Tag: revolution

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The Afghanistan Report the Pentagon (And Pakistani Government) Doesn’t Want You to Read

Mohammed Abbasi

Due to the following piece being blocked in Pakistan, I have decided to ‘cut and paste with links on my blog – please share (naturally I have some nice pics and videos at the end for my friends :)) Truth, lies and Afghanistan How military leaders have let us down BY LT. COL. DANIEL L. DAVIS I spent last year in Afghanistan, visiting and talking with U.S. troops and their Afghan partners. My duties with the Army’s Rapid Equipping Force took me into every significant area where our soldiers engage the enemy. Over the course of 12 months, I covered … Continue reading The Afghanistan Report the Pentagon (And Pakistani Government) Doesn’t Want You to Read

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American drones

Mohammed Abbasi

  The life and death of American drones By Nick Turse The drone had been in the air for close to five hours before its mission crew realized that something was wrong. The oil temperature in the plane’s turbocharger, they noticed, had risen into the “cautionary” range. An hour later, it was worse, and it just kept rising as the minutes wore on. While the crew desperately ran through its “engine overheat” checklist trying to figure out the problem, the engine oil temperature, too, began skyrocketing. By now, they had a full-blown in-flight emergency on their hands. “We still have … Continue reading American drones

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US and Iran: From enemies to partners

Mohammed Abbasi

By Kaveh L Afrasiabi At the closure of 2011, with the US Congress declaring economic warfare against Iran through tough new sanctions targeting the country’s central bank, 2012 could easily be predicted as a decisive year for Washington and Tehran locking horns in escalating tensions. But an important question is: can policymakers in Iran and the US chart a different path, whereby they could become partners for peace in the Middle East, instead of warring parties? As much as this question appears cut off from reality by the sheer weight of animosities piling up at the gate of US-Iran (non) … Continue reading US and Iran: From enemies to partners

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Khalid bin Walid

Mohammed Abbasi

Khālid ibn al-Walīd (Arabic: خالد بن الوليد‎; 592–642) also known as Sayf Allāh al-Maslūl (the Drawn Sword of God), was a companion of theIslamic prophet Muhammad. He is noted for his military tactics and prowess, commanding the forces of Medina and those of his immediate successors of the Rashidun Caliphate; Abu Bakr and Umar.[1] It was under his military leadership that Arabia, for the first time in history, was united under a single political entity, the Caliphate. He was victorious in over a hundred battles, against the numerically superior forces of theByzantine-Roman Empire, Sassanid-Persian Empire, and their allies, in addition to other Arab tribes. His strategic achievements include the conquest of Arabia, Persian Mesopotamia and Roman Syria within several years … Continue reading Khalid bin Walid

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Frederick the Great

Mohammed Abbasi

Frederick II, the Great Frederick II, the Great (1712-86): King of Prussia. During his 40-year reign, Frederick II vastly increased Prussia’s wealth, doubled its size, recast it into a hub of culture and learning, and made it a great military power. Frederick was a sensitive and intelligent humanist who composed flute concertos, wrote poetry, and produced insightful essays. His series of histories, dealing primarily with affairs of state, would eventually fill 15 volumes. He became a close friend of the French philosopher Voltaire, François-Marie Arouet de, and as monarch would surround himself with artists, writers and musicians. He was host of the … Continue reading Frederick the Great

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2012 – Justice Without Borders!

Mohammed Abbasi

Transnational Peoples Movements Form to Respond to Transnational Injustice by: Matthew Cappiello and Kevin Zeese, Truthout | Op-Ed An anti-government protester defaces a picture of Hosni Mubarak. (Photo:Antonello Mangano / Flickr) In an era where multinational corporations and linked international security networks exert increasing control over our daily lives, we have to fight their attempts to profit off our divided and balkanized communities by establishing independent connections with one another. Even though the United States has caused many horrible things around the world, there is still a powerful movement of people in this country that will stand up for justice … Continue reading 2012 – Justice Without Borders!

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Drone Sex?

Mohammed Abbasi

DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA Sex and the single drone By Tom Engelhardt In the world of weaponry, they are the sexiest things around. Others countries are desperate to have them. Almost anyone who writes about them becomes a groupie. Reporters exploring their onrushing future swoon at their potentially wondrous techno-talents. They are the pilotless drones, our grimly named Predators and Reapers. As Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director, Leon Panetta called them “the only game in town”. As secretary of defense Robert Gates pushed hard to up their numbers and increase their funding drastically. The US Air Force is already training more … Continue reading Drone Sex?

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Mongolia opens for business?

Mohammed Abbasi

Mongolia hands it to a cast of neighbors By Peter Lee ULAN BATOR – Before embarking for the United States, Mongolia’s President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj sat down with the Washington Post for a charm offensive, at least in terms that Mongolians understand: dispensing comparisons to Genghis Khan that they, at least deem flattering. Elbegdorj has lessons for USA from Mongolia’s past  As the leader of a diminished land that was once an invincible superpower, President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj has some advice for Americans fatigued by the burdens of global power: Remember Genghis Khan, and stick with your friends. “It is tough, but … Continue reading Mongolia opens for business?

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Soldiers Have Injured Souls

Mohammed Abbasi

Beyond PTSD: Soldiers Have Injured Souls by: Diane Silver, Miller-McCune (Photo: United States Marine Corps / Flickr) John Fisher got his soul back when he visited a cemetery in Greece. Shelley Corteville felt “rocketed” into healing when she told her story at a veterans’ retreat after 28 years of silence. Bob Cagle lost his decades-long urge to commit suicide after an encounter at a Buddhist temple. These veterans and thousands like them grapple with what some call “the war after the war” — the psychological scars of conflict. Working with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and private organizations, these men and … Continue reading Soldiers Have Injured Souls

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Heil Cheney! – Der Fuhrer of The Tea Party?

Mohammed Abbasi

Dick Cheney, the Ultimate American Terrorist by: William Rivers Pitt, Truthout | Op-Ed Vice President Dick Cheney in a June 20, 2007 file photo. (Photo: Doug Mills / The New York Times) Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. – Dick Cheney It is axiomatic by now: when someone leaves government service, especially from a high-profile position, they write a book. They all do it, sometimes more than once. Richard Nixon is the main example of one who produced a multi-volume apologia; by the time he went into the ground, he’d penned … Continue reading Heil Cheney! – Der Fuhrer of The Tea Party?