Saturday, April 25, 2009

al-Maliki doesn't like your work, he imprisons you

A deadly outburst of violence appears to be overwhelming Iraq's police and military forces as American troops hand over greater control of cities across the country to them. On Friday, twin suicide bombings killed at least 60 people outside Baghdad's most revered Shiite Shrine, push the death toll in one 24-hour period to nearly 150.

So opens Steven Lee Myers and Sam Dagher's "Storm of Violence In Iraq Strains Its Security Forces" which the New York Times actually determines to be worthy of the front page. The article summarizes views/narratives such as the recent bombings are an attempt to stroke sectarian violence. Due to the Iranian pilgrims being killed, that country has closed its border with Iraq. Nouri al-Maliki, puppet of the occupation wants a do-nothing commission to make it appear he's on-the-job and he's also ordered the wo responsible for the security of the regions to be "detained" (arrested in plain English). Among those blamed for the bombings are the US. An unidentified "senior national police officer" states the US "gave the terrorists motives to reactive their sleeper cells" by announcing a draw down. That doesn't make any sense (nor does it make sense for the reporters to use SITE as a resource -- when the organization leader goes on 60 Minutes and gives a phony name and identity, that organization should never be taken seriously again and, with a working press, SITE would be kicked to the curb but there are no standards anymore). If the "sleeper cells" were inspired by the draw down thinking, "This is our chance to grab the country!"? They'd wait until the draw down was over. They'd wait until the end of 2011 (the draw down's not going to take place as advertised but if we're pretending it is let's get out hypothesis correct).

The same official tells the paper that the only resource the workers at security check-points have to check for bombs is really just "hand-held wands" which "the official described as false."

Saturday is the least read paper. (It's also one of the least purchased for the New York Times.) So exactly why are they attempting not one but three stories in today's paper from Iraq? How is that using the resources correctly?

What Sam Dagher and Steven Lee Myers are reporting above is timely and really shouldn't be held until Sunday or later in the week. James Glanz is covering an indictment in "Americans Are Accused of Posing as Contractors to Steal $40 Million in Fuel in Iraq." Due to the court filings, that's time-sensitive. Those involved (largely US citizens but also some "Nepalese drivers") are alleged to have stolen "at least $40 million" in "jet and diesel fuel" which they allegedly sold on the blackmarket in Iraq.

That leaves us with Sam Dagher's "Wounded, And Stories of Loss, Fill A Hospital." It's a shame the paper only sees fit to visits the hospitals after bombings since they're falling apart and this splash on a new paint job doesn't change the fact that elevators still don't work, that equpiment is still faltering and that entire hospital network is crumbling. Dagher wuotes various people on what the bombings mean or did such as Sayman ABedwali who states, "We were very happy this morning, but now this." Dagher notes that the woman's "blouse was soaked with blood. She did not know if her husband and daughter were still alive." Due to its covering Friday's wounded, his article wouldn't have carried the same punch if it were held until later in the week.


The following community sites have updated since yesterday morning:




Cedric's Big Mix
Streches the truth, like Nixon, and this is praise?
1 hour ago

The Daily Jot
THIS JUST IN! THE REVIEWS AREN'T GLOWING!
1 hour ago

The World Today Just Nuts
The 'Fashionable' Condoleeza de Vil
1 hour ago

Thomas Friedman is a Great Man
Quick post
21 hours ago

Mikey Likes It!
Iraq
21 hours ago

Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude
hillary is 44, iraq, etc.
21 hours ago

SICKOFITRADLZ
Ban Ki-moon's homophobia
21 hours ago

Trina's Kitchen
Fudge Brownies in the Kitchen
21 hours ago

Ruth's Report
The bombings
21 hours ago

Oh Boy It Never Ends
A New Leaf
21 hours ago

Like Maria Said Paz
We need prosecution
21 hours ago

Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills)
Iraq
21 hours ago


The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.


the new york times
steven lee myers






thomas friedman is a great man






oh boy it never ends
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