Israel, USA and Iran

The New York Times: Reports on a visit to Israel by US Vice - President Joe Biden, the article states the following on US policy towards Israel and Iran, " Israel has been training for a military attack on.... ( Iran ),....Washington has been pressing it to hold off and help work out a sanctions regime. " The problem with the visit does Israel think that VP Biden has the ear of President Obama, he has failed to win over the President when it comes to Afghanistan, so why would Israel take any notice of Joe Biden. One can argue that if Obama really wanted to send a clear message of support to Israel he would send the Secretary Gates or Secretary Clinton or even stage a Presidential visit to the region. This blog still predicts an Israeli attack on Iran with the year.

The Hurt Locker - Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

Have just see the winner of the Best Film at the Oscars, The Hurt Locker. Have to be honest as in the UK one has seen many War Films from 1930s onwards, the Hurt Locker in a way did recall those War films from the 40s and 50s, more about the characters in a war zone that the actual war itself. At least the film was not Anti Iraq War, the central character of Sergeant William James had the same quality as one has seen in many UK War Films, the man you would want in the foxhole with your in a time of War, but also the type that could get you killed in the process and who's inter personnel skills would make you run the other way if you meet them in a pub. Have to admit the above might sound harsh but after so many Vietnam War films, Platoon and Born on the 4th of July, the Hurt Locker did recall a previous age in film making, not a celebration of War but not an attack, and that's a lot from Hollywood. In Vietnam films there is a strong Anti War message, in the Hurt Locker it shows the perils of War, any one can die but that is a message of all good war films, the Hurt Locker is not about never going to War. The central character Sergeant James goes back to War, thus not Vietnam. It was interesting that on the same night ABC News ran a piece on EOD ( Explosive Ordnance Disposal ) teams in Afghanistan, as the real life soldier stated it helps if your a little bit nuts to do the job. Have also to admit a bit of fan of Danger UXB from UK TV series of the 1970s, about bomb disposal teams in World War Two, on the whole liked the film but its not All Quiet on the Western Front, Great Escape or Platoon.

Iraq, Obama and the NYT

The New York Times: Reports the following on the Iraqi elections, " Defying a sustained barrage of mortars and rockets in Baghdad and other cities, Iraqis went to the polls in strength on Sunday....". It would be fun to speculate how the extreme liberal NYT would have reported the story if Bush 43 was still in the Oval, you could image the following, " Baghdad - The Bush surge has not stopped the violence, people are voting, but ethnic division is still a major factor that could lead to civil war..". But its President Obama that is in the Oval and he needs some success so the NYT is taking the line of the brave Iraq going to vote and in a bigger turnout than in 2005. At least the UK is out of Iraq, the invasion itself in military terms was fine, but afterwards it was a disaster, the Iraqi Government and the US had a negative view of the UK presence in Basra, it seems the MOD thought Basra was Northern Ireland, it might be now but not at the time the UK was there, thus it took Iraqi and US forces to bring order to the South.

Death in Afghanistan

MOD: Reports that a British Soldier was killed on Sunday in Afghanistan, the soldier was from the " 1st Battalion The Rifles (1 RIFLES), serving as part of the 3 RIFLES Battle Group ". Thus since 2001 the UK has lost 272 of its Armed Forces Personnel in Afghanistan, of that total it has lost 239 in combat operations and 33 due to illness, accidents or other incidents. The MOD has to get a new plan for Sangin, thus far we have lost six soldiers this month and its only the 8/3/2010. The UK needs its own surge, it needs to clear Sangin and the area around, the Taliban/Al Qaeda are focusing its attack on UK forces, simple reason is that there is an election this year in the UK. Thus PM Gordon Brown should argue and approve thousands of more troops for Afghanistan, even calling up more of the TA active or non active. This is a fight the UK can no longer afford to lose. The War in Afghanistan is the template of Wars for the 21 Century.

Afghanistan Front News

MOD: Has released the name of the British Soldier killed on Saturday in Afghanistan, the soldier was " Rifleman Liam Maughan of 3rd Battalion The Rifles ". Our thoughts are with the family of Rifleman Maughan.

Obama on the Iraqi Elections

Its is ironic that the one success of the Obama Administration has been Iraq, if Bush 43 had listened to Senators Obama and Biden, the state of Iraq would have been split in three and there would have been no US surge in 2007. One can postulate that Iraq would now be in a state of civil war and Iran would want Iraq as a puppet state. Thus very ironic the comments by President Obama, " I congratulate the people of Iraq for casting their ballots in this important parliamentary election. I have great respect for the millions of Iraqis who refused to be deterred by acts of violence, and who exercised their right to vote today. Their participation demonstrates that the Iraqi people have chosen to shape their future through the political process. " If it had been Obama in charge in 2007 the US would have taken troops out and the state of Iraq would not longer exist. " I commend the Iraqi government and Iraqi Security Forces for providing security at nearly 50,000 voting booths at more than 8,000 polling stations across Iraq. We mourn the tragic loss of life today, and honor the courage and resilience of the Iraqi people who once again defied threats to advance their democracy. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi poll workers contributed to the effort, as well as domestic party and civil society observers. Iraqi citizens around the world also participated in these elections, including Iraqis living in the U.S. who voted in Arlington (VA), Chicago, Dallas, Dearborn, Nashville, Phoenix, San Diego, and San Francisco. " Obama didn't want the surge and promised in the Campaign a quick exit, he shifted the timeline but is still going on about leaving Iraq by 2011, this could turn Iraq from a win to a defeat and with Iran getting the prize of Iraq. " The important work of Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) will continue in the days to come as it counts ballots, tabulates results and investigates complaints. We also salute the invaluable assistance provided by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI). " The forming of a new government could take weeks if not months, thus any idea of a timeline plays in to the hands of Iran. Lets be clear folks, if Israel hits Iran all timeliness are in the bin, Iran will attack Iraq and the US will be in Iraq for years. The White House better start planning for that on the PR side, they don't want to find at 3am that Israel has hit and there is no plan.

Death in Afghanistan

MOD: Reports that a British Soldier has been killed today in Afghanistan, the soldier was from the " A Company 4 RIFLES, part of the 3 RIFLES Battle Group ". Thus since 2001 the UK has lost 271 of its Armed Forces Personnel in Afghanistan, of that total it has lost 238 in combat operations and 33 due to illness, accidents or other incidents. Since the start of March the UK has lost five soldiers in or around Sangin, it can be argued that the UK needs a surge in Sangin to clear the Taliban/Al Qaeda out, it can be argued that while the US and the UK mounted Operation Together ( MOSHTARAK ) in Marjah the Taliban/Al Qaeda just shifted its forces to Sangin thus the recent deaths. The UK has to show we are ready to win in Sangin and the rest of Afghanistan, thus UK should consider sending out more troops, lets be direct here, even if the troops are not ready we have to show we mean business this time not like Iraq. There comes a point that the level of attrition of troops is to much for the UK Army, thus better to clean house in Sangin now, lets have a UK surge in Afghanistan.