Afghanistan War News Updates -- October 1, 2010

GAINING GROUND - U.S. Army soldiers gain ground security in Masamute Valley as they prepare to cordon and search the village of Bala in Laghman province, Afghanistan, Sept. 25, 2010. The soldiers are assigned to the 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry Regiment, 86th Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Spc. David A. Jackson

NATO General: We Can Hand Off Some Districts To Afghan Forces Now -- Christian Science Monitor

Italian Brig. Gen. Claudio Berto says Thursday that the western metropolis of Herat, for one, is 'quite normal,' and Afghan forces could take the lead from NATO there immediately.

Though Taliban activity is on the rise in regions of western Afghanistan, a top NATO official said Thursday that some key districts near the Iranian border could potentially transition from NATO to Afghan security control “tomorrow.”

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More News On Afghanistan

NATO Leaders See Security Gains in Western Afghanistan -- U.S. Department of Defense
Afghanistan land mine kills four Georgian soldiers -- BBC
5 NATO Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan -- Voice of America
NATO says it captures Afghan insurgent leaders -- Yahoo News/AP
15 insurgents killed in Afghanistan clash -- CNN
4 Afghan civilians killed during attack -- CNN
Member of militant group killed in airstrike in Afghanistan -- CNN

Pentagon not worried about closure of Pakistani supply line - yet -- Christian Science Monitor
Dozens of NATO oil tankers attacked in Pakistan -- Yahoo News/AP
Militants Attack NATO Supply Trucks as Border Closed -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Q+A: How damaging is NATO supply halt to US-Pakistan ties? -- Reuters

Afghanistan opium production cut nearly in half by fungus -- L.A. Times
Crop Disease Cuts Afghan Opium Production -- Voice of America
U.N. Reports Mixed Results on Afghan Poppy Crops -- New York Times

NATO helicopter strike on Pakistan shows new strategy of 'hot pursuit' -- Christian Science Monitor
U.S. government funds may have gone to Taliban -- L.A. Times
Afghan Culture Lessons Help U.S. Troops in Afghanistan -- U.S. Department of Defense
Marines plan to deploy more bomb dogs -- UPI
Why is Obama sending troops to Afghanistan? -- Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post
Afghanistan: A war without end, or rationale -- Eugene Robinson, Washington Post
Deadliest September Yet for U.S. Troops in Afghanistan; More Than One U.S. Soldier Dying Per Day on Obama’s Watch -- CNS News
US military deaths in Afghanistan at 1,207 -- AP

World News Briefs -- October 1, 2010

South American Leaders Condemn Attempted Coup, Kidnapping In Ecuador -- CNN

(CNN) -- A group of South American leaders Friday condemned an "attempted coup" in Ecuador and praised troops for rescuing the country's president in a shootout with police.

In a statement issued after an emergency meeting in Argentina, the group of presidents and top officials pledged to send their foreign ministers to Ecuador later Friday to show support for President Rafael Correa, whom police allegedly kidnapped Thursday in an attempt to force him to revoke a new law.

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MIDDLE EAST

Iraq breaks record for longest time with no government. Aides: Iraqi Shiite cleric backs al-Maliki.

Energy firms to quit Iran to comply with US sanctions.

U.S. hikers' trial in Iran set for November.

Amid row over settlements, Netanyahu says committed to Mideast peace.

ASIA

Dozens of NATO oil tankers attacked in Pakistan.

U.N. reports mixed results on Afghan poppy crops.

India calm after order to divide Ayodhya land, Chidambaram says.

Japanese PM Naoto Kan warns of China's military rise.

AFRICA

Explosions kill at least 7 near Nigeria ceremony.

UN: Guinea vote delay could destabilize West Africa.

UN set to publish DR Congo 'war crimes report'.

Sudanese nomads threaten war if excluded from Abyei referendum.

EUROPE

Russia wary about NATO November summit invite.

Ukraine court strengthens president's powers.

Eurozone unemployment stuck at 10.1% in August.

New Dutch Govt wants to tighten immigration laws.

AMERICAS

Ecuador's Correa rescued, now faces political fight.

Ex-guerrilla on cusp of power in Brazil.

Death toll in southern Mexico mudslides up to 32.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Bin Laden uses Pakistani floods to drum up support.

Smugglers to help track Al Qaeda in Sahara: source.

With bill at Obama's desk, Congress aims to renew oversight of CIA operations.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

BP pledges U.S. assets to oil spill fund.

Economy still needs reinforcement: Geithner.

At Paris, conventional engines still going strong.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 1, 2010

Behind The Censorship Of Operation Dark Heart -- Secrecy News

By censoring Anthony Shaffer’s new book “Operation Dark Heart” even though uncensored review copies are already available in the public domain, the Department of Defense has produced a genuinely unique product: a revealing snapshot of the way that the Obama Administration classifies national security information in 2010.

With both versions before them (excerpts), readers can see for themselves exactly what the Pentagon classifiers wanted to withhold, and can judge for themselves whether the secrecy they tried to impose can be justified on valid national security grounds. In the majority of instances, the results of such an inspection seem disappointing, if not very surprising, and they tend to confirm the most skeptical view of the operation of the classification system.

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MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS

U.S. May Disable Some Submarine-Based Nuclear Arms Capacity -- Global Security Newswire

Obama vs. the Generals -- Fabius Maximus

Japan Defence Chief Eyes China Talks - Report -- Reuters

Norway Delays F-35 Purchase -- Defense News

This Is My Rifle. It Is Smarter Than I Am -- Ares/Aviation Week

Despite Clinton Pledge, State Dept. to Pay Out Billions More to Mercs -- The Danger Room

More Engine Woes Revealed on U.S. Navy's LPD-17 -- Defense News

Hill Seeks Fix For ‘Broken’ Interagency -- DoD Buzz

WH Tour Denied for Hero, Hero's Family -- Military.com

GAO Finds Defense Finance IT Systems Billions Over Budget -- Tech Daily Dose

Apple Has An App For Calling In Air Strikes -- Strategy Page

WikiLeaks founder blasts Pentagon amid Afghan files row -- Breitbart/AFP

A New Era Of Global Cyberwar

Stuxnet Worm Heralds New Era Of Global Cyberwar -- The Guardian

Attack aimed at Iran nuclear plant and recently revealed 2008 incident at US base show spread of cyber weapons

The memory sticks were scattered in a washroom of a US military base in the Middle East that was providing support for the Iraq war.

They were deliberately infected with a computer worm – the undisclosed foreign intelligence agency behind the operation was counting on the fallibility of human nature.

According to those familiar with the events, it calculated a soldier would pick up one of the memory sticks, pocket it and – against regulations – eventually plug it into a military laptop.

They were correct.

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More News On The Stuxnet Worm Network Attack

Mideast Mystery: Did Israel Cyber Attack Target Iran Nuke Program? -- CBS News
In a Computer Worm, a Possible Biblical Clue -- New York Times
Stuxnet 'cyber superweapon' moves to China -- Yahoo News/AFP
New virus threatens to wreak global havoc -- Zawya
Did The Stuxnet Worm Kill India’s INSAT-4B Satellite? -- Forbes
All Eyes On Stuxnet At Annual Virus Researcher Summit -- Threat Post
Stuxnet Trojan attacks could serve as blueprint for malware writers -- Search Security
Stuxnet Cyberattack on Iran Arms Hackers with New Ideas -- Tech News Daily
Stuxnet: Great cyberweapon or cyberfizzle? -- Global Security
A worm in the centrifuge: An unusually sophisticated cyber-weapon is mysterious but important -- The Economist
The meaning of Stuxnet: A sophisticated “cyber-missile” highlights the potential—and limitations—of cyberwar -- The Economist

Dissidents In Syria Are Using The Web At Their Own Risk

Khaled al-Ekhetyar, who works for a Web site, said many online journalists used pseudonyms. Julien Goldstein for The New York Times

Web Tastes Freedom Inside Syria, And It’s Bitter -- New York Times

DAMASCUS, Syria — Earlier this month, a graphic video of teachers beating their young students appeared on Facebook. Although Facebook is officially banned here, the video quickly went viral, with Syrian bloggers stoking public anger until the story was picked up by the pan-Arab media.

Finally, the Education Ministry issued a statement saying the teachers had been reassigned to desk jobs. The episode was a rare example of the way Syrians using Facebook and blogs can win a tenuous measure of freedom within the country’s tightly controlled media scene, where any criticism of the government, however oblique, can lead to years in prison.

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My comment: Syria is one of the most repressive states in the Middle East .... but they cannot hold back what the internet can provide. With time, the web will be a source for those who are dissatisfied with the Syrian Government to vex their feelings .... and to then use the web to organize. But until then .... the web is only functioning as a means to disseminate information and news.

Are UFOs Disarming Nuclear Weapons, And If So Why?

Did UFOs Disarm Nuclear Weapons? And If So, Why? -- Live Science

At an unusual press conference recently held in Washington, D.C., a UFO author and a half-dozen or so former U.S. military airmen asserted that "The U.S. Air Force is lying about the national security implications of unidentified aerial objects at nuclear bases and we can prove it." They claim that since 1948, extraterrestrials in spaceships have not only been visiting Earth but hovering over British and American nuclear missile sites and temporarily deactivating the weapons.

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My Comment: I am skeptical .... but these guys are former senior U.S. military airmen, and they should be listened to. Unfortunately .... they have no visible proof.

Our Muslim Allies Are Also Dying In The Wars That We Are Fighting

SGM Mohemmed al-Ahbab

Our Muslim Friends Suffer, Too -- Michael Yon

Terrorism knows no bounds. This atrocity happened in Iraq and the sadness still lingers in many hearts.

I republish these two emails with permission of CSM Jeffrey Mellinger.

Mohemmed's name has been changed to protect his family. May God cherish his brave Soul.

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My Comment: The emails sent to Michael Yon are moving .... read it all.