Jeffrey Epstein: suicide or homicide?

You don't need me to recap the news story, do you? Officials say the FBI and the American Inspector General's office will investigate how Jeffrey Epstein died in his jail cell in New York's Metropolitan Correction Center, in what the "authorities" were quick to label an apparent suicide, which nobody sawa coming. The late Mr Epstein was awaiting trial on sexual abuse allegations, with a number of prominent citizens -- celebrities, royalty, presidents -- of the USA and other countries numerous said to have been the beneficiaries of Mr E's generosity with the favours of teen talent who always seemed to be at his beck and call.

There has been some suggestion -- hell, a lot of suggestion -- that Mr Epstein may have died in what could be called "assisted suicide". Another term being bandied about is "murder". But who would want Mr Epstein dead? Shortly after the news broke, former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani, now a lawyer for Still-President Trump, tweeted, "Who was watching? What does camera show?... Follow the motives."

Walt recalls the following bit of dialogue from The Godfather II.

Tom Hagen: When a plot against the Emperor failed... the plotters were always given a chance... to let their families keep their fortunes. Right?
Frank Pentangeli: Yeah, but only the rich guys, Tom. The little guys got knocked off and all their estates went to the emperors. Unless they went home and killed themselves, then nothing happened. And the families... the families were taken care of.
Tom Hagen: That was a good break. A nice deal.
Frank Pentangeli: Yeah... They went home... and sat in a hot bath... opened up their veins... and bled to death... and sometimes they had a little party before they did it.

Shortly after Tom Hagen's visit to the secure facility in which Frankie Pentangeli was being "protected" by law enforcement officers, he was found in his bathtub, with his wrists slashed, quite dead. Hmmm....

Further reading: "CDC: People With Dirt On Clintons Have 843% Greater Risk Of Suicide", Babylon Bee, 9/11/17. Remarkably prescient!!!

Bacha bazi: Find out about it on PBS

Bacha bazi means "boy play" in one of the languages of Afghanistan. It's part of the culture we're fighting to preserve, along with democracy of course. I wouldn't have known this but for a heads-up from John Doyle in the TV review column of the Globe & Mail.

In a piece headlined "The taboo topic our mission in Afghanistan ignores", Mr. Doyle recommends watching an investigative report on this disgusting (his word) facet of Afghan culture, which will air on PBS today (Tuesday). Check your local listings for time and channel.

Tune in and you will see how preteen and young teenage boys are sold to powerful businessmen and former warlords. Sold for sex.

Walt wonders why pedophilia and sexual abuse gets so much media coverage when it's a problem in the Church, but almost none when it's part of the Afghan/Muslim tradition. It says something that this documentary got its first and only mention in the entertainment section. If a slave auction of underage boys was held in the Vatican it would be front-page news!

It seems the topic – like the alleged abuse of Afghan detainees – is taboo, something government and senior military officials would prefer to ignore.

To quote Mr. Doyle: "The mission in Afghanistan is sold to us as protecting civilians and training an Afghan army and police to eventually take over that mission. Nobody wants us talking about the possibility that the mission includes deliberately ignoring what we consider evil committed by allies in Afghanistan.

"That would mean debating a moral quandary. And the morality of the mission in Afghanistan is supposed to be crystal clear. Essentially, what everybody is ignoring is the possibility that 'getting the job done' in Afghanistan (as the military usually describes it) might mean turning a blind eye to pedophilia."