Long, thought-provoking piece on what's been happening in the region beyond the American military effort, and the changes that might be rung as a result once we are gone.
#1
Long article. Good summary of the various interests: U.S., China, Pakistan, India, Russia, Iran, and the Stans and the strategic jockeying among them as the U.S. prepares to leave Afghanistan. As pointed out, the U.S. may have a steering role for Afghanistan without the cost of occupying the country. Much depends upon how much control those whom we have trained in Afghanistan can maintain a somewhat stable country and prevent the return of a ruling Taliban.
Unintentional comedy gold from a NY Times foreign correspondent. Hat tip to the other perfessor
From TFA:
Since Hosni Mubarak fell from power in Egypt last year, the Muslim Brotherhood has repeatedly promised moderation and vowed not to "monopolize political institutions in the new Egypt." But right now a committee is forming to write a new Constitution. The "moderate" Brotherhood controls the parliament and tried to stack the committee's membership so that it held a controlling majority. On Tuesday, however, a court blocked the effort.
We should never have believed them. He's here all week, folks. Try to remember to tip the waitstaff.
#6
Recall that one leader in the Islamic world who said they consider democracy to be like a bus. They will get off when they get where they want to go. No surprises if liberals were paying attention.
#3
"Soccer is a game for Girls/Kids in the US" ...
SOCCER SYMBOLIZES NATIONAL DOMESTICITY, CULTURE, + QUALITY-OF-LIFE.
LOSING AT SOCCER = ...
> Baby Jesus is actually the Devil.
> Your favorite Pet is actually a Transformer Robot controlled by an escaped lab mouse wid an oversized Brain named "the Brain" who has a serious Napoleonic Complex + is out to take over the World every night.
> Your Wife or best GF of many years was born a Man.
> Mom + Grandma were lying to you all those years or deacdes ago when they claimed they cooked or made everything by hand.
> The US Govt declared Blatz Beer a "National Treasure" over Budweiser, Pabst, Miller or even Heineken. Ditto wid Escargots.
> France decides to fight the Germans instead of surrendering.
And so on, and so on ...
AND YOU JUST REALIZED OR FOUND OUT ABOUT IT ALL BEFORE OR DURING THE SOCCER GAME.
Thusly, Virginia, we learn again how Soccer Riots begin.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.