I just learned two new words, gastrulation and totipotentiality, by reading "The Too-Weak Rule," by William Saletan, at slate.com.

The ‘airlift of evil’

Talks collapse; rebels attack Kunduz

Pentagon Wants AC-130s in Uzbekistan

According to the Associated Press, Syed Tayyab Agha, a Taliban spokesman, said that the U. S. "should forget the 11 September attacks,'' because "The attacks have taken place in America and the people who performed and did the attacks, they were in America, so this is not something connecting with Afghanistan.'' That drew a sharp response from U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz. "I can assure them we will not forget about Sept. 11,'' Wolfowitz said in Washington. "We are moving on, and I think before long the world will forget about the Taliban.''

There is a long article from "The Wall Street Journal" on MSNBC about CIA covert operations. Since I have to go to work now, I don't have time to read it, but I'm putting up a link here so as not to let it get away from me. After I read it, if I don't think it is newsworthy, I'll delete this post. CIA-backed team used brutal means to break up terrorist cell in Albania

Television returns to Afghanistan--It is touching to realize how happy the residents of Kabul, Afghanistan are since the departure of the Taliban. Their delight is shown by how they have embraced the return of television and motion pictures, after an absence of five years.

In "CIA units play a central combat role," the WashingtonPost.com, via MSNBC, reports of the central importance of the activities of the CIA's Special Activities Division, within Afghanistan.

After being off the air for five years, Kabul Television is back on the air, broadcasting with a ten-watt transmitter! This is great news.

"In 1980, D. A. Henderson did what no one else in history has ever done. He wiped a disease, smallpox, off the face of the earth." So begins an article in "The New York Times," an article about the man who led the global effort to eradicate smallpox. And, now, his service is needed again.

A Reuters story posted on Yahoo!News, "U.S. Pursues Bin Laden as Taliban Touts Plan," speaks of "a withering U.S. aerial bombardment" of Kandahar and reveals that the Taliban protectors of Osama bin Laden claim that "their increasingly dire situation was part of a grand plan to destroy America".

"The Sunday Times," of London, reports that "British and American forces are about to mount the first significant ground offensive of the war in Afghanistan..."

MSNBC reports that "Opposition takes key city, U.S. says."

www.dawn.com, the online version of Pakistan's leading English-language newspaper, reports that an al-Qaeda member will soon distribute a new videotape of Osama bin Laden to the Qatar-based al-Jazeera satellite television station. It is my fervent desire not to see this tape! I am of the opinion that the United States media can only hurt our war effort by airing all, or portions, of any tape that depicts bin Laden. If the U. S. media do air it, or any portions of it, they, in my opinion, will be tacitly admitting that bin Laden is smarter than they are.

Why the United States should consider using flamethrowers in Afghanistan.

In Understanding Islam, a pundette and expert on religion says that "Islam does not preach violence." In light of the Current Situation, I am less interested in what "true" Islam is all about and more interested in what the attitude of the believers in Islam is towards other religions; i. e., not what Islam teaches, but what Muslims actually believe.

An Associated Press report entitled "Surgeon general: Billions needed to fight bioterrorism" should come as no surprise. In my opinion, our public health services have been under funded for decades.

This is the type of enemy that we face: an enemy that would murder innocent people in a church. See this story: Congregation Mourns Slain Pakistani Christians

EX-PAL FED UP WITH "SHAKEDOWN" JESSE

I'm trying out a new tool called easyBlog. You can get it here.

This story is not good.

I was rather disappointed to read that some U. S. military strategists were surprised that the Taliban haven't capitulated yet. To me, that smacks of our not knowing our enemy well enough.

I blogged this post using blogBuddy. It is sweet! You can get it at blogBuddy!

Installed Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition. Looking good, so far.

The U. S. is using psychological warefare against the Taleban. Commander Solo, the flying radio station, has been transmitting this chilling announcement to the Taleban

You are condemmed . . . Our bombs are so accurate we can drop them right through your windows . . . our infantry is trained for any climate and terrain on earth. United States soldiers fire with superior marksmanship. You have only one choice . . . Surrender now and we will let you live.

The War of the Night

Al Qaeda’s links deepen in Europe

Rangers get U.S. point across

21st Century Weapons

The South China Morning Post newspaper has this article about the United States ground raid into Afghanistan.

The Sidney Morning Herald newspaper reports that "Troops infiltrate, ready for next phase."

This article, about "PsyOps," reveals the content of some of the radio messages that U. S. forces are transmitting to the people of Afghanistan.

Special Forces Open Ground Campaign, in washingtonpost.com, is a good article on the current state of the war against terrorism.

In a controversial move, the Canadian government has overridden the Bayer company's patent for Cipro, the suddenly popular antibiotic used to treat anthrax. See this article in The New York Times.

For your daily dose of all things weird, check out Weird Links.

The Washington Times newspaper reports on how the U. S. Senate psyched out the House in Anthrax 'panic' cripples Capitol.

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