The Common Ills: Iraq as is and as reported by the western press

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Iraq as is and as reported by the western press

As is so often the case, the day starts with a tale of two Iraqs.

There's the western press narrative which is sparse but notes little more than oil sales and oil prices. Iraq as a commodity with investment value -- that's what the western press passes off as 'reporting.'

Then there's the Iraqi press covering what's actually going on in the country.

Yesterday, Stephen King and Ruth Pitchford (Reuters) reported that Iraq's prime minister Haider al-Abadi had declared the battle for Baiji to be crucial. (Haider doesn't note it but All Iraq News does: Baiji's been under the control of the Islamic State since June 2014.)

Yeah, I guess most people would try to distract like that if, like Haider, they'd ordered an assault on Anbar Province and had nothing to show for it.

We all remember that, right?

The ongoing assault that the western press forgot?

Or ignores because there's no accomplishment?

Today's August 26th.

Remember when the ongoing assault on Anbar kicked off?

May 26th.

Three months in and Haider and company have nothing to show for it.

So is Anbar to be the new Mosul?

Mosul was seized by the Islamic State in June 2014 and over a year later?

The Islamic State still controls it.

With no success all these months later in Anbar Province, most leaders or 'leaders' would probably try to steer the spotlight to Saladin Province or any other province in fact. (Baiji is located in Saladin.) And a western press eagerly assists in shifting focus.

On the fall of Mosul, Iraq Times is reporting that Nouri was warned by Iranian intelligence about Mosul six months before the Islamic State seized it and that Nouri ignored these warnings. Former prime minister and forever thug Nouri was prime minister when Mosul fell.

Days ahead of the release of the results of Parliament's investigation into the fall of Mosul, Nouri fled to Iran where he remains to this day. The report placed the bulk of the blame on Nouri. He also fled at a time when there were rumors of corruption charges being brought against him.

Coward Nouri had fled Iraq before, of course.

Whimpering and with his tail between his knees, he fled while Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq and stayed out for decades until the US-led invasion of 2003 at which point Coward Nouri felt it might be safe to return to Iraq.

On corruption, the Iraqi government can still not deliver basic public services to the people. This summer's heat has underscored that and the Iraqi people have taken to the streets to protest the corruption which has resulted in still not being able to receive consistent electricity.

All Iraq News notes Speaker of Parliament Saleem al-Jobouri has stated there is no excuse for the Minister of Electricity refusing to appear before Parliament Tuesday as scheduled.

Alsumaria notes 54 million dinars were stolen from teachers' salaries -- from a truck apparently carrying the money -- just east of Baghdad today. As usual, the telling detail? The robbers were wearing Iraqi military uniforms.

But remember, it's never Iraqi military!

Iraq is filled with rouge tailors who can dash off those uniforms in bulk, apparently.

There is no corruption in the Iraqi military -- we must always insist -- never has been -- we must always insist ignoring facts and the public record.

We'll note more in the snapshot tonight -- including a key point that Ayad Allawi's made.

But the point is, there's what's actually happening in Iraq and then there's the garbage the western press has been churning out for about three weeks now. At least three weeks now.

The following community sites -- plus Susan's On the Edge, the Guardian and Pacifica Evening News -- updated: