Defense Secretary Gates lands in Afghanistan

[cal04]

Source: MSNBC

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Afghanistan on Monday on an unannounced visit at a time of increased strain between Kabul and its Western backers and with important security transition milestones looming.

Gates, a frequent visitor to Afghanistan, planned to travel to eastern and southern portions of Afghanistan, the areas most fiercely contested by the Taliban insurgency.

Defense Department spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters flying with the Pentagon chief from Washington that Gates wants to get a first-hand feel for changes on the ground since he last was in Afghanistan in December.

The U.S. is committed to beginning a troop withdrawal in July. But the size and scope of the pullback will depend on the degree of progress toward handing off full control to the shaky Afghan government.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41943313/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/

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Gates, whose visit was not announced in advance, will meet President Hamid Karzai, who complained angrily last week after nine Afghan children were mistakenly killed by helicopters from the NATO-led force.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110307/pl_nm/us_afghanistan_gates_2

[midnight]

1. Troop withdrawal should not be dependent on the shaky Afghan Govt...

[InkAddict]

2. Did he bring some cash to shut Karzai's piehole for a bit? n/t

[SugarShack]

3. Could this be why Gates is really going?

WikiLeaks: Egypt BastilleDay - 1000s Protesters Storm Secret Security HQ; Torture Devices, Sex Tapes

http://wlcentral.org.nyud.net/node/1429

2011-03-05

BASTILLEDAY in #Egypt, Egyptians Storm Secret Service, US Secretary of Defense, Gates En Route; #Amndawala Leaks launches on Facebook.

Submitted by carwin biloquist on Sat, 03/05/2011 - 21:26
This story was written by @carwinb and @exiledsurfer

Egyptian ex-pats are calling the day BASTILLEDAY in Egypt. Revelations are pouring out onto the twitter hashtag #AmnDawla and the Facebook profile: Amn Dawla Leaks

Debka reports that Friday night, thousands of protesters stormed the headquarters of secret security forces headquarters "(Mahabis Namn El Dawla) in Alexandria, Cairo and the nearby 6 of October town, shutting down its operations across the country, seizing control of the vast archive of records." (Photo Source: AEIMassry)

Footage of Egyptians Storming #AmnDawla torture prison showing shelves of files via @moftasa

- snip -

US Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, is racing to Cairo on orders from US President, Barrack Obama to handle the fall out and demise of Egyptian military's junta rule, and the exposure of information from "the secret files on every political and military leader in the country, confidential information once accessible only to ex-intelligence minister Gen. Omar Suleiman before the uprising." (Source: Debka).

- snip -

Sex tape of Kuwait Royal Princess with a businessman in Alexandria from the #AmnDawla twitter feed.

AP now reporting it ... http://news..yahoo.com/s/ap/20110305/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_e...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

State Security Leaks: Egypt's regime cut a deal with US against democracy

http://revoltology.blogspot.com/2011/03/state-security-...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

AmnDawlaLeaks now on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/AmnDawlaLeaks

Shit done hit the fan now.

[JDPriestly]

4. I don't find that story on Yahoo. Your link doesn't work.

I am not on Facebook, and I have no idea what revoltology is for a website. Is this story true?

[Waiting For Everyman]

5. I think Afghanistan is a cover story too.

The Egyptian military had been helping the protesters retrieve this evidence (as described in the post above) from SS offices. Then today, the protesters went to do the same thing at another office, and all of a sudden they were attacked by thugs after being fired on by the army (the shots seemed like a starting signal for the thugs, witnesses said).

The Egyptian military had quite a change of attitude overnight. I wonder why? :sarcasm: Yes, I'd say Gates or somebody comparable was there. I'm betting on Gates.

This is all over twitter... search on #AmnDawla, #Lazoghli or #Lazoughly to see what Egyptians have to say about it.

[provis99]

6. No that he's there

someone should give Gates a rifle and tell him to walk point.

[marasinghe]

7. yea; or give him a wreath & tell him to visit some kids' funerals. (n/t)