Asia Times

"Models in history are very important, and I think this clearly damages the prestige of the Anglo-American model that we've been pushing," according to Michael Lind, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation (NAF), a Washington-based think-tank. "The Chinese model could now be seen as more the wave of the future." "People in Latin America, the Middle East, and elsewhere are probably saying, 'The Americans have been preaching this free-market ideology, and look what it did to them,… more

Seven years into George W Bush's global "war on terror", the Pentagon is embroiled in two big wars, a potentially explosive war of words with Tehran, and numerous smaller conflicts -- and it is leaning ever more heavily on private military contractors to get by. Once upon a time, soldiers did more than pick up a gun. They picked up trash. They cut hair and delivered mail. They fixed airplanes and inflated truck tires. Not anymore.… more

Peter Bergen and Paul Cruickshank ask why former al-Qaeda allies have turned against al-Qaeda's leaders:

To a large extent it is because al-Qaeda and its affiliates have increasingly adopted the doctrine of Takfir, by which they claim the right to decide who is a "true" Muslim. Al-Qaeda's critics know what results from this Takfiri view: first, the radicals deem some Muslims apostates; after that, the radicals start killing them. This fatal progression happened in both Algeria and Egypt in the 1990s.… more

Going bankrupt: The US's greatest threat (Asia Times) ...In discussing the fiscal 2008 defense budget, as released to the press on February 7, 2007, I have been guided by two experienced and reliable analysts: William D Hartung of the New America Foundation's Arms and Security Initiative and Fred Kaplan, defense correspondent for Slate.org. They agree that the Department of Defense requested $481.4 billion for salaries, operations (except in Iraq and Afghanistan), and equipment. They also agree… more

AL-QAIM, western Iraq -- "This is the wild wild west," says Captain Chris Alfeiri, holding a fly swatter while relaxing in between missions. A 30-year-old native of Boston, Alfeiri is one of about 1,000 soldiers from the 1st Squadron of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR), based in Fort Carson of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and currently stationed in al-Qaim, at the western edge of Anbar province, bordering on Syria.

It is a dusty, arid and lawless region, with large towns… more

"It's not difficult to understand why somebody might pick up an AK 47 against us. Maybe we killed his father in the first Gulf War, maybe in this Gulf War, maybe he's just a dick." -- Sergeant Reginald Abram

AL-QAIM, western Iraq -- Lieutenant-Colonel Gregg Reilly, the SCO, or squadron commander, of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment's Tiger Base in western Iraq, is relaxed and comfortable answering tough questions, but he gets visibly tense for the first time when asked… more

AL-QAIM, Iraq -- In early October, Lieutenant-Colonel Gregg Reilly, the SCO, or squadron commander, of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment's (ACR) Tiger Base in western Iraq decided he had enough "actionable intelligence" to pursue those Iraqis attacking his soldiers every day. "We have the most concrete set of targetable data in Iraq," the SCO says of the operation code named Tiger Strike. "We have built this over many months with multiple sources." He has two organizational charts on his wall.… more

AL-QAIM, western Iraq -- According to a major from the Judge Advocate General's office working on establishing an Iraqi judicial process, at least 7,000 Iraqis are being detained by US forces. Many languish in prisons indefinitely, lost in a system that imposes English-language procedures on Arabic speakers with Arabic names not easily transcribed.

Some are termed "security detainees" and held for six months pending a review to determine whether they are still a "security risk". Most are innocent. Many… more

"You need an understanding of the situation on the ground to see what you need to do. Each area has its own distinct terrain, and the terrain in this environment is the people. It's not a one-size-fits-all thing. It takes a tremendous amount of thought. It consumes me." -- Lieutenant-Colonel Greg Reilly

AL-QAIM, western Iraq -- Ayman Aftam, a portly young customs office manager on the Iraqi al-Huseiba border with Syria, owes his position and salary to the American soldiers… more