Thursday, June 14, 2007

Iraq snapshot

Thursday, June 14, 2007.  Chaos and violence continue, mosques are attacked throughout Iraq, Adam Kokesh continues fighting, the Pentagon releases a report and more.
 
Starting with  Iraq Veterans Against the War Adam Kokesh who has been the subject of witch hunt by the US military that 'ended' (it's not over yet) yesterday with Kokesh receiving a general discharge from the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR).  Normally, service members are not discharged from the IRR.  They are discharged from service (as Kokesh was, honorably, in November).  Now the military prepares to set their sights on Liam Madden and Cloy Richards.  (You can sign the petition to support of Madden.)  Veterans for Common Sense (in a letter posted at Kokesh's website) demonstrate they are far wiser than the press by noting: "Neither marine wore a full uniform. They wore camouflage fatigues without the
marine insignia, a right they have earned in blood. There is no law, or regulation
against wearing camo. A camo shirt, pants, and hat is not a uniform. You can
see people wearing camo everyday all around America.  The corps claims that is against regulations to wear a uniform, or apparently a part of a uniform, at political events. If that is correct, the regulation is selectively enforced by the Department of Defense. President Bush, Vice President Cheney, and other politicians often have soldiers in full dress uniform
standing behind them for the cameras at political events. In short, the Marine Corps is attempting to stifle legitimate pro-American speech, which should not be tolerated. Are we fighting in Iraq to lose our freedoms at home?"  That's still too much for the press to grasp.
And Heather Hollingsworth (AP) appears to be competing for prize pig in this county fair judging by a hideous article where she states Kokesh has been "kicked out of the Marines" (he was discharged in November) and pretending to not grasp that Kokesh was participating in street theater, among other things. 
 
The movement of resistance within the US military grows and includes Joshua Key, Ehren Watada, Terri Johnson, Luke Kamunen, Leif Kamunen, Leo Kamunen, Camilo Mejia, Kimberly Rivera, Dean Walcott, Linjamin Mull, Augstin Aguayo, Justin Colby, Marc Train, Robert Zabala, Darrell Anderson, Kyle Snyder , Corey Glass, Jeremy Hinzman, Kevin Lee, Joshua Key, Mark Wilkerson, Patrick Hart, Ricky Clousing, Ivan Brobeck, Aidan Delgado, Pablo Paredes, Carl Webb, Jeremy Hinzman, Stephen Funk, Clifton Hicks, David Sanders, Dan Felushko, Brandon Hughey, Clifford Cornell, Joshua Despain, Joshua Casteel, Katherine Jashinski, Chris Teske, Matt Lowell, Jimmy Massey, Chris Capps, Tim Richard, Hart Viges, Michael Blake, Christopher Mogwai, Christian Care, Kyle Huwer, Vincent La Volpa, DeShawn Reed and Kevin Benderman. In total, forty US war resisters in Canada have applied for asylum.
 
 
Information on war resistance within the military can be found at Center on Conscience & War, The Objector, The G.I. Rights Hotline, Iraq Veterans Against the War and the War Resisters Support Campaign. Courage to Resist offers information on all public war resisters.
 
 
Turning to the Pentagon's report [PDF format, click here].  Nancy A. Youssef (McClatchy Newspapers) informs that the report "acknowledges that violence in Iraq has not diminished, despite the arrival of thousands of additional U.S. and Iraqi troops in Baghdad," that McClatchy Newspaper figures show a "70 percent increase in sectarian murders in Baghdad from April to May," and that the Pentagon report places the average daily death figure in Iraq (from February through May) at 100 a day.  Also filing on the report was Ann Scott Tyson (Washington Post) who observed that the Congressionally mandate report "tempers the early optimism about the new strategy voiced by senior U.S. officials.  Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, for instance, in March described progress in Iraq as 'so far, so good.'  Instead, it depicts limited gains and setbacks and states that it is too soon to judge whether the new approach is working."  The Pentagon report has many sections and one of interest considering one of the 2007 developments may be this:  "There are currently more than 900 personnel in the Iraqi Air Force. . . . The fielding of rotary-wing aircraft continued with the delivery to Taji of five modified UH II (Iroquois) helicopters, bringing the total delivered to ten.  The final six are scheduled to arrive in June.  Aircrews are currently conducting initial qualifications and tactics training.  The Iroquois fleet is expected to reach initial operation capability by the end of June 2007."  By the end of June 2007?  One of the developments of 2007 was the (admission of) helicopter crashes.  US helicopters.  British helicopters.  Some may find comfort in the fact that evacuations and mobility will be handled by Iraqis . . . whenever they are fully staffed and trained.  Four years plus to deliver the equipment, training should be done in ten or twenty years, right?
 
 
Remarking on yesterday's bombings, Lara Logan (CBS News) wrote: "No one knows for sure how it will play out this time.  But there is one thing I do know for sure: tonight, somewhere in Baghdad, on one of those blackened streets, someone will pay for this act.  Someone innocent, someone unarmed, someone who does not deserve to die this way.  They will go into a house, wearing masks and carrying weapons, maybe even wearing police or army uniforms.  They will take an innocent man from his bed, or from his family, and they will execute him.  If he's lucky, they will be quick.  But if not, they may torture him.  Maybe they won't have time.  Or maybe they will have too many others to kill.  But if they do have time, most likely they will use an electric drill."  Meanwhile, John F. Burns (New York Times) announced in this morning's paper that "appeals for calm by Shiite political and religious leaders, as well as by moderate Sunni politicians and the top two American officials in Iraq, appeared to have headed off the risk of a new sectarian convulsion, at least for now."  At least for now transferred to "as I write."  As Debroah Haynes (Times of London) notes, "A wave of revenge attacks on Sunni mosques hit Baghdad last night in retaliation for a devastating attack on a revered Shia shrine in Samarra".  AFP counts three mosques, all Sunni, bombed today -- two in Iskandiriyah, one Mahawil and it was the second day in a row of attacks on the Iskandiriyah mosque.  CBS and AP note that a total of six mosques have either been "attacked or burned Thursday" and that an attack on a Basra mosque resulted in 4 deaths (6 wounded).  And CNN notes, "Hilla police said five mosques have been bombed in Babil province, three on Thursday and two on Wednesday."
 
Meanwhile, Tina Susman (Los Angeles Times) reports on the demonstrations going on in the Sadr section of Baghdad where "thousands of protesters marched peacefully, many carrying Iraqi flags and photographs of [Moqtada al] Sadr."  Sameer N. Yacoub (AP) notes that "[d]emonstrations also took place in Kut, Diwaniyah, Najaf and Basra -- all predominately Shiite cities in the south."  CNN describes the Baghdad demonstration as "angry but peaceful" and notes: "The protesters carried banners, Iraqi flags and pictures of anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his father.  Al-Sadr has called for three days of mourning to mark the destruction of the two minarets at the Askariya shrine.  'We demand of our Sunni brothers help us rebuild Askariya Shrine,' one of the banners said.  Shouting 'No, no for the devil' and 'Yes, yes for unity,' the crowd marched to al-Sadr's office."  CNN puts the total number of mosque attacks, since the one in Samarra was attacked yesterday, at nine and notes the Askariya mosque, as the Samarra one before, lost both minarets (columns/towers).
 
In other reported violence today . . .
 
Bombings?
 
McClatchy Newspapers reports that a police station in Baghdad was "fully destroyed" today by bombings.  Reuters reports a Mussayab bombing that left 4 Iraqi soldiers dead, while a Riyadh bombing left three Iraqis soldiers wounded as well as three police officers   Deutsche Presse-Agentur reports a Kirkuk bombing outside a government builidng in which the bomber also claimed the the lives of three police officers, 2 security guards and a civilian.
 
 
Shootings?
 
McClatchy Newspapers reports that three people were injured in shootings in Baghdad today.  Reuters reports that two police officers were shot dead in Diwaniya, and, outside of Balad, two farmers were shot dead (3 more wounded).
 
Corpses?
 
Reuters reports that 25 corpses were discovered in Baghdad yesterday, 4 were discovered in Mosul today with another one (also discovered today) found in Latifiya.
 
And McClatchy Newspapers reports that "the head of Diyala university" is missing and this follows a phone call where he discussed the deaths of 12 university professors and the fact that 44 other ones had been "transferred to other universities in the south and north seeking" safety.
 
 
Turning to US politics. Mary Frances Berry utilized some of that 'wisdom' she's not famous for to explain on NPR that, basically, for non-White, non-males, it's all a choice between senators Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama when it came to the 2008 Democratic presidential primary.  Confronted with polling that had Clinton ahead of Obama by 10%, Mary Francis Berry reached back into her shallow pool of wisdom to come back explaining that "people like me who are intellectual" respond more to Obama.  Intellectual?  The campaign who appears to rip off Chicken Soup for the Soul is now the home of the intellectuals?  Or maybe Mary Francis Berry was just attempting to get a dig in at Maya Angelou who has recorded a video endorsement of Hillary Clinton?  Regardless, hopefully the laughter greeting Mary Francis Berry's remarks, across America, allowed many to miss some troubling statements by Mary Francis Berry about Latinos and Asians -- don't worry, Mary Francis Berry just knows "their children are legal even if they're not"! To this day, no one sours a room faster than Mary Francis Berry.  And both she and Farai Chideya seemed unaware that it is a requirement that you are a US citizen but wasn't it 'cute' for them to smear Latinos and Asians and wasn't it 'cute' for NPR to turn over public airwaves to those falsehoods?
 
In the real world, Glen Ford (Black Agenda Report) explains the basics on Obama as he and Bruce Dixon discovered while at The Black Commentator: " There followed a month-long series of interchanges - June 5, June 12, June 19, June 26, 2003 - in which Obama danced like Mr. Bojangles to get around the issues at hand. Was he a DLC Democrat, by affiliation or political affinity? Finally, tiring of the charade and the reflexive spin from Obama's mouth, Dixon and I compiled three questions to the wannabe senator, the answers to which would determine if he should be in the DLC and, therefore, unworthy of our support. Obama, a genius at double-speak, fudged all three, on the Iraq war, universal health care, and NAFTA/so-called free trade."  At his campaign site, Obama continues to hide behind the James Baker Circle Jerk (whose authors are fudging in recent days).  Meanwhile, Bill Richards has presented a plan for ending the illegal war and made the war a strong point in his campaign likening a vote for Richardson as a vote to "Get America Out Of Iraq" (click here to see the campaign bumper sticker).  US House Rep Dennis Kucinich wasn't mentioned by NPR (nor were Mike Gravel, Chris Dodd, Joe Biden) maybe Farai Chideya hosts a program entitled News & Notes as opposed to News?  Kucinich's campaign commerical can be seen at YouTube and is entitled "No more blood for oil."
 
In the US Congress, Anne Flaherty (AP via Democracy Rising) reports, US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is pushing for another vote on the Iraq war that would take place before Congress takes its next recess for the July 4th holiday and this is being discussed because  "[l]ast month, Democrats helped push through legislation funding the war for four more months, triggering a backlash from liberal voters who helped Democrats take control of Congress in the November elections."  Meanwhile, in Iraqi politics, Hoshyar Zebari, Iraq's foriegn minister, did his own song and dance.  Al Jazeera reports that the illegal war has been exteded by Zebari who went to the United Nations Secuirty Council to ask that the "mandate for US-led forces in Iraq" be extended.  The UN Security Council quickly agreed and apparently never took a moment to think about how angry the Iraqi parliament was when the mandate was previously extended without their input or request.  This also ignores the recent (nonbinding) action by the Iraqi parliment expressing their desire that the US forces leave.  The mandate is actually up for renewal in December, this was a review.  Along with Zerbair, US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad also spoke at length to the Security Council and what was the first 'economic' thing he emphasized?  Did you guess "passage of legislation on the hydrocarbons sector with regulations governing oil revenue sharing"?  More likely, you didn't pretty it up and just guess, "Theft of Iraqi oil."
 
 
 
In media news, as independent media continues to be under attack, News Dissector Danny Schechter's "Special Blog: Can Our Media Channel Survive?" announces the potential fate of
Mediachannel.org which may shut down: "If we can get 1500 of our readers (that means you) to give $25, we can keep going for another quarter. [PLEASE CLICK HERE TO MAKE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION ONLINE]"
 
Finally, independent journalist John Pilger is on a speaking tour with his new book Freedom Next Time and his documentary Breaking the Silence: Truth and Lies in the War on Terror (which looks at DC, Afghanistan and Iraq). His next stop is Chicago for the 2007 Socialism conference. At 11:30 am Saturday June 16th, he and Anthony Arnove will participate in a conversation, audience dialogue and book signing (Arnove is the author most recently of IRAQ: The Logic of Withdrawal) and that evening (still June 16th) at 7:30 Pilger will be at Chicago Crowne Plaza O'Hare (5440 North River Road, Rosemont, IL 60018) as part of a panel of international activists. To attend the conference, the fee is $85. For Saturday and Sunday only, the price is $70. To attend only one session, the cost is ten dollars. "Presented by The Center for Economic Research and Social Change, The Nation Institute, with support from the Wallace Global Fund. Co-sponsors: Obrera Socialista, Socialist Worker, International Socialist Review, and Haymarket Books. For ticket information, call 773-583-8665 or e-mail info@socialismconference.org For media inquiries, contact (212) 209-5407 or ruth@nationbooks.org. For more information, email info@socialismconference.org."

The Socialism 2007 conference will take place in Chicago from June 14-17. Along with Pilger and Arnove, others participating will include Laura Flanders, Kelly Dougherty, Joshua Frank, Amy Goodman, Sharon Smith, Dave Zirin, Camilo Mejia, Jeremy Scahill, Jeffrey St. Clair and many others.
 
 
 
 

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Adam Kokesh

<span class=adam" height="500" width="474">

The marines in question do not deny they have spoken out against the war and
that on occasion wore parts of their military clothing at demonstrations.
Neither marine wore a full uniform. They wore camouflage fatigues without the
marine insignia, a right they have earned in blood. There is no law, or regulation
against wearing camo. A camo shirt, pants, and hat is not a uniform. You can
see people wearing camo everyday all around America.
The corps claims that is against regulations to wear a uniform, or apparently
a part of a uniform, at political events. If that is correct, the regulation
is selectively enforced by the Department of Defense. President Bush, Vice
President Cheney, and other politicians often have soldiers in full dress uniform
standing behind them for the cameras at political events.
In short, the Marine Corps is attempting to stifle legitimate pro-American
speech, which should not be tolerated. Are we fighting in Iraq to lose our
freedoms at home? The Marine Corps has a war to fight against Al Qaeda and shouldn't be wasting its time harassing veterans who exercise their democratic right to free speech. The Commandant of the Marine Corps should be summoned to Congress to explain the Corps' actions and to explain why those responsible should not be held accountable.
Sincerely,
Gene Jones
For: Executive Committee Florida Veterans for Common Sense.


The above is from a letter posted at Adam Kokesh's site and the press really didn't want to get that right did they?



Now the story of the hearing played out wrong for one reason: Heather Hollingsworth. Hollingsworth is a joke but she writes for AP so people ran with what she wrote. No surprise the drone is back to distort again and the brief in the last entry is based on her 'reporting.'

So let's review what our alleged objective drone tells us.

*Kokesh has been "kicked out"

Really. Not just discharged? He was "kicked out"? Was it boot to ass and since when did the AP decide this passes for journalism? Maybe we should all be grateful it wasn't "drummed out"?

She repeats, in her first paragraph, the "wore his uniform during an anti-war demonstration" which are lies twice over and, at this late date, Heather Hollingsworth has little else to offer.


In her second paragraph, she's off on Bergman "agreed to give . . . a general discharge". Agreed to give? Wasn't Kokesh just kicked out? Didn't she just tell us that?

Well what was he discharged from?

The IRR [Individual Ready Reserve]. Not the marines. Though Hollingsworth has already told us he was "kicked out" of the marines. And "kicked out" on Wednesday? Am I missing it or has our little liar failed to tell readers that Kokesh would have been out of the IRR on Monday -- with or without a discharge because, Hollingsworth forgets this too, it is unusal for anyone to be discharged from the IRR.

Hollingsworth tells us that "Kokesh got into trouble" (we know this story -- though who's in trouble may be decided at a later date in a civilian court) and has Kokesh on "a mock patrol" and then has to play like she's the most delicate flower (far from it) by recounting the e-mail and let's zoom in on how she plays it today:


A superior officer e-mailed Kokesh, saying he was being investigated because he might have violated a rule prohibiting troops from wearing uniforms at protests. Kokesh, a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, responded to the superior with an obscenity, prompting the Marines to take steps to remove him with an "other than honorable" discharge.

That is appalling. Kokesh responded with an e-mail of over forty lines and declared the f-you in the last line. The response was not why steps were taken "to remove him". Cloy Richards and Liam Madden are also facing the witch hunt. It has to do with speaking out against the illegal war. The investigation had started, it would have gone on no matter what. More importantly, the "other than honorable" discharge came from the hearing two Mondays ago and the only thing that happened Wednesday was that the easily shocked agreed with it. Hollingsworth gets that wrong too.

Then she repeats "uniform" and puts street theater in quotes because a dumb ass like Heather Hollingsworth isn't smart enough to call street theater "street theater." A natural dumb ass, she doesn't have to work at it, Hollingsworth can't tell what street theater is but, chances are, she's against it if she smells it. What most people downwind of Hollingsworth smell can't be washed away.

Let's quote Adam Kokesh from Tuesday's Democracy Now!:

That is a very good question because a lot of the coverage has grossly simplified the issue and said that I wore my uniform to a protest, which isn't really accurate at all. What we were doing was conducting something called Operation First Casualty. And it's called that because it has long been said that the first casualty of war is the truth. So what we did was conduct a mock combat patrol through the streets of Washington, DC, in order to bring a small part of the truth of the occupation home to the American people and give them a small sense of what it's like to have squads of men in uniform, with rifles, although we were simulating them of course, running around the streets of their city. And we also had civilians playing affected peoples. They weren't playing Iraqis or pretending to speak Arabic or anything like that, but we treated them as we would treat Iraqi civilians on a daily basis. So it was more street theater than general protest, and I do not need to show up to a protest in a uniform to represent myself as a veteran. But for this particular demonstration we were simulating a combat patrol, and so that is what we did, that's why it was appropriate in that setting. Now, normally, as I did -- or as I am doing today, I should say, I wear this Marine Corps boonie cover, and that is how I choose to represent myself as a veteran.

We've noted the Supreme Court case. We've noted it over and over. It's only the press that refuses to report it.

Now let's turn to nonsense from independent media. And, note, we covered Iraq already. Katrina vanden Heuvel -- who could never be accused of being a feminist -- felt the need to run right to the sugary snacks:

Watch as CBS dances, deflects and dodges the valid and valuable criticism levied by Rather and plenty of other media watchdogs. Les Moonves, CBS CEO, called Rather's remark "sexist" and said, "Let's give [Katie] a break."
But it's got nothing to do with Katie Couric. Nor does it really have anything to do with the messenger, Rather (whose colorful, native Texanspeak has gotten him into hot water in the past--much as it did for the late former Governor Anne Richards). It's about the message.

TV's been dumbed down for years and that includes "Uncle Walter." (And it never was all of that and Ava and I have covered this before. Many times.) And the comments are sexist. And it does have to do with Katie Couric and, specifically, her gender.


I could go on and on and have (this is dictated). But it has been sexism from day one. And to pretend otherwise is stupid or sexist. Note that KvH is rushing in to write about Couric and do you remember her column on Charlie Gibson? Maybe her calling out ABC for breaking the law and demoting Elizabeth Vargas? No? Well you don't remember them because they don't exist.
But KvH, who couldn't say a word when a woman lost her promotion because she was pregnant, wants to come along and gas bag over Katie and say it's "not sexism." That's all it is. That's all it has been.

We covered this. Read Ava and my "Katie Was a Cheerleader" (The Third Estate Sunday Review) from April of 2006:

Who knew it was a war crime? Katie Couric was a cheerleader and an army of Beate Klarsfelds are on her trail in an attempt to warn America of this dangerous contravention of the law. We imagine it's only a matter of time before the tribunal is held. The cheerleader as Eichmann, no doubt, sends shudders through the hearts of many women on the left, center and right, since they too may be charged.
[. . .]
If women learned anything from the trashing of Katie Couric last week, it was that today, we're all cheerleaders. In their eyes, we're all cheerleaders. Our own work isn't addressed and there's no desire to familiarize themselves with it before weighing in. Call us when it's our turn to stand trial at the war crimes tribunal.

Katrina vanden Heuvel wants to wade in (late to the party as always -- and empty handed) and tells you it's not about sexism -- which is a bit like David Duke telling you Don Imus' remarks weren't racists.

Maybe if you were the editor and publisher of a magazine that has spent 2007 publishing approximately four male bylines for every one female byline, you'd rush to insist "No sexism! Not there! Not here! Not anywhere!"

It has everything to do with sexism. And the next time Katrina vanden Heuvel feels she has time to leave her regular beat of reality television, someone suggest to her she spend that time addressing The Nation's sorry record of publishing women under her leadership.

I hadn't planned to note this -- I wasn't even aware of it. I started returning messages this morning and KvH has rightly outraged a large number of women in broadcasting with that bit of nonsense. In exactly three weeks, we'll return to the topic of sexism here. But I share the outrage over this nonsense. And who it comes from makes it all the more offensive. See Ruth's Report from last month.

Again, please note, we covered Iraq. Unlike KvH, or NPR, we didn't rush straight to the gooey treat of a 'hot topic.'

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










----------
Added. Ava here and these are my thoughts and opinions that follows.
A former coffee fetcher (male) for Katrina vanden Heuvel sputters via e-mail that C.I. knows Katie Couric!
GASP!
Yeah, and so do I and it's not a secret.
In fact, use the link, we noted that in "Katie Was a Cheerleader." C.I. also knows Katrina vanden Heuvel and has avoided calling her out on all her nonsense ("all her nonsense" is my opinion) for some time.
Only when a group of women writers asked to drop by on a Saturday last year and presented C.I. with stories and figures about the treatment of women under the 'leadership' of Katrina vanden Heuvel did that begin to change.
C.I. and I steered the December 25, 2006 edition of The Third Estate Sunday Review. One of the first things we did was start the now regular feature where we track each issue of The Nation in terms of how many women are being published.
The coffee fetcher feels the need to inform that C.I. and I do not own the TV beat.
No, we don't.
And if Katrina would like to cover it, please do.
We're moving more and more towards calling out the Water Cooler Set by name for their idiocy and, judging by Katrina's American Idol post, she'd fit right in with the Water Cooler Set.
Her American Idol post?
Yes, she did write about the vast wasteland (and wrote about it at the vast wasteland that is The Nation).
The grown woman was rightly embarrassed and deleted it a week later. But it did exist.
Ruth's Report noted it before it disappeared. But it's now gone.
C.I. was tipped off by a friend with the magazine that it was being 'disappeared' and given the Google link for the cached version -- also warned that would disappear as well.
Which it has.
But fret not, you can read the embarrassing piece to this day.
Go to Mike's "The Third Estate Sunday Review " for the first section, to Elaine's "Monday" for the second and then Rebecca's "cynthia mckinney" for the last part.
It is now preserved and out of Katrina's power to make it 'disappear.'
You can laugh as she (badly and immaturely) rips off Nora Eprhon's commentary on Upstairs, Downstairs by applying a similar device to American Idol in comments such as these: "My colleagues know I've watched every week, all of 19, checking out all of the theme nights."
Along with Ruth calling out the nonsense of a woman about to hit 50 offering Tiger Beat-ish thoughts on American Idol at an allegedly political forum, it would probably be wise to recall Cindy Sheehan's words from her farewell: "Casey died for a country which cares more about who will be the next American Idol than how many people will be killed in the next few months while Democrats and Republicans play politics with human lives. It is so painful to me to know that I bought into this system for so many years and Casey paid the price for that allegiance. I failed my boy and that hurts the most."
Katrina's writing certainly indicates that she cares more about American Idol.
That may explain why neither she nor her magazine have covered Adam Kokesh thereby ensuring that she will retain her title as The Peace Resister.
So, to the former coffee fetcher, scrape and bow before her, then inform her to bring it on because I have no fears that she's 'moving in' on C.I. and my "turf."
No fears at all.
I've gone to college for an education, not to land a husband.
That means, I have actually learned something as opposed to batting my eyes at male professors.
As a woman who would never marry one of my professors, I am quite comfortable stating, "Bring it on, little girl" to a woman physically older than I am even if she elects to pretend she's 15.
15 Going On 50 -- someone call Jennifer Garner and tell her the sequel's ready.
Katie Couric was trashed before she ever stepped behind the anchor's desk.
"Trashed."
And I don't expect a coffee fetcher to know the term. It's a feminist one. So I also don't expect Katrina to know it.
But that's what happened and it has gone on non-stop.
C.I. and I have covered it repeatedly.
If Katrina wants to show her (tired) ass by jumping in and swearing it's not sexism, well: "Have at it, little girl. Stick up for the older men, you always do."
But I didn't grow up mooning over Daddy and waiting for the day I could finally have some sort of (pathetic) relationship with him.
Point, I don't have Daddy issues.
And there's something a bit pathetic about a grown woman who does as she faces down fifty.
To repeat, my thoughts, my words, my opinions. -- Ava
P.S. If a disclosure's needed, possibly it's by Katrina? After all, the laughable Nation cruise this year is a fund raiser for The Nation. Among the many 'names' you can pay for the 'pleasure' of chatting with is Mary Mapes. Might there be another reason Katrina rushes in to defend the freakish Dan Rather from charges of sexism?
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"Overall violence in Iraq has not diminished, report says" (Youssef)

A Defense Department report released Thursday acknowledges that violence in Iraq has not diminished, despite the arrival of thousands of additional U.S. and Iraqi troops in Baghdad.
The report, which measured Iraq's progress from February to May, gives a less optimistic assessment of the impact of the so-called surge than commanders on the ground offered during that same period.

We're starting with the grown up. The above is from Nancy Youssef's "Overall violence in Iraq has not diminished, report says" (McClatchy Newspapers) and it's a short article so, just to summarize, Petraeus has made claims (April) that things were "a good bit better" and that's not reality with an increase of 40% in acts of violence "over the same period a year ago" excepting only "sectarian murders" which, "[s]ince the reoprt was written, U.S. officials have said that sectarian Murders in Baghdad also have increased" and McClatchy Newspapers figures demonstrate have increased 70%. The Pentagon report is [PDF format warning] online.

Now you can go read John F. Burns' chuckle inducing report in the New York Times if you want. We don't have time to waste on that nonsense but let's note that there is no awareness on display about the above in his report and that for someone in the business as long as he has been to not explain a term unknown to most Americans who aren't Muslim and don't study design is just incredibly bad reporting.

Also in the Times this morning, the jet setting David S. Cloud is back with a DC dateline and (mis)covering the report. If it's the New York Times, then you know they are going to put allegations against the Iranian government high up in the story as well as selling the privatization of Iraq's oild, the usual rah-rah-rah and bury anything of importance which is why Cloud ends with this as opposed to opening with it:


"To date, operations in Baghdad indicate that Iraqi government delivery on these commitments has been uneven," the report said. "For example, there have been reports of political involvement by some leaders in tactical and operational decisions that bypass the standard chain of (military) command."
Asked whether he expected that the next Iraqi units to rotate into Baghdad would be even more thinly staffed and less capable than those in the capital now, General Dempsey replied, "I'm absolutely convinced that's exactly what we'll see."

You can contrast Cloud's fluff with Martha's highlight, Ann Scott Tyson's "No Drop in Iraq Violence Seen Since Troop Buildup" (Washington Post):

Three months into the new U.S. military strategy that has sent tens of thousands of additional troops into Iraq, overall levels of violence in the country have not decreased, as attacks have shifted away from Baghdad and Anbar, where American forces are concentrated, only to rise in most other provinces, according to a Pentagon report released yesterday.
The report -- the first comprehensive statistical overview of the new U.S. military strategy in Iraq -- coincided with renewed fears of sectarian violence after the bombing yesterday of the same Shiite shrine north of Baghdad that was attacked in February 2006, unleashing a spiral of retaliatory bloodshed. Iraq's government imposed an immediate curfew in Baghdad yesterday to prevent an outbreak of revenge killings.

In other news, AP files this brief:

Iraq war veteran Cpl. Adam Kokesh is being kicked out of the Marines days early with a general discharge after he wore his uniform during an antiwar demonstration in Washington, the military announced Wednesday. The general discharge is one notch short of honorable. Kokesh's attorney said he plans to appeal.

We'll address that topic in the next entry.

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







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