Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Afghanistan’s Tajiks and Pashtuns

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Juan Cole points out in a recent Salon article something I've heard elsewhere. Afghanistan is plurality Pashtun, but the armed forces are heavily Tajik. In other words, the armed forces are not representative of the country. Worse, they're … [Read more...]

McChrystal Clear about Afghanistan

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There's considerable concern too about the legitimacy of the regime after elections that were, to put it mildly, flawed. The Washington Post has an interesting exchange of views on its op-ed page. The proponents of remaining in Afghanistan … [Read more...]

Leave Afghanistan?

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This is certainly the experience of the more stable provinces in central Afghanistan, where leaders talk about the need to set off bombs to receive the assistance given to their wealthier but more dangerous neighbors. In a post titled, The … [Read more...]

The Afghanistan Debacle

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General Wesley Clark In an op-ed in today's <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2009/08/17/2009-08-17_obama_must_learn_from_vietnam_gen_wesley_clark_gives_the_president_advice_for_af.html?page=0">Daily News, General Wesley … [Read more...]

MILTON VOTE YES REMINDER

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What does this override mean to me, in terms of dollars? On a home valued at $529,533-the average assessment in Milton-the override-related tax increase would be $373 per year, or about $30 per month.   Exactly what happens if the … [Read more...]

Talking Points on Torture

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Here is a collection of talking points for discussing the recent revelations on torture. Waterboarding is torture pure and simple. International norms consistently classify waterboarding as torture, for example, the U.N.. U.S. soldiers … [Read more...]

The Republican Road to Recovery

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Campaign mode seems to persist in this paragraph about spending:Who are the recipients of such largesse? International organizations and foreign aid recipients, including millions for reconstruction in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. Labor … [Read more...]

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