Bungling Afghanistan

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Friday November 07, 2008 · 6:34 AM PST

2008/11/07 · 06:34

I wrote about the somewhat overlooked bombing of an Afghan wedding party a couple of days ago and it got little attention.

Yes, we were in the throes of celebration, yet we must remember that the Obama administration is inheriting this nightmare.

And now we have this: Investigation into deadly U.S. air strike widens

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — An investigation that is expected to uncover details surrounding a deadly air strike by U.S. forces on a remote village north of Kandahar earlier this week was broadened Thursday to include three separate Afghan government agencies.

Gearhead

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Wednesday November 05, 2008 · 5:16 AM PST

2008/11/05 · 05:16

We are still killing innocent men, women and children in Afghanistan.

The "Death from Above" strategy of our limited resources is seeing to it.

From the BBC:Many dead in Afghan air strike

American officials in Afghanistan have confirmed that a number of civilians have been killed in an air strike.

Who will stop this? Let's hope that the Afghan government's request doesn't fall on deaf ears - or should I say the newly elected ears.

Gearhead

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Thursday September 25, 2008 · 5:29 AM PDT

2008/09/25 · 05:29

McCain is a Quitter. Spread the meme.

His job is to run for president. He has run away.

He has left an EMPTY CHAIR at the debates.

He is shirking his responsibilities as the Republican Nominee.

McCain is a Quitter. Spread the meme.

Poll

58 votes Show Results

McCain has:

58 votes Vote Now!

McCain has:

Suspended his campain

3 votes

Quit his job

55 votes

It's the war, stupid - GIs killed in Iraq

Gearhead

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Thursday September 18, 2008 · 5:34 AM PDT

2008/09/18 · 05:34

With all the talk of the election and melting markets, we must not forget what's happening in Iraq. This item was way down on the list of headlines at the BBC:

US helicopter troops die in Iraq

Seven more soldiers won't come home to their families. Each one more valuable than anything in your 401(k)

Gearhead

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Thursday June 12, 2008 · 1:46 PM PDT

2008/06/12 · 13:46

I call on the powers that be at dKos to remove the offensive ad hominem attack on John McCain. The Birth Certificate post does nothing to advance the cause of much needed change in this country.

It is a tasteless and agist attack on the man that does not further discussion of issues that matter in this election.

If age is indeed an issue, then it should be discussed in a more serious manner.

Poll

320 votes Show Results

Ad hominem attacks on the main page:

320 votes Vote Now!

Ad hominem attacks on the main page:

Rock!

41 votes

Are good fun

52 votes

Don't bother me

47 votes

Are tasteless

119 votes

Pie

61 votes

Gitmo Chaos: Khadr Judge Fired

Gearhead

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Friday May 30, 2008 · 5:27 AM PDT

2008/05/30 · 05:27

This bears repeating (it scrolled off last night) because it seems to be covered predominantly by Canadian news sources. (Yes, it's a risk re-posting a diary, I know, but this ought to be NOTICED!)

The "trial" of child soldier Omar Khadr in Gitmo was thrown into chaos when it was announced via an e-mail that the judge, Colonel Peter Brownback, would no longer preside over the case:

From the Globe and Mail:

Mr. Khadr's U.S. military defence lawyer, Lieutenant Commander Bill Kuebler, said the sudden change of judge comes after a recent commission hearing in which Col. Brownback "threatened to suspend proceedings in the case of Omar Khadr if prosecutors continued to withhold key evidence from Omar's lawyers."

What's more (and see below) is that the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that Canadian intelligence "interviews" of Khadr that were conducted at Gitmo violated the boy's human rights and confirmed Canada's complicity in this "unlawful imprisonment."

Gearhead

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Thursday May 29, 2008 · 7:21 PM PDT

2008/05/29 · 19:21

The "trial" of child soldier Omar Khadr in Gitmo was thrown into chaos when it was announced via an e-mail that the judge, Colonel Peter Brownback, would no longer preside over the case:

From the Globe and Mail:

Mr. Khadr's U.S. military defence lawyer, Lieutenant Commander Bill Kuebler, said the sudden change of judge comes after a recent commission hearing in which Col. Brownback "threatened to suspend proceedings in the case of Omar Khadr if prosecutors continued to withhold key evidence from Omar's lawyers."

Gearhead

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Saturday April 05, 2008 · 11:15 PM PDT

2008/04/05 · 23:15

I first encountered Charlton Heston on the Planet of the Apes. Then I came to know him as something more.

Gearhead

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Friday April 21, 2006 · 6:03 AM PDT

2006/04/21 · 06:03

There is now greater coverage in the Canadian press of the comments made yesterday by Lt.-Col. Colby Vokey, the military lawyer assigned to defend Canadian Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr.

He has spoken out against the arbitrary and extra-constitutional nature of the military tribunals that the Bush administration is conducting.

He said the U.S. government has taken the position that "due process does not even apply in these proceedings. I find that very offensive."

(This is an updated version of a diary that scrolled off quickly last night) Read More

Military Defense Lawyer Speaks Out

Gearhead

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Thursday April 20, 2006 · 4:04 PM PDT

2006/04/20 · 16:04

Lt.-Col. Colby Vokey, the military lawyer assigned to defend Canadian Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr has spoken out against the arbitrary and extra-constitutional nature of the military tribunals that the Bush administration is conducting.

He said the U.S. government has taken the position that "due process does not even apply in these proceedings. I find that very offensive."

Gearhead

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Wednesday September 14, 2005 · 10:06 AM PDT

2005/09/14 · 10:06

Generation of resentment: When schoolyard taunts indicate what lies ahead.

My third grader daughter came home from school crying yesterday. The substitute teacher had asked the class where they were born. She raised her hand and said "I was born in the USA."

Immediately the chorus came from boys in her class: "Shoot her! Shoot her! Shoot her!"

(more below the fold)

Update [2005-9-14 14:35:45 by Gearhead]: Through many posts and comments from others I must agree that there is no "absolution" for this behaviour, except to say that the children should remain blameless. Yes, parents are responsible for a child's violent behaviour, yes, the school is also responsible to keep such behaviour in check, and yes, mocking an individual for his or her background is abhorrent.

I am not an appologist for what has happened, I am pointing out with this diary that the actions of children are symptomatic of larger forces at play.

Gearhead

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Saturday September 03, 2005 · 6:35 AM PDT

2005/09/03 · 06:35

As I sought the lyrics to the Tragically Hip song "New Orleans is Sinking," I found an article from Popular Mechanics with the very same title. It details exactly what has transpired in the past week and then discusses a storm surge early warning system that to date has not been fully implemented.

"New Orleans is Sinking" by Jim Wilson

The fact that New Orleans has not already sunk is a matter of luck. If slightly different paths had been followed by Hurricanes Camille, which struck in August 1969, Andrew in August 1992 or George in September 1998, today we might need scuba gear to tour the French Quarter.

While many diaries, articles and news reports have refuted Mr. Bush's statement that nobody could have predicted such a catastrophe, this one struck me as particularly eeire since it was published on September 11, 2001. Read More

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Bungling Afghanistan

UPDATED: Still Killing kids in Afghanistan

McCain is a Quitter

It's the war, stupid - GIs killed in Iraq

Remove the "Birth Certificate" post

Gitmo Chaos: Khadr Judge Fired

UPDATED: Khadr GITMO judge removed

My Cold Dead Hands

Military Lawyer Speaks Out against Git-mo

Military Defense Lawyer Speaks Out

Schoolyard taunts show anti-US sentiment

Prophetic Article: Storm Surge Prediction Needed