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News archives for the week ending 31st July 2009

Army surgeons overwhelmed by casualties

British surgeons operating in the army's main field hospital in Afghanistan have become so exhausted during the conflict's bloodiest month that they have had to call in an American surgical team to help them cope with the surge in casualties.

As the Ministry of Defence released figures showing that the number of British soldiers wounded in southern Afghanistan was at the highest since the conflict began, senior military medics today suggested surgeons at the Camp Bastion hospital were operating at a frantic pace.

MoD figures show that 57 British soldiers, a number significantly higher than that of previous monthly totals, were wounded in action in Afghanistan during the first two weeks of July. Sixteen were what the MoD described as seriously or very seriously injured.

Guardian, 31/7/09

Doubts on impartiality of Chilcot Inquiry

Anti-war campaigners were disappointed when the five members of the inquiry were named because Chilcot was a member of the Butler inquiry that cleared Blair of dishonestly using intelligence in the run-up to the war.

The historian Sir Lawrence Freedman helped Blair to develop his doctrine of liberal interventionism, outlined in a speech in Chicago in 1999 and subsequently used to justify the Iraq war; and the historian Sir Martin Gilbert wrote an article in 2004 saying Blair and George Bush could one day be compared to Churchill and Roosevelt.

Guardian, 31/7/09

US seeks to keep torture details secret

The United States will restrict intelligence-sharing with the U.K. if a British court reveals portions of a ruling detailing a former Guantanamo Bay detainee's treatment, a government lawyer said Wednesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told her British counterpart, David Miliband, that intelligence cooperation would be damaged if judges overturn a decision to withhold sections of their ruling on the alleged torture of Binyam Mohamed, according to Karen Steyn, a lawyer for Britain's government.

In their 2008 ruling, the High Court accepted Mohamed's allegation that he had been tortured and that the U.S. had refused to supply requested information about his case to lawyers.

The court withheld seven paragraphs of the ruling based on the government's contention that if they were revealed they would harm U.S.-British intelligence, although they noted that keeping it secret amounted to concealing "evidence of serious wrongdoing by the United States."

The High Court is now reconsidering that decision following a lawsuit launched by several media groups, including The Associated Press.

Mohamed's lawyers, and attorneys representing media organizations, claim the private section of the ruling would show that the British government knew more than it has admitted about Mohamed's treatment.

Associated Press, 29/7/09

Iraq in throes of 'environmental catastrophe'

Iraq is in the throes of what some officials are calling an environmental catastrophe, and the increased frequency of dust storms is only the most visible manifestation.

Decades of war and mismanagement, compounded by two years of drought, are wreaking havoc on Iraq's ecosystem, drying up riverbeds and marshes, turning arable land into desert, killing trees and plants, and generally transforming what was once the region's most fertile area into a wasteland.

Falling agricultural production means that Iraq, once a food exporter, will this year have to import nearly 80% of its food, spending money that is urgently needed for reconstruction projects.

It's difficult to know where to begin to untangle the complex web of factors that have conspired to push Iraq to this point. But officials say human error is primarily to blame.

It hasn't been scientifically proved that tank movements in the desert have helped stir up the dust, as many Iraqi experts believe. But other factors are not in dispute. In the quest to bolster food production, farmers have been encouraged by the government to till marginal land. When it fails, they abandon it, leaving it cleared of its natural vegetation.

Chronic electricity shortfalls also have played a role. People chop down trees for firewood, leaving more bare land, and the shortage of power has made it difficult to pump water through the irrigation channels that had sustained fertile lands far beyond the rivers. Compounding the already dire shortages, power stations have been forced to shut down for days at a time because they lack water.

Los Angeles Times, 30/7/09

Most want troops out of Afghanistan

More than half of Britons think military operations in Afghanistan are futile and want troops to be withdrawn immediately, according to an opinion poll published on Tuesday.

Fifty eight percent see the offensive against Taliban extremists in Afghanistan as "unwinnable" and only 31 percent disagree, according to the poll conducted for the Independent newspaper. The poll showed 52 percent want troops out while 43 percent would like them to stay put.

Some 75 percent believe British troops lack the equipment they need to perform their role in Afghanistan safely, compared to 16 percent who think they have adequate resources, it said. However 60 percent of those polled do not think more troops and resources should be sent to the front line.

AFP, 28/7/09

Russia warns US on Georgia

A Russian Foreign Ministry official said Tuesday that any United States participation in the European Union’s monitoring mission in Georgia would be “extremely harmful,” and increase the likelihood that violence would flare up in the breakaway border regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

“The U.S. presence will sharply increase the likelihood of border provocations, given the United States’ role in last year’s events,” an unidentified diplomat told the Interfax news service. “As for U.S.-Russian relations, such a move will certainly not improve, but only worsen relations by adding a new issue.”

Georgia is eager for the United States to contribute to the European Union’s monitoring effort, a group of 246 unarmed civilian observers who travel along the boundaries of South Ossetia and Abkhazia reporting any violence. American officials say they have not decided whether to participate, but will consider the possibility if the European Union’s member states invite them.

New York Times, 28/7/09

British withdraw to Kuwait

British forces remaining in Iraq will withdraw to Kuwait by the end of July, at least temporarily, after Iraq's parliament adjourned this week without passing a deal allowing them to stay to help protect Iraqi oil facilities.

Reuters, 28/7/09

Two more soldiers dead in British 'success'

Britain announced the end of a five-week offensive against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan on Monday, saying it had succeeded in driving militants out of population centres ahead of national elections next month.

But hours after commanders announced the successful conclusion of the operation, two more soldiers were killed, bringing the death toll in July to 22, the deadliest month since the war in Afghanistan began in late 2001.

New York Times, 27/7/09

Iraq exit is logistical challenge

For years, US military planners have worried about the risks of maintaining a large force in Iraq. Now, they are worrying about how to get it out.

In what is shaping up to be the biggest logistical challenge since the Vietnam War, the Pentagon is grappling with how to transfer out what a top official calls “mountains of equipment,’’ along with 143,000 troops and a similar number of civilians, amid the continuing threat of roadside bombs, ambushes, and suicide attacks from insurgents and terrorists.

There are worries, too, that arms will fall into the wrong hands, or that the complex withdrawal will drain resources needed for the buildup of the war effort in Afghanistan.

Top officials say a big focus of the planning is ensuring adequate protection from a possible spike in attacks with improvised explosive devices - or IEDs - as troops pull out of relatively secure, fortified bases.

Boston Globe, 28/7/09

Pentagon's spends $1 billion on propaganda

Lawmakers are voicing concerns about the Pentagon's strategic communications programs, through which the military aims to win over civilians and erode support for adversaries in countries around the world.

The programs have grown too fast and are spread through the Defense Department budget in a way that hampers oversight, complain the House and Senate Armed Services committees and the House Appropriations Committee. They also suggest that the military is producing propaganda and other materials that mask U.S. government sponsorship and focus "far beyond a traditional military information operations."

In Iraq, the military has awarded $100 million contracts to support elections and the aims of the Baghdad government. A recent multimillion-dollar contract in Afghanistan tried to bolster public support for the Kabul government's efforts in its fight against makeshift bombs.

The Pentagon spends nearly $1 billion a year on its strategic communications, its contribution to the "war of ideas" that until recent years had been the sole province of the State Department's public diplomacy effort.

Washington Post, 28/7/09

UK committee 'regrets' arming Israel

The British Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee published a report Sunday on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, expressing regret that the United Kingdom provided the Israel Defense Forces with equipment used during its Gaza offensive earlier this year.

The committee also called on the British government to launch talks with Hamas, and urged the European Union to condition its ties with Israel on the State's peace efforts.

The report also condemns Israel for the expansion of West Bank settlements and the siege on Gaza, and demands that the British government announce its opinion on whether war crimes were committed during Israel's Operation Cast Lead in Gaza.

Israel News, 26/7/09

"You came too close, we lit you up"

Soldiers from an Army unit that had 10 infantrymen accused of murder, attempted murder or manslaughter after returning to civilian life described a breakdown in discipline during their Iraq deployment in which troops murdered civilians, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Some Fort Carson, Colo.-based soldiers have had trouble adjusting to life back in the United States, saying they refused to seek help, or were belittled or punished for seeking help. Others say they were ignored by their commanders, or coped through drug and alcohol abuse before they allegedly committed crimes, The Gazette of Colorado Springs said.

Several soldiers said unit discipline deteriorated while in Iraq. "Toward the end, we were so mad and tired and frustrated," said Daniel Freeman. "You came too close, we lit you up. You didn't stop, we ran your car over with the Bradley," an armored fighting vehicle.

With each roadside bombing, soldiers would fire in all directions "and just light the whole area up," said Anthony Marquez, a friend of Freeman in the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment. "If anyone was around, that was their fault. We smoked 'em."

Taxi drivers got shot for no reason, and others were dropped off bridges after interrogations, said Marcus Mifflin, who was eventually discharged with post traumatic stress syndrome.

"You didn't get blamed unless someone could be absolutely sure you did something wrong," he said

Associated Press, 26/7/09

More mercenaries for Afghanistan

U.S. military authorities in Afghanistan may hire a private contractor to provide around-the-clock security at dozens of bases and protect vehicle convoys moving throughout the country.

The possibility of awarding a security contract comes as the Obama administration is sending thousands of more troops into Afghanistan to quell rising violence fueled by a resurgent Taliban. As the number of American forces grow over the next several months, so too does the demand to guard their outposts.

AFP, 26/7/09

£12 billion cost of Afghan war

The soaring cost of Britain's military campaign in Afghanistan is laid bare today, as a comprehensive analysis reveals that the cost of fighting the Taliban has passed £12bn.

An Independent on Sunday assessment of the "hidden costs" of fighting since the Taliban was ousted in 2001 reveals that the bill works out at £190 for every man, woman and child in the UK – and would pay for 23 new hospitals, 60,000 new teachers or 77,000 new nurses.

Independent on Sunday, 26/7/09

Taliban change tactics with attack in the east

Taliban fighters wearing suicide vests and armed with AK-47 rifles and rocket-propelled grenades attacked the main police station in the eastern Afghan city of Khost yesterday. Their assault triggered lengthy gun battles that left seven militants dead and 14 people wounded, officials said.

The attack was one of the most audacious in recent years and took place in an area that it was hoped had been stabilised. Khost is a major provincial centre and the site of one of the biggest US bases in Afghanistan.

The assault signalled a further escalation in Taliban tactics of targeting poorly defended government installations rather than heavily armed international troops. One aim is to drive a wedge between local forces and officials and those trying to protect them. Local forces are attacked directly, international soldiers are struck with remote-controlled bombs.

Observer, 26/7/09

Maliki: Iraqi officer was 'out of line' for arresting US soldiers

An Iraqi officer who ordered the detention of U.S. soldiers last week after they killed three Iraqis while pursuing insurgents acted in error and was "out of line," Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Saturday.

The officer "did not understand the agreement" governing U.S. military activities since American combat troops withdrew from Iraqi cities last month, Maliki said in an interview, adding that it "clearly states that American forces have the right to defend themselves, and that's what they did." Four Iraqis, including two children, also were wounded when U.S. forces returned fire and raided nearby houses after insurgents attacked their convoy.

The incident, which occurred Tuesday in the Baghdad suburb of Abu Ghraib, marked a potential escalation of tensions between both countries' military forces as they struggle with differing interpretations of the six-month-old military agreement.

Washington Post, 26/7/09

Karzai claims he will control foreign troops

President Hamid Karzai said Friday that if he was re-elected president in August he would negotiate a new agreement with foreign nations deploying troops in Afghanistan, to regulate their status and their behavior.

His comments were intended to appeal to voters by addressing Afghan complaints about civilian casualties, raids on private homes and the detention of people without charges.

New York Times, 24/7/09

Russia warns against arms sales to Georgia

As Georgia’s president proclaimed Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s visit a diplomatic victory, a top Russian diplomat announced sanctions against foreign companies that sell weapons to this country.

Georgia is hoping the United States will provide antitank and antiaircraft weapons to replenish its defensive arsenal after last year’s war with Russia. After talks in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, American officials said the United States had so far made no commitment to supply weapons, but they did not rule it out.

Dmitri O. Rogozin, Russia’s envoy to NATO, said Friday that President Dmitri A. Medvedev had issued a decree that would impose sanctions on any manufacturer who sells offensive weapons to Georgia, “wherever it is in the Arctic or Antarctic region or in the United States.”

New York Times, 24/7/09

Majority of Americans oppose both wars

A majority of Americans oppose both the war in Afghanistan and the war in Iraq, though the war in Afghanistan is a little more popular. Here are details:

OVERALL RESULTS: 34 percent favor the war in Iraq and 63 percent are opposed; 44 percent favor the war in Afghanistan and 53 percent are opposed.

PARTISAN DIFFERENCES: 64 percent of Republicans are in favor of the war in Iraq and just 10 percent of Democrats are; 66 percent of Republicans favor the war in Afghanistan, as do 26 percent of Democrats.

PRESIDENT'S RATING: 56 percent of Americans approve of President Barack Obama's handling of the situation in Iraq, and 55 percent approve of his handling of Afghanistan. Both numbers are down just slightly since April.

THE FUTURE: 68 percent think it is likely that Obama will be able to pull most troops out of Iraq in the next four years, but that's down from 83 percent before his inauguration.

Associated Press, 23/7/09

US quiet on Kyrgyzstan abuses...

“You know what this is for,” Emilbek Kaptagaev recalled being told by the police officers who snatched him off the street. No other words, just blows to the head, then all went black. Mr. Kaptagaev, an opponent of Kyrgyzstan’s president, who is a vital American ally in the war in nearby Afghanistan, was found later in a field with a concussion, broken ribs and a face swollen into a mosaic of bruises.

Mr. Kaptagaev’s story is not unusual in this poor former Soviet republic in the mountains of Central Asia. Many opposition politicians and independent journalists have been arrested, prosecuted, attacked and even killed over the last year as the Kyrgyz president, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, has consolidated control in advance of elections on Thursday, which he is all but certain to win.

The United States has remained largely silent in response to this wave of violence, apparently wary of jeopardizing the status of its sprawling air base, on the outskirts of this capital, which supports the mission in Afghanistan.

Indeed, the Obama administration has sought to woo the Kyrgyz president since he said in February that he would close the Manas base. In June, President Obama sent a letter to Mr. Bakiyev praising his role in Afghanistan and the campaign against terrorism. Mr. Bakiyev allowed the base to stay, after the United States agreed to pay higher rent and other minor changes.

New York Times, 23/7/09

...as opposition withdraws from poll

The leading opposition candidate in Kyrgyzstan essentially withdrew from the presidential race on Thursday even before voting had concluded, asserting that widespread fraud had assured the incumbent’s victory.

The candidate, Almazbek Atambaev, a former prime minister, called on the public and international organizations to reject the election as unlawful. Mr. Atambaev instructed supporters who were working as observers at polling and vote-counting stations to leave, and he demanded that a new election be organized.

“The authorities understood that they would lose an honest and free election, which is why they relied on force — relied on force against their own people!” he said in a statement.

New York Times, 23/7/09