Free Iraq

"Is it still worth it?" NO, and it never was -
Cindy Sheehan Responds to Congressman's Attacks [Excerpt follows]
Congressman Kingston,

How dare you psychoanalyze me and call me a "nutcase!" How dare you call me a beatnik and lie about me in your blog!

Have you . . . heard that Saddam had nothing to do with the tragedy of 9/11 and that he had no WMD? How can you support a liar and his policies that are draining our precious life blood, depleting our military, sucking our treasury dry and have harmed, almost beyond repair, the people and land of the Gulf States hit by Hurricane Katrina? Have you heard that Osama bin Ladin is still at large and two countries, Iraq and Afghanistan, that had nothing to do with 9/11 are devastated? I hope they can recover from George's brand of "freedom and democracy."

George Bush has admitted that Saddam had no WMD or ties to al-Qaeda. He has admitted to spying on Americans without due process and has called the Constitution an "old scrap of paper." He is responsible for the tragic deaths of thousands of people and for America losing its reputation in the international community, and to support his failed presidency is not only unpatriotic, as Teddy said, but is also a war crime.

I am not a nutcase and I am not an unpatriotic war criminal like you and others who still support the most failed presidency in the history of our country.

What I am is a devastated, broken-hearted mother who will mourn the needless death of my son for the rest of my life. I just want the killing to stop before there are anymore American or Iraqi Casey and Cindy Sheehans. (emphasis added)
 

"Thousands of mistakes" - and counting . . .
- At Least 10 Killed in Baghdad Bombing

- Nine More U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq
 

AUDIO, Lecture By Robert Fisk (54 min.), Injustices of the West Against The Arab World: Fisk is more determined than ever to prosecute a case against the injustices of the west against the Arab and Muslim world. Agree with him or not, his presentations are suffused with passionate belief in change for the better. This [edited] talk was recorded recently in Sydney, as part of the Sydney Ideas 2006 public lecture series organised by the University of Sydney. (Transmission date: 03/26/06 ABC Australia)
 

Chris Floyd, The War Crimes Confession of Condi Rice
 

xymphora, The secret alliance: Asher Susser analyzes the break-up of Iraq, and how it will hurt neighboring states like Turkey and Jordan. He also concludes it will hurt Israel, by inevitably leading to the strengthening of Iran, a country which, with the weakening of all the Arab states, is the only real opponent left for Israel. There is a problem with this. Since the break-up will help Iran, and Israel and Israeli agents in the United States are the prime movers behind the attack on Iraq and the subsequent steps taken to ensure Iraq breaks up, the only possible logical conclusion is that Israel does not really mind an increase in power for Iran. The ongoing alliance between Iran and Israel is the big secret we’re supposed to ignore, and is Israel’s ace-in-the-hole in the drive for the creation of Greater Israel.


xymphora, Chomsky's real agenda?: [ . . . ]

The deep problem with Chomsky’s peculiar and uncharacteristic attitude towards the Israel Lobby is that it undermines his life’s work in attacking American colonialism. One of his main points is that the mainstream media hides the actions of the United States government not so much by lying – although they do that too – but by simply failing to report on the most important crimes committed by the Empire. Chomsky is clearly doing the exact same thing in protecting the Lobby. Right-wing critics of Chomsky claim that he just hates America, and uses rhetorical tricks to put down the United States. Since he doesn’t hesitate to use the same techniques he so roundly criticizes in his efforts to protect the Lobby from criticism, perhaps the right-wing critics are right. The ultimate conspiracy theory would be that Chomsky’s entire opus of attacks on the United States, which started at about the same time as the main push for Israeli colonialism, is just an attempt to hide the only thing he really cares about, the creation of Greater Israel. He’s walking on very thin ice.


xymphora, Israel-Iran alliance
 

Car bomb kills at least seven in Baghdad: police
 

Is US Planning More Attacks on Shi'ite Militias?: Last week's attack by U.S.-led Iraqi paramilitary forces on a building that Shi'ite leaders claim was a mosque may have marked the beginning of a new stage of U.S. policy in which Iraqi forces are used to carry out military operations against Shi'ite militia forces – especially those loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr.

The move against Shi'ite militia units appears to be the result of a new fear in the White House of impending disaster in Iraq. Despite soothing talk by U.S. commanders earlier in March that the threat of civil war had passed, Brig. Gen. Douglas Raaberg, deputy chief of operations for the U.S. Central Command, revealed the command's pessimistic view out civil war when he told Associated Press, "Whenever it happens, it's Iraq's problem and Iraqis have to take care of it."
 

White House Debuts Iraq War Infomercial

WASHINGTON, DC—In an attempt to gain support among idle and sleepless Americans, the Bush Administration made its case for the continuing war in Iraq in a one-hour paid program that premiered early Tuesday morning.

A scene from the paid program.
The infomercial, cohosted by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and former Dynasty star Linda Evans, was shot in a Burbank, CA studio before an audience of approximately 60 tourists and college-age Republicans.

Produced by the White House Communications Office in collaboration with Excelsior Direct Marketing International, the infomercial was characterized by White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan as "an effort by the administration to show the public that the occupation of Iraq is an unbelievable success, and if they don't understand that, they are missing out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

The paid program, called Amazing Policies, opened with a splashy title sequence, then cut to the audience greeting Rumsfeld and Evans with applause.

"From what you've heard about foreign wars, I bet you all think freedom in Iraq costs about $500 trillion and 2 million civilian casualties," Rumsfeld said. "Well, you're wrong. Try $238 billion and some 30,000 casualties!"

"I don't know," a skeptical Evans responded. "That insurgency looks pretty ground in. I don't think you'll ever get something like that out."

"Think again, Linda," Rumsfeld said. "If you'll just put on these goggles and look into that screen, you can see for yourself!"

"Whoa!" Evans said, after gutting an underground bunker with a remote-controlled cluster bomb. "It's so easy."

The infomercial was interspersed with glowing pretaped testimonials from coalition partners, American soldiers, and Iraqi business leaders. Australian Prime Minister John Howard was particularly kinetic in his endorsement of the Iraq war plan.

"Don and Linda, I'm here to let you in on the world's best-kept secret," said a wide-eyed, floral-shirted Howard from the beautiful Dunk Island resort off the coast of Cairns, Australia. "The strategy for victory in Iraq is working! Last January, Iraqis went to the polls and elected leaders for a transitional government and drafted a working constitution establishing unheard-of rights for the people of Iraq! And in December, they elected representatives to the National Assembly!"

In a scene from the infomercial, Ahmed Chalabi, Vice President Cheney, and friends talk policy.
"Amazing!" Howard added, arms outstretched.

Ibrahim Ja'lal, a newly elected Iraqi Assembly member, also delivered a ringing endorsement.

"Before Bush's unilateral decision to invade, we Iraqis weren't looking so hot," Ja'lal said, pointing toward a video montage of "before" photos of Iraqi corpses, starving children, and chemical-weapons victims. "But now look at these images from 'after'! They're dancing in the discos!"

The montage of "after" photos included an image of a scantily clad belly dancer, which prompted Rumsfeld to quip, "Ooh-la-Allah."

Evans expressed trepidation about the likelihood of establishing an entirely new way of life in a country we don't fully understand.

"Linda, I hear you—you're worried about the complexity of implementing our plan for victory in Iraq," Rumsfeld said. "But that's the beauty of it. The U.S. government has a team of expert strategists and war planners standing by to make all those difficult decisions for you! And a military that is standing by to answer the call of duty."

"You know, I wasn't sure at first," Evans said. "But now that I've heard the facts about Operation Iraqi Freedom, I can't deny that your argument is airtight!"

"As airtight as this inflatable mattress," said Rumsfeld, gesturing toward a blow-up bed being stomped by two sumo wrestlers. "They can't punch any holes in that air bed, and the naysayers can't punch any holes in our justifications for occupying Iraq with military force."

The commercial is scheduled to air on local network and cable stations across the country through February 2012.

http://www.theonion.com/
 

Not War, But an Imperial Venture: The war rhetoric has another function. It enables the political manipulators to exploit dead and injured Americans in order to stifle dissent. ... The endless songs to American “sacrifice” in Iraq have another horrifying function: they ready Americans for the next war.
 

Unmitigated Israeli Barbarism -
Full story of Israeli bulldozers burying a Palestinian alive in Hebron: All week long Hasham Mohammad Mousa Asamahain waits for Friday to come.

His reasoning, in short, is that on that day the 41 year old has a chance to go and earn a living. That is why Asamahain readied himself to travel to Beit Shemish, in the extreme north, west of Hebron. He was not in the southern West Bank to look for treasure or expensive ruins, but to find whatever he can to raise enough money to buy bread or pay the school fees for his six children. Asamahain’s punishment for this was to be buried alive in a garbage dump.

Asamahain was driven to this horrific end, leaving behind his children to an unknown fate: His 15 year old son Mohammad is an eighth grader, 14 year old Issa is a seventh grader, 10 year old Wula is a fourth grader, 6 year old Baha is a first grader, 5 year old Yasmin is not yet in school, while the youngest is just one and one half year old Ihab.

Asamahain was born in 1965 in Khorbi Village, which lies to the west of North Nuba Village, west of Hebron. He finished his secondary education and went to Hebron University, graduating in 1990 as a Social Studies teacher. But Asamahain was not appointed until just seven years ago in the Tafuah Secondary School for Boys in Tufuah Village, northwest of Hebron.

Through his hard work, Asamahain was able to earn a nearly 2,000 NIS salary per month. But this paltry amount was fully used by mid-month.

Asamahain’s home is simpler than anything imaginable, with just two main rooms for the entire family. His house, just as his children do, requires many essentials, such as a refrigerator for example. Asamahain had no choice but to take advantage of his day off which he should have been able to spend with his ill wife and children. He chose instead to go here and there in order to feed the family.

On Friday, 31 March, Asamahain went as usual without knowing where exactly he would find the money this time. He did not know that this would be a trip with no return to his kids, whom he kissed and hugs when he was leaving the house in the morning. It was to Beit Shemish that his fate led him, to a large garbage dump where Asamahain forced himself to dig through to find something salvageable to sell.

A huge Israeli bulldozer buried Asamahain under the garbage, dumping tons of metal on his body. He was taken to an Israeli hospital, but without any hope of survival, and is now referred to as, “the martyr searching for bread.”

After several attempts PNN was able to speak with one of Asamahain’s relatives, Omar Shaqik Al Maghdour. He confirmed that the Israeli authorities continued until 9:00 pm Saturday evening to keep Asamahain’s body, continuing to detain him even after death. “It was not sufficient for the bulldozer to bury him alive under the garbage, for the Israelis are now denying his wife and children the simplest of human rights, which is to kiss their husband and father goodbye and bury him according to the Sharia.”
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(Article reproduced in full.)
 

Kurt Nimmo, Christian “AIPAC” Supports Palestinian Starvation: As if AIPAC wasn’t enough, the Christian Zionists in America have organized a new “Christian pro-Israel lobby,” a “more powerful … version of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee” that will “target senators and congressmen on Capitol Hill” and demand they show ever-increasing fealty to the tiny outlaw state of Israel, reports the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. At the center of this effort is televangelist John Hagee and other Christian Zionists, including Jerry Falwell and Gary Bauer, president of the American Values organization.

Another Christian Zionist, Rev. Malcolm Hedding, believes, as do most Israelis and American Christian Zionists, there “is no such thing as a Palestinian,” in other words the Arabs living in Palestine are illegitimate and they should be forced off the land they have lived on for centuries, or short of that treated as something less than human. ...

Since the Palestinians do not exist, as the Rev. Malcolm Hedding tells us, it stands to reason they do not need food or medicine or any sort of humanitarian consideration whatsoever. According to Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, this neglect is currently reaching dire proportions. The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights reports “basic alimentary goods are gradually disappearing from markets and food prices have increased” in the OPT (Occupied Palestinian Territories). “Flour is becoming scarce and quantities of bread are not meeting customer needs.” An engineered Israeli policy tantamount to genocide is devastating Palestinian society:

Based on Al Mezan field reports, markets have run out of children’s medicines, in particular antibiotics and suppositories, in addition to medication for heart problems and rheumatism. The closure of Karni crossing is having severely negative impacts on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip; economic sectors are being entirely paralyzed and construction projects suspended due to lack of basic construction materials such as iron and concrete, sewage pipes and other essential materials for the reconstruction and paving of roads demolished by the IOF. Furthermore, Palestinian farmers are suffering great economic losses due to the closure and the damage of vegetables and flowers which were to be exported.

All of this is disgustingly similar to the Nazi program of forced starvation of the Warsaw Ghetto Jews. In addition, the construction of Israel’s apartheid wall reminds one of the Nazi construction of a wall around the Warsaw Ghetto. [emphasis added] In America, however, these comparisons are never made by the corporate media, determined to portray the Israelis as brave and noble in the face of terrorism (actually resistance to occupation).

It appears 40 million Christian Zionists in America are in favor of a genocidal policy against a few million Palestinians and Hagee’s Christian Zionist “AIPAC” will “lobby” Congress to make sure every last Palestinian is either ethnically cleansed or systematically starved to death. In normal times, this would be considered an immense crime, a violation of not only humanitarian law but the teachings of Jesus Christ as well. ... [emphasis added]
 

Michael Carmichael, Condi Does Britain; The Christocrat: Last week, Condoleezza Rice rolled on in her thinly disguised presidential campaign this time taking it to an international audience in Britain.


Norman Solomon, Bush: Always the Accuser, Never the Accused - When War Crimes Are Unspeakable


West Point Graduates Against the War
 

Congressman Apologizes to Cindy Sheehan After Attacks
 

Dahr Jamail, How Massacres Become the Norm
 

Iraqis show little surprise as U.S. Marines take cover in their villas
 

Rice Dismisses Talk of U.S. Bases in Iraq: "I don't think that anybody believes that we really want to be there longer than we have to."


Key Iraq Leader Calls for PM to Step Aside


Saddam Genocide Charge Hard to Prove
 

Iraq's interior ministry refusing to deploy US-trained police: It emerged late last year that the interior ministry has been running secret detention centres. US troops discovered two prisons in which more than 800 men and boys, mostly Sunnis, were held in shocking conditions. Under the Iraqi constitution only the ministry of justice is allowed to run prisons.

Many Sunnis now say they would rather be detained by the Americans than the Iraqi police.

No figures are available for the police's religious and ethnic make-up outside Kurdistan, partly because there is no central data base, but estimates put it at 80% Shia. Until recently the special police and commando units were 99% Shia, according to a CPATT spokesperson.

Charges that the police were becoming partisan developed after Bayan Jabr, a SCIRI leader, became interior minister last April. The SCIRI's powerful armed wing, the Badr organisation, was founded in Iran during the supreme council's 20-year exile from the Saddam Hussein regime.

According to the International Crisis Group thinktank, Mr Jabr worked with the commander of the Badr organisation and its intelligence chief to give Iraq's police and paramilitary forces a sectarian thrust.He infiltrated Badr militia members into the commando units set up in 2004 to fight the anti-occupation insurgency.

Mr Jabr has denied that commando units have been involved in murders and says criminals use police uniforms to hide their identity.
 

Barbra-renée Brighenti, The day of the jackal: You hypocrites — you know the jackal's name and dare not call it out. Then you ridicule any who do, to preserve your sanctioned seat at the banquet table and soothe yourself with the platitudes that you must compromise the truth to be an ally of the truth! And those that insist and will not compromise the truth, they will have won the prize behind the door — the sayan.
 

Israel Fires Missiles Into Abbas' Compound
 

Haroon Siddiqui, We stand on guard for powerful against weak: Early this month, Canada was the only nation to join the U.S. in voting against a resolution on Palestinian rights at the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Now it has become the first nation after Israel to cut off contacts with and aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority.
 

Jackals -
Eyewitnesses: Palestinian leader Obayat was shot 'execution-style' by Israeli forces: Around 5 am, troops, wearing civilian clothes, invaded a building in the nearby town of Beit Sahour where he and his friend Raed Abu Jora were, killed Obayat and injured Abu Jora.

To enter the building, troops blew up several doors and chased the two men to the roof of the 7-story-building. Troops opened fire at the two hitting Obayat in the head and in the body. Obayat died on the spot. Eyewitnesses said troops threw his body from the roof.

Other accounts said Obayat was captured alive and was shot at from a short range.