The sudden shift from the triumphalism of Tchaikovsky to the funereal tone of Mr. Ezzat’s piece reflects the changing fortunes of Iraq and of one of its enduring symbols of national unity: the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra.
Throughout more than three years of war the orchestra has striven to lift the country’s spirits and give succor through art. But orchestra members are finding that while art can sometimes provide a brief respite from grim reality, it cannot stand forever as a bulwark against the maelstrom of conflict.
This summer four members fled to Syria and Dubai, stripping the orchestra of two cellists, an oboist and a violist, and leaving it with 59 musicians. The orchestra is often forced to rehearse without electricity because of frequent blackouts. The rehearsals take place three times a week in the former royal concert hall near the crumbling historic heart of Baghdad, with armed guards surrounding the compound.
The musicians are running out of things like reeds and strings, and few music stores remain open in Iraq, partly because militant Islamists have bombed several. Players must worry about offending fundamentalist militiamen and Islamist neighbors.
"The circumstances affect us on a daily basis," said Karim Wasfi, 34, the American-educated orchestra director and a cellist given to wearing buttoned-up black shirts beneath black suits. "But I want to convey that despite the difficulties and problems and instability, we exist, we perform, we give hope."
[. . .]
But the shining hopes that these musicians embraced after the toppling of Saddam Hussein in 2003 have vanished. That year the orchestra gave a stirring performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, playing for, among others, President Bush and Secretary of State Colin L. Powell. Some members were invited to the White House.
Now Ali Khasaf, a clarinetist, has to practice quietly in a sealed room in his eastern Baghdad home lest he risk offending conservative militiamen.
The above is from Edward Wong's "And the Orchestra Plays on, Echoing Iraq's Struggles" in this morning's New York Times. In news of other things that "didn't work out, quite the way you wanted" (Carole King, "Chalis Borealis" off Speeding Time), Martha notes Amit R. Paley's "Heralded Iraq Police Academy a 'Disaster'" (Washington Post):
A $75 million project to build the largest police academy in Iraq has been so grossly mismanaged that the campus now poses health risks to recruits and might need to be partially demolished, U.S. investigators have found.
The Baghdad Police College, hailed as crucial to U.S. efforts to prepare Iraqis to take control of the country's security, was so poorly constructed that feces and urine rained from the ceilings in student barracks. Floors heaved inches off the ground and cracked apart. Water dripped so profusely in one room that it was dubbed "the rain forest."
"This is the most essential civil security project in the country -- and it's a failure," said Stuart W. Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, an independent office created by Congress. "The Baghdad police academy is a disaster."
Bowen's office plans to release a 21-page report Thursday detailing the most alarming problems with the facility.
On the NIE, Cindy notes Camilo Mejia's "Giving Terrorism a Reason to Exist" (Common Dreams):
According to a report by 16 U.S. Spy agencies leaked to The New York Times, the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq has helped create more global terrorism and energize jihadist ideology throughout the world since the 9/11 attacks. The intelligence report, completed in April of this year but still classified, contradicts more optimistic assessments by both The White House and the House Intelligence Committee, which have claimed that America and its Allies are safer since the September 11 attacks. The report, however, also supports what critics of the war, especially dissenting U.S. veterans, have been saying all along, that the war in Iraq is actually creating more terrorism.
On March 15, 2004, just before surrendering to military authorities after refusing to return to the war, I gave a press conference to both national and international media. A reporter from Univision asked me if there was a difference between what was being reported in the U.S. about soldiers in Iraq and my experience there. I told her that morale amongst U.S. troops, contrary to media reports, was really low because we lacked a sense of mission and because "we were all lied to about weapons of mass destruction and connections between Iraq and terrorism to justify the war. In reality, we're giving terrorism a reason to exist with this war." Fast forward to the New York Times article and you have the exact same thing, only this time reported by 16 U.S. intelligence agencies, two and a half years later!
Mejia is believed to be the first public resister of the Iraq war. And we'll use that as a transition to remind that Darrell Anderson is scheduled to return to the US on Saturday. DK notes Ian Bruce's "First US woman officer killed by Iraq blast" (Scotland's The Herald):
THE first female US army officer to die in action in Iraq was named yesterday as Lieutenant Emily Perez, 23, bringing the number of women soldiers of all ranks killed there since 2003 to 61.
Lieutenant Perez, an African-American graduate of West Point military academy, was killed when a roadside bomb detonated under her Humvee near Najaf.
Although female service personnel are not allowed to join combat units, many thousands are serving in support and logistics roles and regularly exposed to danger while travelling in supply convoys.
The plan is to do "And the war drags on . . ." this evening as usual. (A number of e-mails have come in on that. Hopefully, we're back to normal schedule.) The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
the new york times
edward wong
the washington post
amit r. paley
camilo mejia
ian bruce
Thursday, September 28, 2006
NYT: "Military Officials Add to U.S. Criticism of Iraq's Government" (Richard A. Oppel Jr.)
Senior American military officials are warning that time is growing short for Iraq to root out militias inside and outside the government and purge ministries of corrupt officials who are diverting large sums of money to their own political parties.
[. . .]
Another sign of how acute Iraq's security woes have become emerged Wednesday: the past week saw the highest number of suicide bomb attacks of any week since the American-led invasion in 2003, according to the chief United States military spokesman in Iraq, Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV.
"This has been a tough week," General Caldwell said. "This week's suicide attacks were at their highest level in any given week." But such attacks, he said, are still not the No. 1 killer of Baghdad civilians. "Murders and executions are," he said.
In recent weeks American and Iraqi officials have privately voiced concerns that Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki might not have the will or the political dexterity to bring the country together and avoid a full-scale civil war. Mr. Maliki, they say, is hamstrung and beholden to rival political parties with their own large militias.
The above is from Richard A. Oppel Jr.'s "Military Officials Add to U.S. Criticism of Iraq’s Government" in this morning's New York Times. First note, that the Giddiest Gabor of the Green Zone, Willie Caldwell IV, is credited for some statements but not all in Oppel's article. We'll come back to that. Lloyd notes Sudarsan Raghavan's "American Commanders Question Political Will Of Iraqi Prime Minister" (Washington Post) which also quotes "a senior U.S. military official who spoke on condition of anonymity at a briefing with reporters". (Oppel quotes him as well in the article, we haven't included in the excerpt.) From the Post, here's the various statements the unnamed makes (he's not the only unnamed military official quoted), strung together (by me) as one statement:
"It's going to take time for a government to cleanse itself over time. I've got to give it time to do that and hope that I have a prime minister that's going to take that on. We are now at a time when we have a little bit of influence there. There is going to come a time when I would argue we are going to have to force this issue. . . . We have to, wherever we can, use what pressure, what influence we have, to get them as quickly as possible to clear these places out."
I believe the key word is "time." "I have a prime minister . . ." "I've got to give it time . . ." There's ownership of the puppet in those statements. But who thought the puppet of the occupation had any real power?
What of the press? A military official holds a press conference (and there's at least one other participating) with reporters -- plural -- and anonymity is granted? There's background but that generally doesn't include a public press conference. This isn't a whistle blower nor were any statements made not approved by the military, so the question needs to be asked why the press is withholding names of people making public statements? Call it "public whispers."
Back to the Giddiest Gabor. He continues to cite figures -- no surprise, Nancy A. Youssef revealed in June that the US military was keeping a bodycount on Iraqis and had since at least July 2005 -- and apparently won't be called on providing them. Since August's figures only included some deaths, or that was they fed the American public, it's interesting that Caldwell claims now to be able to compare and contrast deaths from "murders and executions" and from bombs. In August, the claim was the count didn't include all three. What does the count include? No one knows because the military won't provide their actual reports, Caldwell just summarizes them on a whim.
Marcus notes an article on Agustin Aguayo by Robert Jablon ("Medic who refused to return to Iraq surrenders," Associated Press) that's "all over the place and I mean all over even at Pat Robertson's website." He means CBN, we'll note it from Army Times:
Aguayo said he expected to face a court martial and some jail time.
"It's something I can live with," said Aguayo at the news conference, where he was surrounded by supporters from Mexican-American and anti-war groups.
"Something I can't live with is being a participant of war anymore."
Aguayo has unsuccessfully fought the Pentagon for more than two years to be declared a conscientious objector and win a discharge.
He served a year as a combat medic in Tikrit, Iraq, in 2004 after the military turned down his request.
He then jumped out of a window of his base housing in Germany on Sept. 2 rather than be forced to ship out for a second tour with the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment.
"I have come to believe that it is wrong to destroy life, that it is wrong to use war, that it is immoral, and I can no longer go down this path," Aguayo said.
"I am truly proud of him," his wife, Helga, 33, said. Aguayo’s wife and twin 11-year-old daughters are living with relatives in Palmdale.
Aguayo, a U.S. citizen who was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, said he was not anti-war when he enlisted in 2002. But his military experiences changed his mind. He applied for conscientious objector status in February 2004 before he was sent overseas.
Before departing, his unit received live-fire training, shooting at silhouettes.
"He said that was the moment he had an epiphany and said, 'My God, what am I doing? Am I capable of killing someone?"' his wife said.
In Iraq, Aguayo went on guard duty with an unloaded gun, she said.
Aguayo said he will not serve as a medic anymore because treating wounded soldiers would allow them to go back into the field and kill, his wife said.
Last year, Aguayo sued in federal court in Washington to overturn the military's rejection of his conscientious objector bid. He lost the court case but has appealed the decision. Arguments are scheduled for November.
[. . .]
The Army considers soldiers absent without leave for up to 30 days. Had Aguayo refused to surrender after that time, he could have faced the more serious charge of desertion, which can carry a five-year prison sentence or, in times of war, a death sentence.
Marcus provides the CBN link ("so you'll believe me") and while I do, others may not. Doubters can click here and hopefully that's the only time we'll link to CBN. (I went back and forth over the link and any member having a problem with it can contact Beth. She's the ombudsperson for a reason. But Marcus' point was noting how widespread the coverage was and that it included CBN. I'm way behind on the public account and asking those helping with the e-mails work the member accounts. Not including the link would mean visitors e-mailing to say, "Prove it." So we're including the link. It may have been the wrong decision and I'll go with Beth's call on that.)
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
the new york times
richard a. oppel
the washington post
sudarsan raghavan
robert jablon
agustin aguayo
[. . .]
Another sign of how acute Iraq's security woes have become emerged Wednesday: the past week saw the highest number of suicide bomb attacks of any week since the American-led invasion in 2003, according to the chief United States military spokesman in Iraq, Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV.
"This has been a tough week," General Caldwell said. "This week's suicide attacks were at their highest level in any given week." But such attacks, he said, are still not the No. 1 killer of Baghdad civilians. "Murders and executions are," he said.
In recent weeks American and Iraqi officials have privately voiced concerns that Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki might not have the will or the political dexterity to bring the country together and avoid a full-scale civil war. Mr. Maliki, they say, is hamstrung and beholden to rival political parties with their own large militias.
The above is from Richard A. Oppel Jr.'s "Military Officials Add to U.S. Criticism of Iraq’s Government" in this morning's New York Times. First note, that the Giddiest Gabor of the Green Zone, Willie Caldwell IV, is credited for some statements but not all in Oppel's article. We'll come back to that. Lloyd notes Sudarsan Raghavan's "American Commanders Question Political Will Of Iraqi Prime Minister" (Washington Post) which also quotes "a senior U.S. military official who spoke on condition of anonymity at a briefing with reporters". (Oppel quotes him as well in the article, we haven't included in the excerpt.) From the Post, here's the various statements the unnamed makes (he's not the only unnamed military official quoted), strung together (by me) as one statement:
"It's going to take time for a government to cleanse itself over time. I've got to give it time to do that and hope that I have a prime minister that's going to take that on. We are now at a time when we have a little bit of influence there. There is going to come a time when I would argue we are going to have to force this issue. . . . We have to, wherever we can, use what pressure, what influence we have, to get them as quickly as possible to clear these places out."
I believe the key word is "time." "I have a prime minister . . ." "I've got to give it time . . ." There's ownership of the puppet in those statements. But who thought the puppet of the occupation had any real power?
What of the press? A military official holds a press conference (and there's at least one other participating) with reporters -- plural -- and anonymity is granted? There's background but that generally doesn't include a public press conference. This isn't a whistle blower nor were any statements made not approved by the military, so the question needs to be asked why the press is withholding names of people making public statements? Call it "public whispers."
Back to the Giddiest Gabor. He continues to cite figures -- no surprise, Nancy A. Youssef revealed in June that the US military was keeping a bodycount on Iraqis and had since at least July 2005 -- and apparently won't be called on providing them. Since August's figures only included some deaths, or that was they fed the American public, it's interesting that Caldwell claims now to be able to compare and contrast deaths from "murders and executions" and from bombs. In August, the claim was the count didn't include all three. What does the count include? No one knows because the military won't provide their actual reports, Caldwell just summarizes them on a whim.
Marcus notes an article on Agustin Aguayo by Robert Jablon ("Medic who refused to return to Iraq surrenders," Associated Press) that's "all over the place and I mean all over even at Pat Robertson's website." He means CBN, we'll note it from Army Times:
Aguayo said he expected to face a court martial and some jail time.
"It's something I can live with," said Aguayo at the news conference, where he was surrounded by supporters from Mexican-American and anti-war groups.
"Something I can't live with is being a participant of war anymore."
Aguayo has unsuccessfully fought the Pentagon for more than two years to be declared a conscientious objector and win a discharge.
He served a year as a combat medic in Tikrit, Iraq, in 2004 after the military turned down his request.
He then jumped out of a window of his base housing in Germany on Sept. 2 rather than be forced to ship out for a second tour with the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment.
"I have come to believe that it is wrong to destroy life, that it is wrong to use war, that it is immoral, and I can no longer go down this path," Aguayo said.
"I am truly proud of him," his wife, Helga, 33, said. Aguayo’s wife and twin 11-year-old daughters are living with relatives in Palmdale.
Aguayo, a U.S. citizen who was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, said he was not anti-war when he enlisted in 2002. But his military experiences changed his mind. He applied for conscientious objector status in February 2004 before he was sent overseas.
Before departing, his unit received live-fire training, shooting at silhouettes.
"He said that was the moment he had an epiphany and said, 'My God, what am I doing? Am I capable of killing someone?"' his wife said.
In Iraq, Aguayo went on guard duty with an unloaded gun, she said.
Aguayo said he will not serve as a medic anymore because treating wounded soldiers would allow them to go back into the field and kill, his wife said.
Last year, Aguayo sued in federal court in Washington to overturn the military's rejection of his conscientious objector bid. He lost the court case but has appealed the decision. Arguments are scheduled for November.
[. . .]
The Army considers soldiers absent without leave for up to 30 days. Had Aguayo refused to surrender after that time, he could have faced the more serious charge of desertion, which can carry a five-year prison sentence or, in times of war, a death sentence.
Marcus provides the CBN link ("so you'll believe me") and while I do, others may not. Doubters can click here and hopefully that's the only time we'll link to CBN. (I went back and forth over the link and any member having a problem with it can contact Beth. She's the ombudsperson for a reason. But Marcus' point was noting how widespread the coverage was and that it included CBN. I'm way behind on the public account and asking those helping with the e-mails work the member accounts. Not including the link would mean visitors e-mailing to say, "Prove it." So we're including the link. It may have been the wrong decision and I'll go with Beth's call on that.)
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
the new york times
richard a. oppel
the washington post
sudarsan raghavan
robert jablon
agustin aguayo
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Iraq snapshot
Wednesday, September 17, 2006. Chaos and violence contine in Iraq with CBS calling it a "blood soaked morning in Iraq", a war resister turns himself in, Basra operations appear aptly dubbed as England lives out a fable, Bully Boy flashes the public but refuses to reveal all, Bill Clinton provides a cringe-worthy flashback in England, and the US military learns that just because they say so doesn't make it true.
Starting with the "blood soaked" day in Iraq where the violence and chaos continue.
Bombings?
Reuters reports that two roadside bombs in Baghdad took the life of one and left three wounded; while three police officers were wounded by a roadside bomb in Mussayab; four were killed by a roadside bomb in Baquba; and mortar rounds in Rashad killed two Iraqi soldiers and left three wounded. CBS and AP report that a police officer was killed in Baghdad by "a bomb hidden in his car". AFP reports that the Giddiest Gabor in the Green Zone, William Caldwell IV, has stated that "this week's suicide attacks were at the highest leavel of any given week" apparently too busy checking the Eva Gabor wig catalogue to register the news reported earlier this month that so-called suicide bombers are not limited to people intentionally exploding bombs. (As reported earlier, those that have been classified as such also include unknowing persons who die when the bombs are exploded by remote control.)
Shootings?
Reuters reports that today's attack in Baghdad ("near a Sunni mosque" resulted in ten civilians being shot dead. CBS and AP report that two people were shot dead in Baghdad and an Iraqi soldier was shot dead in Karma. CBS and AP also report that, on Tuesday, two Iraqi soldiers were shot dead in Baghdad. Also shot dead on Tuesday, Reuters reports, was "Nima al-Yaseen, the sister of Shi'ite MP Ligaa al-Yaseen."
Corpses?
CNN reports that 17 corpses were discovered in Baghdad and that, since Sunday, 77 corpses have been found in the capital. CBS and AP note that nine corpses "were pulled out of the Tigris river" showing the now common signs of torture and, in addition, they report "the bodies of 23 men were found dumped in the streets" of Baghdad today..
In one of the day's most controversial events, the US military continues to maintain one point of view and everyone else another.
As the US military tells it: "Coalition forces killed four suspected terrorists and wounded two others during a raid the morning of Sept. 27 targeting a terrorist tied to extremist leaders of al-Qaida in Iraq in Iraq’s Diyalah and Salah ah Din provinces.
As Coalition forces approached the objective, they received sporadic small arms fire from throughout the neighborhood and sustained small arms fire from the objective building. Coalition forces, through their Iraqi interpreters, announced they were in the area, whereupon the shooting ceased from most locations except the target building. Coalition forces killed two terrorists during this engagement. Due to the heavy volume of enemy fire from the target building, they also engaged the building with Coalition aircraft." Apparently the statement was written by an old Sonny & Cher fan who wanted to update an early 70s song to "Mama was a Jidhast Terrorist And Papa Used to Follow All Her Plans."
On a less musical note, Reuters reported: "A U.S. raid and air strike killed eight people, including seven members of one family, and wounded two others in the town of Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) north of Baghdad, the U.S. military and police said. The U.S. said the four men in the family of seven were suspected militants with links to al Qaeda." And Aileen Alfandary, KPFA's The Morning Show, noted that among those killed in the airstrike was a pregnant woman. Though initially weighting their report heavy on the official US military version, the AP now reports that family members "disputed the U.S. account"; that they "cried and consoled on another as the bodies of the women were taken away"; that Manal Jassim ("who lost her parents and other relatives in the attack") states: "This is an ungly criminal act by the U.S. solderis against Iraqi citizens"; and that the Association of Muslim Scholars call the air strike a "terrorist massacre."
In news of more successful propaganda efforts, AP reports that the spin-meisters of the American-based Lincoln Group have been awarded a US government contract worth approximately $6.2 million after their bang up job planting 'Happy Talk' in Iraqi outlets (which, despite the continued focus on print was not limited to print and included radio and TV). In addition to continuing to play the mouth of Mary Sunshine of the illegal war (William Caldwell IV apparently having his hands full playing the Giddiest Gabor of the Green Zone), the $6.2 million also covers their "monitoring" of US domestic news outlets inclduing the New York Times. (Apparently in order to crown the new Dexter Filkins -- Sabrina Tavernise appears to be in the lead as the new go-to-guy for the US military when suggesting/planting stories.)
In military news, AP reports on British troops in Basra and notes that their efforts are part of "the security drive . . . dubbed 'Operation Sinbad'.'' Those with longer memories than the AP my find that amusing for a number of reasons. Literally speaking, Sinbad hails from the epic The Book of One Thousand and One Nights -- a variety of epic tales with one told each night by Scheherazade, to her husband, King Shahryar, to stall her planned execution and allow her to live for another day. Is England attempting to suggest that all the troops are doing is forestalling and, in the end, will have to plead for mercy? A question worth asking because, though the AP sidesteps this, England first began "Operation Sinbad" in Basra on April 6th -- April 6, 2003. A smashing success, to be sure, just like Amara.
Meanwhile, on KPFA's The Morning Show today, Andrea Lewis and Philip Maldari spoke with Carl Conetta about the "General's revolt" and the growing resistance among top military brass to the 'leadership' provided by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. The issues of concern for the military were the readyness of equipment and US forces both of which, it was argued, are in need of upgrading. The discussion addressed the further lowering of the bar for recruits in an effort to meet targets. Also in news of generals, today's AP report that two generals suffered from food poisioning after dining in DC last week: Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry, U.S. commander in Afghanistan, and Gen. John Abizaid -- the latter of which had to be hospitalized for three nights at Walter Reed Medical Center.
.
In peace news, AP reports that war resister Agustin Aguayo turned himself at Fort Irwin last night. Aguayo self-checked out of the US military, from a Gernany base, on September 2nd after learning he would redeployed to Iraq (even if getting him there required hancuffing him). Adrienne Ziegler (Desert Dispatch) reports his self-checkout came as he was waiting for word on his appeal to be designated conscientious objector status and that his wife, Helga Aguayo, stated, "The greatest lesson he could teach (our daughters) is to stand up for what you believe in, and if you don't, you hurt the people around you. . . . If my husband can inspire one person to become a conscientious objector, then all this hassle was worth it." Like war resister Mark Wilkerson, there is no word on what, if any, charges Aguayo will face. War resister Ricky Clousing, who also self-checked out, has been informed he has been charged with desertion. (A technical charge that may not be levied against Aguayo who was gone for less than thirty days.) More information on Aguayo can be found at his official website.
At his own web site, Mark Wilkerson recommends the film Jarhead and writes, "Speaking from my own experience in Iraq: Every day in Iraq was an inner struggle to keep from going crazy and just blasting away into the crowds that gathered around our trucks. I had to make a conscious effort to stay in focus and not use my MK-19 or SAW machine gun to level a whole city block."
Meanwhile, war resister Darrell Anderson intends to return from Canada to the United States on Saturday. If not arrested at the border, Anderson will then turn himself in at Fort Knox. The Purple Heart awarded Anderson was injured by a roadside bomb while serving in Baghdad and, facing a second deployment to Iraq, elected to self-check out in January 2005 and go to Canada. More information on war resisters can be found at
Courage to Resist and that includes information on Ehren Watada, the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse to deploy to Iraq.
Peace resister Bully Boy has his own problems as his efforts to clamp down on discussions of the effects that the (illegal) war in Iraq had on safety for the United States and the world proved unsuccessful. After releasing pre-selected pages (approximately three pages) of the approximately thirty page April NIE assessment, AP reports that White House Fluffer Tony Snow Job dismissed cries to release the full report under the pretext that doing so would reveal the identities of intel agents and assests whom, apparently, embedded messages within the report such as, "Hi, I'm Jody. For a good time, call me at . . . " AP notes: "In the bleak National Intelligence Estimate, the government's top analysts concluded Iraq has become a 'cause celebre' for jihadists, who are growing in number and geographic reach. If the trend continues, the analysts found, the risks to the U.S. interests at home and abroad will grow." AP also reports the House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has joined US Congress member Jane Harmon's request that the White House release another intel report that is apparently lying in wait to be sprung on the American public after the November elections.
While Bully Boy continues to insist that the US is "safer but not safe" and the "democracy" is taking root in Iraq, both Tom Hayden (The Huffington Post) and Amit R. Paley (The Washington Post) have noted the reality of polls demonstrating that Iraqis overwhelmingly want the US out of Iraq. Look for a third Post, the New York Post, to attempt spin control -- possibly by claiming that the representative pool naturally favored "jihadists."
The results are not surpising (nor new, they reflect ongoing polling since the war started) and Sudarsan Raghavan (Washington Post) reports on how neighborhoods of Bahgdad are turned into guarded barricades and quotes one resident, Ibrahim Abdul Sattar, as declaring, "We have been living together for 30 years. We've never had such tensions like this before. We are fearing for our future."
Obviously the so-called 'safer but not safe' effect hasn't reached Baghdad (despite the three-month-old 'crackdown'). The polls of Iraqis follow CNN's most recent polling of Americans (see "Poll: Terrorism, Iraq very important to midterm voters") which found that, as with their polling in August, 59% of Americans oppose the Iraq war and, if you rank all those describing the issue as important to them (includes anti-war and pro-war and the categories about to be lumped together are "extremely important," "very important" and "moderately important") 96% of those polled ranked the Iraq war as important. If only the media shared the same view.
Finally, Bill Clinton went to England to prop up Tony Blair and, no doubt rankled many, with his effusive praise of Tony Blair ("a stunning success") which may have many recalling that it was Clinton, not Reagan or Poppy Bush, that worked to rehabilitate the justly tarnished image of Richard Nixon. Republican presidents couldn't have done that because Tricky Dick was, rightly, radioactive, so they had to steer clear. It takes a village . . . healer? Though far more popular than the Bully Boy (but then who isn't?) in England, Bill Clinton's remarks ("ringing praise" exclaims Australia's Daily Telegraph) attempting to prop up the increasingly unpopular Blair and to promote prime minister wanna-be Gordon Brown ("brilliant ecnomic leadership") may not carry weight with British voters and, especially the citing of Brown, may lead to the already shaky Labour support growing even shakier.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
carl conetta
andrea lewis
philip maldari
kpfa
the morning show
aileen alfandary
adrienne zieglerricky clousing
mark wilkerson
ehren watada
andrea lewis
philip maldari
kpfa
the morning show
aileen alfandary
adrienne zieglerricky clousing
mark wilkerson
ehren watada
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