The real loser in the Pa. Senate primaries was peace
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
The real loser in the Pa. Senate primaries was peace
All the hype over electoral politics and personalities including the end of Arlen Specter's storied political career obscured the latest news out of Afghanistan, which is not good.
KABUL, Afghanistan — Insurgents launched a brazen pre-dawn assault Wednesday against the giant U.S.-run Bagram Air Field one day after a suicide bomber struck a U.S. convoy in the capital of Kabul, killing 18 people. The Kabul dead included five American troops and a Canadian and was the deadliest attack on NATO in the Afghan capital in eight months.
The back-to-back attacks appeared part of a Taliban offensive that the insurgents announced earlier this month – even as the U.S. and its partners prepare for a major operation to restore order in the turbulent south. The insurgent attacks against both the capital and a major American military installation show the militants are prepared to strike at the heart of the U.S.-led mission.
On Tuesday, the toll of American dead in Afghanistan passed 1,000, after a suicide bomb in Kabul killed at least five United States service members. Having taken nearly seven years to reach the first 500 dead, the war killed the second 500 in fewer than two. A resurgent Taliban active in almost every province, a weak central government incapable of protecting its people and a larger number of American troops in harms way all contributed to the accelerating pace of death.
I'd heard that the Taliban was diminished in Afghanistan and wasn't going to pose that much of a threat to American troops and our NATO allies. In fact, you know who it was the told me that? It was Rep. Joe Sestak, the new Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate:
Comments (33)
Re:"…we're foolishly fighting the same war but now as it should have been waged in 2002." We should keep in mind that the invasions of both Afghanistan and Iraq were war crimes based on fabricated pretense. Remember that the Taliban offered to eject al Qaeda from Afghanistan and turn over bin Laden in October of 2001. It is true that they initially demanded evidence of bin Laden's involvement in "9/11" as international law requires, but dropped their insistence when Bush refused to turn over any evidence. We now know the reason was because there was no evidence for the claim. When a reporter was televised asking Bush (as Bush was walking to his helicopter on the White House Lawn) if he would accept the Taliban's offer. Bush's reply was "The time for negotiation is over". Bush had forces prepositioned around Afghanistan prior to 9/11/01. He gave the Taliban more than 40 million dollars in May of 2001 (ostensibly for their reduction of the opium trade by over 60%), but was at that time continuing to negotiate with the Taliban for permission to put the gas pipeline from the Caspian basin (Turkmenistan) through Afghanistan on its way to Pakistan and the sea where super tankers could ship it. Unocal was to construct it (as Enron had just dropped out of contention). We should immediately initiate a withdrawal from both Afghanistan as fast as possible while insuring the safety of the troops. The suffering inflicted on the people of Afghanistan and Iraq will take generations to recover from. It is profoundly immoral to stay even one more day. That is why it is incorrect to say there was ever a time when it was possible to fight the same war “as it should have been waged in 2002” Respectfully, Peace, JK— zXkRqHTb- "almost goes Republican in a primary that had more Dem enthusiam due to a tight Senate race." Sorry...this should read, "almost goes Republican on an election day that had more Dem enthusiam due to a tight primary Senate race."— legatus
- Let's recap last night: PA - Obama-suppported incumbent Senator goes down in flames. 12th district, gerrymandered so that Murtha would never lose, almost goes Republican in a primary that had more Dem enthusiam due to a tight Senate race. KY - Tea Party candidate wins over establishment supported candidate. AK - Obama-supported centrist incumbent in a runoff against a nobody. To sum it up, looks like a VERY bad night for incumbent/establishment candidates. November 2010? Incumbents. In. Trouble. (Wonder which party has more to lose.)— legatus
Lets recap last night: PA - Republican turned Dem to get reelected goes down in flames. PA - In the only election that counts, Democrats held onto Murthas seat in a very conservative district. KY - Establishment Republican hand-picked replacement for Wacky Jim Bunning is defeated by Nutty Rand Paul. AK - Rightwing Democrat Blanche Lincoln in a runoff with Democrat Bill Halter. To sum things up, it looks like a great night for Democrats. November 2010? BRING. IT. ON.— Les Ismore
Comment removed.- "There are those who would give up freedom to achieve peace" I am assuming you mean the Rudy Giuliani, Glenn Beck, John Bohner and the rest of the regressive bed-wetters?— Les Ismore
- "Why do I give Bunch any web-hits?" Jeepers RB, remember that every time you visit this blog, the Daily News gets 5 cents!— Les Ismore
- There are those who would give up freedom to achieve peace..... I, however, would give up peace to maintain my freedom.— Mark Glaeser
- typical left-wing bunk from a guy who doesn't realize that there's true evil in this world, and that the only way to eradicate it is to kill it. contrary to popular left-wing dogma, you can't negotiate with evil. holding hands and singing "kumbayah" doesn't work either.— chadsexington
- Why do I give Bunch any web-hits? It's just that his articles are just so ideological and hypocritical (he believes it's the R's that are ideological...he's just right)...it's hard to look away.— rbpeeple
This is our Vietnam.— verve- Sounds like a little bit of Sour Grapes!— CrashTestCorzine
- And when Iraq invaded a neighboring country, an international effort thoroughly defeated it militarily. That's the very definition of limited influence. On the other hand, the countries surrounding Afghanistan have porous borders, economies in crisis, weak security infrastructures. They have rampant poverty and high unemployment. Taliban-affiliated extremists attacked the president of Uzbekistan. The Taliban controls Afghan territory bordering on Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. A strategic policy is needed to deal with those realities. The Obama administration's policy is poorly developed, and other policies might arguably be better for containing the Taliban (one argument is that continued involvement in the region only strengthens the Taliban's influence), but IMO, direct engagement with the Taliban is justified.— Talking point sleuth
- 'Iraq's ability to increase its influence was severely limited" Sure, i raq only had a trianed military, oil funds, and had alreayd invaded a foreign country.— RG
- ---}}} However, we all know you won't vote him out. {{{--- That would depend on who the other viable candidates are. He was better than the alternative in the last election.— Talking point sleuth
- ---}}} Sure, yet other countries will invite the Taliban in to take them over. Gotcha. {{{--- Wow! You really know nothing about this issue, do you? The question isn't whether other countries would welcome the Taliban with open arms but of their ability to resist. Iraq's ability to increase its influence was severely limited. Here's a primer for you. http://www.rferl.org/content/Threat_Of_Taliban_Incursion_Raised_In_Central_Asia__Again/1752944.html— Talking point sleuth
- What TPS's posts look like....waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa— Manny Trillo
- "not only by the U.S. and its allies, but also by other powers in the region." Sure, yet other countries will invite the Taliban in to take them over. Gotcha. And didn't Saddam (and Iran) oppress women, which was another one of your rationalizations? "and with the way that the drone policies are being carried out with a lack of oversight." We are the oversight, stop looking for others to protect you or do your work. However, we all know you won't vote him out.— RG
- ---}}} Same coulda been said about Iraq and Saddam (heck even Iran), yet you p-ssed and moaned about that war of choice. {{{--- Iraq's ability to expand its influence was largely contained - not only by the U.S. and its allies, but also by other powers in the region. So military intervention was not needed. The Taliban has a proven track record of seeking to expand its influence to fill a power vacuum in the region. I also support efforts to contain Iran's influence, but not military intervention there, because there is not the need for military intervention to contain Iran's influence as there is in Afghanistan to contain the Taliban's influence. As hard as it might be for you to comprehend, RG, it makes sense to consider relevant circumstances when evaluating different policies. As for your toadyism charge - it is simply disproven: I posted in disagreement with Obama's stated justification for the continued military involvement - that the Taliban and or AQ in Afghanistan present a direct threat to us - and with the way that the drone policies are being carried out with a lack of oversight.— Talking point sleuth
- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- THE LOSER IS OBAMA- where was he to help poor Arlen??? VA-NJ-PA-MA what other state will Obama take down?......You Liberals just do not get it- but you WILL IN NOVEMBER- LOUD AND CLEAR- just accept it- Liberal Democrats represent 20% of the USA and shrinking....— Manny Trillo
- "You might also note that the senior Paul has been a principled, consistent opponent of statist power whether from Bush or Obama." Will's a world class statist, he'd be horrified by another Senator Paul— RG
- Will, you might have noted that, assuming he's like his Dad, Rand Paul's victory gives peace a chance. You might also note that the senior Paul has been a principled, consistent opponent of statist power whether from Bush or Obama.— ipuritani
- What happened to showing all the soldier who died on the Nightly News? Showing their caskets coming home?- this is Obama's war period..........of course we have an Illogical Liberal blaming Bush- what a shock!!!!— Manny Trillo
- Hate to think that the crowd at the Flyers game last night booed "Oh Canada" on a day a Canadian soldier died with Americans in Afghanistan.— lpydmblb
- "It's opening up Afghanistan for the Taliban to regain power and systematically oppress women on a massive scale - and for the Taliban to be in a position to move on from there into other countries in the regioin." Same coulda been said about Iraq and Saddam (heck even Iran), yet you p-ssed and moaned about that war of choice. Wonder why you're so gung ho here? Toadyism pehaps?— RG
- Keep the Afghan and Iraq wars in the news, Bunch. The wars are unconstitutional, and the government is paying for them on credit. Ask yourself why these wars continue regardless of who holds the power?— Johnny Dickinson
Why don't the media trump up the 1000 death threshold like to use to do with the last president?- ---}}} The real loser in the Pa. Senate primaries was peace {{{--- Pretty superficial analysis there, Will. The alternative to continued military action in Afghanistan is not "peace." It's opening up Afghanistan for the Taliban to regain power and systematically oppress women on a massive scale - and for the Taliban to be in a position to move on from there into other countries in the regioin. Questions about the advisability of continued military involvement are valid - but it doesn't help the debate when you ignore the full consequences of various policies.— Talking point sleuth
- So, are you saying the President is wrong to be using drones? He said the military prior to his becoming the Commander in Chief was aerating villages and killing civilians. Isn't that what he is doing? Obama actually added troops. Strange for a liberal with disdain for the military. Go Toomey!— Bush3
Is the Afghan government a Glenn beck sponsor?— jmc- If President Bush had made the committment to Afghanistan that President Obama is finally making, this war could have been over years ago...Note the use of the word "could". That is because Afghanistan has been the final nail in the coffin of several powers over the centuries, I am not sure we can be the first ones to break that cycle even with the greatest military in the world.— Les Ismore
1
Popular Posts
Search this blog:
Blog Roll
- Andrew Sullivan
- Blinq
- Blogorrhea
- Blonde Sagacity
- Free Republic
- Instapundit
- James Taranto
- ScrappleFace
- The Corner
- Buzzmachine
- Eat the Press
- Editor and Publisher
- Media (Huffington Post)
- Media Bloodhound
- Mickey Kaus
- Pressthink
- Romenesko
- The Inksniffer
- A List of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago
- Above Average Jane
- BlankBaby
- Citizen Mom
- Keystone Blog
- Metroblogging Philadelphia
- Phawker
- Philadelphia - America's Hometown
- Philadelphia Will Do
- Philebrity
- Philly Future
- Phillyblog
- Phillyist
- The Clog
- The Next Mayor
- Welcome to Phillyville
- Young Philly Politics
- Afro-Netizen
- All-Spin Zone
- Atrios
- Bad Attitudes
- Billmon
- Booman Tribune
- CorrenteWire
- Fables of the Reconstruction
- iFlipFlop
- Kiko's House
- MyDD
- Philly (Dragonballyee)
- Rowhouse Logic
- Slacktivist
- Suburban Guerilla
- Tattered Coat
- upyernoz
- AmericaBlog
- Andy Borowitz
- BuzzFlash
- Crooks and Liars
- Cursor
- Daily Kos
- David Sirota
- Drudge Report
- Echidne of the Snakes
- Fire Dog Lake
- Glenn Greenwald
- Hullabaloo
- Jesus' General
- Jon Swift
- Josh Marshall
- Juan Cole
- Kevin Drum
- Mad Kane
- Majikthise
- Matthew Yglesias
- Oliver Willis
- Raw Story
- Swing State Project
- Talk Left
- Taylor Marsh
- TBogg
- The Carpetbagger Report
- Think Progress
- War and Piece
- Wonkette
- A Citizen's Blog
- Balls, Sticks and Stuff
- Beer Leaguer
- Dick Polman
- Phillies Nation
- Philling Station
- Shallow Center
- The 700 Level
- The Good Phight
Classifieds:
Site Services:
Partners: