Friday, March 18, 2011

Lara Jakes' report is going to cause some to wince

Tomorrow's the anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. Eight years ago, the illegal war began and it continues. Despite claims that it has ended (that was the press coverage that ended, not the war), despite claims that it ends at the end of the year. In fact, Jar-Jar Blinks and other SOFA liars, Lara Jakes (AP) reports this morning, "Despite a security agreement requiring a full U.S. military withdrawal by the year's end, hundreds if not thousands of American soldiers will continue to be in Iraq beyond 2012." How will the little liars hold their heads up? The ones who whored for a politician and insisted the peace movement was no longer needed. The ones who eased on down the road to whoredom? Probably not a good morning to be Raed Jarrar or Leslie Cagan or Tom Hayden or any of the cheap, trashy liars who worked, not just to lie for Barack, but to lie so that the illegal war can continue. Raed, put the soap down, that blood will not wash off.


As soon as Barack got into the White House, Raed wanted the world to know that the Iraq War was over and to focus on other things. He put the stupid count down calendar on his site. When confronted, the cry baby would insist he wasn't saying the Iraq War had ended. That's exactly what he said. And often he said it using words. He played the fool in the US Congress getting laughed at by the Democrats who did actually want to end the Iraq War. A few humored him (and others) with a resolution. A Congressional resolution is not a law but Raed doesn't know the Constitution of America, so why should we be surprised he doesn't know the law?

But he was listened to. To this day, Amy Goodman promotes Raed as the voice of Iraq. Raed who fled the country rather than fight for it gets to be the voice of Iraq. It doesn't matter that he never knows what he's talking about. He gets on TV and spreads his lies and the Iraq War continues because people see him and they think, "Well he must know what he's talking about. And he's saying Barack has ended the war!"

The damage he and others did is huge. And yet, the same chicken who fled his own country so he could play Mr. Big in the US, is too chicken to admit he was wrong. He was happy to tell me I was wrong, that I didn't know what the SOFA said. The SOFA was released by the White House Thanksgiving Day 2008 and on that day you will find an analysis of it by me in the archives and that analysis stands up. I don't know what Raed and the other liars thought would happen in 2003?

That we'd all forget what they'd repeatedly claimed? That we wouldn't care that they lied over and over?

They lied and they lulled the country into a false sense of security. 'With limited time, don't use it on Iraq, that's taken care of!' And that's when it starts to fall off the public radar. They're the ones with blood on their hands and they're insane for thinking they'd get away with it. In 2008, there was a fork a in the road. You could choose the path of truth. But some, like Raed, chose to walk down the path of lying. They need to take accountability.


A poem at Kitabat notes:

Barack, Barack, Barack
It is impossible to die, Iraq
It is impossible to die, Iraq
Do not back down


Robert Olson (Lexington Herald-Leader) observes, "While the Obama administration and the Pentagon have stated that U.S. combat troops will be withdrawn by the end of 2011, most Middle East analysts think up to 20,000 combat troops and other security personnel will remain. The State Department and Bureau of Diplomatic Security intend to employ another 10,000 to 12,000 security contractors. This indicates the U.S. plans to have a substantial presence in Iraq for the foreseeable future, including air bases."

Don't want to be a Jar-Jar?

Saturday, A.N.S.W.E.R. and March Forward! and others will be taking part in these action:

March 19 is the 8th anniversary of the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Iraq today remains occupied by 50,000 U.S. soldiers and tens of thousands of foreign mercenaries.

The war in Afghanistan is raging. The U.S. is invading and bombing Pakistan. The U.S. is financing endless atrocities against the people of Palestine, relentlessly threatening Iran and bringing Korea to the brink of a new war.

While the United States will spend $1 trillion for war, occupation and weapons in 2011, 30 million people in the United States remain unemployed or severely underemployed, and cuts in education, housing and healthcare are imposing a huge toll on the people.

Actions of civil resistance are spreading.

On Dec. 16, 2010, a veterans-led civil resistance at the White House played an important role in bringing the anti-war movement from protest to resistance. Enduring hours of heavy snow, 131 veterans and other anti-war activists lined the White House fence and were arrested. Some of those arrested will be going to trial, which will be scheduled soon in Washington, D.C.

Saturday, March 19, 2011, the anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, will be an international day of action against the war machine.

Protest and resistance actions will take place in cities and towns across the United States. Scores of organizations are coming together. Demonstrations are scheduled for San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and more.

The following community sites -- plus War News Radio and Antiwar.com -- updated last night and this morning:

We'll close with this from The Bat Segundo Show:

TC Boyle

"On the other hand, if you’re not going to shoot yourself tonight, do what satisfies you." Celebrated novelist TC Boyle returns to our program to discuss his novel, When the Killing's Done, animal rights, and the role of art in a nihilistic world. (Link to show.)

Adrian Tomine

In this 50 minute conversation, noted cartoonist Adrian Tomine talks about his latest volume, Scenes from an Impending Marriage, the artist's fragile ego, fictional mistresses, and the freedom in pursuing work that isn't reviewed. (LInk to show.)

Aminatta Forna

Aminatta Forna, recently longlisted for the Orange Prize, discusses her latest novel, The Memory of Love and explains how you can get arrested in Sierra Leone. (Link to show.)

Eduardo Porter

Is a belief in fair prices akin to a Pascalian wager or a religious faith? Eduardo Porter, author of The Price of Everything, reveals that it can involve more than this. Think orange juice, the value of a human life, and even Clive Owen. (Link to show.)

Insulted by Authors

Bill Ryan is a man who asks authors to sign their books with insults. Learn how this simple idea reveals unexpected intricacies of the celebrity industrial complex! (Link to show.)

Toby Ball

Toby Ball, author of The Vaults, illustrates how you can turn preexisting information into narrative fodder. (Link to show.)

Greetings from The Bat Segundo Show!

Greetings from The Bat Segundo Show, the long-running cultural radio program, which you can listen to for free, devoted to thoughtful, quirky, and comprehensive conversations with the cultural figures of our time.

It's been more than a month since our last email update, but we have six new programs to tell you about! You can listen to the show at the main site or subscribe through iTunes.

Three Novelists

TC Boyle discusses his novel, When the Killing's Done. Aminatta Forna, recently nominated for the Orange Prize, talks about The Memory of Love. And our conversation with Toby Ball, author of The Vaults, finds an unanticipated interruption by curious kids about ten minutes into the program.

Wedding Gifts, Insults, and Prices

What kind of a man asks authors to insult him? How much of your existence revolves around price? And how did a wedding gift to Adrian Tomine's friends and family make its way into bookstores?

You can keep scratching your head or you can go to the main Bat Segundo site and listen to our free programs for the answers!

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thomas friedman is a great man






oh boy it never ends













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