Last Throes
September 15, 2008, Matthew Good Today is the 15th of September, which means two things. First, it’s my little brother’s 36th birthday. Second, George Walker Bush has 126 days left in office to wreak as much havoc as possible.
The White House’s primary focus will be on the Waziristan region of Pakistan, where US Special Forces and the US Air Force have been given a green light to unilaterally strike targets of opportunity in a three stage operation that also involves pulling CIA assets from around the world into the region…
“NPR has learned that the raid by helicopter-borne U.S. Special Operations forces in Pakistan last week was not an isolated incident but part of a three-phase plan, approved by President Bush, to strike at Osama bin Laden and top al-Qaida leadership.
The plan calls for a much more aggressive military campaign, said one source, familiar with the presidential order, which gives the green light for the military to take part in the operations. The plan represents an 11th-hour effort to hammer al-Qaida until the Bush administration leaves office, two government officials told NPR.
“Definitely, the gloves have come off,” said a source who has been briefed on the plan. “This was only Phase 1 of three phases.”
Pentagon and White House officials have declined to discuss the new plan.
The intelligence community already had approval from the president to carry out operations inside Pakistan, which included attacks by Predator drones, which can carry 100-pound Hellfire missiles.
Additional authority came from the president just recently that allowed incursions by U.S. Special Operations forces, the source said.”
The government of Pakistan, along with its military leadership, has warned the United States that it will employ force against US forces that enter the country to conduct military operations. This morning there have been unconfirmed reports that US helicopters were fired on by elements of the Pakistani military and armed tribesmen near Angor Adda.
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I’ve lost so much faith in the world since I started reading your blog. It’s not your fault; it’s just the truth, but man is it depressing.
I can’t believe that this is going ahead. At what point was it okay to go into a country with an existing, operating governmental structure, against that government’s will? That was a sad day for humankind.
I’m pretty sure there is no hope for humankind.
[quote comment="65165"] At what point was it okay to go into a country with an existing, operating governmental structure, against that government’s will? That was a sad day for humankind.[/quote]
You just described virtually every invasion and war that has ever existed!
I am only speculating, but the reason is clear: Northern Pakistan is proven to be holding ground of many terrorist groups, according to one article I read it is where they are taught. The Afghanistan government has (according to articles I have read) been asking Pakistan to do something about it, but Pakistan either could not or would not. So the US is doing what no one else will do.
They have finally learned that a century of conflict in that region has taught the occupants the only way to survive is annihilation. That is what they are prepared for, according to the Guardian and BBC in Depth articles, written by PhD social scientists from Pakistan/Afghanistan who know the area well.
My guess is the Bush et. al. have decided the only way to solve this is to deal with Al-Quada et. al. in the same manner, annihilation.
But, unless they kill everyone, they have no guarantees the ‘terrorists’ won’t just regroup and start over. And unless they teach Pakistan and Afghanistan the skills and will to keep the ‘terrorists’ under control, this process will repeat.
Happy Birthday Chris!
The BBC website has an article on the confrontation:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7396366.stm
Many US allies seem to have been reminded that they have a backbone. Although I believe that Pakistan may not be doing enough to stem the tide of extremist sentiment in Waziristan, it should be up to them to police the region, not Team America.
Hopefully (fingers crossed) McCain will win in November so we can continue headlong into this sort of insanity and then oblivion.
Hmm, crossing the borders of a sovereign nation to pursue an enemy…this sounds familiar…
I could have sworn that a nation did this not long ago…and another nation criticized them harshly for it…
Denmark?…no…Japan?…no…
Ah well, I’m sure it will eventually come to me. You know how it is: everything that isn’t North America just sort of blurs together, am I right?
Your article answered my question about why the U.S. is increasing military activity in Pakistan these days – sort of. If it is to “hammer al-Qaida”, then why didn’t they do this more aggressively in the past (i.e. closer to 9/11).? If the sole motivation is furthering the Republican’s political agenda, then is there a link somewhere between the American neoconservative machine, this renewed military aggression, and Sarah Palin’s nomination? Am I reading too much fiction lately?
I have so little knowledge in this area but am growing increasingly weary of the U.S. and its strong-arm tactics - all in the name of freedom and democracy. I fervently wish the U.S. would stop confronting enemies and start building allies.
To Wheissu. “A mind is a terrible thing to waste”. As opposed to how depressing it is, look more at the upside of your newfound knowledge of world events. You can now shape an opinion, share your insights and perhaps help change attitudes with those close to you.
i do believe you mean “wreak” havoc lol…either way, it still means the same thing….
My apologies Vheissu for misspelling your user name in my earlier comment.
In the words of “vheissu” above, “I’ve lost so much faith in the world since I started reading your blog” That speaks volumes to a real problem. If you keep repeating the same lies, people like “satchboogieca” start believing it, when they say things like: “unless they kill everyone, they have no guarantees the ‘terrorists’ won’t just regroup and start over” and “the reason is clear: Northern Pakistan is proven to be holding ground of many terrorist groups, according to one article I read it is where they are taught. The Afghanistan government has (according to articles I have read) been asking Pakistan to do something about it, but Pakistan either could not or would not. So the US is doing what no one else will do”
To even talk about something, Matt, that is not real, only lends credibility to it. You are unwillingly giving your power up to a cause that doesn’t exist.
There are three BBC documentaries about this, called “The power of Nightmares: The Rise of Political Fear” see [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk1WkmioQvA ] for part one, then you can watch parts 2 and 3 from the same site. They are 3 one hour long documentaries that completey debunk this whole terrorist thing for what it is: completely made up! These documentaries are also the reason that Tony Blair was FIRED from his position. Yes, I said fired, and he was. He did not resign, nor step down, but was FIRED.
Stop supporting the politics of fear. Much of this work has already been done for us, and so with really good journalism, like that above already having been done, you should just take these three works and broadcast them again for the world to see here.
I know it is painfull to see that, unlike Mr Blair, our leaders were not fired, but perhaps it is because not enough people over here have seen these documentaries …
Invading sovereign countries is a synonym to United States of America.
Here is a much better link to the 3 documentaries, by the BBC called “The Power of Nightmares” that has them all in their entirety, and is not chopped up like the versions on you tube: http://www.oneplanetonenation.com/ponightmares1.html
Canadian Dave
“George Walker Bush has 126 days left in office”
This post started out on such a high note–then the bottom fell out.
Happy Birthday Chris! Sequoyah is on the same football team as my son and Chris is always a great help volunteering at games when other parents just drop off their kids and leave and do nothing. Go Hyacks!
happy new year to chris ;)*
it’s an election ploy by the Repubs… we’ve made some money off this, now let’s show some results when the people might actually be looking.
I agree with Proxy, i can just picture the headlines one week before the election, “Osama Bin Laden dead after US airstirkes in Pakistan”!!! McCain will win in a landslide, shortly after we’ll find out the intelligence was wrong and Bin Laden is still at large, and by at large I mean he won’t be mentioned again until the next elections come along, rinse, repeat.
Killing Bin Laden = this election’s October surprise?
It’s my Mom’s 77th birthday today, too.
Happy B’Day Mom - still goin’ strong!
To mad: I’m not too worried about you misspelling the name. It’s not overly important. That’s a fantastic perspective to take, though. I hope my newfound passion for staying informed enables me to make some difference, somewhere, to something. Rest assured I’ll be hunting for the opportunity.