"Iraq snapshot" (The Common Ills):
Chaos and violence continue on the ground in Iraq today, Thursday, August 3rd, Donald Rumsfeld speaks like an excited child, Bully Boy plots a getaway from a vacation getaway, and peace activists and members of Iraq's parliament prepare for their face to face meeting to address reality.
Among the peace activists that will be taking part in the Friday and Saturday meetings in Jordan are Cindy Sheehan, Tom Hayden, Medea Benjamin, Ann Wright and Diane Wilson. Katy Hillenmeyer (Santa Rosa Press Democrat) takes a look at another activist making the journey, 72-year-old, retired nurse Barbara Briggs-Leston. Barbara Briggs-Leston explains the peace summit: "We're trying to call attention to the Iraqi's own plan, as opposed to the United States' plan. Let's let the Iraqis decide what happens to them. We've been deciding, and we've done an appalling job."
CODEPINK and Global Exchange are co-sponsoring the trip which stems from the attention the Troops Home Fast actions garnered "after 28 days of fasting." The fast is continuing: "We will keep the fast going until September 21, International Peace Day, when there will be a week of mass actions against the war" and today at least 4,350 people are fasting around the world.
As some advocate for peace, others say more of the same. Such as Donald Rumsfeld's latest remarks (reported by Kristin Roberts and Vicki Allen, Reuters):
"If we left Iraq prematurely as the terrorists demand, the enemy would tell us to leave
Afghanistan. And if we left the Middle East, they'd order us and all those who don't share their militant ideology to leave what they call the occupied Muslim lands from Spain to the Philippines. And then we would face not only the evil ideology of these extremists, but an enemy that will have grown accustomed to succeeding in telling free people everywhere what to do." And . . . and . . . and . . . What might be cute in a five-year-old child just makes Rumsfeld appear he needs to call time for a pee break.
He certainly needs to learn how to make a non-circular argument but, at this late date, even the War Hawks find it difficult to call their weak excuses for US troops remaining in Iraq "logic."
His circular statements, to the Senate Armed Services Committee, come a day after he struggled to define what the meaning of "is" is in a Defense Department press conference. After noting that "Sunnis are killing Shia; Shia are killing Sunnis," Rumsfeld went on to muse, "Does that constitute a civil war? I guess you can decide for your yourself. And we can all go to the dictionary and decide what you want to call something. But it seems to me that it is not a classic civil war at this stage.
It certainly isn't like our Civil War. It isn't like the civil war in a number of other countries. Is it a high level of sectarian violence? Yes, it is. And are people being killed? Yes."
It was all so far from reality, he came off like Jalal Talabani (Iraq's president) claiming yesterday that by the end of this year (that would be four months from now), Iraq security forces will be in control of all 18 provinces. Rumsfeld's performance yesterday was refuted by the BBC report of William Patey (England's "outgoing ambassador in Baghdad) warning Tony Blair (poodle and prime minister) that civil war, not democracy, awaits Iraq. The BBC's Paul Wood characterized the document as "a devastating official assessment of the prospect for a peaceful Iraq, and stands in stark contrast to public rhetoric."
In the United States, John Abizaid (head of Centcom) testified to the Senate Armed Service Committee. Abizaid offered that "the sectarian violence is probably as bad as I've seen it. And that if not stopped, it is possible that Iraq could move toward civil war" (CNN). Reuters notes that Abizaid stated that a year ago this time, he never would have predicted the possibility of a civil war.
Looking at the Patey memo, Ewen MacAskill (Guardian of London) concludes "whatever happens, the vision set out for Iraq by George Bush before the invasion in 2003 of a beacon of democracy for the Middle East is not going to happen."
And in Iraq? The BBC's Paul Wood probably best sums up life in Iraq post-invasion:
"An Iraqi man, Ahmed Muktar, told me a typical story of these times. His family fled sectarian violence in the suburb of Dora. But his brother-in-law returned to check on his house. He was kidnapped. The police, the hospitals, the morgues - none had any official record of the missing man. So his family went to the dumping ground for bodies on the edge of Dora. There they found him, amid a pile of 50 corpses, hands tied behind his back, shot in the head. They had to recover him while under constant automatic fire, the police and troops nearby too scared to help."
Shootings?
Reuters reports that a new US target is apparently the followers of Moqtada al-Sadr:"U.S. troops opened fir on a convoy carrying supporters of radical Shi'ite cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr . . . wounding at least 16 people." CNN notes a Wednesday home invasion that led to four dead in Wajihiya. Reuters notes that it was the home of a police officer (apparently not home) and the dead were three women and one man (not the police officer).
Bombings?
The worst known took place in Baghad. AP reports that "at least 12 people" are dead and 29 wounded from a bomb "hidden in a parked motorcycle." The BBC notes that the explosion "set ablaze" surrounding shops.
Reuters reports two police officers wounded from a roadside bomb in Latifiya; three Iraqi soldiers wounded by a roadside bomb in Balad;
Corpses?
Reuters notes a corpse discovered in Samarra, one in Kut, one in Numaniya, and three in Dujail.
Kidnappings?
In Latifiya, two passengers of a car were injured and the car and driver "snatched" by assailants in an attack, Reuters reports, while, in Isahqi, a "food contractor for the Iraqi army" was kidnapped.
In legal news, AFP reports that the "[f]our US soldiers accused of killing three Iraqi prisoners refused to give evidence as a military hearing heard that one of the captives' brains were blown out as he lay injured." This is the May 9th incident in which US soldiers allegedly killed three Iraqis who had been detained and handcuffed. The AFP observes: "The troops followed the lead of several of their superior officers Thursday, invoking their right not to incriminate themselves before a legal panel set up at their unit's base camp in the central Iraqi city of Tikrit." The four accused who are refusing to testify are: William B. Hunsaker, Raymond L. Girouard, Corey R. Clagett and Juston R. Graber.
In Australia, the most recent news from the inquiry into the April 21st death in Baghdad of Jake Kovco is that Alastar Adams will give testimony from Kuwait, "via a video link," as to how the coffin shipped back to Australia supposedly containing the body of Jake Kovco instead contained the body of Bosnian carpenter Juso Sinanovic.
Some would argue Bully Boy ran from the National Guard -- some might agree he's running from Cindy Sheehan. The AP reports that Bully Boy, the vacationing leader, will have far less than his usual weeks and weeks of summer vacation, and has instead reduced it to "nine days" based at his ranchette in Crawford. Bully Boy plans to return to DC August 13th. Camp Casey, on land Sheehan now owns in Crawford, will open on August 6th this month. Camp Casey will be open from August 6th through Septemeber 2nd. On the importance of Camp Casey, Sheehan writes: "Camp Casey in Crawford is more important than ever, now. Not only has this administration, with the eager approval of Congress, committed genocide on a massive scale, they are taking away our civil rights and our right to be heard and counted. We cannot allow these same leaders who accuse the peace movement of a political agenda to use our soldiers and the babies of Iraq as political game pieces in the folly of elections when there is so much overwhelming evidence that our elections have been compromised, and while election after election is stolen, no one does anything about it. It is up to us all, nobody else."
Cindy Sheehan's doing her part so I hope you are too. I'm trying to do my part. Are we getting anywhere? Did you read the snapshot? Looks like a tiny little sliver of truth got told to the Senate. How's that going to play tomorrow? When it's written up and printed in papers are reporters going to act like the head of Centcom saying what he said is no big deal?
On Free Speech Radio News tonight, they played some of the hearing and John McCain (I'm no fan) was making the point that everytime they pull troops for Baghdad, they're taking them out of somewhere, like Mosul. He was hitting hard on that and pointing out that troops were pulled from Falluja for Ramadi and now those troops are being pulled from for Baghdad and what I thought about when he was speaking was "That's just like the press." They go running here and there and drop every story in the process. You can really tell that with the Iraq coverage.
In my local paper, I'm lucky to get one story on Iraq a day. It's like the whole press forgot that there's a war on. Or that Iraq's going to hell.
Elaine talked about the snapshot but I got an e-mail on it so let me explain what she already did. There was a roundtable for the gina & krista round-robin and some issues were raised in that (C.I. didn't participate in that roundtable) including the fact that the Iraq snapshot was important and, if the rest of us thought so, shouldn't we be noting it anytime we blogged?
The snapshot was supposed to be just a brief thing. A paragraph or two. The Operation Happy Talk blabs on and C.I. was getting sick of it. So the snapshot was there for some reality. The community was behind that snapshot and it grew and grew with less and less highlights on other topics. Now it's just focused on Iraq and before the war on Lebanon began or blew up, it was already important to the community. That's when the question was basically put out there how come we weren't noting it at our sites? If we supported it, we needed to be. Not just a link, but the whole thing.
The point was made that, yes, a lot of us have the same community members going site to site but what about those instances when someone stumbles upon one of our sites? If we believe in the snapshot, wouldn't we want them to see the reality?
So with it being put to us like that, if we're not doing a humor site, we really had no reason not to include it. It's more important than a lot of things I've linked to or quoted. So that's why we do it now.
Back to today's snapshot, how much is the peace movement making a difference? Bully Boy doesn't want to be in his beloved Crawford -- he doesn't seem to be able to be anywhere near Cindy Sheehan. Maybe his guilt makes him flee?
"Heat Wave Misery" (Free Speech Radio News)
The heatwave that killed over 150 people in California last week is now rolling through the Midwest and the East Coast, where another dozen people have died due to the heat and where electrical grids are struggling to remain on. Rebecca Myles has more from New York.
It is hot. It's hot all over the nation. You got people dying in Chicago, dying in California, dying in Texas. Dying just about everywhere. This is global warming and people can play like it's something else or call it "climate change," but this is serious. This is just the beginning. We could change our energy consumption methods tomorrow, start recycling tomorrow, make all these changes and it wouldn't have an immediate impact because these things take time.
That's not, "So forget about it!" That's saying, everyone needs to figure out something they can do. If you can't or won't take public transportation, think of one thing you can start doing this summer. Maybe it's just buy some plants. We need more plants. We need more trees. Plant a tree. It'll probably live longer than you and if everyone who could plant a tree would, that would help. It wouldn't cure. But we all need to be thinking about what we can do.
So don't sit there and think, "Oh, I can't do anything!" Think of one thing you can do and do it. Maybe in a few months, you'll be able to think of another. We all need to be trying and until we are doing that, we're just making the mess bigger.
We need everybody working on this. We need solutions bigger than we can manage as well. That means pressure on the government to start pouring money into this which will create jobs and will help the economy. This is as important to the next decades as any other project. Take, in the US, the roads project. That really changed the way Americans live and travel. (And helped us end up with this problem.) We need a big government project that will employ the people and spend money on something that's going to address this issue.
I wanted to talk about this and Mike was cool with it. It meant putting something else on hold that's important. But I really think that while we're seeing all the suffering from the record heat, we can really register what's going on around us. It will only get worse if we don't start dealing with it. Mike may have wanted to pick something else (we both are highlighting the headline from Free Speech Radio News) but I really pitched this because I think it's one more way we can reclaim our power. Not scream, "Save us!" We can do our part and we can DEMAND that our representatives do their part and address this issue.
I worry that for some the environment is a "soft" issue so they don't pay attention to it. With the heat right now, I think this may be a really good time to get people to connect what's going on right now with our own actions. There has been so much smoke and mirrors on the environment coming from the administration, trying to deny it exists, trying to change global warming to "climate change" because the term is less alarming. We should be alarmed and hopefully this summer hear will wake up some people.
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the common ills
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Diana & Marvin by the way
"Iraq snapshot" (The Common Ills)
Chaos and violence continues today, Tuesday, August 1, 2006. The bombings continue, the shootings continue, the death continues with the estimated number of the dead jumping in the last hour and half from at least 39 to at least 63. (Possibly Damien Cave will write in tomorrow's New York Times "at least 12"?) Reuters notes that among the dead are "at least 26 soldiers" (Iraqis as well as one British soldier stationed in Basra).
Bombings.
A series of bombings throughout Iraq account for the largest reported fatalities. CNN places the first as a roadside bomb that targeted "a bust carrying members of the Iraqi military". AFP notes this as "the bloodiest incident, a massive roadside bomb ripped apart a bus carrying soldiers from Baghdad to the northern city of Mosul". Al Jazeera places the death toll at 24 minimum. Reuters notes "[t]he charred remains" that "were scattered across the bus" and "[t]wo skulls . . . in the vehicle along an empty highway." AFP reports that in addition to those killed (they say "at least 23"), 20 more were wounded. Joshua Partlow and Saad al-Izzi (Washington Post) note an Interior Ministry source who placed the number wounded at 40 (killed at 23).
The BBC notes "at least 14 people died" in Baghdad when a car bomb ("suicide") went off "outside a bank where security forces were collecting pay." Sandra Lupien on KPFA's The Morning Show noted the timing and planning involved in that attack. Jane Peel (BBC) noted the "black fumes" wafting from the bombing to the sky and that, "The security forces seem unable to stop the attacks." [C.I. says if link to Peel doesn't work, there's a link to the report on the page "BBC notes" goes to.] Partlow and al-Izzi (Washington Post) report: "The soldiers had blocked off part of a street in front of the Zuwiyah Bank, where they were withdrawing their monthly salaries." Reuters notes a child of 12-years-old "sobbing and tearing his shirt after seeing his dead mother" and kisosk owner Abu Fadhil saying: "We should carry guns to protect ourselves. If we expect Iraqi security forces to protect us we will burn, just like those innocenct people."
Reuters notes that at least seven died and fifteen were left wounded from a car bombing in Muqdadiya. Partlow and al-Izzi (Washington Post) note that the car in question was "a Kia sedan" and that the bombing took place outside a hospital.David Fickling, Ben Hammersley "and agencies" (Guardian of London) report the death of a British soldier today in Basra forma "mortar attack". CBS and AP note: "The infantry soldier died after being airlifted from a base in Basra to a field hospital outside the city, said the spokeswoman on customary condition of anonymity in line with ministry policy."
In addition to the above, Reuters also notes a "roadside bomb . . . in northeastern Baghdad" that killed one civilian and left one wounded; a car bomb aimed at "an Iraqi army patrol" that left "two civilians" wounded; and that the US military announced today that a "U.S. soldier was killed by a roadside bomb Monday".
Shootings?
RTE News reports the an attack on a minibus carrying electricity board employees which left four dead and four wounded "when their minibus was sprayed with gunfire in central Baghdad." AP raises the numbers to "five killed and injured the other six". Reuters notes two separate shooting deaths in Mosul; in Kirkuk, "A member of the Arab Consultative Assembly . . gunned down"; and, "outskirts of Baghdad," an attack on an Iraqi checkpoint left four Iraqi soldiers wounded as well as one civilian. AFP gives Sheik Abdul Razak al-Ibadi as the name of the ACA member gunned down and notes that he "was shot dead outside his home."
Corpses?
CBS and AP note that two corpses were discovered in Baghdad. Reuters notes that three corpses were discovered in Baquba. Reuters also notes that "[t]he body of Adel al-Mansouri, a correspondent for al-Alam television station, was found dumped with bullet holes on a street". By Reuters count, al-Mansouri is the eleventh journalist reported killed in Iraq this year. On April 14th of this year, Dahr Jamail's web site featured the Mosaic Video Stream featuring a report al-Mansouri had done for Abu Dhabi TV. Adel al-Mansouri opened with this statement: "Iraqis hope that their political leaders will be able to overcome their differences and quickly form the new government in order to deal with the problems that plague the country." Not only did that not happen quickly the rumors now float about a shake up in Nouri al-Maliki's cabinet (with the Interior Minister being mentioned most often as at least one person who will be replaced). Since that report, Baghdad has been under the so-called "crackdown" for over six weeks and now an estimated 4,000 US troops are being repositioned in the capitol.
The Associated Press is reporting that Asaad Abu Kilal (governor of Najaf) has announced that six buses were "waylaid" and that "45 people from Najaf" have been kidnapped. The AP quotes an Interior Ministry flack who says the number is correct but the kidnappings have taken place "over the last two weeks" and it's "[l]ike two or three people snatched a day." Apparently that's when you panic if you serve in the Interior Ministry -- not when 45 people are kidnapped over a two week period, when they are kidnapped all at once. It doesn't change the number but apparently spreading it out over several days lessens the impact. Vijay Joshi (AP) notes: "U.S. officials estimate an average of 30-40 people are kidnapped each day in Iraq, although the real figure may be higher because few families contact the police."
In Australia, the inquiry into the April 21st death in Baghdad of Jake Kovco continues.
The AAP reports that Kovco's former roommates (billes as "Soldier 17" and "Soldier 19") provided DNA on Saturday. The gun believed to have been utilized had Jake Kovco's DNA on it as well as unidentified DNA. Malcom Brown (Sydney Morning Herald) reports that the DNA has been tested and the roommates' DNA doesn't match what is on the gun so Wayne Hayes ("Detective Inspector) is heading Iraq "to ask other soldiers in hi platoon to give DNA samples." The current developments were best summed in this exchange on Australia's The World Today -- Eleanor Hall (host) asked, "So Conor, the source of the DNA remains a mystery then?" to which Conor Duffy (reporters) responded, "That's right Eleanor, like so much of what happened in room 8 at the Australian embassy where Jake Kovco died, the source of the DNA on the gun that took his life remains a mystery."
Dan Box (The Australian) reports: "Evidence presented to a military board of inquiry into Kovco's death and failed repatriation now suggests the soldier killed himself in a tragic accident, probably without realising his pistol was loaded. But the army's decision to clean his room and wash his roommates' clothes after he died has destroyed almost all the forensic evidence and may now mean the exact cause of death will never be known." Brown notes that Soldier 19 testified "no way, sir" that Kovco would have committed suicide and AAP notes that 19 states he didn't see the shooting because "he was bending down at a bar fridge in the room". Conor Duffy noted that this would put 19 "probably about one to two meters away from Private Kovco at the time" and that both 19 and 17 are "expected to remain in Sydney for at least this week before they return to Baghdad."
In peace news, Carol A. Clark (Los Alamos Monitor) reports that Cindy Sheehan will speak at Ashley Pond on August 6th ("this year's Hiroshima Day") for an event that will include others and last from two to nine p.m. and will include "free buttons and balloons, live music, face painting and activities for the kids" as well as "the lighting of 3,000 floating candles on Ashley Pond at dusk."
CODEPINK's Troops Home Fast is on Day 29 with over 4,350 people participating from all over the world. David Howard (Countercurrents.org) writes about the reasons for participating in the fast including "to end the immense horror and suffering for Iraqis and to ensure that our high school graduates of 2006 and 2007 don't end up dead, like Tony Butterfield." Tony Butterfield was Anthony E. Butterfield ("Lance Cpl.") who died on July 29th in the Anbar Province at the age of 19. In addition, as Howard notes, Butterfield was "a 2005 graduate of Buchanan High school in Clovis, California." The fast is ongoing (until September 21st) and people can pick a one-day, one-day a week, or more at any point between now and September 21st. More information is available at Troops Home Fast.
I really wasn't planning blogging tonight. I had a long day and had promised to look under the hood for a woman who goes to my church. (I did. Her batteries cable were shot -- just the cables. I ran to the auto parts store and took care of it.) It was a long day and a hot one.
But Kat called and she, Betty (at Rebecca's site) and Elaine are all including a lyric in their posts tonight. All worth reading but Betty's I have to single out "Hey Now Young Mothers" -- I grew up in a Motown home too. Temptations, Diana, Stevie Wonder were my favorites. (I wasn't that big on Smokey. I think he looked silly with those bad braids in the Dr. Pepper commercials recently, by the way.) So use that link to read Betty's post about a Diana Ross song ("Young Mothers"). I know that one really well.
The one I think of from that period was "Brown Baby/Save The Children" medley. Diana Ross has a lot of wonderful songs. Betty's covered her so I'll go with Marvin Gaye (who recorded a duets album with Diana Ross, by the way). (I think I'll call this "By the way.") And I'll go with the obvious choice: "What's Going On?"
I don't think anyone can screw up that song. (But I don't watch American Idol.) It's just such a great song. You can do it powerful like Marvin did or you can do it quieter like Cyndi Lauper did, however, you do it, it's a great song. (I think his "I Want You" is as well but I only know of him recording it and of Madonna recording it.)
Annie Lennox has done a really good version of "What's Going On," Nelly couldn't destroy the song (at last something Nelly-proof), it's just a great song.
Mother, mother, there's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother, there's far too many of you dying
You know we'ver got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today, hey
Father, father, we don't need to escalate
War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today
Think about Cindy Sheehan and Casey Sheehan and all the others before and after and you've got the first two lines down. It's a really powerful song.
Since I mentioned Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye's duets, I'll close this out (btw) noting my favorite of the songs they recorded together (I think it's eight songs as a duo, could be more, I'll grab the CD next time I log on) "Just Say, Just Say" which was written by Ashford & Simpson. It's ten, I realized I needed to grab the CD What's Going On? to get the songwriting credits for the title song. Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Al Clevland, and Marvin Gaye are the credited song writers for "What's Going On?" and about the duet album, it's called Diana & Marvin and you get the ten tracks that were on the original album plus four bonus tracks that weren't released before. From the CD notes, the album "was a No. 26 Pop/No. 7 R&B album, and the singles "You're A Special Part of Me,' 'My Mistake' and 'Don't Knock My Love,' charted at Nos. 12, 19 and 46, respectively, on the Pop chart, and Nos. 4, 15, 25 on the R&B list. In the U.K., where all things Ross-related were sure to attract mass notice, Diana & Marvin was a tenacious chart-sticker for 43 weeks, peeking at No. 6. And, interestingly, the big singles there were two Stylistics' covers, 'You Are Everything' at No. 5 and 'Stop, Look, Listen' at No. 25."
If you're a fan of either or both, this is a CD to check out. That's it, I'm tired.
Chaos and violence continues today, Tuesday, August 1, 2006. The bombings continue, the shootings continue, the death continues with the estimated number of the dead jumping in the last hour and half from at least 39 to at least 63. (Possibly Damien Cave will write in tomorrow's New York Times "at least 12"?) Reuters notes that among the dead are "at least 26 soldiers" (Iraqis as well as one British soldier stationed in Basra).
Bombings.
A series of bombings throughout Iraq account for the largest reported fatalities. CNN places the first as a roadside bomb that targeted "a bust carrying members of the Iraqi military". AFP notes this as "the bloodiest incident, a massive roadside bomb ripped apart a bus carrying soldiers from Baghdad to the northern city of Mosul". Al Jazeera places the death toll at 24 minimum. Reuters notes "[t]he charred remains" that "were scattered across the bus" and "[t]wo skulls . . . in the vehicle along an empty highway." AFP reports that in addition to those killed (they say "at least 23"), 20 more were wounded. Joshua Partlow and Saad al-Izzi (Washington Post) note an Interior Ministry source who placed the number wounded at 40 (killed at 23).
The BBC notes "at least 14 people died" in Baghdad when a car bomb ("suicide") went off "outside a bank where security forces were collecting pay." Sandra Lupien on KPFA's The Morning Show noted the timing and planning involved in that attack. Jane Peel (BBC) noted the "black fumes" wafting from the bombing to the sky and that, "The security forces seem unable to stop the attacks." [C.I. says if link to Peel doesn't work, there's a link to the report on the page "BBC notes" goes to.] Partlow and al-Izzi (Washington Post) report: "The soldiers had blocked off part of a street in front of the Zuwiyah Bank, where they were withdrawing their monthly salaries." Reuters notes a child of 12-years-old "sobbing and tearing his shirt after seeing his dead mother" and kisosk owner Abu Fadhil saying: "We should carry guns to protect ourselves. If we expect Iraqi security forces to protect us we will burn, just like those innocenct people."
Reuters notes that at least seven died and fifteen were left wounded from a car bombing in Muqdadiya. Partlow and al-Izzi (Washington Post) note that the car in question was "a Kia sedan" and that the bombing took place outside a hospital.David Fickling, Ben Hammersley "and agencies" (Guardian of London) report the death of a British soldier today in Basra forma "mortar attack". CBS and AP note: "The infantry soldier died after being airlifted from a base in Basra to a field hospital outside the city, said the spokeswoman on customary condition of anonymity in line with ministry policy."
In addition to the above, Reuters also notes a "roadside bomb . . . in northeastern Baghdad" that killed one civilian and left one wounded; a car bomb aimed at "an Iraqi army patrol" that left "two civilians" wounded; and that the US military announced today that a "U.S. soldier was killed by a roadside bomb Monday".
Shootings?
RTE News reports the an attack on a minibus carrying electricity board employees which left four dead and four wounded "when their minibus was sprayed with gunfire in central Baghdad." AP raises the numbers to "five killed and injured the other six". Reuters notes two separate shooting deaths in Mosul; in Kirkuk, "A member of the Arab Consultative Assembly . . gunned down"; and, "outskirts of Baghdad," an attack on an Iraqi checkpoint left four Iraqi soldiers wounded as well as one civilian. AFP gives Sheik Abdul Razak al-Ibadi as the name of the ACA member gunned down and notes that he "was shot dead outside his home."
Corpses?
CBS and AP note that two corpses were discovered in Baghdad. Reuters notes that three corpses were discovered in Baquba. Reuters also notes that "[t]he body of Adel al-Mansouri, a correspondent for al-Alam television station, was found dumped with bullet holes on a street". By Reuters count, al-Mansouri is the eleventh journalist reported killed in Iraq this year. On April 14th of this year, Dahr Jamail's web site featured the Mosaic Video Stream featuring a report al-Mansouri had done for Abu Dhabi TV. Adel al-Mansouri opened with this statement: "Iraqis hope that their political leaders will be able to overcome their differences and quickly form the new government in order to deal with the problems that plague the country." Not only did that not happen quickly the rumors now float about a shake up in Nouri al-Maliki's cabinet (with the Interior Minister being mentioned most often as at least one person who will be replaced). Since that report, Baghdad has been under the so-called "crackdown" for over six weeks and now an estimated 4,000 US troops are being repositioned in the capitol.
The Associated Press is reporting that Asaad Abu Kilal (governor of Najaf) has announced that six buses were "waylaid" and that "45 people from Najaf" have been kidnapped. The AP quotes an Interior Ministry flack who says the number is correct but the kidnappings have taken place "over the last two weeks" and it's "[l]ike two or three people snatched a day." Apparently that's when you panic if you serve in the Interior Ministry -- not when 45 people are kidnapped over a two week period, when they are kidnapped all at once. It doesn't change the number but apparently spreading it out over several days lessens the impact. Vijay Joshi (AP) notes: "U.S. officials estimate an average of 30-40 people are kidnapped each day in Iraq, although the real figure may be higher because few families contact the police."
In Australia, the inquiry into the April 21st death in Baghdad of Jake Kovco continues.
The AAP reports that Kovco's former roommates (billes as "Soldier 17" and "Soldier 19") provided DNA on Saturday. The gun believed to have been utilized had Jake Kovco's DNA on it as well as unidentified DNA. Malcom Brown (Sydney Morning Herald) reports that the DNA has been tested and the roommates' DNA doesn't match what is on the gun so Wayne Hayes ("Detective Inspector) is heading Iraq "to ask other soldiers in hi platoon to give DNA samples." The current developments were best summed in this exchange on Australia's The World Today -- Eleanor Hall (host) asked, "So Conor, the source of the DNA remains a mystery then?" to which Conor Duffy (reporters) responded, "That's right Eleanor, like so much of what happened in room 8 at the Australian embassy where Jake Kovco died, the source of the DNA on the gun that took his life remains a mystery."
Dan Box (The Australian) reports: "Evidence presented to a military board of inquiry into Kovco's death and failed repatriation now suggests the soldier killed himself in a tragic accident, probably without realising his pistol was loaded. But the army's decision to clean his room and wash his roommates' clothes after he died has destroyed almost all the forensic evidence and may now mean the exact cause of death will never be known." Brown notes that Soldier 19 testified "no way, sir" that Kovco would have committed suicide and AAP notes that 19 states he didn't see the shooting because "he was bending down at a bar fridge in the room". Conor Duffy noted that this would put 19 "probably about one to two meters away from Private Kovco at the time" and that both 19 and 17 are "expected to remain in Sydney for at least this week before they return to Baghdad."
In peace news, Carol A. Clark (Los Alamos Monitor) reports that Cindy Sheehan will speak at Ashley Pond on August 6th ("this year's Hiroshima Day") for an event that will include others and last from two to nine p.m. and will include "free buttons and balloons, live music, face painting and activities for the kids" as well as "the lighting of 3,000 floating candles on Ashley Pond at dusk."
CODEPINK's Troops Home Fast is on Day 29 with over 4,350 people participating from all over the world. David Howard (Countercurrents.org) writes about the reasons for participating in the fast including "to end the immense horror and suffering for Iraqis and to ensure that our high school graduates of 2006 and 2007 don't end up dead, like Tony Butterfield." Tony Butterfield was Anthony E. Butterfield ("Lance Cpl.") who died on July 29th in the Anbar Province at the age of 19. In addition, as Howard notes, Butterfield was "a 2005 graduate of Buchanan High school in Clovis, California." The fast is ongoing (until September 21st) and people can pick a one-day, one-day a week, or more at any point between now and September 21st. More information is available at Troops Home Fast.
I really wasn't planning blogging tonight. I had a long day and had promised to look under the hood for a woman who goes to my church. (I did. Her batteries cable were shot -- just the cables. I ran to the auto parts store and took care of it.) It was a long day and a hot one.
But Kat called and she, Betty (at Rebecca's site) and Elaine are all including a lyric in their posts tonight. All worth reading but Betty's I have to single out "Hey Now Young Mothers" -- I grew up in a Motown home too. Temptations, Diana, Stevie Wonder were my favorites. (I wasn't that big on Smokey. I think he looked silly with those bad braids in the Dr. Pepper commercials recently, by the way.) So use that link to read Betty's post about a Diana Ross song ("Young Mothers"). I know that one really well.
The one I think of from that period was "Brown Baby/Save The Children" medley. Diana Ross has a lot of wonderful songs. Betty's covered her so I'll go with Marvin Gaye (who recorded a duets album with Diana Ross, by the way). (I think I'll call this "By the way.") And I'll go with the obvious choice: "What's Going On?"
I don't think anyone can screw up that song. (But I don't watch American Idol.) It's just such a great song. You can do it powerful like Marvin did or you can do it quieter like Cyndi Lauper did, however, you do it, it's a great song. (I think his "I Want You" is as well but I only know of him recording it and of Madonna recording it.)
Annie Lennox has done a really good version of "What's Going On," Nelly couldn't destroy the song (at last something Nelly-proof), it's just a great song.
Mother, mother, there's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother, there's far too many of you dying
You know we'ver got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today, hey
Father, father, we don't need to escalate
War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today
Think about Cindy Sheehan and Casey Sheehan and all the others before and after and you've got the first two lines down. It's a really powerful song.
Since I mentioned Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye's duets, I'll close this out (btw) noting my favorite of the songs they recorded together (I think it's eight songs as a duo, could be more, I'll grab the CD next time I log on) "Just Say, Just Say" which was written by Ashford & Simpson. It's ten, I realized I needed to grab the CD What's Going On? to get the songwriting credits for the title song. Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Al Clevland, and Marvin Gaye are the credited song writers for "What's Going On?" and about the duet album, it's called Diana & Marvin and you get the ten tracks that were on the original album plus four bonus tracks that weren't released before. From the CD notes, the album "was a No. 26 Pop/No. 7 R&B album, and the singles "You're A Special Part of Me,' 'My Mistake' and 'Don't Knock My Love,' charted at Nos. 12, 19 and 46, respectively, on the Pop chart, and Nos. 4, 15, 25 on the R&B list. In the U.K., where all things Ross-related were sure to attract mass notice, Diana & Marvin was a tenacious chart-sticker for 43 weeks, peeking at No. 6. And, interestingly, the big singles there were two Stylistics' covers, 'You Are Everything' at No. 5 and 'Stop, Look, Listen' at No. 25."
If you're a fan of either or both, this is a CD to check out. That's it, I'm tired.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Riding the bus
"Iraq snapshot" (The Common Ills)
Chaos and violence continue today, Monday, August 31, 2006.
CNN reports that last week alone: "at least 200 Iraqis were reported to be killed across the country." This as the refugee numbers increase, shootings and bombings continue and the war drags on. On July 26, a mass kidnapping took place in Baghdad -- 17 kidnapped from an apartment complex and the paper of record in the US took a pass. Yesterday, another mass kidnapping took place (at least 23) and it wasn't news to the paper of record. Today, another mass kidnapping took place, in Baghdad, 26 people. Will it get the attention it should merit? Wait and see. Meanwhile James Hider (Times of London) puts the death toll at 27 dead throughout Iraq today.
Bombings?
James Hider (Times of London) reports that a bomb in Mosul claimed the lives of four Iraqi soliders. The AP notes a roadside bomb in Baghdad killed a police officer. CNN notes a total of three bombs went off in Baghdad today and, in addition to the police officer already noted, the bombs claimed two Iraqi soldiers and another police officer while eight civilians were wounded (Baghdad) by mortar rounds -- also notes a car bomb in Smarra that resulted in two people dead and 17 wounded.
Shootings?
AFP reports that "Brigadier Fakhri Jamil of the Iraqi government intelligence service" was shot dead in Baghdad while, in Amara, "Bassim Abdulhamid, an employee of the Sunni endowment which manages Sunni mosques" was shot dead at his home. The AP notes "two vendors selling cooking-gas cylinders" shot dead in Baghdad; and one "municipal street sweeper" shot dead (two more injured) also in Baghdad. Reuters notes the shooting death, in Baghdad, of "Maad Jihad, an advisor to the health minister".
Corpses?
The AP notes three corpses discovered in Baghdad and that yesterday an attorney and four police officers were beheaded in Hawija. CNN notes on the first three: "All had been shot in the head and showed signs of being brutalized." AFP notes that a "bullet-scarred corpse" was discovered in Suwira and the corpse a "gunshot victim" in Husseinya.
Kidnappings?
Andy Mosher and Saad al-Izzi (Washington Post) reported on Sunday's kidnapping, near Baghdad, of "at least 23 Iraqis" who were then "lined . . . up and shot them all". That was Sunday. Today, the AFP reports another mass kidnapping by "[a]rmed men in Iraq national police uniforms" using "15 jeeps of a kind used by police" who went into "the commerical heart of Baghdad and led away the head of the chamber of commerce and 20 co-workers" as well as "15 workers from a nearby office" accounting for a total of 26 people kidnapped. Since Mosher and al-Izzi are among the few to report on Sunday's kidnapping, let's be clear that the latest kidnapping (the 26) happened today (and happened in Baghdad) -- two different incidents. A witness tells Reuters: "I was on the first floor of the Iraqi-American Chamber of Commerce and they took all the men downstairs. They were in camouflage army uniforms. They handcuffed the man and blindfolded them. Me and five others were left behind because all the cars were full." James Hider (Times of London) describes the location the kidnapping took place as "one of the safest parts of Baghdad today" and notes that the area "is controlled by the Badr Brigade, the armed wing of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), which forms the main party in the Shia governing coalition. Locals say almost nothing moves in the area without the Badr militiamen knowing about it."
As rumors continue to swirl around the Iraq police forces, Borzou Daragahi (Los Angeles Times) reports that Jawad Bolani is pledging to "clean up the country's law enforcement ranks, widely viewed as a primary cause of ongoing violence and instability." How much he could or could not do is in doubt for any number of reasons but primarily (not noted in the report) due to the fact that he's currently the most speculated of the names that Nouri al-Maliki may be about to replace. AP reports that there are "many" calls for Bolani to be replaced.
In other news, Michael Georgy (Reuters) reports that "in the last 10 days alone" the amount of refugees in Iraq has increased by 20,000 bringing the official total to 182,154. Georgy notes: "The crisis is likely to be far graver because ministry figures include only those who formally ask for aid within the country, some of them living in tented camps. By excluding thousands fleeing abroad or quietly seeking refuge with relatives, officials accept the data is an underestimate." This as IRIN notes that refugees who fled to Lebanon from Iraq earlier in the month are now in "Baghdad and urgently need assistance" quoting Diyar Salushi (senior official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) saying: "They have lost everything they had and now depend on assistance from relatives, most of whom are living in poverty."
Meanwhile, from the land of fantasy and myth, it's time for another wave of Operation Happy Talk. Aaron Glatz (Free Speech Radio News) reports on the ad campaign and coordinated visits of Kurdish officials by the firm Russom Marsh & Rogers -- a firm previously behind the spin campaigns known as "Stop Michael Moore Campaign" and "Move America Forward." This wave of Happy Talk, as reported by Bill Berkowitz (MediaTransparency.org), by the same Russo Marsh and Rogers responsible for the so-called "Truth Tour" which was "a seven-day carefully calibrated trip to Iraq by a group of conservative talk-show hosts . . . to spread the 'good' news about what is happening on the ground." Speaking with Aaron Glantz, John Stauber reminded that, although US tax dollars are not supposed to be used to propagandize within the US, "it has happened with the Rendon Group's CIA-funded creation of Ahmed Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress."
In England, an inquiry into the death of Steve Roberts has completed its findings. Reuters notes Roberts died ("accidentally shot by his own troops) while manning a checkpoint during the 2003 invasion"). England's Ministry of Defense notes the death occuring "on the night of 23-24 March 2003" and notes the death occuring when troops fired in order to protect Roberts from a man who "continued to advance and attack Sgt Roberts" bu mistakenly hitting Roberts. A redacted copy of the report will be reported (at the Ministry of Defense website) but currently Reuters reports that one finding of the inquiry is that Roberts died because he wasn't wearing body armour which he had been "ordered to give up . . . two days before the invasion of Iraq" and quotes from this from the report: "Had Sergeant Roberts been wearing correctly fitting and fitted ECBA (as originally issued to him and then withdrawn on 20 March 2003) when this incident unfolded, he would not have been fatally injured by the rounds that struck him". And in Australia, Jake Kovco's former roommates returned from Baghdad on Friday in preparation of speaking to the inquiry into Kovco's April 21st death and giving DNA to establish where the additional DNA (other than Kovco's) on the gun is their own.
In peace news, Erin Solaro (Christian Science Monitors) looks at the case of Suzanne Swift who went AWOL "rather than return to Iraq" and has based "her refusal to return to Iraq . . . upon the harrassment and assault she suffered on her first deployment." Solaro notes her own observations with regards to the US military: "in Iraq's Sunni Triangle, where men kept an informal guard over the only all-female shower at Camp Junction City. I saw it in Afghanistan, where an infantryman warned me that he and his buddies had heard a serial rapist was operating down at Bagram Air Field and they hoped to find him. And I saw it in America, where a National Guard colonel who had problems with male troops from another (badly led) unit intruding upon his female troops in their shower told those soldiers, 'You are armed. Buttstroke these men, and I will back you.'"
Meanwhile CODEPINK's Troops Home Fast is on day 28 with over 4,350 participants from around the world. As noted Saturday, five members of Iraq's parliament have responded to news of the fast by arranging a meeting in Jordan with members of CODEPINK. Last Friday, Medea Benjamin and four other members were arrested in front of the White House as they protested Tony Blair's visits.
Troops Home Fast continues (at least until September 21st and Diane Wilson has stated she intends to maintain the fast until the troops come home) -- it's an ongoing fast so if you've wanted to participate but didn't when it started July 4th, you can grab a day at any point. Some are electing to do a one-day fast each week. Betty Jespersen (Blethen Maine Newspapers) reports on Julieanne Reed "among 14 or so men and women who have publicly committed to join a national fast for peace." Jespersen quotes Reed on the topic of activism: "I felt in the past I didn't know enough to take a stand. Now I know I want the war to stop" and also notes Craigen Healy stating: "Depriving yourself of eating for 24 hours reminds you of the suffering of the Iraqi people. There may be reasons to go to war but what is going on over there is counter-productive. It is making us more unsafe. We have unleashed the terror"; and Lee Sharkey declaring: "Fasting for me brings the cost of the war home on a very personal level. I want to raise this question: Is 'life as usual' an acceptable stance while this immoral, illegal and incalculably costly war continues?"
Reflecting on last week's events, Cindy Sheehan writes (Truth Out): "I saw the Angel of Death in the skin of Donald Rumsfeld say, while he was busy rushing in or out of the Pentagon (it doesn't really matter), that it is 'unfortunate' that the soldiers have to remain in Iraq. I think it is unfortunate for our troops and for the innocent people of Iraq and Afghanistan that Donald Rumsfeld has to remain as the Secretary of War." Also note that: "The Camp Casey dates have been changed to accomodate George's schedule and will be August 6th to September 2nd. Please go to the Gold Star Families for Peace web site to stay posted on future exciting developments for Camp Casey III this summer."
That's Iraq. It's not getting better. People need to stop kidding. "Ruth's Report" covers this really well. She's got her new format going on so check it out -- I think you're in for a real treat.
So what am I talking about tonight? I had some questions about why I ride the bus and was honestly surprised anyone needed to ask. But here we go.
Yes, I have a license. Yes, I have a car. No, I'm not like "the black guy in Clueless" and scared of the freeway.
As I started thinking more and more about the war and thinking more and more about the world around us, I just felt like I couldn't keep driving everywhere. It just felt like I was hurting the environment, propping up the war and a great deal more. So I asked myself what I could do? The only bus I ever rode before was the school bus and the first thing I'd do, if I ran the world (besides have all the girls -- LL Cool J) would be to make the bus schedules easier. I found that so confusing.
I told myself, I'd start riding the bus and I didn't. I couldn't make sense of the bus schedules. Finally, I took a cab to work to force myself to take the bus home. I found a guy at work who rode them and he broke down the easiest way for me to get home on the bus. Then he told me how to get back to work. I was late the next day because I grabbed the wrong bus but, slowly, I got used to it. Now I can go one of three ways home.
But I probably spent at least a week telling myself I was riding the bus before I did. The schedules were just too confusing for me. It's one little thing I can do that maybe helps a little.
I'm always looking for those sort of things. Because I think that if I help a little here and help a little there, I'll leave the earth less damaged. Not "better off" because I think we pretty much have made it worse off.
There were a lot of "I would never ride the bus" comments. I hope you'll try to do something.
It's actually not that bad most of the time. There are a lot of interesting people (some good interesting and some bad interesting -- it's life) who ride and there are times when I can just hop and read.
I was a road rager and everyone told me that but I thought they were full of it and ignored them. Riding the bus really drove that home for me. At first, I was thinking, "Get off! Get off! Why are you sitting when the bus has stopped and this is your stop? Quit talking to the person next to you and get off!"
Or I'd be thinking, "The light is green! Green! Go!"
It was probably a month before I chilled. Then it hit me that I really had been driving like that when I ran my aunt somewhere one weekend. I was her last choice, because of my reputation. But she even noticed the difference. I was always angry behind the wheel, always griping, always slamming the brake, hitting the pedal.
So it's probably been better for me, stress wise, blood pressure wise, to ride the bus. Taught me to not be in such a rush.
I really don't mind it now. It means leaving a little earlier. But I can relax and don't arrive at work all tense and thinking, "Get out of my way, let me get to my desk."
And along with that learning/realization, I've cut down on my own use of fossil fuels. And I'm not griping about the fact that the parking spot I wanted is taken or having to pay to park if the garage is full (and it's almost always full).
I get to hear what people are thinking. Today this one older woman, probably late 60s, was arguing with some man about the need to find someone. "I don't need hugs! I haven't had a hug in nine years! I don't need some man to spend all my money!" It was interesting to hear and watch that. What did I learn from it? I don't know. But I know I'd never hear someone like her or a lot of other people if I was in my car. I listen in when people are talking about the war and I hear a lot of people saying we need to bring the troops home. So it's interesting. Give the bus a ride and you can get your own survey going.
the common ills
iraq
jacob bruce kovco
jake kovco
codepink
troops home fast
diane wilson
free speech radio new
aaron glantz
suzanne swift
the washington post
andy mosher
saad al-izzi
borzou daragahi
medea benjamin
diane wilson
cindy sheehan
gold star families for peace
Chaos and violence continue today, Monday, August 31, 2006.
CNN reports that last week alone: "at least 200 Iraqis were reported to be killed across the country." This as the refugee numbers increase, shootings and bombings continue and the war drags on. On July 26, a mass kidnapping took place in Baghdad -- 17 kidnapped from an apartment complex and the paper of record in the US took a pass. Yesterday, another mass kidnapping took place (at least 23) and it wasn't news to the paper of record. Today, another mass kidnapping took place, in Baghdad, 26 people. Will it get the attention it should merit? Wait and see. Meanwhile James Hider (Times of London) puts the death toll at 27 dead throughout Iraq today.
Bombings?
James Hider (Times of London) reports that a bomb in Mosul claimed the lives of four Iraqi soliders. The AP notes a roadside bomb in Baghdad killed a police officer. CNN notes a total of three bombs went off in Baghdad today and, in addition to the police officer already noted, the bombs claimed two Iraqi soldiers and another police officer while eight civilians were wounded (Baghdad) by mortar rounds -- also notes a car bomb in Smarra that resulted in two people dead and 17 wounded.
Shootings?
AFP reports that "Brigadier Fakhri Jamil of the Iraqi government intelligence service" was shot dead in Baghdad while, in Amara, "Bassim Abdulhamid, an employee of the Sunni endowment which manages Sunni mosques" was shot dead at his home. The AP notes "two vendors selling cooking-gas cylinders" shot dead in Baghdad; and one "municipal street sweeper" shot dead (two more injured) also in Baghdad. Reuters notes the shooting death, in Baghdad, of "Maad Jihad, an advisor to the health minister".
Corpses?
The AP notes three corpses discovered in Baghdad and that yesterday an attorney and four police officers were beheaded in Hawija. CNN notes on the first three: "All had been shot in the head and showed signs of being brutalized." AFP notes that a "bullet-scarred corpse" was discovered in Suwira and the corpse a "gunshot victim" in Husseinya.
Kidnappings?
Andy Mosher and Saad al-Izzi (Washington Post) reported on Sunday's kidnapping, near Baghdad, of "at least 23 Iraqis" who were then "lined . . . up and shot them all". That was Sunday. Today, the AFP reports another mass kidnapping by "[a]rmed men in Iraq national police uniforms" using "15 jeeps of a kind used by police" who went into "the commerical heart of Baghdad and led away the head of the chamber of commerce and 20 co-workers" as well as "15 workers from a nearby office" accounting for a total of 26 people kidnapped. Since Mosher and al-Izzi are among the few to report on Sunday's kidnapping, let's be clear that the latest kidnapping (the 26) happened today (and happened in Baghdad) -- two different incidents. A witness tells Reuters: "I was on the first floor of the Iraqi-American Chamber of Commerce and they took all the men downstairs. They were in camouflage army uniforms. They handcuffed the man and blindfolded them. Me and five others were left behind because all the cars were full." James Hider (Times of London) describes the location the kidnapping took place as "one of the safest parts of Baghdad today" and notes that the area "is controlled by the Badr Brigade, the armed wing of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), which forms the main party in the Shia governing coalition. Locals say almost nothing moves in the area without the Badr militiamen knowing about it."
As rumors continue to swirl around the Iraq police forces, Borzou Daragahi (Los Angeles Times) reports that Jawad Bolani is pledging to "clean up the country's law enforcement ranks, widely viewed as a primary cause of ongoing violence and instability." How much he could or could not do is in doubt for any number of reasons but primarily (not noted in the report) due to the fact that he's currently the most speculated of the names that Nouri al-Maliki may be about to replace. AP reports that there are "many" calls for Bolani to be replaced.
In other news, Michael Georgy (Reuters) reports that "in the last 10 days alone" the amount of refugees in Iraq has increased by 20,000 bringing the official total to 182,154. Georgy notes: "The crisis is likely to be far graver because ministry figures include only those who formally ask for aid within the country, some of them living in tented camps. By excluding thousands fleeing abroad or quietly seeking refuge with relatives, officials accept the data is an underestimate." This as IRIN notes that refugees who fled to Lebanon from Iraq earlier in the month are now in "Baghdad and urgently need assistance" quoting Diyar Salushi (senior official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) saying: "They have lost everything they had and now depend on assistance from relatives, most of whom are living in poverty."
Meanwhile, from the land of fantasy and myth, it's time for another wave of Operation Happy Talk. Aaron Glatz (Free Speech Radio News) reports on the ad campaign and coordinated visits of Kurdish officials by the firm Russom Marsh & Rogers -- a firm previously behind the spin campaigns known as "Stop Michael Moore Campaign" and "Move America Forward." This wave of Happy Talk, as reported by Bill Berkowitz (MediaTransparency.org), by the same Russo Marsh and Rogers responsible for the so-called "Truth Tour" which was "a seven-day carefully calibrated trip to Iraq by a group of conservative talk-show hosts . . . to spread the 'good' news about what is happening on the ground." Speaking with Aaron Glantz, John Stauber reminded that, although US tax dollars are not supposed to be used to propagandize within the US, "it has happened with the Rendon Group's CIA-funded creation of Ahmed Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress."
In England, an inquiry into the death of Steve Roberts has completed its findings. Reuters notes Roberts died ("accidentally shot by his own troops) while manning a checkpoint during the 2003 invasion"). England's Ministry of Defense notes the death occuring "on the night of 23-24 March 2003" and notes the death occuring when troops fired in order to protect Roberts from a man who "continued to advance and attack Sgt Roberts" bu mistakenly hitting Roberts. A redacted copy of the report will be reported (at the Ministry of Defense website) but currently Reuters reports that one finding of the inquiry is that Roberts died because he wasn't wearing body armour which he had been "ordered to give up . . . two days before the invasion of Iraq" and quotes from this from the report: "Had Sergeant Roberts been wearing correctly fitting and fitted ECBA (as originally issued to him and then withdrawn on 20 March 2003) when this incident unfolded, he would not have been fatally injured by the rounds that struck him". And in Australia, Jake Kovco's former roommates returned from Baghdad on Friday in preparation of speaking to the inquiry into Kovco's April 21st death and giving DNA to establish where the additional DNA (other than Kovco's) on the gun is their own.
In peace news, Erin Solaro (Christian Science Monitors) looks at the case of Suzanne Swift who went AWOL "rather than return to Iraq" and has based "her refusal to return to Iraq . . . upon the harrassment and assault she suffered on her first deployment." Solaro notes her own observations with regards to the US military: "in Iraq's Sunni Triangle, where men kept an informal guard over the only all-female shower at Camp Junction City. I saw it in Afghanistan, where an infantryman warned me that he and his buddies had heard a serial rapist was operating down at Bagram Air Field and they hoped to find him. And I saw it in America, where a National Guard colonel who had problems with male troops from another (badly led) unit intruding upon his female troops in their shower told those soldiers, 'You are armed. Buttstroke these men, and I will back you.'"
Meanwhile CODEPINK's Troops Home Fast is on day 28 with over 4,350 participants from around the world. As noted Saturday, five members of Iraq's parliament have responded to news of the fast by arranging a meeting in Jordan with members of CODEPINK. Last Friday, Medea Benjamin and four other members were arrested in front of the White House as they protested Tony Blair's visits.
Troops Home Fast continues (at least until September 21st and Diane Wilson has stated she intends to maintain the fast until the troops come home) -- it's an ongoing fast so if you've wanted to participate but didn't when it started July 4th, you can grab a day at any point. Some are electing to do a one-day fast each week. Betty Jespersen (Blethen Maine Newspapers) reports on Julieanne Reed "among 14 or so men and women who have publicly committed to join a national fast for peace." Jespersen quotes Reed on the topic of activism: "I felt in the past I didn't know enough to take a stand. Now I know I want the war to stop" and also notes Craigen Healy stating: "Depriving yourself of eating for 24 hours reminds you of the suffering of the Iraqi people. There may be reasons to go to war but what is going on over there is counter-productive. It is making us more unsafe. We have unleashed the terror"; and Lee Sharkey declaring: "Fasting for me brings the cost of the war home on a very personal level. I want to raise this question: Is 'life as usual' an acceptable stance while this immoral, illegal and incalculably costly war continues?"
Reflecting on last week's events, Cindy Sheehan writes (Truth Out): "I saw the Angel of Death in the skin of Donald Rumsfeld say, while he was busy rushing in or out of the Pentagon (it doesn't really matter), that it is 'unfortunate' that the soldiers have to remain in Iraq. I think it is unfortunate for our troops and for the innocent people of Iraq and Afghanistan that Donald Rumsfeld has to remain as the Secretary of War." Also note that: "The Camp Casey dates have been changed to accomodate George's schedule and will be August 6th to September 2nd. Please go to the Gold Star Families for Peace web site to stay posted on future exciting developments for Camp Casey III this summer."
That's Iraq. It's not getting better. People need to stop kidding. "Ruth's Report" covers this really well. She's got her new format going on so check it out -- I think you're in for a real treat.
So what am I talking about tonight? I had some questions about why I ride the bus and was honestly surprised anyone needed to ask. But here we go.
Yes, I have a license. Yes, I have a car. No, I'm not like "the black guy in Clueless" and scared of the freeway.
As I started thinking more and more about the war and thinking more and more about the world around us, I just felt like I couldn't keep driving everywhere. It just felt like I was hurting the environment, propping up the war and a great deal more. So I asked myself what I could do? The only bus I ever rode before was the school bus and the first thing I'd do, if I ran the world (besides have all the girls -- LL Cool J) would be to make the bus schedules easier. I found that so confusing.
I told myself, I'd start riding the bus and I didn't. I couldn't make sense of the bus schedules. Finally, I took a cab to work to force myself to take the bus home. I found a guy at work who rode them and he broke down the easiest way for me to get home on the bus. Then he told me how to get back to work. I was late the next day because I grabbed the wrong bus but, slowly, I got used to it. Now I can go one of three ways home.
But I probably spent at least a week telling myself I was riding the bus before I did. The schedules were just too confusing for me. It's one little thing I can do that maybe helps a little.
I'm always looking for those sort of things. Because I think that if I help a little here and help a little there, I'll leave the earth less damaged. Not "better off" because I think we pretty much have made it worse off.
There were a lot of "I would never ride the bus" comments. I hope you'll try to do something.
It's actually not that bad most of the time. There are a lot of interesting people (some good interesting and some bad interesting -- it's life) who ride and there are times when I can just hop and read.
I was a road rager and everyone told me that but I thought they were full of it and ignored them. Riding the bus really drove that home for me. At first, I was thinking, "Get off! Get off! Why are you sitting when the bus has stopped and this is your stop? Quit talking to the person next to you and get off!"
Or I'd be thinking, "The light is green! Green! Go!"
It was probably a month before I chilled. Then it hit me that I really had been driving like that when I ran my aunt somewhere one weekend. I was her last choice, because of my reputation. But she even noticed the difference. I was always angry behind the wheel, always griping, always slamming the brake, hitting the pedal.
So it's probably been better for me, stress wise, blood pressure wise, to ride the bus. Taught me to not be in such a rush.
I really don't mind it now. It means leaving a little earlier. But I can relax and don't arrive at work all tense and thinking, "Get out of my way, let me get to my desk."
And along with that learning/realization, I've cut down on my own use of fossil fuels. And I'm not griping about the fact that the parking spot I wanted is taken or having to pay to park if the garage is full (and it's almost always full).
I get to hear what people are thinking. Today this one older woman, probably late 60s, was arguing with some man about the need to find someone. "I don't need hugs! I haven't had a hug in nine years! I don't need some man to spend all my money!" It was interesting to hear and watch that. What did I learn from it? I don't know. But I know I'd never hear someone like her or a lot of other people if I was in my car. I listen in when people are talking about the war and I hear a lot of people saying we need to bring the troops home. So it's interesting. Give the bus a ride and you can get your own survey going.
the common ills
iraq
jacob bruce kovco
jake kovco
codepink
troops home fast
diane wilson
free speech radio new
aaron glantz
suzanne swift
the washington post
andy mosher
saad al-izzi
borzou daragahi
medea benjamin
diane wilson
cindy sheehan
gold star families for peace
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Humor post -- Eric Alterman Gets a rewrite!
BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX - Boston & NYC
THIS JUST IN!
ERIC ALTERMAN GETS A REWRITE!
THIS WEEK PROFESSIONAL FOP AND ETERNAL JOKE ERIC ALTERMAN TOOK TIME OUT FROM ARGUING WITH SLATE LONG ENOUGH TO DASH OFF AN E-MAIL PROVING WHAT A "MANLY MAN" HE IS.
AS WITH MOST ATTEMPTS BY ERIC ALTERMAN TO PROVE HIS "MANHOOD" THIS ONE CAME UP SHORT.
WHAT IT DID ACCOMPLISH WAS ALLOW HIM TO YET AGAIN GIVE A WAR WEARY COUNTRY MUCH LAUGHTER.
SHAKES THE CLOWN ALTERMAN WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN AS HE RUSHED TO CLAIM CREDIT (SINGLE-HANDEDLY HE ALL BUT GUSHED -- ERIC WHERE WAS THAT OTHER HAND! WAIT -- DON'T TELL US!) FOR A CORRECTION IN THE ECONOMIST AND FALSELY CLAIMED TO HAVE DEFENDED "SUSAN [SONTAG] UP AND DOWN" WHILE APPARENTLY FORGETTING PAGE 201 OF HIS OWN LOUSY BOOK WHERE HE CALLED THE ESSAY SUSAN SONTAG WAS TRASHED FOR WRITING QUOTE: "OBJECTIONABLE."
"OBJECTIONABLE"? FOR GOD'S SAKE, ERIC ALTERMAN, WEREN'T YOU FRIENDS WITH HER?
IN HONOR OF FRIENDS WHO TURN OUT NOT TO BE REAL FRIENDS,
WORD IS THAT A FAMOUS TUNE WRITTEN BY CAROLE KING AND RECORDED BY ARTISTS INCLUDING ROBERTA FLACK & DONNY HATHAWAY, AS WELL AS JAMES TAYLOR, HAS BEEN REWRITTEN IN ALTERMAN'S HONOR.
IN A BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX EXCLUSIVE, WE PROVIDE YOU WITH THE ALTERMAN-ED LYRICS TO THE NEWLY DUBBED "YOU'VE GOT AN ALTERMAN."
MUST CREDIT -BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX!
WHEN YOU'RE DOWN AND TROUBLED
AND YOU NEED SOME LOVING CARE
I WILL, I WILL TAKE DELIGHT
CLOSE YOUR EYES ON THE FIRING SQUAD
AND SOON I WILL BE THERE
TO DARKEN UP EVEN YOUR BRIGHTEST NIGHTS
YOU JUST CALL OUT MY NAME
I MAY PLAY THE SILENT GAME
OR I MAY START BURNING
BURNING YOU AGAIN
WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER AND ALL
I LOVE TO SEE YOU FALL
YES, I'LL BE THERE, YES I WILL
YOU'VE GOT NO FRIEND
YEAH, YOU'VE GOT NO FRIEND
YOU'VE GOT AN ALTERMAN
YOU'VE GOT AN ALTERMAN
THE TRACK WAS DUE TO BE RELEASED TUESDAY; HOWEVER, IT FEATURES A GUEST RAP THAT NO ONE CAN DECIPHER THAT FEATURES LOUD EXPLOSIVE SOUNDS -- APPARENTLY THE GUEST RAPPER WAS LISPING AND THE EXPLOSIONS COME FROM SPIT HITTING THE MICROPHONE.
THE ARTISTS ARE CURRENTLY IN TALKS WITH THE LABEL TO GET A REAL RAPPER TO RECORD A NEW RAP FOR THE SURE TO BE NUMBER ONE SINGLE.
TCI PRESS:
Chaos and violence continue. And, as Peter Spiegel and Julian E. Barnes (Los Angeles Times) observe: "Bush's decision to increase the number of U.S. troops in violence-racked Baghdad has forced commanders to extend the tours of 3,500 soldiers and appears to eliminate prospects for significant withdrawals of American forces this year."
And as the US administration prepares to extend the tours of duty of 3,5000 soldiers (who were due to leave Iraq), Hassan Abdul Zahra (AFP) reports that Abdel Azia Hakim (Shi'ite leader; head of Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq) declared in a speech today that the security of Iraq should be left to Iraqis. Zahra also quotes Mahmud Mahdi al-Sumaidaie (iman and Sunni Muslim Scholars Association member) saying: "The US occupiers are responsible for what is going on with the violence and destruction -- they are the ones controlling the security file." This as John Tully (Colonel, commander of the 4th Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade) informs reporters that in the Shi'ite section "south of Baghdad" attacks on US troops have incresed "by about 25 percent".
In another sign of how bad things are on the ground in Iraq, new "security" measures are being taken by individuals. At the start of this month, Terry McCarthy (ABC -- America) reported on how fake identification sells for the US equivalent of ten and fifteen dollars and many Iraqis are puchasing them to reduce risk to their lives at checkpoints and noted: "Now many Iraqis carry two IDs in their pockets and will produce one or the other, depending on who is asking for it." Now Antonio Castaneda (AP) reports a swap greater than IDs: "Fearing sectarian death squads, Iraqis are trading homes with trusted friends from the other sect, surrounding themselves with those who share their faith but creating segregated neighborhoods increasingly wary of one other." Castaneda is reporting from Nasser Wa Salaam but notes the problem is not confined to that one location.
Bombings?
AFP reports the bombing of a Shia shrine "to Imam Askar between the towns of Balad Ruz and Mandalay". This as Reuters notes four are dead in Baghdad from a mortar attack on a Sunni mosque while a roadside bom wounded two police officers in Baquba. AP notes that the Sunni mosque bombing in Baghdad has left nine wounded.
And KUNA reports: "Iraqi police source added an improvised bomb exploded in one of the patrolling police vehicles on the main street of Kirkuk, while a similar attack targeted Multi-National Force (MNF) vehicle on the way to Kirkuk."
If the police source is correct, that's a new development -- bombs planted in cars of unsuspecting drivers.
Shootings?
In Kirkuk, KUNA reports the shooting death of an Iraqi soldier. In addition to that shooting, AFP also notes the Kirkuk shooting deaths ofa police officer "and a bystander"; two shot dead in Tikrit; and "a train station official" shot in Baiji.
In addition, KUNA notes that "a security personnel from the Al-Qadisya area close to Kirkuk power statiion" was kidnapped.
In Australia, the inquiry into the April 21st death of Jake Kovco in Baghdad continues. Australia's ABC reports that "a Lance Corporal" has informed the inquriy that Kovco was "reprimanded twice for misuing his pistol during his deployment in Iraq." Whether or not the witness can affirm to two times should be in doubt because the second incident finds the "Lance Corporal" saying he's 'aware' of it as opposed to knowing it or witnessing. At any rate, the "Lance Corporal" has offered that Jake Kovco was reprimanded for "pointing his pistol at the torso of another soldier" which would probably be pertinent if Jake Kovco were accues of killing one of his roommates. As
"Lance Corporal" (or "Soldier Four") makes the news with his statements, Tracy Ong (News.com) covers what everyone else seems to have missed: "But other statements tendered yesterday were at odds with Soldier 4's recollection, many saying they had never seen Kovco playing 'quick draw' -- pulling a pistol out of its holster as quickly as possible -- or mishandling his weapons. One corporal from 3RAR said he had never had to 'pull Private Kovco up on his weapon handling'."
On April 29th, Damien Murphy, Phillip Coorey, Ed O'Loughlin, Tom Allard and Cynthia Banaham (Sydney Morning Herald) reported: "Private Jacob Kovco grew up with guns. They were part of everyday life in his small home town of Briagolong in the Victorian high country. Come April each year, the four-wheel-drive vehicles from Melbourne would roar through the hamlet late on a Friday night on their way to bush camps in the nearby foothills for the start of the deer hunting season."
In peace news, Honolulu's KITV reports that a demonstration of support was held last night at Kalani High School for Ehren Watada -- the first commissioned military officer known to refuse deployment to Iraq. Showing their support for Watada (who faces an Article 32 hearing August 17th to determine whether or not a court martial is in order) were the Japanese American Citizen's League of Hawaii, the American Friends Service Committee "and others at the Nagasaki Peace Bell near City Hall" -- including: "Hawaii People's Fund, Code Pink Hawaii, Progressive Democrats of Hawaii, Veterans for Peace, World Can't Wait and Not in Our Name." Gregg K. Kakesako (Honolulu Star-Bulletin) reports that "Watada has again offer to resign his commisson from the Army and is willing to accept any type of administrative punishment in place of court martial" including "a reprimand, fine and reduction in rank". Watada's attorney, Eric Seitz, tells Kakesako that this is the third time the offer has been made (it was refused twice prior). Courage to Resist and ThankYouLt.org are calling for a "National Day of Education" August 16th, the day before Ehren Watada is due to "face a pre-trial hearing for refusing to deploy to Iraq." ThankYouLt.Org notes: "On August 16, the day prior to the hearing, The Friends and Family of Lt. Ehren Watada are calling for a 'National Day of Education' to pose the question, 'Is the war illegal?' This day can also serve to anchor a 'week of outreach' leading up to the pre-trial hearing."
In The Fifth Book of Peace, Maxine Hong Kingston writes: "During war, mothers dream this dream: she -- mother -- is winged, and flies, swooping down upon the son, the brother, soldier, criminal in danger, and picks him up by the straps of his overalls or by his belt, or catches him up in her arms, and flies him high and away. Unable to fly, she would go to the war in her son's place. She would go ahead of him, walk point herself."
With news of the September events in DC, David Swanson (American Chronicle) reports that Camp Democracy sets up September 5th with many activities and, among many worthy goals, the intent to build "toward the International Day of Peace on September 21". Swanson notes that Cindy Sheehan "will come to Camp Democracy following Camp Casey (Aug. 16 - Sept. 2 in Crawford Texas)".
Sheehan is currently participating in CODEPINK's Troops Home Fast. It is day 25 of the Troops Home Fast action with over 4,350 people fasting to the end the war all over the world. The AP reports that Diane Wilson has thus far lost "20 pounds from her 170-pound frame" while taking part in the fast. Of fasting, Wilson states: "Ghandi always called it 'soul power' because it's got a real spiritual component to it."
Recommended: "From the Mixed-up Mind of Eric Alterman"
"'From the Mixed-up Mind of Eric Alterman' (Elaine, Like Maria Said Paz)"
"Iraq Snapshot"
"And the war drags on . . ."
"NYT: 'Sergeant Tells of Plot to Kill Iraqi Detainees' (Robert F. Worth)"
"Iraq and the Middle East"
"Iraq and I'm reading Gloria Steinem's Outrageous Acts & Everyday Rebellion"
"Pick your own title"
"THIS JUST IN! BURNS BURNS FIREFIGHERS! "
THIS JUST IN!
ERIC ALTERMAN GETS A REWRITE!
THIS WEEK PROFESSIONAL FOP AND ETERNAL JOKE ERIC ALTERMAN TOOK TIME OUT FROM ARGUING WITH SLATE LONG ENOUGH TO DASH OFF AN E-MAIL PROVING WHAT A "MANLY MAN" HE IS.
AS WITH MOST ATTEMPTS BY ERIC ALTERMAN TO PROVE HIS "MANHOOD" THIS ONE CAME UP SHORT.
WHAT IT DID ACCOMPLISH WAS ALLOW HIM TO YET AGAIN GIVE A WAR WEARY COUNTRY MUCH LAUGHTER.
SHAKES THE CLOWN ALTERMAN WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN AS HE RUSHED TO CLAIM CREDIT (SINGLE-HANDEDLY HE ALL BUT GUSHED -- ERIC WHERE WAS THAT OTHER HAND! WAIT -- DON'T TELL US!) FOR A CORRECTION IN THE ECONOMIST AND FALSELY CLAIMED TO HAVE DEFENDED "SUSAN [SONTAG] UP AND DOWN" WHILE APPARENTLY FORGETTING PAGE 201 OF HIS OWN LOUSY BOOK WHERE HE CALLED THE ESSAY SUSAN SONTAG WAS TRASHED FOR WRITING QUOTE: "OBJECTIONABLE."
"OBJECTIONABLE"? FOR GOD'S SAKE, ERIC ALTERMAN, WEREN'T YOU FRIENDS WITH HER?
IN HONOR OF FRIENDS WHO TURN OUT NOT TO BE REAL FRIENDS,
WORD IS THAT A FAMOUS TUNE WRITTEN BY CAROLE KING AND RECORDED BY ARTISTS INCLUDING ROBERTA FLACK & DONNY HATHAWAY, AS WELL AS JAMES TAYLOR, HAS BEEN REWRITTEN IN ALTERMAN'S HONOR.
IN A BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX EXCLUSIVE, WE PROVIDE YOU WITH THE ALTERMAN-ED LYRICS TO THE NEWLY DUBBED "YOU'VE GOT AN ALTERMAN."
MUST CREDIT -BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX!
WHEN YOU'RE DOWN AND TROUBLED
AND YOU NEED SOME LOVING CARE
I WILL, I WILL TAKE DELIGHT
CLOSE YOUR EYES ON THE FIRING SQUAD
AND SOON I WILL BE THERE
TO DARKEN UP EVEN YOUR BRIGHTEST NIGHTS
YOU JUST CALL OUT MY NAME
I MAY PLAY THE SILENT GAME
OR I MAY START BURNING
BURNING YOU AGAIN
WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER AND ALL
I LOVE TO SEE YOU FALL
YES, I'LL BE THERE, YES I WILL
YOU'VE GOT NO FRIEND
YEAH, YOU'VE GOT NO FRIEND
YOU'VE GOT AN ALTERMAN
YOU'VE GOT AN ALTERMAN
THE TRACK WAS DUE TO BE RELEASED TUESDAY; HOWEVER, IT FEATURES A GUEST RAP THAT NO ONE CAN DECIPHER THAT FEATURES LOUD EXPLOSIVE SOUNDS -- APPARENTLY THE GUEST RAPPER WAS LISPING AND THE EXPLOSIONS COME FROM SPIT HITTING THE MICROPHONE.
THE ARTISTS ARE CURRENTLY IN TALKS WITH THE LABEL TO GET A REAL RAPPER TO RECORD A NEW RAP FOR THE SURE TO BE NUMBER ONE SINGLE.
TCI PRESS:
Chaos and violence continue. And, as Peter Spiegel and Julian E. Barnes (Los Angeles Times) observe: "Bush's decision to increase the number of U.S. troops in violence-racked Baghdad has forced commanders to extend the tours of 3,500 soldiers and appears to eliminate prospects for significant withdrawals of American forces this year."
And as the US administration prepares to extend the tours of duty of 3,5000 soldiers (who were due to leave Iraq), Hassan Abdul Zahra (AFP) reports that Abdel Azia Hakim (Shi'ite leader; head of Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq) declared in a speech today that the security of Iraq should be left to Iraqis. Zahra also quotes Mahmud Mahdi al-Sumaidaie (iman and Sunni Muslim Scholars Association member) saying: "The US occupiers are responsible for what is going on with the violence and destruction -- they are the ones controlling the security file." This as John Tully (Colonel, commander of the 4th Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade) informs reporters that in the Shi'ite section "south of Baghdad" attacks on US troops have incresed "by about 25 percent".
In another sign of how bad things are on the ground in Iraq, new "security" measures are being taken by individuals. At the start of this month, Terry McCarthy (ABC -- America) reported on how fake identification sells for the US equivalent of ten and fifteen dollars and many Iraqis are puchasing them to reduce risk to their lives at checkpoints and noted: "Now many Iraqis carry two IDs in their pockets and will produce one or the other, depending on who is asking for it." Now Antonio Castaneda (AP) reports a swap greater than IDs: "Fearing sectarian death squads, Iraqis are trading homes with trusted friends from the other sect, surrounding themselves with those who share their faith but creating segregated neighborhoods increasingly wary of one other." Castaneda is reporting from Nasser Wa Salaam but notes the problem is not confined to that one location.
Bombings?
AFP reports the bombing of a Shia shrine "to Imam Askar between the towns of Balad Ruz and Mandalay". This as Reuters notes four are dead in Baghdad from a mortar attack on a Sunni mosque while a roadside bom wounded two police officers in Baquba. AP notes that the Sunni mosque bombing in Baghdad has left nine wounded.
And KUNA reports: "Iraqi police source added an improvised bomb exploded in one of the patrolling police vehicles on the main street of Kirkuk, while a similar attack targeted Multi-National Force (MNF) vehicle on the way to Kirkuk."
If the police source is correct, that's a new development -- bombs planted in cars of unsuspecting drivers.
Shootings?
In Kirkuk, KUNA reports the shooting death of an Iraqi soldier. In addition to that shooting, AFP also notes the Kirkuk shooting deaths ofa police officer "and a bystander"; two shot dead in Tikrit; and "a train station official" shot in Baiji.
In addition, KUNA notes that "a security personnel from the Al-Qadisya area close to Kirkuk power statiion" was kidnapped.
In Australia, the inquiry into the April 21st death of Jake Kovco in Baghdad continues. Australia's ABC reports that "a Lance Corporal" has informed the inquriy that Kovco was "reprimanded twice for misuing his pistol during his deployment in Iraq." Whether or not the witness can affirm to two times should be in doubt because the second incident finds the "Lance Corporal" saying he's 'aware' of it as opposed to knowing it or witnessing. At any rate, the "Lance Corporal" has offered that Jake Kovco was reprimanded for "pointing his pistol at the torso of another soldier" which would probably be pertinent if Jake Kovco were accues of killing one of his roommates. As
"Lance Corporal" (or "Soldier Four") makes the news with his statements, Tracy Ong (News.com) covers what everyone else seems to have missed: "But other statements tendered yesterday were at odds with Soldier 4's recollection, many saying they had never seen Kovco playing 'quick draw' -- pulling a pistol out of its holster as quickly as possible -- or mishandling his weapons. One corporal from 3RAR said he had never had to 'pull Private Kovco up on his weapon handling'."
On April 29th, Damien Murphy, Phillip Coorey, Ed O'Loughlin, Tom Allard and Cynthia Banaham (Sydney Morning Herald) reported: "Private Jacob Kovco grew up with guns. They were part of everyday life in his small home town of Briagolong in the Victorian high country. Come April each year, the four-wheel-drive vehicles from Melbourne would roar through the hamlet late on a Friday night on their way to bush camps in the nearby foothills for the start of the deer hunting season."
In peace news, Honolulu's KITV reports that a demonstration of support was held last night at Kalani High School for Ehren Watada -- the first commissioned military officer known to refuse deployment to Iraq. Showing their support for Watada (who faces an Article 32 hearing August 17th to determine whether or not a court martial is in order) were the Japanese American Citizen's League of Hawaii, the American Friends Service Committee "and others at the Nagasaki Peace Bell near City Hall" -- including: "Hawaii People's Fund, Code Pink Hawaii, Progressive Democrats of Hawaii, Veterans for Peace, World Can't Wait and Not in Our Name." Gregg K. Kakesako (Honolulu Star-Bulletin) reports that "Watada has again offer to resign his commisson from the Army and is willing to accept any type of administrative punishment in place of court martial" including "a reprimand, fine and reduction in rank". Watada's attorney, Eric Seitz, tells Kakesako that this is the third time the offer has been made (it was refused twice prior). Courage to Resist and ThankYouLt.org are calling for a "National Day of Education" August 16th, the day before Ehren Watada is due to "face a pre-trial hearing for refusing to deploy to Iraq." ThankYouLt.Org notes: "On August 16, the day prior to the hearing, The Friends and Family of Lt. Ehren Watada are calling for a 'National Day of Education' to pose the question, 'Is the war illegal?' This day can also serve to anchor a 'week of outreach' leading up to the pre-trial hearing."
In The Fifth Book of Peace, Maxine Hong Kingston writes: "During war, mothers dream this dream: she -- mother -- is winged, and flies, swooping down upon the son, the brother, soldier, criminal in danger, and picks him up by the straps of his overalls or by his belt, or catches him up in her arms, and flies him high and away. Unable to fly, she would go to the war in her son's place. She would go ahead of him, walk point herself."
With news of the September events in DC, David Swanson (American Chronicle) reports that Camp Democracy sets up September 5th with many activities and, among many worthy goals, the intent to build "toward the International Day of Peace on September 21". Swanson notes that Cindy Sheehan "will come to Camp Democracy following Camp Casey (Aug. 16 - Sept. 2 in Crawford Texas)".
Sheehan is currently participating in CODEPINK's Troops Home Fast. It is day 25 of the Troops Home Fast action with over 4,350 people fasting to the end the war all over the world. The AP reports that Diane Wilson has thus far lost "20 pounds from her 170-pound frame" while taking part in the fast. Of fasting, Wilson states: "Ghandi always called it 'soul power' because it's got a real spiritual component to it."
Recommended: "From the Mixed-up Mind of Eric Alterman"
"'From the Mixed-up Mind of Eric Alterman' (Elaine, Like Maria Said Paz)"
"Iraq Snapshot"
"And the war drags on . . ."
"NYT: 'Sergeant Tells of Plot to Kill Iraqi Detainees' (Robert F. Worth)"
"Iraq and the Middle East"
"Iraq and I'm reading Gloria Steinem's Outrageous Acts & Everyday Rebellion"
"Pick your own title"
"THIS JUST IN! BURNS BURNS FIREFIGHERS! "
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Iraq and I'm reading Gloria Steinem's Outrageous Acts & Everyday Rebellion
"Iraq snapshot" (The Common Ills)
Chaos and violence continue.
And yes, it's "continue "even if a mass kidnapping of 17 yesterday didn't make it into the New York Times this morning.
Bombings?
Al Jazeera notes "a car bombing and mortar attack" in Baghdad today that's left "[a]t least 101 people" wounded. That's wounded. The death toll has climbed repeatedly and the AP now reports it at least "31" and raises the wounded to "153." How many bombs? AFP notes that "some witnesses spoke of more" than one car bomb. Of the area in Baghdad where the attacks took place, the BBC notes their correspondent Jane Peel's description of the area as "well protected with a heavy presence of Iraqi troops and several checkpoints". Of course, the entire city of Baghdad is under the supposed 'security crackdown' and has been for over six weeks. The AFP describes the area as one where the "bustling shops still attract customers from both the city's rival religious groups" and they also note a witness who feels there was "more than one car bomb." Jenny Booth "and agencies" (Times of London) state the area is "religiously mixed neighborhood which is home to several leading politicians from the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, the country's biggest Shia party."
On the issue of witnesses feeling they heard more than one bomb, Borzou Daraghi (Los Angeles Times) notes: "Police said four of the five blasts were caused by rockets or mortars. But officials have often attributed such explosions to indirect fire, hoping to stave off blame for allowing drivers to maneuver explosives-packed vehicles past checkpoints that dot the city." (The fatality toll is raised to "at least 32" beginning with Daraghi's report.)
Michael Georgy (Reuters) reports one man who died, Hassan Kufi, "was hours away from getting married on Thursday. There were no festivities, just his funerals." He also notes "[a] boy of about 10 with a bloodied head" laying "on the floor." Borzou Daragahi (Los Angels Times) notes hardware store owner Zuhair Ali Hussein Zaidi, "who left his shop to investigate one blast only to return and find his shop was completely destroyed" saying: "I saw children completely burnt and many injured. People were evacuating the dead and injured by carrying them out." Daragahi reports that many people are still missing ("including one 11-year-old girl on a shopping errand") and that the dead are still be found in the rubble and debris.
Might Iraq grab some serious press attention? Don't count on it. In other bombings, Reuters reports two police officers are dead and two more wounded "near Tikrit" from a roadside bomb while one person died and four were wounded in Ishaqee from a roadside bomb. AFP notes a bomb in Baquba which killed "at least five people." That bombing (guessing from the fatality toll) is described by Reuters as one that exploded near "an ambulance headed to Baquba hospital, killing five" and wounding four; in addition, Reuters notes a car bomb (also in Baquba) that left three wounded.
Shootings?
Reuters reports that in Baghdad, an armed clash led to six Georgian troops being wounded (the US military claims five but six is the figure "the office of the Georgian president" is using); in Kirkuk a police patrol and an Iraqi military patrol exchanged gun fire resulting in the death of one soldier and one police officer.
Also in Baghdad, AFP reports that "three people were shot dead by unidentified gunmen" and Al Jazeera notes that "four security guards outside a Sunni mosque" were killed "in a drive-by shooting."
Corpses?
Micheal Georgy (Reuters) reports that, in Baghdad today, nineteen corpses were discovered ("bullet holes . . . signs of torture").
In England, William Patey ("outgoing British ambassador in Iraq") spoke on the BBC Radio program Today and shared this impression: "There is some evidence that some members of the police are actively engaged with death squads and with militias, and taking orders. And clearly they need to be identified, weeded out, prosecuted. Undoubtedly, the Iraqi people have lost confidence in the police." Quite a bit different than the sort of thing Michael Gordon churns out at the New York Times. Also in the reality news department, Julian E. Barnes (Los Angeles Times) reports: "Many of the reconstruction projects that were built in the first years of the Iraq war failed to make a difference in regular Iraqis' lives. Much of the building has focused on large waterpurification plants, sewage-treatment plants or electrical generators. But the U.S. has failed to do enough to make sure its reconstruction projects provided jobs for unskilled Iraqis, and the lack of a steady supply of electricity three years after the U.S.-led invasion rankles here." Kate Zernike should take notes.
In Australia, the inquiry into the April 21st death of Jake Kovco continues. Ben Doherty (The Age) reports that Professor Philip Mitchell has testified to the inquiry with a similar opinion as that expressed by Professor Alexander McFarlane: it is "highly unlikely Private Kovco would have deliberately shot himself while his room-mates were present, especially as he knew they were about to leave." However, Mitchell also offered the opinion that Jake Kovco might have been attempting to "re-enact" a nightmare of death he'd had a month prior. The continued assumption in the inquiry appears to be that Jake Kovco fired the gun. In April, Judy Kovco (Jake Kovco's mother) stated to Jane Holroyd (The Age): ""He didn't shoot himself. The gun went off. It was near him. It was nearby. (So) what did Jake do? Put his head down near the table so it could shoot him in the head, did he?"
Belinda Tasker (Townsville Bulletin) notes that Mitchell dubbed his theory "highly speculative."
In peace news, Bill Metcalfe (The Tyee) reports on the recent Our Way Home Reunion in Canada which brought together war resisters from Vietnam and today and featured a showing of David Zeiger's documentary Sir, No Sir, which chronicles G.I. resistance during the Vietnam era. As noted yesterday, CODEPINK's Medea Benjamin took truth to Congress. Refusing to stay silent in the face of one lie after another as occupation puppet Nouri al-Maliki talked the war talk, Benjamin protested, chanting, "Bring them home now!" On yesterday's The KPFA Evening News, Darby Hicky reported on this and more can be found at CODEPINK. Jonathan Weisman (Washington Post) reported: "Veteran San Francisco activist Medea Benjamin, wearing a 'Troops Home Now' T-shirt, chimed in, standing in the House gallery to interrupt Maliki's address with repeated shouts of: 'Iraqis want the troops to leave. Bring them home now.' She was promptly removed and arrested."
It is day 24 of the Troops Home Fast and over 4,350 people are participating around the world. Along with Medea Benjamin, Diane Wilson, Cindy Sheehan and Ann Wright, Mike De Souza (CanWest News Service) reports that: "Libby Davies, the NDP House leader and MP for Vancouver East, made the trip to Washington D.C." to show her support. De Souza quotes Medea Benjamin stating, of those participating in the fast, "We're in an emergency crisis, and they're putting their bodies on the line."
The fast is ongoing. Those wanting to participate, for one day or more than one day, can join the fast at any point. It began on July 4th and some have fasted every day. Others have fasted one day and some have chosen one day to fast each week. More information can be found at Troops Home Fast. The fast will continue in August as Cindy Sheehan and others return to Crawford, TX -- home of last year's Camp Casey demonstrations. Though there has been concern of where the camp would be set up, Jack Douglas Jr. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) reports that land has been purchased by Cindy Sheehan to put an end to the issue and quotes Sheehan stating, "I can't think of a better way to use Casey's insurance money than for peace, and I am sure that Casey approves." Douglas reports the gatherings in Crawford will take place from August 16th to September 2nd.
How about Medea Benjamin? She just doesn't stop. She's got so much strength and maybe you're like me? You read that and you just think, "I could never do that." But the second thing you need to think is, "Well, what can I do?"
I'm reading a book from C.I.'s latest book drop. I picked this one first because I knew of Gloria Steinem but I really don't know her books. This one is called Outrageous Acts & Everyday Rebellion. This is really a great book. If you need more than my word to pick it up, on the back of the book, it's got Jane Fonda, Walter Cronkite, Coretta Scott King, Bill Moyers, Judy Collins and Alan Alda singing the book's praises.
There's a lot in there and C.I. made a list of which ones I could read by jumping around. Sometimes I'm not in the mood to go A-B-C-D . . . Chapter 1-2-3-4 . . . And I saw the book, it may have been on top, and thought, "I'm reading this one first." Then I found the note as I was digging around the box and was glad to see it was one I could hop around. It's a series of essays with an overall theme but you can start where ever you wants. The first thing I read was the essay on Alice Walker (which I really enjoyed). But I've enjoyed all of it so far. And one point Steinem makes in words and that is implied throughout (I think anyway) is that you see someone doing something and you ask what can you do?
So when you see Medea Benjamin do something amazing and think how incredible and strong she is, don't end it with, "I could never do that." Ask yourself, "Well what can I do?"
We can't all be Medea Benjamin anymore than we can all be MLK or Frederick Douglass or Harry Belafonte or Ida B. Wells-Barnett or Rosa Parks or . . . Put your own heroes on the list. (And make a place for Cindy Sheehan.) But we can take a stand. Our stand may be smaller but that's how we start.
The community knows my story but maybe there's something in here that will help someone if I repeat it. Like a lot of African-Americans, I was burned out by the White web that thought it was inclusive and thought it wanted you around until you had an opinion or didn't want to play House Negro. Some on the left are just as bad about wanting that as the right is. They want you to agree with them and trash Cynthia McKinney or something like that. (I like Cynthia McKinney. And that was a big breaking point in 2002 for some websites.)
So I gave up on that and I just focused on my church and my own life. Then came the war and I tried some more sites and felt like there was time for every issue and every topic in the world until it got around to race. So I was kind of surprised when my cousin started saying, "Have you read The Common Ills?" She is one of the original community members and she's the reason I checked it out. But I was nervous about highlights. (I should note here that C.I.'s focus for the site is now Iraq. That's at the community's request. If other people were doing their job, C.I. would be covering other things. There are other issues. But you've got so many blowing off their responsibilities online and in the press, that the community vote was for C.I. to just focus on Iraq.) I'd see something and think about doing an e-mail but thought, "Well, if it doesn't get highlighted that'll mean it's like every other site." That didn't happen, but it was a big step for me.
Then I wrote something for the year-end thing in 2004. Then I started getting more active. It was only online, but each time let me see I could do more. Then I went to my first protest/rally in March of 2005. That was a big deal for me. Now? I've got a site and I'm not afraid to speak out at work, at home and surely not at church where we are all against the war. I go to rallies and a lot more. Back in 2004, when I did that first e-mailed highlight to C.I., I thought about not sending it. Each time you take a step, it's that much easier to take the next one.
So when you see something "outrageous act" or "everyday rebellion," don't just think, "They are so strong." Ask yourself what you can do? You probably aren't to a place yet where you can do what Medea Benjamin does (I'm certainly not) but you can do something and, once you do that one thing, it will be a lot easier to do the next thing.
You can find out more about this by reading Steinem's book. You may be where I was in 2004, you may be where I am now or you may be far ahead of me -- but I think you'll enjoy the book.
Now, C.I. passed something on to me. Tomorrow (Friday) on KPFA:
Michael Parenti Special
Friday, July 28th, 1:00p.m.
A speech by Michael Parenti, author of "The Culture Struggle."
That's Pacific time. I just finished a book by Parenti and am looking forward to more. But I didn't even know of him (I did know his son's writing, Christian Parenti) until KPFA played a speech by him in May. This may be the same speech or it may be a different one. But if you've never heard him (or if you want to hear him again), make a point to listen. If you can't catch it live, go to the station after and you can hear it in the archives. (I don't know how long they keep the archives up but it's at least two weeks, I think.) I was really excited when I heard him last time, the way you get when you discover something new that you didn't know was out there.
Congratulations to Rebecca & Flyboy! If you wonder why, check out Betty's "Travel and other talk" and let me add that Betty is very pretty. I think she was feeling tired when we were in Mexico and I can understand that, she's got three kids. But she's pretty and either down playing her looks or else in need of a compliment (an overdue compliment).
Chaos and violence continue.
And yes, it's "continue "even if a mass kidnapping of 17 yesterday didn't make it into the New York Times this morning.
Bombings?
Al Jazeera notes "a car bombing and mortar attack" in Baghdad today that's left "[a]t least 101 people" wounded. That's wounded. The death toll has climbed repeatedly and the AP now reports it at least "31" and raises the wounded to "153." How many bombs? AFP notes that "some witnesses spoke of more" than one car bomb. Of the area in Baghdad where the attacks took place, the BBC notes their correspondent Jane Peel's description of the area as "well protected with a heavy presence of Iraqi troops and several checkpoints". Of course, the entire city of Baghdad is under the supposed 'security crackdown' and has been for over six weeks. The AFP describes the area as one where the "bustling shops still attract customers from both the city's rival religious groups" and they also note a witness who feels there was "more than one car bomb." Jenny Booth "and agencies" (Times of London) state the area is "religiously mixed neighborhood which is home to several leading politicians from the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, the country's biggest Shia party."
On the issue of witnesses feeling they heard more than one bomb, Borzou Daraghi (Los Angeles Times) notes: "Police said four of the five blasts were caused by rockets or mortars. But officials have often attributed such explosions to indirect fire, hoping to stave off blame for allowing drivers to maneuver explosives-packed vehicles past checkpoints that dot the city." (The fatality toll is raised to "at least 32" beginning with Daraghi's report.)
Michael Georgy (Reuters) reports one man who died, Hassan Kufi, "was hours away from getting married on Thursday. There were no festivities, just his funerals." He also notes "[a] boy of about 10 with a bloodied head" laying "on the floor." Borzou Daragahi (Los Angels Times) notes hardware store owner Zuhair Ali Hussein Zaidi, "who left his shop to investigate one blast only to return and find his shop was completely destroyed" saying: "I saw children completely burnt and many injured. People were evacuating the dead and injured by carrying them out." Daragahi reports that many people are still missing ("including one 11-year-old girl on a shopping errand") and that the dead are still be found in the rubble and debris.
Might Iraq grab some serious press attention? Don't count on it. In other bombings, Reuters reports two police officers are dead and two more wounded "near Tikrit" from a roadside bomb while one person died and four were wounded in Ishaqee from a roadside bomb. AFP notes a bomb in Baquba which killed "at least five people." That bombing (guessing from the fatality toll) is described by Reuters as one that exploded near "an ambulance headed to Baquba hospital, killing five" and wounding four; in addition, Reuters notes a car bomb (also in Baquba) that left three wounded.
Shootings?
Reuters reports that in Baghdad, an armed clash led to six Georgian troops being wounded (the US military claims five but six is the figure "the office of the Georgian president" is using); in Kirkuk a police patrol and an Iraqi military patrol exchanged gun fire resulting in the death of one soldier and one police officer.
Also in Baghdad, AFP reports that "three people were shot dead by unidentified gunmen" and Al Jazeera notes that "four security guards outside a Sunni mosque" were killed "in a drive-by shooting."
Corpses?
Micheal Georgy (Reuters) reports that, in Baghdad today, nineteen corpses were discovered ("bullet holes . . . signs of torture").
In England, William Patey ("outgoing British ambassador in Iraq") spoke on the BBC Radio program Today and shared this impression: "There is some evidence that some members of the police are actively engaged with death squads and with militias, and taking orders. And clearly they need to be identified, weeded out, prosecuted. Undoubtedly, the Iraqi people have lost confidence in the police." Quite a bit different than the sort of thing Michael Gordon churns out at the New York Times. Also in the reality news department, Julian E. Barnes (Los Angeles Times) reports: "Many of the reconstruction projects that were built in the first years of the Iraq war failed to make a difference in regular Iraqis' lives. Much of the building has focused on large waterpurification plants, sewage-treatment plants or electrical generators. But the U.S. has failed to do enough to make sure its reconstruction projects provided jobs for unskilled Iraqis, and the lack of a steady supply of electricity three years after the U.S.-led invasion rankles here." Kate Zernike should take notes.
In Australia, the inquiry into the April 21st death of Jake Kovco continues. Ben Doherty (The Age) reports that Professor Philip Mitchell has testified to the inquiry with a similar opinion as that expressed by Professor Alexander McFarlane: it is "highly unlikely Private Kovco would have deliberately shot himself while his room-mates were present, especially as he knew they were about to leave." However, Mitchell also offered the opinion that Jake Kovco might have been attempting to "re-enact" a nightmare of death he'd had a month prior. The continued assumption in the inquiry appears to be that Jake Kovco fired the gun. In April, Judy Kovco (Jake Kovco's mother) stated to Jane Holroyd (The Age): ""He didn't shoot himself. The gun went off. It was near him. It was nearby. (So) what did Jake do? Put his head down near the table so it could shoot him in the head, did he?"
Belinda Tasker (Townsville Bulletin) notes that Mitchell dubbed his theory "highly speculative."
In peace news, Bill Metcalfe (The Tyee) reports on the recent Our Way Home Reunion in Canada which brought together war resisters from Vietnam and today and featured a showing of David Zeiger's documentary Sir, No Sir, which chronicles G.I. resistance during the Vietnam era. As noted yesterday, CODEPINK's Medea Benjamin took truth to Congress. Refusing to stay silent in the face of one lie after another as occupation puppet Nouri al-Maliki talked the war talk, Benjamin protested, chanting, "Bring them home now!" On yesterday's The KPFA Evening News, Darby Hicky reported on this and more can be found at CODEPINK. Jonathan Weisman (Washington Post) reported: "Veteran San Francisco activist Medea Benjamin, wearing a 'Troops Home Now' T-shirt, chimed in, standing in the House gallery to interrupt Maliki's address with repeated shouts of: 'Iraqis want the troops to leave. Bring them home now.' She was promptly removed and arrested."
It is day 24 of the Troops Home Fast and over 4,350 people are participating around the world. Along with Medea Benjamin, Diane Wilson, Cindy Sheehan and Ann Wright, Mike De Souza (CanWest News Service) reports that: "Libby Davies, the NDP House leader and MP for Vancouver East, made the trip to Washington D.C." to show her support. De Souza quotes Medea Benjamin stating, of those participating in the fast, "We're in an emergency crisis, and they're putting their bodies on the line."
The fast is ongoing. Those wanting to participate, for one day or more than one day, can join the fast at any point. It began on July 4th and some have fasted every day. Others have fasted one day and some have chosen one day to fast each week. More information can be found at Troops Home Fast. The fast will continue in August as Cindy Sheehan and others return to Crawford, TX -- home of last year's Camp Casey demonstrations. Though there has been concern of where the camp would be set up, Jack Douglas Jr. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) reports that land has been purchased by Cindy Sheehan to put an end to the issue and quotes Sheehan stating, "I can't think of a better way to use Casey's insurance money than for peace, and I am sure that Casey approves." Douglas reports the gatherings in Crawford will take place from August 16th to September 2nd.
How about Medea Benjamin? She just doesn't stop. She's got so much strength and maybe you're like me? You read that and you just think, "I could never do that." But the second thing you need to think is, "Well, what can I do?"
I'm reading a book from C.I.'s latest book drop. I picked this one first because I knew of Gloria Steinem but I really don't know her books. This one is called Outrageous Acts & Everyday Rebellion. This is really a great book. If you need more than my word to pick it up, on the back of the book, it's got Jane Fonda, Walter Cronkite, Coretta Scott King, Bill Moyers, Judy Collins and Alan Alda singing the book's praises.
There's a lot in there and C.I. made a list of which ones I could read by jumping around. Sometimes I'm not in the mood to go A-B-C-D . . . Chapter 1-2-3-4 . . . And I saw the book, it may have been on top, and thought, "I'm reading this one first." Then I found the note as I was digging around the box and was glad to see it was one I could hop around. It's a series of essays with an overall theme but you can start where ever you wants. The first thing I read was the essay on Alice Walker (which I really enjoyed). But I've enjoyed all of it so far. And one point Steinem makes in words and that is implied throughout (I think anyway) is that you see someone doing something and you ask what can you do?
So when you see Medea Benjamin do something amazing and think how incredible and strong she is, don't end it with, "I could never do that." Ask yourself, "Well what can I do?"
We can't all be Medea Benjamin anymore than we can all be MLK or Frederick Douglass or Harry Belafonte or Ida B. Wells-Barnett or Rosa Parks or . . . Put your own heroes on the list. (And make a place for Cindy Sheehan.) But we can take a stand. Our stand may be smaller but that's how we start.
The community knows my story but maybe there's something in here that will help someone if I repeat it. Like a lot of African-Americans, I was burned out by the White web that thought it was inclusive and thought it wanted you around until you had an opinion or didn't want to play House Negro. Some on the left are just as bad about wanting that as the right is. They want you to agree with them and trash Cynthia McKinney or something like that. (I like Cynthia McKinney. And that was a big breaking point in 2002 for some websites.)
So I gave up on that and I just focused on my church and my own life. Then came the war and I tried some more sites and felt like there was time for every issue and every topic in the world until it got around to race. So I was kind of surprised when my cousin started saying, "Have you read The Common Ills?" She is one of the original community members and she's the reason I checked it out. But I was nervous about highlights. (I should note here that C.I.'s focus for the site is now Iraq. That's at the community's request. If other people were doing their job, C.I. would be covering other things. There are other issues. But you've got so many blowing off their responsibilities online and in the press, that the community vote was for C.I. to just focus on Iraq.) I'd see something and think about doing an e-mail but thought, "Well, if it doesn't get highlighted that'll mean it's like every other site." That didn't happen, but it was a big step for me.
Then I wrote something for the year-end thing in 2004. Then I started getting more active. It was only online, but each time let me see I could do more. Then I went to my first protest/rally in March of 2005. That was a big deal for me. Now? I've got a site and I'm not afraid to speak out at work, at home and surely not at church where we are all against the war. I go to rallies and a lot more. Back in 2004, when I did that first e-mailed highlight to C.I., I thought about not sending it. Each time you take a step, it's that much easier to take the next one.
So when you see something "outrageous act" or "everyday rebellion," don't just think, "They are so strong." Ask yourself what you can do? You probably aren't to a place yet where you can do what Medea Benjamin does (I'm certainly not) but you can do something and, once you do that one thing, it will be a lot easier to do the next thing.
You can find out more about this by reading Steinem's book. You may be where I was in 2004, you may be where I am now or you may be far ahead of me -- but I think you'll enjoy the book.
Now, C.I. passed something on to me. Tomorrow (Friday) on KPFA:
Michael Parenti Special
Friday, July 28th, 1:00p.m.
A speech by Michael Parenti, author of "The Culture Struggle."
That's Pacific time. I just finished a book by Parenti and am looking forward to more. But I didn't even know of him (I did know his son's writing, Christian Parenti) until KPFA played a speech by him in May. This may be the same speech or it may be a different one. But if you've never heard him (or if you want to hear him again), make a point to listen. If you can't catch it live, go to the station after and you can hear it in the archives. (I don't know how long they keep the archives up but it's at least two weeks, I think.) I was really excited when I heard him last time, the way you get when you discover something new that you didn't know was out there.
Congratulations to Rebecca & Flyboy! If you wonder why, check out Betty's "Travel and other talk" and let me add that Betty is very pretty. I think she was feeling tired when we were in Mexico and I can understand that, she's got three kids. But she's pretty and either down playing her looks or else in need of a compliment (an overdue compliment).
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Thoughts on the Bully Boy
"Iraq snapshot" (The Common Ills)
Chaos and violence continues but the media's more interested in seeing if al-Maliki will give Bully Boy class and if Bully Boy will give al-Maliki . . .
Bombs?
Reuters reports a bomb ("car driven") in Mosul left eleven wounded, "rocket-propelled grenades" fired "on the main road between Kirkuk and Baghdad" at "two fuel trucks" killed two drivers -- a third was kidnapped; a roadside bomb in Mosul wounded three Iraqi soldiers; and, in Baghdad, a road side bomb took the life of one police officer and left three wounded. AFP reports three bombs going off in Baghdad "killing two civilians and a policeman wnd wounding many bystanders." Allowing for the police officer in Baghdad noted by AFP and Reuters to be the same person, that leaves five dead.
Shootings?
Reuters reports a shooting death in Ishaqi which took the life of a police officer, a drive-by that killed a police officer in Baghdad, four wounded in Daquq ("working for a private Iraqi company which deals with the U.S. military") and two dead ("gunned down inside their car") in Baghdad. The "inside their car" noted by Reuters appears to be "a family of Shiite civilians" who had been threatened and were attempting to flee but were killed with another family members wounded (AFP).
Corpses?
Reuters reports six corpses were discovered in Baghdad, seven in Suwayra ("shot dead . . . blindfolded), and two near Falluja ("gunshot wounds").
That's all the media has to spare for events in Iraq as the rush is to DC to note the new romantic comedy When Bully Met Puppet . . .
Here's the set up. An obnoxious, paunchy post-middle-age male decides to invade Iraq. He and his flunkies make a lot of false claims and assertions that are generally known to be false in real time. For example, Michael Ratner, Jennie Green and Barbara Olshanksy will write in 2002: "Despite the pervasive use of the phrase 'weapons of mass destruction' in many of the Bush Administration's speeches discussing Saddam Hussein throughout 2002, there is no evidence of a developed nuclear weapon program in Iraq. Indeed, all reliable, detailed evidence from independent experts reveals that the current weapons capacity in Iraq is small -- smaller and far less advanced than that of other counries around the world that are actively threatening peace in their respective regions" (Against War With Iraq). But out of some desire to let the lifelong loser make yet another stab at 'success' in some form, in any forum, the mainstream media largely either stays silent or cheerleads.
The spoiled playboy gets his hobby (and many die). He toys with and discards Ibrahim al-Jaafari (the cad!) and along comes Nouri al-Maliki. Cue love theme on the soundtrack. Puppet is Bully Boy's favorite kind of Iraqi -- one that's spent over two decades out of the country.
Now after long distance exchanges and one brief (shining) moment, they're face to face and the question for the audience is: "Are their sparks?"
Don't expect sparks to fly but expect the Puppet to get a lesson in who pulls the strings.
The BBC offers this recap: "When the two leaders met in Baghdad last month . . . The mood then was unusually positive, reports the BBC's James Coomarasamy in Washington -- but this latest meeting comes on the back of a failed security operation in Baghdad." The AFP reminds: "Baghdad's descent into chaos has claimed more victims as Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki arrived in Washington under pressure to restore order and pave the way for the departure of US forces. As gunshots and bomb blasts echoed around the capital, the Iraqi leader went into talks with US President George W. Bush knowing that both the Americans and his own supporters are disappointed with his handling of the situation."
A meeting of two leaders? Sounds more like a performance review.
Getting far less attention is the reconciliation meetings going on Cairo with (AP): "Some 30 delegates representing Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds and other smaller minorities are participating in the discussions sponsored by the Cario-based Arab League."
In peace news, the Latin American News Agency reported Friday: "Costa Rican filmmaker Daniel Ross . . . won the prize of the screenplay contest called by the Program for the Promotion of Production and TV Coverage of the Ibero American Documentary (DOCTV-IB)." Ross will now have $100,000 for the budget of his film, Dear Camilo, which "will portray the story of [Camilo] Mejias, from the perspective of two Costa Rican friends, former classmates he meets after 10 years." On the subject of activist and war resister Camilo Mejia, he is not 24 years-old. Those who've noted coverage of an accident in Florida involving a 24 year-old Camilo Mejia and wondered, it's not the same Camilo Mejia (the activist Mejia was born in 1976).
After serving in Iraq, Mejia returned to the US and went AWOL, surfacing in March of 2004 at a news conference held at the Sherborn Peace Abbey Alison O'Leary Murray (Boston Globe) reports that Sherborn Peace Abbey, "founded in 1988," is in need of funding. Along with being the setting for Meija's news conference, the abbey also "was involved in a protest by a group calling itself the Peace Chain 18, who chained themselves togeter at Natick's Army Labs to protest military intervention in Iraq."
Writing for The Huffington Post, Michael Brune notes that he and others with the Rainforest Action Network "are joining Code Pink and thousands of others around the world who are fasting to end the war in Iraq and to bring our troops home now." Brune writes: "Each day we wake up, rush to work, get together with friends, get caught in traffic, get caught in office politics, get caught in emails . . . and each day so many time zones away, another family is terrorized at gunpoint, another young soldier is killed, a home is destroyed, a child is killed while her sister is raped. And if you live in America, it's being done in your name."
YubaNet notes: "hunger strikers who started fasting against the war on July 4 will set up 'Camp Al-Maliki' across from the Iraqi Embassy to await response to a letter sent by the group to Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki." Today is DAY 22 of the Troops Home Fast action -- at least 4,350 people from around the world are participating. The fast is ongoing and people wishing to grab a one-day fast to show their support can do so at any point. If you missed the July 4th start, you haven't missed out on the protest. Information can be found online at CODEPINK.
Finally, in Australia, the inquiry into the April 21st death in Baghdad of Jake Kovco continues with "Soldier Two" (Kovco's platoon sergeant by most accounts) testifying. Malcom Brown (Sydney Morning Herald) reports that Soldier Two testified that he "had heard the commotion in Private Kovco's room on the night of April 21 and found the private's room-mates, Soldiers 17 and 19, kneeling beside the body. He saw the nine-millimetre pistol on the floor and shifted it aside with his hands in case someone accidentally discharged it." Ben Doherty (The Age) reports that "Kovco's platoon sergeant did not want to look again" at Kovco's body. This is presented as the reason why the body of Bosnian Juso Sinanovic ended up arriving in Melbourne and not the body of Jake Kovco. Soldier Two is quoted saying: "I was devastated and am still upset by the mix-up." Australia's ABC notes that Soldier Two was flown in from Baghdad to testify and that he "said he was not given detailed instructions of his role as escort, and was not told that he had sole responsibility for identifying the body during the repatriation process." Doherty notes that Soldier Two's DNA was tested and "neither Soldier 2 nor three military police officers involved in the initial investigation" match the DNA found on the gun ("its slide, handgrip and trigger"). Doherty concludes with: "The two soldiers who were in barracks room eight with Private Kovco when he died will be DNA-tested when they arrive back in Australia later this week."
Note that this is the inquiry's stated goal/action today and that another turnaround wouldn't be surprising at this point considering its past history.
What can you add to that? I found one thing in the paper.
"Military towns giving rise to Iraq war critics" (Kathy Kiely, USA Today):
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. -- Cupped in a dark green hollow of the Allegheny Mountains, this hard-luck city is far more familiar with floods than the desert. Yet, in a way, it's a crucial battleground of the Iraq war.
Southwestern Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District is a fiercely patriotic area, where storeowners still decorate their windows for Memorial Day and hang banners to welcome home returning soldiers. Military veterans account for more than 15% of the population.
So it has come as something of a shock, both to his neighbors here and colleagues in Washington, that Rep. John Murtha is leading the charge for a pullout from Iraq. A plain-spoken former Marine who has represented this district for 32 years, Murtha says it's his closeness to the troops that motivated him.
"I felt like I had to speak out," he says. "I go to the hospitals every week and see kids blown apart. ... There's times you've got to realize it isn't getting any better."
Some of the most pointed critiques of the administration's policy in Iraq are coming from lawmakers who represent constituencies with close ties to the military. Their criticism underscores how widespread concerns about the war have become, even in areas where support has been strong for President Bush or the troops.
To me, what's great about this article is that it demonstrates how wide the opposition is. You know it, I know it, but most of the time the press acts like it's not happening or hasn't happened. America wants this war over now. That's the only thing that probably worried Bully Boy. He can't have Iran as easy as he had Iraq. He's the little boy who cried WMD wolf and it's not going to be as easy to fool people this time. Like he says, "Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice . . . uh, Won't get fooled again!"
You hear that and it's hard not to think, "What an idiot." He's not someone who didn't have every break. When you realize he went to good schools it just underscores how he has always refused to apply himself. He never wanted to be "better." If he'd been checked at any point before this, he might not be such as bully.
But if he got through school talking like that, you know he was never held to any academic standards. He didn't get checked in the Guard or he would have been sent to Vietnam after he stopped doing his agreed to hours. He didn't get checked in business because Daddy's buddies always rushed in to fix things for him. So we all suffer today from someone who never grasped that you can't always have your way, that everything can't be "fixed" for you.
(Though he got the 2000 election fixed for him.)
So that's what we're dealing with and what we're looking at now -- someone's who's lived without emotional gravity who is convinced he can make something happen just by saying it will and that, if it doesn't, someone will come along and save his butt.
I don't think he gives a damn about the soldiers who die. I don't think he gave a damn about Carla Faye Tucker. The only thing that matters in his world is him. Everything else can wait or can be forgotten.
So the body count doesn't bother him. The fact that the country wants out of Iraq doesn't bother him.
He may be getting a little nervous, wondering where Daddy's friends are to bail him out on this? He's going to be left owning this one. He can't push it off on anyone else and it happened in front of the whole world so everyone knows. He can pretend like they don't, or that he doesn't care, but he's humilated himself in front of the whole world.
And that's a reality he'll have to face. He may just do it by himself, one on one, but it's reality and no one can smooth it over for him.
iraq
jacob bruce kovco
jake kovco
michael ratner
the center for constitutional rights
barbara olshansky
codepink
troops home fast
camilo mejia
Chaos and violence continues but the media's more interested in seeing if al-Maliki will give Bully Boy class and if Bully Boy will give al-Maliki . . .
Bombs?
Reuters reports a bomb ("car driven") in Mosul left eleven wounded, "rocket-propelled grenades" fired "on the main road between Kirkuk and Baghdad" at "two fuel trucks" killed two drivers -- a third was kidnapped; a roadside bomb in Mosul wounded three Iraqi soldiers; and, in Baghdad, a road side bomb took the life of one police officer and left three wounded. AFP reports three bombs going off in Baghdad "killing two civilians and a policeman wnd wounding many bystanders." Allowing for the police officer in Baghdad noted by AFP and Reuters to be the same person, that leaves five dead.
Shootings?
Reuters reports a shooting death in Ishaqi which took the life of a police officer, a drive-by that killed a police officer in Baghdad, four wounded in Daquq ("working for a private Iraqi company which deals with the U.S. military") and two dead ("gunned down inside their car") in Baghdad. The "inside their car" noted by Reuters appears to be "a family of Shiite civilians" who had been threatened and were attempting to flee but were killed with another family members wounded (AFP).
Corpses?
Reuters reports six corpses were discovered in Baghdad, seven in Suwayra ("shot dead . . . blindfolded), and two near Falluja ("gunshot wounds").
That's all the media has to spare for events in Iraq as the rush is to DC to note the new romantic comedy When Bully Met Puppet . . .
Here's the set up. An obnoxious, paunchy post-middle-age male decides to invade Iraq. He and his flunkies make a lot of false claims and assertions that are generally known to be false in real time. For example, Michael Ratner, Jennie Green and Barbara Olshanksy will write in 2002: "Despite the pervasive use of the phrase 'weapons of mass destruction' in many of the Bush Administration's speeches discussing Saddam Hussein throughout 2002, there is no evidence of a developed nuclear weapon program in Iraq. Indeed, all reliable, detailed evidence from independent experts reveals that the current weapons capacity in Iraq is small -- smaller and far less advanced than that of other counries around the world that are actively threatening peace in their respective regions" (Against War With Iraq). But out of some desire to let the lifelong loser make yet another stab at 'success' in some form, in any forum, the mainstream media largely either stays silent or cheerleads.
The spoiled playboy gets his hobby (and many die). He toys with and discards Ibrahim al-Jaafari (the cad!) and along comes Nouri al-Maliki. Cue love theme on the soundtrack. Puppet is Bully Boy's favorite kind of Iraqi -- one that's spent over two decades out of the country.
Now after long distance exchanges and one brief (shining) moment, they're face to face and the question for the audience is: "Are their sparks?"
Don't expect sparks to fly but expect the Puppet to get a lesson in who pulls the strings.
The BBC offers this recap: "When the two leaders met in Baghdad last month . . . The mood then was unusually positive, reports the BBC's James Coomarasamy in Washington -- but this latest meeting comes on the back of a failed security operation in Baghdad." The AFP reminds: "Baghdad's descent into chaos has claimed more victims as Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki arrived in Washington under pressure to restore order and pave the way for the departure of US forces. As gunshots and bomb blasts echoed around the capital, the Iraqi leader went into talks with US President George W. Bush knowing that both the Americans and his own supporters are disappointed with his handling of the situation."
A meeting of two leaders? Sounds more like a performance review.
Getting far less attention is the reconciliation meetings going on Cairo with (AP): "Some 30 delegates representing Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds and other smaller minorities are participating in the discussions sponsored by the Cario-based Arab League."
In peace news, the Latin American News Agency reported Friday: "Costa Rican filmmaker Daniel Ross . . . won the prize of the screenplay contest called by the Program for the Promotion of Production and TV Coverage of the Ibero American Documentary (DOCTV-IB)." Ross will now have $100,000 for the budget of his film, Dear Camilo, which "will portray the story of [Camilo] Mejias, from the perspective of two Costa Rican friends, former classmates he meets after 10 years." On the subject of activist and war resister Camilo Mejia, he is not 24 years-old. Those who've noted coverage of an accident in Florida involving a 24 year-old Camilo Mejia and wondered, it's not the same Camilo Mejia (the activist Mejia was born in 1976).
After serving in Iraq, Mejia returned to the US and went AWOL, surfacing in March of 2004 at a news conference held at the Sherborn Peace Abbey Alison O'Leary Murray (Boston Globe) reports that Sherborn Peace Abbey, "founded in 1988," is in need of funding. Along with being the setting for Meija's news conference, the abbey also "was involved in a protest by a group calling itself the Peace Chain 18, who chained themselves togeter at Natick's Army Labs to protest military intervention in Iraq."
Writing for The Huffington Post, Michael Brune notes that he and others with the Rainforest Action Network "are joining Code Pink and thousands of others around the world who are fasting to end the war in Iraq and to bring our troops home now." Brune writes: "Each day we wake up, rush to work, get together with friends, get caught in traffic, get caught in office politics, get caught in emails . . . and each day so many time zones away, another family is terrorized at gunpoint, another young soldier is killed, a home is destroyed, a child is killed while her sister is raped. And if you live in America, it's being done in your name."
YubaNet notes: "hunger strikers who started fasting against the war on July 4 will set up 'Camp Al-Maliki' across from the Iraqi Embassy to await response to a letter sent by the group to Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki." Today is DAY 22 of the Troops Home Fast action -- at least 4,350 people from around the world are participating. The fast is ongoing and people wishing to grab a one-day fast to show their support can do so at any point. If you missed the July 4th start, you haven't missed out on the protest. Information can be found online at CODEPINK.
Finally, in Australia, the inquiry into the April 21st death in Baghdad of Jake Kovco continues with "Soldier Two" (Kovco's platoon sergeant by most accounts) testifying. Malcom Brown (Sydney Morning Herald) reports that Soldier Two testified that he "had heard the commotion in Private Kovco's room on the night of April 21 and found the private's room-mates, Soldiers 17 and 19, kneeling beside the body. He saw the nine-millimetre pistol on the floor and shifted it aside with his hands in case someone accidentally discharged it." Ben Doherty (The Age) reports that "Kovco's platoon sergeant did not want to look again" at Kovco's body. This is presented as the reason why the body of Bosnian Juso Sinanovic ended up arriving in Melbourne and not the body of Jake Kovco. Soldier Two is quoted saying: "I was devastated and am still upset by the mix-up." Australia's ABC notes that Soldier Two was flown in from Baghdad to testify and that he "said he was not given detailed instructions of his role as escort, and was not told that he had sole responsibility for identifying the body during the repatriation process." Doherty notes that Soldier Two's DNA was tested and "neither Soldier 2 nor three military police officers involved in the initial investigation" match the DNA found on the gun ("its slide, handgrip and trigger"). Doherty concludes with: "The two soldiers who were in barracks room eight with Private Kovco when he died will be DNA-tested when they arrive back in Australia later this week."
Note that this is the inquiry's stated goal/action today and that another turnaround wouldn't be surprising at this point considering its past history.
What can you add to that? I found one thing in the paper.
"Military towns giving rise to Iraq war critics" (Kathy Kiely, USA Today):
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. -- Cupped in a dark green hollow of the Allegheny Mountains, this hard-luck city is far more familiar with floods than the desert. Yet, in a way, it's a crucial battleground of the Iraq war.
Southwestern Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District is a fiercely patriotic area, where storeowners still decorate their windows for Memorial Day and hang banners to welcome home returning soldiers. Military veterans account for more than 15% of the population.
So it has come as something of a shock, both to his neighbors here and colleagues in Washington, that Rep. John Murtha is leading the charge for a pullout from Iraq. A plain-spoken former Marine who has represented this district for 32 years, Murtha says it's his closeness to the troops that motivated him.
"I felt like I had to speak out," he says. "I go to the hospitals every week and see kids blown apart. ... There's times you've got to realize it isn't getting any better."
Some of the most pointed critiques of the administration's policy in Iraq are coming from lawmakers who represent constituencies with close ties to the military. Their criticism underscores how widespread concerns about the war have become, even in areas where support has been strong for President Bush or the troops.
To me, what's great about this article is that it demonstrates how wide the opposition is. You know it, I know it, but most of the time the press acts like it's not happening or hasn't happened. America wants this war over now. That's the only thing that probably worried Bully Boy. He can't have Iran as easy as he had Iraq. He's the little boy who cried WMD wolf and it's not going to be as easy to fool people this time. Like he says, "Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice . . . uh, Won't get fooled again!"
You hear that and it's hard not to think, "What an idiot." He's not someone who didn't have every break. When you realize he went to good schools it just underscores how he has always refused to apply himself. He never wanted to be "better." If he'd been checked at any point before this, he might not be such as bully.
But if he got through school talking like that, you know he was never held to any academic standards. He didn't get checked in the Guard or he would have been sent to Vietnam after he stopped doing his agreed to hours. He didn't get checked in business because Daddy's buddies always rushed in to fix things for him. So we all suffer today from someone who never grasped that you can't always have your way, that everything can't be "fixed" for you.
(Though he got the 2000 election fixed for him.)
So that's what we're dealing with and what we're looking at now -- someone's who's lived without emotional gravity who is convinced he can make something happen just by saying it will and that, if it doesn't, someone will come along and save his butt.
I don't think he gives a damn about the soldiers who die. I don't think he gave a damn about Carla Faye Tucker. The only thing that matters in his world is him. Everything else can wait or can be forgotten.
So the body count doesn't bother him. The fact that the country wants out of Iraq doesn't bother him.
He may be getting a little nervous, wondering where Daddy's friends are to bail him out on this? He's going to be left owning this one. He can't push it off on anyone else and it happened in front of the whole world so everyone knows. He can pretend like they don't, or that he doesn't care, but he's humilated himself in front of the whole world.
And that's a reality he'll have to face. He may just do it by himself, one on one, but it's reality and no one can smooth it over for him.
iraq
jacob bruce kovco
jake kovco
michael ratner
the center for constitutional rights
barbara olshansky
codepink
troops home fast
camilo mejia
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