Attacking the Terrorists

The Times: Has an Exclusive, that the USA is using bases in Pakistan to attack the terrorists. The USA is using the bases to fly their Predator aircraft to attack the terrorists in Pakistan and Afghanistan. How much this is new is a debatable point, the news was blurted out by a Democratic Senator in a US Senate Committee. As the UK is in Afghanistan, should the government have not placed a D notice on this news, in other words forced the paper not publish the story. Our troops and other Western troops could be in danger should the Government of Pakistan be forced to ask the USA to stop the attack flights. Poor show on the part of the Paper of Record.

Cheney on Bush

New York Daily News: Reports that former VP Cheney is not happy with his former boss, President George W. Bush, the reason being that Bush didn't grant a Pardon to Mr Libby, the former Aide to the Vice President. It can be assumed that Bush 43 recalled the the row caused by the pardons of his father, Bush 41 and the late pardon by Bill Clinton. President Reagan didn't have to worry about pardons, his VP, George H.W. Bush was his successor, thus he could leave it to Bush 41 to clear up the mess of Iran - Contra. At the end of the day, Reagan understood that he need his successor to be a Republican and VP. Thus we are still talking about the Reagan Revolution years later, that what makes the Gipper a great politician and statesman.

Obama on Afghanistan

The White House: Interesting statement by President Obama on Afghanistan. The President States the following, " To meet urgent security needs, I approved a request from Secretary Gates to deploy a Marine Expeditionary Brigade later this spring and an Army Stryker Brigade and the enabling forces necessary to support them later this summer......General McKiernan’s request for these troops is months old, and the fact that we are going to responsibly drawdown our forces in Iraq allows us the flexibility to increase our presence in Afghanistan. This reinforcement will contribute to the security of the Afghan people and to stability in Afghanistan.....This increase is necessary to stabilize a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, which has not received the strategic attention, direction and resources it urgently requires.....This troop increase does not pre-determine the outcome of that strategic review. Instead, it will further enable our team to put together a comprehensive strategy that will employ all elements of our national power to fulfill achievable goals in Afghanistan. "

This statement is interesting, its a paper statement not a President himself announcing the news, he's on the TV every hour for his economic plan. Thus its wise to presume that President Obama sees that Afghanistan could be his Vietnam, he does not want to be another LBJ. Thus he wants some distance from the War. Also the the view that the Bush Administration was slow to take action, Obama is sending half of the request by the Army Brass, the President wants to keep his options open, thus he view that although he sending these troops this does not affect the review of Afghanistan within the Administration. One word, RUBBISH, its Obama's War, he rode it in the election well now he owns this as well as the economy.

Obama Surge in Afghanistan

BBC News: Reports that President Obama is sending seventeen thousand troops to Afghanistan. This is a mistake, its a half way house, its not as much as the Army Brass wanted but enough to show that the campaign speeches of the 08 Campaign had a point. I will guarantee that the President will have to send more troops in to Afghanistan, he will need to support the Government in Kabul, Afghanistan, he will need to take the fight to the terrorists on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, he might need to secure the nuclear weapons of Pakistan should the Government of Pakistan fall and the terrorists take over the country. Afghanistan has become Obama's War. Lets recall what destroyed the Great Society of LBJ, it was Vietnam.

Death in Afghanistan

MOD: Reports on the death of another UK Soldier in Afghanistan. The death total now stands at 145. Of those that have been killed, 116 have died in combat and 29 in other incidents. This will not be the last death, lets see what the Obama surge will do for the Western Operations in theatre.