- The situation in Afghanistan is brutal with the Taleban resistance losing and causing more casualties. Two Canadian soldiers were wounded as the result of an ambush during a fierce firefight that took the lives of 4 US soldiers, 1 Brit, 1 Afghan soldier and 4 policemen. The Taleban reportedly lost 70 fighters. What a mess.
The DoD has released this new casualty count:
As of Monday, Aug. 21, 2006, at least 266 members of the U.S. military have died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department.
Of those, the military reports 165 were killed by hostile action.
Outside the Afghan region, the Defense Department reports 56 more members of the U.S. military died in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Of those, two are the result of hostile action. The military lists these other locations as: Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba; Djibouti; Eritrea; Jordan; Kenya; Kyrgyzstan; Philippines; Seychelles; Sudan; Tajikistan; Turkey; and Yemen.
There was also one military civilian death and four CIA officer deaths.
That's an interesting list of geographic locations.
- Canadian journalists are struggling with government harassment, just like their US colleagues. Juliet Neil of the Ottawa Citizen is challenging the search warrants used by the RCMP to rummage through her belongings in 2004 when she allegedly received confidential information in the case of Maher Arar who was a guest on a CIA 'rendition' flight to Syria in 2002 where he was subsequently severely tortured in a prison for 10 months. If Neil is convicted, she could end up in jail for up to 14 years. Maher Arar and his family are still trying to heal while they continue to search for justice.
- Over at the newest Canadian lefty community blog, The Next Agenda, you'll find an interesting read that explores the political relationships between governments and NGOs.
- Best Guess blog (another fine site to visit) has an analysis of the situation in Iraq and statements made by Bush during his press conference on Monday. The New York Times has more, including the
“These are challenging times, and they’re difficult times, and they’re straining the psyche of our country,”
No, Bush, what is 'straining the psyche' is the fact that you're still president.
Here's my fav, Helen Thomas's reaction:
- Crooks and Liars also has video of the
- According to a new CNN poll the American public's disapproval of Bush's misadventures in Iraq have reached an all time high, with 61% opposed. Some of the closeness in the other poll numbers indicate that the Democrats still have a long way to go to convince the public that the
- Whoops! Although that technique might actually make Lou Dobbs more watchable.
- Playing Cowboy – and Falling Off the Horse.
- There's a new war on a different kind of terrorism. (This one's for you, Janet).
- Speaking of the so-called GWOT, the Bush misadministration was dealt yet another blow on Monday when a judge dropped a terrorist conspiracy charge against Jose Padilla. I really should check out the fearosphere's reactions to this judge who is now, no doubt, seen as a terrorist-appeasing, traitorous, treasonous librul who hates America and who should obviously be rendered to some far off country to be 'taught a lesson she won't soon forgit!'
- One last thing: Astronomers Prove Dark Matter Exists. No, not in Cheney's so-called heart, Bush's so-called brain or Karl Rove's...well, actually in all of his body parts...(the existence of dark matter in those guys was confirmed a long time ago)...but out there where the truth is, according to Mulder and Scully.
Kewl, as the kids say. I wonder if NASA will find Osama bin Laden next.
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