Incredible interivew with Prime Minister Netanyahu. Mr. Kng stated we would travel to the Middle East to bring all the parties on the show. Applause.

I agreed with everything he stated last night.  I believe the blockade deaths were unfortunate, but, the Israeli Defense Force was expecting violence and indeed there were guns on board. 

I do not believe Israel is a violent nation, I believe they live in a very difficult neighborhood and I believe Israel has every right to exist.

I do believe there needs to be fence mending with Turkey and a resolve to the issues surrounding the blaockade deaths.  That was serious and caanot be treated differently, but, if there were indeed guns on board what was to be a peaceful mission, then I am a bit disillusioned and Israel's actoins are difficult to call into question.

I also believe the Prime Minister is correct when it comes to Iran.  I believe Iran and its threats against Israel has to be taken seriously and the USA sanctions are very important.  More needs to be done.  But, to 'deny' there is anger and threats against Israel for simply exisiting is a worrysome problem.  Israel has done nothing to Iran.  Yet, Iran levels threats to Israel all the time.  It is as though Iran is seeking to be the 'mother ship' to Hezbollah and Hamas.

Iran should break ties with any 'extremist' groups and legitimize relations with the countries of the region and global interests as well. 

I would think, the Iranian President would find a way to seek better diplomatic relations with the West other than simply making speeches at the United Nations.  However, I don't see Iran having good relations with The West if it continues to advocate violence. 

Iran cannot talk out of both sides of its mouth by seeking peace with The West on one hand and denouncing Israel on the other.  Iran supplies 'the hate' in many ways to the extremist groups and then tries to follow it up with actions even if simply making statements at the UN and in the media.

It is time for the Middle East to end this senseless 'street talk' about violence and hatred of Israel.  If there is to be a sincere peace by Israel, there cannot be accompanying propaganda promoting violence within the Islamic communities.  Iran cannot continue to propagate hatred though extremists in the region.  In doing so, it puts young Muslim men and women 'at risk' for ending their lives.  The entire 'paradigm' of hatred by Iran which results in real deaths and violence is simply outrageous for a modern country.  Seeking peaceful use of nuclear capacity cannot be accompanied by a 'paradigm of hatred.' 

It was completely obvious there is a gross difference between the 'peace keeping' intent of Israel's defense department and one that is an 'active threat' to the region.  Israel has a right to defend itself and until the 'propagandized hatred' stops I don't see Israel's 'defense strategy' changing.  Unfortunately. 

I apprecaited Prime Minister Netanyahu coming to the public and speaking on behalf of Israel.  It included us in what we want most, a real opportunity for peace in the Middle East.  It is a leadership role the Prime Minister is taking, with that a 'good place' for Israel to be.

The Saboteurs of their own coastline.

Gov. Bobby Jindal and local leaders talk to reporters after flying over Lake Pontchartrain, the Rigolets and Chef Menteur Pass on Tuesday. The leaders have renewed their call for protective rock barriers to be constructed. From left are Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser, Jefferson Parish Council Chairman John Young, Jindal, interim Jefferson Parish President Steve Theriot, Jefferson Parish Councilman Tom Capella and St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro.

They flew over some oil tainted waterways and all of a sudden they are the experts that know better than any of THEIR OWN SCIENTISTS how best to handle the oil spill in Louisiana.  Not.  They are community leaders, without any scientists backing them up in regard to building berms or dumping large amounts of rock as a plan to stop oil from reaching the coastline. 

Rocks?

I thought they were going to use large amounts of sand no different than the barrier islands that are already there.  You know, the kind of 'barriers' that 'roll over' and act as a barrier no different than the islands that are already there.

Louisiana scientists disagree with their community leaders and Governor, but, all these men can do is yell at the federal government.  There is no sound science that backs the plans these men have made regarding their coast and now there are reports that Jindal won't deploy more National Guard troops to assist with coastline protections. 

Louisiana is its own problem.


Governor Bobby Jindal Under Scrutiny (click title to entry - thank you)

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is facing criticism over his reluctance to activate an additional 5,000 National Guard troops.
Mr. Jindal, who in recent weeks has received national media attention, has made clear his displeasure with the federal government’s response to the oil spill. But, many are now looking into the governor’s own response to the spill and are discovering a number of roadblocks implemented by the state.
The governor, who has construed BP and President Obama as foot-dragging, recently told CBS news that “We asked the White House to approve the initial 6,000 [National Guards]. What they came back and said is the Coast Guard and BP has to authorize the individual tasks.”
Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen responded, “There is nothing standing in the governor’s way from utilizing more National Guard troops.”
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal’s office subsequently said Mr. Jindal has not specifically asked for the troops. “[The Governor] has not specifically asked for more Guard troops to be deployed.”


What is occurring with Jindal and the local community leaders in Louisiana is 'hard core' Republican politics and nothing else.  The press wants the scandal and conflict because it 'sells.'


Proposal worries scientists
But just as there was with the sand berms, there has been widespread concern in the scientific and environmental communities that the rock dikes could actually do more damage to natural coastal resources than the oil would. The basic criticism is that tides must move in and out of the passes, and that blocking the flow will increase the velocity of water and oil moving into the wetlands, potentially eating away at existing barrier islands and deepening the channel in the future.
Coastal scientists differentiate between "hard structures" such as rocks and soft, natural structures such as sand islands or marshes.
"The softer parts of the system (e.g. the sandy barriers between the inlets) will then become the weak spot as the inlets have hardened and constricted," Denise Reed, a coastal scientist at the University of New Orleans, wrote in comments to the corps. "It is possible that hardening the inlets makes breaching of the islands more likely -- both resulting in additional erosion and more pathways for oil to move in from the Gulf."
In addition to the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the state's own scientific review panel, the Horizon Oil Spill Science and Engineering Review Team, expressed numerous concerns with the rock jetty plan more than a week ago.
A separate group of 15 coastal scientists from Louisiana universities and national environmental groups expressed concerns about the plan in a letter sent to the corps last week.
"Limited, if any, scientific input has been incorporated from outside experts, even when offered," the letter stated. "This process is inadequate for an endeavor of this scope of potential impacts and risks. Prior to issuance of a permit, we recommend incorporating science and technical expertise into the planning process ... We also request to be included in future oil-fighting strategies planning."...


http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/07/jindal_jefferson_parish_offici.html


According to an article in the New York Times (click here), BP has paid $30 million for rock that sits on barges without a permit to use in an engineering nightmare.  BP while trying to react to the oil spill is causing itself more problems by contributing to plans that are not approved for action. 

Such plans may seem 'flamboyant' to the media and the public, but, when the reality is a 'nightmare' according to the Louisiana State scientists, the attempt begins to reflect on the same poor planning witnessed with the original Deepwater Horizon fire and failure of the Blow Out Preventer, along with all the other failed attempts to close the BOP rupture.

An engineer can be hired to draw up a blue print and a Governor can order all the materials needed for the project, but, if it isn't based in 'sound coastal science' it serves no purpose.

Gov. Bobby Jindal's handling of Gulf oil spill profiled by NPR

Published: Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 8:45 AM
Updated: Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 8:54 AM

The piece notes that Jindal has rebounded from his "lackluster rebuttal" to President Barack Obama's first State of the Union address. The oil spill has given him the opportunity to rail against BP and the federal bureaucracy.
Share His "fast-talking, wonkish approach" to the spill is popular with voters; most recent polls put his popularity at 61 percent or higher.
While some environmentalists dismiss as political his plan to dredge and create sand berms off the coast to capture some of the oil, it has made him appear dynamic, especially when compared with the Obama administration....

http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/06/gov_bobby_jindals_handling_of.html#incart_mce



Oil Spill Crisis Puts Jindal Back On Center Stage
by Debbie Elliott

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128200820


Applying 'rock jetties' to the problem is NOT a solution.  Rocks don't 'pack,' they would allow oil tainted water to flow between them.  The rocks would not only cause problems with coastal dynamics, they simply WOULD NOT WORK !

And if the engineer of the project was counting on 'filling' in the gaps in the rock with sand, the result would be the same.  The sand would 'wash out' from between the rocks and the water would flow through them anyway. 

Rock Jetties address an entirely different issue than 'sand barrier islands' address.

This project is an emotional reaction to a complex problem.  The Louisiana leadership does not trust the people they need to trust and this is the result.

NOAA's new study encouraging for our beaches

July 6, 2010
Miramar, Florida
Photographer states :  Beach Clean Up


Scientists say Florida's West Coast beaches least likely to be gooped-up by the oil  (click title to entry - thank you)

Posted: 8:13 PM



Last Updated: 46 minutes ago


By: Carson Chambers


ST. PETERSBURG BEACH, Fla. - Now there's a new, encouraging study from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration giving the beach realty owner and others here strong hope that the West Coast of Florida might avoid the oil spill.In a historic bungalow on St. Pete Beach, where his name is printed on the awning, Frank Hurley is finally hearing reassuring news.
"I put a great deal of belief in their predictions and their studies," said the long-time realty owner.
"This has not been the best summer, as far as that's concerned. Neither has it exactly been a disaster,” said Hurley who rents around 300-properties in the area.
NOAA says the highest probability was the Panhandle which had a 81-to-100-percent chance of getting some oil. The Florida Keys, Miami and Fort Lauderdale have a 61-to-80-percent possibility of getting oil. But West Coast of Florida has the lowest probablity-- only 1-to-20-percent.
And NOAA says current gulf conditions are shrinking our chance of oil even more....

NOAA has determined the loop current will carry the oil in a different direction from the Florida West Coast.  That estimate is based on stable data and the circumstances will ONLY change with hurricane activity.  Good luck, Florida.  Video below picture presents the facts.

The Weather at Glacier Bay National Park is (Crystal Wind Chime) warm.

06 Jul 2010: Report

High Above the Earth, Satellites Track Melting Ice (click title to entry - thank you)


The surest sign of a warming Earth is the steady melting of its ice zones, from disappearing sea ice in the Arctic to shrinking glaciers worldwide. Now, scientists are using increasingly sophisticated satellite technology to measure the extent, thickness, and height of ice, assembling an essential picture of a planet in transition....

by michael d. lemonick

July 6, 2010
UV Map

Local Time: 3:33 PM AKDT (GMT -08)

Lat/Lon: 58.8° N 137.0° W

Elevation :: 33 feet

Temperature :: 57 Fahrenheit

Conditions :: Overcast

Humidity :: 88%

Dew Point :: 54 Fahrenheit

Wind :: 5 mph from the ESE (East Southeast)

Pressure :: 30.40 inches (Steady)


Visibility :: 10.0 miles

UV :: 2 out of 16

Clouds :: Overcast 2000 feet

I find the UV index interesting. This is a higher latitude and nearer the north pole than the lower 48 states. I don’t recall Alaska having any significant UV exposure in the past. Hm. What has the ozone satellites looked like this year?

2009 Ozone Hole

Recent observations and several studies have shown that the size of the annual ozone hole has stabilized and the level of ozone-depleting substances has decreased by 4 percent since 2001. But since chlorine and bromine compounds have long lifetimes in the atmosphere, a recovery of atmospheric ozone is not likely to be noticeable until 2020 or later.

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=40212

2006 is considered to be the largest

2006 Ozone Hole Satellite

The First Ozone Hole Satellite was 1979

1979 Ozone Hole Satellite

Dangerously hot weather, please take care and become familiar with symptoms of the dangers to health. Calling 911 or going to the ER is a reasonable action.

July 6, 2010
2130:16z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite of North and West Hemisphere (click title to entry for 12 hour loop)

Earth is hot.  When the sun traversed the face of the planet on the first day of Spring, the temperature of North America 'immediately' went up by double digits.  The 'residual' coolness of Earth's troposphere is nonexistant.  The tropics of the Gulf and Atlantic are again reacting to the end of Alex.

July 6, 2010
2215 gmt
USA Temperature Map

Formula to convert from Fahrenheit temperatures to Celsius
- Subtract 32 degrees to adjust for the offset in the Celsius scale.
- Multiply the Fahrenheit temperature by 5/9

How to convert Celsius temperatures to Fahrenheit
- Multiply the Celsius temperature by 9/5.
- Add 32o to adjust for the offset in the Fahrenheit scale.

Canada Weather Map - Canada uses the Celcius Scale for temperature
July 6, 2010
1810 EDT

Currently there are emergency measures across Canada to protect the citizens from the heat.  Libraries and Civic Centers are opened to protect citizens from high heat.

Oddly some of the most susceptible to heat exhaustion and stroke don't appear to be a candidate.  Young men tend to be very resilient until it is too late.  They are active and are suddenly exposed to sweating that had caused dehydration and danger to their health.  The danger of heat exhaustion and stroke is the high temperature that can cause brain damage even though people recover.

Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

Heat exhaustion: This condition often occurs when people exercise (work or play) in a hot, humid place and body fluids are lost through sweating, causing the body to overheat. The person's temperature may be elevated, but not above 104 F.

Heat stroke: Heat stroke, also referred to as heatstroke is a life-threatening medical condition. The person's cooling system, which is controlled by the brain, stops working and the internal body temperature rises to the point where brain damage or damage to other internal organs may result (temperature may reach 105 F or greater).


Signs & Symptoms
For a Heat Stroke 


These signs and symptoms can occur suddenly with little warning:


Very high temperature (104ºF or higher). Hot, dry, red skin. No sweating. Deep breathing and fast pulse. Then shallow breathing and weak pulse. Confusion. Hallucinations. Convulsions. Loss of consciousness.

For Heat Exhaustion
Normal, low, or only slightly elevated body temperature. Cool, clammy, pale skin. Sweating. Dry mouth. Thirst. Fatigue. Weakness. Feeling dizzy. Headache. Nausea. Vomiting can occur. Muscle cramps. Weak or rapid pulse.


Treatment
A heat stroke is a medical emergency.  Call 911 !

Heat exhaustion may respond to self-care measures. If not, medical care is needed.


Click this link to familiarize with signs and symptoms and what to do BEFORE it happens.

http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.aspx?Id=1291


Drink plenty of water this summer ! 

Thank you.

"Morning Papers" - Its Origins (Click title to entry - thank you)

The Rooster

"Okeydoke"

Click title to entry for article and video. Thank you.

A change in the way that the war in Afghanistan is fought could be on the way.
The new commander of US-led forces in Afghanistan, Gen David Petraeus, is suggesting that he will review the rules of engagement.
Some troops have complained that the restraints, which curb the use of air power and heavy weapons if Afghan civilians are at risk, are putting Western forces in greater danger.
They also, it is claimed, make it harder to defeat the Taliban.


Caroline Wyatt reports.

Happy Fouth of July

We are out of there ! End of discussion. We are not going to be PROPAGANDIZED by the USA miltairy and the American Media ANYMORE !

Top aides to President Obama (click title to entry - thank you) on Sunday signaled that some U.S. troops could start coming home from Afghanistan as soon as July 2011, but most would likely remain there for several years.

Go straight to hell, and don't bother to check the temperature on the way there !!!!!!!!

Osama bin Laden has been replaced by an American Taliban that if given half a chance to 'come home' probably would.

Al Qaeda's new online magazine: Is it for real?  (click title to entry - thank you)







We are not going back to Iraq.

We are not staying in Afghanistan.

We are not fighting wars that don't matter anymore.

And the USA military can take COIN and stick it where the sun don't shine !

There was an interview today that really pissed me off. Said Jawad, the ambassador to Karzai (transcript at title to entry - thank you)

Marines patrolled in Helmand Province in April while an Afghan girl harvested poppy. This year's blight might drive up opium prices, aiding insurgents.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/13/world/asia/13opium.html


The man never once apologized for the corruption in his country, he never once stated the poppy cultivation has to stop, he only sought to make excuses for the continued presence of USA troops.  This was his 'best shot.'

...CROWLEY: Let me ask you in the final minute we have left two quick questions. Is the U.S. deadline of beginning to pull out troops in July of next year helpful to Afghanistan?
JAWAD: No. Frankly not. For two reasons. First, if you overemphasize a deadline that is not realistic, you are making the enemy a lot more bold. You are prolonging the war. If that deadline should be realistic, that deadline should be based on the reality on the ground, and we should give a clear message to the enemy, to the terrorists who are a threat to everyone that the United States, NATO and Afghans are there to finish the job. If that's not the feeling, we lose the support of the Afghan people and also make the neighboring countries who have an interest a lot more bolder to interfere in Afghanistan....


"W"rong you little pip squeak.  If the Afghan forces can't get their act together WHEN we leave according to a timeline that ends this hideous occupation of Afghanistan, then when there is escalating hatred of the USA and NATO that results from Afghanistan, we won't be NICE anymore and use the Army Field Manual, we'll simply DROP  BOMBS !!!!!!!!

Now, stop your damn whining and be a country worthy of the effort afforded it to day for God Sake.

A five hour battle ended in Taliban failure again.

Attack: Firefighters try to put out a fire in the DAI offices in Kunduz today after Taliban suicide bombers stormed the building, killing five including a British civilian

Taliban Attack USAID Compound in Afghanistan  (click title to entry - thank you)

(July 2) -- Taliban suicide bombers and gunmen attacked a USAID compound in northern Afghanistan today, killing at least five people and wounding 24.
The governor of Kunduz province said the dead included a British citizen, a German private security guard and a Filipino, as well as two Afghan policemen, according to Radio Free Europe.
Militants hit the newly opened offices of Development Alternatives Inc. -- a consulting company that works closely with USAID on issues of governance and community development -- in the early hours of the morning. Gov. Mohammad Omar told Reuters that a suicide bomber blew himself up in front of the compound gates, allowing more bombers and gunmen to rush inside. A fierce firefight raged among security guards, police and rebel Islamists for five hours....
 
http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/taliban-attack-us-aid-compound-in-afghanistan/19539619
 
 
Not that there weren't casualties, but, the Taliban hadn't succeeded to overpower by any measure.

NATO forces defeated the attack on an airfield by the Taliban. They were and could not be successful.

Smoke rises outside an airfield used by Afghan and international forces in Jalalabad, east of Kabul, Afghanistan, 30 Jun 2010

They didn't succeed and they sure as hell tried.


...In this incident several insurgents were killed (click title to entry - thank you) and I can tell you that the security perimeter was not breached and the insurgents were being stopped by Afghan and ISAF forces very effectively," Blotz said.
The attack appeared planned and coordinated, much like a Taliban assault last May on the Bagram air base, NATO's biggest in Afghanistan....

There has to be a realization that in the face of a USA General departure and a vicious attack intended to intimidate all he worked for with the success of his troops, didn't succeed.  At all.

General McChrystal didn't fail his country, he was the soldier that carried out COIN to a successful degree. Afghanistan is stronger today because of him.

General McChrystal and his wife Annie before he took command in Afghanistan.

The article in The Rolling Stone (at title to entry - thank you) clearly showed a man in control of his command.  A soldiers' general. 

Stanley McChrystal was fully engaged in his responsibilities and the fact he ate only one meal a day was not a form of 'jazz' it was a lifestyle that enforced the commitment he had made to his own form of discipline.

He was more than successful.  He had dedicated staff that loved the commitment to him and the outcome they felt they were pursuing according to every rule on the book.  The issue with McChrystal was not the war strategy, it was the power of the position he was in vs. the power of the President.  I believe General McChrystal was enough of a 'tactician' in his career to run 'the gambit' around any obstical that would bring about failure vs success.  He was focused.  The problem was that a new reality of what Afghanistan had transformed into during the Bush White House was emerging and his ability to maneuver the objections to the war 'at home' became as much a hurdle as the counter insurgency effort itself.

As a result, the PR he was hoping to reverberate through the country to win support turned into a betrayal of his President due to 'staff insubordination' trusted to bring insight regarding the General and his dedication.  The time in Paris, where they were enjoying the 'time off' and he stated, "They would die for and I would die for them," revealed a man slightly embarrassed by the unmilitary behavior of his staff on downtime, but, also showed how removed he was from the information the journalist was already accumulating that would betray the trust the General was placing in him and his writing. 

For as much as Rolling Stone revealed that lead to a General's resignation from the military, it also cost lives in Afghanistan and a febble attempt at resurgence by The Taliban. 

Stanley McChrystal was successful in deploying COIN.  It was working and the failed attempts following his departure only goes to prove that Afghanistan is further along on its road to successful national security than anyone is willing to admit.

Why they won't admit that is a good question, it probably boils down to issues of 'abandonment' and 'money.'  But, the Poppy Kingdom has to go and the indulgence of that form of agriculture was mostly incorrect and corrupting to the people.  Afghanistan is ready for a stiffer backbone. 

Everyone is wondering what the diplomatic mission sincerely is, re-engagement in Iraq?

Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his wife, Jill, were met in Baghdad by Christopher R. Hill and Gen. Ray Odierno.

It is time to leave Iraq.  There is no productive relationship with the USA and the USA troops are unnecessary.  A security vacuum in Iraq is not really possible.  Iraq has no security and the Green Zone was never a place where 'Iraq consolidated as a country.  It was a barrier of security for USA presence and nothing more.


Biden supports three-part Iraq split



Plan maintains limited central government
By CRIS BARRISH
The News Journal
March 4, 2007
 
Les Gelb had eased into his seat on a jet from New York to Washington late in 2005 when U.S. Sen. Joe Biden unexpectedly plopped down next to him....



...Supporters of the Biden-Gelb plan include Richard Holbrooke, architect of the 1995 peace accords in the former Yugoslavia and later U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Last month, during hearings chaired by Biden, former U.S. secretaries of state Henry Kissinger and Madeleine Albright had kind words.



"I'm sympathetic to an outcome that permits large regional autonomy," Kissinger told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee....


...Biden pointed out that Iraq's constitution "allows for the creation of federal regions." The document was approved overwhelmingly in a vote of nearly 10 million citizens in 2005.



"Whether it's three regions or five regions or 15 regions, this is a technicality that will be left to Iraqis on the ground," Talabani said. "What we need is a system of governance such that a multi-ethnic, sectarian society can live with one another. The centralized government has failed since its inception."


Sharing billions of dollars in oil revenues could ease Sunni opposition, Talabani said.


"It's critical to this plan," he said. "We need checks and balances in place to ensure all regions will get their fair share."


Creating the regions -- perhaps even making Baghdad its own region -- could hasten the peace process, Talabani said....


http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20070304/NEWS/703040345/Biden-supports-three-part-Iraq-split
 
 
TODAY
 
..."The message that Biden conveyed is that the government should be formed by Iraqis without any regional interference," government spokesman Ali Dabbagh said on state television. (click title to entry - thank you)
Biden is worried about the delay in forming the government, Dabbagh said, because the U.S. administration does not want a security vacuum.
"America knows the limits of its interference," Dabbagh said. "Biden said, 'I'm here not to support any party or side,' " and did not give specific suggestions, he said....

Enter stage right - "The Army Field Manual" - COIN - Reading the Rolling Stone brought clairty to a continued blunder for me.

This manual is designed to fill a doctrinal gap. (click title to entry - thank you)  It has been 20 years since the Army published a field manual devoted exclusively to counterinsurgency operations. For the Marine Corps it has been 25 years. With our Soldiers and Marines fighting insurgents in Afghanistan and Iraq, it is essential that we give them a manual that provides principles and guidelines for counterinsurgency operations. Such guidance must be grounded in historical studies. However, it also must be informed by contemporary experiences....
 
The USA miltary has known for decades that they never were going to win the 'consent' of the people of the USA again for a war with conventional weapons that carried 'the theme' of Vietnam.  Napalm, helicopters, bombing runs, and nightly body counts. 
 
In the 'brilliance' of the USA military, provided with the opportunity that Bush brought in the gift of Iraq, the new and engaging 'Army Field Manual' was born.  It trimmed back the Cheney torture techniques, but, it also entered into a new strategy that was explained poorly to the people of the USA.  We were told there was a new strategy needed to fight 'urban warfare.' 
 
Urban warfare.  Somehow, that was a war which was unavoidable, but, needing a strategy for our country's national security. 
 
An unavoidable war. 
 
Hm.
 
The 'insurgency' in Iraq was never unjustified, it never presented a threat to the USA and yet we deployed a 'new strategy' as a 'last ditch effort' for the Republicans to save 'political face' in the Homeland.
 
I am not saying the USA miltary and its Joint Chiefs didn't need such a strategy, but, to deploy it when it was more than obvious the Iraqi insurgency was one of 'defending' its people in the face of an unncessary war was completely "W"rong. 
 
Now, the counter insurgency strategy deployed by General Petraeus in the new manual was serving a different purpose.  A new reason for USA war.  A war with 'Failed States.'

The Surge Group

...The president was in a weak and lonely position. (click title to entry - thank you) After Republicans lost the Senate and House in the midterm election on November 7, nearly 200 members of Congress had met with him at the White House, mostly to grouse about Iraq. Democrats urged him to begin withdrawing troops, in effect accepting defeat. Many of the Republicans were panicky and blamed Bush and the Iraq war for the Democratic landslide. They feared the 2008 election would bring worse losses. They wanted out of Iraq too....

The Failed Strategy of Geoge W. Bush in Iraq following the reality it was a wild goose chase for WMD; The Iraq Study Group stated to change strategy, or else.

Bush being frantic regarding the question of his authority as President of the USA, decided on COIN as a new strategy for the USA military in Iraq and 'The Surge' was born.

For all intents and purposes, there is no Osama bin Laden.

...Speaking of bin Laden, Panetta said "He is, as is obvious, in very deep hiding. He's in an area of the ... tribal areas in Pakistan that is very difficult. The terrain is probably the most difficult in the world ... That's all we know, that he's located in that vicinity. The terrain is very difficult. He obviously has tremendous security around him."...

The USA needs to stop chasing its tail on this guy.  He has no life.  He is an angry old man with nothing to contribute to any form of Muslim dialogue.  Over the last few years all that has been 'heard' from him are tape recordings out of al Jazeera.  His recordings are probably digitally produced and he may very well be dead.


Bin Laden's son reveals more details of recent divorce



Bin Laden said he had extended a hand of friendship to his ex-wife, Zaina Al Sabah, which she had declined.

Gulf News Report



Published: 00:35 July 5, 2010
Dubai: Omar Bin Laden, son of Al Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden, told Gulf News over the telephone from Qatar further details about his recent divorce with his second wife.
Bin Laden said he had extended a hand of friendship to his ex-wife, Zaina Al Sabah, which she had declined.
He said that he was disappointed that she had refused to remain friends. "I have maintained a very friendly relationship with my first wife, and had hoped to have the same sort of friendship with Zaina Al Sabah, but it was not to be."
Bin Laden said he wanted the world to know that he has held the same views for years, and that he had stood for peace since he was a teenager.
Omar Bin Laden also said that he would not say anything bad about his ex-wife.
"Zaina Al Sabah, my ex-wife, is no longer authorised to speak to the press on my behalf or any other members of the Bin Laden family," he said.


http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/qatar/bin-laden-s-son-reveals-more-details-of-recent-divorce-1.650335

It's Independence Night