Cedric's Big Mix: 2009-03-29

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Barack's yellow fever

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE

BARACK THE BIG O

HAD NO WHERE LEFT TO GO

FOR EASY APPLAUSE

SO HE FLEW IN SECRET TO BAGHDAD

BECAUSE

HE WAS SCARED AND AFRAID

AT THE MESS HE MADE

BY REFUSING TO END THE WAR.

LANDING, HE WAS DRIVEN LESS THAN THREE MILES

NOT LONG ENOUGH FOR A TOUR

HE COULD HAVE WALKED IT.

HE STAYED THERE HIDING.

AND FIVE HOURS LATER

HE LEFT.

THE YELLOW STREAK ON HIS BACK

EVIDENT TO ALL WHO SAW HIM

DEPART.

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Hit is Stevie Nicks:

She is like a cat in the dark

And then she is the darkness

She rules her life like a fine skylark

And when the sky is starless

Barack hand-holder Jeff Zeleny (New York Times) isn't again whining about Barry referring to Muslim roots/ties (as usual, Barry was really saying nothing to invert the old girl group song) but how when Jeffy did it there was fallout. No, all is happy in Vaselineville and the paper even handed him a box of tissues allowing him to blog that Barack made a surprise trip to Baghdad. The official White House transcript (remember, under Barry these transcripts are often 'incomplete' and/or 'improved on') paints a horrific scene where Barry addresses service men and women assembled as "guys" and an audience member (apparently unaware of what it means to wear a uniform) gushes, "We love you!" Barack replies, "I love you back." The military is now screaming, "I love you" at a president? And a president of the United States mistakes appearing before the military with a night at the Grammys? Eisenhower would have been embarrassed but then Eisenhower could point to many ways he actually served his country. Barack's got a traveling White House crew who has also never served -- well never served anything that didn't come in a frosted glass. Which is how "Ooh-ah" ends up in the transcript. Did the soft-handed White House fools believe Diana, Mary and Cindy were present and about to perform "Baby Love"? Do the soft-handed White House fools have no idea of military jargon? Do they just want to confess to the whole world how little they value the military? Yes, yes and, apparently, yes. "Ooh-ah." What fools, what ignorant, pampered fools. (Click here if you're also in the dark.)

Our Church Of Latter Day Evita uttered "I" nineteen times which might be shocking, however, it should have been twenty times. The One Let Into Harvard As A Legacy never mastered English which is why he ended up stating "that Michelle and myself are doing everything" -- he meant "I."

Barry tossed out the same hokum Bully Boy Bush used to. Regarding Iraq and Iraqis ("they" as he so enjoyed putting it), Barack declared, "It is time for us to transition to the Iraqis. They need to take responsibility for their country and for their soveriengty." They need to? Have they been slacking? Has the US been stuck in Iraq this entire time because those slackers wanted the US to stay? That's certainly how he made it sound. He continued, "And in order for them to do that [take responsibility], they have got to make political accomodations." They HAVE? His poor grammer is always problematic; however, here it's not only offenisve, it seems to allow him more wiggle room. Translation, in a few months he can declare, "The US has to remain because they [Iraq] didn't live up to their end."

"They're going to have to decide that they want to resolve their differences through constitutional means and legal means," declared the Infant Obama, apparently unaware that "they" did not install the Shi'ite thugs, the US did. Apparently unaware that when the US finally does leave, there will be a serious challenge to the the US hand-picked exiles installed into power.

"They are going to have to focus on providing government services that encourage confidence among their citizens," Barack insisted. "All those things they have to do. We can't do it for them." Then why the hell is the US still in Iraq? That of course was the question that lingered over the hopium. It was no different than anything Bully Boy Bush would have said and frequently did say. It's the same speech we've heard year after year. So why is the US still in Iraq? There's no reason for them to be. But you can almost hear this same speech, given repeatedly over the last six years, trotted out in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 . . .

Why are US forces still in Iraq? Compare Barack's words with the column the UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs David Miliband wrote for The New Statesman but grasp that Miliband is citing these things as reasons why the UK is drawing down over the next four months (leaving behind approximately 400 troops). Nothing ever changes, no it doesn't. Which was the point of opening with the Stevie Nicks song "Rhiannon" (reminder, Fleetwood Mac is on tour currently): Just like Bush, Barack had to sneak into Iraq. Robert Hendin (CBS News) explains how secretive the White House was:

Usually, the White House press leaves a location a few hours after the president does. After the press was told that our departure from Istanbul was delayed a few hours, this after the president took off from here, supposedly to go home, reporters grew even more suspicious.

Many here tried to figure out how long the flight was from Istanbul to Baghdad or Kabul in Afghanistan so we could get a sense of how long the president would be flying before anyone on Air Force One could call and tell us where they were. After two and a half hours of flight time, the tension in the press filing center in Istanbul was intense. No one knew where Mr. Obama was going, when he would get there and what was going to happen to us. When would we leave Istanbul and would we have enough time to file reports?
Then, in a flash, a White House press aide came running through the filing center, screaming "the pool report is out!!" He was referring to a print pool report filed by Richard Wolf of USA TODAY, who drew the rotation of being the print pool reporter for the day.
Wolf's report said it all: "Air Force One landed at Baghdad Intl Airport at 4:42."

This CBS and AP report contains an audio link to Barack's speech (and Hendin's report contains a link to CBS' Chip Reid's audio report of the trip to Baghdad). Steven Lee Myers and Helene Cooper (New York Times) report on the "unnaounced trip" and they offer what the "Associated Press reported" on a meeting between Nouri al-Maliki and Barack that the paper was apparently shut out of. They state, 'Air Force One landed at Baghdad International Airport under heavy security at 4:42 in the afternoone after military officials shut down the airport." From which he was whisked to US base Camp Victory which Myers and Cooper hilariously describe as being "near the Baghdad International Airport." Near? Let's get even more specific. As Friends Committee On National Legislation explains, "Camp Victory is a U.S. Army base situated on airport grounds about 5 kilometers from Baghdad from Baghdad International Airport. The base can house up to 14,000 troops. Al Faw Palace on Camp Victory is surrounded by a man-made lake and serves as an unofficial conference center for the Army." Click here for Google maps image (satellite). The US Justice Dept has explained it this way (Dec. 22, 2008), "Camp Victory is the primary component of the Victory Base Complex, which occupies the area surrounding the Baghdad International Airport." Ernesto London, Michael D. Shear and William Branigin (Washington Post) cover the "unnannounced trip" and the applause getter of his speech, noting Barack "drew wild cheers from U.S. troops when he declared that it was time for Iraqis to 'take responsibility for their country'." Please note the Washington Post knows the difference between a Supreme's chorus and an army exclamation. Unlike Myers and the Bobble Headed Pundit, the Post explains that Barack spoke at al-Faw Palace and that it "was built by former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and was captured by U.S. forces when they seized Baghdad and ousted Hussein from power." It really takes a lot of nerve for any foreign leader to go to Iraq and stand on the grounds of one of the country's palaces while insisting that Iraqis need to take responsibility for their country. He wasn't able to stand in front of as many photo-opped troops as the White House wanted. Leila Fadel and Steven Thomma (McClatchy Newspapers) report, "Commanders had hoped to have 1,500 troops there to meet the commnader in chief but were unable to gather them in time . . . Weather prevented Obama from taking a helicopter to visit Maliki and President Jalal Talabani as he'd hoped, aides said. Maliki traveled to the camp instead." The Post notes Talabani also traveled to meet the 'visiting' Barack. (Visitors, for those not up on etiquette, traditionally travel to the host.) At the US State Dept, Robert Wood was spinning like he hadn't done since his spokesperson days during the Bush administration. Asked about a story that Barack was speaking with Nouri over the phone instead of in person, Wood replied, "No, my understanding is that he had to speak with Maliki by telephone because apparently there were some wet climate conditions . . . ["Dust" was supplied to him] Dust and what have you." Wood was then corrected that Nouri and Barack met face to face and tried to glide over that by stating, "Oh, okay. You got a futher update than I have." In a move that did not save face, Wood then went on to insist:

So, look, violence in Iraq, I think, overall has been on the decline. You're going to see terrorists continuing to try to disrupt the functioning of the Iraqi government. What's importat is that we help Iraqis to be able to help themselves and provide their own security and help give the people of Iraq hope. And you know, as I said, violence in Iraq overall has been on the decline. And the Iraqi government, with our help and the help of others in the international community, is going to -- We're gong to do what we can to try to give the Iraqi people a much better future, something that they so truly deserve.

Where to begin? January saw a decrease in violence. That was months ago. A trend requires multiple months. February saw an increase in violence from January. March saw one from February. The trend is an increase in violence. Wood is incorrect. Help them help themselves? Is that the logic? So the US is trying to play the victim here and paint itself as a co-dependent enabler? As for "international community," Wood stopped himself when he seemed to grasp, everyone is gone or going. It is just the US now.

Like a cat in the dark or a thief in the night, Barack traveled to Iraq. Jane Arraf (Christian Science Monitor) reports the stop-over lasted five hours. Hopefully, that is correct. The number she gives for US troops present is wrong. We hear endlessly how 'safe' Iraq is yet time and again, the Oval Office occupant cannot travel to Iraq without secrecy. Though the photo op was supposed to be feel good, the reality is that nothing's changed. One up to Barack's visit is Iraq will now make the evening news. As noted this morning, The NewsHour (PBS) did manage to at least mention the bombings. Gwen Ifill: "In Iraq, a string of six bombings tore through Shia nieghborhoods in Baghdad. Iraqi police reported at least 37 people were killed and more than 100 wounded. The blast sites were littered with mangled wreckage and burned out cars. The deadliest attack happened at a busy market in the western part of Baghdad." ABC, CBS and NBC? Too busy with fluff. (CBS offered a lengthy advertisement for a candy store and then, after, helpfully explained, "By the way the owners of that desert bar alerted us to that bright spot in the economy.") 37 dead and one hundred wounded from a series of bombings in Baghdad and ABC, CBS and NBC didn't think that was news. They had so much more 'important' things to cover. They should all be ashamed. But today, watch them pretend interest in Iraq . . . at least until the commercial break. Shameful. Thomas E. Ricks (Foreign Policy) offers a kinder assessment (than mine) of Barack's for-show visit, "Take responsibility for your country, President Obama lectures. Likely Iraqi response: Thanks for your interest. The next 18 months are 'critical,' Mr. Obama says. Alas, they always are in Iraq. It all feels depressingly like the Bush administration." Ricks is the author of the new bestseller The Gamble.

Those with thirty seconds to fill prior to the commercial break may toss in Muntadar al-Zaidi. al-Zaidi is the Iraqi journalist who found international fame when Bully Boy Bush was making his December 14th secret trip to Baghdad. At the press conference, al-Zaidi threw both of his shoes at Bush. March 12th Muntadhar was sentenced to three years. Today brings news of a sentence reduction. BBC reports that the sentence has been dropped to one year. Aseel Kami (Reuters) quotes the judiciary spokesperson Abdul Sattar al-Birqdar stating, "The appeal court issued its decision today to decrease the sentence against Muntazer al-Zaidi from three years in prison to one year, taking into consideration that he's still young and doesn't have any previous convictions." Or maybe the anchors will use that time to note Monday's violence?

Caroline Alexander (Bloomberg News) reports Jalal Talabani, Iraq's president, appears alarmed by the visible increase in violence as evidence by his statement that Iraq's security forces need to make "rapid steps" because, according to Talabani, there are plots "to carry out assassinations on leading politicians" and he is quoted stating, "We warn all, and call on all Iraqis to support national unity and confront anyone trying to ignite sectarian conflict in Iraq." But isn't it a bit hard to call on unity when Nouri's targeting Sunnis? Isn't that a bit weak assed and pathetic? While Sahwa's hit in the face with a two-by-four repeatedly, Talabani wants to ask them to chant "Unity"? The president of a country has stated publicly that assassinations are being planned on politicians. How much coverage will this receive from the press? And who are the politicians? With Talabani having stated he won't run for re-election (his term is up in December), it's hard to believe he'd top the targeted list. But resentment at Kurds or the office of the presidency could put him on a list of targets. If the press covers this, it will be interesting to see if anyone presses for a list of alleged targets.

Over the weekend (see yesterday's snapshot) came news of seven brutal murders. KTVU (link has text and video) reports on San Francisco's Board of Supervisors decision to adopt "a resolution supporting gay rights in Iraq".

Deborah Villalon: Well Ken [Wayne], it's been described as "Don't Ask, Just Kill." International observers say any new found stability in Iraq does note extend to gays and lesbians. In fact their plight has worsened with the rise of religious militias and the bodies of two men found shot to death over the weekend.

Supervisor Bevan Duffy: Six gay men murdered with words put on their dead bodies to vilify them.

Deborah Villalon: The word "pervert" in Arabic was written on the Iraqi victims leaving no doubt why they were targeted and triggering outrage among local gay leaders. At the corner of Castro and Market Street, they dubbed this spot "Tomb of the Unknown Gay" for the dead men.

Bevan Duffy: This is the beginning of what could be untold slaughter of innocent people. Tribal councils basically put out death sentences to people. I mean that is certainly far afield to anything related to democracy.

Deborah Villalon: Human rights group have documented the persecution of gays in Iraq counting at least 400 murders in the past several years -- at least that they know about. In recent weeks, religious clerics condemnded homosexuality from their pulpits, triggering a new wave of violence.

Gary Virginia: I think people around the world can all go to their political leaders and demand an inquiry to find out who these six men were who were murdered and for what reason and hold somebody accountable for it.

Lyanne Melendez (San Francisco's KGO -- link has text and video) adds, "Gay leaders in San Francisco hope Monday's small rally and others around the world, will send a message around the world that these killings will not be tolerated."

Superviser Bevan Duffy made the motion in this morning's meeting and it will be introduced in Thursday's meeting. If passed, it would call for an investigation into the murders as well as for a public statement condemning them. This would be the White House, the US State Dept and the Congress. This is needed. It's not binding in that the White House, et al can ignore it. But we all need to grasp that the United Nations and specifically UNHCR regularly condemns murders of Iraqis. For example, if a politician or Christian is murdered, the UN or one of its bodies will issue a statement condemning it. But there's been no statement from them. There's been no statement from any governing body. These killings have been going on forever and they've never been called out. Our State Dept has never called them out and today's briefing -- not one question about the murders.

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Monday, April 06, 2009

Gotta rush before the scandals!

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE

THE LOVE CULT OF ST. BARACK HAS TRUCK AGAIN. LAWMAKERS IN HAWAII ARE PUSHING TO MAKE BARACK'S GRANDMOTHER'S HOME A NATIONAL LANDMARK AND CLAIMING LITTLE BARRY LIVED THERE FROM 1971 - 1979. NOW WHEN WAS HIS MOMMY ON FOOD STAMPS? WELL BARACK NEVER SAID HE COULDN'T TELL A LIE.

THESE REPORTERS GOT A HOLD OF THE LAWMAKERS AND POINTED OUT THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO MAKE SOMETHING A NATIONAL LANDMARK. AND BARACK'S ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING. FOR EXAMPLE, GERALD FORD ENDED HIS PRESIDENCY IN 1976 AND HIS HOME (HIS ACTUAL FAMILY HOME) BECAME A LANDMARK . . . IN 1985.

THE LAWMAKERS EXPLAINED THEY EXPECT BARACK TO LEAVE OFFICE IN DISGRACE AND NEED TO MOVE EARLY TO MAKE IT A NATIONAL LANDMARK OR WILL NOT BE ABLE TO. "WE ARE PRICED TO MOVE," EXPLAINED ONE.

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Cindy Sheehan's latest Soapbox (her weekly internet radio program) went up Sunday. Her guests were Sara Rich (sexual assault activist, peace activist and mother of Suzanne Swift) and retired Army Col and retired State Dept diplomat Ann Wright. Cindy's son Casey Sheehan died at age 24 in Iraq April 4, 2004. During this show she spoke about counter-recruitment and she and her guests spoke about a number of other topics including Janis Karpinski being the fall person for Abu Ghraib. From the broadcast, we'll note intros in case anyone doesn't know Cindy's guests and then focus on sexual assaults and traumas.

Cindy Sheehan: And you were concerned with -- in your career, being in the military and being in the diplomatic corps -- you were concerned with US foreign policy a lot but there was one thing that finally pushed you over the edge, wasn't there?

Ann Wright: Well indeed. It was the decision of the Bush administration to invade and occupy an oil rich Arab Muslim country that had not attacked the United States and had nothing to do with 9-11. And that was the decision to invade and occupy Iraq. And I ended up resigning in March of 2003 in opposition to that war and ever since then I've been working with people like yourself and Sara Rich on stopping wars and proper treatment of our veterans when they return.

Cindy Sheehan: And Ann actually is one of the hardest working people in the peace movement. She helped me at Camp Casey every single time we went to Crawford [Texas}. She helped coordinate the volunteers and coordinate activities and she just is very admirable.

[. . .]

Sara Rich: Well I've always been a human rights activist -- even before she [her daughter Suzanne Swift] joined the military. And when she joined the military she was told by the recruiter that she -- if she signed up for five years, that she wouldn't be deployed to a combat zone.

Cindy Sheehan: Right.

Sara Rich: And basically she was sent to a combat zone. Neither of us had any idea about military sexual assault or that there was a term called military sexual trauma -- MST -- or anything about command rape. Suzanne was more than just harassed, she was actually raped by her commanding officer in Iraq and we didn't understand quite what was going on but it was she was harassed by one of her commanding officers, raped by another and then harassed by another. So it was three different men, all who had direct authority over her in a combat zone because she did see combat. It wasn't that she was stationed somewhere safe. She was shot at, she was doing combat patrol. She was the driver of a Humvee doing combat patrol in Karbala '04 - '05. And the whole time she was there I kept thinking this isn't right, something's wrong, what can I do and then finally when she got out of Iraq I said "Now can we say something? Can we do something?" Because she was too scared for me to say something while she was in Iraq because you know we have cases like LaVena Johnson.

Cindy: Absolutely

Sara Rich: Where, you know, women speak out and their murdered. So she was too scared to say anything and finally she was being redeployed to Iraq for a second time and her PTSD and Military Sexual Trauma just exploded and she went AWOL instead of returning which was a huge turning point in our whole family. She refused to go back. She went AWOL. We got an attorney and a psychologist and that's when we finally started coming out about the sexual assault and the rape and all of the trauma that she experienced while in Iraq because up until that point it was just too raw for her to talk about. So she was seeing a psychologist, we had an attorney, we were trying to work with the army to get her so that she could turn herself in and get the help she needed but nobody would work with us so finally the AWOL Apprehension Team called their good buddies down here in Eugene [Oregon] at Eugene police department and they sent people to our home at ten-thirty on a Sunday night and took her in handcuffs. You know here we have this -- by then she's how old was she about 22 by then. A 22-year-old who had been raped, who had Combat Trauma and they put her in handcuffs and threw her in jail.

Cindy Sheehan: She had been raped, she had been the victim of a crime actually while she was stationed in another profound crime -- a crime against humanity, an international crime, the occupation of Iraq. Were her assaulters, were her rapists and harassers, were they hauled off in handcuffs at any time?

Sara Rich: No. [. . .] They just stripped of her rank and sent her to prison.

Cindy Sheehan: And ultimately nothing has happened to the people who raped her?

Sara Rich: No. No. The one, the man who raped her, his wife ended up calling us about a year ago saying she was divorcing him. I always called him the molester because his name is Mark Lester

Cindy Sheehan: Uh-huh

Sara Rich: And she told me that he had been hired as a police officer in Kent, Washington and so I put a blast to my friends saying, you know, call the mayor, call the police chief and by the end of the week he was fired.

Cindy Sheehan: Well at least he had a little bit of accountability but you know there was Mark Lester that raped Suzanne but actually the entire system raped Suzanne.

Sara Rich: You better believe it.

Cindy Sheehan: And this is an absolute tragedy. I have read statistics where at least 30% of females are sexually harassed or raped in the military and of course that's probably a much higher number and we read and are still hearing about cases where female soldiers have died of dehydration in Iraq because they don't drink water because they don't want to get up to use the latrine in the middle of the night because they don't want to be raped so here Suzanne was in a war zone battling the resistance -- the Iraqi resistance -- but she also had to battle her own, her fellow soldiers -- her colleagues. You know, to me, if this isn't a reason to not join the military, I don't know what could be the reason. So thank you, Sara, we'll come back to you in a second. Ann, Sara talked about the case of LaVena Johnson and I know you have worked with the family and you know about the case. Can you tell my listeners about the case of LaVena Johnson?

Ann Wright: Sure I -- I will tell them about it. Let me just mention though that on the statistics on sexual harassment well over 90% of the women who are in the military say that they have been sexually harassed. Sexual assault and rape, the crimes of sexual assault and rape, that's where one-in-three soliders, service members, are saying that they have been sexually assaulted or raped while they've been in the military and these are figures, statistics, that are given by the Veterans Administration

Cindy Sheehan: So but sexual harassment -- sexual harassment is almost 100%?

Ann Wright: That's right. That's right. Yes, it is. The case of LaVena Johnson, a young woman, twenty-one-years-old who had -- or pardon me, nineteen-years-old. Nineteen-years-old who had gone to Iraq. Within two weeks of her having been there, she ended up being found in a tent, a burning tent, she had been shot in the head and uh when her parents uh were notified of her uh death uhm they were told she was dead of a noncombat related incident. [. . .] 104 have been killed in Iraq and 43 have been killed in what they call noncombat related incidents and of that 43, there are 15 of them that when you look at the cases you think, "Mmm, there's something really strange." And one of them is LaVena Johnson who was found shot in a tent. When her body came back to her home in Missouri and they had the body at the funeral home, her mom and dad touched their daughter's body. The mother tried to rub her [LaVena's} hand and the gloves the military had put on her hands would not move and they looked at the gloves and they had been glued on. And so they went to the morturary guy and said, "What's going on here? We want to see why these things were glued on." And when they cut those off they saw that her hand had been burned and indeed her whole body, one side of her body, had been burned. So how was this noncombat related incident? Why was she burned? Well over a period of two and a half years as the family kept begging the military for information -- first to get the autoposy, then, later on, to try to find documetns about the death. Try to get information that is held by the military but they won't give it to the families unless you file a Freedom of Information Act on it. Well ultimately, after two and a half years they finally got the CD that contained the photographs of her body as her body was undressed in Iraq before it was shipped back to the United States and the -- the body showed that she had been beaten in the face that her nose had been broken, that there were -- the father says that it appears that there were bite marks on her body, that one of her arms had been distended and dislocated that there were -- that her vaginal area looked as though she had been sexually assaulted and then a caustic acid poured in her genital area. So, um, the Johnson family has been demanding that the US military review thsi case. That they do not believe that um, well, the military has said that she comitted suicide. that on one killed her, that she comited suicide. With all of those injuries, she committed suicide. So I've been assisting the family to try to get a hearing before the army to make the army reopen that case. And we've gone to Congress to try to get Congress men and women involved in this and it's a real slow process of making the army reopen cases. You know, the Pat Tillman case, here after three Congressional hearings on his death in Afghansitan we now know that he was shot by friendly fire, he was shot in the head, it looks like he was assassinated and yet after three Congressional hearings, the parents of Pat Tillman don't know who among that small unit that Pat Tilman was a part of, who killed Pat Tillman and why? So for a family like LaVena Johnson's who have no political pull, there daughter was not an NFL star, she was just one of hundreds of thousands of young men and women who decide to join the military and then terrible things happen to them. The family is still pushing very, very hard on the military to try to get more answers on what happened to their daughter. But one thing for sure, they do not believe that she comitted suicide nor do I.

[. . .]

Sara Rich: It's interesting when I -- when I found out about LaVena's case, it just sent absolute shivers up my spine, thinking this is what would have happened to my daughter if she had told about what was going on to her to her superior officers in Iraq. This is what would have happened, she would have been murdered, they would have said it was a suicide. Their birthdays are very close to each other, there a few years apart, but their birthdays are within a couple of days of each other. And it just, it made me feel so -- so thankful for my -- that my daughter was -- you know, still with us.

Cindy Sheehan: Right.

Sara Rich: LaVena is not. And it made me feel the Johnsons and I have a real heart connection. They're very protective of Suzanne and I think about LaVena every day. It's just, we have a very deep, very deep connection about that. And when Ann and the Johnsons and I were going to Congress men and Congress women and senators, trying to talk to them about reopening LaVena's case and showing them that it was not a suicide, it was a murder, they were treated in a way that just infurated me. I mean here they have a fallen soldier who is obviously raped and murdered and they were seeing -- taken to these little teeny rooms with junior staffers and weren't even given the respect and care that we as military parents of combat veterans should be absolutely demanding from people that say that they run our country.

Sara Rich is holding a retreat this weekend in Portland, Oregon, "It's going to be in the Applegate Valley which is in southern Oregon. This is actually a pilot program. We're really trying to find a way that we can take this on the road and start providing healing retreats in every state because the need is so great in women veterans, the need to connect, the need to heal and I'm one of three trauma informed therapists that's going to be helping facilitate this weekend and we're going to come together and really take care of each other and take care of our veterans because that's what needs to happen. We're trying to offer it as low-cost as possible so that it's available and accessible for everybody and just create a place that's safe." To get in touch with Sara Rich you can e-mail her through the Suzanne Swift website.

Today jury selection began in Paducah, Kentucky for USA v Steven D. Green. Green's trial is set to start April 27, 2009. Who is Steven D. Green? Who is Abeer Qassim Hamza al-Janabi -- or rather, who was Abeer. March 12, 2006 Abeer's parents -- Qassim Hamza Raheem and Fakhriya Taha Muhasen -- were murdered as was Abeer's five-year-old sister Hadeel Qassim Hamza. Abeer was gang-raped during the murders. After the murders, the gang-rape continued and then she was murdered. Remember how LaVena Johnson had acid or lye poured on her to destroy evidence? Abeer's attackers attempted to set her body on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence. The crime was blamed on 'insurgents.' As Gregg Zoroya (USA Today) reported, Justin Watt came forward (Watt was not involved in the rape, murder or conspiracy to commit the War Crimes) with some troubling things he was hearing, the 'incident' was looked into anew. The military immediately went into major spin control as it became obvious that US soldiers were responsible. In an attempt to 'lessen' the gang-rape and murder of Abeer, they insisted she was 26-years-old. She wasn't. She was fourteen-years-old but if she had been twenty-six, it wouldn't have made the events any less horrible or any less criminal.

Friday, June 20, 2006, Steven D. Green was arrested in the US (Asheville, North Carolina) having already been discharged in May. He was charged with murder and with rape. Green appeared in a Kentucky federal court November 8, 2006 and entered a plea of not guilty. Green was out of the US military, Paul Cortez, Jesse Spielman, Bryan Howard and James P. Barker were still in. An Article 32 hearing was scheduled for August (2006) and, strangely, Robert F. Worth and Carolyn Marshall (New York Times), ahead of the Article 32 hearing, presented the defense's argument. That was strange not only because the defense hadn't presented their argument yet but also because the defense argument was a strange one. After the defense had made the argument, Andy Mosher (Washington Post) would quote the go-to-military law expert for the press, Eugene Fidell stating, "This is not a defense known to the law. But this kind of evidence could come in during the court-martial, and it might be pertinent to the sentence. They could be setting the stage to avoid a death penalty." Wow. So will Robert F. Worth and Carolyn Marshall ever be asked to explain how they offered the defense -- excuse me, how they made the defense argument in an alleged article of reporting? They didn't quote the defense. They didn't have to. They didn't present this as an argument, they presented it as what happened. It sure is good to know that the New York Times will work it, whore it out, when they feel the need. This is, remember, the same paper that has REFUSED to ever print Abeer's name. They have rendered her invisible and victimized her all over again. But by rendering her invisible, by refusing to print her name, they have made her a non-entity and that was their point.

At the Article 23 hearing, Captain Alex Pickands, for the prosecution, responded to the defense's argument: "Murder, not war. Rape, not war. That's what we're here talking about today. Not all that business about cold food, checkpoints, personnel assignments. Cold food didn't kill that family. Personnel assignments didn't rape and murder that 14-year-old little girl."

During the hearing, Pickands would explain, "They gathered over cards and booze to come up with a plan to rape and murder that little girl. She was young and attractive. They knew where she was because they had seen her on a previous patrol. She was close. She was vulnerable." Though the New York Times was happy to carry propaganda for the US military and to render Abeer invisible, they weren't interested in the actual Article 32 hearing. Which is why you'd have to go elsewhere for that coverage. Elsa McLaren (Times of London) reported:

Special Agent Benjamin Bierce recalled how Specialist James Barker described how the couple and their youngest child were put in another room, while the teenager was kept in the living room.
Barker said that he held the girl's hands while Sergeant Paul Cortez raped her or tried to rape her. Barker then switched positions with Cortez and attempted to rape the girl, but said he was not sure if he had done so, Special Agent Bierce told the hearing.
Some shots were fired in the other room and Private Steven Green emerged, saying "They're all dead. I just killed them." Green put down an AK-47 assault rifle and raped the girl while Cortez held her down, the hearing heard.
Special Agent Bierce said Green then picked up the weapon and shot the girl once, paused, and shot her several more times. Kerosene from a lamp was poured over the girl and someone - it was not clear who - set her alight.

Back then, we had to say "alleged" when speaking of the soldiers. Alleged murder or alleged rapist or alleged co-conspirator. We don't have to do that now with anyone except Green. The others have all either been convicted or entered a plea of guilty. Cortez and Barker offered confessions in court when they entered their plea. Some found the confessions emotionally compelling. Others of us noted the weasel words such as "kind of". In his confession, he admited that while "Cortzed pushed her to the ground. I went towards the top of her and kind of held her hands down while Cortez proceeded to lift her dress up." Kind of. He kind of held her hands down. Her parents are being shot and killed in the next room, her sister is being shot and killed in the next room, these Americans dressed in black are in her home, they are lifting up her dress and Barker wants the world to know he "kind of" held her hands. Kind of. Well he "kind of" took repsonsibility when he admitted to his guilt. Kind of.

They plotted it. They have fingered Steven D. Green as the ringleader. They said he plotted it, he came up with the conspiracy. Iraqis have spoken of how Green made Abeer uncomfortable (had she lived, her parents had already arranged to get her out of the area), how, at the US checkpoint he supervised, he would stop her, he would touch her face, he would intimidate her. AFP reminded yesterday, "Cortez testified that he raped Abeer Kassem Hamza al-Janabi while Barker pinned the sobbing girl to the floor. The men switched positions and then heard about four or five shots from a bedroom where Green had taken the girl's father, mother and six-year-old sister, Cortez said. Green shot the girl when he was finished raping her and the soldiers set the home on fire by tossing a lighter onto a Kerosene-soaked blanket covering her naked body, the other soldiers said." Today Brett Barrouquere (AP) reports, "Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Ford, who is prosecuting the case, said at least three of those soldiers as well as members of the slain girl's suriving family may be called as witnesses in the case." Darren Wolff, one of Green's attorneys and apparently insane, wants to ask of the prospective jury, "How can they accurately get the impression of a battelfield in Paducah?" Yeah, it was real torture for Green -- grilling chicken breasts and downing booze after the gang-rape and murders. And of course, "battlefield" excuses rape, right Wolff? That's what you're saying. And not just any rape, mind you, but the rape of a young girl. They were better off flirting with the insanity plea. If this is where they're headed and this is the sort of defense they intend to mount, they're just inviting outrage. Brett Barrouquere, by the way, always included Abeer's name in his reports. As did other AP reporters. Gregg Zoroya at USA Today (already noted) also didn't shy from reporting the victims' names nor did Ellen Knickmeyer (Washington Post) who did one of the most intensive reports when the crimes were revealed. Mentioning the victims names was never a problem for foreign outlets and it wasn't a real problem in the US except for one outlet, the alleged paper of record, the New York Times.

Saturday, April 04, 2009

Barack wears f-me pumps

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE

THE FOOD SUPPLY IN THE U.S. IS UNSAFE, BABY FORMULA CONTAINS ROCKET FUEL YET BIG WASTE OF TIME BARRY IS OFF IN EUROPE TRYING TO DRAIN A LITTLE MORE APPLAUSE.

AT SOME POINT, BARRY'S GOING TO HAVE NO WHERE NEW LEFT TO VISIT AND AT THAT POINT, HE'LL ROLL UP HIS SLEEVES, ANNOUNCE HE'S ABOUT TO GET TO WORK ONLY TO BE INFORMED THE 2012 ELECTIONS TOOK PLACE AND HE'S HEADED BACK TO THE MANSION IN CHICAGO THAT SLUM LORD TONY REZKO SET HIM UP. BACK TO HIS DAYS OF PLAYING 'KEPT WOMAN IN CHICAGO,' IT'S ALL SO VERY JOAN CRAWFORD.

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Starting with the topic of Iraq refugees, Fahed Khamas has been expelled. Alsumaria reports Switzerland expelled him yesterday and notes "he used to work as an Iraqi interpreter with the US military in Baghdad" and he stated elements in Iraq had made threats on his life. Meanwhile Assyrian International News Agency reports, "The International Federation of Iraqi Refugees has called a protest on 16-17 April in Geneva about the plight of Iraqi refugees. It says: The situation of the Iraqi refugees in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Pakistan, Iran and Europe is a tragedy. Many thousands of Iraqi refugees have resorted to begging, prostitution, selling their internal organs to avoid destitution." At the center-right Brookings Institution, Roberta Cohen contributes a lengthy article on Iraqi refugees (here for HTML intro, here for PFD format article in full) entitled "Iraq's Displaced: Where to Turn?" Cohen opens by sketching out how refugees were an Iraq 'industry' when Saddam Hussein was in power but the US war on Iraq "far from resolving the problem, however, made it worse. It catapulted the country into a near civil war between Shi'a, who had largely been excluded by Saddam Hussein's regime, and Sunnis who until then had dominated the government." Combining external refugees (2.7 million) with internal ones (2 million), Cohen notes that "4.7 million people out of a total population of 27 million -- remained displaced." While their numbers have increased, the sympathy for them throughout the world appears to have decreased and Cohen postulates that this is due to the fact that their displacement (due to the Iraq War) is "seen as a problem largely of the United States' making and one that the United States should therefore 'fix'." It's felt, she continues, that the US and the oil-rich government in Iraq should be footing the bill for host countries such as Jordan and Syria. "Even though Iraq's budget surplus from oil revenues is projected to be $79 billion by the end of 2008," Cohen writes, "the Shi'a-dominated government of Nuri Kamal al-Maliki has delivered only minimal amounts of funding to neighboring states for the refugees. Some believe it is because many of the refugees are Sunni and Christian or because the refugees humiliated the government by departing. Still others argue that support for the refugees will discourage their returning home. Nor has the government been forthcoming with support for its internally displaced population, again dampening other countries' willingness to contribute." The post-9/11 world is noted by Cohen. Tuesday Senator Bob Casey Jr. chaired a Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee hearing on "The Return and Resettlement of Displaced Iraqis" and one of the witnesses appearing before the subcommittee was Ellen Laipson of the Henry L. Stimson Center who noted that the 'security' measures post-9/11 were harming Iraqi refugees. Cohen notes the "intense screening" refugees have to go through from the US Department of Homeland Security and that the number of Iraqi refugees the US accepted while Saddam Hussein was Iraq's president was much greater than the number the US has currently accepted. Cohen notes the stereotypes of Iraqi refugees which include that, struggling for cash, they "could easily fall prey to militant groups" and how those stereotypes harm their attempts at garnering asylum. These stereotypes are re-enforced (I'm saying this, Cohen touches on it but doesn't state it -- see page 314) when those attempting to help refugees make the case that, if you don't, there will be "security consequences." Cohen quotes Brookings' Elizabeth Ferris arguing that if aid is not provided "there is a very real danger that political actors will seek to fill the gap." Cohen notes that the bulk of Iraqi refugees are not the perpetrators of violence but refugees because they have been targeted with violence.

Cohen notes countries neighboring Iraq already had taken in Palestinian refugees and there were concerns re: large influxes of refugees as to cohesive societies. Palestinian refugees from Iraq suffer, Cohen argues, because neighboring countries already which might take them in already have a large Palestinian refugee population with Jordan listed as having 70%.

The claims that these refugees are 'temporary' and will soon be returning is explored by Cohen who notes the small number of returnees to Iraq and cites the UNHCR for explaining that those who did return did so "because their resources or visas ran out in Syria and Jordan." Cohen notes the 'guest'-like status of refugees in Syria and Jordan where they do not "have a clear legal status". Neither Syria nor Jordan signed onto 1951's Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees so they do not recognize this agreement popularly known as the "Refugee Convention" which requires rights such as the right to work. The agreement also recognizes the rights of refugee children to education and Syria does have free access but the bulk of Iraqi children are not enrolled. Jordan officially allows all Iraqi children to attend public schools; however, 1/5 of the Iraqi refugee children is the number enrolled. In both countries, they also have more medical needs than are being met. Not noted in the report is that having 'guest' status means a number of refugee children may not be enrolled for the reason that the parents are attempting to stay off the grid -- especially important in Syria where you are required to leave every six months and re-enter the country. Staying off the grid allows them to avoid that. (PDF format warning, click here for Bassem Mroue's AP article on this six month policy at Refugees International.) Cohen notes how the economies in Syria and Jordan (mirroring the economices worldwide) have begun to slide and there is a growing hostility to the refugees in both countries where they are [unfairly] blamed for the economy. She notes that the UNHCR maintains their request that neither Syria or Jordan forcibly deport any Iraqi refugees.

Cohen documents the US government's refusal to take responsibility for the Iraqi refugee crisis such as the State Dept's Ellen Sauerbrey telling Congress in 2007 that the situation was a "'very top priority' for the United States, but [she] expressed little urgency about expediting refugee resettlement. As former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton explained it, sectarian violence, not American actions, created the refugee problem so it was therefore not the United States' responsibility" and Cohen quotes Bolton's pompous comments, "Our obligation . . . was to give them new institutions and provide security. We have fulfilled that obligation. I don't think we have an obligation to compensate for the hardships of war." Bolton -- and this is me, not Cohen -- should have been required to explain how the "sectarian violence" he credits for creating the refugee crisis came about because the US seeded and grew it. Back to Cohen. She notes fiscal year 2006 saw the US admit a paltry 202 Iraqi refugees, while in 2007 the figure rose to the still tiny 1,608. Cohen doesn't note it but neither of those figures met the target goal the administration had itself set for admittance of Iraqi refugees. Fiscaly year 2008 saw 12,000 Iraqi refuees admitted. While the US does grant refugee status to those admitted and Syria and Jordan do not, note the difference in numbers with Jordan and Syria both having over 750,000 each by the most conservative estimate (that's me, not Cohen). Cohen notes that Syria and Jordan are said to need $2.6 billion in aid for their refugees but that the US in 2008 was offering a meager $95.4 million. [Me, under Barack, it should be noted, that figure is the meager $150 million and that's for the Iraqi refugee crisis period -- not just for Syria and Jordan -- neither of whom will directly receive any funds from the US.]. Cohen contrasts that meager $95.4 million with the $70 billion the Congress granted for the US military effort in Iraq for fiscal year 2008. Cohen notes that al-Malikis government gave $25 billion to neighboring states towards the costs of sheltering Iraqi refugees. (That is a shameful figure.) She tosses out that the Bully Boy Bush administration might have been less than eager to help Iraqi refugees due to the fact that doing so might be seen as admission of the failures of the Iraq War to create "peace and stability in Iraq" and she notes Barack Obama, campaigning for president, promised an increase to $2 billion in aid for the Iraqi refugees. (In the words of Diana Ross, "I'm still waiting . . . I'm waiting . . . Ooooh, still waiting . . . Oh, I'm a fool . . . to keep waiting . . . for you . . .")

Cohen then turns to the issue of the internally displaced and notes "radical Sunni and Shi'a militias who drove the 2006-07 sectarian violence were tired to political parties, police and army units. The Ministry of the Interior is still widely reported to be infiltrated by Shi'a militias, which assaulted and expelled people from their homes, sometimes in police uniforms. In such a political environment, it is not surprising that the government has failed to exhibit the will, resources or skills to deal with the needs of the displaced. In the Ministry of Displacement and Migration, it is not unusual to find staff that sees the displaced only from the perspective of their own ethnic or religious group." Cohen observes that when displaced, Sunnis and Shi'ites tend to relocate to an area where their sect is dominant while Iraqi Christians flee "to parts of Ninewah province and Kurds to the northern Kurdish areas." A large percentage (40%) state they do not intend to return to their homes. As with external refugees, Iraq's internal refugees "face extreme hardship, many with urgent needs for shelter, food, medicine, clean water, employment and basic security." Cohen observes, "Thus far, the national government has not demonstrated that it has the skills, resources, or political will to take care of its displaced population or provide the security, access to basic services, and livelihoods needed for the return of large numbers to their homes." Cohen notes that while the government provides no assistance "radical sectarian Sunni and Shi'a groups" rush to fill the void. Robert Cohen offers several proposals for helping both the external and internal refugees and you can read her report for that (and we may or may not note them next week).

Sahar S. Gabriel is an Iraqi media worker for the New York Times who was granted refugee status in the US. She (at the paper's Baghdad Bureau) reports on her initial impressions of the US:

After spending 21 hours waiting in airports and 13 hours in flying I arrived at the windy city of Detroit, Michigan.
It is raining, always a good sign to me. My sister and I put on our gloves and jackets as we get off the plane. While I follow the baggage claim sign, I keep repeating to myself: "Don't panic, but you've made it." I am now on the other side of this war. The less violent side.

Iraqi refugees in the US have found how quickly initial benefits dry up and how few the opportunities often are -- to the point that some refugees are considering returning for economic reasons only. And think how sad that is, refugees to the US think they'd have better economic chances in Iraq. (As noted before, those refugees who want to should be offered jobs at various US bases where they could provide cultural training to those due to ship out to Iraq for the first time -- and to those who've been to Iraq as well.) If the paper were smart, it would set up a fund for Sahar and any other Iraqi media worker who came to the US because, without them, the paper's coverage of Iraq would not have been as strong as it was and a large number of readers grasp that and would contribute to a fund. But let's turn to the violent side.

New news in the continued attacks on Sahwa (e.g. "Awakenings," "Sons of Iraq," etc.). This morning Ernesto Londono (Washington Post) broke the news that US "aircraft opened fire Thursday night on Sons of Iraq members who were allegedly spotted placing a roadside bomb north of Baghdad". Mohammed Abbas, Khalid al-Ansary and Dominic Evans (Reuters) add, "The incident could further heighten tensions with the Sunni forces, who number some 90,000 and whom the U.S. military had backed to steer Iraq's Sunni Arabs away from an anti-U.S. insurgency. The arrest of Adil al-Mashhadani, a Baghdad Sunni Arab force leader, last week started clashes between his supporters and Shi'ite led government forces." UPI reports, "A U.S. military official said an air weapons team spotted four men placing a roadside bomb near Taji 'near a critical road juncture' in a rural area close to a U.S. military base, and where several attacks were carried out in recent months." Ernesto Londono calls the bombing "the latest sign of the fraying allegiance between the paramilitary groups and the U.S. military." Amazingly, this is how this weekend starts -- amazing after last weekend's violence. Last weekend's violence was kicked off by the arrest of Adel Mashhadani and the slowly revealed of arrest of Raad Ali. Though Mashhadani remains imprisoned, Raad Ali has just been released. Ned Parker and Saif Hameed (Los Angeles Times) report Raad Ali was released by a judge (who dismissed the charges) Wendesday and quotes him stating, "They've accused me many times. I went to court and they listened to me and said I am clean. If anyone wants to talk about me, every time they have a charge against me, I have shown that I am clean." He also states he was imprisoned in a "secret" location and that the US military had no idea where he was. Leila Fadel (McClatchy Newspapers) observes that Raad Ali "returned home to a rain of celebratory shooting by neighbors and supporters. He told McClatchy that he'd been charged with seven crimes, including kidnapping a man who'd already accused someone else of the crime, planting roadside bombs, displacing Shiite families and killing two police officers, one of whom had been his own follower. He said that all of the charges were bogus." Deborah Haynes (Times of London) quotes an unnamed Sahwa leader in Diayla Province explaining "that the Government did not trust the Awakening movement because it was made up of Sunni arabs. 'We fought al-Qaeda, so how could it be that my guys are terrorists?' said the man, who goes by the nickname of Abu Iraq (father of Iraq). 'I do not trust my Government'." Haynes notes al-Maliki's pledge to take on responsibility for Sahwa from the US and that only 5% have been provided with jobs (al-Maliki pledged 20%) and that Thursday saw the transfer of the last thousands of Sahwa to al-Maliki's government. For "Abu Iraq," he has seen half of the 1,000 of the men working under him "laid off without the prospect of further employment and there was no sign that the 530 still with jobs would be accepted into the security forces soon." Haynes notes the Baghdad located Abu Safar "said a quarter of his force was on strike because of the lack of wages" (the Iraqi government has not been making their payments). But one Sahwa isn't worried. Hamza Hednawi (AP) reports the Abu Risha 'clan' is positively glowing and Shakey Sheik Ahmed Abu Risha is thrilled to be in bed with Nouri al-Maliki -- wet spot or not -- and that "he and al-Maliki arleady have discussed joining up in the government that will emerge from parliamentary elections expected late this year." Really? First off, as Dahr Jamail explained back in February, Shakey is in the "construction business" -- Iraqi mafia -- and a real thug. Second of all, imagine that, Shakey Risha being thrilled with al-Maliki. Now why would that be? Let's drop back to the US Defense Dept report [PDF format warning] entitled "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq March 2009" which we were discussing yesterday. The report went out of the way to lavish the provincial elections held in 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces on January 31st. You had to go deep to find out 'irritating' facts such as only 51% of Iraqis voted (many -- largely Shia -- have lost faith in the process as a result of the ones elected in 2005 having done little; Sunnis boycotted the 2005 elections and had they done the same this year, the percentage would have been even lower). Deep in, it did note that "no party won the majority of votes in any province. As a result, most of the 14 prvoinces where elections were held will face a period of complex coalition-building before they can form governments." It also included the laughable assertion that "parties pledged to accept the outcome of the democratic vote." Did they? Which brings us back to Shakey Risha. Did he make that pledge? Well damned if he didn't abandon it lickety-split. From the Feburary 4th snapshot:

Ned Parker, Caesar Ahmed and Saif Hameed (Los Angeles Times) quote Sheik Ahmed Buzaigh abu Risha vowing, "If the percentage is true, then we will transfer our entity from a political to a military one, to fight the Islamic Party and the commission." If the Iraqi Islamic Party is declared the winner in Anbar, the "Awakenings" say they will begin a slaughter. And instead of being called out, they're getting catered to. [. . .] Leila Fadel (McClatchy Newspapers) observes how "quickly" the officials go into motion for the ones making threats in Anbar, "The Independent High Electoral Commission sent a committee from Baghdad Wednesday to recount ballot boxes from some polling stations in the province after tribal leaders accused the Iraqi Islamic Party, IIP, which currently controls the provincial council, of rigging the vote. The accusations of vote rigging came from an especially important source, Ahmed Abu Risha, the head of the province's Awakening Council, which is widely credited with bringing calm to Anbar." Oh, yes, that voice of peace Sheik Risha. And what did LAT quote him saying? "If the percentage is true, then we will transfer our entity from a political to a military one, to fight the Islamic Party and the commission." [. . .] And Monte Morin and Caesar Ahmed (Los Angeles Times) quote the menacing Sheik Risha promsing, "There will be very harsh consequences if this false election stands. We won't let them form a government."

From the February 5th snapshot:

Turning to Anbar Province. As noted yesterday, Sheik Ahmed Buzaigh abu Risha has been threatening violence over the possibility that the Iraqi Islamic Party might have done better in the polls than his own party. Mu Xuequan (Xinhua) observes, "In Anbar province, in western Iraq, tension between rival Sunni parties have been running high after leaders of the Awakening Council groups, or Sahwa militant groups who fought al-Qaida militants in their areas, accused the Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP), headed by Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, of committing fraud to win majority of the 29-seat provincial council. IIP vehemently denied the accusation." Sam Dagher (New York Times) reports "al-Maliki sent a deputy, Rafie al-Issawi, a Sunni who is an Anbar native" to speak with Shik Risha and that the meeting was also attended by the Iraqi military. He threatens violence -- he continues to threaten violence -- and he gets his way. All the people who peacefully demonstrated against not being permitted to vote? They're ignored. But it's rush down to make nice with Sheik Risha when, if it was anyone else, the US military would be rushing down to arrest him. And al-Maliki can't stand Risha. The fact that the sheik is being catered to indicates just how little control al-Maliki still has.

Dahger speaks with another tribe leader from the area, Sheik Ali al-Hatem, who has (like many in Anbar) frequently been in conflict with Sheik Risha (al-Hatem has also had issues with the Iraqi Islamic Party)who notes that each tribe put up their own candidates so you had slates competing against each other as well as competing against IIP. He states that Risha is "sowing rifts among the tribes" and that the violence could become "intratribal": "Ahmed is playing with fire. We will confront him if he acts this way and divides the tribes." al-Hatem doesn't call on al-Maliki to reign in Risha, he calls on the US military to do so. (If that happens, it may take place during today's meet-up in Anbar.) Sudarsan Raghavan (Washington Post) reports the US Marines are back in "Ramadi in observation roles, patrolling areas from which they had largely withdrawn." Again, Risha stamps his feet and threatens violence and gets his way. All the people turned away from the polls and refused the right to vote? All Faraj al-Haidari has to offer them is this 'pithy' little comment, "It's not our fault that some people couldn't vote because they are lazy, because they didn't bother to ask where they should vote." Again, they should have ditched the peaceful protest and run around threatening violence -- that's the only way al-Haidari would have listened. Sheik Risha works the commission the way he wants to.

Now what had Shakey Risha so upset was the fact that he lost big. He knew it, the pollsters knew it. And instead of telling him "tough cookies," he got catered too. The mafia don threatened violence and Iraqis and Americans rushed to soothe him. Many believe the election was tossed to him in the 'counting' as a result of his tantrum. The fact that he and al-Maliki will be building so many alliances begs the question of what was offered during those February talks that, honestly, should have resulted in Shakey Risha's ass being hauled off to jail?

International Christian Concern notes that on the first two days of this month, "four Iraqi Christians were killed [in] Baghdad and Kirkuk." Sabah Aziz Suliamn was murdered in Kirkuk and the Baghdad killings, taking place on April 2nd, were of Nimrud Khuder Moshi, Glawiz Nissan and Hanaa Issaq. The organization's president, Julian Taimoorzy, states, "The killing of four innocent people within the last two days has put renewed fear in our hearts. What is important to keep these continuous atrocities in the media and on the policy makers' radars. What we need is a more safe and secure Iraq for all of Iraq, especially for the Christians who have faced ethno-religious cleansing." And they quote Jonathan Racho, ICC's Regional Manager for Africa and the Middle East, declaring, "The suffering of Iraqi Christians has been beyond description and is not yet over. More than ever, the Iraqi Christians need our prayer and support. The latest martyrdom of our brothers should serve to awaken churches in the Western countries to come to the aid of their Iraqi brothers and sisters. We call upon Iraqi officials and the allied forces in Iraq to avert further attacks against Iraqi Christians. It is simply unacceptable to watch the extinction of the Christian community from Iraq." Sabah is the Iraqi Christian Betty was noting last night who was beheaded. Betty also noted Daniel Graeber (UPI) reporting on the fears of Iraq's Christian community quoting Chaldean Archbishop of Kirkuk Louis Sako declaring, "Under Saddam's regime, we had security but no freedom. Today we have freedom, but the problem is security." The Archbishop also pointed out the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Christians who have fled Iraq. On Iraqi refugees, an Iraqi correspondent for BBC News shares this popular joke in Iraq, "A Jordanian finds a magic lamp. A genie appears and asks him what is his heart's desire. 'Send all these Iraqi refugees back across the border,' the man says. 'Why?' asks the genie. 'Whatever have we done to you?'"