The Common Ills: Iraq snapshot

Friday, August 17, 2018

Iraq snapshot

Friday, April 17, 2018.

I’m sitting in prayer for the wonderful golden spirit Aretha Franklin.

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There is a bright FLAME about to go out , ONLY GOD KNOW WHEN   Say a prayer and let her go -deep Breath

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The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, is dead. She was a great woman, with a wonderful gift from God, her voice. She will be missed!

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‏Verified account @MelisaMorgan22

I LOVE YOU @ArethaFranklin ... I will miss you and your Amazing Vocal styling.  Forever The Queen Of Soul to me!  RIP

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‏Verified account @jodywatley

Rest Peacefully and in Power Queen.   A great memory and room filled with love Photo December 2016 #tbt Aretha Franklin Christmas Party, Detroit, MI. My condolences, love and prayers… https://www.instagram.com/p/BmjY4E1FQXT/?utm_source=ig_twitter_share&igshid=a3kxdte4johc …

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‏Verified account @PhilipBaileyEWF

R.I.P. Thank God for allowing us all to witness his love, brilliance, musical magic and grace in #ArethaFranklin. We were always honored when Aretha would just show up at one of our concerts... without warning.
Hail to the Queen Of Soul!!

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‏Verified account @RevJJackson

A lot of music left the earth today. The Heavens rejoice. Rest in heavenly peace. #ArethaFranklin #ISayALittlePrayer

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‏Veri
fied account @FallonTonight

.@ArianaGrande and @TheRoots perform "Natural Woman" in tribute to Aretha Franklin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN6C_WuEbGI …

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‏Verified account @MissyElliott

Rest easy #ARETHAFRANKLIN I imagine u in heaven performing & still making people souls move this was my aunt favorite record #RockSteady you will always be the Queen of Soul you been that before many of us were born! Thank you for giving us LEGENDARY TIMELESS music 

‏Verified account @_JeffreyOsborne

Aretha Franklin was truly one of the greatest singers of our time. She was blessed with a once in a lifetime voice.  A blessing only handed down to a chosen few. I had the pleasure of… https://www.instagram.com/p/BmjSUntBmBI/?utm_source=ig_twitter_share&igshid=1wpbhtf5r7y5a …

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‏Verified account @Roberta_Flack

Aretha Franklin had a heart as big as the sky. Her talent and fiery spirit paved the way for us all with her courage, respect and honesty. Every note she sang was true and an example of what it... https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10155542192282461&id=266227157460 …

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‏Verified account @smokey_robinson

This morning my longest friend in this world went home to be with our Father. I will miss her so much but I know she’s at peace. #QueenOfSoul

Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, Classic Motown and Motown Records

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Cher‏Verified account @cher 12 hours ago

There Is One Amazing Thing...., We Were All Inspired By Her Presence,Touched By Her Passing ....& She Will Never Be Truly Gone From Us. Legends Are 4EVER

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Cher‏Verified account @cher 17 hours ago

I have never been able To listen to Aretha’s Recording Of Skylark without Crying. Even as I write This,tears Flow #SkyLark

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Cher‏Verified account @cher 17 hours ago

Aretha.....Go Gently Into That Good Night.Your Glorious,One Of a Kind Voice Will Be With Us Forever. You were Always Just Beyond Our Reach #SkyLark

202 replies2,338 retweets15,539 likes

Aretha Franklin wrote "Integrity" and, more important, she lived it.

As the world suffers the loss of Aretha, Iraq continues to suffer.

‏ @MPPregent

Please join us TOMORROW at noon for a timely panel on Iraq moderated by @vmsalama of @wsj with @BilalWahab @majidyar and myself

Iraq: Political Parties, Protests, and Security Backslide - August 17th 2018 @HudsonInstitute

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Grasp that for a moment.

THE NATION can't focus on Iraq? THE PROGRESSIVE -- don't make me laugh that rag's lost too many readers to focus on anything. MOTHER JONES? Soros money has ensured that every moment of every day is about Donald Trump. Please grasp, they give him their power with their obsession -- it's the same way the media did in the lead up to the election. They never learn.

So while we dither on the left, the right wing is focusing on Iraq.

We noted in yesterday's snapshot the plan being pushed by the War Hawks to impose benchmarks. Benchmarks didn't work last time. They won't work this tim.

Last go round, the benchmarks were supposed to mean if Iraq didn't meet them, aid was cut off. But Iraq never met them. Aid was never cut off. A lot of outlets would say they made 'progress' but they didn't make progress and, more to the point, these benchmarks were supposed to be initiated immediately, not five years down the line.

The benchmarks were never met. The Democrats refused to demand they be met and they refused to cut off funding as they should have in 2007 and 2008 and 2009 and 2010 when Iraq was not meeting the benchmarks.

They did nothing and they were the 'opposition' to the Iraq War.

The benchmarks allowed the war to continue. They were a distraction -- a nothing offered to appease the masses -- and then they were forgotten.

In other words, your 'Auntie Maxie' is a fake ass. Grow the hell up.

The right's already proposing benchmarks. The Hudson Institute event will offer more proposals. And by refusing to participate in any dialogue on Iraq at all, the left surrenders the conversation to the right.

THE ECONOMIST notes today that "some 2 million Americans have served in Iraq and Afghanistan" in the current wars. Well get ready for that number to increase because the wars aren't going to end on their own.

Some are working to end the wars and that small list does include Cindy Sheehan. From her site, this is "Open Letter to the Pentagon from Women's March on the Pentagon:"

Open Letter to the Pentagon

from

Women's March on the Pentagon

August 15, 2018

TO:

Barbara Westgate

Director, Washington Headquarters Services

1155 Defense Pentagon

Washington, DC 20301-1155

CC:

James C. Mattis

Secretary of Defense

The Pentagon

1400 Defense Pentagon,

Arlington, VA 22202

FROM:

Women’s March on the Pentagon

PO Box 6264

Vacaville, Ca 95696

To Whom it May Concern:

The Women’s March on the Pentagon (WMOP) has been actively seeking a permit to hold a march and rally at the Pentagon on October 21st, 2018—in the exact same space that many pro-war groups have had rallies every year, for many years. As of the date of this letter, we have not even received an application for a permit.

We began the process on Tuesday, July 17th when six of us (undersigned) visited the Pentagon and finally were able to speak with an Officer “Will Smith” who claimed to be from the Pentagon “Office of Special Events.”

Officer “Smith” took our contact info and gave us his email (william.J.Smith149@mail.mil) address and assured us that if we emailed him, he would email us a copy of the permit application. Malachy Kilbride, the DC Co-ordinator for WMOP immediately emailed Officer “Smith” that same day with this email:

“William J. Smith,

thank you for meeting with us today and advising us on the next steps for our First Amendment event on Pentagon grounds in October of this year. We appreciate your assistance in this regard.

As per your instruction, we would like to follow up on the next step by filling out and submitting the appropriate forms and documents for review by your agency.

Again, thank you for your work with us in this matter,

Malachy Kilbride,

Washington DC Area Organizer,

Women's March on The Pentagon”

We heard nothing back from Officer “Will Smith,” so a week later, (July 24) Mr. Kilbride followed up with this email:

“Dear William J. Smith,

I'm following up on the email I sent last week in order to get the appropriate paper work regarding the permit.

Thank you,

Malachy Kilbride”

Again, we heard nothing back from Officer “Smith” and in case it’s not obvious, it is very hard to contact anyone at your highly secure facility.

At this point, we correctly realized that Officer “Smith” was stonewalling us, so Mr. Kilbride called the Pentagon asking for Officer “Smith” and/or the Office of Special Events—-neither was listed at the central switchboard.

Mr. Kilbride finally reached a Lt. “Kim,” who would not confirm or deny the existence of Officer “Smith” but told us perhaps we should get in touch with Washington Headquarters Services.

This letter is to inform you that we are insisting on having a permit application sent to us via email at:

CindySheehan@MarchonPentagon.com

or via US mail at:

March on Pentagon

PO Box 6264

Vacaville, Ca 95696

We have been performing our due diligence and being respectful of the process to obtain “permission” to exercise our Constitutional rights to freely speak and freely, and “peaceably,” assemble (First Amendment). If we don’t receive this application by Friday August 24th, we will be forced to obtain the services of an attorney.

This letter is also to inform you that the Women’s March on the Pentagon is determined to march and rally against the US war machine, of which the Pentagon is the obvious and biggest representative of that, whether we obtain a permit, or not.

We are organizing for thousands of women and others to rally for Peace at the Pentagon on the date in question and it will be happening with your assistance or not. As veteran war protesters, we suggest that you notify the other jurisdictions in Washington, DC about our protest, since further stonewalling may force us into the other law enforcement jurisdictions that are in the Washington DC Metro area.

Ironically, we were informed by Officer “Smith” several times that he was in the military “20 years” to give us “the right to protest,” and this is the propaganda that the US war machine is constantly pushing to the world, so we feel it would behoove you all to accommodate this request to avoid the appearance of hypocrisy.

Thank you for your attention and we look forward to your assistance in this matter.

We will march and rally.

Signed:  Cindy Sheehan

(Gold Star Mother of Casey Sheehan, KIA in Iraq 04/04/04)

National Director

Women’s March on the Pentagon

Bonnie J. Caracciolo

Co-Director

Women’s March on the Pentagon

Malachy Kilbride

Washington DC Coordinator

Women’s March on the Pentagon

Kevin Zeese

Advisory Committee

Women’s March on the Pentagon

Margaret Flowers, MD

Advisory Committee

Women’s March on the Pentagon

Paki Wieland

Steering Committee

Women’s March on the Pentagon

They have asked for a permit application. Where is it? Everyone should be asking that. This is not the normal permit process. The government is there to serve. What are they doing because they are not doing their job, they are not obeying the Constitution. They're not doing much of anything at all. While they sit on their asses, collecting our tax dollars, they refuse to work. This is outrageous.

Also sitting on their asses? Politicians in Iraq who should be forming a government. Elections took place May 12th. What's the hold up now?

Balsam Mustafa‏ @BalsamAwni 18 hours ago

This is the worst joke of 2018 re #Iraq

Mina Aldroubi @Mina_Aldroubi

Pompeo urges formation of a moderate Iraqi government #Iraq https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/pompeo-urges-formation-of-a-moderate-iraqi-government-1.760307 … via @TheNationalUAE

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Balsam Mustafa‏ @BalsamAwni 18 hours ago

Too optimistic with these same faces!

Mustafa Habib @Mustafa_Habib33

My Latest @niqash Change Can Believe In: #Iraq’s Historic Opportunity To Rise Again. "Its time for Iraqi politicians to realize the magnitude…

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It is the same faces, so it's not like they are new to the process. Is there a reason that they can't form a government?

While they dilly and dally, the Iraqi people grow less and less pleased with these politicians.

‏ @BalsamAwni

Many of the comments on the death of Dr Rafif al Yasiri, a female plastic surgeon and owner of Barbie Beauty Centre in #Baghdad, wish a politician had died instead of her. Quite telling!
#رفيف_الياسري

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