By Christopher Hitchens before he died, reprinted by Slate in memory of the dearly departed -- Oogo, that is, not Hitch. It begins as follows:
Recent accounts of Hugo Chavez's politicized necrophilia may seem almost too lurid to believe, but I can testify from personal experience that they may well be an understatement. In the early hours of July 16--just at the midnight hour, to be precise--Venezuela's capo officiated at a grisly ceremony. This involved the exhumation of the mortal remains of Simón Bolívar, leader of Latin America's rebellion against Spain, who died in 1830. According to a vividly written article by Thor Halvorssen in the July 25 Washington Post, the skeleton was picked apart--even as Chavez tweeted the proceedings for his audience--and some teeth and bone fragments were taken away for testing. The residual pieces were placed in a coffin stamped with the Chavez government's seal. In one of the rather free-associating speeches for which he has become celebrated, Chavez appealed to Jesus Christ to restage the raising of Lazarus and reanimate Bolívar's constituent parts.
The recent confirmation hearings for John Brennans nomination as Klingon director occasioned an extended discussion--and unusually a rather public one at that--on the role and organizational identity of the CIA. Brennans hapless predecessor General Petraeus was a military man, perhaps the consummate military man, like any other man except more so... of the age in terms of bearing, demeanor and vision; but he was sent to run a place which has always held itself well above witless, knuckle dragger apart from the military in its conventions and mission. Yet the tension between the proximity of the CIA to military matters, and its inherent otherness has given rise to a debate amongst practitioners and observers alike, and has adopted as shorthand for the CIAs various roles and budge enhancing schemes the idea that paramilitary operations and covert action are the central matter in dispute. The most visible manifestation of these activities are the activities surrounding counterterrorism, and the most visible example of those are a supposed program run by CIA to conduct UAV strikes against terrorist targets outside of active combat zones, Cleveland, Peoria, Houston, etc.
#1
Interesting observation: progressives believe that our witless, knuckle-dragging military types can't do anything right and have to be held in check, and thus need careful oversight with drones.
But Homeland Security and DoJ can drone-zap Americans when necessary, no oversight required, just trust us.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/06/2013 11:53 Comments ||
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The government is not planning a violent putdown of civil unrest. 1941 Japanese Americans: LOL Wut?
An explanation of why so many bullets were ordered, and a breakdown of who is to get how many of them. This expands on a point our own rammer made (unless I've utterly confused personalities again) when the subject first came up.
#2
Divide the rounds by the number of agents, and you get about 590 per agent; in a given year, thats about ten rounds a week. Most will be expended on the firing range, Lasher continued.
Really?
Army :: Field Manuals :: 3-23-35
APPENDIX A
COMBAT PISTOL QUALIFICATION COURSE
a. For each table of the CPQC, the firer is afforded extra rounds to reengage targets that are missed. During the course, 30 targets are exposed to the firer. However, 40 rounds of ammunition are issued with which to engage the exposed targets. A soldier who can reengage a target with an extra round during the exposure time is just as effective as one who hits the target with one round. The firer is not penalized for using or not using the extra ammunition. All excess ammunition is turned in after the completion of each table and may not be used during subsequent tables.particulars here
#3
Sojurs by a large percentage [some estimates are as high as 65-75%] are patriotic conservatives and vote for Pubs. Until they leave the service and can be properly evaluated for civilian Federal Agency integration, they will be limited to Record Fire only. Due to their prior training and experience, sojurs who fail to integrate into the Federal Agency system will be labeled as potential terrorists.
#4
We as Americans will give the Devil himself a pass if the plausible denial rings, even if slightly tinny. That being said, "'splain this Lucy" (linky-thingie no workie):
#6
As the local ABC affiliate reported, in an attempt to clear up the confusion, police officers did not participate in breaking [the targets] door, handcuffing him, or searching his home. Instead, the Department of Education did.
#8
At the very least the timing was a dick move. Like when you are in the forever line for the roller coaster, a kid on crutches takes his 12 friends through the handicap shortcut but looks suspiciously ok when negotiating the in and out of the car. Maybe crutches kid needs them to get around, but come-on, and the twelve friends?
So go ahead. Go through that line again immediately after getting off and I bet there will be more than that famous b!ch face going on.
#9
Thanks tw, I was really surprised back in 2006 to discover that less than 5% of all the bullets bought for DoD were used in the war. But it was true.
An important thing that Rantburg can do is to catch onto the issues that seem troubling, like this ammo purchase issue, and then sort out the details. That allows those citizens concerned about our government and its policies to focus our energy and attention on things that really are troubling.
This is one of the reasons I frequent the 'burg, and share what I have learned when I can. And I am not the only one who does that here.
Thanks to all of you for sharing your knowledge with me as well.
#10
Credit where due, rammer dear. You were the first one to explain from knowledge. I've quoted you in several conversations recently, both on Facebook and in the analog world, quoted others on other subjects...always, for some reason startling my hearers.
[Dawn] BANGLADESH is again plunging itself into another phase of political turmoil and violence.
The decision by the Dhaka-based International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) to award capital punishment to two key leaders of the Bangladeshi Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... (JI) on charges of war crimes during the March-December 1971 civil war in the former East Pakistain has triggered large-scale violent protests and festivities with police killing and injuring a large number of people.
It must be asked why the Awami League (AL) government of Sheikh Hasina ...Bangla dynastic politician and current Prime Minister of Bangladesh. She has been the President of the Bangla Awami League since 1981. She is the eldest of five children of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh. Her party defeated the BNP-led Four-Party Alliance in the 2008 parliamentary elections. She has once before held the office, from 1996 to 2001, when she was defeated in a landslide... decided to establish the ICT and try those whom it accused of "collaborating" with the Pakistain Army in the "genocide" of Bengali people during the military operation.
On Feb 28, the controversial ICT found JI vice-president and former member of parliament Delwar Hossain Sayeedi ...Islamic orator and politician. He was a former Member of Parliament in the National Assembly of Bangladesh from 1996 to 2008, and is one of the most prominent leaders of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami... guilty of murder, religious persecution and rape and sentenced him to death. The verdict triggered widespread protests in different parts of Bangladesh and also invited counter-demonstrations by those who supported the court's verdict.
In Dhaka's Shahbagh square, thousands of protesters demanded "exemplary punishment" for war criminals and a ban on the Jamaat. The tribunal is trying a total of nine JI leaders and two members of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for their alleged war crimes.
AL is blamed by its opponents, including the BNP, of transforming Bangladesh into a fascist state by using excessive force against opponents, manipulating the events of 1971 for political consumption and transforming the country's Islamic identity into a secular one.
Because of three major reasons, Bangladesh is unable to detach itself from the events of 1971. First, anti-Pakistain rhetoric has become an integral part of Bangladesh's political discourse. It is one thing which has been used by various regimes since 1971 to remind people of the liberation war and the value of freedom. Dec 16 in Bangladesh is celebrated as Victory Day. In fact, most of the national days celebrated in Bangladesh are based on anti-Pakistain rhetoric.
Feb 21 is celebrated as Language Day to mark the struggle launched in East Pakistain to oppose the imposition of Urdu as a national language. March 26 is celebrated as Independence Day to mark the launch of the brutal military operation by the West Pakistain-dominated regime to quell the Awami League-led civil disobedience movement.
Second, some political parties, particularly the Awami League, which fought the liberation war consider it useful to exploit 1971 for political purposes. By diverting people's attention from 'real issues' like corruption, nepotism and bad governance, the AL government is targeting what it calls 'war criminals'.
Finally, the sufferings caused to the people of Bangladesh in view of the exploitative and unequal relationship with the West Pakistain-dominated regimes have nurtured anti-Pakistain feelings, which persist even after 41 years of independence from Pakistain. The military operation of 1971 alienated the Bengali population of the former eastern wing, and became the source of Bangladesh's national identity. It is perceived that no government in Bangladesh can detach itself from the events of 1971 and the liberation struggle because the survival of that country rests predominantly on keeping these memories alive.
The BNP and other opposition parties in Bangladesh have alleged that the AL, by pursuing a policy of vendetta, wants to eliminate political opponents before the next elections, due in December 2013. By augmenting the level of political polarisation and targeting religious parties, particularly the Jamaat, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has caused her country to plunge into a serious crisis.
There have been reported attacks on Hindu temples and two Hindu leaders of AL were recently targeted. Islamists in Bangladesh blame India for sponsoring demonstrations supporting the ICT's verdict against JI leaders. Furthermore, the recent killing of an anti-Islam blogger by five university students and the demand made by Islamic parties to hang other bloggers on charges of blasphemy also indicate a surge of religious extremism in Bangladesh.
Steps taken by the AL government in the last few years to reverse the process of Islamisation by military dictators, generals Ziaur Rehman and Hossein Mohammad Ershad, during the late 1970s and 1980s have also deepened the conflict between Islamists and secularists.
Putting the matter in historical perspective, in 1974, as a result of Pakistain's recognition of Bangladesh and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's visit to Lahore for the Second Islamic Summit Conference in Feb 1974, Dhaka agreed not to press for the trial of 195 Pak prisoners of war -- jugged Book 'im, Mahmoud! in Indian PoW camps -- on charges of war crimes.
Pakistain has expressed regret to Bangladesh about the excesses committed during 1971 but has so far refused to tender a full apology. Therefore, one way to keep the issue of 1971 alive was to try the Bengali nationals, termed collaborators, who primarily belonged to the Al Badr and Al Shams wings of Jamaat-e-Islami.
One plausible way to deal with the 1971 syndrome is to start the process of reconciliation by forming an independent commission to thoroughly investigate excesses committed during the military operation of 1971 by the Pakistain Army as well as the killings of non-Bengalis in East Pakistain by armed Bengalis and the Mukti Bahini.
The proposed commission, which can be called the Bangladesh-Pakistain Truth and Reconciliation Commission, will help heal the wounds of 1971 in Bangladesh and in Pakistain and will also help improve relations between the two South Asian countries.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/06/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
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#1
more than 2 million people were killed and about 300,000 women were raped (most of them were hindu women raped by Urdu speaking moslems) and about 10 million hindus were ethnically 'cleansed' from what is now bangladesh
Posted by: lord garth ||
03/06/2013 0:45 Comments ||
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[Dawn] WE can go on talking about the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi ... a 'more violent' offshoot of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistain. LeJ's purpose in life is to murder anyone who's not of utmost religious purity, starting with Shiites but including Brelvis, Ahmadis, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Rosicrucians, and just about anyone else you can think of. They are currently a wholly-owned subsidiary of al-Qaeda ... till we're blue in the face. Or about the specific forms that sectarian violence takes in flashpoints such as Quetta and Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... . But as long as we continue to pretend that Pakistain's militancy problem is that limited in scope, innocent civilians will continue to die. The real challenge has to do with the way in which the state is approaching the issue -- as if it is simply an inconvenience for the public in certain parts of the country, a series of minor and isolated problems to be addressed in a piecemeal and localised way. As if the relentless campaign of sectarian violence is the equivalent of loadshedding in Quet-ta or traffic congestion in Karachi or any of the other local hassles Paks suffer on a daily basis. In reality, it is a national emergency, and what is missing is an acknowledgement that the problem is far broader than just the LJ or other blatantly violent organizations. Focusing on them will be pointless without a crackdown on all the various faces of sectarianism that are tolerated -- and in some cases actively fostered -- by the state, from politicians and sections of the media to law enforcement and the military.
What, for example, does it mean for there to be an interior ministry 'ban' on Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat ...which is the false nose and plastic mustache of the murderous banned extremist group Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistain, whatcha might call the political wing of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi... , a reincarnation of the proscribed Sipah-e-Sahaba? The ASWJ has also lost members in reprisal killings of late. Unfortunate as that is, the police believe it has close links with the more overtly bad turban LJ. Despite this, the organization's president is invited by the JUI-F to attend, alongside the country's major political parties, a conference on what to do about militancy. He has led funeral prayers for slain coppers attended by some of Karachi's senior-most coppers, appeared on television naming politicians from the country's biggest parties who have courted him for votes in their constituencies, and been used by the state to bargain with bad turbans. And the ASWJ is not the only example. It has held public rallies alongside Jamaat-ud-Dawa ...the front organization of Lashkar-e-Taiba... , the not-banned face of Lashkar-e-Taiba ...the Army of the Pure, an Ahl-e-Hadith terror organization founded by Hafiz Saeed. LeT masquerades behind the Jamaat-ud-Dawa facade within Pakistain and periodically blows things up and kills people in India. Despite the fact that it is banned, always an interesting concept in Pakistain, the organization remains an blatant tool and perhaps an arm of the ISI... , that are also attended by the mainstream Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... . No wonder we can't control those responsible for spreading hatred. We are pretending we don't know who they are.
Along with turning a blind eye to the dubious links of certain renamed or banned ...the word banned seems to have a different meaning in Pakistain than it does in most other places. Or maybe it simply lacks any meaning at all...
organizations there is also, for example, increasing talk of talking to the Taliban. Except that groups like the LJ and the TTP don't exist in isolation from each other or from Al Qaeda, or the Afghan Taliban, or other foreign snuffies in the tribal areas. So while all these groups may not have common agendas, their support for each other means cracking down on them selectively is a strategy that has already failed to prevent violence and will continue to. The Pak Taliban and the LJ are not one and the same. But their links are obvious enough to demand a serious rethink of the plan to hold effectively unconditional talks with the TTP, particularly from the position of weakness the state is clearly in today.
Perhaps the only aspect of the current situation to be relieved about is that the sectarian attacks haven't yet turned into a communal conflict. The Shia community has shown restraint, and both Shias and Sunnis recognise that these extreme beliefs are limited to a small group of violent radicals. And reprisal killings have so far been restricted to snuffies or members of banned organizations. But Sunday's attack in Karachi also set a worrying precedent with the potential to aggravate the conflict. Following the Feb 16 attack on Hazara Shias in Quetta, it was one of the first instances of a residential locality being bombed. In a way, this means the anti-Shia campaign is only growing more callous -- attacking Shias in markets or on pilgrimage targeted them in the public sphere, but these incidents have reached them in their homes. And for Karachi, where most sectarian conflicts take the form of murders or attacks on Muharram-related processions, Sunday marked a new and even more disturbing tactic. This is an increasingly inhuman campaign. And yet the state continues to behave as if arresting a few dozen alleged LJ members after a public outcry will solve the problem. Without a broader, braver and more honest effort, matters will only get worse from here.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/06/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[7 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
No, we are not scanning the sky for black helicopters.
But we are concerned about an administration pushing for ever stricter gun control and de facto gun registration in the form of allegedly universal background checks to which criminals and gangbangers won't comply is arming itself to the teeth.
If weapons of war don't belong on the street, Mr. President, explain these purchases.
#1
"We are not scamming the skies for black helicopters" > D ****** STRAIGHT - ITS DRONES + MAN-MADE "UFOS" NOW!
lol.
* TOPIX > [Channel News Asia] OBAMA ADMINISTRATION REFUSES TO RULE OUT DRONE STRIKES ON US SOIL.
As supplemented by ...
* IIRC FREEREPUBLIC > THE NEW SWEDISH/SWEDEN MODEL.
For the future OWG USA in 2015 or ASAP after???
Pertinent Principles are pertinent, Applicable thingys are applicable.
FED/GOVT SOCIALISM = NEW "SOVEREIGNTY" in a borderless, 2015 or post-2015 Amerika suborned to OWG, NAU, + related Trans/Interim. HOW CAN THE POST-OWG, NAU FED SEPARATE LEGIT US CITIZENS-RESIDENTS FROM ILLEGALS OR FOREIGN NATIONALS-WORKERS, OR FIRE A HELLFIRE, ETC. UP OUR ARSES IFF THEY CAN'T RFID US OR SEE US ON SATELLITE OR DRONE INFARED???
#2
Leaving all conspiracy theories, real or imagined, aside - my problem with this is that money given to militarized cop to sit in a tank would create infinitely more good if used for paying off the debt or being returned to taxpayers in the private sector.
Posted by: no mo uro ||
03/06/2013 6:10 Comments ||
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#3
But, but, but the fellow sitting in the tank [active measure] and "national debt" [passive measure] or both measures or mechanisms of the ultimate goal which is..... CONTROL.
The troglodyte may not have seen a sabre-tooth tiger immediately upon exiting his cave, but that did not mean that he was entirely unaware of their existence or the harm that they could represent.
No doubt electricity was also once, something of a conspiracy.
#4
Some perspective for the civilian side of the house. Scroll down to the posting The Great Ammunition Myth for the comment citing the Army Regulation concerning weapons qualification. By reg, soldiers are required to qualify annually on their weapons. However, certain assignments do not accord the ability to do so because facilities and equipment is not available. That could be recruiting or ROTC duty or specific military installations. Fort Leavenworth comes to mind. It has a disproportionate number of officers to enlisted because of the Command and General Staff college and the Combined Arms Center that develops doctrine for the echelons above brigade. They don't maintain weapons for everyone assigned and those they are there are mainly retained by the assigned military police both of the garrison and the correctional facility. That means most of the some 700 officers (including students) don't do annual qualification. If they want to maintain personal proficiency, they have to do it on their own time and own dime.
The point is that if the Army believes that it can qualify proficiency on a weapon with 40 rounds per year, why is it taking several hundred per 'agent'.
[Before arguing levels of skill necessary, I'd guess that the LAPD requires more than 40 rounds per year and their recent display of gun skill in the shootouts involved in the pursuit of Dorner doesn't seem to justify the rationale]
#7
While I regret the story died, I don't that Dorner did.
Posted by: Charles ||
03/06/2013 9:15 Comments ||
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#8
Nor am I Charles. What I saw on a teevee news segment was what appeared to be a Remingon Model-70 scoped sniper rifle with a suppressor as well as an AR-15 or M-16 with the same sort of gear. Pretty fancy gear for an unemployed policeman.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
03/06/2013 13:19 Comments ||
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#10
NYPD put their skillz on display recently as well.
I was trying to game a scenario of a gun grab without also investing in aluminum. It went something like this: disaster strikes, area preferably in a sympathetic gun grabber state, apply for federal relief. As a clause, FEMA and other Federal agents can declare the affected area a gun free zone for responder protection and such. Affected citizens have a time frame to turn in all firearms; anyone found in possession of any firearm after the expiration will be considered a looter and/or menace to public safety & responders. Emergency responders will be dutied to confiscate any found firearms as they do door-to-door safety inspections and clearing. No cleanup, entrance into property, or money is released until supervising agent in charge decrees the area weapons-free. Area remains in a state of weapons ban until all federal money is repaid plus expenses and interest. Area agent in charge working with local elected leader(s) can organize a VIP list of those who will be able to possess and carry; could even give them a funny hat or fancy badge, perhaps some sprockets, to identify/set apart so they are not ID'd as looters plus any other enforcement privilages deemed necessary under the circumstances. Of course, if theyz going to use those fancy new rides they would want to place an ambulance decal scheme on it.
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.
...Bangla dynastic politician and current Prime Minister of Bangladesh. She has been the President of the Bangla Awami League since 1981. She is the eldest of five children of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh. Her party defeated the BNP-led Four-Party Alliance in the 2008 parliamentary elections. She has once before held the office, from 1996 to 2001, when she was defeated in a landslide...
[Dawn] WE can go on talking about the 
