Small Wars Journal

6 November SWJ Roundup

Sat, 11/06/2010 - 7:19am
Afghanistan

Spokesman Explains Significance of July 2011 in Afghanistan - AFPS

Combined Force Captures Haqqani Shadow Governor - AFPS

Afghan Taliban Threaten Death to All Talking Peace - Associated Press

Task Force in Eastern Afghanistan Keeps Enemy at Bay - AFPS

Pakistan

Pakistan Suicide Bombing in Mosque Kills at Least 71 - Voice of America

Explosions Strike 2 Mosques in Pakistan - New York Times

Mosque Bomb Kills at Least 50 in Pakistan - Washington Post

65 Slain in Pakistan Mosque Bombing - Los Angeles Times

70 Killed in Taliban Attacks on Pakistani Mosques - Associated Press

Mosque Blasts In Pakistan's NW Kills At Least 71 - Reuters

India

Obama Is Not Likely to Push India Hard on Pakistan - New York Times

India Prepares for Obama Visit - Washington Post

McCain: India Fears U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan - Washington Times

Obama Flies to India, Looking to Boost U.S. Economy - Associated Press

Obama Arrives In India Eyeing Jobs For America - Reuters

Yemen

The Key to Stability in Yemen - Los Angeles Times

Saudis Warned U.S. of Attack Before Parcel Bomb Plot - New York Times

Al-Qaeda Group Claims Cargo Bombs - BBC News

Al Qaeda Yemen Wing Claims Parcel Plot, UPS Crash - Reuters

Al-Qaeda

Spy Agencies Infiltrate Al-Qaida - Associated Press

Iraq

General Describes Remaining Terror Threat in Iraq - AFPS

British Troops Accused of Abusing Iraqi Detainees - New York Times

Iraqis Sue for Inquiry Into British Abuse Claims - Associated Press

Iran

Iran Accuses Britain of Sponsoring Terrorism - Daily Telegraph

Britain Blasts Iran Claim of Terror Support - Voice of America

Iran's Insult Over Rebels - Mirror

WikiLeaks

WikiLeaks Founder Mulls Asylum in Switzerland - Associated Press

U.S. Department of Defense

Cyber Command Seeks Authority to Expand its Battlefield - Washington Post

Controversial Defense Contractors Reveal Owners - Washington Post

U.S. Must Stand Vigilant in Face of New Threats, Flournoy Says - AFPS

Fort Hood Lessons Promote Better Force Protection - AFPS

United States

U.S. Warned About Suspect in 2008 Mumbai Bombings - Washington Post

White House: Election Won't Hurt Security Agenda - Associated Press

Settlement in Afghanistan and Iraq Reconstruction Fraud Case - New York Times

9/11 Mastermind Must be Tried - Washington Post editorial

United Kingdom

Preacher Abu Hamza Succeeds in Passport Appeal Bid - BBC News

U.K. to Change Law Affecting State Visits - Associated Press

United Nations

U.S. Subjects its Human Rights Record to Review by U.N. - Washington Post

U.S. Defends Human Rights Record At U.N. - Reuters

U.S. Gets Earful, Courtesy of Iran, North Korea and Cuba - Foreign Policy

U.N.: More than 13 Million Children Internally Displaced Worldwide - VOA

Africa

Aid Air Crew Kidnapped in Darfur - BBC News

Algeria Acquits Ex-Guantanamo Inmate - Associated Press

Hundreds Were Raped on Congo-Angola Border - New York Times

Hundreds Abused During Angola Expulsions, U.N. Says - Reuters

Incumbent Wins Spirited Election in Tanzania - New York Times

Tanzania's President Re-elected - BBC News

Tanzania's President Wins Reelection With 61 Pct - Associated Press

Americas and Caribbean

Mexico Drug Kingpin Slain in Fierce Gun Battle with Military - Los Angeles Times

Reputed Drug Kingpin Killed in Mexico Shootout - Associated Press

Mexico Kills Top Drug Lord At U.S. Border - Reuters

Mexico: Kidnapped Chihuahua Attorney Found Dead - Los Angeles Times

Mexico Police Arrest 8 in Death of Ex-AG's Brother - Associated Press

Mexican Drug Gangs Boost Meth Sales With New Methods - Reuters

Judge in Peru Orders American Berenson Freed - Associated Press

Judge in Peru Orders American Berenson Freed - Reuters

Church Announces Release of 3 More Cuban Prisoners - Associated Press

Strengthening Hurricane Swipes Haiti - New York Times

At Least Four Dead as Hurricane Tomas Hits Haiti - Washington Post

Haiti Escapes Catastrophe as Tomas Skirts Island - Los Angeles Times

Hurricane Adds to Haiti's Woes, 4 Dead in Floods - Associated Press

Asia Pacific

China Assails Nobel Peace Prize as 'Card' of West - New York Times

China Police Confine Prominent Artist - New York Times

Dalai Lama In Japan, Backs Chinese Dissident Liu - Reuters

Burma's Elections Undemocratic But May Offer Some Change - Voice of America

Burma Election Campaign Not Much in Evidence - Los Angeles Times

Spotlight on Suu Kyi as Burma Enters New Territory - Reuters

Video Reveals New Evidence of Torture by Indonesia Military - Voice of America

Indonesia's Volcano Erupts Again - New York Times

Indonesia's Merapi Eruption Declared a National Disaster - Voice of America

Indonesia Volcano Burns Whole Villages; 122 Dead - Associated Press

Gates to Reinforce U.S. Relations With Australia, Malaysia - AFPS

Europe

Norway Questions U.S. Surveillance Activities - Associated Press

Georgia Accuses 13 of Spying for Russia - New York Times

Georgia Arrests 13 Accused of Spying for Russia - Associated Press

Middle East

U.S.: Syria Risks IAEA Action Over Suspected Atom Site - Reuters

Bush Considered Attack on Syrian Facility - Reuters

Lebanon Probes Attack on U.N. Court Investigators - Reuters

Egypt's Mr. Mubarak Moves to Lawless Repression - Washington Post editorial

Comments

nygirl (not verified)

Sat, 11/06/2010 - 5:50pm

you can never be sure about these guys either way. remember khost?

Regarding the article: Spy Agencies Infiltrate Al-Qaida, this is page right out of Chapter 13 of the The Sun Tzu:

11. Having converted spies, getting hold of the enemy's
spies and using them for our own purposes.

14. Hence it is that which none in the whole army are
more intimate relations to be maintained than with spies.
None should be more liberally rewarded. In no other
business should greater secrecy be preserved.

21. The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us
must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and
comfortably housed. Thus they will become converted
spies and available for our service.

22. It is through the information brought by the
converted spy that we are able to acquire and employ
local and inward spies.

25. The end and aim of spying in all its five varieties
is knowledge of the enemy; and this knowledge can only
be derived, in the first instance, from the converted spy.
Hence it is essential that the converted spy be treated
with the utmost liberality.

27. Hence it is only the enlightened ruler and the
wise general who will use the highest intelligence of
the army for purposes of spying and thereby they achieve
great results. Spies are a most important element in war,
because on them depends an army's ability to move.

But this is a double edged sword (or even triple edged). On the one hand why would we want to compromise this kind of operation if it is being effective? Now anyone in the catch and release program will be suspected by AQ (of course they already were). So this potentially compromises their ability to re-infiltrate AQ. However, this could also be a way to prevent those in the catch and release program from ever re-joining AQ and in fact AQ may just take care of the "problem" in a permanent way. But of course the other value of this information being released could be part of a good PSYOP dissent and discord program to sow the seeds of suspicion in the ranks of AQ and help it to crumble from within.