This was the newsletter that finally convinced me to pay for a subscription. It's an important topic I had tucked away in the back of my mind because I'm busy -- like everyone else -- but you dragged it out into the forefront and offered a clearer view of what really happened. That has value to me. Keep it up!
This: "I’ve come to believe that every U.S. bomb dropped creates dozens more anti-American radicals." We've really got to fully realize this and find other ways of intercepting acts of terrorism. This event is simply heartbreaking.
Very powerful article. I think what shocked me most was the complete coverup that the Pentagon did on this event - this isn't the kind of thing that should happen in the United States.
First of all, I share your anti-war sentiments and applaud you for writing about this horrific, tragic attack. But are you kidding me? The war on terror has killed 363,000 civilians according to the Independent and that seems to be a gross underestimation. During the Bush administration's absolutely unnecessary wars on Iraq and Afghanistan Bush said this about civilian deaths, "We have made a conscious effort not to be a body-count team." And who knows how many deaths went underreported during the Trump administration? The Biden administration seems to try to be a lot more transparent about their mistakes, even (God Forbid) acknowledging them. Drone strikes take innocent people down and there has to be a better way. You and I both know if the Biden administration sat back and did nothing, there would be nothing but criticism of "weakness", etc. I paraphrase the words of Gen. Wesley Clark.."the best war is the war that doesn't have to be fought in the first place." Come on, now.
I’m waiting, probably fruitlessly, for Biden to speak to this and acknowledge the massive failure it represents. I’ve given Biden many benefits of the doubt, but this “error” is egregious. Thanks for devoting a newsletter to this incident and the problems inherent in “clean warfare.”
Thanks - as always - for the clarity of your thinking and the humility of your reporting.
On the subject of 'over the horizon' or 'precision' warfare I worry that we are increasingly adopting a sanitized form of state sanctioned killing that operates without the balancing element of danger to American soldiers. It is probably naive to wish the military might give real weight to moral arguments but conventional warfare at least forces consideration of risk to American lives and the attendant political fallout. Video-game killing removes an important constraint.
This was the newsletter that finally convinced me to pay for a subscription. It's an important topic I had tucked away in the back of my mind because I'm busy -- like everyone else -- but you dragged it out into the forefront and offered a clearer view of what really happened. That has value to me. Keep it up!
This: "I’ve come to believe that every U.S. bomb dropped creates dozens more anti-American radicals." We've really got to fully realize this and find other ways of intercepting acts of terrorism. This event is simply heartbreaking.
Very powerful article. I think what shocked me most was the complete coverup that the Pentagon did on this event - this isn't the kind of thing that should happen in the United States.
To borrow a phrase from your reader Jeff, it is indeed “the clarity of your thinking” that never, ever disappoints. Thank you, Isaac.
One misstep after another.
God help us all.
This was necessary. Thank you.
First of all, I share your anti-war sentiments and applaud you for writing about this horrific, tragic attack. But are you kidding me? The war on terror has killed 363,000 civilians according to the Independent and that seems to be a gross underestimation. During the Bush administration's absolutely unnecessary wars on Iraq and Afghanistan Bush said this about civilian deaths, "We have made a conscious effort not to be a body-count team." And who knows how many deaths went underreported during the Trump administration? The Biden administration seems to try to be a lot more transparent about their mistakes, even (God Forbid) acknowledging them. Drone strikes take innocent people down and there has to be a better way. You and I both know if the Biden administration sat back and did nothing, there would be nothing but criticism of "weakness", etc. I paraphrase the words of Gen. Wesley Clark.."the best war is the war that doesn't have to be fought in the first place." Come on, now.
I’m waiting, probably fruitlessly, for Biden to speak to this and acknowledge the massive failure it represents. I’ve given Biden many benefits of the doubt, but this “error” is egregious. Thanks for devoting a newsletter to this incident and the problems inherent in “clean warfare.”
Thanks - as always - for the clarity of your thinking and the humility of your reporting.
On the subject of 'over the horizon' or 'precision' warfare I worry that we are increasingly adopting a sanitized form of state sanctioned killing that operates without the balancing element of danger to American soldiers. It is probably naive to wish the military might give real weight to moral arguments but conventional warfare at least forces consideration of risk to American lives and the attendant political fallout. Video-game killing removes an important constraint.
Well said, Isaac.