Archive for the ‘iraq’ Category
Thursday, February 28th, 2008
by Warren
The war, now in its fifth year, will cost the United States one TRILLION dollars. Not only that, but a lot of it is borrowed money. Noted economist Joseph Stiglitz crunched the numbers, and according to the Guardian, the numbers ain’t good.
Posted in
9/11, Administration, afghanistan, al queda, iraq, middle east, military, terrorism, united states
Monday, February 11th, 2008
by Warren
The move of moderate but marginalized Iraqi Sunnis to the U.S. military and away from Al Queda’s unique brand of crazy-ass seems to have put AQ in a bit of a tizzy. The loss of Anbar province, which the United States military seems to have quelled for the moment, was a particular thorn in the side of Iraqi Al Queda leaders. On the other hand, I can’t totally hate any leader who refers to defectors from his organization as “scoundrels.”
Posted in
al queda, iraq, middle east, military, osama, terrorism, united states
Monday, December 31st, 2007
by Warren
Not exactly “a year in Provence,” is it? Documentarian Julian Sher spent a year making films for the CBC, and in the process got to experience war both in Iraq and Afghanistan. What he saw in both places left him less than optimistic for further progress.
Posted in
afghanistan, al queda, iraq, middle east, military, Politics, terrorism, united states
Friday, November 30th, 2007
by Warren
One of Donald Rumsfeld’s big goals for the American military was “transformation,” a process by which the armed forces modernized and adopted a more “network-centric” approach to combat. It worked spectacularly during the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, with Special Forces troops laser-targeting opposing forces and ground commanders getting a God’s-eye view of their operations theatre. But network-centric warfare has turned out to be a bust for winning the peace, as Wired Magazine details.
Posted in
afghanistan, al queda, iraq, middle east, military, terrorism, united states
Sunday, November 25th, 2007
by Warren
There’s a village in Morocco called Tetouan that’s the home town of a disproportionate number of young jihadis, including some of the men responsible for the Madrid train bombings in 2004. The New York Times Magazine investigates (at length) what turns normal young men from Tetouan into suicide bombers.
Posted in
al queda, iraq, middle east, military, terrorism
Monday, November 12th, 2007
by Warren
Ah, more shaping of questionable intelligence to fit Dick Cheney’s homicidal whims. How delightful!
Posted in
Administration, iran, iraq, middle east, military, Politics, terrorism, united states
Wednesday, October 31st, 2007
by Warren
Remember the news about a week ago about State Department employees being forced to serve time in Iraq? Turns out they’re not very happy with the idea, likening the task to a “death sentence.”
Posted in
iraq, middle east, Politics, united states
Friday, October 26th, 2007
by Warren
According to Newsweek, very few State department officials feel a strong urge to volunteer to work at the American Embassy in Iraq. But soon they won’t have any choice, as 200 to 300 diplomats will be identified as “prime candidates” and shipped over to Baghdad whether they like it or not. Fun!
Posted in
al queda, iraq, Politics
Thursday, October 25th, 2007
by Warren
Nope, it doesn’t involve duct tape or keeping an eye on your neighbours for possible un-American activities. Wired magazine profiles a suburban Montana woman who spends her days at an office, but her nights monitoring jihadi activity online.
Posted in
al queda, internet, iraq, middle east, military, Politics, terrorism, united states
Friday, October 12th, 2007
by Warren
With Blackwater already in trouble for shooting Iraqi civilians, more stories are coming to light of arrogance and recklessness regarding the private security firm. The latest involves Blackwater operatives getting into a car crash with U.S. soldiers, then forcing the soldiers to lie down at gunpoint until help arrived. Not that there’s any real legitimate power structure in Iraq, but you’d think U.S. soldiers would be the last word in authority in a war zone, just by dint of hardware and history.
Posted in
History, iraq, middle east, military, Politics