Man Blamed For Bhutto Killing Is Dead

Mr Mehsud (back to the camera) does not like being photographed. He recently announced a ceasefire, but has warned that it will be jeopardised if the government "continues to be slaves to the US".

From CNN:

(CNN) -- The leader of Pakistan's Taliban, Baitullah Mehsud, is dead from kidney failure, sources told CNN.

The Pakistan government blamed Mehsud for the December 27, 2007, assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

An unnamed Islamabad-based source with connections within the Mehsud tribe in South Waziristan said Mehsud died about 1 a.m. Wednesday. Military officials in the field confirmed to CNN that Mehsud had died.

Geo Television of Pakistan and other local stations also reported his death.

But some reports also had the Taliban denying Mehsud's death.

Earlier reports said the leader of the Taliban in Pakistan was ill and was expected to die within a day. Mehsud is said to have succumbed to kidney failure and was believed to be about 34 years old.

Mehsud denied involvement in Bhutto's assassination.

Read more ....

Update 1:Pak Taliban commander Mehsud dies: Report -- NDTV
Update 2:Reports of Baitullah's death are false, sources say -- Long War journal

My Comment: The death of the man (if true) who is regarded as the head of the Pakistan Taliban is a big blow for that organization. The man who will succeed him will have big shoes to fill in .... let us hope that he fails.

Iraqi Leaders Closely Watching U.S. Elections

A U.S. Air Force MH-53 Pave Low helicopter from the 20th Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron sits on the tarmac prior to a final combat mission at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, on Sept. 27, 2008. The Pave Low is being retired after nearly forty years of service to the Air Force. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Aaron Allmon, U.S. Air Force. (Released)

From Pajamas Media:

I mentioned this past summer that pressing priorities in Iraq made Iraqis show little if any interest in the upcoming U.S. election. That was the case when November seemed too far to worry about. We’re almost in October now and things are changing.

Comments made by MP Sami al-Askari are evidence of such a trend. As an adviser to Prime Minister Maliki and member of his Da’wa Party, al-Askari’s comments are definitely indicative of what’s being discussed in that small circle and probably reflect Maliki’s own viewpoints.

As recent as June, al-Askari’s position echoed Maliki’s approval of a 16-month timetable for withdrawal. But three months can indeed make a difference. “Iraqis are better off with Republicans,” al-Askari said in an email to Kathleen Parker at NRO last week.

Read more ....

My Comment: Iraqi leaders would rather deal with the devil they know rather than the devil they do not know.

The ‘Talibanization Of Pakistan's Biggest City

Karachi At Night

From World Blog/MSNBC:

KARACHI, Pakistan – In the back of a jeep driving through Karachi, a sign on the wall of the city’s famous "Village Restaurant" caught my eye. It was just a little piece of frayed white paper plastered next to the restaurant’s much bigger logo, tempting customers to "Experience the Exotic of Traditional Dining."

But the printed sign expressed an increasingly urgent plea in this teeming port city, once Pakistan’s capital: "Save your city from Talibanization," it said in English.

But could the Taliban really be taking over Karachi? Karachi is Pakistan’s biggest city, far from the lawless tribal hinterland along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Out there, Taliban and al-Qaida militants have carved out an independent state. In the mountains, militants have their own courts and even issue licenses to local business. Last week in the tribal area, the Taliban publicly executed a group accused of murders. In another village square, they flogged several butchers for allegedly selling the meat of sick animals. That is Taliban justice.

U.S. military and intelligence officials consider that border area to be the world’s biggest, most dangerous safe haven for Taliban and al-Qaida fighters. Osama bin Laden, Mullah Omar and nearly all of their deputies have been based, and may still be based, in this often impassible mountain terrain.

But I was in Karachi, a giant city on the Indian Ocean. If Karachi is being ‘Talibanized,’ Pakistan is in real trouble, and so is everyone else.

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My Comment: The reporter from MSNBC emphasizes his post on how these students view American policy .... but their hatred is more intense when it is directed against India. Radical Islamists and Hindus have been at war with each other for centuries .... this will only now get more intense as more Islamists occupy positions of influence andpower.

Africans Wary On New US Command For Continent

From International Herald Tribune:

DAKAR, Senegal: A new command takes over all U.S. military operations in Africa on Wednesday, a program that many Africans fear has a hidden agenda skewed by the war on terror and a self-interested scramble for resources.

Before Africom was created one year ago, American military programs on the continent had been divvied up among three other commands more concerned with NATO and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The new command is inheriting responsibility for a Centcom-run base in Djibouti, where 1,800 troops are deployed to keep Horn of Africa terror networks in check. It also takes over European Command's Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Initiative and dozens of other military and maritime training programs.

"Africans believe Africom is aimed at promoting America's interests, not Africa's," said Wafula Okumu, a Kenyan analyst at South Africa's Institute for Security Studies. Most Africans don't trust their own militaries, which in places like Congo have turned weapons on their own people.

Read more ....

My Comment: This is long overdue. The sad fact is that Africa will be experiencing economic and social problems for decades .... which in turn will spawn military confrontations and conflicts. The U.S. has an interest in Africa, as well as a moral duty to have a presence there so that Rwandan type genocides or Darfur conflicts cannot easily develop. Will Africom have an impact .... I do not know .... but I am hopeful (OK, I am an optimist) that Africom will find a way to have a positive influence with the resources that it has at its disposal.

Mysterious Cargo Aboard Iranian Ship Seized By Pirates Raises WMD Concerns

The cargo ship MV Iran Deyanat, that was taken by Somali pirates last month.

From FOX News:

As Somali pirates brazenly maintain their standoff with American warships off the coast of Africa, the cargo aboard one Iranian ship they commandeered is raising concerns that it may contain materials that can be used for chemical or biological weapons.

Some local officials suspect that instead of finding riches, the pirates encountered deadly chemical agents aboard the Iranian vessel.

On Aug. 21, the pirates, armed with AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades, stole onto the decks of the merchant vessel Iran Deyanat.

They ransacked the ship and searched the containers. But in the days following the hijacking, a number of them fell ill and died, suffering skin burns and hair loss, according to reports.

The pirates were sickened because of their contact with the seized cargo, according to Hassan Osman, the Somali minister of Minerals and Oil, who met with the pirates to facilitate negotiations.

Read more ....

My Comment: I have no sympathy for pirates. But the fact that such a cargo exists makes one wonder what else is being transported .... and why.

More Peace Feelers From The Taliban

(Click To Enlarge)

Or We Shall Taunt You A Second Time -- Threatswatch

While stopping short of making light of an un-light situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the title above was an initial reaction to Mullah Omar’s retreat offer, which warned America that it will suffer the same demoralizing fate as the Soviet Union before us.

“I say to the invaders: if you leave our country, we will provide you the safe context to do so,” Omar said in the statement marking the Muslim festival of Eid-al-Fitr. “If you insist on your invasion, you will be defeated like the Russians before you.”

The situation in Afghanistan has been trending toward difficulty, but never flirting with loss or capitulation. This is, keep in mind, the same warning issued in October of 2001. One distinct difference is that the warning is being issued not from Kabul, but across the border in Pakistan where Mullah Omar stands a chance of avoiding the pre-mature collection of his 72 virgins. And recall that in 2001, his warnings were echoed by the faithless in America who warned breathlessly of ‘quagmire’ and a ‘new Vietnam.’ Long? Yes. Difficult? Yes. Quagmire? No.

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My Comment: The post from Threatswatch summarizes my feelings also. 2008 is not the same as 1988 when war and killing was occurring on a massive scale between Soviet and Afghan combatants.

No Protection From Pirates Who Know the Seas

Members of a U.S. Navy rescue and assistance team provide humanitarian and medical assistance to the crew of the Taiwanese-flagged fishing trawler Ching Fong Hwa. The vessel had been seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia in early May 2007 and was released Nov. 5, 2007 with U.S. Navy assistance. U.S. Navy photo (RELEASED).

Secret Sea Lane for Piracy Protection -- War Is Boring

In the wake of last week’s Somali pirate raid that nabbed a Ukrainian ship laden with smuggled weapons, an international naval flotilla is assembling to protect commercial shipping. But the roughly dozen warships slated to patrol the Horn of Africa in coming months are spread thin. “We’re not always there” when pirates attack, a Navy source tells me.

To shrink the tens of thousands of square miles of ocean where pirate attacks might occur, the Navy has established a secret “security lane” connecting the Gulf of Aden to the Indian Ocean. The precise location of the so-called “Maritime Security Area,” apparently some 200 miles off the Somali coast, is a closely held secret. The Navy sends its coordinates to commercial vessels via VHF radio, asking them to steer into the lane where warships can more closely guard them.

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My Comment: Blockade the Somali Ports from all shipping, and attack their facilities on land. This will solve this piracy problem very quickly.

Army And Rebel Militia Clash In Eastern Democratic Republic Of Congo

The numerous ethic groups in The Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire)

From Somalinet:

(SomaliNet) A spokesperson for renegade officer Laurent Nkunda's group said fresh fighting broke out on Sunday in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo between the army and rebel militia.

"The FARDC (government troops) attacked our positions early this morning in Rugari," 45 kilometres north of Nord-Kivu provincial capital Goma, Bertrand Bisimwa said by telephone.

"They attacked with heavy material. We had warned the UN mission to the DR Congo (MONUC) about it," added the senior official of Nkunda's National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP).

The rebel group also reported fighting near the northeastern town of Kanobe.

Meanwhile the head of a refugee camp in Tongo, a town some 60km north of Goma, said on Sunday that CNDP rebels fired shots from their positions in the hills two days after losing control of Tongo to the FARDC.

"Gun shots resumed. If fighting spreads to the town, we will withdraw to the MONUC camp for protection," Benjamin Seburu said.

Residents in the town of Sake, 25km west of Goma, also said they were beseiged by gun fire lasting three hours on Saturday evening by rebels wanting to reclaim the town from the army.

The FARDC has not confirmed any of these attacks, while a press conference organised by the head of the army, General Dieudonne Kayembe, scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Goma, was postponed until Monday. - Sapa-AFP

My Comment: I can easily predict that war will be the normal state of affairs for this part of Africa till the 22nd century.

The Long Road To Chaos In Pakistan

The Benazir Bhutto assassination

From The International Herald Tribune:

Hours after a truck bomber slew 53 people last weekend at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan, the country's interior minister laid responsibility for the attack on Taliban militants holed up in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, or FATA, the remote, wild region that straddles the border with Afghanistan.

"All roads lead to FATA," Interior Minister Rehman Malik said.

If the past is any guide, Malik's statement is almost certainly correct.

But what Malik did not say was that those same roads, if he chose to follow them, would very likely loop back to Islamabad itself.

The chaos that is engulfing Pakistan appears to represent an especially frightening case of strategic blowback, one that has now begun to seriously undermine the American effort in Afghanistan. Tensions over Washington's demands that the militants be brought under control have been rising, and last week an exchange of fire erupted between American and Pakistani troops along the Afghan border. So it seems a good moment to take a look back at how the chaos has developed.

Read more ....

My Comment: The reason why the Al Qaeda leadership ran to the safe havens of Pakistan's Tribal Regions is that they knew they would be safe there. After six years of ignoring the problem, the Red Mosque uprising occurred last year, throwing Pakistan into a fight between secular and Islamic extremists that has only grown with time.

Pakistan .... because of religion and ethnic differences .... has been in constant turmoil and instability. A corrupt elite, coupled with religious and ethnic intolerance, with outside influences permeating all strata of Pakistani life .... we now have a mix that is ready to explode.

The fact that many in Pakistan are now interfering into the affairs of Afghanistan .... has resulted with Pakistan now receiving the wrath of NATO and its allies, and its demands that it finally addresses the problems that they have ignored for so long.

For Sale: Used Spy Camera With Top Secret Terror Records

From FOX News:

LONDON — A second-hand camera sold on eBay by a top MI6 agent held secret records used in the fight against Al Qaeda terrorists. Names, snaps, fingerprints and suspects’ academic records were found in the memory of the digital device.

Alongside them were photos of rocket launchers and missiles which spooks believe Iran is supplying to Usama Bin Laden’s henchmen in Iraq.

And a hand-drawn graphic revealed links between active Al Qaeda cells — with terrorists’ names and occupations.

Meanwhile a document marked "top secret" detailed the encrypted computer system used by real-life James Bonds working away from MI6’s London HQ.

Among those named in the material was 46-year-old Abdul al-Hadi al-Iraqi, who was captured by the CIA in 2007.

The fanatical Iraqi Kurd, one of Al Qaeda’s highest-ranking lieutenants, is being held by the U.S. at Guantanamo Bay.

The Nikon Coolpix camera was snapped up for just $31 on the auction website by an innocent 28-year-old deliveryman who lives with his mum.

He discovered the secret material as he downloaded pictures from a U.S. vacation at his home in Hemel Hempstead, Herts.

Read more ....

My Comment: Not a bad buy for $31.

Small Wars Journal Recaps U.S. Defense Secretary Gates At The National University

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates speaks to students at
the National Defense University on 29 September 2008.

A summation of news reports on this story is here.

Bush Had No Plan To Catch Bin Laden

From The Asia Times:

WASHINGTON - New evidence from former United States officials reveals that Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders were able to skip Afghanistan for Pakistan unimpeded in the first weeks after September 11, 2001, as the George W Bush administration failed to plan to block their retreat.

Top administration officials instead gave priority to planning for war with Iraq, leaving the United States with not nearly enough troops or strategic airlift capacity to close the large number of possible exit routes through the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area where Bin Laden escaped in late 2001.

Because it had not been directed to plan for that contingency, the US military was also forced to turn down an offer from then Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf in late November 2001 to send 60,000 troops to intercept the al-Qaeda leaders.

Read more ....

My Comment: The priority of the U.S. Administration after 9/11 was to prevent another attack, and to destroy Al Qaeda's infrastructure in Afghanistan. I cannot speak for the administration, but I am sure that while it would have been a bonus to capture or kill Bin Laden, the priority was to destroy Al Qaeda's organization and their Taliban allies. Which at the time they did with limited resources and manpower.

The U.S. Navy In The 21st Century: Fighting Pirates

GULF OF ADEN - Merchant vessel Golden Nori transits under the escort of the dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) following its release from Somalia-based pirates Dec. 12.

4 Fronts For Pirate-Navy Battle As U.S. Descends
On Captured Ship -- Popular Mechanics

Deep in what this weekend became the most notorious pirate hideout since Neverland, Somali buccaneers are currently hunkered down in the Indian Ocean with the biggest pillage of their biggest year: the Ukrainian cargo vessel Faina, loaded with 33 T-72 tanks, plus small arms, rockets and ammunition—all headed for Sudan, a U.S. Navy spokesperson confirmed this morning. As its USS Howard destroyer reached the area and more foreign ships descended on the hijacked boat, however, the U.S. Navy’s response to Thursday night’s capture may signal a new stage in this cat-and-mouse game of modern-day piracy.

From ramshackle beginnings four years ago, Somali piracy has evolved into a lucrative industry, reportedly bringing in 10 times as much cash as the country’s once-thriving fishing industry. But after a year in which pirates operated with near impunity and seized nearly 60 ships for around $1 million ransom each, the international community is finally taking action by assembling a sophisticated naval force to fight back.

The fate of the Faina remains to be seen, with its captain already dead and a $20-million ransom in negotiations as the would-be rescue ships awaited orders and continued to monitor the situation. But two high-tech and highly successful engagements so far this year—in addition to several others loaded with robotic arsenals—might provide an attack plan that could finally begin to shut down the reinforced band of pirates.

Read more ....

Picture For Today

The Belly Of the Beast (A-10 Aircraft)

Freed Hostages Released In The Sahara Contradict Official Government Reports

Released German hostages, of whom no names were made public, leave an airplane at the airport Tegel in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 30, 2008. Five Germans who were part of a 19-member tourist group kidnapped in Egypt and taken by their abductors on a dash through the Sahara Desert and returned to their home countries on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Herbert Knosowski)

Freed Hostages Recount Chaotic Release In Sahara
-- Breitbart/AP

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - A European tour group kidnapped in the Sahara Desert was abruptly freed after a phone call to one of the captors, and all 19 hostages piled into a single car, some clinging to the roof as they drove 200 miles to safety.

The accounts Tuesday by the freed Europeans and their Egyptian guides contradicted reports from Egyptian security officials who described a dramatic rescue involving gun battles between Egyptian forces and the hostages, with state news agency quoting the defense minister that half the kidnappers had been killed.

As their captivity dragged into its 10th night, one of their captors received a phone call, the Egyptian drivers said from the hospital.

"They told all the Egyptians to stand in one line and they cocked their weapons, and at that moment we thought we were dead," Hassan Abdel Hakim, 45, told The Associated Press. "Suddenly the man told us to take one car and leave—there were 19 of us packed into one car, some on the roof."

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My Comment: So much for the spin from the Egyptian Government that it was their special forces that rescued these hostages after a car chase and gun battle.

An Excellent Post Last Month On Sea Piracy From The Profit Is Knowledge Blog

United Nations Authorizes “Any Means Necessary”
to Halt High Sea’s Treachery.

As modern day Pirates wreak havoc in the worlds most commerce critical sea-lanes, US and coalition military forces have responded with a marked increase in the tempo of their operations. Based out of the maritime coalition headquarters in Bahrain along with the US 5th Fleet (US Naval Forces Central Command) The Combined Maritime Force (CMF) – a coalition of naval assets from more than 20 nations patrols more than 2.5 million square miles of ocean. The CMF area of operations encompasses the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, and the sea area inclusive of a grid that runs due east from Kenya and Tanzania (including the Seychelles Islands) to a line running due south from the border of Pakistan & India.

Within this area of operations lie three of the world’s most strategic waterway passages; the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez canal, and the Babel-Mandeb, along with the overwhelming majority of the worlds known oil reserves and approximately 20% of the natural gas resources. More than 10,000 ships of all variety operate daily within this sea area carrying millions of tons of raw and finished goods.

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DARPA Developing Super Scope

(Click to Enlarge)

From the Future Of Things:

Researchers at the Strategic Technology Office of the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency (DARPA) are developing new high resolution scopes that extend the range of viable image recognition and reduce atmospheric interference. Still in the early prototyping stage, DARPA hopes the new optical system will eventually result in a decrease of friendly fire incidents and collateral damage from military operations.

Called the Super-Resolution Vision System (SRVS), this new system exploits atmospheric turbulence effects that magnify pieces of images behind heat haze. The formal name for this phenomenon is atmospheric turbulence-generated micro-lensing and it creates a brief, high resolution image behind the haze. The SRVS takes many such images and collates them to create a cohesive image of the entire larger area under observation using new advances in signal processing made possible by advances in computer processing power and increased storage capabilities.

Because of the need to interpolate the full image from fragments, the SRVS system will not operate in real time. Delays of approximately one second are anticipated before the composite image is shown to the viewer. DARPA hopes to achieve 90% facial recognition of an individual one kilometer away using a six centimeter lens that will fit into the form factor currently used for military scopes. The image resolution would be approximately three times that of current diffraction-based scopes. The increase in effective distance of the new scopes has not been released (or is not yet known).

Read more ....

Fragile Muslim-Christian Peace Crumbles In Egypt

Coptic Church, Egypt

From the Scotsman:

N THE shadows of the Moqattam cliffs that tower over Cairo's eastern fringes, Safwat Nazeem is picking his way through tens of thousands of empty plastic bottles.
Safwat, like his father before him, is one of the Zabaleen, Egypt's invisible army of refuse collectors who gather the urban waste around them and welcome it into their homes. Their neighbourhood, known as Garbage City, overflows with rubbish all waiting to be sifted and recycled. And after a recent spate of national violence and media intrigue, the Zabaleen have become a community on the defensive.

Like the vast majority of Garbage City's residents, Safwat is a Coptic Christian – part of an eight million-strong religious minority in Egypt that predates the presence of Islam in the country by over 500 years.

In the past months, the country's fragile sectarian balance has been rocked by violent clashes, accusations of discrimination on both sides and rumors of "special interests" spreading disruption from abroad.

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My Comment: Islam's intolerance to other religions is rearing its ugly head again, but this time it is in Egypt.

Afghanistan Pakistan Border Outpost - Taliban fighters man an outpost overlooking the mountain-fringed tribal region of the Northwest Frontier.

Pakistan Engages The Tribes In Effort To Fight The Taliban
-- Long War Journal

As the Taliban and al Qaeda insurgency rages in northwestern Pakistan, the Pakistani government has stepped up its efforts to engage the local tribes to battle the extremists.

The effort to gain the support of the Pashtu tribes in northwestern Pakistan was highlighted when General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani, the Chief of Staff of the Pakistani Army visited the Bajaur tribal agency, where a two-month old offensive against the Taliban is still underway.

Kiyani "expressed his satisfaction that local tribesmen have risen against miscreants and are fully supporting the Army," Geo TV reported. Miscreant is a term often used by Pakistanis to refer to foreign or al Qaeda fighters. "He reiterated that success in this operation was directly linked with popular support" in the tribal areas and the settled districts of the Northwest Frontier Province.

The current operation against the Taliban in Bajaur has been touted as a critical battle in the fight against the wave of extremism that is threatening to tear Pakistan apart. The military launched the offensive in early August, and has faced stiff resistance against well-trained and dug in Taliban fighters. To help fight the Taliban and its al Qaeda allies, the military and government have turned to Bajaur's tribes, with some success.

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My Comment: The Pakistani Government is trying to recreate an Iraqi awakening in its own Tribal Regions. It is too early to speculate if they will succeed.

Iraqi Sunni, Shiite, And U.S. Relations

(Click To Enlarge)

For U.S. and Sunni Allies, a Turning Point
-- Washington Post

Sons of Iraq Despair At Imminent Takeover By Shiite Government

BAGHDAD -- First Lt. Justin John, 6-foot-4 and built like a linebacker, plopped down on a sofa in front of Ibrahim Suleiman al-Zoubaidi, one of the leaders of the mainly Sunni armed groups that have helped the U.S. military quell violence in Iraq since last year.

Zoubaidi, a small man armed with a revolver, had one thing on his mind: This week officials of Iraq's Shiite-led government will assume authority over the groups, which have been backed by the United States.

"They will kill us," Zoubaidi declared. "One by one."

Across Baghdad, leaders of the groups speak about the transition in similarly apocalyptic terms. Some have left Baghdad, saying they fear that the Iraqi government will conduct mass arrests after the handover. Others are obtaining passports and say they will flee to Syria.

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My Comment: You cannot get rid of centuries of animosity and distrust. The Americans are the buffer against this history, and because of their effectiveness in keeping the peace insures that they will be in Iraq for a very long time. This is not a bad thing if long term peace becomes the result.

At Least They Are Honest On What They Want

Somali Pirates

Somali Pirates Tell All: They’re in It for the Money
-- Washington Post

NAIROBI, Kenya -- The Somali pirates who hijacked a Ukrainian freighter loaded with tanks, artillery, grenade launchers and ammunition said in an interview Tuesday that they had no idea that the ship was carrying arms when they seized it on the high seas.

“We just saw a big ship,” the pirates’ spokesman, Sugule Ali, told The New York Times. “So we stopped it.”

The pirates quickly learned, though, that their booty was an estimated $30 million worth of heavy weaponry, heading for Kenya or Sudan, depending on who you ask.

In a 45-minute-long interview, Mr. Sugule expounded on everything from what the pirates want — “just money” — to why they were doing this — “to stop illegal fishing and dumping in our waters” — to what they eat — rice, meat, bread, spaghetti, “you know, normal human being food.”

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General David Petraeus Making The Rounds For More Troops

General David Petraeus departs 10 Downing Street after holding talks with Gordon Brown. The general was behind the successful 'surge' strategy in Iraq Photo: AP

General David Petraeus Applies Pressure For More Nato Troops In Afghanistan -- The Telegraph

The American military commander Gen David Petraeus stepped up the pressure for extra troops to fight in Afghanistan after British commanders ruled out reinforcements.

Speaking after talks with the Prime Minister, the American military chief bluntly called on Nato countries to contribute more to the Afghan campaign at a time when the Taliban are resurgent.

Gen Petraeus said it was up to Nato member states to reinforce Afghanistan. "Now it is up to national capitals and the alliance to determine how to generate the additional force," he said. "I think it is up to the coalition how to source the forces."

Standing next to the head of the Armed Forces Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, he said Britain had "responded with a very good contribution" by doubling its force in the last two years to 8,000.

It appears the Americans have accepted that efforts by the Pentagon to strong-arm the Ministry of Defence into sending an extra brigade into Helmand province have failed.

Earlier this month, the US defence secretary Robert Gates appeared to be pressuring the MoD into reinforcements after he said that it was his "understanding that the UK may increase the size of its force".

Read more ....

My Comment: With cap in hand, the General is trying his best to evaluate the support from NATO members for a military campaign in Afghanistan. I am sure that he is receiving a lot of moral support .... and .... that's about it.

The Rise Of The Counterinsurgents -- A Series From The Washington Independent

Scouts from 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), pull overwatch during Operation Destined Strike while 2nd Platoon, Able Company searches a village below the Chowkay Valley in Kunar Province, Afghanistan Aug. 22. (army.mil)

Military Embraces Counterinsurgency in Afghanistan -- Part 9

Insurgents pour north from the barely-guarded Pakistan border to the southeast, through Paktika Province, in the heart of Pashtun-controlled eastern Afghanistan. Their objective, according to the U.S. military command, is to attack the capitol city of Kabul, and to cut off the eastern province of Khost, where about 5,000 U.S. troops live on a large base called Salerno, about 12 miles from the Pakistani border.

Along the way, they go straight through southwestern Paktia Province, where 100 or so U.S. soldiers — the 1-61 Cavalry, based at a small outpost in Zormat — use a 250-watt radio as one of their most important weapons in a protracted, arduous counterinsurgency campaign.

“We’re talking about what kind of religion Islam [is], how to use it,” explained Lateef, 23, a DJ at Voice of Unity Radio, “about suicide bombers, which wars to fight, why suicide attacks are bad.” With his partner, Marwan, Lateef spends eight hours a day — 8 a.m. to noon and 6 p.m. to 10 — putting anti-Taliban and anti-Al Qaeda messages on the airwaves.

They operate from a boxy wooden shack near the dining facility at Combat Outpost Zormat. The spartan conditions — there’s one microphone, a small mixing board and a laptop in the radio station — gave rise to the cavalry troop’s nickname for Marwan and Lateef’s efforts: Radio in a Box.

Read more ....

The other articles for this series are here.

My Comment: An excellent series of articles on insurgency and the thinking to confront it.

Majority Rule

Wilkinson said elected officials are in a better position to determine gun laws than the courts.

Yeah, leave it up to Carolyn McCarthy and Alcee Hastings to pick and choose from the rights menu! And in other areas, elected officials can roll back proscriptions on slavery, bring back official state religion, etc., etc.

Here's living proof that republican presidents don't necessarily make good judicial picks. If you don't mind, Wilkie-boy, I'll defer to a superior jurist on this, William Rawle, who wrote:

No clause in the Constitution could by any rule of construction be conceived to give the Congress a power to disarm the people. Such a flagitious attempt could only be made under a general pretence by a state legislature. But if in any pursuit of an inordinate power either should attempt it, this amendment may be appealed to as a restraint on both.

But duck out on the last means of peaceable redress if you will, judge. Gee, what could possibly go wrong with that plan?

Cloistered elitist moron.

[Via Mack H]

Young Iraqi Girls Turned Into Perfect Weapon

From Times Online:

The teenage girl, handcuffed to an iron railing, hangs her head as an Iraqi explosives expert cuts the trigger cords on a suicide vest strapped to her body. Gunshots echo in the distance as the white vest, carrying about 30lb (15kg) of explosives, is peeled off the 15-year-old, leaving her standing in the street in a sleeveless, orange frock.

The footage was taken in August, when police said they found Rania Ibrahim Mutlib in a side road in Baquba, north of Baghdad, having failed to detonate her charge.

When The Times met her in a police interrogation cell this week with her mother and grandmother, she claimed that she had been drugged and had no intention of killing herself or of becoming the 16th teenage girl bomber said to have struck in the past year.

Rania cracked her knuckles as she recounted what she said had happened in the run-up to her arrest.

Read more ....

My Comment: She said, he said. This family is completely dysfunctional .... and very dangerous.

A Plan to Stop Cops from Harrassing Openly Carrying Gun Owners in Ohio

Get on the ground, an officer ordered, forcing the surprised group to set aside their drinks and hit the sidewalk belly-down. An officer began searching one of Llewellyn's friends before abruptly ending the suspense and demanding to know who had the gun.

We had this happen in Willowick a while back and it looks like Ohio cops still aren't getting the message--in spite of the chief notifying the Attorney General. Sure, she put out a booklet with a brief mention on page 18, but that's a far cry from positively ensuring that the law is understood by those tasked with enforcing it. Matter of fact, with the "If you openly carry, use caution" recommendation, that puts the burden solely on the citizen.

And that's the best our gun rights leaders have given us, too :

State law does not prohibit the open carrying of firearms except in certain locations, but a person should exercise caution when carrying a firearm in public.

As we've repeatedly seen, one can exercise all the caution in the world and still end up on the floor--or worse. That's not good enough. Those who get paid to enforce the law have a responsibility to know just what it is they can and cannot enforce in this regard--especially since it creates the potential for a lethal encounter.

They don't have a right to put us at risk like that. It needs to stop. Starting today.

What follow is a rough draft of sorts on how this could be done. Thing is, I won't be the one doing it. My plate is already full. Which means it probably won't be.

But I'd start out with a letter to the AG, return receipt requested, putting her on notice with something along these lines:

[Date]

Attorney General Nancy H. Rogers
State of Ohio Office of the Attorney General
30 E. Broad St., 17th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215

Subject: Law Enforcement and Ohio Open Carry of Firearms

Dear Attorney General Rogers,

Over two months after Willowick Police Chief Michael Lazor's letter to you on the subject of open carry of firearms, I am still reading news accounts of police officers harassing citizens for it. This creates a dangerous and intolerable risk for citizens and a not undeserved liability for Ohio law enforcement agencies.

It is incumbent on you as the highest law enforcement executive in the state to rectify this, especially since you cannot claim you're not aware that risks exist. I am prepared to spearhead a project to try to notify every police chief and sheriff in the state via the enclosed return receipt letter.

But that's really not my job, that's yours. I'm calling on you to notify every police chief and sheriff in the state as to the legality of open firearm carry in Ohio. You have the resources and the staff to accomplish this with just one order. And law enforcement heads will heed you--with me, there's no such guarantee.

Consider this your notice that dangerous deficiencies exist within Ohio law enforcement as to the proper understanding and application of state law. Should you now fail to act on this, and should any citizen suffer any harm as a result of your lack and/or thoroughness of action, a copy of this letter and the USPS return receipt will serve as documentation that you were notified of your obligation and, with negligence and/or deliberate indifference, did not fulfill it.

Sincerely,

[Name and Address]

Enclosure

The enclosure form letter she'd get a copy of follows. This is something that would need to be sent to every LEO head in the state--by return receipt mail in order to create a documented record that they have received notice. As such, whoever took on this project would probably need to raise a thousand dollars or so for postage, plus have the time and resources to customize each letter with the appropriate chief/sheriff, department and address, and go to the post office to fill out the return receipt forms and mail them. Here's where you'd get that information from (and these may need to be verified as current and complete).

[Date]

[To: Title/Department/Address]

Subject: Ohio Open Carry of Firearms

Dear_____,

Recent incidents where citizens carrying firearms in an open manner have been detained by police make it evident that uniform training does not exist throughout the state of Ohio to inform officers of the law, what they are authorized to enforce, and what they have no authority to challenge.

Per the Ohio State Attorney General:

"Open Carry
Ohio's concealed carry laws do not regulate "open" carry of firearms...The open carry of firearms is a legal activity in Ohio." (Source: "Ohio's Concealed Carry Law," State of Ohio, Office of the Attorney General, http://ag.state.oh.us/le/prevention/pubs/200808_ccw_book.pdf )

The legal burden of proving innocence should not fall on citizens exercising rights over which your department has no legal authority. This creates a dangerous situation. Citizens who are not violating any laws could get hurt or worse, and your officers and management could be held liable for damages.

It is up to your officers to know what laws they have authority to enforce, and not to attempt enforcement activity for which they have no legal authority. It is your responsibility to ensure they are properly trained in this regard.

This letter serves as formal notice that you must learn the law regarding open carry in Ohio and ensure those under your command have been properly trained to understand it as well.

Should you fail to do this, and should any citizen suffer any harm as a result of your lack and/or thoroughness of action, a copy of this letter and the USPS return receipt will serve as documentation for any and all plaintiffs that you were notified of your obligation and, with negligence and/or deliberate indifference, did not fulfill it.

Sincerely,

[Name and Address]

I think it's not a bad little project, and something a team of volunteers could do it in very little time and for very little effort and expense--a bang for the buck kind of effort. I'd think each county should have someone who takes charge and assumes responsibility for getting it done in that area. Larger counties would need a couple of volunteers.

If I had one dedicated week and the postage, I could do the whole job myself. But, like I said, I'm already more than occupied.

If enough Ohio volunteers contact me, I'll put you in touch with each other and offer general help, but I'm not prepared to solicit funds and administer a project. I'd really prefer to see some grassroots gun group take this on and make it their own. And the thing is, it could also be emulated in other states that have similar open carry issues.

Any bets on whether or not this will just turn out to be a[nother] theoretical exercise in what might have been?

[Via Fat White Man]

We're the Only Ones In Pocket Enough

POCKET GUIDE TO OFFICER’S RIGHTS IN DENVER POLICE DEPARTMENT INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATIONS AND CRITICAL INCIDENTS

Hey, whaddya know? "Only Ones" under investigation are advised not to talk to the authorities!

That's something to remember if you're ever asked what you have to hide if you're not doing anything wrong.

Beholden to the uniforms to stay in power ... a policeman beats a lawyer during a protest in Islamabad. Photo: AP

Pakistan's Main Intel Agency Names New Chief -- Newsweek

US expected to closely scrutinize new chief of Pakistan's powerful intelligence agency

(ISLAMABAD, Pakistan) The new chief of Pakistan's main intelligence service will surely be scrutinized by American officials who have questioned the powerful spy agency's loyalties in the war on terror.

The appointment of Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shujaa Pasha as head of Inter-Services Intelligence was among several changes in what appeared to be a major shake up of the military leadership.

In his most recent capacity as director general of military operations, Pasha oversaw military offensives against insurgents in the nuclear-armed nation's restive northwest.

Read more ....

My Comment: The new government in Pakistan are now placing people from the previous administration by people that are loyal to them. In the case of Pakistan's Intelligence Agencies, this change of leadership is important. The ISI has been continuously condemned as a rogue agency functioning in opposition to the wishes of the Central Government. The Agency has also been condemned by the U.S. as an organization that has been completely infiltrated by supporters of the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Seeing the man responsible for this mess being fired is a positive development.

SWAT Deployed as Armed Student Sighting Prompts Lockdown at Bear Country School

When Ferdy the nerd gets paired with Too-Tall the jock in an assignment to study inventions, the one subject they can agree on is guns. While Ferdy's interest is strictly intellectual, Too-Tall's is, unfortunately, basically bang-bang. Things come to a head at Bear Country School when Too-Tall brings in a monster squirt gun that looks an awful lot like the real thing. The whole class learns a valuable lesson: in the wrong hands, guns can be bad business--whether they are real or not.

As we all know, gentlebears prefer blonds. Unarmed ones.

If you have any youngsters you're thinking of buying books for, avoid the wimpy, cloying and ultimately subversive Bear-stains.

A Spark Yet Glows

There are now 2 options for self-defence in Britain -

1. Allow the police to protect you. You can call the police when attacked and pray that they will arrive on the scene within seconds, in order to save you. If you survive the attack you can then give them a statement from your hospital bed, and hope the attackers will be quickly arrested.

2. The second option is to fight back and reclaim our streets by arming ourselves and giving the criminals something to be worried about, such as a serious risk of injury or death if they attack. In this instance we would be able to defend ourselves effectively, whilst we wait for the police to attend. We would not be putting our lives in the hands of people who are unable, or unwilling, to protect us.

Wouldn't it be loverly to think that we might be witnessing the birth of a movement?

[Via End the War on Freedom]

A 'Gun-Demic'

Early Sunday, just hours after Mount Vernon's brand new gun checkpoints closed for the night, a teen-age father was shot to death while standing on his front porch...

A 'gun-demic'?

Do these people ever listen to themselves?

Hey--stellar job with those thug-demic checkpoints, though.

The Process of Erosion

Finland has introduced stricter rules on gun permits, following a school shooting in which 11 people died.

Handgun permits would no longer be granted to first-time applicants, the interior ministry said.

Instead, they must train for at least a year at a gun club before being allowed to apply for a permit.

And when that doesn't work, they'll pile even more restrictions on.

Piracy Off The Coast Of Somalia -- Roundup Of News Reports

The MV Faina seen from the USS Vella Gulf off the coast of Somalia.
Photograph: Jason Zalasky/US navy via Getty Images

Three Shot Dead In Row Between Somali Pirates
-- The Guardian

Argument between rival factions over what to do with Ukrainian ship's crew and cargo of tanks descends into deadly shootout

Three Somali pirates have been shot dead during an argument over what to do with a hijacked Ukrainian ship and its cargo of 33 tanks, a maritime group said today.

Rival factions among a group of roughly 50 pirates argued over whether to free the cargo and 20-man crew, said Andrew Mwangura, of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme.

In the most high-profile incident in a wave of hijackings off Somalia this year, the pirates seized the MV Faina six days ago and demanded $20m (£12m) in ransom.

US warships have surrounded the boat, whose capture sparked controversy over the destination of its cargo and threw a spotlight on the prolific piracy in one of the world's busiest shipping areas.

"The radicals on board do not want to listen to anyone," Mwangura, whose Kenya-based group is monitoring the saga via relatives of the crew and the pirates, told Reuters. "The moderates want to back-pedal. The Americans are close, so everyone is tense. There was a shootout and three of the pirates were shot dead."

Read more ....

More News On Piracy

Three Somali pirates die in hijacked Ukrainian vessel -- China View
Somali pirates die in Ukrainian ship shootout -- The Telegraph
US monitors arms ship seized off Somalia -- Sydney Morning Herald
Where were Russian tanks destined on ship hijacked off Somalia? -- LA Times
Somali pirates say arms shipment belongs to Sudan -- AFP
Pirates: Ukrainian ship bound for Sudan -- Press TV
For U.S. Navy, high stakes in pirate standoff -- Chicago Tribune
Somalia: Helicopter gunship joins US navy off Somalia to monitor pirates -- Somalinet
Somali pirates on arms ship celebrate Muslim feast -- AP

My Comment: It appears that this shipment was heading to Sudan, a direct violation of international sanctions. Kenya must also be complicit in this transaction because of the need to use its ports and land routes to reach Sudan. This entire situation stinks to high heaven.

The Good Old Days are Gone

"Nobody's safe now," she said. "What happened to the good old days? We used to play cowboys and Indians and walk down the street pretending to shoot each other. Now, kids can't do that any more without having the street all barricaded."

Don't you understand? The world has changed. There's no room for people like you any more.

It's up to us to make room.

Healy Loses Another One: Refuses to Throw in Towel

"We will not rest until we have taken this step forward so we can make our city and our state as safe as we possibly can," Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy said Monday at a news conference at City Hall.

So we can expect mass resignations or what?

And why is it that people who can't control themselves are so bent on controlling the rest of us?

Have another drink, Jerry. And put the damn towel back on.

Desperate Measures

A new city law requiring gun owners to notify police when their weapon is lost or stolen will help police track down the "bad guy with guns" Baltimore City Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III said yesterday.

Oh, it will not either, you pompous buffoon.

This is transparent posturing for the press--making it seem like you're doing something without admitting you're totally in over your thick-skulled head on what to do about this. You idiots haven't got a clue--or if you do, you're making sure it stays buried. And you're willing to crush the freedom of every single one of your countrymen to keep your place at the trough.

Still, when you're in the protection rackets, it's not like a certain level of threat isn't good for "business"...

We're the Only Ones First Doing No Harm Enough

"Under a new government decree, the cabinet has directed that each doctor may carry one weapon for self defence," the government said in a statement.

Doctors as "Only Ones." But it's not like their lives as human beings are more valuable than anyone else's (although I'm sure many would disagree)--it's just that their lives are more valuable to the state.

And let's not forget who owns whom.

Still, I take it nobody consulted the AMA on this?

Sticker Shock

Thomas H emailed this to me:

Fellow in a 7 series BMW cut off my friend M*** this Saturday, stopping in front of him, crossing three lanes to do so, in Austin "Texas", to give him a double handed bird sign through his sunroof because M*** has NRA and GOA stickers on his truck and the fellow in the 7 series also shouted expletives.

Irrational in general, and extremely irrational considering M*** is a Texas CHL holder, ex-Nam paddy walker, Ex-LEO and any physical road rage would have been dealt with with 230 grainers if forced.

And us gun owners are extremist? Gimme a break... Pot, kettle...black.

Heavy Loses For The Taliban In Pakistan

Soldiers inside a helicopter prepare to land on a mountain in Ganjagal, Afghanistan

Another Al Qaeda Last Stand -- Strategy Page

September 29, 2008: The Taliban and their al Qaeda allies have been fighting a large, and losing, battle against the army in the Pakistani region of Bajaur (right on the Afghan border). The fighting has been going on for a month now, and the terrorists have lost about a thousand dead, while the army has lost only 27 dead. The large disparity in losses is largely due to the Pakistani use of air power (bombers and helicopters) and artillery. The army controls the roads, forcing the Taliban to concentrate their forces, to avoid getting taken apart by road (and helicopter) mobile Pakistani infantry.

The fighting began when the Taliban, who had always been dominant in Bajaur, sought to take over completely and drive government officials out. The army responded with over 10,000 troops, and more following, and went after the towns, villages and walled compounds known to be bases for the enemy. The Taliban did not expect the army to respond so energetically. But the Taliban had prepared ambushes along the roads (by renting houses, and digging tunnels and bunkers next to them for shelter from artillery and bombs). In response, the army detected these preparations (with air reconnaissance, patrols and local informants), and avoided, or destroyed, these positions.

Read more ....

My Comment: Their war against the Pakistani Army is entering a new phase .... it appears that they are losing this battle.

Taliban's Omar Offers Deal To U.S. On Withdrawal

Mullah Muhammad Omar

Taliban's Omar Offers Deal To U.S. On Withdrawal -- Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) - Taliban leader Mullah Omar on Monday urged U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan to withdraw or face a similar defeat to occupying Soviet troops a generation ago.

In a rare message, posted on militant websites and monitored by the U.S.-based SITE intelligence group, Omar offered a bargain to the U.S.-led forces that drove the Taliban from power in 2001 but are now fighting a fierce insurgency by the Islamist militia.

"Reconsider your wrong decision of wrong occupation, and seek a safe exit to withdraw your forces," said the message, which the Taliban said came from Omar.

"If you leave our lands, we can arrange for you a reasonable opportunity for your departure," he said, adding that the Taliban posed no harm to anyone in the world.

Read more ....

My Comment: He must know that they will not accept his offer. But it does not hurt to ask.

We're the Only Ones Who Get Up Early to Beat the Crowds Enough

To celebrate their attacks on protesters at the Democratic convention the head gang had a T-shirt printed up. The local CBS outlet describes the shirt as having “a menacing-looking police figure, wearing what looks like a Denver police badge and clutching a baton.” Along with this menacing figure is the slogan the police find just so amusing: “WE GET UP EARLY, to BEAT the crowds.” [More]

Nice attitude, "Only Ones." Here's the shirt:


William N. Grigg has lots more. Make sure you read it all and watch the videos.

Chilling. Enraging.

As long as we're free to joke, ha ha, I've designed a shirt of my own:

Think they'd accept that this is just a humorous way to build camaraderie?

[Via Plug Nickel Times and Mama Liberty]

Vanderboegh: M14 - The Three Hundred Meter War

Another chapter of "Absolved"...

This Day in History: September 30

I cannot but congratulate the Honorable Congress on the happy Temper of the Canadians and Indians, our Accounts of which are now fully confirmed by some intercepted Letters from Officers in Cannada to General Gage and others in Boston, which were found on Board the Vessel lately taken going into Boston with a Donation of Cattle and other fresh Provisions for the Ministerial Army...

U.S.And Iraq Security Pact Agreement Proceeding Slowly

Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Maliki

Al-Maliki Says Security Pact In US, Iraqi Interest
-- Yahoo News/AP

BAGHDAD - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Monday that the government is ready to compromise to reach a security accord with the United States because Iraq still needs American troops despite the drop in violence.

In an interview with The Associated Press, al-Maliki said neither he nor Iraq's parliament will accept any pact that fails to serve the country's national interests. A poorly constructed plan would provoke so much discord in Iraq that it could threaten his government's survival, he said.

Al-Maliki said, however, that he is firmly committed to reaching an accord that would allow U.S. troops to remain in the country beyond next year.

"We regard negotiating and reaching such an agreement as a national endeavor, a national mission, a historic one. It is a very important agreement that involves the stability and the security of the country and the existence of foreign troops. It has a historic dimension," al-Maliki said.

Read more ....

More News On The Iraq/U.S. Security Pact

Al-Maliki sees compromise with U.S. on security accord -- Star Tribune
U.S. negotiators to return to Iraq for security talks -- International Herald Tribune

My Comment: The Iraqi Government is beginning to realize that maybe the American military does serve a useful role in Iraq after all. Criticism and delays in negotiating this agreement are slowly disappearing, indicating a strong willingness to move on.

I predict an agreement on this security pact by November or early December.

The Privatization Of Rocket Lauches And Its Military Implications

Private Rockets Could Boost Military, Too
-- Danger Room/Wired Magazine

Elon Musk's Space Exploration Technologies just put the first privately developed rocket into orbit. That's not only a breakthrough for the space community. It has huge military consequences, too -- if the company can turn the one-time launch into a regular event.

The U.S. military relies on satellites to spy on enemies, relay orders and guide unmanned planes. But putting a satellite into orbit is an enormously expensive undertaking. "Humanity has spent hundreds of billions of dollars on space exploration in the past half century, and the numbers have not changed: about $10,000 a pound to put something in low Earth orbit," said John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity, when speaking with Wired's Carl Hoffman. Only a few, government-backed companies offer these Maybach-priced services. Which means every aspect of the satellite business happens at a slow crawl. Satellites are built, oh-so-deliberately, to have zero defects -- and then take forever to replace, once the inevitable errors happen.

Read more ....

My Comment: The military subcontracts an enormous amount of its work ... why not launching its satellites into space.

The Coming Winter Campaign In Afghanistan

An Afghan soldier pulls security for a US lead patrol to Kamdesh, a village in the Nuristan province of Afghanistan. Winter 2006 -- National Geographic Magazine 2008

The Coming Winter Combat Between Taliban and U.S. Forces -- Captain's Journal

It was Maj. Gen. Jeffery J. Schloesser who initially pointed out that the Taliban would be active this winter despite the common perceptions of a stand down in operations due to the weather.

American troops in Afghanistan will step up offensive operations this winter because insurgents are increasingly staying in the country to prepare for spring attacks, a U.S. commander told The Associated Press.

Maj. Gen. Jeffery J. Schloesser said a 40 percent surge in violence in April and May was fueled in part by militants preparing stores of weapons during the winter, which generally is a slow period for fighting, particularly in snowy Afghan mountainous areas.

“If we don’t do anything over the winter the enemy will more and more try to seek safe haven in Afghanistan rather than going back to Pakistan,” Schloesser said …

He said the U.S. military realized more militants spent last winter in Afghanistan after speaking with elders and villagers who had been pushed out of their homes. The spike in violence in the spring occurred because insurgents were already in position to unleash attacks, though U.S. officials didn’t know it at the time, he said.

“They didn’t have to come over the passes, they were already here,” Schloesser said during an interview while flying in a Black Hawk helicopter Monday to a small U.S. outpost in Nuristan, a province that borders Pakistan.

Now he is reiterating this position, but adding a new twist concerning the capabilities of U.S. forces and the intent to interdict Taliban operations.

Read more ....

My Comment: As usual, the Captain's Journal has an observant eye on what is going to happen in Afghanistan a few months from now.

Pistols, Machine Guns, And RPGs ..... Africa's Weapons Of Mass Destruction

At UN, Nigeria Stresses Dangers Posed By African ‘Weapons Of Mass Destruction’ -- U.N. News Centre

29 September 2008 – Africa has been devastated by conflicts perpetuated by small arms and light weapons, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister told the General Assembly’s annual high-level debate today, calling for a global pact to rid the continent of the scourge.

“Because of their lethality and ready deployment, they may be described as Africa’s experience of weapons of mass destruction,” Ojo Maduekwe said at United Nations Headquarters.

Nigeria, he said, believes the best and most effective way to prevent, combat and eradicate the “illicit and deadly trade” is through a legally binding international agreement, coupled with the political will of all States to curb the uncontrolled proliferation of these weapons.

“There is need, therefore, for urgent action to criminalize oil bunkering, the sale of oil so acquired and the use of its proceeds to fuel new crisis situations in Africa, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea, through the proliferation of small arms and light weapons,” the Minister said.

The same zeal applied to addressing the issue of “blood diamonds” must now be harnessed to address the problem of “blood oil” that threatens the Gulf, he added.

Read more ....

My Comment: In my life time millions in Africa have died from small arms fire, and the wounds that come from the bullets fired by these weapons. These totals do not include the destruction of infrastructure, health and medical services, and the deprivation of food and hunger brought about by these conflicts.

General Assembly’s Opening Debate Dampens Hope For UN Progress in Dealing With Terrorism and Nuclear Proliferation

From Counter Terrorism Blog:

As the UN General Assembly ends its final day of principal level debate, the prognosis for its future work remains both murky and morose. As in the past the world’s ills have been laid plain for world leaders (if they are taking any notice) to see. Yet, there is still no sign that the divisiveness of the international community has, or will diminish. Such is particularly the case for the GA’s treatment of the twin challenges of terrorism and nuclear proliferation. As the statements by the principals now comes to an end, hardened battle lines already mark the difficult negotiations on these issues that are about to begin in the hallways and in the GA’s various committees.

While the GA’s new president, Ex-Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, called for a General Assembly session of “Reconciliation,” he did little to set a positive tone for furthering constructive discussions on these issues. Rather, his prescription, in his first remarks as GA President, was to blame the United States, Israel, and other Western countries for these challenges to peace. “Any act of terrorism,” he said, “whether or not it is committed by a Government, engenders more terrorism. Initiatives to stop this vicious cycle must begin at the level of State terrorism.” And he wasn’t talking about the state-supported terrorism of such countries Iran, Syria, Sudan, or other countries that provide direct funding to support international terrorist organizations such as Hizbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. He was referring to the coalition forces and efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Israel’s responses to attacks from Hizbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. His conclusion, “terrorism by powerful States against relatively weak States must stop.”

Read more ....

My Comment: The U.N. .... pffff .... I worked for ICAO for a number of years, the U.N. is useless when it comes to hard decisions.