20 September SWJ Roundup
Afghanistan
Observers Debate Legitimacy of Afghanistan Election – Voice of America
After Afghan Vote, Complaints of Fraud Surface – New York Times
Officials Portray Afghan Election as Success – Los Angeles Times
Attacks and Threats Deter Afghan Voters – Wall Street Journal
‘Serious Concern’ Over Fraud at Afghan Elections – Associated Press
U.N. Says Premature to Call Afghan Poll a Success – Reuters
Fraud Casts Doubt Over Afghan Election – BBC News
Afghan Poll Figures Fiddled ‘to Cover Fall in Voting’ – Daily Telegraph
Afghanistan Counts Votes From Parliamentary Election – Bloomberg
Fraud Could Delay Result for Months, Observers Warn – The Guardian
Discrepancy Calls Afghan Voter Turnout Into Question – CNN News
Fraud and Turnout Weigh on “Miracle” Afghan Poll – Reuters
Why the Next Parliament Won’t Check Karzai – Christian Science Monitor
Karzai Abandons Plan to Visit Kandahar, Disappointing Election – Globe and Mail
Afghanistan: Bullets and Ballots – Sydney Morning Herald
Bodies of Three Kidnapped Election Workers Found – Washington Post
U.S. Shifts Afghan Graft Plan – Wall Street Journal
U.S.-led Troops Push Into Rural Kandahar – Washington Post
U.K. Troops Leave Helmand’s Sangin – BBC News
British Troops Leave Volatile Afghan District – Associated Press
U.K. Hands Over Violent Afghan District to U.S. Troops – Reuters
Members of U.S. Platoon Accused of Killing Civilians for Sport – Washington Post
5 U.S. Soldiers Accused of Killing Afghan Civilians – New York Times
Army Monitored Stryker Brigade for Signs of Stress – Washington Post
Regulators Ignored Warnings About Afghan Bank – New York Times
Pakistan
Pakistan Taliban Threats to West Limited, Analysts Say – Washington Times
Floods Leave Pakistan in Dire Economic Straits – Los Angeles Times
Kids Without Food in Pakistan Floods Face Death – Associated Press
U.S. Missile Strike Kills 5 Militants in Pakistan – Associated Press
Iraq
Iraqi Political Theater, Even as Democracy Struggles – New York Times
Car Bombs Kill at Least 29 People in Iraq – Voice of America
Car Bombings Kill Dozens, Injure More than 100 in Baghdad – Washington Post
Dozens Dead After Baghdad Car Bombs – New York Times
Syria, Iraq Attempt to Warm Relations – Voice of America
Lost Iraqi Artifacts Are Found in Storeroom – New York Times
Iran
AP Interview: Ahmadinejad Says Future Is Iran’s – Associated Press
Ahmadinejad Appears to Dismiss Peace Efforts – Washington Post
Iran’s Mullahs Push Back – Associated Press
Clinton Urges Iran to Reject Military Expansion – Associated Press
Iranian Leader Casts Doubt on Release of Other American Hikers – VOA
Freed U.S. Hiker Appeals for Others’ Release – Washington Post
American Asks Iran to Free Others – New York Times
American Released From Iran Prison Says She’s No Spy – Reuters
Iran’s Identity Crisis – Washington Post opinion
United Nations
U.N. Struggles to Prove its Relevance – Washington Post
U.N. Poverty Goals Face Accountability Questions – New York Times
Nuclear Issues To Be Featured In Obama U.N. Speech – Voice of America
UNICEF’s Idea – New York Times editorial
Africa
U.N. Millennium Development Goals Out of Reach in Africa – Los Angeles Times
Village Becomes Lab for Curing Africa’s Problems – Associated Press
MI5: Somalia, Yemen Pose Increasing Threat to Security – Voice of America
Radio Stations Seized in Somalia – BBC News
New Questions About Nigerian’s Grip on Power – Associated Press
Ethiopia Cited for Gains in Access to Education – Voice of America
Zuma Faces Battle At S.Africa’s ANC Policy Meeting – Reuters
Americas and Caribbean
Mexico Daily Cuts Drug War Coverage After Slaying – Associated Press
Why Clinton was Right About Colombia and Mexico – Los Angeles Times opinion
Colombian Forces Kill 22 FARC Rebels – BBC News
Venezuela: Chavez Foes Face Obstacles Ahead of Vote – Associated Press
Cuba Resets the Revolution – New York Times
Layoffs in Cuba – Washington Post editorial
Haitians Cry in Letters: ‘Please Do Something!’ – New York Times
Asia Pacific
China and Japan Escalate Standoff Over Fishing Captain – New York Times
Disputes in Sea Sparks Breakdown in China and Japan Talks – Washington Post
Japan: China Hasn’t Informed of Break in Contacts – Associated Press
China Media Warn Japan Over Escalating Sea Row – Reuters
Q&A: Where Is The China-Japan Sea Dispute Headed? – Reuters
As China’s Wealthy Grow in Numbers, So Do Protectors – Washington Post
Philippine Troops Kill Wanted Militant – New York Times
Thailand: Protesters Return to Bangkok Streets – New York Times
Thailand’s Red Shirts Rise Up Again – Washington Times
Thailand’s Red Shirts Mark Coup Anniversary – Associated Press
Little End to Humanitarian Crisis in Eastern Burma – Voice of America
Central Asia
23 Soldiers Killed in Tajikistan Ambush – Associated Press
Tajikistan Blames Islamist Militants For Ambush – Reuters
Europe
Suspect in Denmark Bombing Masks ID – Washington Times
Dutch Police Hold British Terror Suspect in Amsterdam – BBC News
Dutch Question Alleged U.K. Terror Suspect – Associated Press
Dutch Arrest British Terrorism Suspect At Schiphol – Reuters
Swedish Anti-Immigration Party Claims Seats – New York Times
Center-right Alliance Wins in Sweden; Far Right Gains – Washington Times
Armenians Worship in E. Turkey, For Some it’s Bittersweet – Los Angeles Times
Turkey: Kurdish Rebels Extend Cease-Fire – Associated Press
Turkey’s Constitutional Change – Washington Post editorial
Complicit in Russia’s Crimes – Washington Post opinion
Middle East
Hillary Clinton Faces Huge Challenge in Mideast Talks – Los Angeles Times
MI5: Somalia, Yemen Pose Increasing Threat to Security – Voice of America
Israel’s Foreign Minister says Israeli Arabs Belong in Palestine – Voice of America
Russia to Sell Missiles to Syria – BBC News
Bahrain Revokes Citizenship of Top Shiite Cleric – Associated Press
South Asia
U.S. Firms Vie to Protect India – Washington Post
Indian Lawmakers Visit Kashmir to Address Unrest – Associated Press
MPs in Kashmir to Defuse Crisis – BBC News
Indian Kashmir Death Toll Reaches 100 – Voice of America
3 Protesters Are Killed in Kashmir – New York Times
Australia And U.S. Warn Citizens as India Probes Shooting – Reuters
Taiwanese Tourists Shot in New Delhi – New York Times
Tourists Shot Near Delhi Mosque – BBC News
Air India Bomb Plotter Convicted – BBC News
Ghost Of Communal Riots Haunts India Mosque Verdict – Reuters
All Is Ready for Big Games in India, Except What Isn’t – New York Times
Stories today and yesterday detail charges against 5 American soldiers who apparently organized themselves into a ring of thrill killers. Three Afghan civilians were allegedly killed by the Stryker brigade soldiers, the ringleader of whom was a Staff SGT. There may have been one other Staff SGT. involved. The story is a bit unclear. The allegations are very nasty and include things like dismemberment, skull and bone collecting and the severe beating of another soldier.
My question to those who have military experience (of which I have none) is this: how could the leadership of the platoon/company to which these soldiers belonged allowed or been unaware of this? Where were the platoon sergeant, platoon leader, coy. commander and company first sergeant? According to the stories, the MPs were the one who discovered things. It seems to me that there was something very wrong with this unit.
Regarding my comment above, this story has been published in the Army Times.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/09/army-lewis-mcchord-platoon-charged-with-killing-civilians-091110w/
It states that 3 Staff Sgts. have been charged and the platoon leader and platoon Sgt. have been removed from the platoon. It states also that the young soldier who eventually reported all this confided in a Sergeant First Class who apparently ratted him out to the gang of killers.