Taste Test: red kuri squash
Climate change: more malaria?
Defense technology reporter Noah Shachtman says, "I've just finished a fascinating embed with the marines of 2/8 Echo company in Helmand province. They've been fighting the Taliban nearly non-stop for eight weeks, in one of the war's most active battlegrounds. Here is one of the stories I wrote last week while I was with Echo. It's an inside account of a sniper team's hit on a group of militants -- and the marines' multiple brushes with death, during the mission."
Links to Noah's stories for Wired while on embed in Afghanistan:
* Echo Company in the Eye of the Storm
* The Taliban Push Back
* And related posts by Noah on Afghanistan and Pakistan here.
Related BB post: US military cancels contract with firm that graded journalists' "positiveness"
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Y'knw, ths dsn't qlfy s "wndrfl thng" nlss yr d f "wndrfl" nvlvs dssmntng mltry prpgnd.
t sn't s f hv t try hrd t fnd thngs n th 'nt tht lv sck nd dshrtnd flng n my gt. Y rlly, *rlly* dn't hv t rmnd s thr's wr r tw gng n: n fct, ths knd crp s nvdbl, thnks t mch f th MSM bng wnd nd prtd by bmb mkrs.
cm t ths st fr brk frm ths srt f thng.
Nw mk wth th kttns, ncrns nd tw-hdd chckns, r ls.
Thanks for the wonderful post, Xeni. Too bad you'll get a lot of anti-military "this sucks where's my unicorn yadda yadda" complaints. To them I'd say: war is a beautiful extreme of the human condition. All witnesses attest to this, from Homer down to our day. War is wonderful, not in the evaluative sense, but in the strictly descriptive: full of mysterious, strange, horrible, wonderful things.
It's too bad when our politics blinds us to the experience of war, its strange and wonderful truths.
I agree with TDAWWG. Not everyone who's a BB reader is anti-military. Some of us are in fact ex-military, and I'm sure there are some active duty here too, and we appreciate this sort of coverage from time to time.
I'm decidedly pro-military, and thought we should have intervened, militarily, in Afghanistan in the late 90's.
I hope we do it right.
Not agreeing with anyone unless it is to say that the whole 'de-voweling' thing is so last year. I mean jesus, do you actually take the time to go back and make your post illegible just to prove you're a snarky douche?
Kudos to American military
however
WAR is a racket. It always has been.
It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.
A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small "inside" group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes.
- by Two-Time Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient Major General Smedley D. Butler - USMC
Afghanistan is Vietnam for slow learners.
this sucks where's my unicorn
Great tee shirt idea.
Gee why does not Spain attack France for "harboring" ETA terrorists in their Southern Provinces? Or Britain attack Ireland for "harboring" Northern IRA terrorists?
And why did the USA invade Afghanistan anyway?
Gee why does not Spain attack France for "harboring" ETA terrorists in their Southern Provinces? Or Britain attack Ireland for "harboring" Northern IRA terrorists?
Would that be because both the ROI and the French Government actively sought out, arrested and prosecuted the respective terrorists in their countries? Hence they weren't harbouring anyone - unlike Afghanistan under the Taliban? Just a thought...
It may interest you to know that ETA has carried out attacks against both French gendarmes, judges and Spaniards on French soil...
Afghanistan is Vietnam for slow learners.
Senior Russian generals recently told the US military that, from their experience, it's completely impossible to win a war in Afghanistan. They spent quite some time at it and failed miserably.
Would that be because both the ROI and the French Government actively sought out, arrested and prosecuted the respective terrorists in their countries? Hence they weren't harbouring anyone - unlike Afghanistan under the Taliban? Just a thought...
Under that doctrine, Mexico would be justified in invading the US, which functions as a back-up base for narco-terrorism. Do you really want to go there?
Senior Russian generals recently told the US military that, from their experience, it's completely impossible to win a war in Afghanistan.
..."recently" in this case meaning "back in late 2001 before we invaded." Of course we didn't listen to a bunch of former commie losers. For a while there it even looked like our hubris was justified, until the Taliban ran out of uniformed soldiers and switched to guerrilla tactics while we got sidetracked in Iraq.
I've been interested in seeing almost anything web current on Afghanistan, so it's good to see this mention.
What I've noticed so far is that there's not alot of current, great insightful photography from that region, at least I've not found too much yet.
For those who think that War is the answer in this case specifically, I sure hope they are basing their opinion on more than just idle speculation.
I'm not sure they have had a chance to read these books on the subject:
So I'd like to recommend they do. And then get back to us simple minded peaceniks.
Until we've got the the majority of the Pashtun on our side - which we don't - this operation is a losing proposition.
Why is Canada there? Because the USA asked us to be there.
Your Commanders (and ours) know the score. But getting from "knowing" to "being" will take some work.
And I have my doubts about "Taliban = Al Qaeda". The Taliban pre-date those guys by about 150 years....they have EVER been a part of Pashto culture, and have some support amongst the populace. From what I understand, they're open to negotiation, too....although they're not going anywhere, ever.
They live there. We don't. Time is on their side. And this is not a "we'll-only-accept-unconditional-surrender" situation. It was not the Taliban, that attacked America: it was a criminal gang.
A law enforcement, not a military, matter.
It's beyond me why anyone opposed to the war would object to seeing stories like this. One of the big factors in ending the Vietnam War (besides them kicking our asses) was very heavy media coverage in the US, with innumerable horrific images and stories. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been very much 'over there' and received extraordinarily little coverage compared to Vietnam. We've become so good at remote killing that it's rare to see images of what really happens in war. More coverage is better.
I agree, more coverage is better:
http://warnewstoday.blogspot.com/
Hurrah for volunteer blogs that do a better job than the MSM!!
An informed populace is an empowered populace. An ignorant populace is a group of slaves to prejudice.
As the Taliban well know.
Slizzered, you were disemvowelled because it's rude (and boring) to tell the Boingers what they should and shouldn't blog. "This isn't wonderful" is an asinine (as opposed to dissenting) comment. We have a name for this sort of thing: CATFOTFIC, or Complaining About The Flavor Of The Free Ice Cream.
If you don't like the post, scroll to the next one. If you don't like the blog, go elsewhere. Those are both OK. Telling Xeni what she should and shouldn't blog about...well, you can do that, but you'll find you're writing in consonants only.
Ahh - now I get the disemvowelling thing - it's a PUNISHMENT. In that case, I withdraw my previous comment - disemvowell away sysop!
Clearly I need to clue myself in to the boingboing way before posting silly things.
SAULTSACK, sometimes posting silly things is the boingboing way.
Clues (at least regarding mod policy and disemvowelling) available via the Moderation Policy link at the top of the page.
consider it a dnc cp.
War is not wonderful, TDAWWG. That is an unbelievably naive thing to say.
The fight in Afghanistan is a limited war for the US just as it was for USSR. Limited wars are difficult at best to win. History proves this. We fought WWII as an unlimited war and defeated the enemy on two fronts. The proxy wars in Korea and Vietnam were, for the most part, unsuccessful. Korea is still at war with a cease fire along the 38th parallel. Vietnam was limited because we wanted to contain communism. We never wanted to really hammer North Vietnam for fear of the Chinese entering the war. When the American people tired of the war Nixon bombed North Vietnam into agreeing to "peace with honor".
Semper Fi
"When the American people tired of the war Nixon bombed North Vietnam into agreeing to "peace with honor""
Wow ONECOS you really are delusional aren't you. I suppose that whole fall of Saigon thing was just the North Vietnamese way of agreeing to the US's terms. Bwahahahahaha.
At least in Afghanistan the NATO forces are fighting and dieing for a regime worth the price of their blood. I mean it's not like Karzai's government is passing laws allowing men to starve their wives if they refuse them sex (we might call that rape in the West), blatantly rigging elections or even putting warlords with long histories of human rights abuse into power. Oh wait all that is happening, so remind me again why we're there?
Oh and if you're going to say it's so we fight them over there rather than here, well what is that achieving? We save them the cost of an airfare? They get to bankrupt our country by getting us to spend Trillions of dollars trying to fight a war in their country?
Iraq and Afghanistan invasions have nothing to do with fighting terrorism, everyone but Fox News following couch potatoes know that. Rather, these invasions encouraged locals to fight back against the enemy.
If you look closely you can see how the war is dragged in order to last as long as possible. The US govt doesn't want to quickly win the war and pull out, that would be the logical choice in every war where the goal is to defeat the enemy. This time the USA want that territory, as they want to keep their foot in Iraq, so they need an enemy to justify their permanence there.
This is just a conquering war, the USA wanted to invade for years and didn't miss their chance when 9/11 happened.
I'm not one of those conspiracy theorist who believe the US government directed the 9/11 attacks, but I'm damn sure they were smart enough to get the most from them.
It's also possible that some experts in the late 90's saw the economic downfall coming and told the powers "we need a war". Who knows.
What's really sad is all those people in the US and allied countries - mine included, unfortunately - still believing their sons are sent over there to fight against evil for a good cause.
Amending my comment above: An ignorant populace is a group of slaves to ignorance and to superstition.
Am I right, "Fundies" of all persuasions?
Oh hey Richard: great Afpak fotos at cryptome:
http://cryptome.info/afpak-archive/afpak-archive.htm
You're welcome!
"Chumps on the Front
This Nazi poster aimed at Allied troops included this caption: "How will you die on the battlefield? Will you be maimed or blinded? The war marches on!" One of history's most insightful critics of propaganda, George Orwell -- himself a propagandist for the BBC during World War II -- wryly observed: "All the war propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting."
@24 JOSHAUS
I've always wondered what was up with the "we fight them there so we don't have to fight them here" rationale. Especially troubling is the fact that most of the people I know who chant this mantra are the type who have more guns than hairs on their body and drool over the idea of spraying "the enemy" or "teh Moozlums" with the most painful and deadly rounds possible.
Err, no, anonymous, war is wonderful, as I said, in the strictly literal sense: "Full of wonder; such as to excite wonder or astonishment; marvellous." If wonder means most literally "Something that causes astonishment," then war is wonderful. Sorry your politics don't permit that fact. Read Homer, Chris Hedges et al.
Pace Takuan's citing of Orwell, not everyone who finds war beautiful, moving, wonderful, etc., is a propagandist, hack, or noncom: no less an authority than Robert E. Lee famously said, "It is well that war is so terrible - otherwise we would grow too fond of it." And I'd say he knew a thing or two that none of us will ever have to learn about war and its horrible beauty.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/31/AR2009083102912_pf.html
The War Prayer
by Mark Twain
It was a time of great exulting and excitement. The country was up in arms, the war was on, in every breast burned the holy fire of patriotism; the drums were beating, the bands playing, the toy pistols popping, the bunched firecrackers hissing and sputtering; on every hand and far down the receding and fading spread of roofs and balconies a fluttering wilderness of flags flashed in the sun; daily the young volunteers marched down the wide avenue gay and fine in their new uniforms, the proud fathers and mothers and sisters and sweethearts cheering them with voices choked with happy emotion as they swung by; nightly the packed mass meetings listened, panting, to patriot oratory which stirred the deepest depths of their hearts, and which they interrupted at briefest intervals with cyclones of applause, the tears running down their cheeks the while; in the churches the pastors preached devotion to flag and country, and invoked the God of Battles, beseeching His aid in our good cause in outpourings of fervid eloquence which moved every listener. It was indeed a glad and gracious time, and the half dozen rash spirits that ventured to disapprove of the war and cast doubt upon its righteousness straight way got such a stern and angry warning that for their personal safety's sake they quickly shrank out of sight and offended no more in that way.
Sunday morning came – next day the battalions would leave for the front; the church was filled; the volunteers were there, their young faces alight with martial dreams – visions of the stern advance, the gathering momentum, the rushing charge, the flashing sabers, the flight of the foe, the tumult, the enveloping smoke, the fierce pursuit, the surrender! – then home from the war, bronzed heroes, welcomed, adored, submerged in golden seas of glory! With the volunteers sat their dear ones, proud, happy, and envied by the neighbors and friends who had no sons and brothers to send forth to the field of honor, there to win for the flag, or failing, die the noblest of noble deaths. The service proceeded; a war chapter from the Old Testament was read; the first prayer was said; it was followed by an organ burst that shook the building, and with one impulse the house rose, with glowing eyes and beating hearts, and poured out that tremendous invocation:
"God the all-terrible! Thou who ordainest, Thunder thy clarion and lightning thy sword!"
Then came the "long" prayer. None could remember the like of it for passionate pleading and moving and beautiful language. The burden of its supplication was, that an ever-merciful and benignant Father of us all would watch over our noble young soldiers, and aid, comfort, and encourage them in their patriotic work; bless them, shield them in the day of battle and the hour of peril, bear them in His mighty hand, make them strong and confident, invincible in the bloody onset; help them to crush the foe, grant to them and to their flag and country imperishable honor and glory – An aged stranger entered and moved with slow and noiseless step up the main aisle, his eyes fixed upon the minister, his long body clothed in a robe that reached to his feet, his head bare, his white hair descending in a frothy cataract to his shoulders, his seamy face unnaturally pale, pale even to ghastliness. With all eyes following and wondering, he made his silent way; without pausing, he ascended to the preacher's side and stood there, waiting. With shut lids the preacher, unconscious of his presence, continued his moving prayer, and at last finished it with the words, uttered in fervent appeal, "Bless our arms, grant us victory, O Lord our God, Father and Protector of our land and flag!"
The stranger touched his arm, motioned him to step aside – which the startled minister did – and took his place. During some moments he surveyed the spellbound audience with solemn eyes, in which burned an uncanny light; then in a deep voice he said:
"I come from the Throne – bearing a message from Almighty God!" The words smote the house with a shock; if the stranger perceived it he gave no attention. "He has heard the prayer of His servant your shepherd, and will grant it if such be your desire after I, His messenger, shall have explained to you its import – that is to say, its full import. For it is like unto many of the prayers of men, in that it asks for more than he who utters it is aware of – except he pause and think.
"God's servant and yours has prayed his prayer. Has he paused and taken thought? Is it one prayer? No, it is two – one uttered, the other not. Both have reached the ear of Him Who heareth all supplications, the spoken and the unspoken. Ponder this – keep it in mind. If you would beseech a blessing upon yourself, beware! lest without intent you invoke a curse upon a neighbor at the same time. If you pray for the blessing of rain upon your crop which needs it, by that act you are possibly praying for a curse upon some neighbor's crop which may not need rain and can be injured by it.
"You have heard your servant's prayer – the uttered part of it. I am commissioned of God to put into words the other part of it – that part which the pastor – and also you in your hearts – fervently prayed silently. And ignorantly and unthinkingly? God grant that it was so! You heard these words: 'Grant us victory, O Lord our God!' That is sufficient. The whole of the uttered prayer is compact into those pregnant words. Elaborations were not necessary. When you have prayed for victory you have prayed for many unmentioned results which follow victory – must follow it, cannot help but follow it. Upon the listening spirit of God the Father fell also the unspoken part of the prayer. He commandeth me to put it into words. Listen!
"O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle – be Thou near them! With them – in spirit – we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with hurricanes of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it – for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen."
[After a pause.] "Ye have prayed it; if ye still desire it, speak! The messenger of the Most High waits."
It was believed afterward that the man was a lunatic, because there was no sense in what he said.
in all fairness it should be noted that Samuel Clemmens was a homosexual communist member of al Queda.
@Onecos #23:
The fight in Afghanistan is a limited war for the US just as it was for USSR. Limited wars are difficult at best to win. History proves this. We fought WWII as an unlimited war and defeated the enemy on two fronts.
Agreed. It's a lot more difficult to persuade Americans into entering "unlimited" wars these days because doing so requires dehumanizing your enemy, and the world is too connected these days to create such a comfortable distance from the people we are killing.
We were able to muster the political will to turn Dresden and Hiroshima to rubble in part because there weren't YouTube videos showing the mutilated corpses of the women and children we barbecued in the process.
Here's hoping that "unlimited" war becomes a relic of the past. Limited wars too, for that matter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4-w2FYIJbw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhxjqM4y5f4&feature=related
bah, how i despise shachtman for... fetishism...(positivism, nationalism)
writing about war from a mainly technological perspective just like kids writing on computer games, digging it, is too
perverse.
"brushes of death" to you (of course only virtually, only jokingly, stupid.)