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The Afghan Speech Obama Should Give (But Won't) by Tom Engelhardt, tomdispatch.com | November 20, 2009
It's common knowledge that a president — but above all a Democratic president — who tried to de-escalate a war like the one now expanding in Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan, and withdraw American troops, would be so much domestic political dead meat. This everyday bit of ingrained Washington wisdom is, in fact, based on not a shred of evidence in the historical record. We do, however, know something about what could happen to a president who escalated a counterinsurgency war. read more »Intelligentsia Against Intelligence by David Sirota, truthdig.com | November 20, 2009
In the parlance of our times, the term idiocracy means a nation run by idiots — and the term idiot is defined by the dictionary as “an utterly foolish or senseless person” who exhibits “a mental age of less than three years old.” If there remained any flicker of hope that we aren’t turning into a full-on slobbering idiocracy, that hope was snuffed out last week by two of the Washington intelligentsia’s most respected voices. read more »What Is So Patriotic About Hysteria? by Joe Conason, truthdig.com | November 19, 2009
The loudest voices on the right never tire of telling us that they are the truest patriots. They claim to be the deepest believers in our system, the strongest defenders of our Constitution, the most upbeat, bold and courageous Americans anywhere. But now that the government is finally prepared to put the perpetrators of the Sept. 11 terror attacks on trial, these same patriots are the first to spread doubt, instigate anxiety and abandon constitutional principles. When did fear-mongering in a time of war become an act of patriotism? read more »The Missing Link From Killeen to Kabul by Frank Rich, The New York Times | November 17, 2009
As a snapshot of where a chunk of the country stands right now, reactions to the Fort Hood bloodbath could not be more definitive. Yet the mass murder at Fort Hood didn't happen in isolation. It unfolded against the backdrop of Obama's final lap of decision-making about Afghanistan. For all the right's jeremiads, its own brand of political correctness kept it from connecting two crucial dots: how our failing war against terrorists in Afghanistan might relate to our failure to stop a supposed terrorist attack at home. read more »When Hope Meets Reality by Paul Waldman, prospect.org | November 17, 2009
Obama inspired the country with his campaign, and now he must manage expectations of those swept up by his rhetoric. read more »Time To Head Home by Eugene Robinson, The Washington Post | November 13, 2009
The most dreadful burden of the presidency — the power to send men and women to die for their country — seemed to weigh heavily on Barack Obama, as he went to Dover Air Force Base to salute the coffins of fallen troops. As he decides whether to escalate the war in Afghanistan, Obama should keep these images in mind. Geopolitical calculation has human consequences. Sending more troops will mean more coffins arriving at Dover, more funerals at Arlington, more stress and hardship for military families. It would be wrong to demand such sacrifice in the absence of military goals that are clear, achievable and worthwhile. read more »A Word, Mr. President by Bob Herbert, The New York Times | November 12, 2009
If I were a close adviser of President Obama’s, I would say to him, “Mr. President, you have two urgent and overwhelming tasks in front of you: to put Americans trapped in this terrible employment crisis back to work and to put the brakes on your potentially disastrous plan to escalate the war in Afghanistan.” read more »From the Barracks to the Homeless Shelter by Aaron Glantz, news.newamericamedia.org | November 12, 2009
A new study released by the National Alliance to End Homelessness found that approximately 131,000 veterans were homeless at some point in 2008. One out four homeless people, and one out of three homeless men, is a veteran. According to the report, veterans were more than twice as likely to be homeless as those who never served in the military. And while most of the veterans sleeping on the street had fought in earlier wars, a growing number are Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. read more »Military Veterans Deserve Jobs When They Return by James Parks, blog.aflcio.org | November 12, 2009
While we take the time to honor the courage and sacrifice shown by our veterans, we should also rededicate ourselves to making sure vets have a secure and stable life after they finish their service. The U.S. Labor Department reports the unemployment rate among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is 11.3 percent, significantly above the overall rate of 10.2 percent for the nation as a whole. Some 185,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are out of work. read more »Listening to Veterans by Donna Bassin and Jan Berry, Truthout | November 12, 2009
Supporting our troops requires more than welcoming them home, but also listening and responding to their concerns. A big concern for many soldiers and their families is how to handle the transition back to civilian life. A big concern for many older veterans and their loved ones is how to handle the emotional distress of flashbacks set off by current events. read more »
The Latest
U.S. Ramps Up Withdrawal From Iraq, USA Today | August 31, 2009
The U.S. military is packing up to leave Iraq in what has been deemed the largest movement of manpower and equipment in modern military history — shipping out more than 1.5 million pieces of equipment from tanks to antennas along with a force the size of a small city. The massive operation already underway a year ahead of the Aug. 31, 2010 deadline to remove all U.S. read more »
Senate Rejects Additional F-22 Fqunding, CNN | July 22, 2009
The Senate voted block expansion of one of the country's most controversial and expensive defense programs, the F-22 fighter jet program. The vote gave the White House and Pentagon a key victory over congressional supporters of the F-22, many of whom represent states and districts where jobs are tied to the production of the jet. read more »
Deaths of U.S. Troops Exceed 5,000 In Wars, USA Today | July 21, 2009
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan reached two solemn milestones Monday: July has become the deadliest month for U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and the combined death toll surpassed 5,000. Four Americans were killed by a roadside bomb in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, U.S. military spokesman Lt. Robert Carr said. That brings the number of U.S. servicemembers killed so far this month to at least 30. read more »
U.S. Report On Terrorism Detainees Delayed 6 Months, Reuters | July 21, 2009
A key report ordered by U.S. President Barack Obama as part of his effort to close the internationally condemned Guantanamo prison will be delayed six months, but officials insisted they were still on track to shut it down by January. read more »
U.S. Would Funnel More Money Into Diplomacy, USA Today | July 20, 2009
The State Department is poised to realize significantly larger percentage budget increases than the Pentagon — a reflection, officials say, of a bipartisan consensus that civilians should play a greater role in U.S. foreign policy. read more »
GAO Finds Security Lapses At Federal Buildings, The Washington Post | July 9, 2009
It cost $150 and took about four minutes for government investigators, working in a sting operation, to make small bombs from materials they carried into high-security federal buildings that house major agencies with national security or law enforcement responsibilities. read more »
Cyberattacks Hit U.S. and South Korean Web Sites, The New York Times | July 8, 2009
Cyberattacks that have crippled the Web sites of several major American and South Korean government agencies since the July 4th holiday weekend appear to have been launched by a hostile group or government, South Korea’s main government spy agency said. read more »
Robert McNamara, Ex-Defense Secretary, Dies, CNN | July 6, 2009
Former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, a key architect of the U.S. war in Vietnam under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, has died at age 93, according to his family. McNamara was a member of Kennedy's inner circle during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, when the United States and the Soviet Union stood on the brink of nuclear war. read more »
Rail’s Hazardous Cargo Debate Back on Track, MSNBC News | June 29, 2009
The derailment of freight trains carrying ethanol, in Illinois, earlier this month highlights the struggle to prevent such disasters along the 140,000-mile U.S. rail network. The pressure is on to tackle outstanding safety issues with hazardous-cargo shipments expected to soar in coming years. Fears that terrorists might view chemical-laden tankers as easy targets adds to the urgency. read more »
Report: Easy For Suspected Terrorists To Buy Guns In U.S., Christian Science Monitor | June 23, 2009
Nearly 900 people on the FBI’s terror watch list applied for and received a certificate to buy a gun in the United States between 2004 and 2009, according to a Government Accountability Office report. In all, some 90 percent of the people on the watch list who applied passed the required background check, said the report, which was requested by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D) of New Jersey. read more »
