Saturday, May 16, 2020

Iraq: protests, ISIS killings, and more

ALJAZEERA offers up sop with War Hawk Samantha Power.  Fortunately, the people streaming the video are smarter than ALJAZEERA thought that they were.  They grasp that 'humanitarian' Samantha Power is a War Hawk, they know the history and the blood on her hands.  Sammy The Problem From Hell is raising a stink for one reason, she fears US troops might be pulled from Iraq.  That's the only 'threat' that ever frightens her.


May 7th, Mustafa al-Kadhimi became the latest prime minister in Iraq.  Middle East Institute offers a discussion on the new prime minister and various issues facing Iraq.  Host Alistair Taylor speaks with Hafsa Halawa, Shahla al-Kli and Yesar al-Maleki about these issues.




Also serving up a discussion is Carnegie's PROXY WARS which features journalist Jane Arraf, AEI's Kenneth Pollack, Mohammed al-Hakim and Mohammed Radhi and is moderated by Dr. Ranj Alaaldin.




Simona Folytn (ALJAZEERA) reports on the slow movement regarding the new prime minister's promise/order that all protesters in state prisons should be immediately released.





Protests continue in Iraq:



At least ten arrested at salary protest in Duhok; strict security measures in place nrttv.com/En/News.aspx?i #NRTnews #Iraq #TwitterKurds #Duhok


NRT reports:

Teachers and public sector employees protested in Duhok on Saturday (May 16) over delays in the disbursement of their salaries, with strict measures taken by the security forces to contain the demonstration.
An NRT reporter said that the protesters gathered in Azadi Park just after 3 p.m. as planned, but that the security forces intervened to prevent additional people from joining.
Approximately one hundred people were arrested, including organizers and participants, according to an outlet affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Blocked from joining, some demonstrators gathered on nearby streets.
Some scuffles broke out during the arrests, according to video sent to NRT.
In the hours before the demonstration, organizers Badal Barwari and Omed Baroshky were arrested at their homes in the city.

During the demonstration, the security forces prevented reporters from entering the park to interview protesters or use their mobile devices to collect video.


Abdulla Hawez observes:

It is arguably more difficult to protest in Duhok than anywhere in all Iraq; Duhok is in Badinan region who speak a form of Kurmanji and make up 1/3 of KRI’s population; The region is tightly controlled by Barzani thru a website of tribal alliances and strict patronage system.

 Changes in Iraq?  Not seeing it.  The lip service of the new prime minister isn't followed by actions, is it?  Protesters are still being arrested and Iraqi forces continue to harass the press to prevent actual journalism from taking place in Iraq.  


Protests also took place in Sulaimani where, as explained in the video below, the disabled protested.




On the topic of prisons,  Lawk Ghafuri (RUDAW) reports:

 Islamic State (ISIS) militants will launch a campaign to break their supporters out of jails across Iraq, the jihadist group said in a new propaganda film on Friday.

In the 49-minute video titled ‘Strike the Necks’ – published on messaging app Telegram – a masked militant holding an assault rifle says ISIS will scale up its attacks on Iraqi police and security forces.

The militant also says the group will stage mass prison breaks to release ISIS supporters held in Iraq’s jails. A mass prison break could quickly swell the group’s ranks and undo years of counter-terror work.

“We came to behead you and burn your houses, and I want to let our brothers and sisters in the prisons of infidels know that we have not forgotten you and we ask you to be patient, as we will come for you, because it is an obligation to set you free from the infidels,” the ISIS militant says.

In August 2019, ISIS militants were among 15 prisoners who broke out of Rusafa prison in Baghdad.



In other ISIS news, Firdeves Bulut (ANADOLU AGENCY) reports 2 Iraqi soldiers were killed by ISIS in Saladin Province today.  Hamdi Yildiz (ANADOLU AGENCY) adds that ISIS killed 1 police officer in Kirkuk.


Now on the topic of Tara Reade.  There are seven e-mails that I've seen telling me that I have let Tara down by not sticking up for her.  Excuse me?

Since I learned of POLITICO, PBS and professional troll Michael Tracey launching their attacks on Tara, I've posted the following to this site:

  • Danni Askani replying to a PBS reporter
  • Lisa Bloom provided the playbook being used (Lisa ...
  • Trump’s “Reopening” Is a Red Herring | The Problem...
  • Wagatwe Wanjuki on the damage the 'report' from PO...
  • Nicole Bedera and Wagatwe Wanjuki Tweet about the ...
  • Some Tweets from Wagatwe Wanjuki

  • Elaine's must read post -- stop shaming survivors!...


    • "Trump's 'Reoping' Is a Red Hearring" is IN THESE TIMES about various issues the magazine is reporting on.  "Elaine's must read . . ." is something I wrote.  I wrote the intro to the Lisa Bloom post, the Danni Askani and Wagatwe Wanjuki posts are about Tara.

    I'm not your sin eater.  I'll take responsibility for what I do but I'm not taking responsibility for what others do.

    I haven't been silent about Tara.  Nothing that was published Friday says Tara wasn't assaulted.  I have kept the focus on her.  I haven't weighed in on PBS because Ava and I cover TV for THIRD and we already decided we'd be covering THE NEWSHOUR and a new movie that both are dishonest and hypocritical. 

    Here?  I have covered Tara repeatedly in the last 24 hours. 

    I'm not Katie Halper.  I'm not Krystal Ball.  I'm not Rich McHugh.  I'm not Ryan Grim.

    Instead of taking your hate out on me for wrongly deciding I'd walked away from Tara, why don't you e-mail them?

    Unlike them, I'm not paid.  I didn't make money off supporting Tara.  Those people were happy to make money off her.  Now she needs defending and it's feminists like me who are stepping up while our journalistic heroes -- Katie,Krystal, Rich and Ryan -- stay silent.  Oh, yeah, Katie reTweeted a Tweet defending Tara.

    She must have broken a sweat doing that, right?

    I've done my job.  I do my job.  I was part of a feminist roundtable today about Tara.  I will continue to defend Tara.

    None of the smears go to anything that's pertinent to her case.  Are the smears accurate? I don't know.  But even if they are, they do not go to her allegations.  Real feminists grasp that.  Real feminists have been the forefront of this issue unlike celebrity feminists.

    Anthony Zenkus is one of the people -- and, yes, he is a feminist -- who is not being silent.  This Tweet is just one example:

     So
    @SenGillibrand
    forced Al Franken to resign over sexual assault allegations w/far less corroboration than Tara Reade has. And Reade has alleged actual rape. I stood with Sen. Gillibrand at
    @UsmmaO
    when she called them out on sexual assault. Today, Gillibrand is a #MeTooFraud.



    There are people speaking out in support of Tara.  I wish I had time to note all of them.  I don't.  I have done what I can and I will continue to do so.  Tara has every right to tell her story.  If her story is not accurate, the media can certainly report on that.  However, what her landlords think of her or what people who have been smearing her online think of her or how POLITICO worked with a Biden supporter to put together their hit piece on Tara -- a collaboration that they failed to make public.

    That's something FAIR should be addressing but FAIR and COUNTERSPIN have been silent all along regarding Tara Reade.  I guess that's better -- silence -- then when they lied about a woman to protect the US government and a conspiracy that ended up pinned solely on the FBI.  Yeah, Ava and I plan to go there.  There are too many whores trying to pretend that they're trust worthy when they are not.  FAIR is a knowing distraction from actual facts -- including the persecution of a US citizen.  They lie so Tara's damn lucky that the incest couple at FAIR chose to ignore her all these weeks.

    Can you feel the rage I'm typing with?

    Again, if you're e-mailing and you're upset about Tara, I'm right there with you.  So don't confuse me with someone who has profited off of Tara and now chooses to hide and wait and see which way the wind blows. 


    The following sites updated:


  • Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox
    United We Stand Sessions with Cindy Sheehan
    7 hours ago
  • The Official Jody Watley Website
    Jody Watley Offers Up A Musical Healing. Soulbounce Review
    11 hours ago
  • Music
    On His Debut Album, Jonah Mutono Embraces His Identity And His Name
    14 hours ago
  • Trina's Kitchen
    Mediterranean Lima Bean in the Kitchen
    16 hours ago
  • The World Today Just Nuts
    He crawls out from under his rock
    17 hours ago
  • Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills)
    Michael Tracey's a human turd and other thoughts on proponents of rape culture
    17 hours ago
  • Ann's Mega Dub
    What I can say
    18 hours ago
  • Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude
    they're trying to intimidate people into silence
    20 hours ago
  • Ruth's Report
    It must hurt to be as stupid as Michael Tracey
    1 day ago
  • Mikey Likes It!
    Idiot of the week: POLITICO for thinking they could hide the truth
    1 day ago
  • SICKOFITRADLZ
    Alice Evans is one ugly bitch who owes survivors an apology
    1 day ago
  • Like Maria Said Paz
    OMG you mean assault might cause someone to have issues!!!!!
    1 day ago
  • Gorilla Radio
    Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Alan MacLeod May 15, 2020
    1 day ago
  • Blog of Rights: Official Blog of the American Civil Liberties Union
    Contact Tracing and COVID-19: Lessons From HIV
    1 day ago
  • Latino USA
    Costa Rican Lawmakers Cite Coronavirus To Delay Marriage Equality
    1 day ago

  • The Diane Rehm Show from WAMU and NPR
    Will College Campuses Reopen This Fall?
    1 day ago 




    • Posted by at

    Danni Askani replying to a PBS reporter

    Danni Askani:

     Lisa - thank you for this journalism bit it has serious problems and furthers many misconceptions about sexual harassment and sexual violence and it’s deeply troublesome regardless of the allegations / person involved - I am going to post a thread responding to these gaps ... 
    mentions 1. Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence (Rape, Assault, Domestic Violence, and Stalking) are about POWER - not about a persons belief in if women are equal or not. Your article hinges on “He treated women equally” but never addresses how he used his power interpersonally. 
    mentions 2. It is a well researched fact in social science studies (happy to link you) - that men who engage in sexual violence tend to do so in sophisticated ways - ie: targeting people who are likely to be disbelieved if they come forward. And alter their public behavior to do so. 
    mentions 3. Your article doesn’t look at other key questions like: Did Biden ever yell at staff, did he raise his voice, did he publicly scold, humiliate, or berate staff? Did he ever have public disagreements with women who were his peers or who had power over him? 
    mentions 4. Your article furthers Rape Culture in that - you seem to be seeking to undermine or confirm the veracity or minute aspects of Tara Reeds claims (where she said the assault happened, what Biden’s “average routine” was, that office staff don’t attend campaign events) ... 
    mentions 5. This approach 1. Asks the reader to believe that “the average of all days is the same as every day.” As if to say there were no exceptions to these norms. I am less interested in taking apart the procedural steps of the “who, when, where” of 30 years ago. 
    mentions 6. On balance - I appreciate that you raise that survivors of harassment and violence experience “poor work performance” - I wish you had cited journal articles, studies or experts - and not her attorney. The subjective opinions of a male co-worker seem questionable to me. 
    mentions 7. In all of this reporting - which is excellent, I really truly wish that 1. You had spoke to and included professional and experts who study sexual harassment and violence in the workplace and included FACTS for readers to provide education and context. 
    mentions 8. By making this a “He said / She said - now let’s interview the hundreds of people who believe HIM” you skip past the scientific fact that 1 in 3 women will experience sexual violence in their life time 85% will know the perpetrator. Before diving into subjective recollections 
    mentions In 2017 - I was the Executive Director of an LGBT 🏳️‍🌈 Rights org in Seattle when the country’s first openly gay mayor Ed Murray - a powerful Democratic civil rights hero - was accused by 3 men of sexually abusing them as youth in the 1980s. I wrote this.
    mentions I was roundly attacked relentlessly and called a “traitor” by other LGBT community leaders privately - publicly no one - even women politicians - would speak out publicly in support of survivors coming forward:
    mentions As I had predicted in April - a total of 5 men came forward before Ed Murray resigned - the final straw being his cousin and aunt coming forward - for months he attacked his accusers with his public office and denied the allegations.
    mentions Almost all journalists in Seattle save a very few published story after story recounting and debating the specifics of the events - when did the men report, why didn’t social services prosecute him, and why had this not come up sooner. But that did a total disservice to survivors 
    mentions A more helpful approach in my opinion is to before regurgitating people’s subjective recollections - is to lay out for readers and the public how incredibly common sexual harassment and violence IS. Frankly - all things being equal, it is way more likely to have happened than not 
    mentions I say that 1. Ignoring the people, politics, motivations, and looking instead at the power dynamics in play. 2. Given the overwhelming scientific and population data and profile of perpetrators. Again - looking for patterns of power / anger / abuse vs. “proof beyond doubt”. 
    mentions There is more often than not, no way to prove or disprove any given set of allegations. Most survivors are wishing to be heard, acknowledged, and to make other people aware of how abuse of power happens. This is a key aspect of healing - reclaiming power, agency, & narrative. 
    mentions We will never move the ball forward to what I believe is your and all of our collective goal - a world where sexual harassment and violence in the workplace IS unthinkable - if we don’t first start every story by citing the science, research, and facts of how common it IS and who 
    mentions And who perpetrators of sexual violence & sexual harassment are most likely to be! ie: someone you know, someone who is respected, someone who has power, and someone who has opportunity to harm a survivor and be able to frame them as lying. That is what science says! 












    Posted by at

    Lisa Bloom provided the playbook being used (Lisa is not a feminist)

    The smear campaign against Tara Reade?  Sounds like something out of the Lisa Bloom playbook.  Let's note this e-mail she wrote to Harvey.  And let's note that Lisa Bloom recently Tweeted that she believes Tara but will be voting for Joe Biden.  It's a feminist position, you understand.

    Who's paying the whore now that Harvey Weinstein is in prison?  Lisa is not a feminist.  She's trash.  Read her e-mail to Harvey below and grasp how she has lied and manipulated the press.  She didn't make a mistake, she purposely set out to defame and discredit Rose McGowan who was raped by Harvey Weinstein.  And her claims about not realizing what was going on?  She's asking to see a copy of the NDA so you can prosecute Rose for violating it -- that's the NDA about Harvey raping Rose.

    Lisa Bloom is not a feminist.  She is a whore.  And you need to remember that with all that's going on right now with people attacking Tara. You can find a photo copy of the e-mail in this Tweet.


    Harvey,

     It was a treat to speak with you today, though yes, we'd all prefer better circumstances.  I've spent the rest of the day reading Jack and Sara's thorough reports about Rose, who truly comes across a pathological liar, and also your former assistant . . . who seems to be less of a concern.

     I also read through a lot of Rose's Twitter feed, to get a sense of her, and watched her short film, Dawn.  (I'm no film critic, but I found it dreadful, but telling as to who Rose is: boy meets girl.  Girl trusts boy.  Boy murders girl.  All men suck.  The end.)

     I feel equipped to help you against the Roses of the world, because I have represented so many of them.  They start out as impressive, bold women, but the more one presses for evidence, the weaknesses and lies are revealed.  She doesn't seem to have much going on these days except her rapidly escalating identity as a feminist warrior, which seems to be entirely based on her online rants. 

     For her to keep her "RoseArmy" following she must continue ramping up the outrageousness of her diatribes.

     Clearly she must be stopped in her ridiculous, defamatory attacks on you.  She is dangerous.  You are right to be concerned.

     Options after my initial read, which I can flesh out on our next call:

     1. Initiating friendly contact with her through me or other good intermediary, and after establishing a relationship work out a "win-win."  Key question: what does she want?  To direct, it appears?

     2. Counterops online campaign to push back and call her out as a pathological liar.  A few well placed articles now will go a long way if things blow up for us down the line.  We can place an article re her becoming increasingly unglued, so that when someone Googles her this is what pops up and she is discredited.  We have all the facts based on publicly available information.  This can begin simultaneous with #1.

     3.  Cease and desist letter from me, warning her of the violation of agreement with you and putting her on notice of causes of action for CA claims of false light, invasion of privacy, defamation etc Rish: She posts the letter online, generating heat and backlash. (Sara: I need to see the agreement, please.)
    4.  You and I come out publicly in a pre-emptive interview where you talk about evolving on women's issues, prompted by the death of your mother, Trump pussy grab tape, and maybe nasty unfounded hurtful rumors about you.  This will be headline grabbing if you express genuine contrition for anyone who hurt you, while emphasizing it was always adult consensual behavior.  You thought that was enough at the time but now realize it's nuanced, that a power imbalance means something, etc.  You reached out to me to help understand rapidly evolving social mores around sexual misconduct because you are a good and decent person (as evidenced by your life's work making films on important social issues and extremely generous philanthropy).  Examples: Charlie Sheen, as women were set to come out against him re HIV status, did a Today Show interview recently where he came out with it himself, receiving massive praise.  I represented a few of the women and there stories were largely drowned out by his interview and the love he got for it.  It is so key from a reputation management stand-point to be the first to tell the story.  I strongly recommend this.  If you agree, I'd like to come out and mett with you to go over the story in some detail, so this is done for maximum effectiveness.  You should be the hero of your story, not the villain.  This is very doable.

     5. Start the Weinstein foundation, focusing on gender equality in film, etc.  Or establish the Weinstein Standards, which seek to have one-third of films directed by women, or written by women, or passing the Bechdel test (two named female characters talk ago each other about something besides a man whatever.  Announce you will immediately raise the standards re gender parity in very specific ways on all films under your control.  Announce partnership with Geena Davis' group that works for gender equality in film, for example by mandating that half of all extras in crowd scenes will be female.  You get the idea.  These details can be worked out, but the point is you decide to be a leader and raise the bar in concrete, headline-grabbing way.

     6) Positive reputation management.  I Googled your name, and a few obnoxious articles pop up.  I work with the leading reputation management company that can backlink to the positive articles to make a "firewall" which prevents negative pieces from ranking well on Google.  Your first page of Google is key as 95% never go beyond the first Google page.  Let's improve this.  Easy to do.  This should happen simultaneously with other option.

     A reminder: will you please connect me with David Boies so that I can get retained?

     Also, given that your emails with the Clinton campaign were hacked recently, I recommend you set up a secure new email account for emails with this team.  We shouldn't be emailing on these sensitive matters to your company email as your IT people and others may have access.

     Thanks and really honored to brought into this team.

     Talk tomorrow?

     Best,

     Lisa Bloom






































































































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