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"If it moves, and it shouldn't: duct-tape. If it doesn't move, and
it should: WD-40."<br>
<br>
I guess that makes Obama case 2...<br>
<br>
<br>
On 9/17/10 8:53 PM, E. Wayne Johnson wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:4C941B81.3010904@pigs.ag" type="cite">
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WD-40 is a stranger to friction.<br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175294/tomgram%3A_engelhardt_and_turse%2C_the_wacky_world_of_american_war/#more">http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175294/tomgram%3A_engelhardt_and_turse%2C_the_wacky_world_of_american_war/#more</a><br>
<br>
*******<br>
<p><strong>2.</strong> <em>With President Obama’s announced July
2011
drawdown of U.S. troops in Afghanistan in mind, the Pentagon
has
already:</em></p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>a.</strong> Begun organizing an orderly early 2011
withdrawal of troops from combat outposts and forward
operating bases
to larger facilities to facilitate the president’s plan. </p>
<p><strong>b.</strong> Launched a new U.S. base-building binge
in
Afghanistan, including contracts for three $100 million
facilities not
to be completed, no less completely occupied, until late
2011. </p>
<p><strong>c.</strong> Announced plans to shut down Kandahar Air
Base’s covered boardwalk, including a TGI Friday’s, a Kentucky
Fried
Chicken, and a Mamma Mia’s Pizzeria, and cancelled the opening
of a
Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs as part of its preparations for an
American
drawdown.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Correct answer: b. According to Walter Pincus of the <em>Washington
Post</em>, construction is slated to begin on at least three <a
moz-do-not-send="true" target="_blank"
href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/22/AR2010082201670_pf.html">$100
million
air base projects</a> -- “a $100 million area at Shindand Air
Base for Special Operations helicopters and unmanned
intelligence and
surveillance aircraft”; another $100 million to expand the
airfield at
Camp Dwyer, a Marine base in Helmand Province, also to support
Special
Operations forces; and a final $100 million for expanded air
facilities
at Mazar-e Sharif in northern Afghanistan. None of these
projects are
to be completed until well after July 2011. “[R]equests for $1.3
billion in additional fiscal 2011 funds for multiyear
construction of
military facilities in Afghanistan are pending before
Congress.” And
fear not, there are <a moz-do-not-send="true" target="_blank"
href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/07/kandahar-boardwalk-kaf-of_n_706963.html">no
indications</a> that the fast-food joints at Kandahar are
going
anywhere.<br>
</p>
<p>****<br>
</p>
<p><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175294/tomgram%3A_engelhardt_and_turse%2C_the_wacky_world_of_american_war/#more">http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175294/tomgram%3A_engelhardt_and_turse%2C_the_wacky_world_of_american_war/#more</a><br>
</p>
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