.
Toppled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam has vowed to continue resistance, while his brother Saadi Gaddafi has offered to surrender, Reuters news agency reported.
"We would like to tell our people that we are well and good. The leader [Muammar Gaddafi] is fine. We have more than 20,000 armed youths and we are ready to fight. I tell our men to strike back against the rats," Saif is quoted as saying on the pro-Gaddafi al-Rai television station.
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MIDDLE EAST
Syrian security forces shoot dead protesters at start of Eid. Syrian activists say troops raid central city.
Sarkozy: Iranian nuclear bid could provoke attack.
EU reaches deal to expand Syria sanctions.
Yemen Defense Minister escapes blast: Military.
Iran invites Libya rebel chief to Tehran.
Khamenei warns of security risk for Iran elections.
Israel trains settlers to confront Palestinian protest.
ASIA
Australian court rules out refugee exchange deal.
China says attacks thwarted as Pakistan President visits Xinjiang.
Afghan Taliban victory predicted in letter. August deadliest for U.S. troops in Afghan War.
Filipino militant warns of post-Ramadan attacks.
Australia condemns 'irresponsible' Wikileaks cable leak.
AFRICA
UN shelves Libya military observer plan.
Libyan leader's son vows no surrender to rebels. Son denies rebels’ claim that Qaddafi is cornered. Informants and phone taps seen key in hunt for Gaddafi. Qaddafi loyalists reject rebel ultimatum. Qaddafi regime rejects Libyan rebels' ultimatum to surrender. Rebels say time running out for Gadhafi as crisis mounts in Tripoli. Rebels: End is near for Gadhafi regime.
African leaders refuse to recognize the rebel authority in Libya.
Black farmers in South Africa selling farms back to whites in failure of land reform.
Violence at Malema hearing shows divide within South Africa's ANC.
Sudan still waging war in Nuba amid accusations of war crimes. Catastrophe looms in Southern Kordofan, rights groups say.
EUROPE
Analysis: Exxon deal sets stage for Putin return to Kremlin.
Germany rules out nuclear for backup power.
Ukraine general claims ex-president Kuchma 'ordered reporter's murder'.
At least seven killed in Chechnya suicide attacks. Police say three bombers behind Chechnya attack.
EU police launch operation in Kosovo's tense north.
UK plunges into debt danger zone after Labour's 10-year borrowing binge, says finance watchdog.
AMERICAS
After Irene, a US political storm brews over aid.
Irene floods in North Carolina and New York 'disaster'. Hurricane Irene by the numbers: state by state damage reports.
Security on rise nationwide for 9/11 anniversary.
One in five US Muslims knows of extremist support in community.
Ex-military chiefs convicted for Bolivia crackdown.
Guatemala's murder rate down, despite talk of 'failed state'.
ATF chief removed over border gun scandal.
TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR
Osama bin Laden raid: last minute intelligence check raised doubts.
Family of dying Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi beg Scotland to send medication.
Drones kill another irreplaceable’ al-Qaida leader.
German Islamist terrorist confesses and blames fake jihad rape video for inspiring his crime.
Inside the spy unit that NYPD says doesn't exist.
ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS
China telecom may be next up for Apple iPhone.
Exxon Mobil clinches Arctic oil deal with Rosneft.
Office raid deals new blow to BP in Russia.
Some U.S. firms paid more to CEOs than taxes: study.
Cost Of CIA Rendition Flights Made Public
Gulfstream IVN.Y. Billing Dispute Reveals Details Of Secret CIA Rendition Flights -- Washington Post
On Aug. 12, 2003, a Gulfstream IV aircraft carrying six passengers took off from Dulles International Airport and flew to Bangkok with fueling stops in Cold Bay, Alaska, and Osaka, Japan.
Before it returned four days later, the plane also touched down in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and Ireland. As these unusual flights happened, U.S. officials took custody of an Indonesian terrorist, Riduan Isamuddin, who had been captured in Thailand and would spend the next three years being shuttled among secret prisons operated by the CIA.
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More News On What The CIA's Rendition Flights Cost
US case lifts lid on secret post Sept. 11 flights -- Wall Street Journal
Mundane bills bring CIA's rendition network into sharper focus -- The Guardian
How US firms profited from torture flights -- The Guardian
Court case lifts lid on secret post 9/11 flights -- Kansas City/AP
Court case lifts lid on secret post 9/11 flights -- Daily Caller/AP
My Comment: $339,228.05 for using a Gulfstream IV aircraft for four days .... not cheap if you ask me.
This Is What Happens When The Money Runs Out
WNU Editor: From IOwnTheWorld: A One Day Food Stamp Glitch Causes Tempers To Flare .... This is the kind of pressure cooker an entitlement society is becoming. Look out when the money really runs out, and it’s not just a brief clerical glitch.
Indeed .... this is what happens when our credit line is used up and there is not enough money to pay for our entitlement society. Not a comforting thought .... not a comforting thought at all .... because if this happens on a national level, my prediction will be widespread riots and the burning of our inner cities.
Hat Tip: Theo Spark
1,000 RAF Personnel Will Be Sacked Even As The Air Campaign Continues In Libya
The RAF has been flying daily sorties over Libya since March and continues to mount attacks on military forces loyal to Col Gaddafi Photo: REUTERSRAF Crews Face Sack As Libya Campaign Rages -- The Telegraph
Almost 1,000 RAF personnel will be sacked on Thursday, even as the Air Force continues to fly missions over Libya.
Ministers have heaped praise on the RAF for the Libyan campaign but are pressing ahead with this week’s redundancy programme. Nearly 1,000 soldiers will also be told tomorrow that they are being sacked.
Last night the Ministry of Defence was unable to rule out redundancies among RAF ground crew and technicians supporting the daily flights over Libya, although pilots were safe from redundancy.
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My Comment: Not a smart move to do during war operations .... not a smart move at all.
The Legacy Of Gen. David Petraeus
Army Gen. David H. Petraeus delivers remarks at his retirement ceremony and official farewell on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., Aug. 31, 2011. Petraeus is retiring after a 37-year military career to become director of the CIA. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley The Impact Of Gen. David Petraeus, In Four Takes -- Washington Post
Gen. David H. Petraeus, the most recognized military officer of his generation, retires from the Army today after roughly four decades in uniform and a career like no other.
With that in mind, we invited four defense experts to reflect on his record. Some of them have known the general up close, others from afar. To each the question was the same: What is his legacy and how has he shaped the U.S. armed forces?
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My Comment: His tenure in the Army may be at an end .... but his involvement as head of the CIA is now unfolding .... and what he may do there has the possibility of producing a legacy just as profound and deep as his tenure in the Army.
WNU Editor: WNU will have more on General Petraeus and his retirement ceremony later tonight.
The Arab Spring Has Dried Up Western Intelligence Assets
Arab Spring An 'Intel Disaster' For West -- UPI
BEIRUT, Lebanon, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- The Arab Spring has been "an intelligence disaster" for Western security services because of the fall of Middle Eastern leaders working with the United States and Europe, says a former Central Intelligence Agency chief.
"The help we were getting from the Egyptian intelligence service, less so from the Tunisians but certainly from the Libyans and Lebanese, has dried up -- either because of resentment at our governments stabbing their political leaders in the back, or because those who worked for the services have taken off in fear of being incarcerated or worse," said Michal Scheuer, who headed the CIA unit tasked with hunting down Osama bin Laden.
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My Comment: When the head of Libyan Intelligence is now a wanted war criminal .... an office that did cooperate on some level with Western intelligence agencies in the past .... yeah .... after all that has happened I would guess your intelligence assets would dry up.
Influential Americans Who Supported Gaddafi Made Public
Papers and files were strewn about the offices of Libya's intelligence agency [Evan Hill/Al Jazeera]Secret Files: US Officials Aided Gaddafi -- Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera uncovers evidence that influential Americans tried to help the now-deposed Libyan leader cling to power.
Al Jazeera news producer Jamal Elshayyal recently gained access to the Tripoli headquarter of Libya's intelligence agency. Among the documents scattered throughout the demolished building were secret files indicating that influential Americans advised Muammar Gaddafi since the beginning of the Libyan uprising. Here is his account of the discovery:
The destruction by NATO airstrikes of Libya's intelligence headquarters at the heart of Tripoli has transformed the once-feared building into a symbol of how Gaddafi's regime has been all but toppled.
Guarding the compound are dozens of armed rebel fighters, some of them told me their friends and families went missing as a direct result of "intelligence" gathered by those who worked in the building.
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My Comment: I very much doubt that Congressman Kucinich would support Gaddafi .... he has been very consistent in not supporting American wars .... but as to the other Americans .... I find these reports deeply disturbing that demands more investigations.
Remembering Group Captain Billy Drake
Group Captain Billy Drake -- The Telegraph
Five days after the outbreak of war, Drake and his colleagues of No 1 Squadron flew their Hurricanes to a French airfield to provide support for the British Expeditionary Force. Throughout the bitter winter of the “Phoney War” there was little action, but on April 19 1940 Drake met the enemy for the first time. His formation attacked a flight of Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters and, in the ensuing melee, Drake claimed one, the first of many successes.
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My Comment: The Washington Post has an excellent obituary on Billy Drake .... read it here.
Bombing Attacks Return To Chechnya
Three Bombings Kill 9 In Chechnya -- CNNMoscow (CNN) -- Three suicide bombings Tuesday night in Grozny killed nine people and wounded 20, Russian officials said Wednesday.
The Russian Investigative Committee said the bodies of two of the attackers have been identified. They were both Chechens, born in 1989 and 1990, the committee said.
In an emergency video conference with the country's top police officers Wednesday, Russian Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev gave the casualty figures for what he called the "cruel terrorist act."
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More News On Today's Suicide Attacks In Chechnya
Death toll in Grozny twin attacks reaches nine -- RIA Novosti
Triple suicide bombing kills police in Chechnya on Eid -- BBC
Suicide bombings kill nine in Chechnya -- UPI
Nine Killed, More than 20 Wounded in Chechnya Suicide Attacks -- Voice of America
Deadly suicide blasts rock Chechen capital -- Deutsche Welle
Eight killed in Chechnya suicide attack: report -- Reuters
Nine Killed In Chechnya Attacks -- Radio Free Europe
Chechen bombers mimic tactics used in Iraq, Afghanistan -- RT
Chechnya's leader promises hardline response to suicide bombings -- The Guardian
Photographer Behind 9/11 "Falling Man"
Photographer Behind 9/11 "Falling Man" Retraces Steps, Recalls "Unknown Soldier" -- Yahoo News
Richard Drew put down his camera bag and looked up at the colossal skyscraper that seemed to be racing toward the clouds at an accelerated clip.
"I'm really surprised how fast this building's gone up," he said of the rising edifice at 1 World Trade Center, peering at the monolith from beneath the brim of a tan baseball cap. "I just hope it isn't another target."
It was around 2 p.m. on a bright Wednesday afternoon in mid-July, and Drew, a veteran Associated Press photographer with wire-rimmed glasses and a neatly cropped silver beard that betrays his 64 years, was standing near the northwest intersection of Vesey and West streets in Lower Manhattan, across from the noisy jungle gym of cranes and steel where a global business hub is currently being reconstructed. Nine years and eight months earlier in this very spot -- now an austere pedestrian plaza in the shadow of the Goldman Sachs building -- Drew took a picture that became one of the most iconic images of one of the most catastrophic events in American history.
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My Comment: It is almost 10 years since 9/11 .... God .... it feels like it was yesterday .... where did all the time go?
Waste And Fraud In War Spending Approaching $60 Billion
Taliban fighters hold their weapons at a secret base in eastern Afghanistan. The insurgents second biggest funding source is U.S. taxpayers moneyAmerica Has Wasted $60bn In Decade Of Fighting In Afghanistan And Iraq Through Poor Planning And Fraud -- Daily Mail
As much as $60billion in U.S. funds has been lost to waste and fraud in the past decade of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, it has been claimed.
The billions have been lost through lax oversight of contractors, poor planning and payoffs to warlords and insurgents, according to a panel set up by the U.S. government.
Damningly, it found that the Afghan insurgency's second biggest funding source after the trade in heroin is the diversion of money from U.S. backed projects and contracts.
The news comes at the end of the deadliest month yet for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, with 66 servicemen killed, according to an Associated Press tally.
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More News On Waste And Fraud In The Iraq/Afghan Wars
Panel: Widespread waste and fraud in war spending -- AP
Pentagon under fire over war contracts -- AFP
Independent panel says as much as $60 billion lost to waste and fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan -- Washington Post
Up to $60B in War Funds Said Wasted -- Time/AP
US has wasted $30bn on Iraq and Afghanistan contracts, report finds -- The Guardian
US 'wasted $30bn on Afghanistan and Iraq' over decade -- BBC
$60B wasted in Iraq, Afghanistan? -- Politico
U.S. Is Urged to Bar Wasteful War Contractors by Congressional Commission -- Bloomberg
Report: US Wasted $30 Bln. In Iraq, Afghanistan War Contracts -- RTT News
Panel: $60B was lost in Iraq, Afghanistan -- Detroit Free Press
$30 bln of US war money gone to crooks and wasters -- RT News
Commission details war-time waste ahead of report to Congress -- Stars and Stripes
Committee Finds $30B in U.S. War Contract Spending Wasted -- ExecutiveGov
Reducing waste in wartime contracts -- Christopher Shays and Michael Thibault, Washington Post
My Comment: Only $60 billion?
Afghanistan War News Updates -- August 31, 2011
POLICE STOP - U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, talks with Afghan authorities during his visit with military and civilian personnel assigned to Regional Command Southwest in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Aug. 25, 2011. Allen received operational and intelligence briefings during his visits to Forward Operating Base Shawqat and Operating Post Strega. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Michael O'ConnorAugust Was 'Deadliest Month' For US In Afghan War -- BBC
August 2011 has become the deadliest month for US troops in the nearly 10-year war in Afghanistan, according to an unofficial tally.
The Associated Press counted 66 US deaths in the month, including 30 killed when their helicopter was shot down by Taliban insurgents.
But across the year, casualties are down slightly from 2010.
President Barack Obama plans to withdraw 33,000 troops from Afghanistan by next summer.
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More News On Afghanistan
August is deadliest month for US in Afghanistan -- Yahoo News/AP
August deadliest for U.S. troops in Afghan War -- USA Today
66 troops die in August, Afghan war's worse toll -- SFGate/AP
US forces suffer their deadliest month yet in Afghan campaign -- The Independent
August Is Deadliest Month Ever In Afghan War -- NPR
August the Deadliest Month in Afghanistan War -- Epoch Times
Combined Forces Kill, Detain Multiple Insurgents -- US Department of Defense
Afghan police casualties soar -- Washington Post
Training Afghans To Take Over Bomb-Defusing -- NPR
Call to arms in Afghanistan: Hekmatyar rejects Afghan peace talks offer -- Express Tribune
Minister's blunder with memo outside No.10 reveals UK Government 'welcomes' Afghan president stepping down -- Daily Mail
British minister's gaffe reveals position on Afghanistan -- CNN
UK Memo Welcomes Karzai Plan to Step Down in 2014 -- New York Times/Reuters
Minister inadvertently displays sensitive Afghanistan documents -- The Guardian
Mattis Discusses Afghan Transition at Marine Symposium -- US Department of Defense
400 patients crowd into eye hospital in Afghanistan where eye care is a casualty of war -- Washington Post
'Feminist imam' delivers message in Afghanistan -- MSNBC
Friends of generous marine killed in Afghanistan enjoy holiday of a lifetime in Las Vegas after he left them £100k in will -- Daily Mail
A sign of hope in Afghanistan? -- Adnan Khan, Globe And Mail
Obama’s Afghan failure -- Washington Times editorial
US military deaths in Afghanistan at 1,640 -- Yahoo News/AP
World News Briefs -- August 31, 2011
Rebels Give Foes Ultimatum As Services Return In Tripoli -- Wall Street Journal
As Forces Close In on Loyalist Stronghold, Officials Seek Peaceful Resolution; Dictator's Daughter Gives Birth
North Atlantic Treaty Organization officials said their efforts in Libya were now focused on preventing a bloody battle for control of Col. Moammar Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte, as rebels gave loyalists until Saturday to surrender.
With rebel officials taking steps to establish their authority in Tripoli, the town of Sirte, 245 miles (395 kilometers) east of the capital, was shaping up as one of the final stands by Gadhafi loyalists. "It is the last bastion," said NATO Col. Roland Lavoie.
Read more ....
MIDDLE EAST
Syrian security forces shoot dead protesters at start of Eid. Syrian activists say troops raid central city.
Yemen Defense Minister escapes blast: Military.
Iran invites Libya rebel chief to Tehran.
Khamenei warns of security risk for Iran elections.
Israel trains settlers to confront Palestinian protest.
ASIA
China says attacks thwarted as Pakistan President visits Xinjiang.
August deadliest for U.S. troops in Afghan War.
Filipino militant warns of post-Ramadan attacks.
Australia condemns 'irresponsible' Wikileaks cable leak.
AFRICA
Qaddafi loyalists reject rebel ultimatum. Qaddafi regime rejects Libyan rebels' ultimatum to surrender. Rebels say time running out for Gadhafi as crisis mounts in Tripoli. Rebels: End is near for Gadhafi regime.
Violence at Malema hearing shows divide within South Africa's ANC.
Catastrophe looms in Southern Kordofan, rights groups say.
EUROPE
At least seven killed in Chechnya suicide attacks. Police say three bombers behind Chechnya attack.
EU police launch operation in Kosovo's tense north.
UK plunges into debt danger zone after Labour's 10-year borrowing binge, says finance watchdog.
AMERICAS
Irene floods in North Carolina and New York 'disaster'. Hurricane Irene by the numbers: state by state damage reports.
Security on rise nationwide for 9/11 anniversary.
One in five US Muslims knows of extremist support in community.
Ex-military chiefs convicted for Bolivia crackdown.
Guatemala's murder rate down, despite talk of 'failed state'.
ATF chief removed over border gun scandal.
TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR
Osama bin Laden raid: last minute intelligence check raised doubts.
Family of dying Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi beg Scotland to send medication.
Drones kill another irreplaceable’ al-Qaida leader.
German Islamist terrorist confesses and blames fake jihad rape video for inspiring his crime.
Inside the spy unit that NYPD says doesn't exist.
ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS
Exxon Mobil clinches Arctic oil deal with Rosneft.
Office raid deals new blow to BP in Russia.
Some U.S. firms paid more to CEOs than taxes: study.
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- August 31, 2011
President Obama greeting veterans Tuesday after his speech to the American Legion annual conference in Minneapolis. Doug Mills/The New York TimesObama Draws Line On Possible Cuts To Veterans Programs -- New York Times
MINNEAPOLIS — President Obama vowed on Tuesday that he would not allow cuts in programs for veterans as Congress and the administration look for ways to balance the budget.
In a somber speech to the annual convention of the American Legion that dwelled on the need to tackle unemployment among veterans, but offered little in the way of specifics about his overall economic proposals that are due next week, the president repeated his assertion of earlier this summer that after a decade of war, it was time to turn the country’s attention to domestic prosperity.
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MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS
RAF crews face sack as Libya campaign rages -- The Telegraph
Iranian anti-tank missile may fall into terrorists' hands -- Jerusalem Post
Russian Firm Got No-Bid Pentagon Contract After Selling Arms to Iran -- Danger Room
South Africa Reviews Defense Policy -- Defense News/AFP
China ship with 22 labs spied on India -- NDTV
LM official- F-35 production 3 per month "for the next couple of years" -- ELP
JLTV Program Going Through Big Changes -- Ares/Aviation Week
HMX-1’s Ospreys Getting VIP Kits -- Defense Tech
Now May Be Time To Weigh Destroyer Options -- Aviation Week
The Navy’s new masters of energy -- DoD Buzz
New stealth boat touted as ideal for special ops -- MSNBC
Admiral Defends Use of Elite Unit in Calamitous Raid -- New York Times
Program office brings home 'wounded warrior' -- Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Everybody's Talking About The Bird -- Ares/Aviation Week
Arab Spring an 'intel disaster' for West -- UPI
WikiLeaks site comes under attack -- Breitbart/AP
Military can make free calls to US using Gmail -- MSNBC
Secrecy characterizes case against ex-CIA officer -- AP
Man who profited from fabricated military career gets 21-month sentence -- Washington Post
Arlington Working to Improve Burial Records -- Military.com
America’s ‘strategic learning disability’ -- Philip Ewing, DoD Buzz
US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,474 -- Sacramento Bee/AP
At least 1,640 US military deaths in Afghanistan since 2001 -- Washington Post/AP
Fear of China Drives Is What Drives Russia's Foreign Policy
Kremlin's Fear of China Drives Its Foreign Policy -- Moscow Times
Russia is very concerned about China, but this is driven more by fears about China’s capabilities than any real threats.
Russia perceives China as being highly unpredictable and worries about Beijing’s technological dominance, growing military strength and demographic and economic expansion into Siberia, which is sparsely populated but resource-rich.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin’s saber-rattling in the Far East, while purportedly aimed at protecting the Kuril Islands from a weak Japan, is Moscow’s subtle signal to Beijing.
Read more ....
My Comment: I completely concur. Westerners have little understanding of Russian concerns of the "yellow peril" .... a cultural condition that has been driven into the Russian psyche for generations. Is it justified .... yes .... because China is becoming the dominant power in the world, and Siberia is one vast area of land and resources that will beckon (if not already) Chinese interests and .... eventually .... strategic decision making objectives.
How Special Forces (And MI6) From England, France, Qatar And The United Arab Emirates Brought Down Gaddafi
How The Special Forces Helped Bring Gaddafi To His Knees -- The Telegraph
British combat jets pounded Libyan forces in a series of strikes over the weekend targeting command and control bunkers and missile sites.
The attacks took place on the southern outskirts of Tripoli, a few miles north east of the international airport, where a brigade headquarters and a helicopter facility was based.
The targets were destroyed with Paveway IV satellite guided bombs prior to a secondary attack on a BM21 Grad rocket launcher west of the port of Ras Lanuf, which had been earlier spotted by a Nato reconnaissance patrol.
Read more ....
My Comment: An interesting article .... especially since there is NO MENTION of US involvement even though pundits back in the U.S. are claiming that Gaddafi's fall is a great American victory.
New Commander Of American Special Operations Forces Defends Use Of Elite Unit In Disastrous Raid
Photo: Adm. William H. McRaven Admiral Defends Use Of Elite Unit In Calamitous Raid -- New York Times
TAMPA, Fla. — The new commander of American Special Operations forces has defended the use of commandos in a Navy Seals unit to back up a raid in Afghanistan earlier this month that ended in tragedy when a Chinook helicopter was shot down, rejecting criticism that planning for the operation was different from other missions that had been carried out successfully, as many as a dozen on a typical night.
The commander, Adm. William H. McRaven, said “there was nothing unusual about this mission” to warrant the sustained criticism heard from some retired commandos and military analysts, who have questioned how the operation was planned and carried out and whether it was an appropriate use of the vaunted Navy Seals.
Read more ....
My Comment: The final results from the investigation in this disastrous operation have yet to be published. Therefore .... Adm. William H. McRaven's comments are probably premature .... unless he already knows what the conclusions will be in this report.
Both Israel And Iran Are Moving Their Warships In The Region
A handout picture release by the official Iranian press agency IRNA shows the Iranian warship "Kharg" docked at the Syrian port of Latakia, February 2011. Iran has dispatched a submarine and a warship to the Red Sea on a patrol mission, navy commander Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said in a report by state media on Tuesday. France 24Report: Israel Sends 2 Warships To Egyptian Border -- YNet News
Military sources tell AP Israeli Navy sent additional warships to maritime border with Egypt following intelligence indicating viable terror threat. Meanwhile, Iran set to send 15th fleet to area as well as 'to thwart pirate activity'.
The Israeli Navy (INF) has decided to boost its presence and patrols near Israel's maritime border with Egypt due to a viable terror threat in the area.
Israeli security sources told the Associated Press on Tuesday that two additional warships have been dispatched to Israel's Red Sea border with Egypt. Another source stressed that the operation was routine, telling Reuters that "two naval craft have been sent to the Red Sea. This is not unusual."
Read more ....
WNU Editor: What the Iranian navy is doing can be read here.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Why The U.S. Should Not Sell Advance Weaponry To Taiwan
Taiwan Is Losing the Spying Game -- J. Michael Cole, Wall Street JournalIf President Ma Ying-jeou doesn't clean house in his military, the U.S. won't sell advanced weapons.
Much ink has been spilled in recent months over the Obama administration's reluctance to sell Taiwan the 66 F-16C/D fighters it has been requesting since 2007. A final decision is expected by Oct. 2, and while many observers predict that political considerations will lead Washington to nix the deal, another factor may be at work: the penetration of almost every sector of Taiwanese society by Chinese intelligence. For the U.S. government and defense manufacturers, any arms sale to Taiwan carries the risk that sensitive military technology will end up in Beijing.
This worry is not new. Anyone who has followed developments in Taiwan over the years knows how deeply Chinese forces have infiltrated Taiwan's military, especially its senior officers. For years American officials have looked on in amazement as newly retired Taiwanese generals traveled to China for a round of golf, were wined and dined by their counterparts in the People's Liberation Army, and no doubt had their inebriated brains picked for information.
Read more ....
My Comment: There is some validity in J. Michael Cole's concerns on Taiwan's ability to keep military secrets from falling into the hands of China. Even the Taiwan government is aware of this problem. When even your top generals are being arrested for espionage .... you know that you have a credibility problem to foreign military supplies like the U.S.
China Is Developing it's Own Missile Defense System
China Developing 'Star Wars' Missile Defense Shield -- Chosun Ilbo
China is developing a missile defense system in the highest layer of the atmosphere and outer space using high-end technologies like laser beams and kinetic energy intercept.
In 2007, China successfully tested a direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon against a weather satellite, demonstrating its ability to attack satellites in low-Earth orbit. It has also been developing other kinetic and directed-energy technologies for ASAT missions like lasers, high-powered microwave, and particle beam weapons, according to a report released by the U.S. Defense Department last week.
Read more ....
My Comment: The Chinese space program is definitely making strides .... as well as its nuclear weapons program.
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