NATO is tired of their soldiers getting killed by allies, or enemies posing as allies. So now, instead of working closer together it's been decided the solution is to limit the interaction between Afghan and NATO forces. BBC has the full story.
I'm not saying commanders are wrong to take this step--you can't allow people to be attacked without reacting to it. But it is troubling after so much progress.
The goal of the Taliban and other separatists is to split the Afghan people from the NATO support. If they can isolate the Afghan people, they can make sure things go back to how they were pre-2001. It doesn't take much violence to terrorize a village into submission, and the Taliban are GOOD at terrorizing the locals.
By either instigating or infiltrating, they have managed to drive a massive wedge between the Afghan forces that will need to stand on their own, and the NATO forces that are supposed to be preparing them to do it.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the trajectory at this point, unless both Afghan and NATO officers find a way to continue building the capability of the Afghan security forces despite this new diabolical challenge.
Tuesday
National View: Romney Shown to be Utterly Ignorant
Out of touch doesn't even begin to cover the remarks Romney made at this fundraiser. The best part of these videos is they show Romney spelling out what he's already made perfectly clear in his policy statements and attacks on Obama--he has no friggen clue what goes on in the real world.
And by the "real world," I mean the world where failure isn't "taking a loss," it's having your electric shut off. It's the world where you get up, every day, put 120% into your job, and still get passed over for that promotion and then downsized for arbitrary reasons. Where even if you manage to get that college degree, the odds are the only thing you'll get from it are crippling debts.
It's also the real world where Israel can destroy your home for no reason. Where you can't get enough food for your family because Israel has blockaded your country for a conflict you have nothing to do with. Where a few radicals on both sides keep a devastating conflict going for decades, making the suffering at large continue indefinitely.
Mitt Romney does NOT live in the same world I live in. He doesn't live in the world anyone I know lives in. I've barely heard of anyone who lives in his world. And he says, point blank, he doesn't care about me. Doesn't care about my fiance. Doesn't care about any of the people I care about.
I'd take George W. Bush back before I accepted Romney at the head of my great nation. I can't sling dirtier mud than that.
Videos are at Mother Jones, specifically the 47% and two-state solution.
And by the "real world," I mean the world where failure isn't "taking a loss," it's having your electric shut off. It's the world where you get up, every day, put 120% into your job, and still get passed over for that promotion and then downsized for arbitrary reasons. Where even if you manage to get that college degree, the odds are the only thing you'll get from it are crippling debts.
It's also the real world where Israel can destroy your home for no reason. Where you can't get enough food for your family because Israel has blockaded your country for a conflict you have nothing to do with. Where a few radicals on both sides keep a devastating conflict going for decades, making the suffering at large continue indefinitely.
Mitt Romney does NOT live in the same world I live in. He doesn't live in the world anyone I know lives in. I've barely heard of anyone who lives in his world. And he says, point blank, he doesn't care about me. Doesn't care about my fiance. Doesn't care about any of the people I care about.
I'd take George W. Bush back before I accepted Romney at the head of my great nation. I can't sling dirtier mud than that.
Videos are at Mother Jones, specifically the 47% and two-state solution.
Monday
International Angle: China Trade War?
Earlier today I bashed Romney on his Libya remarks. Now, I'm inclined to do the same thing to Obama over his decision to file a trade complaint against China. Political pandering to people who don't understand the full picture.
I'm not saying that China is on the up-and-up. Not many people who have spent more than 15 minutes reading up on Chinese trade practices will vouch for their ability to play by the rules. But at the same time, if you looked at the United States in a similar point during the transition from an agriculture to an industrial economy you'd see similar practices.
The difference is, we did it first. Before there were established players to be hurt by it.
Obama is smart, smart enough to realize that no matter how many times he tattles on China it will never bring jobs back to America. The economy of the 1940's, 50's, and 60's is gone, and gone forever. The American worker is too expensive, too entitled, and oddly enough too uneducated to do the manufacturing jobs of 2012.
But you can't tell that to someone who doesn't want to flex with the times. Someone who can't. Someone who's just lost their job after 20 years, working in a plant that's now located in China. They barely got their high school diploma, never built another skillset beside operating their assembly line station. They're fucked. The world is leaving them behind, and they're rightly scared about it.
Obama knows he can't help them--probably not, anyway. What I see is Obama trying to help that person's kids. Setting the country up for success down the road, since we've fallen behind on this leg of the race. But that doesn't win elections.
As a nation, we've lost the ability to lay out a plan and work toward a goal. We've been seduced by the instant gratification of drive thru food, iPods, Blackberry syncing. If it's complicated, we want it simplified. If it relies on a human doing their job, we want to automate it to eliminate risk.
That nation needs to be pandered to. We all bitch about politicians, and how they behave. But we created them, folks. Maybe not you, maybe not me--but the Average American needs pandering. They need to be consoled. Whatever politician does this the best will win--even if they actually have nothing of value to offer.
The difference between Obama and Romney for me is pretty simple. They're both politicians; they both pander; they both lie; they both have their flaws and their strengths. But at the end of the day, Romney got rich by destroying healthy companies for short-term gain. Obama got his start helping communities one person at a time. One of these mind sets will set America up for continued greatness, and the other will send us down the path of the British Empire.
I'd really have to tell my child someday, "Kid, you're American. Tone it down a bit."
I'm not saying that China is on the up-and-up. Not many people who have spent more than 15 minutes reading up on Chinese trade practices will vouch for their ability to play by the rules. But at the same time, if you looked at the United States in a similar point during the transition from an agriculture to an industrial economy you'd see similar practices.
The difference is, we did it first. Before there were established players to be hurt by it.
Obama is smart, smart enough to realize that no matter how many times he tattles on China it will never bring jobs back to America. The economy of the 1940's, 50's, and 60's is gone, and gone forever. The American worker is too expensive, too entitled, and oddly enough too uneducated to do the manufacturing jobs of 2012.
But you can't tell that to someone who doesn't want to flex with the times. Someone who can't. Someone who's just lost their job after 20 years, working in a plant that's now located in China. They barely got their high school diploma, never built another skillset beside operating their assembly line station. They're fucked. The world is leaving them behind, and they're rightly scared about it.
Obama knows he can't help them--probably not, anyway. What I see is Obama trying to help that person's kids. Setting the country up for success down the road, since we've fallen behind on this leg of the race. But that doesn't win elections.
As a nation, we've lost the ability to lay out a plan and work toward a goal. We've been seduced by the instant gratification of drive thru food, iPods, Blackberry syncing. If it's complicated, we want it simplified. If it relies on a human doing their job, we want to automate it to eliminate risk.
That nation needs to be pandered to. We all bitch about politicians, and how they behave. But we created them, folks. Maybe not you, maybe not me--but the Average American needs pandering. They need to be consoled. Whatever politician does this the best will win--even if they actually have nothing of value to offer.
The difference between Obama and Romney for me is pretty simple. They're both politicians; they both pander; they both lie; they both have their flaws and their strengths. But at the end of the day, Romney got rich by destroying healthy companies for short-term gain. Obama got his start helping communities one person at a time. One of these mind sets will set America up for continued greatness, and the other will send us down the path of the British Empire.
I'd really have to tell my child someday, "Kid, you're American. Tone it down a bit."
National View: How Do You Know When a Candidate Goes Too Far?
Answer: They change the subject.
Just after the attack on the Libyan consulate, Mitt Romney accused the President of being apologetic in his response. This ignited some pretty heated backlash, including from other Republicans.
It saddens me that someone acknowledging reality, despite party affiliation, is remarkable. But never mind that just now.
Romney knows he went too far in trying to appeal to the militant right wing here in America, and we can tell because he's not talking about the Libya attack or any other Muslim unrest.
This bothers me more than a little. As President, would be able to ignore one of the major foreign policies crises of the last 6 months? "Well, I muffed that--time to focus on education reform for a while." A sitting President doesn't have the luxury of changing their focus.
What I see out of this whole mess is a candidate trying to fire up his base--the people who hate that black bleeding heart in the White House. By accusing Obama of not defending the American way of life, of being ashamed of American values like freedom of speech, Romney's just trying to piss off our own reactionary radicals. The ones who don't necessarily like Romney, but will vote for him if they're sure a vote for Obama is a vote for evil.
Romney doesn't have the first idea how he'd react to such a wide-spread problem. Those who can, do. Those who can't, throw up smoke screens. You can strengthen yourself, or weaken your obstacle--and I think it's pretty clear how Romney approaches his problems.
Just after the attack on the Libyan consulate, Mitt Romney accused the President of being apologetic in his response. This ignited some pretty heated backlash, including from other Republicans.
It saddens me that someone acknowledging reality, despite party affiliation, is remarkable. But never mind that just now.
Romney knows he went too far in trying to appeal to the militant right wing here in America, and we can tell because he's not talking about the Libya attack or any other Muslim unrest.
This bothers me more than a little. As President, would be able to ignore one of the major foreign policies crises of the last 6 months? "Well, I muffed that--time to focus on education reform for a while." A sitting President doesn't have the luxury of changing their focus.
What I see out of this whole mess is a candidate trying to fire up his base--the people who hate that black bleeding heart in the White House. By accusing Obama of not defending the American way of life, of being ashamed of American values like freedom of speech, Romney's just trying to piss off our own reactionary radicals. The ones who don't necessarily like Romney, but will vote for him if they're sure a vote for Obama is a vote for evil.
Romney doesn't have the first idea how he'd react to such a wide-spread problem. Those who can, do. Those who can't, throw up smoke screens. You can strengthen yourself, or weaken your obstacle--and I think it's pretty clear how Romney approaches his problems.
Friday
No Posts Today
Just a heads up there won't be any posting today. Overtime schedule can make things a little too difficult to balance...
I'd rather put things down than break them trying to juggle.
Probably back tomorrow, or Sunday at the latest.
I'd rather put things down than break them trying to juggle.
Probably back tomorrow, or Sunday at the latest.
Thursday
International Angle: Drug Boss Captured
I can't even fathom living in Mexico with the drug violence going on. Mexican authorities captured on of their most wanted drug lords, continuing a string of recent law enforcement successes.
But how well is this going to serve as deterrence? Are they just sweeping away the competition for the next generation? As long as there's so much money to be made in drugs, and there's a reasonable chance of success, there will be someone else ready to pick up where the arrested guy left off.
I'm not sure what the answer is, and making it impossible for the bosses to operate securely is definitely a good step in my eyes. But it still doesn't change the fact Mexico scares the hell out of me.
But how well is this going to serve as deterrence? Are they just sweeping away the competition for the next generation? As long as there's so much money to be made in drugs, and there's a reasonable chance of success, there will be someone else ready to pick up where the arrested guy left off.
I'm not sure what the answer is, and making it impossible for the bosses to operate securely is definitely a good step in my eyes. But it still doesn't change the fact Mexico scares the hell out of me.
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