Saturday, March 12, 2011

Iraqi security forces beat journalists at Friday protest

Oh that peaceful protest yesterday. Either it was ignored by the US press or it received a few comments about how wonderful Nouri and his forces behaved. Reality?

Adam Youssef, news photographer for Al Mada, is among the people David Ali (Al Mada) is reporting on. At the Friday protests, Adam was brutally beaten by Iraqi security forces despite repeatedly telling them he was a photographer and only present to take photos. They beat him and beat him, over and over with batons. But brave little thugs rarely only beat one person. Activst Hana Adoor and journalist Npras Mamouri were also beaten with batons by security forces who apparently were threatened by the thought of two women out in public. The Arab American News reports:

He was one of about 500 demonstrators in Liberation Square, surrounded by what appeared to be even more security forces.
"People will continue demonstrating until there is reform because the government has been built on a sectarian basis," said Faisal Hamid, a pensioner who walked to Tahrir Square from the nearby neighborhood of Karrada.
The Iraqi government, worried the demonstrations may spiral out of control, have taken strict measures that appear designed to limit the number of demonstrators who come out.
Late Thursday, they imposed a vehicle ban in the capital so many of the protesters were forced to walk for miles. Similar vehicle bans were in place in the northern cities of Mosul and Kirkuk, and the southern city of Basra.
Side streets leading up to the square were blocked with security vehicles and helicopters buzzed overhead in Baghdad.
Before those protests, Iraqi officials tried to discredit the demonstrations by saying they were being backed by supporters of Saddam and al-Qaeda. The warnings seemed designed to keep people away and paint those who did take part in a bad light.

Meanwhile Nouri continued his attacks on the protesters today. Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Lara Jakes (AP) report he took to state television where he verbally attacked the protesters, "Those who call for regime change are limited in number; they are weak and voices of discord. [. . .] Do they want the return of a dictatorship? Or the Revolutionary Command Council? Or a regime that marginalizes groups? We say clearly that who ask for the change of this regime are out of line with the will of the nation." True only if Nouri's desires are the will of the nation. Iraqi voters made clear Nouri was not their choice in the March 7, 2010 elections when despite his harassment, scare tactics, abuse of office and a largely compliant media he was not able to lead his political slate to victory. Abdul-zhra and Jakes note how "liar" and other words are increasingly applied to Nouri at the ongoing public demonstrations.

Read the AP article in full and appreciate just how hard they're working as opposed to the New York Times which is content to run pieces written by Reuters while paying a staff a pretty penny to sit around on their pampered asses.

Wael Grace (Al Mada) reports
that the practice of ministers and officials (since the start of the war) stealing Iraqi land and homes may be coming to an end. Many Iraqis have been left homeless as a result of the illegal practice and MP Safia al-Suhail is calling for the land to be returned. In other news of corruption, Inas Tariq (Al Mada) reports that while Iraqis are plagued with unemployment, the few jobs available are being doled out by ministers to their own unqualified family members and friends. In other political news, Al Sumaria TV reports, "It seems that major rows impeding the nomination of Iraqi security ministers are no longer restricted between Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki and heads of political parties. Rows have swept into political parties themselves which members are complaining about their leaders’ autocracy."


Message to an NPR friend I was on the phone with Friday afternoon from 2:52 to 3:01 PM EST. When you asked that I please not call out X in the snapshot and offered that Y had done a much better piece, I agreed to note Y but warned you that X's misreporting fell under a topic that Ava and I were already planning on addressing Sunday at Third and that we would most likely be addressing him then. We will be and I don't believe for one moment that you didn't know X was filing an audio report on the same bad text report he had filed earlier that day. I'm including this here because you may be breathing a sigh of relief and thinking, "Oh, good, I didn't think she'd hear the report because she was supposed to be flying out of DC at that time." (That was why you asked, at the start of the phone call, when my flight left, right?) I didn't catch it live. I was informed of it after the fact. And don't think for a moment that X is saved. I'm only not going into it here tonight because I'm too busy tossing around scathing comments with Ava as we brainstrom our piece at Third.

"New York Times, misreporting Iraq for how many years" went up a little while ago. A Reuters friend has just called to note that they reported on this today. We'll note their report in Monday's snapshot. And we'll note this from Military Families Speak Out:

Looking at the Human and Economic Costs of War Through the Arts A Grassroots Exhibition March 15 – April 14 The exhibition of paintings, drawings, sculpture, photographs, poetry, dioramas and posters by veterans and civilians includes Combat Paper artwork by Robynn Murray, featured in the Oscar-nominated film, Poster Girl. The exhibition is free and open to the public Tuesdays through Thursdays, 12– 4 p.m. The Puffin Cultural Forum is at 20 Puffin Way, Teaneck, NJ. www.puffinfoundation.org. 201-836-3499 A cultural Program Sunday, March 20, 3-6 p.m. The event includes a reception for the artists and writers followed by performances of poetry, dance and songs. The exhibition is sponsored by Military Families Speak Out, Bergen County; Veterans For Peace, Chapter 21 NJ; Vietnam Veterans Against the War, NJ chapter; People’s Organization for Progress, Bergen County; NJ Peace Action, Bergen County Green Party, Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County, Rockland Coalition for Peace and Justice, Teaneck Peace Vigil, Leonia Vigil Group, NYC School of the Americas Watch. For more information: TheCostsofWar@gmail.com or the Puffin Cultural Forum, (201) 836-8923.

Remember, there will be protests in the US next weekend. 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 e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.


















New York Times, misreporting Iraq for how many years now?

Judith Miller is gone -- though many of her co-collaborators remain at the New York Times -- that's more than just Michael R. Gordon. The paper that began selling the Iraq War in 2001, continues to do so. 2001? Yes. Don't expect your house-trained watchdoggies to ever tell you about the October 2001 front page story linking Iraq to 9-11. Everyone tries to pretend that one never existed.

But it did. And though there was a brief period where the paper did some strong work from Iraq (Sabrina Tavernise, Alissa J. Rubin, Damien Cave, etc.), it's returned to its propaganda role. Which is why they either misreport on the protests or they ignore them today. Which is why it was the Washington Post telling you about the attacks on journalists and protesters and not the New York Times. Which is why even after Nouri publicly apologized to one journalist (who pressed the issue during a news briefing), the New York Times really hasn't seen fit to print the realities.

Right now you get the feeling that if it weren't so determined to silence all real stories coming out of Iraq, the paper would just close down their Baghdad operation. But they'll keep spending the money just so they can say, "It couldn't have happened! If it did, we would have reported it! Do you realize how much money we're still spending to cover Iraq!"


Yesterday's snapshot noted: "Dar Addustour reports one of Nouri's 'finest,' the man in charge of the Rapid Response Brigade got caught by the Integrity Commission in the process of accepting a $50,000 bribe. And? He ordered the forces to attack the Integrity Commission, he ordered the forces to attack them and beat them -- beat nine of them, leaving them all wounded and three of the nine requiring hospitalization. That's Nouri al-Maliki's thugs." Look in vain for any report of that confrontation -- which took place near the Baghdad Airport -- from the paper of misrecord. You won't find it.


What the Times couldn't cover, other outlets did, enough to embarrass Nouri al-Maliki. New Sabah reports the latest including that Rashim Hassan Ugaili, chief judge of the Integrity Commssion, states Nouri has "ordered the arrest" of Maj Gen Numan, the commander of the Rapid Reaction Brigade. It lists the amount of the bribe as 60 million dinars. A shoot out ensued, one the New York Times apparently missed, as attempts were made to carry out the order but Numan finally surrendered. MP Sabah al-Saadi is quoted decrying that assault on the Integrity Commission which took place Thursday when they caught Numan taking a bribe. Meanwhile the Interior Ministry's Director of Internal Affairs, Maj Gen Ahmed Abu Ioaf, is threatening to sue anyone repeating that he is facing corruption charges

How do you have a trained staff of reporters in Baghdad and yet you're unable to report on an official being caught in the act of accepting a bribe, the official ordering that the people who have caught in (members of the Integrity Commission) be beaten, three of the members ending up requiring hospitalization, the official going on the run, an arrest warrant being issued for the official, his being cornered and a shoot out ensuing before he finally surrenders?

That sounds like a major story. Even if every detail were false (it's been widely reported so it should be as true as anything the US press prints), it would certainly be worthy of a debunking. But the Times remains silent. They sold the illegal war and they're selling the continuation of it now. (They are hardly alone.) In order to do that, they have to convince readers that things are going swimmingly.

The following community sites updated last night and today:







Nick C. Tonkin (Daily Sound) reports:

Santa Barbara's Veterans for Peace held a press conference in front of City Hall Friday to voice opposition for the continued military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The group plans on holding a rally on March 19 where they will walk from De La Guerra Plaza to Arlington West.
Former Santa Barbara mayor and current SBCC Trustee Marty Blum gave the opening speech, questioning why America is still locked up in military conflicts after so many years.
"I have no idea why we're still here," Blum said. "We should have been having a good life without any wars a long time ago."



Remember, there will be protests in the US. 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 e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.











thomas friedman is a great man






oh boy it never ends













Friday, March 11, 2011

Iraq snapshot

Friday, March 11, 2011.  Chaos and violence continue, protests take place across Iraq, Nouri wasn't able to nominate people for his empty Cabinet posts again, serving on the Integrity Commission means getting beat up by Nouri's thugs, a US House Subcommittee explored the VA's inability to enact the law Congress passed, and more.
 
"Mr. [Ranking Member Mike] Michaud has a distinguished history of support for our veterans and I look forward to working closely with him to ensure that those who have honorably served our nation receive the highest quality care that they so, so deserve," Chair Ann Marie Buerkle as she brought the US House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Health hearing to a start this morning, setting a strong bi-partisan tone.  She also recognized Sarah Wade and Patty Horan who are full time caregivers for their husbands who were wounded while serving in Iraq.  Chair Buerkle asked the two women to stand and then led a round of applause for them. But she and Michaud had serious concerns that echo those raised in the March 2nd Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing.
 
The Senate hearing was covered in that day's snapshot and  Kat covered it in "Burr promises VA 'one hell of a fight'" and Ava covered it at Trina's site with "The VA still can't get it together." In the Senate hearing, the VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and Under Secretary Robert Petzel were the witnesses.
 
Chair Patty Murray: Mr. Secretary, I have a great deal of respect for the work that you've done on homeless and women's issues and I know you're working diligently in a number of ways. But I wanted to bring up an issue that I'm very concerned about.  I've already discussed the caregiver issue with you, I've talked about it with Jack Woo, I've talked with senior staff at the White House and I have spoken directly with the president of the United States. VA's plan on the caregivers issue was overdue and once submitted it hardly resembled the bill that unanimously cleared this Congress. Three weeks ago, my Committee staff requested information on how that plan was developed and to date no information has been provided. Rather than following the law, the administration set forth some overly stringent rules bureaucratic hurdles that would essentially deny help to caregivers.  Sarah and Ted Wade who were staunch advocates and worked hard with us to get this passed were invited by the president to attend the bill signing at the White House, they won't be eligible for the program under the plan that the department submitted. We're also hearing a lot from veterans and caregivers from across the country who fall outside of this new line in the sand the VA has drawn, who have been left in limbo and now don't know if this benefit that they advocated and worked so hard for will support them.  Mr. Secretary, it appears your that department is not complying with the law as we have  written. Can you please tell this Committee why?
 
And he couldn't.  As Kat reported, Ranking Member Richard Burr informed Shinseki that either the law was implemented as written or Shinseki better be prepared for "one hell of a fight." As they should.  DAV notes, "The veteran population aged 65 and older is expected to increase from 37.4 percent to 44.8 percent by the year 2020. VA is also treating a new era of younger, severely injured servicemembers. Many veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan will need lifetime care."
 
 
The Subcommittee heard from two panels.  The first panel was Disabled American Veterans' Adrian Atizado, Wounded Warrior Project's Ralph Ibson, Iraq and Afghan Veterans of America's Tom Tarantino and National Military Family Association's Barbara Cohoon.  The second panel was the VA's Robert Petzel (Under Secretary for Health) who lawyered up with Walter Hall and Deborah Amdur.  We'll note this exchange from the first panel.
 
Chair Ann Marie Buerkle: This question is for each of the members on this panel, based on your expertise and all of the investigation and work you've put into this law and looking at its implementation, could each one of you identify for me what it is that you see as the single most serious deficit in the implementation of this law and what your solution would be for that deficit?  And if you could just limit your remarks so that everyone could have a chance to respond, I would really appreciate it.  We'll start with Mr. [Atizado] --
 
Adrian Atizado:  Chairman Buerkle, I appreciate that question but, again, I have to caution the Committee that eligibility is only one of a number of gateway provisions in this law.  Certainly if a service member and their caregiver -- veteran and their caregiver are deemed eligible and meet other gateway provisions that don't allow them the appropriate services then being eligible becomes a moot point in the end.  As the other panelists have mentioned, it appears that VA's eligibility criteria does raise the bar that a caregiver and veteran must meet to be entitled or at least considered eligible and my testimony has a specific example of that.  But I think in all -- In all fairness, I believe, VA has -- VA clinicians know what they need to do.  And I think we know what -- we know what we want them to do.  And I think there's -- There may have been a little bit of a misinterpretation on both sides.  My point is -- is that we all have to step back a little bit from this very emotionally charged situation, reassess ourselves and come together on equal grounds because I fear that no matter what we say today, if we continue down this path, we will not come to a very amicable solution.
 
Chair Ann Marie Buerkle: Thank you.  Mr. Ibson?
 
Ralph Ibson: I share -- I share my colleagues -- thank you [to Tom Tarantino, who helped him with his microphone] -- I share my colleagues view that it's difficult to isolate a single factor because there really are a great many flaws but -- but honoring your question, I do think that the imposition of very, very restrictive eligibility criteria that are inconsistent with the law and have the effect of disqualifying three of every four caregivers who probably should be covered under this law  is the most profound of the many problems we have discussed this morning.
 
Chair Ann Marie Buerkle: Thank you.  Mr. Tarantion.
 
Tom Tarantino:  I associate myself with the comments of Adrian and Ralph. I think they're absolutely correct. There are multiple issues with the regulation of this law but if we needed to start somewhere, we have to start at eligibility because that's the first gateway.  Uhm, and-and if you want to look at how to do it, I would suggest that they read the law because it's very explicit.  It is in fact probably the most explicit piece of legislation that I've read since I started working in this field three years ago.  But I-I actually do and I share Adrian's concern: We need to caution ourselves that we don't just stop there, that we have to actually look at how this program -- how this program is implemented holisticly and that once, if the elegibility criteria is fixed, that we don't just stop and say "Great!" put a win on the board and then move on.  This is a very complicated program and we have to keep looking at it until it is -- We get it right.
 
 
Chair Ann Marie Buerkle: Thank you.
 
Barbara Cohoon:  Our association would feel that it has to do with when you're actually going to be starting the benefits.  It's not until there's all these other requirements that are met.  And so therefore it pushes elegibility to all these benefits until further down the road and while it may be several months or years into veterans status.  And we would like to see that start earlier because our caregivers need these benefits much earlier in the process than when they'll possibly be getting them. The VA's also rolling out all the benefits at the same time. So we feel that they should be able to start some of the benefits earlier in the process interjecting them at the time when the caregiver actually needs them so that they have the resources that they need, have the right skills to provide the care that they need and therefore the veteran gets the care -- or the service member's getting the care -- that they need. So our concern is the fact that they're waiting until all the wickets are met before they start any of the benefits and one of the major wickets has to be that the veteran has to be receiving care 100% in home and many of our service members are still going through the recovery phases where they might be having wound revisions or maybe they're having burns taken care of.  So waiting until it's 100% in home as far as care, that could also delay either them leaving the military or starting this particular benefit.  So that would be our concern.  Elegibility also, but that's the biggest for us.
 
 
Elsewhere during the first panel, Tom Tarantino brought up what is considered "the signature wound" of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).  If you're new to the topic of TBI, Barbara Mannino (Fox Business News) has a report on the topic, just published today.  While the first panel was forthcoming, the second panel was a sad joke.  It was the same performance from last week for Robert Petzel who still can't convincingly mouth words allegedly of regret.
 
Due to a vote about to take place, time was limited on the second panel and the Chair turned the questions over to US House Rep Phil Roe who is also Dr. Roe (medical doctor).  We'll note a bit of the exchange.
 
US House Rep Phil Roe: Quickly, I've watched this now for the third year. It seems like all the programs we see are slow and glacial to get going.  And I know it's a very complicated program but as you clearly pointed out, it's not nearly as complicated as having no arms or legs and getting around in your home or with a Traumatic Brain Injury where you can't balance the check book and someone has to be there to help you do that. That's a lot harder, as you just pointed out. I could not agree more. So why is it taking so long?  And this program doesn't seem as complicated to me as many of the programs that the VA has.
 
Robert Petzel: Thank you, Congressman Roe.  I will turn to Debbie Amdur to elaborate on this but I think the biggest aspect of this is that it is a completely new concept for us. We have never been in the business of providing a stipend to somebody who is providing caregiving services. And developing the regulations for this, getting all of the correct input before the regulations are actually in place, takes a long time. I-I-I think -- I apologize as I have before for the fact that we are so late in doing this but I think the fact that this was new and it required relatively complex regulations is part, at least of the explanation.
 
US House Rep Phil Roe:  This reason?  I mean we have regulations now for home health care people that go in.  It looks to me like it would have been fairly simple to look at those and say "There's some criteria there."  We've been pretty easy. I think we micro-manage this down to "what if? what if? what if? what if?" until it got to be almost -- and also the intent of Congress was to provide this to as many families.  And I think right now, just like in the HUD-VASH voucher program we found out we've got 11,000 vouchers out there with no veterans, homeless veterans. So I think what you're going to find out with this is there's going to be a lot more need than we thought but we don't even know what that is now because it's so hard for people to get in and, as Mr. Tarantino pointed out, the gateway as eligibility, but that's just the first step. So we really don't know right now how many people -- And do you know how many people have applied or how many have  to date?
 
Robert Petzel:  Well, of course, there hasn't been application period yet, Congressman, But have an estimate of somewhere between 750 and a thousand people would probably be applying or would be eligible under the way the criteria are presently deliannated.
 
US House Rep Phil Roe:  Well I guess that seems like an awfully small number to me in a country with millions of veterans. It seems to me like I'll be it will be ten or twenty or thirty times that many. 
 
 
On TBI, Deborah Amdur declared, "And [I] was very concerned to hear the interpretation that we would not be covering veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury. When we put together the eligiblity crtieria we brought forward subject matter experts from across VA including leadership of our Federal Recovery Coordination  from our programs our poly trauma programs, Traumatic Brain injury programs and so forth. And there was significant recognition of the challenges that are faced by family members caring for individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury."  Dr. Roe wanted Adur to promise that by July, caregivers will be receiving money.  And she did.  She tried to go with "It is our intention" but she ended up promising.  But that doesn't mean the VA will keep the promise, they never do.  But we'll go ahead and note that the promise was made and we'll note it if it's kept or if it's broken.
 
 
 
Protests took place across Iraq today.   AFP estimates that 500 Iraqis gathered in Baghdad's Liberation Square (Tahrir Square before the protests began last month) and they speak to Layla Saleh Yaseen who explains why she is protesting, "I demand the rights of Iraqis -- more rations and an improvement in services like electricity. I have four children and have to care for a disabled brother by selling simple goods in the streets." And that's the type of person the Iraqi military was advancing on, that's the type of person that scares Nouri so that he orders military helicopters to patrol the air space above Liberation Square.  Jonathan Blakley (NPR's The Two-Way blog) reports, "Security forces lined the streets of central Baghdad with riot gear.  Authorities didn't bother issuing a curfew or banning traffic in the normally congested city, but entrances into Baghdad province were blocked to motor vehicles.  At times, traffic passed through Baghdad's Tahrir Square as the protesters, numbering between 500 and 1,000 shouted into megaphones and waved anti-government banners."  Dar Addustour notes that the protesters are calling on Nouri al-Maliki to listen to them. Aswat al-Iraq quotes activist Emad Karim stating, "Dozens of citizens went to streets on Friday billed as 'Friday of Truth', calling for better services and fighting corruption." Yahya Barzanji, Bushra Juhi and Lara Jakes (AP) report protesters decried the way they had been treated by Iraqi forces in previous protests.  Sami Majid pointed to the February 25th and explained, "They beat and kicked me, then forced me to sign a commitment that I would not participate in demonstrations or raise riots."  Khalid Walid (Iraqhurr.org) reports that riot police descended on the protesters late in the afternoon, using batons to intimidate and disperse them and that Ali Kamal declared that Nouri al-Maliki has stated reforms will come in 100 days and that they will continue demonstrating and that they have little to no confidence in the government.
 
Dar Addustour reports that protesters in Najaf carried flowers as they called for an end to corruption, improved basic services and ration card items. Aswat al-Iraq notes protesters in Nassiriya are criticizing the way security forces have treated protesters. In Falluja, Dar Addustour reports, protesters called for an end to random arrests. Aswat al-Iraq notes that Falluja saw a crackdown ahead of the protest with "a vehicle and bike ban around the protest region."  Yahya Barzanji, Bushra Juhi and Lara Jakes (AP) report approximately 4,000 people turned out to protest in Sulaimaniyah.  Saman Mahmoud Mawloud (Reuters) reports one Sulaimaniyah protester attempted to burn himself but was stopped by other activists, notes the protesters chanted for KRG President Massoud Barzani to step down and quotes Nasik Qadir stating, "There has been no response from the government. We are here to change the despotic system, end the corruption in Kurdistan. People feel the corruption and want jobs, justice and services."
 
Al Mada reports that Hilla saw two protests and the demands included that the govenor of Babel Province (Babylon Province is another term used for it and the term Al Mada uses) be elected directly and not via quotas. They also called for an end to unemployment, all ration card items being available and reductions in the costs of water and electricity.  Those were some of the demands of the first group.  The second group had overlapping demands and some of their own demands as well.  They agree that a new governor is needed and they want qualifications for the office -- including that he or she must hold a bachelor's degree.
 
In an opinion piece, Al Mada argues that the protests taking place in Baghdad's Tahrir Square have dug a grave for and buried sectarian politics and forced sectarian politics to fall away by pulling sectarian politicians and their constituents apart, and that the biggest victors are young Iraqis who, among other things, trained themselves in something that was not possible in Iraq's previous five decades, protesting the rulers.  This training creates a bond between today's Iraqi youths and those of the 1940s and 1950s who also engaged in cross-sectarian demonstrations.  Al Mada sees the protests as strengthening the notion of "Iraqi" and of "citizen."
 
Yesterday, Nouri al-Maliki spoke to Parliament . . . and again heaped scorn on the protesters.  Why, oh, why, hasn't anyone apologized for the Iraqi security forces and police who were hurt in protests?  When young boys are killed in protests by security forces, that asshole has a lot of nerve trying to grand stand.  Nouri's little forces have behaved like the thug they work for.  That's reality.  Dar Addustour reports one of Nouri's 'finest,' the man in charge of the Rapid Response Brigade got caught by the Integrity Commission in the process of accepting a $50,000 bribe.  And?  He ordered the forces to attack the Integrity Commission, he ordered the forces to attack them and beat them -- beat nine of them, leaving them all wounded and three of the nine requiring hospitalization.  That's Nouri al-Maliki's thugs..
 
 
 
A group of anti-government protesters missing since they were arrested this week in Baghdad are feared to be at risk of torture, after other recently released protestors told Amnesty International they were tortured in detention.
 
At least 10 people were detained on Monday while returning home from a Baghdad protest against unemployment, government corruption and poor social services.
 
The arrests came as other protesters who were detained last month told Amnesty International that they were tortured in detention.
 
"We fear there is a real risk of torture for those arrested on Monday, especially as their whereabouts in detention is yet to be disclosed. This seems to be following a pattern of protesters being detained and tortured as the Iraqi government tries to crackdown on demonstrations," said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International's director for the Middle East and North Africa.
 
"The authorities must immediately reveal where these latest detainees are held and release them if they have been detained solely for exercising their legitimate right to protest."
 
Those detained on Monday include Ala' Sayhoud, Ma'an Thamer, 'Ali Abdel Zahra' and Muhammad Kadhim Finjan. They were arrested by Iraqi security forces in Baghdad's  al-Batawin area after they participated in a demonstration in the city's Tahrir Square on Monday.
 
Two recently released activists have told Amnesty International that they were tortured or otherwise ill-treated in detention after they were arrested in connection with recent protests.

Abdel-Jabbar Shaloub Hammadi, who was detained without charge for 12 days following his arrest on 24 February, the day before a planned 'Day of Rage' protest in Baghdad, was beaten and tortured throughout his first five days in detention.
 
"They beat me a lot and kept me suspended every day for nearly 15 hours. In one method they tied my hands and legs together behind by back and left me hanging by a rope; in the other they suspended me from the wrists and left me standing on the tips of my toes on a chair - both were very painful," Hammadi told Amnesty International.
 
Journalist Hadi al-Mehdi, who was arrested on 25 February, told Amnesty International he received electric shocks to his feet and was threatened with rape during his interrogation by police.
 
"The Iraqi authorities claim that they are stamping out torture but as these testimonies show it continues to be used against detainees and the perpetrators appear to believe they can act with impunity," said Malcolm Smart.
 
"The authorities must order an immediate independent investigation into all allegations of torture and those responsible for torture must be exposed and brought to justice."
 
As calls for reform persist in the country, Amnesty International has also called on the Iraqi authorities respect the right of assembly and freedom of expression.

Read More

 
 
Today, four of at least ten protesters were released.  Amnesty International notes:
 
 
Amnesty International has welcomed yesterday's release of four anti-government protesters reported missing since their arrest in Baghdad on Monday and called on the authorities to free others still in detention.

The four were among at least 10 people detained while returning home from a protest against unemployment, government corruption and poor social services.

"While the release of these four detainees is a welcome step, the authorities must reveal where the remaining detainees are held and release them if they have been detained solely for exercising their legitimate right to protest," said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International's director for the Middle East and North Africa.

"The Iraqi authorities must also ensure that those still in detention are not tortured or ill-treated and order an immediate independent investigation into all previous allegations of torture, bringing those responsible to justice."

Those detained on Monday include Ala' Sayhoud, Ma'an Thamer, 'Ali Abdel Zahra' and Muhammad Kadhim Finjan.

They were arrested by Iraqi security forces in Baghdad's al-Batawin area after they participated in a demonstration in the city's Tahrir Square.

As calls for reform persist in the country, Amnesty International has also called on the Iraqi authorities to respect the right of assembly and freedom of expression.
 
Nouri has disappeared protesters and he had the never to stand up in front of the Parliament yesterday and trash the protesters.  Dar Addustour reports that the al-Sadr bloc heard the speech (the same one Shuster's praising) and have demand that Nouri apologize to Iraqis. They were offended by his labeling groups supporters of Saddam or Ba'athists. They note he had little to offer other than demonization. Other Arabic articles note the snide tone of the speech and generally emphasize Nouri's insistence that the government in Iraq will not be changed except by elections. It was a thuggish speech by a pompous ass who history needs to take down.

Al Mada notes that MP Sabah al-Saadi was not impressed by Nouri's song and dance yesterday and asserts that the measures Nouri has proposed do not get to the root of the problems, that instead of offering "frank talk," Nouri's plan proposes cover ups of the corruption.


Do we remember the other reason why Nouri was meeting with Parliament? Right that Cabinet he's never been able to fill. DPA reports, "Top appointments at Iraqi's key defence, interior and national security ministries have been pushed back a week due to disagreements among the country's political blocs, an Iraqi lawmaker said Friday."

 
Moving over to some of the violence reported in today's news cycle, Al Rafidayn reports late yesterday there was an attempt to rob a Baghdad jewelry store and 6 people ended up being killed -- four police officers and two bystanders.  Aswat al-Iraq reports a man killed his father today in Mosul .Also,  Aswat al-Iraq reports a Kirkuk car bombing left eleven people injured.
 
Turning to the US . . .
 
Get on your pony and ride
Get on your pony and ride
No one to catch up to you
If you try
No one to catch up to you
If you try
'Cause I tried
'Cause when the mind that once was open shuts
And you knock on the door, nobody answers anymore
When the love and trust has turned to dust
When the mind that once was open shuts
When you knock on the door, nobody answers anymore
When the love and trust has turned to dust
- "Too Late," written by John Phillips, first appears on The Mamas and the Papas' The Papas & The Mamas.
 
A few got on their pony's this week.  Shocked! Simply shocked! By the lack of coverage of the wars.  In one case, they were noting service members -- for the hour! -- and expressed their shock and outrage that the people don't follow the wars.  The people don't or the talk shows hosts don't?  Ava and I waited all week to see what would happen for one woman when Friday rolled around.  Having hopped on her pony earlier in the week, would she suddenly remember Iraq today?  Uh, no.  And we'll be assisting two who rode their high horses early in the week off of them -- with a hard push -- at Third on Sunday.  Yesterday's snapshot covered the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing (on threats to the US) and Ava covered the hearing at Trina's site last night in "Senate Armed Services Committee."  The hearing also tossed out a brief nod to WikiLeaks.  March 29th, Frontline (PBS) airs a report on Bradley Manning. Last night, The NewsHour (PBS) offered excerpts focusing on Brian Manning, Bradley's father. Who is Bradley?

Monday April 5th, WikiLeaks released US military video of a July 12, 2007 assault in Iraq. 12 people were killed in the assault including two Reuters journalists Namie Noor-Eldeen and Saeed Chmagh. Monday June 7th, the US military announced that they had arrested Bradley Manning and he stood accused of being the leaker of the video. Leila Fadel (Washington Post) reported in August that Manning had been charged -- "two charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The first encompasses four counts of violating Army regulations by transferring classified information to his personal computer between November and May and adding unauthorized software to a classified computer system. The second comprises eight counts of violating federal laws governing the handling of classified information." Manning has been convicted in the public square despite the fact that he's been convicted in no state and has made no public statements -- despite any claims otherwise, he has made no public statements. Manning has been at Quantico in Virginia, under military lock and key, for months. Earlier this month, David S. Cloud (Los Angeles Times) reported that the military has added 22 additional counts to the charges including one that could be seen as "aiding the enemy" which could result in the death penalty if convicted. David E. Coombs is Bradley's attorney and he provided a walk through on Article 104. Like many, Sophie Elmhirst (New Statesman) emphasized the possibility of the death penalty.
 
Brian Manning believes his son is innocent.  Bradley may well be.  The only 'evidence' offered to the public thus far comes from a convicted felon (whose record actually goes back to pre-18 y.o. though the press hasn't been interested in that) who became a government snitch to protect his own ass.  That's a reliable witness?
 
Bradley may be innocent.  In the US, you are innocent unless you are proven guilty.  Those writing pieces on Bradley to help him?  Kevin Zeese, you and your friends need to stop convicting Bradley in your badly written columns.  You're doing the government's job for them and you're showing no respect for Bradley or for the presumption of innocence.  Bradley is not a political football.  He is a very, very young man facing very serious charges.  He should not be treated like Laura Dern's character in Citizen Ruth.  There's far too much at stake for Bradley.  Whereas, we've seen this movie before.  We saw a number of the same participants pretend to care about Ehren Watada but write pieces that helped no one but their own pet causes. We saw a 'reporter' whine about herself and how Ehren -- who was actually facing charges -- wasn't clearing her name. 
 
If you're supporting Bradley, you need to support him.  That means he's innocent unless he says otherwise or is convicted.  That means you stop doing the government's work for it by writing these ridiculous pieces where you explain -- YOU EXPLAIN -- why he did it.  YOu don't know that he did a thing.  Stop writing those bad, bad pieces.  And stop linking to Julian Assange because that's what the US government is trying to do.  You're not helping Bradley and you're not helping Assange.
 
 
BBC News' Philippa Thomas (currently on sabbatical) reports at her website that yesterday at MIT, US State Dept spokesperson Philip J. Crowley was asked and commented that the actions the Defense Dept has taken against Bradley are "ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid."  Yet he wasn't calling for Bradley to be released because he quickly added, "Nonetheless, Bradley Manning is in the right place."  And that sort of thinking goes along way towards explaining how the US government can continue supporting a despot like Nouri al-Maliki -- rationalize that away, rationalize the brutality aimed at Bradley who has not been convicted of a damn thing.  But he's where he belongs, according to Crowley.
 
 
Are US troops where they belong too?  Because seems like this never ending illegal war was supposed to have ended sometime ago.  Adrian Hairapetian (Clark Chronicle) observes, "The war in Iraq. Merriam-Webster defines war as a 'struggle or competition between opposing forces or for a particular end.' This impels me to ask: what end? It's been almost seven years, and we still haven't seen this end." The ongoing Iraq War has an anniversary coming up and there will be protests in the US. A.N.S.W.E.R. and March Forward! and others will be taking part in this 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.

 
 
 

Protests throughout Iraq

prostest

As seen above, Iraqi forces rushed to the media to declare there would be no protests today. They were wrong. AFP estimates that 500 Iraqis gathered in Baghdad's Liberation Square (Tahrir Square before the protests began last month)and they speak to Layla Saleh Yaseen who explains why she is protesting, "I demand the rights of Iraqis -- more rations and an improvement in services like electricity. I have four children and have to care for a disabled brother by selling simple goods in the streets." And that's the type of person the Iraqi military was advancing on, that's the type of person that scares Nouri so that he orders military helicopters to patrol the air space above Liberation Square. Al Rafidayn reports that the number present in Baghdad was expected to rise and that, so far, a ban on vehicles had yet to be imposed. Dar Addustour notes that the protesters are calling on Nouri al-Maliki to listen to them. Aswat al-Iraq quotes activist Emad Karim stating, "Dozens of citizens went to streets on Friday billed as 'Friday of Truth', calling for better services and fighting corruption."



Dar Addustour reports
that protesters in Najaf carried flowers as they called for an end to corruption, improved basic services and ration card items. Aswat al-Iraq notes protesters in Nassiriya are criticizing the way security forces have treated protesters. In Falluja, Dar Addustour reports, protesters called for an end to random arrests. Aswat al-Iraq notes that Falluja saw a crackdown ahead of the protest with "a vehicle and bike ban around the protest region."

Mike Shuster went to Iraq for NPR exactly why? He's yet to get a story right. Today he files a text report about Nouri softening his approach. Did he not hear Nouri's speech yesterday? Does Mike Shuster do a damn thing beside repeat what the US Embassy tells him to? When you can't get your facts right on a satellite phone call-in, I'll cut you some slack and assume you were just really tired but, over and over, Mike Shuster keeps missing the story. Either he's incredibly ignorant or he's doing the bidding of the US Embassy in Baghdad.

Regardless, when NPR is so messed up right now that they may need all the listener donors they can get, they should be sporting their reporting, they should be going out of their way to demonstrate that they provide a real service. Shuster's reports are flacid, factually incorrect and boring as hell.

While Shuster laps at Nouri's crotch, Dar Addustour reports that the al-Sadr bloc heard the speech (the same one Shuster's praising) and have demand that Nouri apologize to Iraqis. They were offended by his labeling groups supporters of Saddam or Ba'athists. They note he had little to offer other than demonization. Other Arabic articles note the snide tone of the speech and generally emphasize Nouri's insistence that the government in Iraq will not be changed except by elections. It was a thuggish speech by a pompous ass who history needs to take down. But Mike Shuster loved it, loved it!

Al Mada notes that MP Sabah al-Saadi was not impressed by Nouri's song and dance yesterday and asserts that the measures Nouri has proposed do not get to the root of the problems, that instead of offering "frank talk," Nouri's plan proposes cover ups of the corruption.


Oh, and remember the other reason why Nouri was meeting with Parliament? Right that Cabinet he's never been able to fill. DPA reports, "Top appointments at Iraqi's key defence, interior and national security ministries have been pushed back a week due to disagreements among the country's political blocs, an Iraqi lawmaker said Friday."

The ongoing Iraq War has an anniversary coming up and there will be protests in the US.
A.N.S.W.E.R. and March Forward! and others will be taking part in this 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 e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.

























Another US soldier has died

Iraq War Veteran William David Templeton passed away Monday from the injuries he received while serving in Iraq. Kevin Held (KSDK) reports on the fallen and the link includes KSDK's video report by Frank Riley.

Frank Riley: Gone but not forgotten. The town of Pinkckneyville made sure everyone knew how much one young man is missed. Passing by, you can't miss it [the flags]. It sits on every street corner proudly in this small Illinois town of Pinckneyville. In some cases, a little faded. Other times, as vivid and infectious as this smile [photo of William David Templeton smiling]. So young and full of promise, full of determination and an unyielding will to sacrifice.

PFC Derek Hurt: He was really a great guy. Like he would do anything for anybody. He would give the shirt off his back to anybody if need be.

Frank Riley: Everyone knew it so when then 18-year-old Will Templeton said he'd signed up for the army, all Tyler Hutchings could do was wish him well. He turned down football scholarships because he wanted to serve his country.

Tyler Hutchings: I've known him all my life.

Frank Riley: The best of friends. They played football together, shared goals, frustrations and advice. But their favorite pastime? Knocking back a few cold ones.

Tyler Hutchings: Natural life was our number one. That was it. We drank a lot of beer.

Frank Riley: When Will returned from Iraq on temporary leave, he assured Hutchings everything was okay. Will was a Specialist during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Turns out, everything wasn't okay. Will was injured while in Iraq. Back home, his friends and girlfriend were counting down, awaiting another reunion. Before that could happen, Will was flown back to the States to Fort Carson, Colorado for hospice care. The reunion never happened. 22-year-old Will Templeton died Monday, a little more than a month before he was set to come home. And funeral services will be Tuesday at the First United Presbyterian Church [11:00 a.m.], right here in town. In Pinkckneyville, Frank Riley, News Channel 5.

In other news, Kimberly Helfing (AP) reports on the difficulties veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars are having finding employment outside of the military. Today the government is supposed to release the latest unemployment data on 18 to 24 year old veterans of the two wars. US Senator Patty Murray who Chairs the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee shares that veterans are telling her they are leaving their service off their resumes hoping that will help them land a job.

Patti Zarling (Green Bay Press Gazette) reports
on soldiers' families and the stress and issues they face as they adapt to the deployments such as Amanda Goodwin who will have labor induced the day after Christmas while her husband Will we be home on leave so he can be present for the birth (her due date was January 4, 2012).

The following community sites -- ;lus Antiwar.com -- updated last night and this morning:




David Bacon's latest book is Illegal People -- How Globalization Creates Migration and Criminalizes Immigrants (Beacon Press) which won the CLR James Award. He's a journalist and he's an artist. He has an upcoming exhibit.

Beyond Borders:
Immigration Images and Stories
Photographs by David Bacon and Kathya Landeros

Viewpoint Photographic Art Center
2015 J. Street, Suite 101
Sacramento, CA 95811-3124
Phone: 916-441-2341

Exhibit Dates:
Wed, 03/09/2011 - Sat, 04/02/2011
Artist Reception Date:
Fri, 03/11/2011 - 5:30pm - 9:00pm
2nd Saturday Reception:
Sat, 03/12/2011 - 5:30pm - 9:00pm


An exhibition of documentary photographs by David Bacon and Kathya Landeros about immigration to the United States from Mexico and Central America.

An experienced photographer, journalist, and former labor organizer, Bacon's stunning work of photographs and oral history documents the new reality of migrant experience: the creation of transnational communities. He takes us inside these communities and illuminates the ties that bind them together, the influence of their working conditions on their families and health, and their struggle for better lives.

Landeros, herself from a family of immigrants from Central Mexico, proposes that "If one can accept that the history of migratory policy toward Mexico has been complicated as we negotiate between our demands for labor and our need for cultural sovereignty, then we can acknowledge that the migrant communities that have developed in Mexico are a manifestation of these complexities."

For more articles and images, see http://dbacon.igc.org

See also Illegal People -- How Globalization Creates Migration and Criminalizes Immigrants (Beacon Press, 2008)
Recipient: C.L.R. James Award, best book of 2007-2008

See also the photodocumentary on indigenous migration to the US
Communities Without Borders (Cornell University/ILR Press, 2006)

See also The Children of NAFTA, Labor Wars on the U.S./Mexico Border (University of California, 2004)



The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.














thomas friedman is a great man






oh boy it never ends