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Archive for May, 2009
More on Airstrike Casualties from The New York Times
Posted: May 15, 2009 in UncategorizedTags: Afghanistan
NYT: …American planes bombed after 8 p.m. in several waves when most of the villagers thought the fighting was over; and whatever the actual number of casualties, it is clear from the villagers’ accounts that dozens of women and children were killed after taking cover. One group went to a spacious compound owned by a [...]
Civilian Deaths, Military Evangelism and the Nonviolent Christ
Posted: May 7, 2009 in UncategorizedTags: Afghanistan, Bala Baluk, Christianity, Jesus, nonviolence, Zabelka
A few weeks ago, the United States adopted a new policy for public response to U.S.-caused civilian deaths: apologize quickly. The administration took this step after repeatedly being shamed into admitting culpability for high-civilian-casualty events following initial denials of responsibilities. One could see this new policy at work at the State Department over the past [...]
I’m sure you know this as a married person yourself, but my wife tells me that sorry doesn’t cut it if you keep doing it. From Wired’s Danger Room blog: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton just apologized for the civilian deaths. “We deeply regret it. We don’t know all of the circumstances or causes. And [...]
A Deal with the Devil, Continued
Posted: May 6, 2009 in UncategorizedTags: Afghanistan, Bala Baluk, nonviolence
You: I am scared and want to be safe. Devil: Sure, I can make you safe. I have the entire Kingdom of the Sword at my disposal. All I ask is that you accept the consequences… Up to 100 civilians feared killed in US air raids in Afghanistan The Pentagon yesterday promised to launch a [...]
Which Way Out of Just War Theory?
Posted: May 5, 2009 in UncategorizedTags: Christianity, Council on Foreign Relations, just war theory, nonviolence
Richard Haass at the Council on Foreign Relations recently voiced reservations about the Afghanistan war, pointing out that it was rapidly evolving into a ‘war of choice.’ It’s a good read, and I commend him for giving the interview. However, I take issue with his more recent piece on the Washington Post’s “On Faith” feature, [...]
Possible U.S.-Backed Military Coup in Pakistan?
Posted: May 4, 2009 in UncategorizedTags: Afghanistan, nuclear weapons, Pakistan
A few weeks ago, Juan Cole wrote about the ludicrous nature of the hype about the threat posed by the Taliban to Pakistan: What I see is a Washington that is uncomfortable with anything like democracy and civilian rule in Pakistan; which seems not to realize that the Pakistani Taliban are a small, poorly armed [...]
If I offered to keep you and your family “safe” in exchange for the murder of a 12-year-old girl, would you agree? KABUL: NATO-led troops shot and killed a 12-year-old girl and wounded two other civilians in western Afghanistan after they opened fire at a vehicle close to a convoy, police said on Sunday.
With apologies to CNN, I’m reposting this entire article: Churchgoers more likely to back torture, survey finds Posted: 01:55 PM ET WASHINGTON (CNN) — The more often Americans go to church, the more likely they are to support the torture of suspected terrorists, according to a new analysis. More than half of people who attend services [...]
