Tag Archives: Afghanistan

Guest post by Jeff Mosenkis of Innovations for Poverty Action. The effective altruism careers blog 80,000 Hours argues that support roles within an organization, like in operations or assisting, can have big overall impact by multiplying others’ effectiveness. In that vein, IPA’s hiring a global operations director. We’re also hiring what (IMHO) might be one of the most important and complex jobs in the org, Kenya Country Office Director. It involves managing a staff of 500 across several...

Leaked pitch to Trump administration warns of China’s goal to control key tech resource Resources wars? Asia TimesErik Prince’s plan for Afghanistan’s rare metals revealed

About Afghanistan. There is method to the madness of staying in Afghanistan. The US deep state doesn't want to actually "win" the war, which would be a reason to leave and "save money,", since continued US military presence there is essential in terms of geopolitics and geostrategy, which is focused on US hegemony. Afghanistan is a key piece in controlling Central Asia and the Eurasian landmass. This is a part of a proxy war with Russia and China. Tom DispatchNever-ending war:...

Important backgrounder explaining what is really going on with Afghanistan. So, this new Great Game goes on, with wily Vladimir Putin, tweeting Donald Trump, smiling Xi Jinpeng and creepy Narendra Modi all trying to outwit each other, and rope in the other minor players to their side. Sic Semper Tyrannis Tillerson’s Trip & the new Great GameFB Ali At the Defense Intelligence Agency, Lang was the Defense Intelligence Officer (DIO) for the Middle East, South Asia and counter-terrorism,...

Repeating failure in expectation of success.This further exposes the CIA as a secret paramilitary organization rather than an intelligence agency as such.Moon of Alabama Phoenix 2.0 - CIA's Vietnam Terror Unleashed Upon Afghanistan bSee also In short a lot of activity, a lot of killings, a lot of doors kicked in, a lot of personal grudges paid off by fooling the Americans into doing your dirty work and not much else. Shades of Operation Phoenix in Vietnam. Russia ObserverNew US Operations...

“The political analysts and inexperienced generals of U.S. leaders thought that Afghanistan was a bite-sized meal which can readily be devoured and added to their list of colonies” on October 7, 2001, when Occupation Enduring Freedom was launched, the Taliban said on its English-language website. “However, they were unaware that this valiant nation has broken the horns of every invading force and thrown them into the sinkhole of history.”  “Afghanistan—where empires go to die.” ― Mike...

Geopolitics and geostrategy on the grand chessboard. Trump’s recent decision to add troops in Afghanistan has nothing to do with combating terrorism (or mining mineral resources, or confusing militants as to when the U.S. military might finally leave), no matter what the endless stream of pundits and think-pieces have argued since it was announced. After 16 years of occupation the Taliban control 48 of nearly 400 administrative units, the Islamic State has established a foothold, the...

In the context of America’s Afghanistan problem, Pakistan joined the international coalition in the wake of the attacks on September 11, 2001, allegedly as a result of a direct threat by US secretary of state Colin Powell to the Pakistani president at the time, Pervez Musharraf. It is a folly to believe that the interests of these two countries converge in the larger scheme of things. They never have. In terms of soft power, the United States has never enjoyed high approval ratings among...

In the final analysis, [US Ambassador] Hale’s softer line was probably influenced by the resolution passed by the Pakistan National Assembly and Senate last week, which amongst other things demanded the suspension of supply routes for US forces via Pakistan in Afghanistan. The Pentagon heavily depends on Pakistani transit routes, which are logistically and financially the most optimal. Any American ‘surge’ in Afghanistan likely means even greater dependence on Pakistan’s cooperation to...

The more one looks at it, President Donald Trump’s real challenge is not about winning the war against the Taliban, but the high risk he’ll be incurring, by taking his generals’ advice, to put his imprimatur on a full-fledged proxy war in Afghanistan against Russia, Iran and China. Russia InsiderRussia Warns the US Over Afghanistan M.K. Bhadrakumar