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Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Sun, 03/09/2008 - 10:45pm.

go to original

Killing ourselves in Afghanistan

In a secret meeting with a Taliban commander, I learned how Bush administration aid to Pakistan helps fund insurgents who kill U.S. troops.

Editor's note: Research support was provided by the Puffin Foundation Investigative Fund at the Nation Institute.

By Matthew Cole

A Pakistan army garrison in Chitral. Insurgents were driven to this outpost in Pakistan army trucks like the one shown, given weapons, and then sent across the border into Afghanistan to attack U.S. targets.

March 10, 2008 | KABUL, Afghanistan -- On a recent bitterly cold winter day, I sat huddled on a red Persian carpet in an unheated Kabul office, waiting for a visitor who, I was told by a trusted friend, would help me understand why America is not winning its war in Afghanistan.
...
Over the course of several hours in the Kabul office, "Haji Muhammed," as we agreed he would be called, spun a gemstone ring absently around his finger and ran his hands through his thinning hair as he described for me his firsthand experience of an American foreign-policy debacle. The U.S. is paying for both sides of the war in Afghanistan. As is becoming increasingly clear, for at least two and a half years, and perhaps far longer, the Pakistani government has been receiving massive U.S. aid while its intelligence agency and elements of its military have been pursuing their own anti-American agenda within Afghanistan...
...

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Submitted by enpen on Sun, 03/09/2008 - 10:28pm.
OlyWA Capitol Theater Free Wall
photo by enpen
»
Submitted by security_six on Sun, 03/09/2008 - 9:25pm.

found this online and thought it would be appreciated....

A little old lady is walking down the street, dragging two large Plastic garbage bags with her, one in each hand.



Unfortunately, there's a rip in one of the bags, and every once in a while a $20 note falls out onto the pavement. ; Noticing this, a policeman stops her....'Ma'am, there are $20 bills falling out of your bag ...

'Oh, really? Darn!' says the little old lady. 'I'd better go back and see if I can collect them. Thanks for the warning!'

'Well, now, not so fast,' says the cop. 'How did you get all that money?' 'You didn't steal it, did you?'

'Oh, no', says the little old lady. 'You see, my back yard is right next to the parking lot of the baseball Stadium. Each time there's a game, a lot of fans come and pee through the bushes, right into my flower beds!' 'So, I go and stand behind the bushes with a big hedge clipper, and each time someone Sticks his little thingy through the bushes, I say, '$20 or off it comes'

'Well, that seems only fair.' laughs the cop. 'OK, good luck! By the way, what's in the other bag?'

'Well', says the little old lady, 'not everybody pays
 

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Submitted by security_six on Sun, 03/09/2008 - 8:42pm.

Libertarian from across the dock...

Logs near the West Bay log yard


Park near the 4th ave bridge on West Bay Ave

I had a dyslexic moment naming this one...  should have been "Looking North" :-)

 

 

 

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Submitted by security_six on Sun, 03/09/2008 - 8:10pm.

The liberties and freedoms of all peoples would be respected and cherished. Government would be of and by the people. The people would have a strong guiding hand in government, and government service would be just that, service to the people.

Society would work for the common benifit, and act for the common welfare. A person could just as freely walk nude down the street as they could with a weapon, or not as they choose.

The only law would be "Do no other harm" within that confine, understood, respected and honored by all Citizens.

Okay, I took pretty much all of this from Michael Z. Williamson's excellent novel "Freehold"

Living in a libertarian's paradise... why not?

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Submitted by Chia on Sun, 03/09/2008 - 7:34pm.
there would be no exploitation of any kind.

Response to Rob

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Submitted by enpen on Sun, 03/09/2008 - 3:31pm.
OlyWA Capitol Theater Free Wall
photo by enpen
mouseover photo by enpen
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Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Sun, 03/09/2008 - 2:33pm.
I went for a walk last night. It was good. I went to the Reef and had a brownie a la mode. It was good. My mood was improved too. When I was walking on the bridge I noticed that the lights in the Capitol Dome were extinguished. I presume this is an energy saving measure. I am glad the state government is setting an example of energy conservation.

Here's a 7 image panorama composite from the walk:
Downtown Oly
larger sizes available
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Submitted by einmaleins on Sun, 03/09/2008 - 12:10pm.

Why did nobody warn me...?

Dang, I totally didn't think about it... me so stupid....

Anyway, it's an hour later than yesterday.

Spring forward!!!

 

mathias

einmaleins

»

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