Thursday, October 29, 2009

The October Lull in Afghanistan

"The bombs interrupted a relative lull in insurgent attacks.... the deadliest month for US troops in the eight-year war"

Pffft! How are you supposed to believe a word they say?

"Afghan blasts kill 8 more US soldiers; Month now the deadliest of entire war" by Joshua Partlow, Washington Post | October 28, 2009

KABUL - October became the deadliest month for US troops in the eight-year war in Afghanistan when two powerful bombs killed eight soldiers and an interpreter yesterday in separate attacks.

This time of year typically brings a decline in violence as insurgents regroup with cold weather approaching. Instead, the bloodiest days this month have shown both the range of threats faced by American soldiers and the persistent danger of the most basic weapons.

Soldiers have died in a lone outpost in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan nearly overrun by more than 100 insurgents firing rockets and grenades. They have been killed in gun battles and in crashing helicopters. And they died yesterday in Kandahar province in a dismayingly familiar way: by homemade bombs buried in the road.

Time to COME HOME, America.

The significance of yesterday’s violence was that it showed again an inability to protect against the type of explosives that killed the most Americans in Iraq and are killing the most here, too. This year has already surpassed any other in Afghanistan in US military deaths and the rising toll poses urgent problems for the Obama administration as it attempts to fashion a new war strategy. At least 54 US troops died in October, surpassing the previous high of 51 in August.

Amid growing public disenchantment for the war, top military commanders have said they need thousands of reinforcements to beat back the resurgent Taliban....

Yeah, F*** YOU, American people!

The military has conducted war games to test the effect of thousands of more troops. “I won’t risk your lives unless it is absolutely necessary,’’ Obama told a military audience in Jacksonville, Fla., Monday. “And if it is necessary, we will back you up to the hilt.’’

Related: Obama's Litmus Test

GAO finds mistakes in Army test of body armor

Lying war-monger!

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Early today in Kabul, gunmen attacked a guest house used by United Nations staff, killing at least seven people including three UN staff members, officials told the Associated Press. A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility, saying it was meant as an assault on the upcoming presidential election.

"Gunmen," huh?

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And LOOK what was CUT:

Afghan officials in Arghandab, a lush river valley speckled with fruit trees, described a growing presence of Taliban fighters who can blend into the population during the day and intimidate people and carry out attacks at night.

"During the day, 30 to 40 percent of the district is under control of the Taliban, but at night, 80 percent of the district is under their control," said Haji Agha Lalai, who works with a government reconciliation program in Kandahar. "The Taliban are patrolling and walking freely."

The bombs interrupted a relative lull in insurgent attacks, which some say could be the result of fighters retreating to neighboring Pakistan to escape the oncoming winter....

Is that why the web version was cut?

Seems like a real stoo-pid statement, doesn't it?


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Update:

"US Quietly Slips Funds Into Military Bill to Pay Off Taliban What this ultimately means is that the US will be directly paying off elements of the Taliban....

Related
: We don’t pay the insurgents.’’

Right, liar!

First Iraq, now Afghanistan?

Where is my check?