Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Yesterday's news and Merlene Davis' recycled columns

While the American presence here has been greatly diminished, with Iraqis and Americans rarely conducting joint patrols and Iraqis eager to appear in control of their own security, there are still thousands of American soldiers working as advisers inside cities and towns across Iraq. Tens of thousands more are also on the road every night as Americans move equipment and resources in preparation for the large-scale reduction of forces scheduled to begin after January elections here.
One critical calculation is how the Americans can both provide the protection needed to move the vast accumulation of equipment from six years of war and maintain the capacity to support Iraqi forces if violence spins out of control.
Iraq's security forces also continued to come under attack on Tuesday, with at least 10 police officers killed, including a police commander, and 6 more wounded in Kirkuk Province.

The above is from Marc Santora's "Attacks Muddle American Plans to Draw Down in Iraq" in this morning's New York Times on yesterday's violence (which claimed the lives of 4 US service members) and what it might mean. Expect Thomas E. Ricks to again go stark raving mad as he foams at the mouth over a photo of a wounded soldier clearly in pain. He'll no doubt scream at AFP and Getty Images (photographer is Marwan Ibrahim) because he's become so ass stupid that he doesn't realize the wire services do not control what's printed in a paper they don't own. But the world will be spared another mantrum from Thomas E. Ricks because the photo is of a wounded Iraqi soldier and photos of them have never led Tommy to toss a mantrum. Can we get Tyra in here to do a segment on former journalists who use their explosives tempers to attack the press?


Nada Bakri's "Four Killed in Deadliest Day for U.S. Troops in Iraq in Weeks" (Washington Post) focuses on the deaths and notes that the soldier killed in Baghdad (roadside bombing) was part of a patrol "on its way back to the base" while the other three were out "on patrol in nothern Iraq. Iraqi security forces also said that a U.S. Army patrol came under fire Tuesday afternoon near the town of Hawijah, southwest of the contested, oil-rich city of Kirkuk. There was no word on casualties." LAT's Ned Parker and Ali Windawi cover yesterday in "4 U.S. troops killed in bombings" (Chicago Tribune).


ICCC is back up in limited scope. We'll copy and paste the following in case it goes back down as it works out other bugs.



Coalition Military Fatalities By Year and Month

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
200300928042364943334711048580
200452235214084505875876814176906
20051276039528883588552998668897
200664583482796346667711078115872
2007868582117131108898870404025961
2008403040522131132325141716322
200916189192515876000123

Filter Deaths By Month

Coalition Military Fatalities By Year

YearUSUKOtherTotal
20034865341580
20048492235906
20058462328897
20068222921872
20079044710961
200831444322
200912210123
Total43431791394661
Filter Deaths By Year


Their toll is 4343. With the months not working (in terms of allowing you to check by name), I'm not sure on that but we'll go with it.

Sunday August 30th the death toll was 4336. By their monthly toll they stay with the reported 7 dead in August -- meaning no additions there. Six US service members have died so far this month and they agree with that but end up with 4343 and not 4342. When it's possible to check by month, it may make sense.

The following community sites updated last night:

Meanwhile, you know what's "creepy"? Liars. Trash. Whores who phone it in while taking a check. Yeah we're talking about little Merlene Davis of McClatchy. The bad columnist who has limited knowledge and even less experience. Which is why she's screaming "race!" in her 'new' column "It's time to move past Obama's skin color." You know, if that's your desire, then why don't you? Merlene can't. First, Barack's bi-racial, Merlene. Second, we realize you're stunted and uneducated and that no one would want to speak to you, let alone be friends with you. But here you are, in September, telling us that Barack's the victim of racism and tying it into a story about this Liberian couple you met who "told me that the difference between Liberia and the United States is that here, there is a peaceful transfer of power after an election. In Liberia, they said, the loser wouldn't relinquish power, choosing instead to start a war or kill his opponent in defiance of what the voters had wanted."

Hey, Merlene, did you, maybe, interview them in 2003? Yeah, you did. Why do I know that? Golly, could it be because it's apparently the only time you've ever spoken to anyone outside your head and it's a topic you never stop recycling? Most recently August 26, 2008? "Losing with grace." Remember trotting that out then when those awful 'racists' who supported Hillary were upsetting you in Denver? Right after you wrote your garbage about Hillary supporters who were "disappointed" Barack didn't put her on the ticket. (I'll assume that was based on more internal conversations in Merlene's head.) Back then you were whining too, remember? You wanted the American people to instead focus on what?

When are we going to bring the soldiers home from Iraq?
What can we do to bring down gasoline prices while not further damaging the environment?
What can be done to ensure our elderly, our young and all working Americans will feel financially secure when illness or accidents strike and medical services are needed?

It's cute how those don't matter to Whore Merlene today. But, hey, in 2008, Barry O was saying 10 months for US troops out of Iraq. It's 9 months into his administration. Seeing those troops out? No. And Belgrade News reports today, "The Department of Defense has told more than 3,500 Montana Army National Guard soldiers to prepare for possible deployment, the MTNG said Friday."




So Media Whore Merlene sidesteps that issue as she uses copy and paste to 'create' a 'new' column. Instead she says Americans need to focus on respect, "It's respect for authority. It's respect for the president. It is respect for our upbringing." No one respected Gerald Ford. Get over your damn self, Merlene. You didn't respect George W. Bush and now you whine about Barry. Get over your damn self and grow the hell up. I didn't respect Bully Boy Bush. I don't respect Barack. I don't cheerlead for my servant. That's what the president is -- regardless of who he or she is: a public servant. They serve us, Merlene. They owe us respect, they serve us, not the other way around. Try learning about the country and about democracy. Or you could move to a fascist regime which embraces your longing for a "Dear Leader."

Barack's an unpopular president. You can scream "race" until you're blue in the face -- and many will -- it won't change the fact that he's an awful president, that you recycle columns or that you're an old media whore who should have relinquished the street corner years ago.

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













thomas friedman is a great man






oh boy it never ends
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