Thursday, August 12, 2010

An intricately planned assault

Starting with a bombing that appears to have been an elaborately plotted attack on Iraqi security forces Tuesday. From yesterday's snapshot:

Meanwhile Sadiya is slammed with a bombing. BBC News reports that Iraqi soldiers were shot at from a home and as they were about to raid the home in Saadiya, it blew up. Jomana Karadsheh (CNN) adds 11 people died in the bombing. Deng Shasha (Xinhua) reports at least five Iraqi soldiers were injured and that at least 2 of the dead were civilians: "In the morning, Iraqi security forces and civil a defense tram removed the debris of the collapsed house and found bodies of a man and a woman who were shot dead before the explosion of the house, the source added. The insurgents apparently attacked the house earlier at night and killed the two victims, and then they planted bombs in the house before they sent a false information to the security forces saying that hostages were kept in the house, the source said."

In today's New York Times, Stephen Farrell reports eye witness Hamdan Assi states there were gun shots, the military arrived and, "Shortly afterwards we heard a big explosion, which destroyed the glass in our windows and there was shooting everywhere." Farrell states fingers are pointing to Al Awda ("The Return") which is supposed to be tied to the Ba'ath Party.

Staying with the New York Times for a moment, a visitor insists that we should have noted "Room for Debate" some time ago. Maybe there is room for debate on the Iraq War -- seems pretty clear cut to me that an illegal war can't be garbed in nobility but to each their own; however, where is the "Room for Debate" at the New York Times. Six War Hawks? They call that a debate? Really, cause it reads like an informercial.

Julie Mason (Washington Examiner) reports:

With support dwindling for the war in Afghanistan because of rising casualties and confusion over the mission, the Obama administration is increasingly trying to shift the public's focus to Iraq.
President Obama on Wednesday convened his national security team at the White House to discuss the impending Aug. 31 end of combat operations in Iraq and troop withdrawal.

And since he knows the 'professional left' isn't conversant in Iraq (having abandoned it long ago), he probably assumes it's a safe topic. (It's not a safe topic.) It's telling that whatever outlet you go to (try here, for example, or here), you fail to get a complete listing of who attended the meeting. What did Jackson Browne once say? "I want to know who the men in the shadows are, I want to hear someone asking them why, they can be counted on to tell us who are enemies are but they're never the ones to fight or to die."

Karen DeYoung (Washington Post) notes one attendant, NSA James L. Jones, and his recap he offered on CNN (blather) as well as his remarks on Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Read the following that he stated on CNN and see if you don't find it offensive:

The standard for service in the armed forces of the United States ought to be based on good order and discipline. And we found ways to modify eligibility to serve in the armed forces for other groups, you know, whether it was based on race or religion or whatever.

"Or whatever." What an idiot and that passage isn't inarticulate, it's offensive. The following community sites -- and a few tossed in just for links -- updated last night and this morning:

The Dry Land is playing in three cities currently: Los Angeles, New York and Dallas. The Ryan Piers Williams directed film stars America Ferrera, Ryan O'Nan, Wilmer Valderrama, Melissa Leo and Jason Ritter.

dry_land

And it opens Friday at the following:

Scottsdale, AZ: Shea 14 Theater

Irvine, CA: Westpark 8 Cinemas

Palm Desert, CA: Cinemas Palme D’Or 7

Austin, TX: Arbor Cinemas at Great Hills 8

El Paso, TX: Cielo Vista 14

We'll close with this from Debra Sweet's "How YOU Can Help People See the Truth Exposed by Wikileaks" (World Can't Wait):

When an activist from World Can't Wait sent me a link to Thursday's Pentagon press conference, and called Geoff Morell, their spokesman a "pompus ass," I thought that wasn't really a news flash.

But really, to get the full impact of the government's threat to Julian Assange & Wikileaks for revealing the government's "property," you have to see Morell's sneer as the Pentagon reacted to Wikileak's posting of its huge "insurance" file, presumably designed to make sure the information is still available if their sites are shut down, or they are rounded up.

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