Is Afghanistan the New Old West for Claim-Jumping?

But if you have the money and the patience to play the long con, stealing the minerals of Afghanistan would probably have the biggest payoff. The Afghan government estimates that there could be $3 trillion worth of our minerals under their soil. Corporate America, by placing a few corrupt officials in the right places and paying a few modest bribes, can underpay Afghan mine workers to dig up their country’s resources and ship them out while corporate CEOs hardly break a sweat...

VIDEO | Chris Hedges, Days of Revolt: Why the Brutalized Become Brutal

Chris Hedges and two US veterans lament the brutality of the American military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, which fuels the conditions for terrorism, and speak out about the painful struggle of coping with PTSD in this episode of teleSUR's Days of Revolt. https://youtu.be/68BMn-i4zLk Click here to read the transcript. TheRealNews Uploaded on Apr 2, More

Chris Hedges: The Lie of Patriotism

Nationalists do not venerate veterans. They venerate veterans who read from the approved patriotic script. America is the greatest and most powerful country on earth. Those we fight are depraved barbarians. Our enemies deserve death. God is on our side. Victory is assured. Our soldiers and Marines are heroes.

Wm. Astore | A Force Unto Itself: A Military Leviathan Has Emerged as America’s 51st and Most Powerful State

This rise of privatized militaries and mercenaries naturally contributes to actions that are inherently un-democratic and divorced from the will and wishes of the people. It is also inherently a less accountable form of war, since no one even bothers to count the for-profit dead, nor do their bodies come home in flag-draped coffins for solemn burial in military cemeteries; and Americans don’t approach such mercenaries to thank them for their service. All of which allows for the further development of a significantly under-the-radar form of war making.

Ann Jones | Afghanistan “After” the American War: Once More Down the Rabbit Hole

Tomgram: Ann Jones, The Never-Ending War. Jones has been remarkably, consistently, undeniably ahead of the curve on the conflict, a reality reflected in her revelatory look at the deeply personal costs of America’s second Afghan War in her now-classic book, "They Were Soldiers: How the Wounded Return from America's Wars -- The Untold Story." Tom Engelhardt

Study: Corporate Media Refuses To Acknowledge Civilian Victims Of US Wars

New research finds, through their silence, mainstream news outlets are 'legitimating' U.S. military's burn pits on civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan. By Sarah Lazare for Common Dreams | MintPressNews.com  October 19, 2015 Mainstream media outlets are systematically disregarding the hazardous health impacts of widespread U.S. military burn pits on civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan, thereby More

James Rosen: Pentagon can’t account for $1 billion in Afghan reconstruction aid

Rosen: The comment didn’t explain why money set aside for reconstruction needs would need to be used to pay for counterinsurgency, which has been a core part of the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan since the October 2001 invasion following the Sept. 11 terror attacks. The bulk of the Afghanistan war’s $800 billion price tag for the United States has gone to battlefield needs.

Peter Maass: Petraeus Plea Deal Reveals Two-Tier Justice System for Leaks

 As The New York Times noted today, the deal “allows Mr. Petraeus to focus on his lucrative post-government career as a partner in a private equity firm and a worldwide speaker on national security issues.”   BY PETER MAASS  The Intercept  March 3, 2015 David Petraeus, the former Army general and CIA director, admitted today More

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