Thousands of US Marines stormed into the Helmand river valley under cover of night yesterday, the opening phase of Barack Obama’s new high-risk strategy in Afghanistan. In Operation Khanjar, or Strike of the Sword, hailed by one commander as a “D-Day moment”, 4,000 Marines entered the lower Helmand river valley, hoping to do in hours what British troops have failed to do in three years. It is part of a massive surge ordered by Mr Obama, doubling the number of American troops and flooding Helmand with 10,000 Marines - far in excess of the 8,000-strong British contingent stationed there since 2006. Operation Khanjar aims to capture and hold a swath of Taleban territory, opening the way for a massive influx of development aid and allowing the Afghan Government to put down roots before its presidential election on August 20. The election is a critical test for the leadership of President Karzai, once a darling of the West, now tainted by accusations of corruption and ineffectuality yet still regarded as Afghanistan’s least bad option.
The Marines faced little Taliban resistance as they began moving into villages in the Helmand River valley, a Taliban stronghold that is one of the world’s largest opium-producing regions. Marine commanders said Taliban fighters seemed to have melted into the surrounding countryside rather than staying to fight the large US force. “There’s been sporadic fighting, but it’s been light,” Capt. Bill Pelletier, a Marine spokesman, said in an interview from southern Afghanistan. “Our focus isn’t on going in and killing Taliban; it’s on driving those folks out of the area and keeping them from coming back.”
KABUL, Afghanistan - A U.S. Soldier, who has been missing since June 30th from his assigned unit, is now believed to have been captured by militant forces. We are exhausting all available resources to ascertain his whereabouts and provide for his safe return.
We are not providing any further details at this time in order to protect the welfare of the Soldier.
The unfortunate lesson is that you don’t need to win the vote on Election Day as long as your lawyers are creative enough to have enough new or disqualified ballots counted after the fact.
Mr. Franken trailed Mr. Coleman by 725 votes after the initial count on election night, and 215 after the first canvass. The Democrat’s strategy from the start was to manipulate the recount in a way that would discover votes that could add to his total.
Not a whole lot to be happy about with this win by Franken but at least now they own everything. They have a filibuster proof Senate. Either everything they have whined about for the last eight years gets fixed or they are outright liars. Scott said it best in the comments: Read the rest of this entry »
On June 24, Iranian Superstar Andy Madadian went into an LA recording studio with Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and American record producers Don Was and John Shanks to record a musical message of worldwide solidarity with the people of Iran. This version of the old Ben E. King classic is not for sale - it was not meant to be on the Billboard charts or even manufactured as a CD…..it’s intended to be downloaded and shared by the Iranian people…to give voice to the sentiment that all people of the world stand together….the handwritten Farsi sign in the video translates to “we are one”. If you know someone in Iran - or someone who knows someone in Iran - please share this link.
Well that didn’t take long to “wait” in order to “see”…. Iranian leadership, stolen elections and brutal Tiananman Sq tactics on dissent be damned, the big Zero - aka Eunuch in Chief - has decided to leave open the door with Iran over it’s nuke program. From the WaPo article:
The Obama administration will leave open the door for discussions with Iran over its nuclear ambitions even as demonstrators question the legitimacy of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-election, administration officials said Sunday.
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The legitimacy of the government, while questioned by the people of Iran, is not the critical issue for the U.S. goal of preventing Iran from developing a nuclear capability, Rice said.
“It’s in the United States’ national interest to make sure that we have employed all elements at our disposal, including diplomacy, to prevent Iran from achieving that nuclear capacity,” she said.
Both Rice and David Axelrod, Obama’s top adviser, said Ahmadinejad doesn’t appear to have the final say over Iran’s foreign policy. Axelrod, dismissing Ahmadinejad’s harsh language against the U.S. and Obama as “bloviations,” said being open to talks with Iran is not an effort to reward the country.
“We are looking to … sit down and talk to the Iranians and offer them two paths. And one brings them back into the community of nations, and the other has some very stark consequences,” Axelrod said.
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) — About 5,000 protesters marched slowly and silently through Tehran on Sunday near a mosque where the government was allowing a demonstration for the first time in days.
Authorities are riding on motorcycles alongside the marchers, who are telling each other to walk slowly and drag their feet. Police are telling the demonstrators to move faster.
The marchers are walking from north to south down a major street, Shariati Street, near the Ghoba Mosque, where a memorial is being held in honor of a hero of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Some of the protesters are telling the police that they have the legal right to protest in peace.
The Iranian leader compared the US position with what he claimed was the more sinister role played by Britain. He said the UK had meddled in the aftermath of the disputed election and cautioned Mr Obama not to replicate the approach.
“They already have a bad record in these matters,” he said, describing Downing Street as being run by “political retards”. “But why did the US president fall into their trap?
“I hope you [Mr Obama] will avoid interfering in Iran’s affairs and express regret in a way that the Iranian people are informed of it,” Mr Ahmadinejad said. “Will you use this language with Iran? If this is your stance, there will be nothing left to talk about.”
He advised Mr Obama to demonstrate he was different from his predecessor President George W Bush: “Do you think this behaviour will solve the problem for you? This will not have any result except that the people will consider you somebody similar to Bush.”
Uh huh… he says virtually nothing, and still Iran postures. Were this not so predictable and obvious, it would be hilarious. Yeah.. negotiate with this loser… illegitimate and downright insane to boot. New American policy under Obama… we *do* recognize propped up dictators, and negotiate with terrorists and illegitimate regimes.
In the meantime, the crackdown intensifies as the regime locks up academics at Universities who “…were believed to be among a group that has been pushing for a more liberal form of government.” Yes, folks… it’s criminal to have a dissenting opinion in Iran.
The ball’s in the appeaser-in-chief’s corner, now.
This is an outstanding video interview of the man who tried to save Neda. It’s about 19 minutes long but take the time to watch it…..one of the more shocking things to come out of it was that the crowd caught the gunman, and after taking his ID and picture let him go: (h/t Hot Air)
Meanwhile Threatswatch (caution….graphic picture on the threatswatch page) posted on the massacre in Baharestan Square yesterday by the Basij thugs, as told by a Iranian blogger: Read the rest of this entry »
Neda Agha-Soltan was a bystander in the dramatic conflict gripping her country. Today, following her slow death from a bullet in the chest, she is the icon of Iranian reaction to the violent suppression by an entrenched theocracy. Her name means “voice” or “message,” and she has become a dynamic symbol for Iranians seeking openness in government. She has also altered international reaction, even moving the White House off its mark.
The video of her last frightful two minutes was seen around the world within moments of her passing. The ubiquity of the Internet disseminating the powerful images of Neda’s final struggle, elicited additional and essential support almost instantly to the plight of her people.
This unwilling participant has inadvertently stimulated the energy of demonstrators, and has intoxicated events, rapidly evolving them into a full-blown revolution. The success of this revolt is in doubt over the short term, since the ayatollahs are willing and able to take any and all action to retain power. Ali Khamenei has not only gone well beyond the revolutionary Grand Ayatollah Komenei’s tenets, and moved himself toward self-deification, but he is determined to convert his theocracy into a family business, as he grooms and prepares his son to perpetuate his very own history making dynasty. Read the rest of this entry »
The fickle and tunnel-visioned western media apparently has had it’s fill. For days the nation watched mesmerized as Iranian demonstrators, under physical and police assault, smuggled out news via the New Age Internet media even professional journalists couldn’t match.
Yesterday and today… sans any shocking bloody videos to show… US news has turned it’s eye away from Iran and the citizens fight for fair elections and the right of free speech.
Just because the media’s eye isn’t focused, doesn’t mean Iran is quiet and banking on the Ayatollah’s five day election review extension. In fact, since they certified Ahmadinejad as the winner and vowed no retreat only the day before, and are set to swear him into office early August, the five day complaint review of the election is merely for show.
Yet despite the media’s distracted eye elsewhere, Iran was not without it’s clashes in the yesterday, or today.
The demonstrations continue on in Iran but the crowds are getting smaller as the Basij thugs are becoming more and more brutal:
Security forces wielding clubs and firing weapons beat back demonstrators who flocked to a Tehran square Wednesday to continue protests, two witnesses said.
One witness said security forces beat people like “animals.”
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At least two sources described wild and violent conditions at a part of Tehran where protesters had planned to demonstrate.
“They were waiting for us,” the source said. “They all have guns and riot uniforms. It was like a mouse trap.
“I see many people with broken arms, legs, heads — blood everywhere — pepper gas like war,” the source said.
Around “500 thugs” with clubs came out of a mosque and attacked people in the square, another source said. Read the rest of this entry »
Ah… the media was a’flurry with reports that the Eunuch in Chief was actually about to take a definitive stand INRE the freedom fighters in the streets of Iran. Little did they know that the only ones he *was* getting tough on were his critics… like me… calling him a wuss.
I’d like to say a few words about the situation in Iran. The United States and the international community have been appalled and outraged by the threats, beatings, and imprisonments of the last few days. I strongly condemn these unjust actions, and I join with the American people in mourning each and every innocent life that is lost.
I have made it clear that the United States respects the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and is not at all interfering in Iran’s affairs. But we must also bear witness to the courage and dignity of the Iranian people, and to a remarkable opening within Iranian society. And we deplore violence against innocent civilians anywhere that it takes place.
The Iranian people are trying to have a debate about their future.
The Obama administration might reevaluate its stance toward Iran if the violent crackdowns on dissidents were to escalate, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday.
“Well, obviously, we are watching the events each and every day here at the White House,” Gibbs said during his appearance on Fox News.
The White House spokesman said that if an escalation were to take place along the lines of China’s Tiananmen Square Massacre — an event to which Republicans critical of President Obama have compared the Iranian protests — then the administration would take another look at their stance.
“Obviously, if a tremendous escalation happened — if tanks happened — obviously, we would evaluate that immediately,” Gibbs said.
“I want to emphatically state tonight that if the outrages in Poland do not cease we cannot, and will not, conduct business as usual with the perpetrators and those who aid and abet them”
- Ronald Reagan
What do we get from Obama? Outings with his family and a bunch of hemming and hawing. “Well if it REALLY REALLY escalates then we will do something.”
The Iranian youth have risen up, as we had hoped they would do for decades now, and our President waffled. His backers made the excuse up that if he was to get involved it would cause more mayhem. But mayhem happened anyway….as Mataharley noted in her most excellent comment here: Read the rest of this entry »
A protester shows a victory sign and white rose as people protest in front of the Iranian embassy in Brussels, Saturday, June 20, 2009. People gather to express their solidarity with opposition supporters in Iran who risk confrontation with police if they take to the streets in their country.
AP photo
