Embedded with the Taliban

via Danger Room and Abu Muqawama

I am kinda late in posting about the fantastic article detailing Nir Rosen's, reporter for Rolling Stone (which frequently has some of the best coverage of politics and current events) journey around Afghanistan embedded not with the U.S. military, but with Taliban insurgents. In the article, How We Lost the War We Won the reader gets a look at Afghanistan through the eyes of the "enemy," a view unadulterated by the careful engineering that manipulates how reporters embedded with the Army report the state of affairs in the country. It also gives us a better understanding of the loosely knit amalgamation of insurgent groups that fight under the banner of the Taliban, one that contradicts the dominant view of the group as ardent freedom-hating Islamic Jihadists. Rosen has been accused of treason for riding shotgun with the enemy, but I applaud his courage for putting his life in the hands of RPG-toting, turban-wearing strangers. The article, as touched upon in the quote below demonstrates how the Taliban has out-administered both the Afghan government and the U.S. military in large parts of Afghanistan, bringing to mind Eqbal Ahmad's classic essay How to Tell When the Rebels Have Won(pdf).

Until recently, Ghazni, like much of central Afghanistan, was considered reasonably safe. But now the province, located 100 miles south of the capital, has fallen to the Taliban. Foreigners who venture to Ghazni often wind up kidnapped or killed. In defiance of the central government, the Taliban governor in the province issues separate ID cards and passports for the Taliban regime, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Farmers increasingly turn to the Taliban, not the American-backed authorities, for adjudication of land disputes.

By the time we reach the town of Salar, only 50 miles south of Kabul, we have already passed five tractor-trailers from military convoys that have been destroyed by the Taliban. The highway, newly rebuilt courtesy of $250 million, most of it from U.S. taxpayers, is pocked by immense craters, most of them caused by roadside bombs planted by Taliban fighters. As in Iraq, these improvised explosive devices are a key to the battle against the American invaders and their allies in the Afghan security forces, part of a haphazard but lethal campaign against coalition troops and the long, snaking convoys that provide logistical support.

Obama is Coming! Buy Guns, Ammo and High-Cap Mags While You Still Can!

via Truth Against the World

I had known about this long before I found this Washington Post article about how a fear of an Obama presidency and a Democratic majority in the house and the senate has driven up gun prices. I know that was one of the reasons behind me buying my WASR and stockpiling thousands of rounds of ammo before I left Vermont this past summer. Saheim is doing and just yesterday was telling me reading a news article on just this topic. I spend a good amount of time is guns stores have been hearing this for a while now, recently anti-Obama poster have been going up at gun stores like Riley's in Hooksett, NH. Another major cause behind this run on the ammo banks is the skyrocketing cost of ammunition over the last year. I love how there is this almost apocalyptic quality to this, particularly when one customer links illegal aliens with civil disorder. Here are some excerpts from the article (BTW Colt AR-15s go for much more than the article says):

Americans have cut back on buying cars, furniture and clothes in a tough economy, but there's one consumer item that's still enjoying healthy sales: guns. Purchases of firearms and ammunition have risen 8 to 10 percent this year, according to state and federal data.

Several variables drive sales, but many dealers, buyers and experts attribute the increase in part to concerns about the economy and fears that if Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois wins the presidency, he will join with fellow Democrats in Congress to enact new gun controls. Obama has said that he believes in an individual right to bear arms but that he also supports "common-sense safety measures."

Generally, we know that hard economic times always result in firearm sales," said James M. Purtilo of Silver Spring, who publishes the Tripwire Newsletter.

Industry experts and law enforcement officials point to several examples over the years. In 1994, there was a rush to buy guns when President Bill Clinton pushed for a ban on military-style semiautomatic rifles. Handgun sales jumped last year after the massacre at Virginia Tech as some worried about personal protection and others feared sweeping restrictions on handguns, pushing applications for concealed gun permits in Virginia alone up 60 percent. People also rushed to buy guns after the 1992 riots in Los Angeles and the breakdown of order in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

Bob Leyshion, who visited a gun shop in Manassas recently, said the economic crisis and Obama's lead in the polls were on his mind.

"People are preparing for catastrophe right now," said Leyshion, 55, of Nokesville. "It's insurance. With the stock market crash and people out of work, and the illegal aliens in this area, the probability of civil disorder is very high."

On a recent weekend, a crowd of lookers and buyers milled around in the Virginia Arms Co. in Manassas. Some were shopping for large-capacity magazines, or clips, that attach to firearms and hold additional rounds of ammo. Those were banned during the Clinton administration and became legal again when the ban expired.

"I'm looking for gun clips because I got the funny feeling that prices are going to rise, or they're going to be banned," said Wayne Heglar, 48, who lives in Aldie and builds custom motorcycles. Heglar said he also planned to stock up on ammo.

At Clark Brothers Gun Shop in Warrenton, a sign over the door says: "Experts Agree . . . Gun Control Works!" Underneath are photos of Hitler, Stalin, Fidel Castro and Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi. There are also posters that criticize Obama's record on guns.

Steve Clark, the shop's owner, said customers have been buying weapons they fear would be restricted and that have been before, such as Colt AR-15s, semiautomatic rifles that go for $1,100.

"What I hear a lot is fear that Barack will win the election and tax everything to the point that you can't afford anything," said salesman Eugene Proko, 51.

Some in U.S. Army Question Decision to Arm Afghan Army with M-16

Yet another post to badmouth the AR-15 platform, just because I haven't done one in a while. In an earlier post I bemoaned the fact that the US was wasting time and money equipping the Iraqi and Afghan security forces with biometric-equipped M-4s. Well the transition doesn't seem to be going too smoothly.

Via Danger Room

I spent some time with a group of ANA (Afghan National Army) soldiers in their compound. With some coaxing from Dave, a British army captain who was part of the mentoring team, the Afghans aired a few complaints. Their food, they said, was inadequate. And several ANA soldiers said they were not fond of their new M16s, which required constant cleaning.

Dave said the plan to shift the ANA to more NATO-standard equipment was perhaps the wrong priority. “This equipment issue has now outstripped their training,” he said. “They are literally dumping this equipment on them and we are having to backtrack. It would be better if we could concentrate on the basics.”

Palestinian Freedom Fighter/Jihadist Training Camp Videos

I was reading about Hamas' version of YouTube, used to distribute propaganda and training videos getting yanked offline and it peaked my interest. I wish the blog had alert me of the website's existence before it was taken down. Any who it lead me to find this video from al-Jazeera that shows footage of Palestinian militants' training regiment and techniques. Worth checking out if only to get some ideas for training you and your comrades. Also see this video about Palestinian munitions factories.

Islamic Jihad Training | Viral | SPIKE.com

Songs of Rebellion: Himno Zapatista

A bit traditional, but it still holds a special place in my heart.

Dudes with Che Shirts...

...sometimes make me ashamed to own several Che shirts of my own. This photos was taken in Burlington, Vermont this past summer. If you are tucking your Che shirt into your belted khaki shorts, I think you might have missed the point a bit.

Amerikkkan Propaganda Posters

While many of the were blatantly racist and nationalist, there were some U.S. World War Two propaganda posters that gave good advise that is still relevant today. Waste is the friend of capitalism. To waste is a sin and it is the duty of every revolutionary to be incredibly resourceful, for to waste is not only counter productive it is also extremely detrimental to the environment. Carpool, take the bus, bike, keep your tires properly inflated, dumpster dive, do whatever you can to reduce waste and your impact on the environment. So these posters are OK but nothing compared to the poster art created in "communist" countries such as Cuba, the Soviet Union and particularly Maoist China.

Low-Tech and Lost-Cost Surveillance and Reconnaissance

Unfortunately for the Guerrilla, his resources are very limited, especially compared to those of modern militaries. Because of this the guerrilla must plan all his actions around this fact. In his manual, Guevara talks about the very finite amounts of ammunition and that all of his attacks need to be successes so that you capture more munitions than you spent during the assault. Although the guerrilla can try to buy ammo through civilian means, often an viable option for shotgun ammo and other sporting cartridges but rarely for military calibers such as 9mm, 5.56 and 7.62 x 39 in countries under dictatorships; buying a case of ammo or four will be very expensive and also attract lots of unwanted attention.

The guerrilla also relies much more heavily on human scouts to gather intelligence than conventional militaries, who have satellite imagery, UAVs, etc. It may pay off to train a talented artist as a scout.



I came across a really interesting article in a UK newspaper's website about a British soldier during the First World War who snuck behind enemy lines in order to draw detailed pictures of enemy positions, accurate enough to show troop numbers, weapons and artillery and geography. Although digital cameras make this technique some what obsolete, a pencil and paper, will never run out of batteries or break.

While you're at it, pick up a cheap parabolic microphone



and some 80 dollar night vision goggles from Wal-Mart.



The potential use of this technology in clandestine intelligence operations is obvious. If you are really ambitious and possess a good amount of fabrication ability, there are tons of DIY projects that geeks post online, including DIY UAVs/Predator drones

Quote of the Day: If You Don't Like It, Get Out! or The Challenges Faced by Obama

I came across this today on the AR15.com AK-47 ammunition forums. This was the signature on all of one user's posts, which kinda exemplifies why I feel so alienated from much of the gun culture and why I hate Amerikkkan politics:

When you vote for Obama, you are supporting racism, terrorism, tyranny and oppression.
Vote McCain & Palin, or get the hell out.

He is proposing a one party system and has the nerve to call Obama a tyrant? God bless "democracy" huh? I have also read people saying that they are not voting for Obama because they don't want to be forced to wear burkas, which he spelled bircas.

Another gem comes from "Billy Bob's" comment on Wired's Danger Room

Maybe you want Barrack Osama as President so he can LET the evil scum, satan worshipping, baby butchers, islamic terrorists have their way with you.
.
I am Barrack Osama and I approve the above comment.

And just for kicks, here's a picture from one of my favorite gun stores. If you can read it, the sign says NObama.

Gun of the Day: China Lake NATIC 40mm Grenade Launcher

I haven't done a Gun of the Day for a while, partly because I haven't come across anything that particularly excited me. But I have been wanting to do one for a while now as they were once a mainstay of The Revolution Script. I was originally going to post about grenade launchers that are double action revolvers (the weapon is fed from a six shot rotating cylinder) such as the Mikor MGl, pictured above. Notice how he still has an M-4 hanging from his sling in addition to the six 40mm grenades that he can deliver in three seconds at targets up to 375 meters and up to 800 meters with the newest grenade technology. This type of grenade launcher is very common in riot control, law enforcement/riot control and military applications as there are a variety of grenade loads that can be loaded into, from regular explosive to buck shot and flechettes to bean bag rounds, tear gas and other "less than lethal" rounds. The is even a reusable multi barrel adapter that shoots 10 rounds of .22lr at once.

I have always wanted to get an M-79-type break action grenade launcher. TI saw one at a gun show that was used in some state prison down south (Georgia? Louisiana?) for around 300 dollars. The only problem is that the ammo is prohibitively expensive and often times consider "destructive devices" by the BATFE.

But the Gun of the Day is none of the above. I am a big fan of pump action shotguns so when I came across the China Lake Pump-Action Grenade Launcher pictured below. Less than 50 have been produced as they were only produced in order to be tested by the US Navy SEALs as a replacement for the single shot M-79 and XM148. It had some feed issues with odd-shaped rounds but was very quick at empty it's four round tube magazine and was only 1/2 heavier than the M-79 with all four rounds loaded. I still think that it is a bad-ass idea which is why it is the Gun of the Day!

Ground Noise and Static: A film about the RNC and DNC protests

via Power to the People

I just finished watching Ground Noise and Static, an inspiring film about the protests at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. I had previously posted about police brutality against protester and journalists at the RNC, the Worker Solidarity Alliance's statement on the protests, and the FBI's attempts to infiltrate the movement by means of vegan potlucks but had not yet seen any footage. Watching the coverage of the conventions on the corporate-controlled media, you wouldn't have even known that there were protests going on at either event. I wish that I could say that I say shocked at what I saw but I have come to expect this sort of thing in the United States of Amerikkka. I can't say that I agree with all of the artistic decisions of the film but the content is excellent. The film should serve as a reminder that neither the Republican nor the Democrats are interested in preserving the Constitution or supporting true freedom of expression, they merely seek to advance their own bourgeois interests.

The first part of the film is shown below, while the entire thing is linked above.

Recipes for the Revolution: Turkish-esque Coffee and Root Mash

This is the first post in what may become a regular series. Besides maintaining your weapons and equipment, it is vital to also maintain one's body and mind with nutritious food and drink. The following are recipes which can be prepared with only one pot and one source of heat. Hopefully comrade Rowland Keshena can contribute some of his own recipes in the comment section.

Turkish-esque Coffee
While this is not true Turkish Coffee, it is similar and very delicious and does not require filters. Coffee is vital for keeping your troops alert, happy and warm on those cold night watches.

•Fill the pot with water and add a liberal amount of coffee, preferable finely ground.

•Bring the mixture to a rolling boil for five minutes before reducing heat and allowing it coffee to simmer for another five minutes.

•Repeat at least twice. The more you cook it down, the stronger it becomes.

•Remove from heat and allow grounds to settle at bottom before pouring off the coffee.

Root Mash
This is an old favorite of mine that is quite versatile.

•In large pot of combine as many kinds of (washed) root vegetables as you want: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips, etc.

•Cook until all the vegetables are soft enough to be mashed.

•Pour off the liquid and save it for future use as broth for soup.

•Thoroughly mash all of the veggies together with butter or cooking oil and milk if desired. Also you can add some maple syrup to sweeten, although if you used carrots and/or sweet potatoes, this may not be necessary.

I hope that these will help improve your morale and health as well as those of your comrades.

Why I Love Vermont and its Revolutionary Potential

I was with great, great sadness that I recently left Vermont and moved to Hawai'i, leaving my comrades and guns behind. I thought that in commemoration of this event, I would enumerate all of the Green Mountain State qualities which I believe make it the best in the Union. And as always, I invite readers to contribute their own ideas and stories about Vermont.

• Vermont has, as far as I know the least restrictive gun laws in the country. No permit needed for concealed carry, you can keep loaded handguns in your car again with no permit. No restrictions on what kind of guns you can own or how big their magazines can be. The only thing that you can't own are silencers, which would require a class III permit anyways. And yet Vermont has the lowest crime rates in the country.

• When I am in Vermont, I can basically do what I want, shoot guns in my back yard (as long as I am ten feet from the road), piss in my front yard, walk around the woods with assault rifles, etc. and nobody will bother me. Sweet, sweet isolation sounds preeeetty good right now sitting in a major metropolitan area listening to a church band practice next door and the roar of thousands of cars around me.

• Vermont's mountainous terrain, lack of large city's and general rural nature makes it ideal for guerrilla warfare. See my recent post on the subject.

• Vermont has the strongest secession movement in the country, with twelve percent of respondents favoring Vermont's withdrawal from the United States.

• Vermont is well known for it's extremely liberal politics and laws, although this was not also true (Vermont was once a solid red state). One of the first states to mandate returnable bottles, the first state to grant same sex couples the same rights as traditional married couples, and the first state to outlaw slavery and eugenics. The constitution recognizes that Vermont's outdoors are to be enjoyed by everybody and that people are free to walk on, hunt on, fish on and generally enjoy any land that is not posted without fear of being charged with trespassing.

• Vermont has a history of being politically independent. Bernie Sanders was for sixteen years an independent, but self proclaimed democratic socialist representative in the U.S. house and since 2007 a senator, the only non-two party senator beside Joe Liberman. Before that Jim Jeffords left the Republican party and became an independent senator for our state. This is a refreshing change in a country run by the two-party system. Additionally, Anthony Pollina formerly of the Progressive Party and now an independent is currently a major candidate in the Vermont gubernatorial elections with polls showing him winning fifteen percent. Peter Diamondstone, a pro-secession candidate from the Vermont Liberty Union Party was recently allowed in the gubernatorial debates, a major step for political plurality in the state. Fortunately Vermont's laws keep the ballot open to third parties, unlike in other states.

• Vermont is the only state that George W. Bush has never visited. If he did, he could be tried for war crimes. And I hope that tyrant never sullies our fair land by setting foot in the Green Mountains.

Hawai'i Needs Us: An Open Letter to the US Left from the Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement.

Via Whenua Fenua Enua Vanua, originally posted inThe Nation

An open letter to the US left from the Hawaiian sovereignty movement.

The confluence of two forces--a massive military expansion in Hawai'i and Congressional legislation that will stymie the Kanaka Maoli [Native Hawaiian] sovereignty movement--will expand and consolidate the use of Hawai'i for US empire. We are calling on the US left to join our movement opposing these threats and to add our quest for independence as a plank of the broad US left strategy for a nonimperialist America. If you support peace and justice for the United States and the world, please support demilitarization and independence for Hawai'i.

Since 1893, the United States has malformed Hawai'i into the command and control center for US imperialism in Oceania and Asia. From the hills of the Ewa district of O'ahu, the US Pacific Command--the largest of the unified military commands--directs troops and hardware throughout literally half the planet. Since the late nineteenth century, the US military has multiplied in our islands, taking 150,000 acres for its use, including one-quarter of the metropolitan island of O'ahu. Moreover, the National Security Administration is building a new surveillance facility nearby, not far from where urban assault brigades, called Strykers, will train for deployment throughout the world. The US Navy is also increasing training over the entire archipelago, including populated areas and the fragile northwestern whale sanctuary. This militarized occupation has a long history. Ke Awalau o Pu'uloa--known now as Pearl Harbor--became one of the very first overseas bases, along with Guantánamo, around the time of the Spanish-American War. We still hold much in common with prerevolution Cuba--a sugar plantation economy and status as the playground for the rich of North America.

We have suffered from the effects of being the pawn for US wars on the world. Our family members languish from strange diseases brought by military toxins in our water and soil. Our economy is a foreign-run modern plantation serving multinational shareholders and decorated generals. We salute a foreign flag, and the education system instructs us to yearn for a distant continent called the Mainland. Tourists imbibe in sunny Waīkikī, while the beaches in the native-inhabited regions are littered with chemical munitions.

But amid our suffering, we have survived. Our tenacity and resilience have historical roots: in 1897, 95 percent of the Kanaka Maoli population signed petitions that helped to defeat a treaty to forcibly annex Hawai'i to the United States.

The last forty years have seen remarkable change for our people, through the advancement of a grassroots struggle against the political occupation and mental colonization of our homeland. We have been successful in several campaigns: in stopping the bombing of Kaho'olawe Island and Makua Valley, in revitalizing the Hawaiian language and culture in our schools and families, in returning to our indigenous spiritual practices and in making Hawaiian sovereignty a dinner-table topic and an actual possibility. These hard-fought wins are successes in the movement for self-determination and also a threat to America's use of Hawai'i as the purveyor of its empire.

It is against this backdrop that the Akaka bill (the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act) is being discussed in the halls of Congress. Named for US Senator Daniel Akaka, the bill is being promoted by Hawai'i's corporate and political elite as a vehicle for racial justice. Yet the bill would turn back one of the most important victories of the last four decades--the rise of Hawaiian self-determination, including independence, as a political possibility--replacing it with the extinguishment of our historic claims to land and sovereignty.

Our conundrum puts us squarely in opposition to the middle ground of American politics, which has arrived at a consensus that Hawai'i will remain a military colony of the United States. Democratic Senator Daniel Inouye is a major purveyor of pork barrel spending for military appropriations and defense contractors. All three presidential contenders have signaled their support for the Akaka bill. And while the far right wing of the Republican Party opposes the Akaka bill, both major parties have no quarrel over the continuance of the empire's use of our homeland.

In light of this American consensus on Hawai'i, we turn to our nearest political allies, US progressive movements, and seek your solidarity for our independence because it is congruent and essential to your hope for a better world. Please join us in opposing the Akaka bill and the militarization of Hawai'i, and please support Hawai'i's independence as part of your vision for a more humane United States and a more just world.

Ikaika Hussey, convenor, Movement for Aloha No ka Aina
 (MANA)

Terrilee Keko'olani, Ohana Koa/Nuclear-Free and Independent Pacific

Noelani Goodyear-Kaopua, assistant professor of political
 science, University of Hawaii, Manoa

Jon Osorio, director, Center for Hawaiian Studies, University of Hawaii, Manoa

Kekuni Blaisdell, convenor, Ka Pakaukau

Andre Perez, Hui Pu

Kelii "Skippy" Ioane, Hui Pu

Kai'opua Fyfe, director, The Koani Foundation