The Intimidating Face of America

[seemslikeadream]

KABUL, Afghanistan - The American behind the machine gun on top of the tan Humvee was not interested in discussion.

"Go back to your vehicles, now!" he bellowed at the gates of the presidential palace here.

A handful of French and German officers, members of the NATO peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan, tried to explain that the group of journalists with them had come at the invitation of the French defense minister, who was meeting inside with the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai.


The journalists had arrived in NATO armored personnel carriers, looking like middle-aged Gomer Pyles in mismatched flak jackets and helmets. The president's Afghan security guards had already ushered the group through metal detectors and identity checks.

But the American security detail, outsized men in civilian clothes, some carrying M-16's, were not in a mood to listen. With wraparound sunglasses, longish auburn hair, mustache and "soul patch" - a tuft of beard below his lower lip - the man atop the Humvee was no United States soldier. He wore no identification on his black T-shirt. He offered none, either.

Cowed, the European officers, delicate by comparison in their insignia-flecked uniforms and navy blue berets, turned meekly and led the journalists away.
more
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/13/international/asia/13letter.html?pagewanted=1

[rooboy]

1. America shouldn't worry about terrorists buying nukes from Russia...

they should worry about nations buying nukes from Russia. Unfortunately there seems to be only one type of deterrent which makes the US treat a country with respect.

[Kagemusha]

2. By the way, this isn't cowardice on the Europeans' part.

It's intelligence. If you're facing US troops with guns who are more nuts than you are, arguing is a one way ticket to a bloodbath.

Intelligence is something they try to teach officers over there because they end up in peacekeeping situations. Guess in this case they kept the peace between themselves and US soldiers.

[Edmond Dantes]

6. These are not US troops...that's the point.

Our US troops are treated like dirt, while highly paid mercenaries (thugs), employed by private companies holding lucrative government contracts (with Dept. of State, e.g.) are running the show.

It's a manifestation of corporate fascism.

Ewan I.

[tom_paine]

3. Fucking Hessian Scum. Imperial Amerika, now back to the 1770s

British Empire complete with unaccountable Hessian Mercenaries to be used when Special Cruelty is required.

My God, the Busheviks have turned us into that which we once rebelled against!

With worse yet to come...

[Supersedeas]

4. winning the battle for hearts and minds

[sattahipdeep]

5. It's distressing

Ann Cherry of Baltimore was one of several readers who complained that The Sun
did not report on the story.

"I read about it in The New York Times and The Washington Post. It's distressing that
our local newspaper did not pursue this.

....
The Sun did report on Krongard's removal, but it was underplayed as a three-paragraph
"national brief" that many readers missed.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-pe.moore10oct10,1,199154.story?coll=bal-oped-headlines

By Bill Atkinson
Sun Staff

October 6, 2004

A.B. "Buzzy" Krongard, the former Baltimore investment banker
who was replaced in a shake-up last week as the Central Intelligence
Agency's No. 3 official, said yesterday that his professional future remains unclear.

Krongard, who had been the agency's executive director since
March 2001, will undergo back surgery this month and plans to
make a decision on what he will do next after he recovers.

"I have got to get through that first," said
Krongard, 67, the former chairman and
chief executive of Alex. Brown Inc. "It will
give me some time to sort out what I want
to do. Until I sort this out, there is nothing I will entertain."

Krongard said he was not surprised when Goss replaced him. "I knew it was coming," he said.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-te.krongard06oct06,1,3638175.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines

Krongard will undergo back surgery this month....Did he slip in the shower too?