US military at Brave New Films

Building the new US model army - 20 August 08

2008-08-26T18:54:13Z

Barnaby Phillips, Al Jazeera's Europe correspondent, travelled across the US to find out what ordinary Americans feel about five key electoral issues.

In part three of American Challenge, he finds the US military attempting to adapt to 21st century warfare.

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Jack Matlock: Current US Policy and Cold War

2008-09-07T04:18:28Z

There are many misconceptions about how the Cold War ended, says Jack, and these have led to mistakes in our current policy.
This is an excerpt from an interview with David Speedie, as part of the Carnegie Council U.S. Global Initiative program. For more, go to www.carnegiecouncil.org

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People & Power - Tip of the Spear - 15 Jul 08

2008-09-04T19:59:01Z

People & Power looks at how the US is turning the island of Guam into a key part of its military strategy in the western Pacific.

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People & Power - Two Tier Island - 15 Jul 08

2008-09-04T20:11:19Z

People & Power looks at the impact the US military build-up on the western Pacific island of Guam is having on the indigenous Chamorro population.

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US 'close' to military deal with Iraq - 27 May 08

2008-06-12T15:36:25Z

Al Jazeera's Ghida Fakry speaks to David Satterfield, senior adviser on Iraq at the US State Department, on claims the US is seeking permanent military bases in Iraq.

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US 'close' to finalising Iraq military deal - 27 May 08

2008-06-12T15:36:20Z

Al Jazeera's Ghida Fakry talks to Samir al-Sumaida'ie, the Iraqi ambassador to the United States, about a new deal close to being finalised with the US over its military presence in Iraq, why there will be no permanent US bases and why he says the deal is in the interests of the Iraqi people.

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Iraqis speak to the US Joint Chiefs of Staff 25-04-2008

2008-06-16T21:30:30Z

Al Jazeera gave Iraqi citizens a chance to question America's top soldier. In a rare opportunity, Iraqis asked the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, for answers on what they see as the continued occupation of their country.

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CODEPINK & Troops Out Now coalition picket the White House!

2008-06-17T09:41:15Z

On Tuesday September 25th, many individual peace activists from around the country marched in front of the White House with signs and chants demanding that President Bush stop his plans to attack Iran.

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Iraq war veterans accuse US military of coverups - 16 Mar 08

2008-06-06T21:30:19Z

As we approach the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, hundreds of US veterans of the war say the American military has been covering up widespread civilian killings in that country.

And Al Jazeera's Tom Ackerman reports their sentiments aren't necessarily getting a warm reception.

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"War Profiteers" US Armed Forces Career Center NYC 3/19/07

2008-07-20T20:34:11Z

Greg Stewart as the Unknown soldier plays his song "War Profiteers" at the Military Island in Times Square during his one man protest of the War in Iraq on the unfortunate 4th Anniversary of the War.

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Inside Story- Nato: Who is willing to fight?- 14 Feb 08-Pt 2

2008-06-15T09:33:21Z

Is the military alliance facing the serious prospect of a split?

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Inside Story- Nato: Who is willing to fight?- 14 Feb 08-Pt 1

2008-06-16T03:33:13Z

Is the military alliance facing the serious prospect of a split?

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Would a Democratic President pull out of Iraq?

2008-06-12T03:33:22Z

More info at therealnews.com
Tom Hayden: The media has failed to ask what will happen with the thousands of contractors in Iraq

Thursday January 31st, 2008

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Pakistan army and the tribal territories

2008-06-08T03:29:42Z

More at therealnews.com
Aijaz Ahmad: Pakistan army fights Talibanization of Pakistan, but mixed agenda in tribal areas (2 of 3)

Wednesday January 30th, 2008

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Inside Story-What terms for US presence in Iraq?-27Jan08-Pt2

2008-06-12T21:29:43Z

Democrats fear a never-ending military involvment of US in Iraq.

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Inside Story-What terms for US presence in Iraq?-27Jan08-Pt1

2008-06-10T21:30:00Z

Democrats fear a never-ending military involvment of US in Iraq.

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US Military Action In Pakistan Gets Under Way?

2008-06-09T03:34:19Z

According to Tom Hayden:

The US government is considering direct military intervention in the tribal areas of Pakistan, risking an escalated conflict with Pashtun nationalism in the name of crushing al Qaeda. An essay in last week’s Washington Post, a front page story in today’s New York Times and reports from the Real News Network all confirm that a decision to intervene is near. The Times confirms that as many as 50 American personnel, whether special forces or CIA, already operate clandestinely inside the Pakistani border.

Democrats have called no hearings nor raised significant voices of opposition to the unfolding plan. In New Hampshire last night, Sen. Barack Obama repeated his endorsement of unilateral US military intervention in Pakistan if “actionable intelligence” exists. His Democratic rivals did not dissent.

The consequences of the possible escalation are extremely unpredictable. The alleged al-Qaeda militants are embedded in complex tribal networks in a remote mountainous area. Military action could inflict severe casualties and damage to these traditional communities and inflame anti-American sentiment across Muslim Pakistan. It might accelerate the disintegration of the US-backed Musharraf dictatorship which currently possesses nuclear weapons. Musharraf and the Pakistani military have steadfastly opposed direct American intervention for the past five years.

Speculation is rife that US support for the ill-fated return of Benezir Bhutto to Pakistan was based partly on an understanding that she would endorse and legitimize an expanded US presence in her country. If neither the American embassy nor the Musharraf regime could save her from death at a public event, it is unclear how successful American special forces will be in the wilds of South Waziristan.

There is virtually no public discussion of the implications of American support for a military dictatorship that imprisons Pakistani lawyers while harboring anti-US jihadists. Instead of enforcing the existing Leahy Amendment [1997] which bans military assistance to human rights violators, the US has spent approximately $10 billion in five years supporting the Musharraf regime, alienating a majority of Pakistanis, and lending credence to the claims of Muslim extremists. Having contributed to, or at least failing to have prevented Pakistan’s fall into chaos, “senior officials” quoted by the Times now are blaming al-Qaeda for plotting all along to achieve “the big prize, creating chaos in Pakistan itself.”

It is ironic that Democrats like Obama, whose campaign was built around questioning the intelligence justifying the Iraq War would now be arguing for a preventive war in a sovereign country if evidence gathered by intelligence sources is merely “actionable.”

The further irony is that the “war on terrorism” is escalating without meaningful discussion or dissent in the midst of the most open and democratic of American processes, the presidential debates.

Congressional hearings and questioning by the presidential candidates might stall, circumscribe or prevent the escalation. An alternative policy of reducing US military assistance to Pakistan and demanding the full restoration of civil liberties there, while seeking diplomatic de-escalation in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Palestine is being ignored in the march towards a wider quagmire. #

TOM HAYDEN is the author of Ending the War in Iraq [2007].

This is a very complex region of the world (as evidenced by recent events) with competing tribes, religions, ideologies and no one size fits all way to bring Democracy and stability to the region. We need a real strategy there, not a Bush in Iraq approach.

Let's all pray that not impeaching George W. Bush and thinking we can just wait things out until the end of his two terms doesn't come back to haunt us in the form of more foreign conflict based on shoddy reasoning.

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People & Power - Focus on Locusts - 07Dec07-Pt 1

2008-06-13T21:31:28Z

We look at private equity's part in the creation of the global credit bubble.

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People & Power - Focus on Locusts - 07Dec07-Pt 2

2008-06-14T03:29:27Z

We look at private equity's part in the creation of the global credit bubble.

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Inside Iraq - Iraqi exodus - 23 Nov 07 - Part 2

2008-06-14T09:35:22Z

Thousands of Iraqis are returning home as a result of improvements in security. The US military says violence and bloodshed across Iraq has fallen to its lowest level since February 2006, attributing it to the troop 'surge'. Inside Iraq asks if the improvement is permanent.

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Inside Iraq - Iraqi exodus - 23 Nov 07 - Part 1

2008-06-14T09:35:27Z

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The Listening Post-Finnish school shooting-16 Nov 07-Part 2

2008-06-14T15:30:41Z

In this week's The Listening Post, Richard Gizbert looks at the media reaction to Finland's high school shooting and the limits of reporting the war in Iraq through embedded journalists.

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The Listening Post -Finnish school shooting-16 Nov 07-Part 1

2008-06-14T15:30:45Z

In this week's Listening Post, Richard Gizbert looks at the media reaction to Finland's high school shooting and the limits of reporting the war in Iraq through embedded journalists.

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Everywoman - American women veterans - 09 Nov 07-Pt1

2008-06-14T21:29:51Z

Many US ex-servicewomen have to fight health care bureaucracy, unemployment, and high housing costs. We meet two women war veterans and talk to Denise Williams from the American Legion.

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Frost Over The World - General Sir Mike Jackson - 14 Sept 07

2008-06-16T15:37:05Z

General Jackson, former head of the British army, talks to Sir David about his comments on US military strategy in Iraq and his criticism of Donald Rumsfeld, the former US defence secretary, which made headlines earlier in September.

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