Al-Maliki: Terrorists In Country ‘Defeated’
(Washington Times)…Sebastian Abbot, July 6, 2008
Pg. 1, Associated Press
Iraq’s prime minister said Saturday that the government has defeated terrorism in the country – a sign of growing confidence after recent crackdowns against Sunni extremists and Shi’ite militias.
Afghan Escalation, (Washington Post)…Editorial, July 6, 2008
Every year, the number of troops grows — and so do enemy attacks.
There are 66,000 foreign troops from 40 countries in Afghanistan, including 37,500 Americans; the force under NATO command has grown by 20,000 in 18 months. But Taliban attacks are up 40 percent in eastern provinces this year compared with 2007, and there has been another spike in coalition casualties.
EDITORIAL: Baseline Maneuvers
(New York Times)…Editorial, July 6, 2008
In an act of common sense and foresight, troops deploying overseas will now undergo computerized neurological screening before they leave. The aim is to have a baseline measurement of a soldier’s brain function in case she or he is wounded. Since a battlefield injury in Afghanistan or Iraq is likely to involve a roadside bomb and a traumatized brain, anything that can improve the diagnosis and treatment of such injuries, and preserve a soldier’s mental health, is highly welcome.
Salutes For The Surge
(Washington Times)…Terence Jeffrey, July 6, 2008
Pg. B3
Page 12 of a Government Accountability Office report published June 23 features data about the war in Iraq – drawn from the Defense Intelligence Agency – that must be central to the debate about what the United States does next in that country.
We Expect Sacrifice Of Others, Not Ourselves
(Tampa Tribune)…Arthur F. Kirk
…On March 24, 2008, President Bush told the nation the sacrifice was worthwhile. Whose sacrifice? Not ours. While my students and graduates sacrifice to answer the call to war against extremists and attempt to restore security in Iraq and Afghanistan, the rest of us pay no price.
Reinforces other costs associated with War.
The Truth Commission
(New York Times)…Nicholas D. Kristof, July 6, 2008
When a distinguished American military commander accuses the United States of committing war crimes in its handling of detainees, you know that we need a new way forward.
Father Of Soldier Killed In Iraq Launches Robot Bomb Disabler (Arizona Daily Star (Tucson))…Associated Press, July 6, 2008
…Hart contends LandSharks will be far less expensive than many of the Pentagon’s current bomb-disposing robots, including models made by two larger Boston-area companies, iRobot Inc. and Foster-Miller Inc. Those models have more sophisticated electronics, but also are more fragile than LandSharks, which use car batteries rather than lighter and pricier lithium-ion batteries.
Families Tell Of Hidden Korean War Executions
(Los Angeles Times)…Associated Press, July 6, 2008
…Family members hold not only President Syngman Rhee’s right-wing regime responsible for their loved ones’ deaths, but they also believe that the mass killings wouldn’t have been possible without tacit support from the Americans, who were advisors to South Korean military units, supplied weapons and ammunition used in the executions and took photographs at some sites.
US Pentagon Doubts Israeli Intelligence Over Iran’s Nuclear Programme, (London Sunday Telegraph)…Tim Shipman, July 6, 2008
Pentagon chiefs fear that Israeli plans for an attack on Iran’s nuclear programme will fail to destroy the facilities because neither the CIA nor Mossad knows where every base is located
A former head of Mossad, the agency whose main responsibility is overseas intelligence, told The Sunday Telegraph last week that Israel would have to act within a year to prevent Iran securing nuclear weapons.
EDITORIAL: Top job for next top boss: shape up the work force
It’s not hard to come up with a list of key issues that Indiana’s next governor, whether incumbent Republican Mitch Daniels or Democratic challenger Jill Long Thompson, will have to confront.
Indiana’s workers are among the least educated in the nation …. The state ranks 44th among the 50 states in the percentage of workers with a college degree. … About three out of 10 Indiana students fail to graduate from high school on time. Fewer than half of the students in the state’s largest district, Indianapolis Public Schools, complete high school. One in three workers, according to an Indiana Chamber of Commerce study, faces obstacles in obtaining better jobs because of poor literacy skills.
All of this adds up to a state in danger of falling further behind in competing for good jobs, attracting and retaining industry, and successfully rebuilding its outdated economy.
Editorial raises awareness and contributes to a community sense of learned helplessness. None of the problems are new and have been addressed in the past.
Improvement requires fundamental change. To assess if change results in improvement, knowledge of variation (common, special) is a fundamental competency. Assess your knowledge of variation?
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