the blog of war

"Our systematic effort to dismantle terrorist organizations must continue,” Mr. Obama said. “But this..."

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:53:00 -0400

““Our systematic effort to dismantle terrorist organizations must continue,” Mr. Obama said. “But this war, like all wars, must end. That’s what history advises. That’s what our democracy demands.””

- Obama Acts to Curtail Drones - NYTimes.com

"The reason it’s so crucial to ask this question is that there are few terms - if there are any..."

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:33:19 -0400

“The reason it’s so crucial to ask this question is that there are few terms - if there are any - that pack the political, cultural and emotional punch that “terrorism” provides. When it comes to the actions of western governments, it is a conversation-stopper, justifying virtually anything those governments want to do. It’s a term that is used to start wars, engage in sustained military action, send people to prison for decades or life, to target suspects for due-process-free execution, shield government actions behind a wall of secrecy, and instantly shape public perceptions around the world. It matters what the definition of the term is, or whether there is a consistent and coherent definition. It matters a great deal. There is ample scholarship proving that the term has no such clear or consistently applied meaning (see the penultimate section here, and my interview with Remi Brulin here). It is very hard to escape the conclusion that, operationally, the term has no real definition at this point beyond “violence engaged in by Muslims in retaliation against western violence toward Muslims”. When media reports yesterday began saying that “there are indications that this may be act of terror”, it seems clear that what was really meant was: “there are indications that the perpetrators were Muslims driven by political grievances against the west” (earlier this month, an elderly British Muslim was stabbed to death in an apparent anti-Muslim hate crime and nobody called that “terrorism”). Put another way, the term at this point seems to have no function other than propagandistically and legally legitimizing the violence of western states against Muslims while delegitimizing any and all violence done in return to those states.”

- Was the London killing of a British soldier ‘terrorism’? | Glenn Greenwald | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

I also think this is an interesting remark by TheRubric in the comments section following the article that gets to the heart of why this discussion of the term is important:

For me, your distinction between intentional fearmongering and unintentional fearmongering as a denotation of terrorism is a baseless one. However, even accepting your position, that the intent is a solid differentiator between say a suicide attack and an aerial bombardment, I would argue that engendering fear in the ranks of the opposition is always an overt aim of political violence regardless of scale and the relative formality of combattants.

The following quote from Voltaire is, IMO, pertinent.

“It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.”

By dominating the rules of the game the Western powers can delegitimise opposition to their formalised military apparatuses. A key part of maintaining legitimacy and domination is the sociopolitical construction of the terrorist.

U.S. Acknowledges Killing 4 Americans in Drone Strikes - NYTimes.com

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:43:59 -0400

U.S. Acknowledges Killing 4 Americans in Drone Strikes - NYTimes.com:

In a letter to Congressional leaders obtained by The New York Times, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. disclosed that the administration had deliberately killed Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical Muslim cleric who was killed in a drone strike in September 2011 in Yemen.

The American responsibility for Mr. Awlaki’s death has been widely reported, but the administration had until now refused to confirm or deny it.

The letter also said that the United States had killed three other Americans: Samir Khan, who was killed in the same strike; Mr. Awlaki’s son Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, who was also killed in Yemen; and Jude Mohammed, who was killed in a strike in Pakistan.

Drones and the Rivalry Between the U.S. and China - NYTimes.com

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:49:19 -0400

Drones and the Rivalry Between the U.S. and China - NYTimes.com:

The arms race between China and America accelerates…

At present, the United States-China relationship is really just about economics. As long as that relationship remains vibrant, confrontation is in neither country’s interest. But should that slender reed snap, there is little in the way of a larger political relationship, let alone alliance, to take its place. The only thing between crisis and conflict, then, would be two ever larger, more dangerous navies, prepared to fight a breed of drone-centric war we don’t yet fully understand, and so are all the more likely to fall into.

Some old school totalitarian military parade marching. China -...

Fri, 10 May 2013 00:05:00 -0400

Some old school totalitarian military parade marching.

China - The largest army in the world 2 - full (official) (by madboyfull)

(Thanks Rob R.)

art-documents: US Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2011

Thu, 09 May 2013 17:57:35 -0400

art-documents:

US Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2011

"The camera-enabled, 6-pound, 24-inch-long Switchblade is small and light enough to fit in a..."

Wed, 08 May 2013 01:45:12 -0400

“The camera-enabled, 6-pound, 24-inch-long Switchblade is small and light enough to fit in a backpack. The tube-launched UAV can be guided to its intended target using a hand-held ground control station before detonating its explosive round by simply flying into the target. The tiny killer can fly for up to 10 minutes. Army officials confirmed in February that the Switchblade officially became lethal earlier this year, scoring several hits on enemy targets.”

- Shiny new robits offer risk-free courage (via theamericanbear)

A rebel fighter prays along a road in Wadi al Hamra, Libya -...

Thu, 02 May 2013 01:37:28 -0400

A rebel fighter prays along a road in Wadi al Hamra, Libya - March 29, 2011.

"Coded references to New Testament Bible passages about Jesus Christ are inscribed on high-powered..."

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:09:00 -0400

“Coded references to New Testament Bible passages about Jesus Christ are inscribed on high-powered rifle sights provided to the U.S. military by a Michigan company, an ABC News investigation has found. The sights are used by U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and in the training of Iraqi and Afghan soldiers. The maker of the sights, Trijicon, has a $660 million multi-year contract to provide up to 800,000 sights to the Marine Corps, and additional contracts to provide sights to the U.S. Army. U.S. military rules specifically prohibit the proselytizing of any religion in Iraq or Afghanistan and were drawn up in order to prevent criticism that the U.S. was embarked on a religious “Crusade” in its war against al Qaeda and Iraqi insurgents. One of the citations on the gun sights, 2COR4:6, is an apparent reference to Second Corinthians 4:6 of the New Testament, which reads: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.””

- U.S. Military Weapons Inscribed With Secret ‘Jesus’ Bible Codes - ABC News (Jan 18, 2010)

Update (April 22, 2013): Army removes bible references from scope.

“It blows my mind,” the solider said. “It doesn’t help the Army do its mission to take off a biblical reference.”

The soldier, who is a Christian, said he had to comply so “someone doesn’t get offended.”

“We have classes on equal opportunity – things that are clearly irrelevant to our mission – which is to kill the enemy.”

iamapatientboy: Real-life Grave of the Fireflies: (Photo)...

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 01:27:47 -0400

iamapatientboy:

Real-life Grave of the Fireflies: (Photo) Stoic Japanese orphan, standing at attention having brought his dead younger brother to a cremation pyre, Nagasaki, by Joe O’Donnell 1945

This photograph was taken by an American photojournalist, Joe O’Donnell, in Nagasaki in 1945.

He recently spoke to a Japanese interviewer about this picture:

“I saw a boy about ten years old walking by. He was carrying a baby on his back. In those days in Japan, we often saw children playing with their little brothers or sisters on their backs, but this boy was clearly different. I could see that he had come to this place for a serious reason. He was wearing no shoes. His face was hard. The little head was tipped back as if the baby were fast asleep.

“The boy stood there for five or ten minutes. The men in white masks walked over to him and quietly began to take off the rope that was holding the baby. That is when I saw that the baby was already dead. The men held the body by the hands and feet and placed it on the fire.

“The boy stood there straight without moving, watching the flames. He was biting his lower lip so hard that it shone with blood. The flame burned low like the sun going down. The boy turned around and walked silently away.”

Buster Keaton finds himself at the mercy of a tiny cannon in...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 13:55:32 -0400

Buster Keaton finds himself at the mercy of a tiny cannon in The Navigator (1924)

Why does this remind me of American foreign policy?

Practice Bombing, Improve Your Score. (via Как размножаются...

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:35:18 -0400

Practice Bombing, Improve Your Score.

(via Как размножаются антропоморфные барабанчики - Nintendo 3DS)

"The use of torture, the report concludes, has “no justification” and “damaged the standing of our..."

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:10:52 -0400

“The use of torture, the report concludes, has “no justification” and “damaged the standing of our nation, reduced our capacity to convey moral censure when necessary and potentially increased the danger to U.S. military personnel taken captive.” The task force found “no firm or persuasive evidence” that these interrogation methods produced valuable information that could not have been obtained by other means. While “a person subjected to torture might well divulge useful information,” much of the information obtained by force was not reliable, the report says.”

- U.S. Practiced Torture After 9/11, Nonpartisan Review Concludes - NYTimes.com

Image from the ‘Last Resort’ series by photographer...

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 02:11:27 -0400

Image from the ‘Last Resort’ series by photographer Martin Parr

(via News From the Craft Style Blogosphere: May 20, 2010 | The Etsy Blog)

(by straup)

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 23:51:50 -0400

(by straup)

The first known human artifact to enter outer space was the V-2...

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 22:44:00 -0400

The first known human artifact to enter outer space was the V-2 rocket, which the Nazi Propaganda Ministry in Berlin called the Vengeance Weapon.

"In a letter sent to President Obama this week, the nation’s leading human rights organizations..."

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 18:16:59 -0400

“In a letter sent to President Obama this week, the nation’s leading human rights organizations questioned the legal basis for targeted killing and called for an end to the secrecy surrounding the use of drones. The “statement of shared concern” said the administration should “publicly disclose key targeted killing standards and criteria; ensure that U.S. lethal force operations abroad comply with international law; enable meaningful Congressional oversight and judicial review; and ensure effective investigations, tracking and response to civilian harm.” The nine-page letter, signed by the American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International, the Center for Constitutional Rights, Human Rights First, Human Rights Watch, the Open Society Foundations and several other groups, is the most significant critique to date by advocacy groups of what has become the centerpiece of the United States’ counterterrorism efforts.”

- Rights Groups Question Legality of Targeted Killing - NYTimes.com

1.6 Billion Rounds Of Ammo For Homeland Security? It's Time For A National Conversation - Forbes

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 01:17:16 -0400

1.6 Billion Rounds Of Ammo For Homeland Security? It's Time For A National Conversation - Forbes:

The Denver Post, on February 15th, ran an Associated Press article entitled Homeland Security aims to buy 1.6b rounds of ammo, so far to little notice. It confirmed that the Department of Homeland Security has issued an open purchase order for 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition. As reported elsewhere, some of this purchase order is for hollow-point rounds, forbidden by international law for use in war, along with a frightening amount specialized for snipers. Also reported elsewhere, at the height of the Iraq War the Army was expending less than 6 million rounds a month. Therefore 1.6 billion rounds would be enough to sustain a hot war for 20+ years. In America.

thelazydiarist: Death Cards: US troops believed that Vietnamese...

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 23:32:14 -0400

thelazydiarist:

Death Cards:

US troops believed that Vietnamese traditions held the symbolism of the spade to mean death and ill-fortune and in a bid to scare away NLF (Viet Cong) soldiers without a firefight, it was common practice to leave an ace of spades on the bodies of killed Vietnamese and even to litter the forested grounds and fields with the card. This custom was believed to be so effective, that the United States Playing Card Company was asked by Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, to supply crates of that single card in bulk. The crates were often marked with “Bicycle Secret Weapon.”^[8] (The Bicycle was the style of card reverse pattern).

The ace of spades, while not a symbol of superstitious fear to the NLF (VC), did help the morale of American soldiers. It was not unheard of for US soldiers and Marines to stick this card in their helmet band as a sort of anti-peace sign.

"Only the dead have seen the end of war"

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 19:03:23 -0400

““Only the dead have seen the end of war””

- Plato FAQ: Did plato write :”Only the dead have seen the end of war”? via NS/wd