First, my comments on reports of a U.S. Army Platoon that appears to have gone on a mass murder spree targeted at innocent Afghans.

Second, it appears that, once again, an election in Afghanistan has been tainted by allegations of widespread fraud.

Overriding both is the question — what the heck are we still doing there.

• Was Afghanistan’s Election Rigged ?
• Was Afghanistan’s Election Rigged ?
• Karzai “Wins” Afghan Election, Recount Ordered
• Karzai “Wins” Afghan Election, Recount Ordered
• The Sounds Of War

• Take That, Associated Press
• Take That, Associated Press
• Joe Scarborough Lays Into Glenn Beck
• Joe Scarborough Lays Into Glenn Beck
• Weekend Movie Reviews Part Three

• It Must Be A Pretty Long Short List
• It Must Be A Pretty Long Short List
• Rick Santelli Takes On The White House
• Rick Santelli Takes On The White House
• Don’t You Have To Wear Clothes to Qualify ?

• Sarah Palin Defends Rand Paul, While Michael Steele Throws Him Under The Bus
• Republicans May Be Vital To Obama On Afghan Policy
• Republicans May Be Vital To Obama On Afghan Policy
• Barry Goldwater Jr. On Ron Paul
• Barry Goldwater Jr. On Ron Paul

• Ron Paul: Repeal The PATRIOT Act!
• Ron Paul Radio Ad # 6 — No Income Tax, No IRS
• Ron Paul Radio Ad # 6 — No Income Tax, No IRS
• I Knew It !
• I Knew It !

Americans Growing Weary Of Endless War

and

Endless War Causing Trouble At The Top ?

Also, to complete the trifecta, something from last week:

The Real News From The McChrystal Interview: The Troops Aren’t Happy

• Story Of The Day: Stanley McChrystal
• Americans Divided On Afghan War
• Americans Divided On Afghan War
• NBC/WSJ Poll: American Public Pessimistic On Afghan War
• NBC/WSJ Poll: American Public Pessimistic On Afghan War

And, here is the Rolling Stone article which started it all:

The Runaway General

• Movin’ On Up
• Ron Paul And Gary Johnson
• Why John McCain And The Republicans Lost
• Why John McCain And The Republicans Lost
• Holiday Hiatus 2006 Edition

Well this is not encouraging:

KABUL, Afghanistan — A Pentagon report on the last six months in Afghanistan portrays an Afghan government with limited credibility among its people, a still active if not growing insurgency and an enormous reliance on American troops to train, outfit and finance the country’s defense forces for the foreseeable future.

The report, released on Wednesday, is mandated by Congress every six months. It points to some improvements, including an increased optimism among Afghans about their government and the slowing of the insurgency in places where NATO troops have concentrated their efforts.

But an array of measures suggest that the situation is little better over all than it was six months ago despite enormous expenditures of effort, money and lives by the American and international forces.

“This is, I think, a very serious and sober report,” a senior Pentagon official said at a news briefing on Thursday in Washington, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

“For the last several years we’ve seen this very steep increase in areas that the Taliban control, areas that feel threatened,” the official said, according to a transcript provided by the Defense Department. “People’s perception of security was getting worse. That’s leveling off.”

Still, according to some of the report’s diagrams, insurgent activity in the last six months has spread to several areas where it had not previously been a major factor.

Many sections of the report are based on close analysis of the situation in more than 100 districts where NATO is concentrating its efforts.

In 92 districts assessed for their support of the Afghan government or their antagonism to it, not one supported the government, although the population was neutral in 44 districts. The number of districts sympathetic to the insurgency or supportive of it increased to 48 in March 2010 from 33 in December 2009.

Despite those trends and an 87 percent increase in violent incidents from February 2009 to March 2010, 59 percent of Afghans surveyed nationwide felt that their government was now going in the right direction, indicating a potential for positive change. There was also a modest increase in the proportion of Afghans who expressed confidence in their government, to 45 percent from 39 percent.

“The majority of the people are on the fence, not that they oppose the government,” the senior Pentagon official said. “And the objective is to move those people who are on the fence in the direction of the government, and in areas where people are opposed to the government, move them at least onto the fence.”

Yea, good luck with that one.

If this isn’t further evidence in support of the argument that we need to start getting the hell out of there I don’t know what is.

You can find the full report here.

• Report: McChrystal May Resign If He Doesn’t Get More Troops For Afghanistan
• Report: McChrystal May Resign If He Doesn’t Get More Troops For Afghanistan
• U.S. Diplomat Resigns Over Afghan War
• U.S. Diplomat Resigns Over Afghan War
• Situation In Afghanistan “Serious And Deteriorating”

Onward To Victory !

• Americans Divided On Afghan War
• Americans Divided On Afghan War
• Situation In Afghanistan “Serious And Deteriorating”
• Situation In Afghanistan “Serious And Deteriorating”
• Obama’s Afghan Surge

KABUL – More than 80 schoolgirls have fallen ill in three cases of mass sickness over the past week in northern Afghanistan, raising fears that militants who oppose education for girls are using poison to scare them away from school.

The latest case occurred Sunday when 13 girls became sick at school, Kunduz provincial spokesman Mahbobullah Sayedi said. Another 47 complained of dizziness and nausea on Saturday, and 23 got sick last Wednesday. All complained of a strange smell in class before they fell ill.

None of the illnesses have been serious, and medical officials were still investigating the exact cause. The Health Ministry in Kunduz said blood samples were inconclusive and were being sent to Kabul for further testing.

Sayedi blamed the sickness on “enemies” who oppose education for girls. Presidential spokesman Waheed Omar said any attempt to keep girls out of school is a “terrorist act.”

The Taliban and other conservative extremist groups in Afghanistan who oppose female education have been known to target schoolgirls. Girls were not allowed to attend school when the Taliban controlled most of Afghanistan until they were ousted in the 2001 U.S.-led invasion.

Given the way women and girls were treated in Afghanistan during the years the Taliban were in power, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they were behind this.

• Next Year’s Headlines Today, Part X
• Next Year’s Headlines Today, Part X
• Abdul Rahman Seeking Asylum
• Abdul Rahman Seeking Asylum
• Condi Steps Up