Another Spying Scandal At Gitmo

From The New York Post:

A number of Arabic and Pashtu interpreters at the terror-war detention center at Guantanamo Bay are under active investigation for omitting valuable intelligence from their translations of detainee interrogations, among other security breaches. This could taint some of the evidence at the "9/11 trial" in New York and proceedings against other detainees.

Remarkably, the Pentagon never cleaned up the "mole infestation" at its highest-security facility after the FBI busted a Muslim spy ring at Gitmo in 2003.

Read more ....

My Comment:After what had happened at Fort Hood with Major Hasan, I have a funny feeling that we are going to hear more cases of Islamic sympathizers providing support to the enemy.

Iraq War News Updates -- December 1, 2009

Iraqi soldiers exit a Marine CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter during joint air assault training for U.S. Army paratroopers and Iraqi troops on Camp Ramadi, Iraq, Nov. 15, 2009. The U.S. soldiers are assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which is serving as an Advise and Assist Brigade. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Michael J. MacLeod

As U.S. Focus Turns To Afghanistan, Iraq Challenges Remain -- McClatchy News

KIRKUK, Iraq — While President Barack Obama prepares to announce that he's sending tens of thousands more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, his problems in Iraq are far from over.

Military casualties have plummeted and sectarian violence has ebbed in Iraq, but the country's power struggles among Sunni and Shiite Muslim Arabs and between Arabs and Kurds are unfinished. The question is whether it will turn violent again.

Read more ....

More News On Iraq

Iraq monthly death toll lowest since US invasion -- AFP
Iraq reports drop in civilian deaths in November -- AP
FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, Dec 1 -- Reuters

US neglected post-war planning for Iraq, inquiry told -- BBC
Law lord: Iraq inquiry should issue interim finding that war was illegal -- The Guardian
Iraq inquiry: British attempts to improve 'dire' planning 'ignored by US' -- The Telegraph

Iraq sees alarming rise in cancers, deformed babies -- Washington Post
Oil Companies Look to the Future in Iraq -- New York Times
'Saddam channel' in Iraq goes off the air -- Middle East Online
U.S. Military Prepares To Move Out Of Iraq -- NPR
Iraq's Basra lifts ban on booze -- AP
US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,367 -- AP

Former Vice President Cheney Voices His Criticism Of President Obama's Afghan Strategy

Dick Cheney Slams President Obama For Projecting ‘Weakness’ -- The Politico

MCLEAN, Va. — On the eve of the unveiling of the nation’s new Afghanistan policy, former Vice President Dick Cheney slammed President Barack Obama for projecting “weakness” to adversaries and warned that more workaday Afghans will side with the Taliban if they think the United States is heading for the exits.

In a 90-minute interview at his suburban Washington house, Cheney said the president’s “agonizing” about Afghanistan strategy “has consequences for your forces in the field.”

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My Comment: If there is one critic that bothers the Obama administration and their supporters the most .... it is former Vice President Dick Cheney. Agree or disagree with him, he is still one of only a few individuals who has had decades of experience in both foreign policy and military affairs, and his input should be listened to. But unfortunately for us .... there is zero possibility that any of his comments or opinions will be listened to or even acted upon by this administration for the simple reason that it is coming from him.

Why Britain's Special Services Are So Special

Special Forces Provide Unique Abilities In Afghanistan -- Times Online

Five hundred members of the special forces represents a huge deployment of the British Army’s most prized and potent asset. And it is one that will draw approval from General Stanley McChrystal, the overall commander in Afghanistan and the former commander of US Special Forces in Iraq.

In Iraq, British and US special forces and intelligence units under General McChrystal’s command worked in close partnership to develop a new way of attacking insurgent organisations, one that tried to outdo the insurgents in terms of information gathering and speed. It is now being used against the Taleban in Afghanistan.

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My Comment: These are the type of soldiers that Gen. McChrystal wants in Afghanistan.

Sri Lanka's War Refugee Camps Are Now Open

Tamil War Refugees Free To Move, Says Sri Lanka -- Sydney Morning Herald

ABOUT 130,000 Sri Lankan Tamil war refugees held in guarded camps have been allowed freedom of movement for the first time since the civil war ended more than six months ago.

The military officer in charge of the giant camp at Manik Farm, Major-General Kamal Gunaratne, told the Herald yesterday it had been ''declared an open camp''.

''There are no restrictions on freedom of movement,'' he said. ''They can go out, they can visit their friends and relatives then they can come back.''

Read more ....

More News On Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka opens up war refugee camps -- AP
Sri Lanka refugees happy to be free -- BBC
Sri Lanka war refugees leaving military camps -- BBC
Sri Lanka announces limited freedom for detained Tamil refugees -- The Guardian
Sri Lanka frees Tamils held in war camps -- AFP
Sri Lanka 'to open Tamil camps' -- Al Jazeera

Russia Proposes A New European Security Agreement

Moscow Posts Draft of European Security Treaty -- Wall Street Journal

Russia on Sunday published the draft text of a new European security treaty it wants to see adopted, adding flesh to calls President Dmitry Medvedev has made for new security architecture.

The text, published on the Kremlin's official Web site, would create an umbrella agreement to be signed by governments in places "from Vancouver to Vladivostok," as well as by existing security organizations including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Collective Security Treaty Organization, which consists of Russia and six ex-Soviet states.

Read more ....

More News On Russia's Proposed European Security Treaty

Russia unveils European security treaty -- Sydney Morning Herald
European security treaty 'to end Cold War legacy': Medvedev -- AFP
Russia Unveils Proposal For European Security Treaty -- Radio Free Europe
Russia sends security pact draft to leaders abroad -- AP
Medvedev sends out draft European security pact -- China View

U.S. To Stop Counting New Missiles In Russia

Russian Topol inter-continental ballistic missiles are pictured during a rehearsal for the nation's annual May 9 Victory Day parade (file photo)

From The Washington Times:

The United States is about to lose a key arms-control tool from the closing days of the Cold War -- the right to station American observers in Russia to count the long-range missiles leaving its assembly line.

The end of full-time, on-site access will likely ignite complaints in Congress, with insiders from both parties arguing over whether the George W. Bush or the Obama administration is responsible.

Republicans are worried by the previously undisclosed agreement between the Obama administration and the Kremlin in October, which formalizes the inspectors' departure this Saturday. This, they warn, would cripple Washington's ability to police Moscow's compliance with agreed reductions in its nuclear arsenal.

Read more ....

My Comment: In the past, the most important element of every arms control agreement was always on the issue of verification. It was President Reagan who coined the term "trust but verify" that became the cornerstone for all future negotiations.

It seems that this "cornerstone" is now no more.