The Insurgent and The Stinger, part II

awhile ago, I wondered about what I thought was the curious absence of shoulder fired missiles in Afghanistan, or possibly the curious absence of reporting about such missiles in Afghanistan; specifically the Stinger, widely distributed to the mujahedeen, and to lethal effect, to fight the Soviets. Just thought it was curious that these portable and deadly missiles had so evapourated from a decades-old and highly weaponized battlespace.

So, here's the weird part: the world arms market is vast, white, grey, and black. Anyone determined can pretty much get whatever they want. Stingers are not outside the range of these domains, indeed, they likely would pass through all three. And yet! And yet, despite the multi-billion dollar operation the Taliban are running, despite connections to global weapons traffic -- no Stingers. None. So far as we know. Have you ever heard of a Stinger missile taking down a US aircraft? Neither have I.

Well, it just so happens that the Wikileaks treasure trove of Afghan "War Logs" documents are turning up some answers to a marvelous variety of questions, including my own mildly vexing cogitations.

The Taliban have used portable heat-seeking missiles against allied aircraft, a fact that has not been publicly disclosed by the military. This type of weapon helped the Afghan mujahedeen defeat the Soviet occupation in the 1980s.

Asked, and answered. Isn't that great? when you actually get an answer to some weird question almost no one else wonders? And all ya gotta do is wait for it.

And this is why the Pentagon, and every other corrupted, cankerous establishment organ on the planet, wants to shut down Wikileaks.

they don't want questions answered.

ever