Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Sgt John M. Russell shoots 5 US soldiers in Iraq

Yesterday, a US soldier shot five others in Baghdad. Ernesto London (Washington Post) is reporting that Sgt John M. Russell is the soldier who shot the five. We'll come back to that but first, last night, broadcast news covered it. How did they do?

ABC World News Tonight did the best job (click here for Martha Raddatz and Luis Martinez' text report and the video -- video is of the report aired on World News Tonight).


Charlie Gibson: There was a tragic incident in Iraq today that is a stark reminder that while the demands on US forces in Iraq may be diminishing, the mental stress on service members remains high. A soldier this afternoon opened fire in a clinic in Baghdad that was treating military personnel for stress and suicide prevention. 5 American soldiers were killed, four others wounded including the shooter who is in custody. It was the worst case of soldier on soldier violence since this war began. ABC's Martha Raddatz, with us now.

Lt Col Beth Salisbury: This is the entrance into our facility in Camp Liberty.

Martha Raddatz: It was just days ago that Lt Col Beth Salisbury showed ABC News the very same combat stress control center where today's horrific shooting took place.

Lt Col Beth Salisbury: They will sign in at our front desk. They'll be greeted by our staff here.

Martha Raddatz: Salisbury, who runs the center, was not hurt but of the dead, two were on her clinical staff and three were soldiers waiting for treatment. The shooter, who officials say is a Sgt on his third deployment to Iraq, went on a rampage down these hallways and offices in one of the few places where those who were attacked would not have been armed.

Lt Col Beth Salisbury: Their weapons are taken for safety and we secure those here for the safety of our staff and themselves.

Martha Raddatz: The Sgt being held for the murders is married and based in Germany. ABC News has learned he had been having problems during his deployment. Initial indications are that he did not seek mental health treatment voluntarily but that his unit had referred him for care. It is unclear whether he had yet received treatment. Col Salisbury said recently soldiers are encouraged to look for signs of stress in others.

Lt Col Beth Salisbury: The great thing is to have a leader bring in a soldier, come in -- leadership staff -- come in and ask us how that we can help them take care of their soldiers.

Martha Raddatz: These centers are part of the response to a dramatic spike in army suicides a record 143 in the last year. Today the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the shooting will be investigated to see if the stress of multiple and frequent deployments contributed to it.

Adm Mike Mullen: It speaks to the issue of--of multiple deployments, you know , increasing dwell time, all those things that we're focused on to try to improve to relieve that stress.

Martha Raddatz: It can't be understated what a terrible blow to any unit this is when soldiers are killed by fellow soldiers, especially soldiers who were trying to help others. Charlie?

At which point Martha Raddatz and Gibson discussed Afghanistan. CBS Evening News came in second place (click here for video of the story). They offered video animation of the shooting -- strange since no witness from the shooting had yet done a diagram for the US military. They also had so little that Martin tried to bring in Afghanistan, intense speculation and pretty much toss every thing at the screen hoping something would stick.

David Martin: It happened at Camp Liberty near the Baghdad airport. An American soldier walked into a combat stress center a place where military men and women can go to seek help and opened fire, killing five of his fellow soldiers before he was subdued. It's not the first case in this war of a soldier turning his weapon on his own but it is the worst.

US Sec of Defense Robert Gates: Such a tragic loss of life at the hands of our own forces is a cause for great and urgent concern.

David Martin: The stress center had been set up for the express purpose of dealing with the explosion of mental problems caused by the repeated deployments and close-quarters combat of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to initial reports, the shooter, an Army Sgt, had gone there looking for help, got into an argument, left in such an agitated state that his weapon was taken away from him but managed to get another one, came back and gunned down the workers at the center.

Adm Mike Mullen: It does speak to me about the need for us to redouble our efforts, the concern -- in terms of dealing with the stress.

David Martin: According to most recent figures, 300,000 service men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have reported a mental health problem.

Martin continued down that road before suddenly appearing to have a realization: "This was not suicide of course, but murder." Yes, it was. "We don't know the motive," he added. No, you don't.


Third place was The NewsHour (click here for audio).

Jim Lehrer: In other news today, an American soldier in Iraq turned his gun on five of his own comrades and killed them before being subdued. It happened outside a counseling center near Baghdad International Airport. Troops go there for help with combat stress or other personal issues. Officials had no word on what sparked the shooting. A spokesman for President Obama called it a terrible tragedy.

Last was NBC Nightly News. Last? Did they just do a headline? No, they did worse than just a headline. (Click here for video page.) They offered a pompous and untrained anchor who wants to look down on the audience and pretend he's in the military. Brian, you never served in the military. If you regret that, resign as anchor and enlist. There is still time. Otherwise spare us about "folks here" and "temple of battle" and your other garbage. In fact, grow the hell up. You shouldn't have been made anchor but you were. Try being a journalist. But that would require conducting yourself like one which would require that you stop inviting on air known propagandists:

Brian Williams: US military investigators say a soldier at Camp Liberty in Iraq walked into a clinic for treating combat stress and killed five of his fellow soldiers in what is believed to be the worst case of non-combat deaths for US forces since the war started. With more on this tonight, we are joined by retired US army Col Jack Jacobs a recipient of the Medal of Honor and an NBC News military analyst. Jack, you and I were saying earlier, a lot of the folks here forget that we're on a base here so everyone has a weapon, that steps it up a bit. But how do you prevent a senseless murder anymore than you would in civilian life?

Jack Jacobs: Well you can't actually and the military establishment's done a lot to ensure that they keep eyes on people who are not doing well there are support systems back in the States for them and their families when they return and also support systems in country uh just like this stress clinic. Uh troops are told to keep an eye out for those who are not doing well to report them uh to the chain of command so that they can be helped and this just one that - that didn't make it.

Brian Williams: And you have a theory, quickly, about people being in the temple of battle being less susceptible to this perhaps.

Jack Jacobs: Yeah I think so. When you're focused on making sure that you and your fellow soldiers stay alive, when people are trying very hard to kill you, when you're trying to accomplish the mission, you're all together as a unit and you watch out for each other. And it's at times when you have lots of free time on your hands, if you're on a base like this, nobody's watching you, those are the times when the stress of repeated deployments and other kinds of things get to you and uh nobody's keeping an eye on you and this may be what happened here.

Uh, Jack, uh, sounds uh like garbage uh. Sounds like you're SPINNING and you're COVERING and you're trying to float something to get out ahead of the story. But then Jack Jacobs is PAID TO SPIN. From Salon, April 21, 2009:

For some added irony: on his NBS News broadcast last night suppressing any mention of David Barstow's Pulitzer Prize, Brian Williams' lead story concerned Obama's trip to the CIA yesterday. Featured in that story was commentary from Col. Jack Jacobs, identified on-screen this way: "Retired, NBC News Military Analyst." Jacobs was one of the retired officers who was an active member of the Pentagon's "military analyst" program, and indeed, he actively helped plan the Pentagon's media strategy at the very same time he was posing as an "independent analyst" on NBC (h/t reader gc; via NEXIS). So not only did Williams last night conceal from his viewers any mention of the Pentagon program, he featured -- on the very same broadcast -- "independent" commentary from one of the central figures involved in that propaganda program.

For more, read David Barstow's Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times coverage of the propaganda mill click here and here. SourceWatch offers a list of those 'retired' military officials who shill:

From the New York Times story and associated documents, along with other sources as indicated: [1][17]

In addition, Wesley Clark is named in the Pentagon pundit documents, as a Fox News analyst, who's against the war in Iraq and in favor of dialog with Iran. [23]. He also appears in a picture accompanying Barstow's Times article on the program, but is not mentioned in the text. [1] Clark is also mentioned in the documents as a potential person to invite to take part in the propaganda effort. [24] Clark has "claimed publicly that after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, he was pressured by the Bush administration to link the attacks directly to Iraq. When pressed on Fox News' Hannity & Colmes show, Clark refused to name White House names and instead fingered a public policy think tank in Canada. 'I personally got a call from a fellow in Canada who is part of a Middle Eastern think tank who gets inside intelligence information. He called me on 9/11,' Clark said. When asked who in the White House contacted him, Clark responded that he was 'not going to go into those sources.'" [25]

We noted print yesterday. Liz Sly (Los Angeles Times) notes:

In coming weeks, a military court is expected to decide whether to court-martial Sgt. Joseph C. Bozicevich of the 3rd Infantry Division on charges of shooting to death his superior and another soldier in September during a discussion of his supposedly poor performance at a patrol base south of Baghdad. In April 2005, Sgt. Hasan Akbar of the 101st Airborne was sentenced to death for a 2003 grenade attack on fellow soldiers at a U.S. base in Kuwait on the eve of the war.

Timothy Williams (New York Times) improves his original reporting yesterday as the story was breaking chiefly by dropping Robert Gibbs from his story and quoting instead from Barack Obama's own statement. We'll note Barack's statement in full (it's a partial quote in the Times):

I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear the news from Camp Victory this morning, and my heart goes out to the families and friends of all the service members involved in this horrible tragedy. I will press to ensure that we fully understand what led to this tragedy, and that we are doing everything we can to ensure that our men and women in uniform are protected as they serve our country so capably and courageously in harm’s way. To begin this process, I met with Secretary Gates this afternoon to get a briefing on the situation.

As noted earlier, Ernesto Londono (Washington Post) is reporting online this morning that Sgt John M. Russell was the shooter:

The military did not shed light on what his motive might have been. Russell had been referred to counseling by his chain of command, Perkins said, and days prior to the incident, his supervisors took away his weapon. It is not clear how he obtained the weapon allegedly used in the attack, Perkins said.

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Steven D. Green's sentence hearing continues today

And so it began. Marisa Ford of the prosecution opened up by speaking about murdering children and how terrified Abeer Al-Janabi must have been before she was killed. "The murder of a child is an unspeakable act, especially an innocent child, which all children are. Abeer's last moments must have been filled with terror as she was raped while her parents and little sister were shot in the room next door. And then, by one of the men who was sent there to protect them, she was murdered."
Lots of legal jargon made it's way into the opening statements. Marisa Ford reminded the jury that they are encouraged and in fact, required to reconsider the evidence which was heard in the guilty phase of the trial. She spoke of imposing the death penalty, and how doing so requires that they, the jury, by law, must outline and note the aggravating circumstances, especially in the death of Abeer, which according to Ford was committed in an "especially heinous, cruel, and depraved manner."
She repeated how the four soldiers committed the crime on March 12th, 2006, and reiterated how they agreed on the plan, changed clothes, "brought weapons and took tools to complete their mission," and how they worked to cover up the evidence. She told the jury how they would hear of the impact on the victims, and how the Al-Janabi family was like many families from both Iraq and "right here in Paducah, Kentucky." She ended her opening by elaborating on a quote from Winston Churchill: "All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope." Ford defiantly expressed, "The defendant Steven Dale Green failed to live up to his duty, he didn't show mercy to Abeer, he took away the two remaining brother's hope for a normal life, he doesn't deserve mercy."

The above is from Evan Bright's "Hangin' in the Balance" in which he reports on the sentencing hearing of Steven D. Green, convicted last Thursday in the gang-rape of 14-year-old Iraqi Abeer Qassim Hamza al-Janabi, her murder, the murder of her five-year-old sister and the murders of both of her parents.

Steven D. Green

Green was found guilty on all counts. Last night, Ruth summarized the AP reporting on yesterday's hearing:

The Associated Press' Brett Barrouquere reports that today's sentence hearing for Steven D. Green included testimony from members of Abeer Qassim Hamza al-Janabi's family. He reports that cousin Abu Farras stated Abeer's brothers Mohammed and Ahmed no longer attend school because the killing of their two sisters and parents "destroyed their future. I'm sure if they died with their family it would be better for them." Mohammed is the older of the two brothers and he told the jury of "how his father taught him to ride a bike".


Also testifying yesterday from the family was Abeer's aunt. From Bright's report:

The first was "Amina" Al-Janabi (I know that is incorrect spelling so if you can correct me, leave a comment or email me!). She was Qassim Hamza's older sister. Qassim was Abeer's father. She spoke of having a good relationship with Qassim, of him having a normal life, mostly directed towards giving his family a good life. She broke down crying while on the witness stand, with tissues in hand, but she spoke strongly. "What I say about him…isn’t enough. He cared for all of our family." She went on to talk about how Qassim named his two daughters, Abeer and Hadeel, after her (Amina’s) children of the same name. She told of Fahkyriah(Abeer's mother) being a strong, powerful woman. She talked about Abeer's pride. "She was proud of being young, and she was proud of the freedom her father gave her. She was spoiled, her father never suppressed her." She almost 'boarded a tangent train', her voice elevating as she said, "their life is destroyed currently, by a crime committed against their family, the kids don’t go to school…" She spoke of young Mohammed and Ahmed running up to her "countless" times, devastated over their loss, and how they "want to suicide." Green's eyes widened as he heard this.
When asked how she, along with her family and the boy’s grandmother, had tried to care for the boys, she "tries to care and help, but that’s not going to be their mother and father for them." A picture of four young apparently Iraqi children was shown to the jury, and she named off Abeer, Mohammed, Ahmed, and Hadeel. This is the first time anyone has seen a picture of Abeer(at a different age) other than the one on her I.D. card. The defense didn’t present any kind of cross-examination for "Amina," or for any of the other witnesses.

Dave Alsup (CNN) notes that the hearing continues today with more testimony and he notes, " Green might become the first former U.S. soldier to face the death penalty for war crimes before a civilian court. The reason for the distinction: Green was discharged from the military before his crimes came to light." Meanwhile the Daily 49er editorializes that "War is turning Americans into what we despise most:"

The second incident is a clear-cut case of unjustifiable brutality. Last week, former Army Pfc. Steven Dale Green was found guilty of raping and murdering a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and killing her family. He now faces either death of life in prison.
According to the AP, Green's defense team had asked jurors to consider the "context" of war, saying "soldiers in Green's unit … lacked leadership." Defense attorneys also said the Army missed signs that Green was struggling after the loss of friends in combat, and offered little help to him and other members of his unit.
It is right that Green be punished, but there is little doubt his vicious acts were at least provoked by the horrors of war. If that's the case, why is he getting the book thrown at him while Ayala is receiving only probation?
Obviously, these cases differ tremendously. Ayala killed a man who set an innocent woman on fire while Green raped and murdered a young girl and her family without provocation. Violence is violence, however, and we simply cannot condone vigilante bloodshed because we believe it is justifiable.

Ayala is Don Ayala who shot Abdul Salam, a US prisoner in Afghanistan. The differences include that, while Salam was impisoned, he was questioned by Paula Loyd (an anthropologist who should have followed the ethics of her profession -- her failure to do so does not justify her death). Salam set her on fire. Ayala, a contractor (not a soldier), was found guilty of manslaughter for killing Salam following his setting Loyd on fire. Abeer, her five-year-old sister and her parents were not threats to Steven D. Green, had not hurt Green or anyone connected to him. They were attempting to live their lives in a neighborhood Green was supposed to be protecting. Ayala's response was not murder in cold blood. Had Ayala gone off and attacked Afghanistan children, his case might be seen as similar. Equally true, his defense was not "I'm not guilty but remember the 'context'."

UPI has a news brief on the case here. Bright covers all the witnesses, prosecution and defense, shares when Steven D. Green perks up and other details including defense attorney Patrick Bouldin's arguments:


He touched on Green's childhood, saying he "didn't have the greatest childhood, it was a broken home." There "was a fair amount of drinking, of neglect," he told. He talked about Green's needing a psychiatric follow up and how he didn't get it. He mentioned the lack of leadership. "In the prosecution's closing they talked about respect for life…yet here we are, debating the life of this man." He played on the empathy once again, saying, "All of you have the choice of life or death, any one of you has the power of life…. Green will die in prison, but by whose hand?" He went through some of the lawyer jargon with aggravating circumstances, etc, before ending with "The 1st Platoon…Bravo Company has suffered enough deaths…do we have to kill one more?" Green stood solemnly as the jury exited.

Touching on it isn't enough. The defense has done a lousy job from day one. Green's childhood was a nightmare (more than the press has let on) and if the defense is truly interested in saving Green from the death penalty, they're going to have to offer more than allusions to that fact.

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Monday, May 11, 2009

Iraq snapshot

Monday, May 11, 2009. Chaos and violence continues, the US military announces multiple deaths, Sahwa remains targeted, Australia announces all-out-of-Iraq (except for 100 troops) and more.
 
Today the US military announced a Camp Liberty shooting at 2:00 p.m. Iraq time in which five US service members were shot dead.  In a second announcement, they added, "A U.S. Soldier suspected of being involved with the shootings is currently in custody."  Luis Martinez and Martha Raddatz (ABC News) encourage people to watch ABC World News Tonight with Charles Gibson this evening for a report on the shooting.  Tom Leonard (Telegraph of London) states three more US soldiers were wounded in the shooting as does CNN; however, Jenny Booth (Times of London) goes with "at least two others were wounded" and she quotes Lt Tom Garnett (military spokesperson) stating, "The shooter is a US soldier and he is in custody."  CNN states the shooting took place at a clinic for US service members seeking assistance with stress.  Ernesto Londono (Washington Post) cites a US military official: "The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the incident shook up soldiers, many of whom are in their third and even fourth tours.  Some broke down in tears, he said."  Yochi J. Drezen (Wall St. Journal) draws the conclusion that many are drawing (and they may be right or they may be wrong) which is that it was likely fratricide, "Such crimes were more common during the Vietnam War, but have occurred only sporadically in Iraq. In 2003, Sgt. Hasan Akbar killed two soldiers and wounded 14 others in a grenade attack in Kuwait; he was convicted and sentenced to death. In 2006, Staff Sgt. Alberto Martinez was charged with murdering two officers in a suspicious explosion in Tikrit, though he was later acquitted. And last year, an American soldier was arrested in the shooting deaths of a pair of other soldiers at a base near the Iraqi city of Iskandariya."  Mark Kukis (Time magazine) grabs a piano shawl and offers this crystal vision, "In the coming days and weeks, undoubtedly, a chilling tale will trickle out of the Pentagon and Camp Liberty as more details are revealed." "Timothy Williams (New York Times) goes with that as well and pretends Robert Gibbs is Barack Obama -- he's not.  If the White House wants to issue a statement, they can do so.  Gibbs fumbling in a press briefing when the issue is raised doesn't qualify as anything worth attributing to anyone but Gibbs. Or as Gi bbs said at another point during the press conference today, "I think the president -- I haven't talked specifically with him, but my guess is . . ."  In the real world, BBC adds: "The BBC's Natalia Antelava, in Baghdad, says troops at Camp Liberty had been enjoying a much more relaxed atmosphere in recent months. She says there have been few attacks on the base recently, so the timing of the shooting will make it particularly shocking to the soldiers there."  The Los Angeles Times offers Liz Sly's report and an AP video on the shooting.  At the US State Dept today, spokesperson Ian Kelly stated that "our sympathies go to the families of the soldiers.  But beyond that, I don't have anything to say.  I'd refer you to the Pentagon."  This was Ian Kelly's first press briefing.  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined him for the start of the briefing to announce he was the new State Department spokesperson and the Acting Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs.  She thanked Robert Wood who had been appointed a Deputy Spokersperson during the Bush administration: "And I want to thank for a wonderful job and provide my deepest appreciation to Robert Wood.  He took over in the middle of a transition and has been drinking from a fire hose ever since.  But I have really enjoyed getting to know Robert and I look foward to continuign to work with him as an important contributor within the Department to the Obama Administration's foreign policy."
 
At the Washington Post today, Ernesto Londono participated in an online chat.  The scheduled topic was Iraq and, due to the news of the shooting, that became the primary focus of the chat.  Below are some of the exchanges:
 
Fairfax, Va.: Is there anxiety there in Baghdad due to the new focus being on Afghanistan? If so, is the U.S. military doing about counseling or anything?           
 
Ernesto Londono: I've spoken to some soldiers who feel that Iraq now feels like the "Forgotten War" -- a label that was coined to refer to Afghanistan back in 2004 and 2005. But I haven't heard soldiers express anger or anxiety over that. Some find it somewhat frustrating, but I wouldn't say it's a big deal for folks serving here that I talk to on a regular basis.   
The U.S. military is paying a lot of attention to post traumatic stress disorder. Most large bases have combat stress clinics, where soldiers get counseling and sometimes medication. I know it's an issue commanders and squad leaders take very seriously. Unfortunately, seeking mental help also carries a stigma.
 
[. . .]
 
Bel Air, Md.: This is disturbing, especially that it happened at a military base. It's like what happens at local malls. How major an incident is this and how will it be handled. Is this the largest number of casualites in Iraq that have happened under Obama's watch?  
 
Ernesto Londono: It's the deadliest incident in which a soldier -- apparently intentionally -- opened fire on comrades. A truck bombing in Mosul last month killed 5 soldiers.
_______________________
Dallas, Tex.: You've been covering Iraq for two years now. How candid are the soldiers about how the war has affected them, and have any of the ones you've talked to said they're not surprised this happened?   
Ernesto Londono: It varies. Some soldiers don't seem to mind talking about harrowing things. In fact, many seem to find it cathartic. Others do. Every soldier I've spoken to today is dismayed, saddened and frightened. I think everyone wants answers to two questions: who and why. Before we have those two pieces of information I think it's hard to draw firm conclusions.       
_______________________
Iraq: Was the soldier escorted to the clinic, was it a command referral? If so why did the commander not take the ammunition away and leave him his weapon?    
 
Ernesto Londono: Some soldiers are escorted to combat stress clinics. Many are "walk ins." No appointment needed. We don't know whether the suspected gunman was a patient or what his motive may have been.
 
 
Also today the US military announced: "BASRA, Iraq -- A Multi-National Divison -- South Soldier died when an improvised explosives device struck his vehicle in the Basra Province at approximately 2 p.m. May 10.  The Soldier's name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.  The name of the service member will be announced through the U.S. Department of Defense Official Website at http://www.defenselink.mil/. The announcement will be made on the website no earlier than 24 hours after notification of the service member's family."   Saturday the US military announced: "A U.S. Soldier was killed in a non-combat related vehicle accident May 9. The accident is under investigation. The name of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin and release by the Department of Defense." And they announced: "JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- A 3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Soldier died here as a result of non-combat related causes May 8. The Soldier's name is being withheld pending next of kin notification and release by the Department of Defense." And Saturday the Defense Department issued the following: "The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. Shawn D. Sykes, 28, of Portsmouth, Va., died May 7 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds suffered from an accident that occurred May 5 at Combat Outpost Crazy Horse, Iraq. He was assigned to 215th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas." ICCC currently lists 4292 but they don't have the Basra death announced today so the number of US soldiers killed in Iraq since the start of the war thus far is 4293.
 
Today War Criminal Steven D. Green faces sentencing.  Thursday the man who took part in the gang-rape of Abeer Qassim Hamza al-Janabi, who murdered her, who murdered her parents and her five-year-old sister was found guilty on all counts by a federal jury. Evan Bright is the 18-year-old high school senior who has attended and reported one every day of the trial. Yesterday Bright contributed an article on the verdict to The Huffington Post.  Today Evan Bright's reporting on the sentencing on Twitter.  Bright notes, "Heard from Qassim Hamza's older sis, the orphan Mohammed again, & for the 1st time, his little brother, Ahmed, & the uncle, Abu Farras again."  And, apparently for the defense, "Heard from Sgt Miller, more on conditions in Iraq, & what it was like.  In the middle of hearing Eric Lauzier, who is speaking abt leaders."  Most interesting, he noted first thing this morning, "Just heard opening statements of sentencing phase from (P) Marisa Ford and (D) Pat Bouldin.  CNN and the NYTimes are here as well."  NYT?
 
Saturday's paper included Campbell Robertson and Atheer Kakan contribute "Ex-G.I. Guilty of Rape and Killings in Iraq" which was the first by name mention of Abeer by the paper.  (For the paper's history, you can see Friday's snapshot.)  However, she finally is named by the paper in paragraph thirteen of the fourteen paragraph story.
 
*First paragraph "the rape of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl, and the killings of her and three members of her family"

*Paragraph three "where the girl and her family lived"

*Paragraph nine "moving the girl's parents and her young sister into a back room while two of the soldiers raped her"; "raping the girl and then shooting her repeatedly in the head and trying to set fire to her body"

*Pargraph thirteen finally gives her a name. We call her Abeer Qassim Hamza al-Janabi and that's what most outlets call her, it is what the FBI called her in their two press releases on Steven D. Green and it's how she was referred to in court.

 
Credit to the two Iraq based reporters for covering the verdict.  The domestic staff?  They sent how many reporters to Alaska and couldn't send anyone to Kentucky?  (That should actually be, "They don't have a reporter in Kentucky?")  Dave Alsup (CNN) reports background today on Green's arrest including Green declaring to FBI agents, "You probably think I'm a monster." Brett Barroquere (AP) notes Ford asked for the death penalty while Green's attorneys are arguing, 'None of the others got the death penalty!'  Leaving the penalty out of it for a moment, did the others murder Abeer, her five-year-old sister and her parents?  They took part in the War Crimes, no question.  But Green was the ringleader and Green was one who shot dead all four family members.  Killed four people.  Green and co-horts committed War Crimes -- and good for CNN for calling them what they were ("On Monday, as the penalty phase of his trial begins, Green might become the first former U.S. soldier to face the death penalty for war crimes before a civilian court.") -- but Green was already labeled the ringleader and he is the one who murdered four people.
 
Over the weekend, AFP reported that Pope Benedict XVI spoke in Jordan Saturday and urged Iraq to work to protect the country's Christian minority. AFP noted, "Estimated to number some 800,000 at the time of the US-led invasion of 2003, Christians have been prominent among the 2.7 million Iraqis who fled their homes during the sectarian violence that followed and as few as 400,000 are now believed to remain in their homeland."
 
Yesterday US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and US House Rep Rush Holt hollered "SURPRISE!" as they made a sneak visit to Iraq. Pelosi's office notes that they met with Nouri al-Maliki and with Ayad al-Smarai who is the new Speaker of Parliament and was his first meeting with any elected American officials since he became the Speaker. The issues discussed on the trip were:

rooting out wide-spread corruption that is impeding reconstruction and the delivery of services to the Iraqi people;        
providing security to all Iraqi citizens;       
resolving the border conflict between the Kurds and Iraqis; and
building a strong Iraqi intelligence capability.      
 
As J-Ross (Liberal Rapture) asks, "Why can no one ever make an announced visit to Iraq?"   Anthony Shadid and Nada Barki (Washington Post) explain, "Pelosi was careful not to signal any long-term military commitment in Iraq, saying the United States intends to 'help economically and culturally'."  Jack Dolan (McClatchy Newspapers) observes, "Pelosi's visit comes in the wake of an alarming spike in violence.  More than 200 people were killed in attacks in Baghdad last month, the highest toll in more than a year."
 
Bombings?
 
Sahar Issa and Hussein Kadhim (McClatchy Newspapers) report the Green Zone was attacked with mortars today, a Baghdad roadside bombing claimed the life of 1 Sahwa "head" and left "two civilians" injured and a Kirkuk car bombing claimed 2 lives and left eight more injured.
 
Shootings?
 
Sahar Issa and Hussein Kadhim (McClatchy Newspapers) report police Brig Gen Abdulhussein Muhsin al Kathimi was shot dead in Baghdad, 1 guard was shot dead at the Mosul Governorate building with another wounded, Hadbaa politician Arkan Aziz al-Ta'ee was shot dead in Mosul and 1 off duty police officer was shot dead in Mosul.  Xinhua notes al-Kazemi's shooting, "Kazemi's death came a day after his superior, Maj. Gen. Jaafar al-Khafaji, escaped a bomb attack near his convoy in central Baghdad."
 
Corpses?

 
Sahar Issa and Hussein Kadhim (McClatchy Newspapers) report the corpse of 5-year-old boy was discovered in Baghdad ten days after he was kidnapped (they'd asked for "50 thousand USD").
 
1 Sahwa was reported killed today.  BBC reported 1 was killed Saturday, Abed al-Kairiya, in a roadside bombing outside Baghdad.  Sahwa are also known as "Awakenings" and "Sons Of Iraq."  Independent journalist  Dahr Jamail (at Dissident Voice) observes:
 
Throughout history, those who collaborate with the occupiers of their country tend to end up hung out to dry, or dead. The occupation of Iraq is no different; collaboration and the poison fruits that come of it are on full display for the history books once again. Only now, the rapidity with which this is happening is staggering.                 
On May 5, the Iraqi military killed Basim Mohammed and detained his brother. Mohammed was a member of the Sahwa, the 100,000-strong Sunni militia composed mostly of former resistance fighters that the US created in order to use them to battle al-Qaeda in Iraq, as well as paying them off to draw down the number of attacks against occupation forces.            
The Sahwa, who were supposed to be given government jobs either in security or in civil services, have been betrayed. Instead of being given the promised jobs, they have been consistently targeted by the Iraqi military, and at times the US military, which has left them vulnerable as well to attacks from al-Qaeda. As a result, they are walking off their security jobs for lack of pay, and have largely ceased their military operations against al-Qaeda. The predictable result is what we have been witnessing over the last months -- a slow but steady increase in the number of attacks against Iraqi and US forces and a dramatic rise in the spectacular car bomb attacks in largely Shia areas that kill scores at a time.
The obvious solution would be for the Obama administration to pressure its client government in Baghdad to fulfill promises to incorporate the Sahwa into its ranks, as well as applying pressure to Prime Minister Maliki to lay off targeting the Sahwa and its leadership.                       
Instead, Sahwa members like Mohammed are being killed and their family members detained, and the attacks continue. On May 3, Iraqi forces arrested Nadhim al-Jubouri, a Sahwa leader in the volatile Salahadin province. In March, Iraqi forces detained Adil al-Mashadani, head of another Sahwa group in the Fadhil neighborhood of central Baghdad -- which ignited clashes between US, Iraqi and Sahwa forces that left three men dead and set the stage for more bloodletting.
 
Sunday Sam Dagher (New York Times) addressed the continuing targeting of the Sahwa members. Mullah Nadhim al-Jubouri was arrested on May 2nd along with two brothers and charged with terrorism. He tells the paper, "Arresting Awakeing leaders at this juncture is a very big mistake that created a security void." Most important line in the article: "The Awakening members in Dhuluiya will get their last paychecks from the American military this month, after which the government is supposed to take over, according to Mr. Jubouri's deputy, Mohammed, who also goes by the same tribal last name."  Saturday Charles Levinson (Wall St. Journal) also pointed out that Sahwa members were still not being paid by Nouri al-Maliki.  This despite the fact that he was supposed to have picked up payment last month.  
 
It's a pity the modern day press really doesn't do retractions.  Meanwhile Elisabeth Bumiller broke down the coming realities Saturday: "The top American general in Iraq said Friday that one-fifth of American combat troops would stay behind in Iraqi cities even after the June 30 deadline that the United States and Iraq had set for the departure." Yes, he did say that. More than once. He was also asked about the mythical al-Baghdidi and refused to say the US believes he exists or was captured by the Iraqis. He noted that no one has seen the suspect allegedly detained except for the Iraqis.  Not at all surprising and al-Maliki's already made the exception for Baghdad.  Today on Democracy Now!, Amy Goodman spoke with conservative historian Andrew Bacevich who offered the following on the Iraq War:
 
But with regard to the Iraq war, I think that, you know, the new Tom Ricks book --not to push his book -- The Gamble, he reaches the conclusion that the events for which the Iraq war will be remembered in history probably haven't happened yet. And I think that's probably about right. The notion that the surge won the war is an illusion. Certainly, the notion that the surge created the conditions that are going to produce political reconciliation in Iraq, that's an illusion. The war is off the front pages, but the war continues. We are reminded of that, as we get periodic reports of bombs blowing up in Baghdad and civilians being killed.    
I wouldn't hazard to guess on what the future holds for Iraq. I would simply say that Iraq will provide further evidence of the fact that the United States is not able to determine the fate of nations in the greater Middle East. The Iraqis will sort that out, for better or for ill. And we will be left wondering what exactly we gained through the expenditure of a trillion dollars and the loss of more than 4,000 American lives in a war that, frankly, should not have been begun in the first place.
 
Thomas E. Ricks is the author of  The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq 2006-2008 (a great book).  He's currently in a silly tussle with Anti-war.com, here for him, here for them, here for me. And because even smart people like Thomas E. Ricks don't always grasp ethics, we'll note this pledge from Network of Concerned Anthropologists:
 
 

We, the undersigned, believe that anthropologists should not engage in research and other activities that contribute to counter-insurgency operations in Iraq or in related theaters in the "war on terror." Furthermore, we believe that anthropologists should refrain from directly assisting the US military in combat, be it through torture, interrogation, or tactical advice.                

US military and intelligence agencies and military contractors have identified "cultural knowledge," "ethnographic intelligence," and "human terrain mapping" as essential to US-led military intervention in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East. Consequently, these agencies have mounted a drive to recruit professional anthropologists as employees and consultants. While often presented by its proponents as work that builds a more secure world, protects US soldiers on the battlefield, or promotes cross-cultural understanding, at base it contributes instead to a brutal war of occupation which has entailed massive casualties. By so doing, such work breaches relations of openness and trust with the people anthropologists work with around the world and, directly or indirectly, enables the occupation of one country by another. In addition, much of this work is covert. Anthropological support for such an enterprise is at odds with the humane ideals of our discipline as well as professional standards.               

We are not all necessarily opposed to other forms of anthropological consulting for the state, or for the military, especially when such cooperation contributes to generally accepted humanitarian objectives. A variety of views exist among us, and the ethical issues are complex. Some feel that anthropologists can effectively brief diplomats or work with peacekeeping forces without compromising professional values. However, work that is covert, work that breaches relations of openness and trust with studied populations, and work that enables the occupation of one country by another violates professional standards.            

Consequently, we pledge not to undertake research or other activities in support of counter-insurgency work in Iraq or in related theaters in the "war on terror," and we appeal to colleagues everywhere to make the same commitment.

 

 
 

Defence will conclude its military commitment to the rehabilitation of Iraq on 31 July 2009 marking the end of a mission that commenced on 20 March 2003.

 

Following the withdrawal of Australian combat troops in 2008 and the relocation of the Australian National Headquarters from Baghdad, Australia's commitment to Operation CATALYST has consisted of personnel employed in non-combat roles within coalition headquarters.  In 2009, there have been around 45 such personnel deployed in Iraq.

 

The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, said Australia could take great pride in the enduring contribution that the Australian Defence Force had made to the future of Iraq.

 

"Australian troops have provided important support to security and stabilisation operations, and have been responsible for the training of approximately 33,000 Iraqi Army soldiers, including specialist training in logistics support and counter-insurgency operations," Air Chief Marshal Houston said.   

 

The cessation of Operation CATALYST does not include 100 ADF personnel providing protection for Australian diplomatic staff and the Australian embassy in Baghdad under Operation KRUGER, nor two ADF officers serving with the UN assistance Mission for Iraq under Operation RIVERBANK.            

 

"The Australian Defence Organisation greatly appreciates the support and assistance received from coalition partners and the people and Government of Iraq during the ADF's deployment on Operation CATALYST,," Air Chief Marshal Houston said.             

 

"The Australian Government and the Department of Defence in partiular, look forward to maintaining a strong and robust Defence Cooperation Program with Iraq into the future."

 

 

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