20 Aug
United States Wars, News and Casualties
United States Wars, News and Casualties
NYT: War Without End, Read Article>>
In the Viet Nam era, stories like this and television reporting on the war contributed to the end of the Viet Nam War in a time frame of much less than 17 years.
As deployment of the last 17 years only came to a sub set of young people, and TV and news rarely covered the searing violence of war, eschewing such content for minor content (Kardashians, Tweets, outrageous behavior), the daily violence and futility went “off stage”.
One is invited to read the daily post, “United States Wars, News and Casualties” and then watch the daily news on the U.S. TV Media.
The absence of U.S. War News is atrocious.
We need this daily report of our wars in our face………..Daily.
The McGlynn
Damn The War Criminals,Bush,Cheney,Rice,Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Powell and Blair from England.
How many Iraqis have died as a result of the invasion 15 years ago? Some credible estimates put the number at more than one million. You can read that sentence again.
The invasion of Iraq is often spoken of in our country as a “blunder,” or even a “colossal mistake.” It was a crime.
Those who perpetrated it are still at large. Some of them have even been rehabilitated thanks to the horrors of a mostly amnesiac citizenry.
We condemned children to death, some after many days of writhing in pain on bloodstained mats, without pain relievers. Some died quickly, wasted by missing arms and legs, crushed heads. As the fluids ran out of their bodies, they appeared like withered, spoiled fruits. They could have lived, certainly should have lived – and laughed and danced, and run and played- but instead they were brutally murdered. Yes, murdered!
The war ended for those children, but it has never ended for survivors who carry memories of them. Likewise, the effects of the U.S. bombings continue, immeasurably and indefensibly.
The McGlynn
War News
NYT: As Taliban Start Charm Offensive, Afghan President Calls for Cease-Fire
KABUL, Afghanistan — Even as insurgents in Afghanistan have escalated their attacks against government forces across the country, they have also been staging a simultaneous charm offensive of sorts in advance of Eid al-Adha, the Islamic Feast of Sacrifice, which starts this week.
Damaged shops after a Taliban attack in Ghazni city, Afghanistan, this month.CreditMustafa Andaleb/Reuter
In the past week alone, the Taliban have overrun a city, burned down government facilities, hidden in civilians’ homes and killed hundreds of their opponents.
At the same time, the group has been actively seeking for weeks to court Afghan civilians, promising last month to halt suicide bombings in civilian areas, and announcing on Twitter and other social networks that those who surrendered would not be harmed.
The moves left many in the country expressing hope that the Taliban and the government would join a cease-fire and hold peace talks……………….He added that the United States is ready to support and participate in negotiations. “There are no obstacles to talks,” he said. “It is time for peace.”
There was no immediate response from the Taliban about a new cease-fire, but Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, said on Sunday that the group had identified hundreds of prisoners that it wants the government to release on Monday, so that “they can share the happiness of Eid with their families and friends.”
Release of such prisoners has been a Taliban condition for another cease-fire.
Read full story »
REU: Pompeo says ‘time for peace’ as Afghanistan announces ceasefire with Taliban
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is ready to support and facilitate direct peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday, welcoming a Muslim Eid holiday ceasefire announced by President Ashraf Ghani.
“The United States welcomes the announcement by the Afghan government of a ceasefire conditioned on Taliban participation,” Pompeo said in a statement. “This plan responds to the clear and continued call of the Afghan people for peace.”
He said Washington was ready to back direct negotiations between the government and militant movement. “There is no obstacles to talks. It is time for peace,” Pompeo said.
AP: Afghan president calls for Eid cease-fire, Taliban to reply
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has called for a conditional cease-fire with Taliban insurgents for the duration of the Eid al-Adha holiday.
President Ghani made the announcement Sunday during celebrations of the 99th anniversary of Afghanistan’s independence in the capital of Kabul.
“The cease-fire should be observed from both sides, and its continuation and duration also depend on the Taliban’s stand,” Ghani stressed. He added that should the Taliban agree, it would be observed over Monday and Tuesday, the Eid holidays. He said he hoped extensions could also be agreed upon to make it last until Nov. 20, which will mark the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad.
The Taliban did not immediately respond to the announcement.
The government had previously announced a cease-fire with the Taliban during the Eid al-Fitr holiday in June. The Taliban accepted that three-day cease-fire, but later rejected a call by the president to extend it.
President Ghani’s call comes just a day after the leader of the Afghan Taliban said that there will be no peace in Afghanistan as long as the “foreign occupation” continues, reiterating the group’s position that the country’s 17-year war can only be brought to an end through direct talks with the United States.
Read full story »
GUARD: Taliban take more than 100 hostage in Afghan bus ambush
Ambush follows conditional ceasefire announcement by Afghan president Ashraf Ghani
The Taliban have taken more than 100 people hostage after ambushing a convoy of buses on a road in northern Afghanistan in the latest assault by insurgents.
The ambush came despite the announcement by the Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, of a conditional ceasefire with the Taliban during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha this week.
The fate of the hostages in an area of Kunduz province that has recently fallen under Taliban control was not immediately known and there was no statement from the insurgents.
There has been a resurgence of the Taliban in recent years, with militants seizing entire districts across Afghanistan and regularly carrying out large-scale bombings and attacks that have killed scores of people.
Mohammad Yusouf Ayubi, the head of the provincial council in Kunduz, said the attackers stopped three buses on the road near Khan Abad district and forced the passengers to come with them.
Ayubi said he believed the Taliban were looking for government employees or members of the security forces who usually return home for the holidays.
“So far, there is no news on the fate of the passengers, but tribal elders and local officials are trying to negotiate with the Taliban,” he said.
Read full story »
AP: Afghan forces free 149 hostages taken by Taliban in ambush
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan forces launched a lightning operation in northern Kunduz province on Monday, rescuing 149 people, including women and children, abducted by the Taliban just hours earlier, officials said.
By mid-afternoon, fighting was still underway in the area to free 21 remaining hostages, officials added.
The operation was a boost for Afghan forces, which have struggled to contain a resurgent Taliban on battlefields across the country.
On Monday morning, the Taliban ambushed a convoy of three buses travelling on a road in the Khan Abad district, and forced everyone to come with them, according to Nasrat Rahimi, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry.
Rahimi said that after Afghan security forces freed 149, the insurgents were still holding 21 hostages from the buses. He added at least seven Taliban fighters have been killed in the fighting so far.
The ambush came despite Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s announcement of a conditional cease-fire with the Taliban during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha this week.
Read full story »
Ghani orders troops to continue their operations against Taliban
By Khaama Press on 20 Aug 2018 1:16pm
President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has ordered the armed forces to continue to their operations against the militants until a positive response has not been received from the Taliban regarding the ceasefire.
The Office of the President, ARG Palace, in a statement said President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani spoke via video teleconference with the provincial governors, national defense and security officials, provincial council members, and members of the provincial high peace and Ulemas councils.
The statement further added that issues related to the security of the country during Eid days were discussed together with the administration of the likely ceasefire.
According to ARG Palace, the conference was also attended by the Chairmen of Afghanistan High Peace Council and the Ulemas Council of Afghanistan, National Security Adviser, Officials of the security and defense institutions, and some other high level government officials.
Read full story »
Suicide bomber killed, 4 accomplices arrested in Jalalabad city
By Khaama Press on 20 Aug 2018 11:33am .
A suicide bomber was killed but four of his accomplices were arrested during an operation of the Afghan Intelligence, National Directorate of Security (NDS), forces in Jalalabad city.
The provincial government of Nangarhar in a statement said a suicide bomber detonated his explosives while being chased by the Afghan intelligence operatives during an operation in the 4th police district of the city.
The statement further added that the operation was conducted based on intelligence tip off and as a result four accomplices of the suicide bomber were arrested alive.
According to the provincial government, the suicide bomber and his four accomplices had taken shelter inside a religious school (Abdullah bin Fetada Seminary) as operations were being conducted for their apprehension.
Read full story »
REU: One member of U.S.-led coalition killed in Iraq plane crash: statement
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – One member of a U.S.-led military coalition was killed and several injured when their plane crashed on a counter-terrorism mission in Iraq late on Sunday, the coalition said.
There were no indications the crash was caused by hostile fire and the incident was under investigation, the statement added.
REU: Iraqi Supreme Court ratifies May election results
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq’s Supreme Court has ratified the results of the May 12 parliamentary election, its spokesman said on Sunday, setting in motion a 90-day constitutional deadline for the winning parties to form a government.
Parliament in June ordered a nationwide manual recount of the results, which were tallied electronically, after a government report said there were widespread violations and blamed the electoral commission.
Yet the recount showed little had changed from the initial results as populist Shi’ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr retained his lead, positioning him to play a central role in forming the country’s next government.
“The Federal Supreme Court issued on the afternoon of Aug. 19, 2018, its decision to ratify the names received,” its spokesman Iyas al-Samouk said in a statement.
The ratification makes the results formal and lawmakers now have to gather and elect a speaker, then president and finally a prime minister and cabinet within 90 days.
Read full story »
NYT: U.S. Forces to Stay in Iraq as Long as Needed: Spokesman
ABU DHABI — U.S. forces will stay in Iraq “as long as needed” to help stabilize regions previously controlled by Islamic State, a spokesman for the U.S.-led international coalition fighting the militants said on Sunday.
“We’ll keep troops there as long as we think they’re needed … The main reason, after ISIS (Islamic State) is defeated militarily, is the stabilization efforts and we still need to be there for that, so that’s one of the reasons we’ll maintain a presence,” Colonel Sean Ryan told a news conference in Abu Dhabi.
The number of American soldiers could go down however, depending on when other forces from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation deploy to help train the Iraqi army, he said, adding that about 5,200 U.S. troops are currently based in Iraq.
NATO defence ministers agreed in February to a bigger “train-and-advise” mission in Iraq after a U.S. call for the alliance to help stabilise the country after three years of war against Islamic State.
“Possibly, there could be a drawdown, it just depends on when NATO comes in and they help train the forces as well,” Ryan said.
Iraq officially announced victory over the militants in December, five months after capturing their stronghold Mosul.
The United States also has about 2,000 troops in Syria, assisting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) clear pockets still under the control of Islamic State along the border with Iraq.
Read full story »
GUARD: Britain to axe funding for scheme supporting Syrian opposition
Government ends police force programme as Assad’s forces close in on rebel-held areas
The UK government is to end funding to a scheme to support the Syrian opposition, deeming the programmes now too risky to operate as the final rebel-held areas face imminent attack from Bashar al-Assad’s forces.
Funding to support the operations of the Free Syria police force is set to come to an end in September, with government sources conceding the Access to Justice and Community Service (Ajacs) programme had become too difficult to deliver.
While humanitarian support will continue, the ending of this governance programme is highly symbolic, suggesting Britain has accepted that the Syrian opposition, which it has backed since the early days of the civil war in 2012 to 2013, is facing imminent defeat from a combination of Syrian regime forces and Russian airstrikes.
The government said the scheme had been kept under review because of the high risk, difficult conflict environment to ensure the benefits justified the risks, acknowledging the scheme had become too difficult to deliver as the balance between potential gain and risk shifted.
ALJ: Yemen war: Disease rife amid water and sewage crisis
As the conflict nears its fourth year, poor sanitation, an acute shortage of food and the resulting malnutrition is worsening what is already the world’s greatest humanitarian crisis.
After almost four years of war, much of Yemen is suffering from a lack of basic services.
Repeated bombings have damaged or destroyed a great deal of the country’s infrastructure, including water and sewage facilities, as malnutrition and poor sanitation are making people more vulnerable to diseases.
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Color Denotes Today’s Confirmation
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
Staff Sgt. Reymund Rarogal Transfiguracion, 36, from Waikoloa, Hawaii, died Aug. 12, 2018, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near him while he was conducting combat patrol operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The incident is under investigation.
Transfiguracion was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.
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