"An Afghan soldier shot a United States Army major general to death and wounded a German brigadier general and at least 14 other foreign and Afghan military service members on Tuesday at a military training academy on the outskirts of Kabul, officials of the American-led coalition said Tuesday. The major general appeared to be the highest-ranking member of the American military to die in hostilities overseas since the Vietnam War." NY Times
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This is mute commentary on how much Afghans have really changed. (irony) This is clear in spite of the nonsense being spouted by Rear Admiral Kirby at the Pentagon. pl
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/06/world/asia/afghanistan-attack.html?_r=0
That is fine, cooperation with any of those states by Iran for the benefit of a unitary state in Afghanistan is not going to take place.
Posted by: Babak Makkinejad | 07 August 2014 at 08:52 AM
You wrote: "...then Iran is in a lonely place."
Good, now you understand the Iranian perspective - an insular people surrounded by enemies.
Let the Chinese spend the effort and protect their copper mines.
Let Russians worry about their soft underbelly in Central Asia.
Let the Jihadists flood India - it matters not one bit to Iran.
Iranians have carved out their piece around Herat - their ancient possession and their Shia Muslim co-religionists.
Iran would do nothing for others in Afghanistan - they might do something for a price but I imagine that price is very high.
You cannot despise a country for decades and then expect cooperation....
Posted by: Babak Makkinejad | 07 August 2014 at 09:04 AM
Col Lang,
Thank you. As a side note the Army Cyber Command (http://www.arcyber.army.mil/index.html) is lead by a 3 star general with very little if any background in the appropriate technology. I heard him speak at one of my professional associations late last year. He is a dynamic presenter but exhibited very little specialized knowledge of Cyber issues. So we have a technologist in command in a war zone and a commander trained in ground warfare in a technology zone. I can't fathom the Army's reasoning.
I am very sad for General Greene and his family and my hope is that the troops still in Afghanistan can get out before there are anymore Green on Blue attacks.
Regards,
Posted by: Charles Dekle | 07 August 2014 at 09:37 AM
All,
And so, while the surrounding states become mired in their own competitions, does the Caliphate grow like a cancer from within to extend from Turkey to India?
Posted by: Origin | 07 August 2014 at 09:47 AM
Origin
And "the center won't hold?" That could be. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 07 August 2014 at 11:18 AM
It will not get through to Iran...
Posted by: Babak Makkinejad | 07 August 2014 at 11:29 AM
Yes, the center may not hold.
The ethnic makeup of southern Iran has lots of Sunnis, particularly in Baluchistan and along the "Persian" Gulf coast. In a very few years, we may be seeing the oil now transiting the Arabian Gulf instead departing from the Caliphate Gulf through the Jihadi straight to the Islamic Sea.
It would appear that the meme of the Caliphate has arrived.
Once a myth-meme catches hold it can result in a complete system break from the old reality to the new in a stunningly short period. The myth-meme gives a huge mind-changing vision to the hoards of the powerless colonials who, for the first time in hundreds of years, can view themselves in primacy over their own lands, independent and apart from western culture.
Before long, the West may view Putin as a visionary prophet who accurately warned of the new reality and regret it did not listen to him before we sprouted so many "Springs" and planted so many evil seeds like the Taliban and Hamas.
Posted by: Origin | 07 August 2014 at 01:15 PM
I just received an email from RPI with a link to a statement on death of MG Harold J. Greene '80 from the 'tute's president, Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson.
http://news.rpi.edu/content/2014/08/06/statement-death-major-general-harold-j-greene-80
Posted by: The Twisted Genius | 08 August 2014 at 06:47 PM
Origin,
This myth is being written in the blood of the innocents.
Posted by: Fred | 08 August 2014 at 11:35 PM