US Reservists Refuse to Drive Convoys

Kris Weberg | October 15, 2004
Apparently, it's just that damn risky.

Anna Gregoline | October 15, 2004
I saw this and though it was very interesting. I wonder if this is going to keep happening.

Anna Gregoline | October 15, 2004
Longer article I read.

Kris Weberg | October 15, 2004
This is what happens when even a superpower is, in effect, overextended.

Anna Gregoline | October 16, 2004
I think it's a very bad sign.

Kris Weberg | October 16, 2004
Considering that we hit 1,090 dead American soldiers in Iraq this morning, and 140 deaths in Afghanistan with the latest bombing casualty, I'd have to agree.

It's a very bad sign.

Kris Weberg | October 24, 2004
More bad news.:

"The bodies of about 50 unarmed Iraqi soldiers - many killed execution style with gunshots to the back of the head - were found on a remote road in eastern Iraq, victims of an ambush as they were heading home on leave after basic training, Iraqi authorities said Sunday."

I hate to say it, but it really doesn't sound like the insurgency is weakening all that fast.

Which will mean more death.

Damn it.

Kris Weberg | October 25, 2004
More scary news.

"BAGHDAD, Iraq, Oct. 24 - The Iraqi interim government has warned the United States and international nuclear inspectors that nearly 380 tons of powerful conventional explosives - used to demolish buildings, produce missile warheads and detonate nuclear weapons - are missing from one of Iraq's most sensitive former military installations."

In the last 24 hours, 67 Iraquis, 50 of them Iraqi National Guard recruits, have been killed. 1 State depertment offficial has died. nearly 30 US soldiers have been wounded. And now 380 tons of explosives have gone missing.

Jesus, please let them find this stuff before it gets used.

Kris Weberg | October 25, 2004
Whoops, looks like the explosives went missing "shortly after the American invasion," but they just decided to make it public in the last day.

This stuff, by the way, is called RCX, and one pound of it was used in the Lockerbee bombing of the 1980s. 380 tons of it would be 760,000 pounds. Scary math.

How the hell do you lose 380 tons of explosives, by the way? Jesus fuck. It would take a small convoy to transport that, and the facility was one of the first things we secured -- the explosives went missing AFTER we had taken control of the place.

380 tons of an explosive that blows up planes in small quantities.

Jesus fuck, who's running this thing?

Scott Hardie | October 26, 2004
I shouldn't reply unless I have something new to say, but I just wanted to answer: Yes, that's extremely fucked up. And now let's watch the country neither notice nor care... until some of it is used here, then blame the president directly and demand answers.

Kris Weberg | October 26, 2004
The NYTimes article I linked has the following two line sin it, emphasis mine:

"The White House said that President Bush's national security advisor, Condoleeza Rice, had been told that the explosives were missing within the last month. It is unclear if President Bush was informed."

Erik Bates | October 30, 2004
[hidden by request]

Erik Bates | October 30, 2004
[hidden by request]

Kris Weberg | October 30, 2004
I'm not blaming him for the explosives being missing per se, but for politicizing the mission parameters in a way that made in infinitely more likely that the explosives would not be secured.

I blame him for failing to pay attention to the needs of the troops, such that they are sent on suicide runs and do not have sufficient body armor.

I blame him for utterly failing to work out or demand a realistic peace plan or extraction plan before committing tyhe lives of American soldiers to his war.

I blame him for failing to discipline people in his own admnistration when they fail to inform him, or fail to plan properly.

I blame him for being the Commander-In-Chief, the mist powerful man in the nation, and NOT MAKING DAMN SURE HE KEEPS HIMSELF INFORMED ABOUT HIS OWN DAMN WAR!