Last month, Jabouri quietly left Tal Afar, an ancient city near Iraq's desert border with Syria where he was the police chief and the mayor, collected his wife and four children and flew to safety in the United States.
"There was no other choice," Jabouri, 52, a retired Iraqi army lieutenant general, said in a recent interview that was translated by his eldest son, Omar, 21. "I had been serving my homeland, the Iraqi people and Iraqi soil my whole life. I decided I had to do something for my own family. I saw that their lives were in great danger."
The above is the opening to Jonathan S. Landay's "Another success? Iraqi mayor Bush once hailed flees to U.S." (McClatchy Newspapers) and you can file it under 'progress.' At the New York Times Iraq blog, photographer Marko Georgiev offers "Funeral of Sand and Fog" which details sandstorms, militias and other difficulties in covering Iraq:
The bomb was planted at the base of his front gate, and his car was blown to pieces. When we got to the area, there were Awakening members with Kalashnikovs strategically placed on every corner, on every street.
Since the visibility was reduced to less than 500 meters, they would just appear out of the fog. All the sounds were muffled from the sand in the air surrounding us and the orange/red tint just added to the eeriness of the mood. It was a very tense situation. Everyone was expecting trouble and we were the least welcome people in the area.
After a screaming session they searched my bag and let me through. We arrived just in time to see the coffin brought from his house and carried to the mosque. Suddenly everyone who was carried a weapon fired in the air.
Some people positioned far away from us also fired, but I had no way of knowing if they were shooting in the air or firing at us. It's a bit difficult to think of the correct white balance while a person three feet away from you decides to fire his AK-47. The sound blasted into my left eardrum and the empty shell hit my head.
I carried on, knowing that my guards were one step behind me and they would grab me if something went wrong.
Thankfully it didn't, but at one point they told me it's time to go. I was a little disappointed since I had gone deaf and was just getting used to all the firing.
In the print edition of the paper, Abeer Mohammed and Katherine Zoepf offer "Iraqi Ministry Adopts Political Neutrality" covers the decision by Iraq's Defense Minister Abudl-Kader Jassem al-Obeidi to institute a policy of being "politically neutral" which is thought to be in response to Iraq's Minister of the Interior Jawad al-Bolani and his Iraqi Constiutional Party. Staying with politics, UPI reports that provincial elections could be delayed even further: "The Iraqi Independent High Electoral High Commissions Thursday said, following a meeting with officials from the U.N. Assistance Mission to Iraq, that lawmakers needed to address the articles for minority representation before Wednesday, Voices of Iraq reported." That's the issue of religious minority representation, Article 50, which was pulled. UPI notes this may delay the elections "in 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces."
Public TV notes. On most PBS stations, NOW on PBS begins airing tonight but check local listings. The topic for the latest broadcast is:
What Women Voters Want
[Streaming video of this program will be available online after broadcast]
Election 2008: Tough decisions for undecided women voters in the swing states.
There are roughly eight million more female voters than male, and more women than men say they are still undecided. Senator Hillary Clinton and Governor Sarah Palin have undoubtedly changed the debate for many women voters, but the question is: how will they ultimately respond in the booth?
This week, NOW on PBS travels to the swing state of Colorado to get insight from a diverse group of women. These pro-choice, pro-gun women don't fit into neat categories, but they do respond to issues built around working moms: pay equity, family leave, and child care. On the show, NOW also interviews former Vice Presidential Candidate Geraldine Ferraro for her take on the role of women in this election.
Will the women's vote decide the election?
Also on PBS (begins airing Friday on many stations, check local listings) Washington Week where Gwen sits down for a ghoulish chat and chew with Doyle McManus (Los Angeles Times), David Broder (Washington Post), a mystery guest who shows up costumed as a Bobbsey Twin and, as a special treat, Time's Karen Tumulty offers up her impression of Bette Davis from Beyond The Forest. Watch in wonder as she really digs into the line, "What a dump." Marvel as truer words were never spoken. Oooh. Scary.
Freak Out the Corporate State
Happy Halloween.
Today, you can help us Freak Out the Corporate State.
How?
Donate $4 to Nader/Gonzalez now.
Why?
Ralph Nader is pulling four percent among registered voters in the latest CNN poll in battleground states.
Four percent in Arizona.
Four percent in Nevada.
Four percent in Ohio.
Four percent in Pennsylvania.
Let’s say the predictions are right and 130 million Americans vote.
And let’s say the four percent holds up.
That’s 5 million voters for the Nader/Gonzalez shift the power agenda.
From the corporations back into the hands of the people.
That’s enough to freak out the corporate state.
Even the thought of that this Halloween is enough to freak them out.
But to get there, we need to hit our last fundraising goal of $4 million by election day.
And we’re $170,000 away.
So, today, Halloween, 2008, let’s freak out the corporate state.
We need 4,000 of you — our loyal supporters — to hit that there donation button.
We’re driving toward a winning election day.
When we send a strong message.
We’re here.
We’re near.
We’re not going anywhere.
Get used to it.
Onward to November and beyond.
The Nader Team
PS: Remember, if you donate $100 or more, we will ship to you the hard cover 40th Anniversary edition of Unsafe at Any Speed — Ralph’s historic expose of the American automobile industry — autographed by the man himself. It was the book that launched the American consumer movement and saved hundreds of thousands of lives. This autographed edition is bound to become a rare collector’s item after the election. So, get it now. Only a limited number left. (This book offer ends November 4, 2008 at 11:59 p.m.)
PPS: Look for Ralph this morning on CNN Morning America.
Ralph Nader is the independent presidential candidate, Matt Gonzalez is his running mate. West noted the above.
John McCain is the Republican presidential candidate and Sarah Palin is his running mate. Vernon notes this from McCain - Palin:
McCain-Palin 2008 Launches New Television Ad: "Obama Praising McCain"
ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today released its latest television ad, entitled "Obama Praising McCain." The ad highlights Barack Obama's past praise for John McCain on the issue of confronting global climate change. As he said numerous times during the first debate, Barack Obama often believes John McCain is right. The ad will air in key states.
Script For "Obama Praising McCain" (TV :30)
ANNCR: The truth on global warming:
BARACK OBAMA: The right approach begins with the proposal put forward by Senator Lieberman and Senator McCain.
The Lieberman-McCain bill establishes limits for greenhouse gas emissions. It's a framework that's not only good for the environment, it's also good for business.
I want to thank Senator Lieberman, as well as Senator McCain, for the outstanding leadership that they've shown.
JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approve this message.
AD FACTS: Script For "Obama Praising McCain" (TV :30)
ANNCR: The truth on global warming: BARACK OBAMA: The right approach begins with the proposal put forward by Senator Lieberman and Senator McCain. The Lieberman-McCain bill establishes limits for greenhouse gas emissions. It's a framework that's not only good for the environment, it's also good for business. I want to thank Senator Lieberman, as well as Senator McCain, for the outstanding leadership that they've shown. JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approve this message.
- Senator Barack Obama (D-IL): "Since coming to Washington, I've believed that the right approach begins with the proposal put forward by Senator Lieberman and Senator McCain, a proposal they've been pushing for years, and I thank them again for their leadership on this issue. The Lieberman-McCain Bill establishes limits for greenhouse gas emissions well into the 21st century. To remain below these limits, the bill encourages the market to determine how best to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, rewarding cost effective approaches using a system of tradable allowances." (Sen. Barack Obama, Hearing, Committee On Environment and Public Works, U.S. Senate, 1/30/07)
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
iraq
mcclatchy newspapers
jonathan s. landay
the new york times
marko georgiev
washington week
now on pbs
pbs
abeer mohammed
katherine zoepf
