Any frequent reader of this blog knows that I have maintained a somewhat obsessive focus on the Afghanistan war over the last two years. If there’s a long break between posts that touch on Christian nonviolence, it’s because I’m writing furiously about Afghanistan, and if there’s a long break between posts in general, it’s usually [...]
Archive for May, 2010
Activism and Rest
Posted: May 31, 2010 in UncategorizedTags: activism, Afghanistan, Christianity, Episcopal Diocese of Texas, Jesus, nonviolence, Rethink Afghanistan
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The Iraq and Afghanistan Wars Mutilated Our Economy
Posted: May 30, 2010 in UncategorizedTags: $1 Trillion, $1000000000000, Afghanistan, Afghanistan war, cost of war, Dean Baker, economy, Iraq war, jobs, peri, Rethink Afghanistan, war in Afghanistan
$1,000,000,000,000.00 As of today, that’s how much we’ve spent just in direct costs so far on the stupid wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. One trillion dollars, gone. And we’re just getting warmed up…there are trillions more in future direct and indirect costs coming. These two wars mutilated our economy. There’s no other way to say [...]
Afghanistan Where A Thousand Corpses Lie
Posted: May 18, 2010 in UncategorizedTags: 1000 Deaths, Afghanistan, Afghanistan war, Brave New Foundation, casualties, McChrystal, Obama, Rethink Afghanistan, Tillman, war in Afghanistan, white house
Hoarse, booming drums of the regiment, Little souls who thirst for fight, These men were born to drill and die. The unexplained glory flies above them, Great is the Battle-God, great, and his Kingdom – A field where a thousand corpses lie. –Stephen Crane, Do not weep, maiden for war is kind. According to The [...]
President Obama, Bringing the Truthiness on Afghanistan
Posted: May 14, 2010 in UncategorizedTags: Afghanistan, Afghanistan war, COIN, counterinsurgency, Defense Department, Flournoy, insurgency, Obama, Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability, Rethink Afghanistan, war in Afghanistan
President Obama told reporters on May 12, 2010, that “we’re beginning to reverse the momentum of the insurgency” in Afghanistan. According to his administration’s own report given to Congress last week, that’s not true. The insurgency is growing in size and capabilities. Simply put, the president’s continued troop increases aren’t working. It’s time to change [...]
Plagiarism and Afghanistan
Posted: May 4, 2010 in UncategorizedTags: Afghanistan, Afghanistan war, Brave New Foundation, civilian deaths, COIN, counterinsurgency, Defense Department, failure, Kandahar, Marjah, McChrystal, Michael Flynn, Michael McMahon, Pentagon, Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan, Rethink Afghanistan, Russ Carnahan, war in Afghanistan
Last week, the military published an ironically titled “Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan” that wrapped blunt admissions of strategic collapse in typical Pentagon happy talk. Short version: Violence is up 87 percent (p. 39), the insurgency has population sympathy/support in 92 of 121 key regions, and local support for International Security [...]
