Bucking the trend towards body count journalism, some “grim statistics” remain less newsworthy than others (via Gateway Pundit).
Pakistan is not only among the countries with the highest incidence of terrorism but it also tops the list of suicide bombings, leaving Afghanistan and Iraq behind during the first three months of 2008.
During this period, Pakistan experienced eighteen suicide attacks in which more than 250 people died. Whereas in both war-ridden countries, Afghanistan and Iraq, had a fewer number of suicide attacks.
The battleground has shifted. But unlike the Iraqis, the Pakistanis seem more easily “awakened” and there’s news of welcome mats being yanked – providing you can find it.
The alleged militant group familiarly known as “Taliban” was declared “out of Islam” by 73 different sects of Muslims through an edict (Fatwa) circulated in parts of the narrow tribal strip of Darra Adamkhel.
The edict in Urdu language was circulated on behalf of Mufti Zainul Aabideen on Friday night. The one page edict focuses on Talibans’s terrorists’ acts in the area, particularly slaughtering of human beings and suicide attacks.
[…]
It is for the first time that a religious scholar declared “Taliban” as being “out of Islam.” The edict said that all the acts of Taliban are against the basic norms of Islam and humanity. “Even the Taliban leaders are considering themselves and their directives as superior to true Islamic principles and directives as ordained by Almighty Allah,” the edict said.
With all the professional ink spilled in complaint over Taliban “insurgents” operating from the safety of tribal areas of Pakistan. a home turf reversal of fortunes for the ministry of headchoppers should count for some coverage, yes?
Well, no.
In the eyes of western media, setbacks only happen to our own. Besides, it’s March again, and their duties lie elsewhere. Surely, the much-awaited 2007 spring offensive is just around the corner.
Yes I remember the much-vaunted Spring 2007 offensive. Didn’t happen. Perhaps because our troops kicked their asses so badly in operations like Medusa, that they recognized they were incompetent chumps in conventional warfare. Resulting in them resorting to planting IEDs under the cover of darkness.
The Taliban…brave soldiers all….NOT
Oh yes,those IEDs. The one post stoneage weapon raised in efficacy partly by the cancellation of the Canadian Governments helicopter contracts. Thus troops were forced to resort to old fashioned and infinitely more dangerous ground travel. In old fashioned outdated wheeled vehicles.
Wonder whose boneheaded idea that was?
God bless those 4000 troops that gave their lives for their country and family’s security! Not to diminish their sacrifice in anyway – but the death of 4000 troops in any war is nothing compared to the gift of freedom that they have helped protect and have offered to the Iraqis with their lives.
Can anyone remember the anticipated death toll before the invasion of Iraq? When Saddam was supposed to have the fourth most powerful military on the planet along with the perceived chemical and biological weapons. I don’t specifically remember but it was in the tens of thousands for the first wave of attack. And yet they went! The 4000 death toll should be a celebration of the wars success as much as an honoring of these dead.
the spring offensive was delayed because of global warming, they needed the heat in Bali so spring was delayed in Afiganistan, and so they just jumped rite into summer voiding spring and so the spring offensive
Yes, I recall those pre-war armchair-general predictions for US casualties, too.
What has transpired since is the most ambitious goalpost relocation program in military history.
The other thing that is blatently missing in the MSM is the body count on the other side. Maybe if they spelled out the number of Afghan/Iraqi Taliban insurgent casualties (instead of just the odd collateral victims – mostly victims of suicide bombers) the sheeple would see that the good guys really are kicking some Islamofascist butt.
Despite that, my thoughts go out to the fallen soldiers of the western alliance – and their loved ones. They should be recognized for winning, not dying.
Don’t forget the recent taliban killings in waziristan (NE pakistan) done by US airstrikes. That can only mean that their is cooperation both on the ground in Waziristan and within the Pakistan Gov’t at the very highest level.
The shifting of goal-posts is a pretty common tactic in the major media. Because bad news is good, and bad news that can be tied (however disingenuously) to your designated betes noires is even better, any time that criteria have been used to condemn your enemies are no longer credible, just change the criteria.
You will note, as well, that once the media have designated someone as an “expert”, that designation is able to survive countless errors and misinterpretations. Recently our town was graced with a couple of appearances by Gwynne Dyer, who may have set a record of being proven wrong in almost every analysis and prediction he has ever made. No matter, the leather jacket and the ponderous, portentous, and pretentious speaking style still works its old magic on high school students and journalists.
As Knight 99 says. .
** God bless those 4000 troops that gave their lives for their country . . **
They have given us a victory much larger than we may realize.
They have given the free democratic world SIX years to get our security sharpened up and our defenses hardened.
Encouraging also to see 73 Muslim sects declare the Taliban as the terrorists that they are.
If Pakistan*s new leader, Yosuff Gilani, can bring pressure to bear upon Osama and keep his agents out of the Nuke toy shop, then things are looking up indeed.
Maybe Gilani can help with leverage against the evil mullah forces in Iran and help reduce the flow of military poisons to Al Qaeda and Muqtada al Sadr in Iraq and the Ghaza.
The good people of Iran would certainly welcome Pakistan*s help to throw off the Mullahs. = TG
Commenter ‘bg’ at Gateway Pundit;
““an appeaser is one who keeps feeding the alligator in the hopes that it will eat him last.”
– Winston Churchill”
Says it all !!
How many Canadian deaths in Afghanistan would NOT have happened if Jean Chreatien had NOT cancelled the helicopters ???.
Dear Smalldeadanimals,
sad to see you haven’t blocked my IP address yet. I assume this matter will be corrected after my post is deleted.
The bravery of the posters here never amazes me. Whilst I sit in a hotel in suburban Illinois, working for a living, you sit there, alone, in front of your computers, confronting an enemy that seeks to destroy you from their cave 10,000 miles away. How do you do it? What is it that drives you?
I don’t use the word hero often, but you, are the greatest heros, in the history of the world.
I read the above post by kate, and thought, that’s it, this is the Battle of North Africa that we’ve been waiting for. Never mind all the naysayers who say that there is no analogy between world war 2 and the GWOT. Never mind those who point out the extensive cultural and political complexities of Pakistan and Afghanistan. This is about western civilization, and making sure that no Muslim person shows up in Saskatchewan and molests the rough rider cheerleaders.
God bless you, SmallDeadAnimals.
Anyone who disagrees with you, hates western civilization and wants David Suzuki and Osama bin laden to run the world.
Dear Smalldeadanimals,
sad to see you haven’t blocked my IP address yet. I assume this matter will be corrected after my post is deleted.
The bravery of the posters here never amazes me. Whilst I sit in a hotel in suburban Illinois, working for a living, you sit there, alone, in front of your computers, confronting an enemy that seeks to destroy you from their cave 10,000 miles away. How do you do it? What is it that drives you?
I don’t use the word hero often, but you, are the greatest heros, in the history of the world.
I read the above post by kate, and thought, that’s it, this is the Battle of North Africa that we’ve been waiting for. Never mind all the naysayers who say that there is no analogy between world war 2 and the GWOT. Never mind those who point out the extensive cultural and political complexities of Pakistan and Afghanistan. This is about western civilization, and making sure that no Muslim person shows up in Saskatchewan and molests the rough rider cheerleaders.
God bless you, SmallDeadAnimals.
Anyone who disagrees with you, hates western civilization and wants David Suzuki and Osama bin laden to run the world.
To the Self serving selfer.
Ouch!!!!! She must hit you amidships with this post.
I can hear the squeek factor, threw the computer.
Happy Trails
Predictions for US casualties??
You mean the bush prediction???
“Bush Predicted No Iraq Casualties, Robertson Says” – 2004
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49088-2004Oct20.html
If you like statistic like I do… I suggest these sites: http://icasualties.org/ and http://www.iraqbodycount.org/
The casualties rate has dropped signicantly lately. Not that this mean anything though.
“I can hear the squeek factor, threw the computer.”
I believe that’s, “through the computer”.
And I didn’t like the tone of your post. Are you suggesting that you want David Suzuki and the Muslim hordes running your society? Don’t you realize that the CBC, OPSEU, the Globe and Mail and al’Qaeda are conspiring to steal Alberta’s oil and crush western civilization?
While you’re sitting there doing nothing, I’ll be off, blogging about weak and cowardly liberals.
Take that, you self-loathing leftist!
A Quebecbois Separatista,
Ahhh, I*m so lazy but a professional statistic guy like you can be a big help.
I don*t count very well. So all the statistic that you have tells you clearly what to do next for peace in the Middle East.
What are your ideas that you know for sure from counting all those statistics?
What does the *bodycount* tell you about what we and the USA must do next to fix things in the ME? = TG
I meant threw. Think about it.
The Self-Selfing Selfer …whilst I sit in a hotel in suburban Illinois, working for a living, you sit there, alone, in front of your computers..
So from this statement, I can assume that:
1) you are working in your hotel room
2) you are not sitting
3) you are not alone
Sounds to me that you are just a prostitute!!
A few comments from a man who served eight years(honorable discharge)and whose 2 brothers did a combined 40 years service.
1. self pleasing jerk off artist ..go f$%^ yourself. Many of us here are current and former military(I know of 2 of my army buds who post here)and believe you me, we are not armchair warriors…..so, grow a set and pick up a rifle. Until you do that(hahahaha, progressives are scared of their own shadow, let alone face an enemy)shut your commie mouth.
2. Rob C – the majority of Canadian deaths in Afghanistan can be blamed on the libranos for purchasing garbage equipment(no choppers, iltis jeeps, mr dithers g(death) wagons, etc) They are the first to send our troops in harms way, yet the first to deny them the tools to do the job.
kingstonlad It was the lieberal BS of Pierre Idiot Trudeau that convinced me to quit the army after 11 years.
So, like, was that self-servicing guy being sarcastic? It was too subtle for me.
My decision to release was cemented when we witnessed the first delivery of iltis garbage to the lines in Petawawa.
Pure turdeau bombardier garbage!
A Quebecbois Separatista,
Well, Mr. Statistic?
=TG
TG:
Heard on the radio yesterday stats that put the 4000 US casualties into perspective.
In the same time frame during WWII, there were 15 million military casualties on all sides.
In the same time frame, the US lost 500,000 people.
Nearly 4000 US soldiers lost their lives during the Normandy landing, trying to liberate Quebec Seperatists Gaullic cousins.
When Charles de Gaulle asked LBJ to close all the US bases in France and take all the US troops out of France, LBJ replied ‘would you like us to dig up the graves of our soldiers and take those back, too?’
Freakin’ ingrates.
TG: Time solve everything. We just have to wait.
That’s my solution.