America: a Beacon, not an EmpireNEWS OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE- (& Iraq)
| America: a Beacon, not an Empire |
NEWS OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE- (& Iraq) |
Americans Against World Empire, Inc Homepage
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"....from the White House to the Pentagon (the State Department still has some good sense left), one hears repeatedly the siren call of "empire," like the lotus-eaters on the Isle of Djerba in ancient times crying out to Ulysses' sailors with their delicious narcotic treats and then holding them enchanted in the prisons of their desires."(1/07/03) Georgie Anne Geyer
Bush Outlines Empire Doctrine & pre-emptive attacks Answering the Wolfowitz-Bush Doctrine on Empire Bush & the World his views after 9/11 & before attacking Iraq, America the Hegemon U.S. Casualties Updates in Iraq
Bush Views & Neocons 2002-- "belief that forceful U.S. leadership would cow the United States' enemies and bring wavering friends into line. Hand wringing or grumbling from allies, the Bush team believed, stemmed not from too much American direction, but from too little. Vice President Dick Cheney summarized this view just before the outbreak of the Iraq war, when he told NBC's Tim Russert that he had no doubt that in the long run, after Saddam had been overthrown, "a good part of the world, especially our allies, will come around to our way of thinking."
4/28/08 Millions of Iraq Reconstruction Projects Never Completed
Audit by Inspector General for Iraq of some of $100 Billion construction projects paid by U.S.4/21/08 The New Walls of Baghdad
very informative study of U.S. tactics, copied from Israelis, to divide cities with walls, check points, trying to maintain permanent bases4/17/08 Congress Hearings on Civil Defense if Washington is Nuked
Risk is increasing every year4/02/08 Today's Spies Get Information From Internet
-- open sources replacing secret agents, too much information to process, briefings for President include internet info.--often faster and more accurate than intelligence reports.3/30/08 Pakistan's Border Bad Lands Same tribe as Afghan Pashtuns (Taliban), view America as imperialist like former British, U.S. bombing is counter productive, no way out for U.S. except unending war, U.S. losing moral highground See also Culture-Politics Hinder U.S. Efforts on Pakistan Border
3/30/08 Hot to Withdraw by Iraq
by Zbigniew Brezinski -- genuine withdrawal, Palestine peace, work with neighboring nations3/17/08 Details on Decision to Disband Iraqi Army and (nearly all) Government Officials
incompetence, lies, intentions3/16/08 The War Was About Oil
--but not wanted by oil companies or international business-- but yes by intellectuals (neoconservatives) "empire wanters" and "War Party" profiteers3/09/08 Iraq War Will Cost Three Trillion
adding in worn out equipment replacements, care of wounded, benefits for veterans, etc 70,000 vets with hearing loss3/09/08 U.S. Troops Losing Hearing
nearby blasts of IED's, 70,000 receiving disability payments for total or partial loss2/26/08 The Real Story Behind Kosovo Independence
Washington & international law (when it's convenient)-- a good wrap up of what happened with Clinton's illegal war2/15/08 Bribery Investigation of Prince Bandar Exploding --BAE paid $1 Billion possible bribes--Follow the money--Saudis threatened British government to stop co-operation and information on terrorists-U.S. freezes his assets
2/11/08 Army Buried RAND Study Faulting Iraq Planning
Bush/Rumsfeld assumption of easy, chaep reconstruction, continuity of Iraq's police and civil bureaucracy, no discussion of possible true costs, etc1/28/08 The World in 2016
divided as Orwell expected by 19841/23/08 Bid To Toughen Iran Sanctions Faces Obstacles On Capitol ...
Israel Lobby can't push them through, business and some Jewish groups opposed1/23/08 Iraq's New Law Could Bring Another Purge of Former Baathists
again a new expulsion of the trained managers and teacher, etc. --no reconcilation1/07/08 Pakistanis want Islamic democracy, distrust US -poll interesting--70% believe U.S. goal is to divide and weaken Islam, 40% oppose capturing Bin Laden, 66% do not turst U.S. to "act responsibly in the world" more-
1/07/08 Bush: Bad for America, Bad for Israel Haaretz on Bush visit to Israel-- "all we got from Bush: a more entrenched and brutal occupation with the open, or tacit, encouragement of the U.S.; a green light for another superfluous war in Lebanon;"
12/08/07 List of 'Willing' U.S. Allies Shrinks Steadily in Iraq Kept in obscurity so as not to risk any casualties, rarely any combat--20 nations-- example 13 soldiers from Romania, 1 from Singapore. Allies expect payoff later from America in aid or support
11/30/07 New Understanding- Reason for Firing Whole Iraqi Army and Civil Service It was not to wreck the country, but rather to eliminate nationalists who would object to U.S. companies taking over oil resources --(We rather subscribe to idea that it was not done out of stupidity by Rumsfeld-Feith, they were not stupid men, however it also served Feith's Likud loyalties). Army was loyal to Iraq nation, unlike tribes and Shia leaders. Garner was fired because he objected, wanted Army to maintain order and nationhood.
11/26/07 War Supporter Howard Defeated in Australia last major Bush/Cheney ally for wars defeated, Australia to withdraw troops from Iraq, move away from Neocon American foreign policies
11/26/07 U.S. Incapable of Building Needed Refineries Paralysis in Washington, environmental laws and laws to allocate refining to ethanol hinder economics --gasoline imports doubled to 10% of needs.
11/18/07 What Does Iraq Cost? Even More Than You Think. 250,000 bullets for each dead guerrilla - Joint Economic Committee estimates cost through '08 budget at $1.3 Trillion, CBO says $1 Trillion
11/18/07 Losing Afghanistan, One Civilian at a Time firepower and nervous soldiers don't win guerilla wars
11/11/07 America's Imperial Shadow in Middle East, seen as continuation of European imperialism, but more self righteous
11/06/07 Court-Martial for Killing 3 Iraqis fake weapons put out as "bait" - then Iraqis picking them up were killed, other cases of killing unarmed young men just for running away to build up body count
11/05/07 Trial in Iraq of Top Shiite for murder of Sunnis in Hospitals interesting report on how militias got established, how they did killings
11/03/07 How Iraq's Elections Set Back Democracy by Ayad Allawi-- rush to proportional system, voters did not know names of candidates, could only vote for (mainly ethnic) party lists made by politicians, etc. See proportional representation problems for more on this type of electoral system
11/03/07 State Dept., other agencies short changed as most money goes to military military setting up units for diplomacy, intelligence, oversight, language skills, etc, while AID, USIA, State, etc. decimated or destroyed.
10/30/07 Catastrophic Iraq Occupation the U.S. Media Rarely Reports Deaths, hospitals, bombing, etc.
10/19/07 Days After Claiming U.S. Less Safe Due To Iraq War, Counterterrorism Chief Suddenly Resigns See Video of Interview
10/19/07 Head of Reconstruction Teams in Iraq Reports Little Progress Throughout Country businesses shut down, scarce electricity, no maintenance of facilities built by U.S., few jobs, general misery without hope
10/16/07 Hatred of U.S. Drives al-Qaeda Recruiting "occupied my country, destroyed it and made millions [of] refugees. It is an honor to fight this”
10/8/07 Top Iraqis Pull Back from Key U.S. Goal Very detailed report on inability of Iraq government to reform itself or become effective -- because of the way the U.S. set up electoral system and power holding from the beginning
9/30/07 Washington Post Series Dire fight to Beat War's Most Effective Weapon IED's now spreading to Afghanistan and fears that they will come to other parts of the world New type of bomb is unexpectedly lethal in Iraq
9/04/07 Infiltration by Sjia of Iraq Police and Army and Signing Up Sunnis Two reports explaining Iraq situation and impossibility of any military resolution by Americans. Situation only possible as long as U.S. troops stay.
8/30/07 GAO Report Finds Little Progress on Iraq Goals Iraq fails to meet all but 3 of 18 Congress mandated benchmarks
8/12/07 Libby & the Intent to Destroy Iraq American Prospect
8/7/07 As British Leave, Basra Deteriorates Infighting, tribes, gangs vie for stealing oil money, British stay cooped up at main base
8/3/07 Total U.S. Ignorance of Iraq's Tribal Society Maliki and his Dawa party govern as a tribe, no ability or experience in compromising with others, Dawa has not militia like other Shia tribes, no money to support Sunni area rebuilding Gates--"U.S. Misjudged Iraqi Leaders Discord" all this comes back to Neocon control of policies GAO Report on Iraq Oil Sector
9/01/07 $150 Barrel Oil "easily managed" says Heritage Foundation but a million fewer jobs in 2008, then U.S. would allow drilling in Alaska.
7/17/07 Payback for NATO Expansion by Ivan Eland-- U.S. violation of Two Plus Four agreement for Russians to evacuate East Germany
7/18/07 Report on Contractor (mercenary) "army" in Iraq key support for US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, civilians have little oversight and, back home, little help. New Associated Press Report on Contractors
6/23/07 U.S. Using Kurdish Infiltrators into Iran to disrupt and try to cause ethnic conflict and chaos like in Iraq, 1200 Israeli Intelligence agents in Northern (Kurdish) Iraq
6/16/07 Report on Private Contractors -- key role, 100 companies, 20-30,000 contractors, 14% of convoys being attacked, number rising over prior years, hundreds killed
6/14/07 U.S. Tries to Set Up Competent Intelligence Service in Iraq problem Iranian influence in Shia organizations, Iranians also had lists of former Iraqi intelligence officials and many assassinated (note earlier reports (Jamestown Foundation) that pilots, engineers, former generals also murdered, Ed.)
6/10/07 Republican Presidential Candidates' Debates Show American Democracy Incapable of Intelligent Imperialism appealing to Southern (war & religion) base, disaffecting the rest of America
6/10/07 Military Envisons Long Term (Smaller) Presence in Iraq -Leaving would take 3,000 large convoys 10 months to remove U.S. military gear and personnel.---"2005 election only made things worse, deepened sectarian divides," says U.S. general
5/30/06 Recapturing
the Essentials of Counterinsurgency well researched
history of guerrilla warfare and listing of necessary measures for success.
5/24/07 Fortress Embassies Damage Diplomacy Get out of our garrisons
5/16/07 What
Bremer Got Wrong in Iraq reinforced
tribal culture, many soldiers and officers who wanted to co-operate with U.S. (and
promised so in pre-war U.S. propaganda) were dismissed along with all other government
officials
4/24/07 How to infuriate Russia and the European Union and waste $10 billion a year. putting antimissiles in Europe to defend against Iran??
4/20/07 Training Iraqi Troops No Longer U.S. Priority training and equipment give mainly to Shia militias with loyalty to their tribes-- training was basis of whole U.S. policy
4/12/07 $5 per Gallon Gasoline
When U.S. Starts Bombing Iran
4/03/07 Iraqi Sunni Widow Murdered by Shiites --futility- of U.S. efforts to protect Iraqis from ethnic cleansing - Sunnis being eliminated in Baghdad even after U.S. soldiers try to intervene - NY Times story
3/16/07 The Trillion Dollar Budget is Already Here $1 million for each new soldier --presumably includes equipment, perhaps not his pension
3/15/07 U.S Has Four Very Large Bases in Iraq ---each with housing for tens of thousands of troops, no plans to give them up, quarter billion dollars spent already on one, Balad Air Base, also occupies whole Northern quarter of Kuwait
3/14/07 National Guard Troops Never Signed Up for service overseas, Article I, Section 8; Clause 15: The Congress shall have Power ... To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions.
3/12/07 Terrorists Harder To Profile new recruits among regular Europeans, other, no longer looking like Arabs or Middle Easterners
3/02/07 National Guard Major Equipment Shortages 88% of units "not ready" - billions of dollars equipment shortfalls, material left in Iraq or stripped for other units, shortage for training and emergencies
3/01/07 New Doubts On Nuclear Efforts by North Korea U.S. Less Certain of Uranium Program
2/27/07 Among Religious Groups, Jewish Americans Most Strongly Oppose War 77% of Jews agree "US made Mistake in Invading Iraq"
2/26/07 American Views of Foreign Nations poll data
2/20/07 Mercenaries Pervade Military and Defense Industries here to stay
2/20/07 Young Arabs All over Muslim World volunteering to fight Americans in Iraq, fear of future cadres of anti-U.S. fighters all over Muslim world and Europe North Africa Feared as Staging Ground for Terror NY Times -- Al Qaeda training disaffected youths
2/18/07 Simple, Cheap "shaped" Explosives Wrecking Havoc with American Tanks EFP's (Explosively Formed Penetrators) made from cheap copper disks, easily manufactured
2/16/07 How Bush Wrecked U.S. Oil Interests decling goodwill towards U.S., Rus-China alliance, losing out in Muslim world, empowering OPEC
2/15/07 Long Term Care for War Wounded Estimated at $350 Billion another example of the incredibly high cost of empire
2/3/07 In Iraq, Kurds Train to Battle Iran question where money weapons come from
1/30/07 Reasons Why Afghanistan Pacification is Failing U.S. put Tajiks in charge, anathma to majority Pashtun tribes, inability of Washington to run sophisticated occupations
1/28/07 Our Mercenaries in Iraq Blackwater Corp
1/27/07 Shia Iraqi soldier beat Sunnis as US trainers watch English paper broadcast GI filming of operation in Baghdad (Youtube) Will the "surge" just mean ethnic cleansing of Sunnis?
1/25/07 Spanish court issues search and capture warrant for American soldiers for killing journalist with tank shell fired on hotel full of journalists
1/24/07 The Low Ebb of American Soft Power by Joseph Nye
1/24/07 U.S. losing business travelers to Europe Strict security measures on international visitors lead to drop, report shows
1/23/07 Views on U.S. Drop Sharply In Worldwide Opinion Poll 29% now say US has positive effect on the world, down from 40% two years earlier
1/22/07 War's Arab Supporters Bitter Over Its Results Washington incompetence, abandonment of Palestine peace process, renewed support for dictators, reinforcement of fanatics
12/15/06 U.S. Army & Marines Being "Hollowed Out" Army Chief of Staff testimony, 10,000 additional soldiers cost $1.2 billion per yr up from $700 million in 2001 because of bonuses & incentives = $120,000 per man (plus maybe retirement benefits--not clear)
12/14/06 Farewell to Pax Americana costing too much, allies going their own way, China rising, 72% against
12/08/06 Iraq Study Group Repudiation of Bush Policies must deal directly with Arab-Israeli peace process, learn culture, only 6 of 1,000 in Embassy speak Arabic /Consensus from hundreds of sources & Executive Summary
12/06/06 Census - 100,000 American contractors in Iraq breakdown of occupations incl. translators, bodyguards, etc, 650 killed
12/05/06 Another Disaster-- F-22 Below Expectations "The F-22 fails to improve America's fighting force and degrades our combat capability"
12/05/06 Another Mess-- US Report finds Dismal Training of Afghan Police most of $1.1 Billion spent on contract (mercenary) advisor company in America, Dyncorp-- $1.6 billion for Iraq and Afghan work for last 3 years
12/04/06 Tehran Court Does to America What America Does to Others allows plaintiff to seize U.S. property (Embassy) for monetary damages. U.S. stripped Vienna Convention diplomatic immunity from nations on U.S. "sponsors of terrorism" list; Tehran court declares U.S. similarly a "sponsor of terrorism." Iranian kidnapped by U.S. for trading with Libya when he was not subject to U.S. laws.
12/04/06 Election Devastates Republicans in Statehouse Races down to 22 governors & loss of whole Northeast. Governors agree reason was majority against all Republicans to show opposition to Bush Iraq war and Republican congress.
11/19/06 Embittered Insiders Turn Against Bush "Whole philosophy of using American strength for good in the world, for a foreign policy that is really value-based instead of balance of power bases, I don't think is disproven by Iraq, but it is certainly discredited." Kenneth Adelman
11/10/06 Why We Can't Win need for simplicity, ridiculous term "Islamofascism" equates all as enemies, thoughtful book
10/21/06 The New American Cold War Discrediting democracy by equating it with NATO expansion/encirclement of Russia
10/07/06 Why America Can't Win Against Guerrillas 11 reasons-- F-22's instead of Arabic speakers, etc, etc
10/3/06 Anti-U.S. views Grow in Turkey now because of Kurdish terrorists with U.S. supplied weapons--100 Turkish security officers killed in '06 so far
9/29/06 NATO Allies in Afghanistan various nations refuse to risk their soldiers lives, many different restrictions on use of troops-- of 26 nations only 6 allow unrestricted use of forces
9/24/06 Anger at U.N. More Strident Than Ever "crossfire? Bush, he's thinking of a Western, when people would shoot form the hip and somebody would be caught in the crossfire--not comparable to precision bombs of American empire and Israel firing on the people of Palestine and Lebanon--imperialist, fascist, assassin, genocidal" Chavez
9/20/06 Venice -- A Lesson in successful Empire avoiding war and demanding trade
9/18/06 U.S. Holds 14,000 Iraqi prisoners without charges - doesn't know what to do with them
9/17/06 Iraq Government Unable to Purge Gangsters and Shiite Militia from Police Forces Shiite militias, earlier armed and trained by U.S. military, as well as 1400 former criminals, no trust in uniformed police, Sunnis terrorized and murdered, Americans no longer allowed to inspect prisons, (NY TIMES- fair use)
9/17/06 The Children's Crusade How Bush staffed early Iraq occupation jobs, 24 yr. old to re-create stock exchange, Bush-Cheney T-shirts, husband of National Review editor rates on political loyalty, no skills necessary, Arabic speakers irrelevant, Heritage Foundation interns, etc. Then, of course, Bush's views on terrorism (ending evil in the world) come from a nursery school idea of good and evil
9/15/06 Army Desperation For Recruits 40% score in bottom half of aptitude test, paid tens of thousands in bonuses, foreigners offered citizenship, mental health issues, told how to cheat drug tests, gang members, criminal records,
9/11/06 Losing the Guerrilla War militants beating technology, guerrillas winning by not losing, U.S. Vietnam style body count combat is creating inexhaustible supply of suicide bombers, safe training bases in Pakistan, terrorists learning faster than Western armies, America unable to protect soft targets, e.g. teachers, engineers, administrators
9/11/06 U.S. Losing in West Iraq, marine report, virtually already lost and irredeemable
9/10/06 Al-Qaeda: Lebanon's Unbloodied Victor by Michael Scheuer, former CIA Bin Laden expert
9/9/06 How Afghanistan Fell Apart -- NY TIMES -- Disaster of part time, indecisive American rule, not enough police forces, little focus, littler interest in Washington except to chase Taliban & al-Qaeda, no taste for running the empire 9/10 Taliban Regrouped and Rearmed - WASH. POST report
7/24/06 The 4th Division in Iraq -- doing "everything" wrong, treating civilians as enemies, beating captives, humiliating Iraqis, swaggering, first combat action in decades, etc
7/23/06 Disaster Began With Early Occupation American soldiers' no care for Iraq opinions, no lessons wanted from Viet Nam, dismissal of whole civil service and military, arrogance, stupidity (also took lessons from Israeli advisors, Ed)
7/10/06 China Buys 30-50% of Russian Military Exports good news for TheWarParty
6/25/06 How Else Could America spend $320 Billion so far on Iraq War, but some estimates go over $1 trillion
6/20/06 In Tribal Pakistan, a Tide of Militancy Influence of Taliban Said to Be Spreading Beyond Border Areas Near Afghanistan
6/20/06 The Bush administration has wrecked the system for capturing and holding foreign enemies. How to fix it?
6/4/06 Civilians Killed Daily "They crush them with their vehicles and kill them just on a suspicion or a hunch.”
6/4/06 "History Lessons for U.S. Officers" now being taught about past guerrilla wars
6/01/06 Marines Haditha Killing Civilians Rocks Washington cover up and tactics, rage of soldiers, confusion, not trained for occupation, trained to search and destroy with maximum force, see also Bill Lind on effectiveness of IED's causing solders to go berserk and destroy good will with civilian populations, 4th generation warfare --why America can't run an empire
5/26/06 Bush Blair Concede Iraq Mistakes including dismissal of whole army, police, civilian government infrastructure-- opposed by Generals We argue that it could not have been such stupidity, that it was intentional Likud plan implemented by its ally Douglas Feith (Rumsfeld deputy) to intentionally bring about chaos --Feith also helped torpedo Oslo accords -- See All Roads Lead to Feith Ed.
5/19/06 Essay on Evolution of Muslim Religion from Mohamed's egalitarianism and giving women rights and protections to the Ulama's stifling of inquiry, freedom & progress
5/19/06 Washington's Threats Against Syria Dry Out American Oil Companies Asians and Russians move in
5/6/06 Lesson of Tal Afar Excellent analysis of warfare methods and errors in Iraq by George Packer, author of "The Assassin's Gate"
4/30/06 League of Dictators Russia and China getting together to thwart U.S. objectives and power -- working with dictators
4/29/06 Cost of Putting Each
Fighter in War Zone $400,000 at end of
2005 for Iraq and-- Houston Chronicle
4/29/06 Solzhenitsyn Criticizes U.S.--Nato encirclement of Russia, defends Putin policies
4/20/06 Retreat from Freedom Agenda Washington losing in Central Asia
4/20/06 Unforeseen Spending Wracks War Budget weapons wearing out, now $10 billion per month for wars
4/15/06 The Dark Heart of Dick Cheney Remember that the invasion, torture, the destruction of worldwide goodwill towards America, one of America’s greatest disasters, all come from Cheney and his neocon entourage,
4/9/06 Washington Booms from Defense Spending Bin Laden's plan to bleed and bankrupt America proceeding apace-- as in Judo, leveraging America to fall--U.S. outspends him 10,000 to 1
4/9/06 Immigrants May Actually Boost U.S. Wages -- New Study --simplest example--more jobs for truck drivers because immigrants available to pick vegetables
4/3/06 "Permanent" Bases in Iraq?? Camp Anaconda with 20,000 soldiers--only 1,000 go off base - House passes resolution stating "no plans for permanent bases" - Since fall of Berlin Wall 35 new US bases between Poland and Pakistan
4/3/06 Russians Sense New Cold War -- Washington's expansion of NATO to Russian borders, arrogance, fear of U.S. surprise attack capabilities (article writing that US could destroy Russian and China at little risk to America) mistrust of American government
3/24/06 Permanent Air Bases Being built in Iraq Despite semi-denials of Bush team Analysis by Jim Lobe
3/23/06 Bush Regime Stifles Voice of America not propagandistic enough being cut for peanuts, its who budget = price of one half on one F-22 fighter plane
3/19/06 State Dept. Tries to Block Claimants Undefended suits for $Billions in U.S. Courts against "terrorist" states, law passed Congress in 1996, prevents any future reconciliation, e.g. with Iran, will end U.S. oil interests in future. then Congress offered $380 million from U.S. taxpayers to pay off claimants and their lawyers (up to 35% or more) in advance of any possible re-establishment of diplomatic relations. (Note--most Congressmen are lawyers). Another reason why America can't be a competent imperialist nation.
3/21/06 Too Much Manliness American foreign policy's macho cowboys
3/20/06 Fortress America & Dubai Undertow Consequences of Fortress America mentality
3/12/06 U.S. Spending Billions to Combat Roadside Bombs
3/10/06 Proposal to Allow 20 -yr Old Soldiers to Drink Beer on military bases
3/1/06 Al-Qaeda's Insurgency Doctrine for the War by Michael Scheuer, former CIA Bin-Laden specialist, author of Imperial Hubris (pdf document - scroll down to Scheuer analysis-- Jamestown Foundation)
3/09/06 American Special Ops Commandos Placed Secretly in U.S. Embassies Conflict with CIA, fear of repercussions with foreign governments- soldiers killed robber in Paraguay
3/08/06 New U.S. Military Bases in Romania -- allow launching attacks w/o Romania Government knowledge or approval
2/26/06 Alarming Loss of Goodwill for America by Arnaud de Borchgrave
2/26/06 Spreading Democracy by Force very interesting analogy with French Revolution and Napoleon telling nations, e.g. Spain, that he was conquering their (autocratic) rulers in order to bring them freedom --
2/26/06 On the Brink of Chaos interesting about internal Iraq situation, Wahabi in Saudi Arabia also wrecked Shia mosques
2/16/06 U.S. Unit Praised for Tactics Against Iraqi Fighters, Treatment of Detainees rare instance of successful, effective rule --how occupation should be done, but rare and commanders rotated out of Iraq and so lose confidence of Iraqis, 3rd world is built on personal relationships
2/16/06 U.S. Army Detains Iraqi Militia Death Squads Iraqi "Army" and "police" have first loyalty to Shia and Kurdish tribes, being used to kidnap and murder Sunnis
1/31/06 NATO Insists On Poking the Russian Bear obligating America to defend insignificant states, flying fighter bombers minutes from St. Petersburg
1/21/06 U.S. Army Now Training to Fight Insurgencies Officers being taught lessons ignored from Viet Nam; prior training was about how to fight big armies from nation states, i.e. still training to fight Russians
1/11/06 Ignorance of Enemy Culture, Arrogance-- Criticism of U.S. Military British officer views in Army journal --too gung-ho, too aggressive, too bureaucratic, too self rightous, too impatient, to ignorant
1/11/06 Lots of Bombing by U.S. Planes - Air Force expects to continue raids after U.S. Military leaves with targets selected by Air Force personnel attached to Iraqi units
1/09/06 Kurdistan -- A Gangster State not what Americans imagine or are told
1/09/06 What Happened to the American Century? interesting
1/01/06 NSA Surveillance Update sifting millions of chatter, process mainly out of date, how terrorists actually communicate, many potential best analysts (e.g. hackers) cannot get thru security clearance
12/30/05 Covert CIA Programs Updates -- details on aggressive, pre-emptive anti-terror measures and policies
12/24/05 Vaunted Success in Training Iraqi Army is mainly setting up Shia & Kurdish units to fight and occupy Sunni areas
12/24/05 Italians Issue Arrest Warrants for 22 CIA Agents for kidnapping--valid in 25 EU nations
12/16/05 Jihad Roots & Ripples by Arnaud de Borchgrave -- latest info wrap-up
12/8/05 "Enduring Bases" in Iraq & Now Four Administration has never repudiated original plan for long term bases in Iraq to replace Saudi ones
12/01/05 U.S. Army New Training for Post-wars Occupations
11/28/06 Fewer & Fewer Americans Support "Go it Alone" Now 42% say U.S. should mind its own business overseas, work with Allies
11/26/05 Anti-China Hawks Gaining Ascendancy in Washington Neo-cons and Wolfowitz Doctrine still riding high -- War Party needs a major enemy to justify budgets -- fighting terrorists and occupying Iraq is not enough to justify budget
11/08/05 Looted Iraqi Museum Relics Mostly Still Missing Priceless archeological treasures from unprotected museums
10/30/05 Karen Hughes as "Diplomatic Toast" stupidities....."like Arabs sending a woman in a black chador who had spent no time in the U.S. possesssed no knowledge of our history or culture, spoke no English...." NEW REPUBLIC
10/22/05 Evidence of Voter Fraud in Iraq Constitution Election
10/20/05 The Weimarization of Washington in fighting without quarter
10/20/05 Spanish Judge Issues Warrant for 3 GI's for killing journalists save right as U.S. courts exert for crimes in foreign nations, Pentagon no answer, possible forerunner for other cases of journalists killed by U.S. forces also claiming self-defense
10/2/05 Details Iraq Constitution + Background of Iraqi Prime Minister as Islamist
9/30/05 Gen. Odom Iraq-- "the greatest strategic disaster in United States history"
9/26/05 Destabilization Concerns in Russia--Caucuses
9/19/05 Pentagon May Have Doubts on Preemptive Use of Nukes criticism from Congress 9/14/05 Unraveling of U.S. Army collapsing recruitment, proposals to hire foreigners 9/14/05 Bush Administration Plans for First Use of Nukes against potential threats9/12/05 Bill Clinton was the person who first undercut the ideas of the International Criminal Court, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. When George Bush became president, he stepped into space created for him by Bill Clinton. This isn't to demonize Clinton. It's just to show that our political system had already been corrupted by something we weren't reckoning with – and the shorthand for that something was "the Pentagon."
Interview with James Carroll9/10/05 Security Contractors in Iraq Raise Havoc killing and intimidating --America gets blamed
9/02/05 "Did New Orleans Catastrophe Have to Happen?,"
author Will Bunch noted that the Times-Picayune had consistently reported over the past several years that the administration had slashed tens of million dollars for hurricane- and flood-control projects, and, in nine articles, had related the cuts explicitly to the unanticipated costs of the Iraq War.8/30/05 Assassinations in Basra -- done by police, Shiia militia run police, put in by English occupation forces
8/27/05 U.S. Air Force Leaving Uzbekistan "Wherever American bases crop up, so does a fundamentalist mood and so do enemies of America, and we don't want to be caught between the two," Nuriddin Zayniyev, governor of Kashkadarya region where the base is located, told parliament, according to the Associated Press.
8/26/05 Lack of interpreters severe Handicap U.S. forces paid $400 per month (while bodyguard "contractors" get $10,000)
8/21/05 Shiite and Kurdish Militias Running Country --U.S. trained and supplied, but now run for own ends --terrorizing & murdering Sunnis & Christians - Shiias run by mullahs, Kurds run by tribal leaders
8/20/05 Muslim Converts in American Prisons --new concerns
8/19/05 Aid cuts for countries that refused to shield Americans from the International Criminal Court are generating resentment costing empire efforts, especially in Latin America --also Venezuela Ceases Co-operation in Drug War for same reason
8/15/05 Democratic Leaders Still Support War although polls show most Americans Against it
8/10/05 How Foreign Lobbies Imperil America
8/9/05 Al Qaeda Using Internet (2) super sophisticated-- posting videos of attacks on U.S. Army, etc. 8/7/05 Al Qaeda Using Internet for training, co-ordination, propaganda, motivation, recruiting, international cooperation 8/3/05 State Dept Warns Americans danger of overseas travel because of hatred from Iraq war8/02/05 Conflicts' costs may exceed $700 billion
$314 Billion so far7/27/05 Little Concern in Congress for Public Diplomacy
-- Congress runs on lobbies and no big lobby for explaining America to the world --(but lots of lobbies to sell weaponry--U.S. Information Agency shut down by former Sen. Helms-Ed)7/19/05 Pentagon Clamps Down on Foreign Students' Research
7/18/05 Gaza - A quarter Million per Settler U.S. pays for settlements, for occupation and then for removal
7/17/05 More Kurdish Terrorism in Turkey trying to disrupt tourism, Turks complain U.S. permits Kurdish terrorist bases in Iraq 7/17/05 Iran - Iraq Shiites Making Alliances -- was this reason for Bush war? Washington disturbed Religous police and gangs demand head scarves, brutalize and beat students and Christians 7/15/05 Opium Trade Not Easily Uprooted Afghans grow it at record rates 7/14/05 U.S. Permanent Bases in Iraq --sticky, how many? building continues The Lure of Empire How the Empire Wanters Fantasized in 2002 7/07/05 U.S. Criticized for Allowing Afghan War Criminals Tribal Chiefs into New Government --men who killed and destroyed Afghanistan 7/06/05 80,000 "Contractors" in Iraq guards, drivers, laundry, cooks, etc for U.S. forces -- questions of legal status --carrying weapons, etc7/05/05
Pentagon May Shift Forces to Domestic Defense6/26/05 Italians Outraged over CIA Kidnapping (Rendition for torture in Egypt) Italians Detail Lavish CIA expenditures
best hotels, extra vacations luxury detailed And Canadians Complain of U.S. Kidnapping Suspects leaked CIA report says 6/22/05 The Other War We Are Losing Afghanistan by Bill Lind6/20/05 9-11 Response - Controls Hurting U.S. Science
6/20/05 Upheaval Ahead anti-war candidate with give Democrats strength by Pat Buchanan 6/08/05 Weaknesses in American Schooling Forbode Ill for Future - 47% of Detroit adults functionally illiterate 6/2/05 An Empire of Bases where they all are5/30/05 Muslims Protest Against America Throughout Asia
5/29/05
U.S. Is Set to Test Missile Defenses Aboard Airlines $10 billion 5/23/05 Al Qaeda Wins One in Pakistan -- Gov. approves Iran gas pipeline over U.S. objections -after drone attack 5/23/05 Desertions Plague Army --thousands face penalties 5/21/05 U.S. Plans 4 Major Air-Army Bases in Iraq After defeating insurgency for long term control of region5/21/05 Israeli Arsenal Vexes Nuclear Negotiators
5/16/05 Russia Military Sales to China -subs, destroyers, planes 5/15/05 America's Drug Plan Collapses in Chaos after $3 Billion in Colombia5/09/05 Latin - Arab Summit Bothers Washington -- fear it may unify Latins in criticizing U.S. Mid-East policies
5/03/05 U.S. Called Unprepared for Nuke Terrorism Experts Critical of Evacuation Plans
4/27/05 U.S. Foreign Policy Deprives American students of sex in Europe THE ONION
4/25/05 Iraqi Guerrillas Keep Improvising Bombs - offsetting new anti-bomb techniques
4/25/05 Iraqi forces desert posts as insurgent attacks are stepped up U.S. can't protect Iraqis who help U.S. forces
4/2405 Enrollment in Army ROTC Down in Past 2 School Years serious decline in numbers of future trained officers
4/18/05 U.S. Outreach to Islamic World Slow Start --nothing till Fall, no Muslims, mainly Arab Christians
4/14/05 More Spies = Worse Intelligence -- with every crisis Congress throws more money at CIA to make it bigger, but good spy agencies need to be smaller --NY Times
4/13/05 Security Spending Waste --allocating to states becomes pork, another reason democracies can't run empires -more for North Dakota per capita than New York
4/10/05 The Teetering Empire "Blowback--resentment against us for policies most Americns don't know about or understand"
4/10/05 Many Turks Now See U.S. as an Enemy 40% -best seller depicts U.S. attack on Turkey and retaliation with nuke in White House
3/19/05 Army Drained by Iraq War manpower, equipment, recruiting all stretched thin --little capacity for another war
3/13/05 Europeans Investigate American Kidnapping of Suspects in Germany, Italy & Sweden
3/13/05 Amputees Get Special Recovery Help
3/13/05 Systematic Looting of Weapons Machinery in Iraq -- American army ignored risk, sophisticated machinery a reason America started war
3/10/05 The Invisible Wounded flown in at night to various locations, no pictures allowed
3/8/05 U.S. Checkpoints Kill Many Civilians -- outrage Iraqis, but soldiers say their safety comes first U.S. Killing Italian Security Agent stokes Anger in Italy Against War
3/07/05 U.S. Adopts First Strike Policy Against Foreign Terrorist Groups
2/25/05 Pentagon Wants to Bypass Ambassadors launching secret raids and kidnappings without Embassies' knowledge
2/25/05 Europe Will Sell Weaponry to China over U.S. objections
2/21/05 Money and Lobbying in Congress -- policies follow donations --unlimited need for money by Congressmen (even thou little risk of defeat)-- reason democracies can't run empires
2/20/05 United Europe vs. U.S. is it good for America--U.S. Lears to live with new Europe? NY TIMES
2/14/05 Iraq Winners Allied With Iran Are the Opposite of U.S. Vision
2/14/05 Falluja Destroyed "All the houses are destroyed....But these people, the majority of them deserved it because they didn't help get rid of the insurgents," U.S. Marine officer See also Falluja--little Stalingrad
2/10/05 Almost $ half billion to "pay off" iraq war allies for alliance of the "bullied and the bribed"
2/03/05 What Bin Laden Sees in Hirshima he thinks a nuke on an American city would result in quick surrender like Japan (that is removal of U.S. military from Middle East) Washington Post analysis
2/3/05 Air
Transport Asso, Jack Evans
2/3/05 Dismissal of Iraq Governing Infrastructure -- still breeds resentment, unused talent, guerrillas, government incompetence --One of Doug Feith (Rummsfeld Deputy) legacy
1/27/05 Costs of War Consuming Bush "Capital" with higher world oil costs, sky rocketing U.S. budget deficits
1/14/05 Iraq Replaces Afghanistan is Training Ground for Terrorists
1/10/05 El Salvador-style 'death squads' to be deployed by US against Iraq militants Desperation plan being proposed -- no comparison to El Salvador, e.g. a foreign (American) invading army compared to a civil war
1/05/05 "Army Reserve Rapidly Degenerating into a Broken Force," warns General
1/01/05 Iraq War is Wrecking Army Morale no end in sight
12/23/04 "Virtual Intelligence Meltdown" Iraqis fear to cooperate with U.S. troops, translators fear to work-- soldiers try to find Iraqis with broken English and sign language
12/12/04 12 More Months for Army Reserves (which are most of forces in Iraq) --then must be demobilized by law and not enough for Iraq by Gen. McCaffrey on MEET THE PRESS --Generals agree that army must be larger for "this kind of foreign policy"
12/10/04 Army Equipment Wearing Out Fast --$9 billion for repairs --desert, constant use, combat --2 years needed to bring back to readiness 12/13 Update--Repair Chaos Described & Combat Described-- if over 30 minutes to repair, trucks abandoned
12/10/04 Kurds' Cash $1.4 Billion --using U.S. law firms with former Bush 1 Administration officials
12/9/04 Sabotage of U.S. Reconstruction one town's story of wrecking U.S. projects
12/9/04 More Wounded Survive Than Any Previous War --horrendous injuries create new problems for rehabilitation and psychological damage
12/9/04 Growing Recognition that Iraq War is Lost
11/19/04 Why Iraq Will End Same As Vietnam --by Martin van Crefeld, distinguised Israeli historian
11/18/04 Chinese Move to Eclipse U.S. Appeal in Asia while U.S. obsessed with Islamists
11/17/04 Base in Kyrgyzstan becomes permanent -- precursor of "lily pad" strategy--troops isolated from natives, provide ready ability to attack on short notice
11/17/04 7 Top Generals Decry Bush Strategy disaster in the making--keeping neocon advisors
11/11/04 Evolving Al Qaeda Metastasizing "now a global insurgency, rather than traditional terrorist organization," says "Anonymous" author Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror
11/08/04 Growing Concern About 4 Thousand of Missing Anti-Aircraft Missiles from Iraq
11/02/04 GI's Lack Bullets, Armor, Radios - CBS News-- Army accounts that pay for training, maintenance and repairs are being raided by Congress to pay for pork-barrel spending. But lots of money for F-22's and new submarines irrelevant to fighting terrorism or occupying conquered lands.
10/25/04 Most Guantanamo Prisoners Small Fry just the slow who got caught, used to store prisoners with no where else to put them, "Al Quaeda Claus"-100 years old, very little evidence against most, Administration doesn't know what to do
10/24/04 7 Habits of Highly Effective Imperialists --how to run an empire -- basic rules
10/24/04 Tons of Super Sophisticated Explosives Missing -- U.S. never secured hundreds of explosive storage sites --1 pound knocked down PanAm 103 -- not enough troops
10/21/04 Bremer and Neocons Ordered Disolution of Iraqi Army leaving nation denuded main reason for chaos and guerrilla strength
10/21/04 How Iraq War Detracted From War Against Terror -- denuding special forces from Afghanistan, mestastasizing Al Qaeda, shar increase in anti-American sentiment in Europe and Mid East --Wash. Post
10/14/04 U.S. Runs Secret Prison in Jordan --to hold Al Qaeda suspects --outside U.S. & international laws
10/10/04 American Soldiers Views of Iraq- battlefield
10/8/04 Bin Laden's Dream Becoming Reality --America proving to be what he forecast
The Retreat from Empire by Pat Buchanan & Why Americans Can't Sustain Empire
Collaborators with U.S. in Iraq Being killed or frightened off
9/25 U.S. Soldiers to Face Courts-marshall for Patronizing Prostitutes Overseas conquering the world without beer (if under 21) or sex
9/01/04 "New" Conservatives Alienate Reagan Idealists don't agree to Big Government and empire wanting
8/29/04 Making United Nations Subservient to Washington weakens its integrity and ability to function --makes it appear hypocritical to Muslim world and endangers its staffs
8/25/04 Reason Washington Declared War on "Terrorism" Instead of War on Islamists purpose was to include Arab groups fighting Israel to make them declared enemies of America, e.g. Hamas was not on original terrorist list of organizations--- arrested man in Virginia because Hamas carried out bombings in Israel
8/24/04 What Went Wrong in Iraq -FOREIGN AFFAIRS detailed analysis for the record --incompetence of American empire building
8/20/04 Americans Who Can't Be Imperialists --decent guys blow whistles -confound empire wanters
8/19/04 Pension Funds Pressed to End Investments in Major Foreign Corporations --blow to globalization, e.g. Hyundai, Norwegian, French largest oil companies, etc. for trade with many major Muslim nations, splitting America from Europe, another effort led by Sharon-Likud promoters such as Center for Security Policy
8/17/04 No Way Out Tactical Victories Yield Strategic Setbacks
8/02/04 Transfers from Main Page
8/2/04 Iraqi Interpreters Constantly Murdered
7/31/04 American "contractor" deaths barely reported over 100 killed, hundreds wounded
7/26/04 Empire Building is Nasty Work
7/25/04 Congress Debates $100 Billion Iraq War Costs
7/22/04 Russia Continues Developing & Exporting Superb Military Technology --no longer so friendly because U.S. moves to influence neighboring nations in Central Asia
7/22/04 In the face of stubborn insurgency, troops scale back patrols making new enemies by ignorance of culture, insults to tribal leaders
7/19/04 Al Qaeda Leaders Still At Large on U.S. wanted list
7/14/04 U.S. Military's Problems Bode Ill for Future Georgie Anne Geyer
7/12/04 Analysis of Iraqi Resistance by Scott Ritter --Saddam Hussein's regime shifted toward an amalgam of Islamic fundamentalism, tribalism and nationalism...meticulous planning for resistance
7/9/04 Reserves and National Guard Being Pushed to Breaking Point
7/6/04 U.S. Army Changed by Iraq
7/5/04 State Dept. Warns Americans to Leave Bahrain --Base of Fleet, 4th July celebrations cancelled, State Dept. and Military families leaving
7/5/04 More Americans Fear Terorists are Winning
7/4/04 U.S. Retreat "When we had half the world and the other guys were really nasty, our imperial power was often seen as a good thing," said Charles S. Maier, a historian at Harvard. "But when you are one of one, it looks less attractive and more conspicuous." NY TIMES
7/4/04 Analysis of Future Basing of U.S. Forces where and how large, new skeleton bases, electronic surveillance from American home base
7/03/04 Costs of Iraq War Compared --already $1,600 per U.S. Household = to provide health insurance for 82 million children
7/01/04 Iraq is worse off than before the war began GAO Report
7/01/04 "The defense appropriation itself is about $420 billion. That doesn’t include another $125 billion, which is the cost of Afghanistan and Iraq. Then another $20 billion for nuclear weapons in the Department of Energy. Add in another $200 billion or so for military pensions and for health benefits for our veterans.......... 725 military bases in 138 foreign countries," Johnson 7/3/04
6/30/04 Thai Troops Pulling Out Early
6/28/04 Iraq Erodes Bush Doctrine Washington not so keen to attack other countries
6/24/04 The Toll of
"No More Iraqs" "The souring of
America on intervention abroad has major strategic implications for the United States and
for the world.