Tuesday, September 29, 2009

U.S., NATO Poised For Most Massive War In Afghanistan’s History

Rick Rozoff
Global Research
September 26, 2009

Over the past week U.S. newspapers and television networks have been abuzz with reports that Washington and its NATO allies are planning an unprecedented increase of troops for the war in Afghanistan, even in addition to the 17,000 new American and several thousand NATO forces that have been committed to the war so far this year.

featured stories   U.S., NATO Poised For Most Massive War In Afghanistans History
featured stories   U.S., NATO Poised For Most Massive War In Afghanistans History featured stories   U.S., NATO Poised For Most Massive War In Afghanistans History


The Pentagon and the CIA worked hand-in-glove with Pakistan’s ISI from 1979 onward to subvert successive governments in Afghanistan. Photo: Zbigniew Brzezinski with Afghan “freedom fighter” in the late 1980s.


The number, based on as yet unsubstantiated reports of what U.S. and NATO commander Stanley McChrystal and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen have demanded of the White House, range from 10,000 to 45,000.

Fox News has cited figures as high as 45,000 more American soldiers and ABC News as many as 40,000. On September 15 the Christian Science Monitor wrote of “perhaps as many as 45,000.”

The similarity of the estimates indicate that a number has been agreed upon and America’s obedient media is preparing domestic audiences for the possibility of the largest escalation of foreign armed forces in Afghanistan’s history. Only seven years ago the United States had 5,000 troops in the country, but was scheduled to have 68,000 by December even before the reports of new deployments surfaced.

An additional 45,000 troops would bring the U.S. total to 113,000. There are also 35,000 troops from some 50 other nations serving under NATO’s International Security Assistance Force in the nation, which would raise combined troop strength under McChrystal’s command to 148,000 if the larger number of rumored increases materializes.

As the former Soviet Union withdrew its soldiers from Afghanistan twenty years ago the New York Times reported “At the height of the Soviet commitment, according to Western intelligence estimates, there were 115,000 troops deployed.” [1]

Nearly 150,000 U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan would represent the largest foreign military presence ever in the land.

Rather than addressing this historic watershed, the American media is full of innuendos and “privileged” speculation on who has leaked the information and why, as to commercial news operations the tawdry world of Byzantine intrigues among and between American politicians, generals and the Fourth Estate is of more importance that the lengthiest and largest war in the world.

One that has been estimated by the chief of the British armed forces and other leading Western officials to last decades and that has already been extended into Pakistan, a nation with a population almost six times that of Afghanistan and in possession of nuclear weapons.

Two weeks ago the Dutch media reported that during a visit to the Netherlands “General Stanley McChrystal [said] he is considering the possibility of merging…Operation Enduring Freedom with NATO’s ISAF force.” [2] That is, not only would he continue to command all U.S. and NATO troops, but the two commands would be melded into one.

The call for up to 45,000 more American troops was first adumbrated in mid-September by U.S. armed forces chief Michael Mullen, with the Associated Press stating “The top U.S. military officer says that winning in Afghanistan will probably mean sending more troops.” [3]

Four days later, September 19, Reuters reported that “The commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan has drawn up a long-awaited and detailed request for additional troops but has not yet sent it to Washington, a spokesman said on Saturday.

“He said General Stanley McChrystal completed the document this week, setting out exactly how many U.S. and NATO troops, Afghan security force members and civilians he thinks he needs.” [4]

The Pentagon spokesman mentioned above, Lieutenant-Colonel Tadd Sholtis, said, “We’re working with Washington as well as the other NATO participants about how it’s best to submit this,” refusing to divulge any details. [5]

Two days later the Washington Post published a 66-page “redacted” version of General McChrystal’s Commander’s Initial Assessment which began with this background information:

Read the rest here...

Sunday Ride Pics...







Decided to skip the hypothermia fest that was the Revenge and did a big ride on Sunday. Mandi, John, The Viking and I did a loop on Shingletree and then headed across 219 and did South Haddix. All of which are in wonderful shape. Lots of yellows and reds. Get out and shred why the shredding is good.

Peace, Joey.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Wednesday # Who knows...



Peeping through a leaf.

Douglas Falls. The orange rocks are so beautiful!

Yes, I got another new bike! I know, I know. What can I say I am totally schizophrenic.

Them there are some rocks!

Mandi and I rode up the Allegheny Highlands Railtrail along Blackwater canyon Yesterday. Then we headed up Canyon Rim road to Limerock trail. Limerock is so rough but totally worth the effort just to see the runs that cross it. It is worth doing once every four or so years. Sorry no Garmin map of the ride, I am so over that thing.

Peace, Joey