- When U.S. Marines took over Helmand's unruly Sangin district (sometimes called "Afghanistan's Fallujah," apparently) from British forces in September, most American military officials assumed we would have to murder everyone, just like we did in the real Fallujah. (Google "U.S. war crimes in Fallujah." Not suitable for work, unless you are allowed to look at pictures of dead and mutilated children, at work!) But a new WikiLeaks cable or whatever tells us that "an influential Afghan tribe" has agreed to help root out the Taliban and their roadside explosives, in exchange for a little money and Not Being Murdered. Hoochiemama! And now David Petraeus can focus on "how to win in Yemen." Why are we bombing Yemen? [McClatchy]
Germany denies that it's spying on everybody from outer space. It is, though. [AP]
States with budget problems are "pushing new legislation to limit the power of labor unions, particularly those representing government workers, in collective bargaining and politics." Ha ha, legislative union-busting. Bring in the scabs/lobbyists! [NYT]
