Spies and Modern Terrorism

WSJ: Reports how the CIA will deal with death of seven of its Agents in Afghanistan, how less security is traded off by getting real time information on the Taliban/Al Qaeda. The CIA officers that died were real heroes, but this is a new type of war, this is not the " Good Times of the Cold War", in that period both the USA and the USSR knew that there was a code, no extreme killing of other sides actual agents, not their operatives but US or USSR citizens, if they had gone on a killing spree the Cold War would have gone hotter faster, it was in their interest to allow each some leave way as to keep themselves informed and thus keep the Cold War from not getting warm. This is not to say that people didn't get killed, of course they did, but it was never policy of the USA or the USSR to wipe out the other sides Agents as this would have been a kind of nuclear option in many respects. The CIA is dealing with terrorists in the shape of the Taliban/ Al Qaeda would do not play by the rules, to them there can only be one winner, thus no rules, the CIA has to strike back hard, it has to be in some respects like the old KGB, strike terror in to those that would attack either the Agency or the USA.

The Left and Yemen

The Daily Beast: Interesting look in to the mid of the left wing, how the left are afraid that Yemen will become another Iraq or Afghanistan, think about this quote folks on US policy after 9/11, " America’s response to terrorist attacks is far more costly to the country than the damage caused by the attacks themselves. " I think it is fair to say if you ask those three thousand that died on 9/11 if America's response was worse they would look at you as if your a nutter, they died due to the weakness of the Clinton Administration, Al Qaeda started the War in the mid 1990s just no one knew in the United States, when you kill three thousand people the state are the right and duty to come after you, to destroy you, no matter the cost, otherwise the rest of the population are open targets. The policy of Bush 43 was right when it came to Afghanistan and at the outset for Iraq, but to appease the terrorists know would be a big mistake, you have to destroy Al Qaeda root and branch, or they will destroy you, its that simple folks.

Iran - To make on nuclear fuel ?

Fox News: Reports that Iran will make its now nuclear fuel if the West does not appease its demands to become a nuclear-armed power. Thus the question that will face the Oval Office is what next, any UN sanctions will be weak due to China and Russia, any weak sanctions and Israel will take action, if Israel takes action you could have a regional war in the Middle East, that leaves the US to take action, it might be the lesser evil, the regime in Tehran would know that if took on the USA the USA voter would be quite happy to erase Iran from the face of the earth, and Obama would have no choice, the Congress would Impeach him if he tried to be Neville Chamberlain, thus interesting few weeks ahead folks.

Afghanistan Front News

MOD: Has released the name of the recent soldier to die in Afghanistan, the soldier was " Sapper David Watson from 33 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Royal Engineers " Our thoughts are with the family of Sapper Watson.

The End of an Era - New Doctor

The Doctor Who News Page: Reports that the second part of the End of Time got an audience of 10.4 million. The the second of the two part special show is the end of the Tenth Doctor, what can you say, Mr Tennant will shall miss you, it can be said with no argument, you are at the top of the ten with the fifth Doctor, the final few minutes of the Doctor and Rose bought a tear to this fan boy. But as with all good things there is new Doctor, new adventures, but all I can say and think it can be said for Million, our Doctor has gone, and we are sadder for it, come back one day Doctor with Rose, few years down the line, lets see the human Doctor and Rose, that will be fun, a Doctor with no Tardis or sonic, but with Rose, hell that its own series. Well 11th Doctor you have filled big boots, lets see what your made off, lets see if you really are the The Doctor.

MET Police - London Police

Just a brief break from usual posts to tell a nightmare story from my recent trip to London, out in London for the New Year Celebrations I had my wallet stolen in a pub. On noticing the theft I walk out and there standing on a corner was five PC's, your humble correspondent informed the sergeant that my wallet has been pinched and told him that if he did a quick search of the pub; it was a small pub; he would catch the offender. The Sergeant then told me that there had been a incident somewhere and he had to listen to the radio; if the incident has been close, yes, I could have understood, but it was not from my perspective! Thus while he talked, the other PC's just stood on the corner, any one who has seen the Real Hustle will know that once a wallet has been pinched the crooks pass it on, thus if they are nabbed no evidence. Thus five minutes later it was too late, the alleged suspect ( As no wallet and no CCTV the suspect has to be considered innocent and totally innocent for legal reasons ) came out but no wallet, the police took my name and contact info and then phone me at 8.30am to tell me they had nothing to go on, great surprise, I said that to the sergeant at 2.30am in the morning. If Met can walk in to Houses of Parliament and arrest an MP, they can ask the DJ to turn off the music of a small pub, lights on and ask everyone to take a line and show their wallets or bags, then search them as the leave, quick, efficient, and logical. The Mayor should ask the Met Chief what are tourists to make of London Police if they are that slow and show no backbone, they could have gotten my wallet back and caught themselves a gang of pick pockets, but I guess that is why Gene Hunt is popular with the public, he would have done that, a real old fashioned Copper. I am a great support of the police and the security services, but when I find that level of logic and backbone I want action, it was my wallet, it was not the money or the cards, it was the pictures and a rose petal form an old friend, thus very annoyed, with myself for not being secure but also with the MET police, yes they do a fine job in hard circumstances, but this was clear result that they let go, I guess if you’re an MP doing your job you get arrested or if your victim of theft the MET either do the wrong thing or nothing, COME BACK DICKON OF DOCK GREEN or GENE HUNT.

Death in Afghanistan

MOD: Reports that another British Soldier has died in Afghanistan, the soldier was from the " 33 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), Royal Engineers ". Thus since 2001 the UK has lost 245 of its Armed Forces Personnel in Afghanistan, in that total 212 have died in combat operations, while 33 have died due to illness, accidents or other incidents. This loss of a soldier happened on the 31 December 2009, one has to postulate there will be more deaths next year, as President Obama has set a 2011 deadline for his second surge in Afghanistan, the Taliban/Al Qaeda will make the effort to make any withdrawal after that date looked like surrender by Obama in the face to constant Taliban/Al Qaeda attack on US and NATO forces. Thus it can be argued that next year will be very bloody for Western forces in operational theatre.