An American soldier opened fire on civilians in southern Afghanistan shortly before dawn on Sunday, killing at least 16 people according to an Associated Press photographer who counted the bodies. At least five people were wounded as well in the attack on two villages near the US base in Kandahar. President Hamid Karzai, the Afghan [...]
Iran captures American unmanned drone
Dec. 9, 2011 1 Comment
On Sunday, Iranian news network Fars News Agency announced that an Iranian electronic warfare unit had downed and captured a American RQ-170 Sentinel, an unmanned aerial drone manufactured by American defense and aeronautics company Lockheed Martin. According to a statement from the Iranian government, the drone was in violation of Iran airspace and was brought [...]
Darkest Day of the War: 22 members of SEAL Team 6 killed
Aug. 8, 2011 Leave a Comment
A helicopter transporting 30 American servicemen, including Navy Seals, was shot down by insurgents over Afghanistan on Saturday, marking the single deadliest day for American forces in the war in Afghanistan. American and Afghan officials confirmed that 30 Americans and 8 Afghans were killed in the attack, according to the New York Times. The 22 [...]
The Embassy Cables: Military partnership with India
Dec. 11, 2010 Leave a Comment
In a June 2009 cable posted online by Wikileaks, a meeting is detailed between National Security Adviser James Jones and Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony, who stressed the importance of a close military relationship between India and the United States. The cable shows that both men were acting under the direction of the leaders of [...]
VA reaches out to families of vets with mental illness
Nov. 11, 2010 Leave a Comment
Veteran advocate Tammy Duckworth served in Iraq as an Army helicopter pilot and received combat injuries that cost her both legs. She ran for an Illinois congressional seat in 2006, spoke at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, and was appointed last year as Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs in the Department [...]
Afghans will go to the polls tomorrow
Sept. 17, 2010 Leave a Comment
Parliamentary elections in Afghanistan will go ahead tomorrow, marred by allegations of fraud and tampering against election candidates, and, most recently, by the kidnapping of a candidate and 18 election workers by Taliban members. Earlier this week printers in Peshawar claimed they were told by Afghan election candidates to produce and laminate fake voter cards [...]
Brown supports troop increase in Afghanistan
Dec. 1, 2009 Leave a Comment
State Senator Scott Brown (R-Wrentham) issued a statement tonight supporting President Barack Obama’s decision to send more troops to Afghanistan. "I support President Obama’s decision to add more troops in Afghanistan. Winning the war on terror and defeating the Taliban is essential in preventing another 9/11-style attack. I am disappointed but not surprised to see [...]
Coakley against sending more troops to Afghanistan
Nov. 29, 2009 Leave a Comment
Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, the front runner to replace the late Senator Edward Kennedy, said today she was against President Barack Obama’s decision to raise troop levels in Afghanistan. "Based on what I know now about the President’s planned troop increase, I do not believe that we should send additional troops into Afghanistan. I [...]
MIA Aussie special forces dog found alive
Nov. 14, 2009 Leave a Comment
BRISBANE, Australia — An Australian Special Forces Explosives Detection Dog named Sabi has been found alive and well almost 14 months after being declared missing in action in Afghanistan. The black Labrador retriever, who was trained to detect improvised explosive devices in the Oruzgan province, was recovered by a US soldier at an isolated patrol [...]
A children’s treasury of my recent reviews
June 23, 2009 Leave a Comment
Internet! Here are my most recent book reviews (in most to least recent): 1) “Horse Soldiers” by Doug Stanton sucked. 2) “Hey! Nietzsche! Leave them kids alone!” by Craig Schuftan was amazing. 3) “The Chris Farley Show” by Tanner Colby and Tom Farley, Jr. surprisingly stuck with me (and still does). More stuff right here.
‘Horse Soldiers’ frustrated me, a lot more than it should
June 23, 2009 Leave a Comment
When you’re writing a book about the military, this critic thinks, you’ve got to be a great writer. You have got to know what you’re doing, and you have got to understand the shark-infested waters you’re swimming in. A bad book about the military will do one or several of the following things: 1) reduce [...]
Horse Soldiers: I have seen this movie already, and liked it better when it was Lawrence of Arabia
June 23, 2009 2 Comments
Doug Stanton’s newest novel is waiting to be directed by Tony Scott.
Obama to speak tonight
Feb. 24, 2009 Leave a Comment
The time has come. Obama’s first speech to a joint session of Congress takes place tonight at 9 p.m., broadcast on all major television stations. Will he extend a hand towards Iran, following up on his promise to engage in open discourse with President Ahmadinejad? What will he say about health care reform? The economy?
