Cedric's Big Mix

Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Before they hit the streets . . .

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

IF THEY WERE JOURNALISTS, IT WOULD BE UNETHICAL.

BUT THERE'S NO LAW AGAINST A GROUP OF WHORES MEETING WITH THEIR PIMP AND DOING WHAT HE TELLS THEM.

WHICH IS HOW RACHEL MADDOW, AL SHARPTON, ARIANNA HUFFINGTON, FATTY ED SCHULTZ AND LARRY O'DONNELL ENDED UP MEETING AT THE WHITE HOUSE WITH CELEBRITY IN CHIEF BARRY O YESTERDAY -- AN OFF THE RECORD MEETING TO LEARN HOW TO SELL BARRY O'S TALKING POINTS TO THE MASSES.

REMEMBER WHEN THOSE OF US ON THE LEFT WERE OUTRAGED BY BULLY BOY BUSH DOING THIS KIND OF CRAP?

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Yesterday evening there was a Bradley Manning Support Network's DC event or, as it turned out, No Gold Star Left Behind. Everyone gets a prize just for participating. Before we get to that, Monday April 5, 2010, WikiLeaks released US military video of a July 12, 2007 assault in Iraq. 12 people were killed in the assault including two Reuters journalists Namie Noor-Eldeen and Saeed Chmagh. Monday June 7, 2010, the US military announced that they had arrested Bradley Manning and he stood accused of being the leaker of the video. Leila Fadel (Washington Post) reported in August 2010 that Manning had been charged -- "two charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The first encompasses four counts of violating Army regulations by transferring classified information to his personal computer between November and May and adding unauthorized software to a classified computer system. The second comprises eight counts of violating federal laws governing the handling of classified information." In March, 2011, David S. Cloud (Los Angeles Times) reported that the military has added 22 additional counts to the charges including one that could be seen as "aiding the enemy" which could result in the death penalty if convicted. The Article 32 hearing took place in December. At the start of this year, there was an Article 32 hearing and, February 3rd, it was announced that the government would be moving forward with a court-martial. Bradley has yet to enter a plea and has neither affirmed that he is the leaker nor denied it. The court-martial was supposed to begin before the election but it was postponed until after the election so that Barack wouldn't have to run on a record of his actual actions.

Some notes. I attended with a National Lawyers Guild friend. I'm sure we weren't the only ones rolling our eyes as various 'political prisoners' got name checked and Lynne Stewart was ignored. We didn't attend expecting to hear Lynne's name but when you've got time to name check others, you've got time for Lynne. Lynne's always had time for everyone else and, yes, you owe Lynne Stewart. You might also have included her on the 'great attorneys' of the past list -- but, of course, no women made that list either.

There was time to thank reporters, time to mention them by name, time to applaud them, time to weigh in on Subway and working lunches. As that speech was finally winding down, my friend pointed out, "Now we know why they can't make a credible argument for Assange." Indeed. Does no one organize before speaking to an audience? You're not there to tell the history of time. You choose a few key points. You make those points, you're done. It appears presentation has confused with filibuster.

At last came David Coombs, Bradley Manning's attorney, and I wrongly thought (yet again), "Okay, get ready to take notes." Wrong. Key moment from the speech?

Probably when Coombs was climbing the cross to praise himself -- the first time. Now attorneys tend to have oversized egos, that's not surprising. But what was surprising was hearing someone self-aggrandize to a packed room about how great they were because they turn down all interview requests. ("I also avoid any interviews with the media.") That's not great at all.

You're in a media war, David Coombs, you need to be taking every interview request and then some. Your failure to do so goes a long, long way towards explaining how Bradley has disappeared from the radar so often.

The failure to grasp that this was a press event and not an ABA convention further hurt Bradley. Going on about how the pre-trial motions blah blah blah, Coombs suddenly declares, "I'm enjoying my opportunity to cross-examine those who had Bradley Manning in those conditions for so many months." And like dutiful idiots, many of those applauded that crap.

Well, hey, then, let's let this trial go on for 30 years. For those of us who are actually outraged that the US government has refused to provide Bradley Manning with a fair and speedy trial, the 'enjoyment' of the defense attorney really isn't our concern.

Here's another tip: "Those people." No one gives a damn about some free floating, nebulous menace. Even the idiot Bully Boy Bush knew he had to paint a face on what he dubbed the "axis of evil." But there was Coombs pontificating endlessly about "those people" who knew Bradley was being wronged but did nothing, could see with their own eyes that Bradley was being wronged but did nothing. Who are these people? Do you mean guards? If so, why can't you say that?

"Change"? Unless you're talking coins, stop using that empty phrase -- especially as a noun. The 2008 election drained it of all value. At one point, Coombs wanted to liken Bradley to Daniel Ellsberg. I'm sorry but I was at rallies for Daniel Ellsberg -- actual rallies -- and this 'presentation' was more self-congratulatory then anything we had for Ellsberg. Everything is not an applause line and people need to stop applauding themselves. It's not only immodest, it's counterproductive. A real discussion could have taken place if everyone hadn't decided that self-suck was more important than addressing reality. After three solid minutes of various thanks (with no end in sight), my friend leaned over and asked if he did "the E-Z checks plan, will they give me my PBS mug so we can leave already?"

I've noted before that Jane Fonda is one of our country's great speakers. She truly is. We can all learn and borrow from her. One of the things she's always been very good at is conveying some nervousness about speaking and growing stronger in her presentation so that the subtext is: This made me stronger. She embodies that. She does not stand there yammering on about 'I'm scared but now I'm stronger and blah blah blah.' If Jane were to put that into words instead of making it the subtext, it wouldn't work. And Coombs' bad attempt to steal Jane's signature move sank as he verbalized (in a hundred and one words) what she embodies with a gesture, a head tilt and the growing passion in her voice.

David Coombs loves the judge, loves the military system, loves the legal system, loves to hear his own voice. We learned about that and so many more things about David Coombs. Bradley? Not so much. What should have been the strongest moment quickly sank.

David Coombs: Last Tuesday, the President of the United States signed into law The Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act. As President Obama was signing this bill into law, Brad and I were in a court room for the start of his unlawful pre-trial motion. How can you reconcile the two?

Is it possible for Coombs to speak plainly? "Unlawful pre-trial motion." Is that a soundbyte outside of a legal journal? I don't think so. Nor do I think "Brad and I were in a court room" is appropriate. Bradley is the targeted one, not David Coombs.

What followed were 'questions' that were written out ahead of time on index cards. It was as though we were sitting through the press conference Bully Boy Bush held right before starting the Iraq War.

As we were leaving, a reporter I knew stopped us and asked how fair were the questions? "Off the record," I said, "the whole thing was bulls**t. Where do we get off on the left refusing to take questions? Doing pre-screened -- excuse me, 'pre-approved' questions? I thought the heart of this case was about the need for information to be out there. Freedom of information died here, somebody call the time of death." My friend summed it up better, however, "I support Manning 100% but what went on in there was a cross between an Amway convention and a Nuremberg Rally."

My comments above are on the first half of the presentation only. (In part because I had to step outside to return a few calls including one about last night's snapshot -- it was too long when it was typed up and we had to edit it.) I was present for the entire presentation and 'question' and answer session with Coombs. I stepped out right after that.

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Snarly Rice steamed

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

POOR SCOWLING RICE. THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS IS SLOWLY LEARNING THAT TREATING PEOPLE WITH CONTEMPT CAN COME BACK TO BITE YOU IN THE ASS. AND SNARLY RICE IS LEARNING THAT SHE'S NEVER GOING TO SHAKE THE NICKNAME "RWANDA RICE" AFTER THE GENOCIDE SHE HELPED ENABLE.

THEN AGAIN, MAYBE IT'S HER FINANCIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST THAT WILL FIND HER NOT BECOMING SECRETARY OF STATE.

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

This evening Hurriyet news reported that Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani is "accusing Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of continually suspecting conspiracies against him" and quotes Barzani stating, "We want to solve issues through dialogue, not through tanks or F-16s. The problems with al-Maliki are not personal. Most Iraqi factions support us." What is Barzani talking about? Nouri has created so many crises in Iraq that it can get confusing. This one stems from Iraq's law of the land.

Iraq's Constitution was written in 2005. At the time of the writing -- and still today -- there were areas in dispute. Three provinces are part of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region. In addition, Kurds feel they have a right to other areas including oil-rich Kirkuk. The central government out of Baghdad also feels it has a claim to Kirkuk. What you have is two sides attempting to make historical claims to one piece of land. That will never resolve the issue, as the writers of the Constitution knew. So they created Article 140. It calls for a census and a referdum to resolve disputed areas. Nouri al-Maliki is installed by the US government as prime minister of Iraq in the spring of 2006. Article 140 is supposed to be implemented no later than the end of 2007.

Despite having had six years to implement Article 140 (and despite forever promising he was just about to), Nouri has refused to implement it. The climate was not just one of mistrust on this issue, it was one of Nouri refusing to follow the law. And he made it worse a few months ago by sending Iraqi forces (Tigris Operation Command) into these disputed areas. The Kurds fear that he is doing that to 'resolve' the dispute by force.

The dispute could have ended last week and it stood a serious chance. Dropping back to Thursday's snapshot:

Tensions continue between the KRG and the Baghdad-based central government over Nouri sending in the Tigris Operation Command forces into disputed regions, as Martin Kobler noted today when addressing the UN Security Council. In an interesting development, Mohammad Sabah (Al Mada) reports Nouri is said to be angry because his generals are not providing him with details and summeries of the ongoing negotiations with the Kurdish Peshmerga officials. If Nouri is really being kept out of the loop, that says a great deal about how much his power has faded in the last weeks. Even more surprising since the Peshmerga has published the main points the two sides agreed upon:

1. Forming an operational mechanism, principles of cooperation and joint committees in the disputed regions. The joint operations in the disputed regions of Kurdistan will remain unchanged but the mechanism of operation will be revitalized between the federal forces and the forces of the Kurdistan Region.

2. The meetings of all the joint operations committees will be rescheduled to once a month. This will be increased if deemed necessary, especially for meetings of the SAC.

3. The location of the meetings and coordination for the meetings will be organized by the command of the Iraqi Armed Forces who will work as a coordinator for the work of the committees, especially the SAC.

4. A follow-up procedure will be conducted for the work and the decisions of the joint committees and punitive measures will be taken against any defaulting party or individual.

5. Any party or individual will be punished in case of reporting misleading information to their superiors in order to create problems and crisis at any level.

6. The SAC must be immediately informed about any problems that arise in the disputed areas in order to immediately work on solving them.

7. The agreements must be honored and the commanders, officials and individuals who violate the terms of the agreements will be punished.

8. Forming a quick mechanism to pull out all the forces of both sides that were mobilized to the region after Nov. 16, 2012. Pulling out these forces must be transparent, truthful and supervised by the supreme committee members after the consent of the SMC.

9. Reconsidering the decision of forming operations command in the region, especially the Tigris Operations Command, and giving back the authority of security in Kirkuk to the police, Asayish and internal forces.

This could have been the first step in resolving that crisis. Instead, Nouri nixed the deal and uncorked the crazy. And he was spewing it on Saturday. Al Mada reported the prime minister made a public statement in which he attacked Shi'ites, Sunnis and Kurds, stated that those attempting to withdraw confidence for him should be warned and floated "arrests" as part of his threats. It was a very disturbing speech. In the speech he made a demand that everyone attend a meet-up. All Iraq News notes that the Kurdistan Alliance has already: They won't be attending. They issued a statement explaining Nouri has refused to be practical and resolve the crisis (he created). While the Kurds willingly met with Speaker of Parliament Osama al-Nujaifi in good faith, Nouri blew off the exchange. When the Iraqi military and the Peshmerga came up with a 14-point plan to resolve the latest crisis (created by Nouri), Nouri said it would not be allowed.

Dar Addustour added that Nouri declared in his speech that the Kurds don't believe in the Constitution and that efforts at a no-confidence vote in him will be met by actions that have never been taken before. In addition, he announced he wants to arrest members of Parliament who raised the torture of Iraqi women in prisons. He also made a number of statements involving President Jalal Talabani which appear to be that the same people who put him (Nouri) in power put Jalal in power and if Nouri goes down so does Jalal. Al Rafidayn emphasized the attacks on Jalal Talabani in Nouri's remarks. Today the Iraq Times reports MP Amir al-Kanani, with Moqtada al-Sadr's political bloc, states that Nouri's speech was in response to the loss of popularity for his political party Dawa as a result of his attempts to end the food ration card system and as a result of the Russian arms deal that fell apart. Dawa is Nouri's political party. His political slate that he ran with in 2010 is State of Law. Provincial elections are supposed to take place in April which could be behind any concern about the popularity of Dawa. All Iraq News notes that State of Law was supposed to meet this evening in Nouri's offices to prepare their strategies for the upcoming elections.

Al Mada notes that the religious authorities in Najaf are said to be troubled by the escalation of the conflict. They're not the only ones troubled. Wael Grace (Al Mada) notes that the actions are troublinging investors and would-be investors dismaying the business community in Iraq. Also watching the situation closely is the government of Turkey. Rudaw reports, "Turkish officials say they are following recent tensions between the Kurdistan Region and the Iraqi government with concern." Alsumaria reports Iraqiya head Ayad Allawi declared today that Nouri al-Maliki's actions have been an assault on the Kurdish region. It's noted that Allawi has spoken via telephone with both Barzani and Talabani about the issue already today. The Iraq Times notes that Allawi is scheduled to visit Erbil on Wednesday. Iraqiya is the political slate that came in first in the 2010 parliamentary elections.

Earlier today Alsumaria reported that a large number of Peshmerga are moving towards Kirkuk. The Iraq Times reports that they arrived with tanks by afternoon. Nouri called the move "irresponsible escalation." Meanwhile Alsumaria notes Talabani was returning to Baghdad today in an attempt to re-start a dialogue on the issues.

How serious is the above? Not at all serious to the reporters covering the US State Dept. Despite the fact that a press conference was held today, no one asked spokesperson Mark Toner one question about Iraq.

In violence, Alsumaria reports a Kirkuk mortar attack injured a police officer. Also in Kirkuk, Alsumaria reports a 20-year-old man shot dead his 2 brothers and 1 sister behind the Dawa Party's offices and he shot his parents as well but they were left injured, not dead. All Iraq News notes 1 person was shot dead in Mousl. Friday ended the month of November. Iraq Body Count counted 244 deaths from violence in the month. AFP reports the government ministries (under)count 166 deaths. The outlets notes this is an increase from the government's claims of only 144 deaths in October.

As noted above, Nouri's threatening to arrest members of Parliament who spoke publicly about the abuse Iraqi women are suffering in prisons. The BRussels Tribunal has a very important article on this torture. We're going to highlight a little from their report each snapshot this week and hopefully include the entire thing that way. Here they are on the starting point:

The torture journey starts when security forces raid and search the houses, through random raids or ordered raids. The Fourth Commander of the Second Brigade – Team 6, Major Jumaa Al-Musawi, has confirmed this information. This man has a criminal record, and he was assigned to this position by the American Forces during their first training courses in intelligence gathering. He used to live in Al-Thawra (now called Sadr City) / Sector 87. In his own words:

"When we receive the raid and search orders from the Brigade Intelligence, we usually start with a little party and drink alcohol, or take some drugs. We choose the most cruel soldiers to carry out such operations. The first thing we do is to lock the men and youngsters in a room, and the women and children in another room. We start to steal what can be taken fast, like jewelry, and we mess up the house, like throwing the women's underwear here and there; some soldiers even steal some of this underwear. After that, we start to do a body search on the women, and having fun touching their private parts or breasts. We threaten them to arrest the men in the house when they refuse to be touched. If those women are pretty, we usually rape them immediately, and leave the house when we find no weapons or incriminating material. In case we find some weapons, every man and youngster in the house will be arrested, and if there are no men at home, we arrest all the women instead. This is totally according to the orders we receive."

What follows is one of many stories about the crimes committed by these corrupt creatures, who shamelessly brag about their misdeeds to each other. Al-Musawi and his assistant Lt. Rafid Al-Darraji (another criminal who was imprisoned in Abu-Ghraib and sentenced to death, but was released by the Americans, using him as a guardian, along with their own guard dogs, giving him the Lt. rank. He used to live in Al-Nuariyah District. Here is what they state:

"In July 2006, we received an order to raid and search the house of one of the fabric merchants in Karradah (his name is not mentioned). When we reached his house at 1:00 a.m., we didn't find the man, we only found his wife and his 17 year old son. During the search we found a rifle, which – according to our law – is permitted for the personal protection of civilians. But we threatened the woman that we would arrest her son if she didn't let us rape her. So, we handcuffed the son and locked him in a room, and one soldier after the other raped the lady in the other room. The other soldiers stole what they could find, then we headed to a well-known brothel in Al-Doura District in Um Alaa's house to enjoy the rest of the night there."

They continue: "The first thing we do when an arrested woman is being transported to the detention location, is that every part of her body is touched by all the soldiers in the vehicle, while using dirty language. When we reach the detention facility, we leave her in the investigation room, supervised by the intelligence officer and his assistants. They directly take all her clothes off, blindfold her, handcuff her, then the intelligence officer starts to rape her with his assistant. And later they ask her some questions: if she's guilty or innocent and so on. Then they blackmail her, saying that she should be cooperative and give important information about the District where she lives, otherwise they would distribute photos of her while she was naked and being raped. They would accuse her of false charges if she would file a complaint about harrassment and torture. If she receives a "guilty" verdict, she usually stays in the same location for a period of one to three months, in order to finish the procedures of her "case", to be sent to the headquarters. During these months, every single intelligence officer and soldier in the Brigade will rape her. After that, she will be sent to Al Tasfeerat Prison in Shaab Stadium, or to Al-Muthanna Airport Prison. Sometimes the prisoner is transferred to the facility of the Chief Commander's Office in the Green Zone, which is a cellar under the building of the Baghdad Operations Headquarter, supervised by Major General Adnan Al-Musawi. This place is one of the most dangerous, dirtiest prisons of Al-Maliki.

RECOMMENDED:

Cedric's Big Mix

3 ring circus
2 days ago
The Daily Jot

THIS JUST IN! BUY PEANUTS FOR THE CIRCUS!
2 days ago

Saturday, December 01, 2012

3 ring circus

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

IF YOU THOUGHT HE LEARNED A DAMN THING FROM HIS FIRST TERM, YOU WERE WRONG.

PICKING A CABINET IS JUST AS CONFUSING FOR CELEBRITY IN CHIEF BARRY O THIS GO ROUND AS IT WAS LAST.

IF WE CAN ALL SET ASIDE CONCERNS FOR THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY, WE CAN JUST SIT BACK AND LAUGH AT THE INEPTITUDE AND THE INABILITY TO LEARN FROM MISTAKES AS WE GO FROM THE GIDDY HIGH OF ONE FAILED NOMINATION TO THE NEXT.

WHO BROUGHT THE POPCORN?

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Today is the 921st day Iraq War veteran Bradley Manning has spent in military custody. Today, he again spoke in court and we start with that because the US military has yet again demonstrated it is a culture that refuses to adapt and is so rooted in the status quo that it is responsible -- continues to be responsible -- for the deaths of its own.

Background, Monday April 5, 2010, WikiLeaks released US military video of a July 12, 2007 assault in Iraq. 12 people were killed in the assault including two Reuters journalists Namie Noor-Eldeen and Saeed Chmagh. Monday June 7, 2010, the US military announced that they had arrested Bradley Manning and he stood accused of being the leaker of the video. Leila Fadel (Washington Post) reported in August 2010 that Manning had been charged -- "two charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The first encompasses four counts of violating Army regulations by transferring classified information to his personal computer between November and May and adding unauthorized software to a classified computer system. The second comprises eight counts of violating federal laws governing the handling of classified information." In March, 2011, David S. Cloud (Los Angeles Times) reported that the military has added 22 additional counts to the charges including one that could be seen as "aiding the enemy" which could result in the death penalty if convicted. The Article 32 hearing took place in December. At the start of this year, there was an Article 32 hearing and, February 3rd, it was announced that the government would be moving forward with a court-martial. Bradley has yet to enter a plea and has neither affirmed that he is the leaker nor denied it. The court-martial was supposed to begin before the election but it was postponed until after the election so that Barack wouldn't have to run on a record of his actual actions.

Bradley appeared in military court yesterday and we'll note various details about the case itself. But the most important detail is one that effects all serving and veterans who have served -- as well as their family members.

Leave it to the Associated Press to miss what's right before its own eyes: "His pretrial testimony appeared to support the military's argument that it was trying to protect Manning from harming himself by keeping him in strict isolation, taking away his clothes and shakling him when he was outside his cell." Did it?

No, it did not. AP, from time to time, exists solely to keep Dorothy Parker's adage alive: You can lead a whore to culture but you cannot make her think.

Taking away his clothes was never about his protection. And, at Third, we noted that as soon as those details became public and we pointed out that there were non-cloth items he could be provided with to wear if it really was about his safety. (And didn't the military then suddenly discover that to be true?) It was not about his protection.

Bradley being forced to sleep in the nude -- nude and on full display -- is not normal, it is not therapeutic and for the AP to suggest that it is is as offensive if they started running "She asked for it" columns on rape.

If the US military wasn't trying to punish Bradley (I believe they were trying to humiliate him, my opinion), their actions do not suddenly become 'good.' It goes to the larger issue that you have a lot of idiots who don't know what they're doing.

Forcing anyone to be on public display is humiliating and counter-productive enough, adding nudity to it?

Immediately after he was taken into military custody, Bradley was transferred from Iraq to Kuwait. He was not told what was taking place or if he would stay there or be moved. Extraordinary rendention was already well known and discussed in the press. When Jane Mayer was an actual reporter and not the partisan hack she's since morphed into, you could read all sorts of tales by her about what the US government was allowing to be done in the name of 'interrogation.'

In such a climate, a very young man, already under stress, was taken into military custody. He had no idea what would happen to him. In Kuwait, at one point he made a knoose. He's called it that in his testimony. The artist rendering of what prosecutor held up is not actually a knoose. It's a sheet with a series of knots in it.

The military prosecution is attempting to assert that this knoose or 'knoose' along with another statement is why certain measures were taken with Bradley. The AP apparently feels it is their job to make the military's case for them as opposed to being a skeptical press.

The statement? Arriving at Quantico, he was admitted. When he was being admitted into Quantico, Bradley wrote on a form, in response to a question about suicide, "always planning and never acting."

Are you telling me that the US military didn't have a follow up?

If there was a follow up verbal question, then there was a follow up verbal response. Why isn't that noted?

Because it wouldn't back the military's assertion? Possibly.

That's disturbing. More disturbing would be that there was no verbal follow up to a statement like that on a form.

To be clear, that statement is perfectly 'normal.' At different points in their lives, many Americans will consider suicide. Maybe for a few seconds each time they do, maybe in an elaborate fantasy that has actually deals with something other than suicide.

The statement is not 'troubling.' For a number of reasons. One, it is an opening to discuss a serious issue and, two, it demonstrates that the person being assessed has some comfort level discussing the issue. Someone being admitted who was planning to kill themselves and wanting to kill themselves once admitted to a facility, most likely would be close-lipped about any sucidal thoughts.

The narrative that the military prosecutor presented to the military court is that Bradley arrived back in the US and wrote during the intake assessment that he was "always planning and never acting" upon. "Planning" should have resulted in Bradley being asked to define "planning." Is that thinking, is that an abstract, is that an elaborate plan? If you were to take your own life, how would you do it? A whole string of questions were prompted by "always planning and never acting."

Where were those questions?

Was someone too uncomfortable to ask? Was a medical professional not present at intake? That seems strange considering the high-profile nature of Bradley's case even then; however, I would assume the military would train those working at Quantico or any other brig on suicide.

What it appears is that, at best, Bradley suffered because the military is not training those required to do supervision on issues like suicide.

Dropping back to November 16th:

Yesterday, the Defense Dept released the US Army's suicide numbers for last month: "20 potential suicides: five have been confirmed as suicides, and 15 remain under investigation" which is an increase of five from September's numbers. DoD notes that 2011 resulted in 165 deaths confirmed as suicides and that 2012 has seen 105 confirmed and 61 which are still being investigated. So if all under investigation currently were to be ruled suicide, October will be the month that 2012 surpassed 2011 for number of army members taking their own lives (166 is the number of suicides if the 61 under investigation end up determined to be suicides). With two months of data remaining for the calendar year, it is likely 2012 will see an increase in the number of suicides.

Quantico brig would be a natural location for potentially at-risk persons. Those working at Quantico should have a minimum level of training. That minimum level should have included staff providing direct supervision -- eyes on -- of Bradley being alarmed over what public nudity might do to the mental well being of a supposed suicide risk.

There was nothing healthy about what was done to Bradley. If the military's narrative, as presented by the prosecution, is correct, then the Defense Dept is the cause of suicides. It's not merely failing to provide assistance, it's creating an unhealthy environment that encourages and assists suicides via its own ignorance and negligence.

This is not an abstract. There is a suicide crisis in the military today.

Senator Patty Murray is the Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. This week, she proposed that the Defense Authorization Bill be expanded so that it will "require DoD to create a comprehensive, standardized suicide prevention program."

Senator Patty Murray: Time and time again, we've lost servicemembers and veterans to suicide. But while the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have taken important steps towards addressing this crisis, we know more must be done. We know that any solution depends upon reducing wait times and improving access to mental health care; ensuring proper diagnosis; and achieving true coordination of care and information between the Departments. This amendment would require a comprehensive, standardized suicide prevention program across the DoD. It would require the use of the best medical practices, in suicide prevention and behavioral health programs to address serious gaps in the current programs.

Murray's remarks appear in full in the November 28th snapshot. I strongly support Murray's proposal. Not only that, I hope attorneys around the country start thinking class-action lawsuit against DoD. A huge number of veterans and servicemembers have taken their own lives. They've often done so because the help they needed was not present and the people who should have seen the risks weren't trained to see the risks.

If the military is going to stand by the assertion that what Bradley experienced -- the 'diagnosis' and the 'treatment' -- was standard and humane military treatment, then it's really time for lawyers to start filing law suits against the DoD and the VA regarding suicides.

Friday, November 30, 2012

He's on fire

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

FOR THE POSSIBLY UNEDUCATED -- LIKE TERRELL TEXAS' BIGGEST NUT JAMIE FOXX -- BLASPHEMY INCLUDES "THE ACT OF CLAIMING THE ATTRIBUTES OF DEITY."

IF YOU'RE NOT RELIGIOUS, IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER. BUT IF YOU ARE, REMEMBER THAT BLASPHEMY USUALLY RESULTS IN A STEEP PENALTY IN ALL RELIGIONS. AND 'I WAS JUST JOKING' USUALLY DOESN'T MITIGATE THE PENALTY.

IN THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, BLASPHEMY IS SUPPOSED TO MEAN THE PITS OF HELL. HAVE FUN BEING THE 'HOTTEST THING' DOWN THERE, JAMIE.

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Today Martin Kobler addressed the United Nations Security Council in New York. Kobler is the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy in Iraq and heads United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). As usual when we note the report on Iraq to the Security Council, we do it in two snapshots. It was a presentation that lasted over 20 minutes. It is important enough -- how the UN officially views Iraq for public consumption -- to be included in full. So we spread it out over two snapshots.

Martin Kobler: Mr. President, as 2012 draws to a close, it is pertinent to take stock of progress Iraq has made during the last twelve months. During that time, Iraq has made committed efforts to enforce law and order following the withdrawal of United States forces. Reclaiming its rightful place at the diplomatic table, it successfully hosted the 23rd Arab Summit in Baghdad in April, and, in May, it hosted talks between Iran and the permanent members of the [Security] Council plus Germany. In terms of strengthening state institutions, the Human Rights Commission was established in April and a new board of Commissioners of the Independent High Electoral Commission was elected in September. The latter resulted in an agreement on the date for government council elections in April next year. This progress, however, is in danger by two factors. First, the stalemate between Iraq's political leaders and, second, developments in the region. Mr. President, I regret to report to the Council that estranged relations between Iraq's political leaders have endured throughout the year. One manifestation of this is the Arab-Kurdish rift. The lack of trust stems from a number of pending issues of contention, including power-sharing, security and tense relations between the central government and the region of Kurdistan. The resulting political deadlock is preventing the progress and reform necessary to consolidate Iraq's transition. Attempts to defuse the stalemate have most recently focused on a package of political reforms which appears stalled. The government of Iraq's decision to establish the Tigris Command Operations Command responsible for overall security in Kirkuk, Salahuddin and the Diyala Govern-ates has been highly criticized by members of the Kurdistan Regional Government. A military stand-off ensued, incorporating the armed forces of the respective governments. The militarization of the situation has resulted in the regrettable death of one civilian. I should like to take this opportunity to call on the parties to exercise all due restraint at this time of increased tensions. I count on the leadership of the politicians of Iraq to resolve their differences through political dialog in accordance with the Constitution. In that regard, I welcome the recent efforts of Parliament Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi and I also welcome the convening of a meeting between the Iraqi army and the Peshmerga at the technical level earlier this week in Baghdad. It is a step in the right direction. And I do encourage both sides to keep the door open -- of dialog open -- and implement the understandings reached. UNAMI stands ready to implement any possible agreement reached that would de-escalate the situation and promote confidence among the various communities. Over the past few days, Mr. President, dozens of Iraqi security personnel and civilians -- including worshipers -- have been killed and many other dozens injured in Baghdad, Kirkuk, Karbala and Falluja. Extremists use the political differences of the leaders to ignite either sectarian or ethnic violence and tensions in Iraq. Immediate resolutions and compromise by all political leaders should be the response to these attempts. The tense political standoff is thus testing Iraq's internal fault-lines. August and September were the deadliest months in the last two years. A particular atrocious series of attacks on October 27th targeted pilgrims during holy Eid al-Adha observance. Left unaddressed, the political impasse will leave Iraq vulnerable to the sectarists of Iraq's ability, mainly from the spillover of violence in the wider region. Mr. President, Iraq finds itself in an increasingly unstable region environment generated by the Syrian Civil War. The Syrian conflict has exposed a complex web on interconnected and conflicting interests that threatens to engulf the region in violent conflict. With no immediate solution to the crisis in sight, there are real risks of spillover, violence and destabilization. At the domestic level, the conflict across Iraq's borders has had a significant humanitarian impact on Iraq. The crisis also impacts on Iraq's relations with her neighbors. Iraq's relationship with Turkey has also grown increasingly tense in recent months with an escalation in the rhetoric exchanged on both sides. The divergent positions between Iraq and other states in the region on how to address the Syrian crisis have also further strained their relations. Within this challenging context, however, it is possible to identify opportunities for UNAMI to continue to assist Iraq's transition process. Indeed, not withstanding the lack of progress between Iraq's political leaders, in resolving their differences, Iraq's expectations on UNAMI continues to grow. UNAMI's assistance, pursuant to its Council mandate, is focusing on two priority tracks: First, advancing national reconciliation and dialog and, second, tackling regional issues. Since my last briefing to the Council, UNAMI has continued to encourage political leaders to engage in inclusive dialog to resolve their differences in the spirit and framework of the Constitution. I've continued to conduct frequent visits to Erbil and Sulamaniyah to promote such a dialog. I've also conducted intensive discussions both in Baghdad and in Kirkuk focusing on the holding of the long overdue governate council elections in Kirkuk. UNAMI's support to the Council of Representatives on the basis of sustained facilitation and technical advice contributed to the selection of the IHEC's new board of commissioners in September -- a proficient and a genuinely and truly independent IHEC board is essential at this juncture as Iraq prepares for nationwide governor council elections on 20th of April next year and legislative elections in 2014.

Factually, we should note that the Arab League Summit was March 29th and not in April. and that it was a failure as judged by who attended. From that day's snapshot:

Who were the notable no-shows? Hamza Hendawi and Lara Jakes (AP) report that the no-shows included rulers from "Saudi Arabia, Qatar and most other Gulf countries, as well as Morocco and Jordan -- all of them headed by Sunni monarchs who deeply distrust the close ties between Baghdad's Shiite-dominated government and their top regional rival, Iran." The Belfast Telegraph notes, "The only ruler from the Gulf to attend was the Emir of Kuwait, Sheik Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah."

With regards to IHEC . . .

I like Chris Hedges. He is someone who tries to tell his truth and I'm always willing to consider what he says. So let's drop back to election night in the US. There's Hedges on a really bad program that he really shouldn't have been on but was. Ava and I debated whether or not to cover this in real time but decided not to. Hedges offered his belief that the world itself was in danger and that the world was being destroyed, to the point that it would be uninhabitable. He said that in the face of that, other issues were less important. Other issues identified by him? He immediately went to women's rights. Isn't that the knee jerk for lefty males every time?

And Ava and I were watching and giving him consideration because it is true that planet going down in flames might trump other things. However, Chris Hedges then remained silent as a dumb ass with a stupid organization then piped in that he agreed and, by the way, what was really important and what needed to be focused on was all the enthusiasm it was building among people of color.

We waited for Hedges to object.

There was no objection and we felt Punk'd.

You want us to set aside women's rights -- the basic rights of over half the planet and a group that represents every race and ethnicity known to humankind -- and yet you're okay with some crap about the 'importance' of happy thoughts for a certain segment of people? That trumps whether or not human life can be supported by the planet? An abstract feeling trumps the basic legal rights of over half the population?

Does Heges believe that happy thoughts trump the survival of the planet? I doubt it. But he wasn't willing to object. These conversations happen over and over. In the US, it's usually a bunch of male Democrats saying the party could get more votes if they dropped their support for abortion. (That would of course drive women voters away but the 'brains' making that proposal don't consider women 'real voters' anyway.) On the left (I'll let the right talk about itself), in the abstract, the disabled and challenged are treated with respect, men of color are treated with respect, men of certain ethnicites are treated with respect, all these groupings get respect and no one's asking that their rights be ignored or chipped away at. But time and again, women -- who don't even make up half the Senate in our 'advanced' United States -- are asked to sacrifice. It's past time for the left to get honest about what it really thinks about women and how little women are valued. These continual attacks on women, these continual slights would not repeatedly happen were women not so devalued. And hats off to Ruth for her great catch last night where she noted George Mitrovich reduced a strong Senator to arm candy because of his own sexism and that he did so while trying to pretend he's appalled by sexism. to decry sexism. Let's also note that his crap appeared at The Huffington Post. Time and again, certain women sell all women out so that they can advance on their own. (The term is "queen bee.")

And time and again, women have to sacrifice and we're so damn sick of it. Women's rights, their basic rights, Hedges was willing to toss aside for survival of the planet but not a feel-good mood about an election. That was important and valid. But the right to self-determination, to control one's own body, to own property, etc, these were unimportant.

What does this have to do with the above?

Kobler's bragging and boasting about IHEC -- Independent High Electoral Commission -- was embarrassing.

There is only one woman on the Commission. The law requires women to be a third of the Commission. The woman was added days after the others and probably wouldn't have been if even the Iraqi judges weren't publicly calling out the lack of women on the Commission.

Time and again, women are made to wait. We're made to wait by Chris Hedges because it's all about survival, we're made to wait some other reason at some other time. If Iraq, as it stands currently, cannot follow the law and cannot appoint three women to IHEC (appoint, not elect, what a joke that was from Kobler), then exactly when the hell will the law be followed?

Nouri al-Maliki has one female minister in his Cabinet. All the rest -- even the so-called 'acting' ministers -- are men. Women continues to be eliminated from positions of power, women continue to not be seated at the table. Iraq's female politicians -- especially female members of Iraqiya -- loudly and publicly decried the IHEC board for not having the three women required by law. But Kobler can't even note that. Kobler happy stamps it and we're all supposed to accept that?

At what point is Nouri's government held accountable for its failure to follow the law? At what point does the United Nations finally find the guts to call out the disenfranchisement of women? Oh, yes, women were mentioned -- much later in the speech -- and we'll get to that tomorrow. As their own little island. As though they're not also Iraqis, as though Iraq is not also their country, as though they don't have a right to participate and as though 'success' in Iraq can be judged without considering what's happened to Iraq women.

How very sad.

Today Iraq was slammed with multiple bombings and shootings leading Antiwar.com to dub it a "bloodbath." Margaret Gtiffis (Antiwar.com) counts 54 dead and 237 injured in the day's cycle of violence. RT notes, "Two roadside bombs in the city of Hilla blew up a group of Shiite pilgrims, leaving at least 26 people dead and several dozen wounded. The bombs struck a commercial area of the city during a busy period. Another attack happened in the shrine city of Karbala, 90 kilometers to the south of Baghdad. A car bomb killed 6 civilians and wounded 20, some of them police officers." And RT has three Reuters photos of the aftermath of those two bombings. Today's violence continues the week's trend of attacks. Mohammed Tawfeeq (CNN) observes, "Attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday left at least 38 people dead and more than 130 wounded."

In Hilla, AFP notes, "Iraqi security forces cordoned off the area of the blasts and set up checkpoints in the city to search cars, an AFP correspondent said, adding that shops near the site were shuttered after the attack." Ali al-Rubaie (Reuters) quotes teacher Ihsan al-Khalidi explaining, "We started to stop civilian cars asking them to take the wounded to hospital since there were not enough ambulances to transfer them." Sinan Salaheddin (AP) provides these details on the Hilla aftermath, "Twisted and charred remains of vehicles were seen outside damaged shops as shop owners collected their strewn merchandise from the bloodstained pavement, littered with debris." On the Karbala attack, Al Jazeera explains, "In the shrine city of Karbala, a car bomb killed four and left another 16 people wounded. The bomber parked the vehicle near the entrance of the Imam Abbas shrine. Al Jazeera's Jane Arraf, reporting from Baghad, said the holy site made for a 'very daring' attack in Karbala." Xinhua adds, "Iraqi security forces blocked the roads to central Karbala which leads to the shrine of Imam Hussein, one of the 12 most Shiite revered Imams." Al Bawaba notes that Shi'ites were the targets in the attacks on those two cities while other bombs today were targeting security forces.

Recommended: "Iraq snapshot"
"At least 10 killed in today's violence"
"'No one knows, no one cares'"
"Curiosity"
"8 women, 14 men"
"Toy auctions and the Bionic Woman"
"an idiot and a sexist of the week"
"The best Benghazi reporting today?"
"Breast cancer in Marin"
"Revenge"
"Oh, Clarence Page . . ."
"The flavorless rice"
"Santa post"
"Petraeus' would-be mistress"
"THIS JUST IN! TOMMY WANTS TO SUCK ONE!"

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Snarly meets more objections

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

LOOKING HAGGARD IN A DIRTY OUTFIT WITH STRINGY HAIR AND SLOUCHING TO EMPHASIZE HER BELLY "POOCH," SUSAN SNARLS RICE MET WITH REPUBLICANS AGAIN YESTERDAY.

MODERATE SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS EXPLAINED SHE COULDN'T SUPPORT RICE CURRENTLY. HOWEVER, 73-YEAR-OLD REPUBLICAN LAWRENCE KORB -- NOW WHORING AT THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN 'PROGRESS' LOVES SNARLY RICE. TELL US ABOUT IRAN-CONTRA, LARRY KORB?

WHAT'S THAT?

YOU WON'T?

OF COURSE NOT, SO SHUT THE HELL UP YOU DECAYING OLD MAN, SHUT THE HELL UP.

IT'S AMAZING HOW THESE CRIMINAL GERIATRICS WHO COULD HAVE SAVED THE COUNTRY STAYED SILENT AND NOW THINK WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM.

IN OTHER NEWS, SNARLY RICE ROUNDED OUT LAST NIGHT BY SPIT ROASTING 2 SMALL CHILDREN WHICH, UNHINGING HER JAW, SHE THEN PROCEEDED TO EAT.

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

As is too often the case, Howard Kurtz misses the point. It's a long drop from the Washington Post to the Daily Beast and apparently he injured himself in the fall. All together now . . .

And it's a long way down

It's a long way down

It's a long way down to the place

Where we started from

-- "Ice Cream," written by Sarah McLachlan, first appears on her Fumbling Towards Ecstacy

It's a long way down. Which would explain his idiotic column today on the overweight and sexist Thomas E. Ricks appearing on Happening Now. Yes, Howie, the program has a name. The fact that everyone wants to keep ranting "Fox News!" goes to just how turgid and for-show the nonsense has been. Jon Scott and Jenna Lee host Happening Now on the Fox News Channel. See there, unlike Howie, I did the actual work. But Howie's a 'media critic.' He wastes 27 paragraphs in a ridiculous column at CNN and he can't even name the show but let's all pretend Howie's doing out of sight work these days. In fact, let's all pretend that going from the Washington Post to the Daily Beast is a step-up as long as we're fantasizing.

In a telling and whorish moment, Howie 'forgets' to mention the program's name but works in a plug for Thomas E. Ricks' latest military porn -- what is it this time? On My Knees In The Steamroom With The Generals, Wrapping My Mouth Around That?

Howie Cut 'Em Off Kurtz feels that Snow shouldn't have wrapped up the interview the minute that Ricks criticized Fox News.

But Snow didn't do that. And Kurtz lies to make it seem as if he did. You can stream the video at Erik Wemple's Washington Post blog post. This is what sends Ricks packing:

Jon Scott: When you -- When you have four people dead -- including the first US Ambassador in more than 30 years -- how do you call that 'hype'?

Thomas E. Ricks: How many security contractors died in Iraq? Do you know?

Jon Scott: I don't.

Thomas E. Ricks: No. Nobody does. Because nobody cared. We know that several hundred died but there was never an official count done -- of security contractors in Iraq. So when I see this focus on [. . .]

To be clear, Scott let him go on and finish his 'thoughts' on contractors. I'm not including his garbage here. Thomas E. Ricks' statements were innaccurate and offensive and it's very telling that Howie Kurtz choose to whore instead of report. That is what ended Ricks' segment. Kurtz pretends it never happened.

But then Howie is among the many in the press who's written and said "Chris Stevens and three others . . ." That is so offensive. And the press doesn't care. They don't care that it's offensive to the memories of Tyrone Woods, Sean Smith and Glen Doherty. They don't care that it's offensive to the families and friends of those three people. They don't care that it exposes their so called love for the troops as hollow and bulls**t. Let's quote Secretary of State Hillary Clinton:

Today, we also recognize the two security personnel who died helping protect their colleagues. Tyrone S. Woods and Glen A. Doherty were both decorated military veterans who served our country with honor and distinction. Our thoughts, prayers, and deepest gratitude are with their families and friends. Our embassies could not carry on our critical work around the world without the service and sacrifice of brave people like Tyrone and Glen. Tyrone's friends and colleagues called him "Rone," and they relied on his courage and skill, honed over two decades as a Navy SEAL. In uniform, he served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 2010, he protected American diplomatic personnel in dangerous posts from Central America to the Middle East. He had the hands of a healer as well as the arm of a warrior, earning distinction as a registered nurse and certified paramedic. All our hearts go out to Tyrone's wife Dorothy and his three sons, Tyrone Jr., Hunter, and Kai, who was born just a few months ago.
We also grieve for Glen Doherty, called Bub, and his family: his father Bernard, his mother Barbara, his brother Gregory, and his sister Kathleen. Glen was also a former Navy SEAL and an experienced paramedic. And he put his life on the line many times, protecting Americans in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other hotspots. In the end, he died the way he lived – with selfless honor and unstinting valor.

Now pretend you give a damn about troops, pretend all you want. But if you're writing or stating "Chris Stevens and three others," you are making very clear that you just don't give a f**k.

As soon as all four names were released publicly, Marcia and I both began using all four. It's not difficult to do. But don't expect anyone to take your crap seriously when you want to 'talk' Benghazi but you don't have the decency to list all four names. Of course, it was important for the media to vanish these three because their parents refuse to play along with photo ops the way Chris Stevens' parents did. These three parents want answers.

I applauded the Jersey Girls in real time (and applaud them today). I applaud any American who takes on the system to find out why their loved one died (or where their loved one is in the case of the MIAs).

Howie Kurtz has proven himself to be an idiot and any words about caring about the troops or anything else are flat out lies from him because he refused to note the rude treatment of two Americans who died in an attack that took place because they were American and he refused to call out Thomas E. Ricks' bulls**t.

He had time to plug the latest bad book from Thomas E. Ricks. He just didn't have time to mention Iraq War veterans killed in an attack on Americans. Whores make their priorities very clear and we hear you, Howie. Though for how much longer is going to be the question.

Fat trash Ricks is quoted by Howie saying his apology to Fox News was not an apology "but rather an explanation of why I jumped a bit when the anchor began the segment with the assertion that pressure on the White House was building, which it most clearly was not."

As we've noted before, Thomas E. Ricks is no longer a reporter. (Congratulations to the European community members who made sure that his billing was corrected when he went to Europe to pimp The Gamble. He even got confronted to his face when he attempted to claim he was "just a reporter." No, you're not. You haven't been a reporter in years.) Clearly was not? Jay Carney made a ridiculous statement yesterday that the press refused to call out. When you admit that the administration, 47 days after the attack, knows nothing, that's kind of desperate. My opinion, that shows pressure on the White House. But it's just my opinion, it's not fact and Thomas E. Ricks can no longer tell the difference between fact and fiction which is why, on that segment, he announced that Susan Rice would be confirmed as Secretary of State.

While Thomas was digging through the hampers of various generals today and holding the pouches of boxers and briefs up to his nose, I was at two hearings. The one in the afternoon? Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It was so the Committee could publicly vet two of Barack's nominees. Susan Rice wasn't one of them. You had Robert Godec who is nominated to be the US Ambassador to Kenya and Deborah Ann McCarthy who is nominated to be the US Ambassador to Lithuania.

You know who else was at that hearing? Senator John Kerry because he's the Chair of that Committee. And while Thomas E. Ricks rubs his nose against military officers' crotches, I actually speak to the people who will be voting in the Senate. And today there was a surprising amount of sympathy for John Kerry who his Democratic peers feel would be a great Secretary of State and felt that this was in the bag after Kerry's endorsement of and work for Barack during the 2008 primaries. There's a feeling that John's not just qualified, that he's not only put in his time, but that he's being snubbed in the most rude way possible. As a Democratic Senator not on the Foreign Relations Committee said to me and another Democratic Senator today, 'John's being asked to just go along with this media circus and if Susan Rice is nominated, he'll be the one to preside over that hearing. And you know it's tearing him apart but he's never said a word against Rice or against Obama.'

So Thomas E. Ricks lunatic idea that Susan Rice is beloved by Democratic Senators for the Secretary of State post? He might want to get his nose out of the hairy crotches of generals, wash his face and try talking to actual Senators. (Though I doubt too many would want to talk to him.)

Decades of service and public work is what John Kerry brings to the table. But when it's not about qualifications, why should anyone have to wait their turn? I'm not saying Susan Rice wouldn't get confirmed. I believe Democrats will vote for her. But while Barack has angered the nation by yet again picking fights when he should be focused on issues that matter, he's angered Republicans and the assumption that he will go with Rice over John Kerry is really doing damage to Barack's reputation in the Senate.

This was not the fight to have and we made that point the minute Susan Rice's name was floated publicly. It's shown Barack to be petty and bickering, it's hardened tensions between the White House and Republicans in Congress (House and Senate) and it's left Democrats in the Senate demoralized as one of their own, an immensely qualified candidate for Secretary of State, appears about to be passed over for a woman more infamous for snarls than for building ties.

Here's Gareth Porter (TruthOut) correcting some of the damaging lies Thomas E. Ricks has put into print over the years about his wet dream David Petraeus:

Petraeus has been credited by Ricks and other journalists with having abandoned violent "cordon and search" operations used everywhere else in Iraq that alienated the entire Sunni population, and having replaced them with "cordon and knock" operations. In the softer version of targeted raids, the targets' homes were surrounded and the targets were invited to give themselves up peacefully. But again, the NPS thesis, based on the actual documents and the testimony of officers in Petraeus's command, tells a rather different story.

It turns out that Petraeus did not end kill-or-capture raids in Mosul: he continued to use them to kill or capture those believed to be hardcore insurgents, according to the NPS study. The less violent sweeps were used to capture "less dangerous but potentially active members of insurgent groups without alienating entire neighborhoods," the authors wrote. And when insurgent attacks went over 100 for the month of November 2003, Petraeus ordered a major increase in the level of cordon-and-search raids in December, hitting 23 targets simultaneously in one night. The number of suspects detained in Mosul soared that month to 295 - nearly three times the average over the previous five months.

Those targeted raids on suspected insurgents depended on intelligence gathered by Petraeus' own command, Special Forces operating in the area and the CIA. But how reliable was that intelligence? It is widely acknowledged that, especially that early in the war, US intelligence on the insurgency was woefully weak. The International Red Cross disclosed in a February 2004 report on detainee abuse in Iraq that US military intelligence officers had estimated that 70 to 90 percent of Iraqis they had detained were innocent. Petraeus' operation, as elsewhere in Iraq, had to rely on Iraqis volunteering information as to who was an insurgent, and, as Ricks relates, Petraeus told him "there were so many phony tips passed by Iraqis feuding with each other that this softer approach helped sort those tips without unnecessarily insulting Iraqi dignity."

Cedric's Big Mix

Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Before they hit the streets . . .

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Snarly Rice steamed

Saturday, December 01, 2012

3 ring circus

Friday, November 30, 2012

He's on fire

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Snarly meets more objections

About Me

Links

Cedric's Big Mix