Snow…endless snow. Not sure if anyone will find these links. If they should, know that the Glibs held out as long as they could before resorting to cannibalism. I was the last…
OK, so the snow was an inconvenience. But thanks to snowblowers and shovels, and the working internet, there are links for all. Brett was tied up, burning down his old employer’s offices I think. Or stuffing pythons into their vents. Whichever. So you get my Links of Fimbulwinter;
I did not realize that Warty Hugeman’s DOOMCOCK was going to open the Olympics! I hope the IOC has sent a royalty check to SugarFree.
The Greatest Foreign Policy Success Ever continues to bear fruit. Do you think if Tillerson ever steps aside, we could get the old gang back together – Herself, Rice and Powers? Maybe have John Kerry pose for photo ops?
Um…wut? Article I of the US Constitution – read it, Tim. Then you can see that you goofs are the ones who can. Nice to see some vague stirrings in Congress, to regain the tatters of their authority. Wonder why it took so long?
Following up on a Morning Link. “Take leave“?! I guess your constituents can do without representation, eh? Note the wonderful weasel language she uses – Upon reflection of the details alleged, I am certain I did not engage in the behavior I am accused of… You did, or did not.
OK, so there you are. Try to stay warm and unburied.
I have had my attention drawn to a post in Defense One (No, not the Defense version of Police One) about the current situation in Afghanistan. Please go read it. If you don’t, you will not necessarily understand some of the points I am going to make. Go on, I’ll wait…
…
Back? Good.
This a familiar theme – “This time for sure.” Surges, drawdowns, you name it. It has all been done. So this is completely the same, right?
“Hey Rocky, watch me pull a victory out of my hat.”
Well…not quite. There are a couple of changes to the rules that will make US forces more effective. The US is bringing in some forces that have been noticeably absent on the Air side of the house. Also, the Afghan National Army (ANA) has been through a fairly tough time that has winnowed out the weakest links, and the Afghan Air Force has come into somewhat useful form. Will this help – sure. Is it enough…probably not.
Why not? As I have previously harped upon… the Pakistani element in Afghanistan’s problems is quite large. Have they received the warning shot (or warning Twitter as the case may be) over the bow needed to get them to slow down helping or tolerating the various insurgent groups? That would take the other Pakistani State apparatuses, most notably the Army, to decide US aid is more important than the ISI’s fixation on Afghanistan. Probably not happening at present. However, there is a new factor coming into play. A big source of money and assistance for the ISI and their insurgent backing came/comes from Saudi Arabian sources. Pakistan is pretty muchpals with the Kingdom. With the big shakeup in Saudi Arabia – Prince Mohammed bin Salman seemingly taking the reins and taking steps toward reforms – the money spigot might be turned off. There are two reasons bin Salman might cut off the ISI /insurgents;
1) A desire to concentrate Saudi efforts against Iran, not on some Pashtun border squabbles that yield nothing for Saudi Arabia, and
2) THEY ARE RUNNING OUT OF MONEY. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal wasn’t hanging upside down in a posh hotel room because they were shaking a few loose Riyals out of his pockets. Allegedly, a whole bunch of money has been beaten out of, er…recovered from the “corruption crackdown“. The “welfare family living on a lake of oil” is running low on cash, thanks in large part to greater US production. They don’t have lots of money to throw at the Pakistani insurgent machine.
Is that enough to turn the tide? Possibly…maybe even a coin flip of a chance.
HOWEVER, the single most important remaining factor is the Afghans themselves. Are they content to suffer the corruption, at levels that would make a Chicago Alderman blush, that saps their slim resources? Do they want to fight on, or suffer under creepy theological rule again? Do they care enough about “Afghanistan” or are they solely concerned about their home village, district or province? THAT will be the main determinant. That is my greatest fear as well – a fractured nation and a non-cohesive society cannot stand off a determined and foreign supported invasion of phanatiques.
…
I was often asked, when I came home from Iraq, some version of “will they make it”? My reply was always the same – we gave them their chance, it is up to them. Despite my personal feelings for the people and the area, I would say that it is time to say the same for Afghanistan. Maybe with a little bit of (unwilling) Saudi restraint, Pakistani hesitation, US pressure and the Afghan backbone, the whole mess can wind down to the dull background of squabbling and occasional gunfire that was Afghanistan’s past.
Due to the earlier content blast, the regular Friday Afternoon Links are off today. Go wallow in the earlier posts instead. Or here. Whichever trips your trigger.
I heard some noise down in the Writer’s Lounge that sounded like screaming…so I am going to take that as a sign that STEVE SMITH will be doing Evening Links duty, so tune in before 7pm Central. Or whenever he finishes what he is doing. And by doing, I think you all know what we mean.
Haven’t done one of these in a bit, so here you go. Paste links, continue arguments, track Bolivian air disasters, bet on the GlibFit results…it is all up to you.
Time to carry on those conversations that started earlier, and unload all those links you have been saving up…. HAHAHAHA! OK, who am I kidding. You already did that in the other posts. But feel free to dump more in here.
Plague, Ague, Catarrh, Dropsy, Bloody Flux, Grippe and other ills have laid waste to Brett (and various other Glibs Founders). But the Links must be delivered to the waiting masses….OK, the waiting hundreds. Dozens? Right. Anyway… here are yer Links.
A new movement arises! The Girthers! They have an esteemed leader who is brave enough to diagnose from afar! (TW: CNN)
Scienticians are sciencing the shit out of ashot! Faster, science faster!
Socialism’s success story continues. Why won’t the world emulate this?!
As the Global Warming, Climate Change, Climate Chaos, weather gets bad here, we will keep the conversations going. No links to ignore either! Post away, Glibs.
@#$% someone decided the very end of Friday would be a good time to schedule some vendors to come in and tap dance for us…”Buy our services, and you will ascend straight into PARADISE!” Ah…no. Waiting for that, I did have time to prepare some links..So I will try not to narrow my gaze at them the whole time. As for you lot…since I won’t be around to read the comments, I will just give you all a nice general *NARROWS GAZE* in advance.
Are we sure this wasn’t a SEA SMITH incident? Eh, probably not, as there wasn’t any rape reported. Maybe he was just having an off day?
You know who else was an elected leader who looked to the East?
Sit down, everyone. I have a shocking story about things not really being all above board…in the Chicago Police Department!!!! DUN DUN DUHHHHH!!!!!!!! *cue gasping and fainting*
Who among us hasn’t shot off a couple of fireworks…into traffic. While drunk.
You enjoy and snark away, while I try not to strangle any co-workers or vendors.
Oh…one more thing. All of you missed it this morning. Sloopy put this up:
What am I?
None of you guessed right (and he was willing to lead you on). The Swastika isn’t meant for viewers on the outside – it is a Nazi hackenkreutz…for the one INSIDE the can! It belonged to trshmnstr’s evil twin.
As of 2:45pm Central, we had over 80 links posted by commenters today – some were duplicates of links from yesterday by staff, some were duplicates of other commenters links from yesterday or today …[Boiling bats, Huma divorce on hold, etc].
So it appears you all have much share. So you get an open post whatever it is you wish to share, or carry on conversations from dead threads.
Enjoy!
P.S. If you think this would be a good post to have, periodically – please mention that in the comments.
