UPDATE : Journalists urge Maliki to stop limiting the media.
Related :
- No photos allowed after Iraqi blasts
- Pentagon Blocks MySpace and YouTube
Older :
- U.S. officials exclude car bombs in touting drop in Iraq violence
- Iraq refuses to provide civilian casualty figures to U.N.
For years we have witnessed the war advocates complain that the press was not covering the "good news" coming out of Iraq.
Never mind that whatever minimal amount of good news that was coming out of Iraq was overshadowed by the tremendously large amount of bad news coming out of Iraq
Now apparently if the media is not willing to ignore the bad news coming out if Iraq the government will try to force them - by not allowing photos or video after bombs then refusing to include car bomb victims in the official "casualty figures" aka DEATH TOLL.
... But what good are "casualty figures" when the Iraqi government actually refuses to provide those figures? Even if the government produced the figures, the figures would lie because victims of car bombings would not even be included.
It makes it even easier to control the news coming out of Iraq when you prevent the American troops from being able to access MySpace or YouTube to share their experiences.
I sense a slow and subtle attempt by both the US and Iraqi governments to control the information coming out of Iraq.
If there is not any good news coming out of Iraq they will try to block the bad news by banning photos and releasing misleading casualty figures.
To display that progress is being made they will force the figures to lie by not including certain types of attacks in the violence.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Lazy Links
- Must Read : Nixon Rides Again
- Cops Spied On Everyone From A Pie Throwing Hippie To Jay-Z
- Dems Seek No-Confidence Vote On Gonzales
- Hunt for 3 U.S. soldiers in Iraq enters 7th day
- Two ABC News journalists killed in Iraq
- Death in Iraq spawns grim subcultures
- Army Punished 2 Officers in ’06 After Failures in Iraq Ambush
- Mosque Bombing In India Leaves 5 Dead
- 10 killed in southern Afghan bombings
- The World Bank after Wolfowitz
- Guiliani's wife got $125G to craft speeches
- Giuliani, Edwards have Sudan holdings
- Christian Leader Will Not Vote For Guiliani
- Minority population grows to 100 million -- 1 of 3 in U.S.
- YouTube Founders Challenge Pentagon's Ban On Websites
- The Last Temptation of Al Gore
- Gun Giveaway Draws Hundreds
- ABC and CBS ignore Comey testimony
- McCain Likes To Skip Iraq War Votes
- CENSORSHIP! No photos allowed after Iraqi blasts
- To 'War Czar,' Solution to Iraq Conflict Won't Be Purely Military
- Analysis: now war looms in Gaza
- 47 Palestinians Killed In Six Days Of Infighting And Gunfire Exchange With Israel
- White House Opposes Pay Raises for Troops, Increases in Widows’ Benefits
- Cops Spied On Everyone From A Pie Throwing Hippie To Jay-Z
- Dems Seek No-Confidence Vote On Gonzales
- Hunt for 3 U.S. soldiers in Iraq enters 7th day
- Two ABC News journalists killed in Iraq
- Death in Iraq spawns grim subcultures
- Army Punished 2 Officers in ’06 After Failures in Iraq Ambush
- Mosque Bombing In India Leaves 5 Dead
- 10 killed in southern Afghan bombings
- The World Bank after Wolfowitz
- Guiliani's wife got $125G to craft speeches
- Giuliani, Edwards have Sudan holdings
- Christian Leader Will Not Vote For Guiliani
- Minority population grows to 100 million -- 1 of 3 in U.S.
- YouTube Founders Challenge Pentagon's Ban On Websites
- The Last Temptation of Al Gore
- Gun Giveaway Draws Hundreds
- ABC and CBS ignore Comey testimony
- McCain Likes To Skip Iraq War Votes
- CENSORSHIP! No photos allowed after Iraqi blasts
- To 'War Czar,' Solution to Iraq Conflict Won't Be Purely Military
- Analysis: now war looms in Gaza
- 47 Palestinians Killed In Six Days Of Infighting And Gunfire Exchange With Israel
- White House Opposes Pay Raises for Troops, Increases in Widows’ Benefits
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Iraq Decapitated
A new report out by a British think tank Chatham House, which is "regarded as one of world's leading think tanks on international affairs" suggests that the Iraqi Government is rendered nearly powerless is many regions of the country.
The British think tank "urges a radical change in American and British strategy to try to rescue the situation." the BBC reports.
The summary of the Chatham House report claims :
BBC reports that Dr Gareth Stansfield, an expert on the Middle East who wrote the paper also said the American troop surge is not overcoming violence but moving the violence to different areas.
The British think tank "urges a radical change in American and British strategy to try to rescue the situation." the BBC reports.
The summary of the Chatham House report claims :
- Iraq has fractured into regional power bases. Political, security and economic power has devolved to local sectarian, ethnic or tribal political groupings. The Iraqi government is only one of several ‘state-like’ actors.
There is not ‘a’ civil war in Iraq, but many civil wars and insurgencies involving a number of communities and organizations struggling for power.
The conflicts have become internalized between Iraqis as the polarization of sectarian and ethnic identities reaches ever deeper into Iraqi society and causes the breakdown of social cohesion.
Critical destabilizing issues will come to the fore in 2007–8. Federalism, the control of oil and control of disputed territories need to be resolved.
Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have different reasons for seeing the instability in Iraq continue, and each uses different methods to influence developments.
BBC reports that Dr Gareth Stansfield, an expert on the Middle East who wrote the paper also said the American troop surge is not overcoming violence but moving the violence to different areas.
Lazy Links
- CIA leak lawsuit set to resume
- Israeli air attack destroys Hamas security building
- Unity Fractures as Palestinians Battle in Gaza
- 400 million people live in "minefields": report
- Prince Harry and Iraq: Reaction
- War-torn Iraq 'facing collapse'
- Report says soldiers were not protected
- 20 Killed in Gunbattles in North Mexico
- Mortar Barrage Hammers U.S.-Controlled Green Zone Yet Again
- Justice Dept To Congress: Ask Rove For Missing E-mails
- World Bank leadership crisis could come to head
- Lawyers Representing Bush In 2000 Election Case Signed Off On Wolfowitz’s Compensation Package
- Documents Show NYPD Spied On Groups Suspected To Be Raising Anti-GOP Funds
- U.S.-Iran talks on Iraq to begin May 28
- Clash of Hope and Fear as Venezuela Seizes Land
- At Least 26 Prosecutors Were Listed for Firing
- Gallup : Only 25% of Americans Happy With Current State Of Country
- Israeli air attack destroys Hamas security building
- Unity Fractures as Palestinians Battle in Gaza
- 400 million people live in "minefields": report
- Prince Harry and Iraq: Reaction
- War-torn Iraq 'facing collapse'
- Report says soldiers were not protected
- 20 Killed in Gunbattles in North Mexico
- Mortar Barrage Hammers U.S.-Controlled Green Zone Yet Again
- Justice Dept To Congress: Ask Rove For Missing E-mails
- World Bank leadership crisis could come to head
- Lawyers Representing Bush In 2000 Election Case Signed Off On Wolfowitz’s Compensation Package
- Documents Show NYPD Spied On Groups Suspected To Be Raising Anti-GOP Funds
- U.S.-Iran talks on Iraq to begin May 28
- Clash of Hope and Fear as Venezuela Seizes Land
- At Least 26 Prosecutors Were Listed for Firing
- Gallup : Only 25% of Americans Happy With Current State Of Country
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Gen. Wesley Clark, Afganistan Veteran Breen Launch New Ad
From VoteVets.Org :
"In our final ad in the “Generals” series, General Wesley Clark and VoteVets.org member Mike Breen, speak to the drain the Iraq war is having on our troops’ ability to achieve their mission against the real threat to America – al Qaeda"
"In our final ad in the “Generals” series, General Wesley Clark and VoteVets.org member Mike Breen, speak to the drain the Iraq war is having on our troops’ ability to achieve their mission against the real threat to America – al Qaeda"
Lazy Links
- Whatever happened to Ahmed Chalabi? (the man whose lies about WMDs took us to war)
- British Judge For Terrorist Doesn't Even Know What A Website Is
- McCain telling supporters to spam conservative blogs
- Threats end Harry's Iraq mission
- Lowlites from the GOP debate
- Waterboarding Ashcroft
- Toronto among cities to go green under Clinton plan
- Fresh violence in Gaza kills 17
- Two killed in attack on Baghdad's Green Zone
- Car Bomb Kills 32 in Shiite Enclave
- Bush Finds A War Czar
- McCain, Clinton, Romney, Edwards, Giuliani Refuse To Release Tax Returns
-Comey’s Revelations Suggest Either Gonzales Is Lying Or More Spying Programs Exist
- GOP Senator Hagel: "Gonzales Should Resign Now"
- Bolton : We must attack Iran before it gets the bomb
- S.C. considers allowing guns on campuses
- British Judge For Terrorist Doesn't Even Know What A Website Is
- McCain telling supporters to spam conservative blogs
- Threats end Harry's Iraq mission
- Lowlites from the GOP debate
- Waterboarding Ashcroft
- Toronto among cities to go green under Clinton plan
- Fresh violence in Gaza kills 17
- Two killed in attack on Baghdad's Green Zone
- Car Bomb Kills 32 in Shiite Enclave
- Bush Finds A War Czar
- McCain, Clinton, Romney, Edwards, Giuliani Refuse To Release Tax Returns
-Comey’s Revelations Suggest Either Gonzales Is Lying Or More Spying Programs Exist
- GOP Senator Hagel: "Gonzales Should Resign Now"
- Bolton : We must attack Iran before it gets the bomb
- S.C. considers allowing guns on campuses
Fatah - Hamas Fighting Erupts, Traps Journalist
CNN International is reporting that gunfire has erupted between Hamas and Fatah in Gaza, trapping several journalist, stroking fear of a civil war.
Updates as more information becomes available.
Updates as more information becomes available.
Conservative Media VS The Liberal Internet
The right wing has always had an upper edge when it comes to AM radio.
Twelve out of thirteen pundits you will hear on talk radio are Conservatives.
As far as AM radio goes, it is a Liberals no man's land only to be ventured into by a few brave souls who know no one is listening.
This though, can be explained quite easily.
Who listens to AM radio?
On average older people listen to AM radio, young people don't even seem to know AM radio even exists.
And why should they? With FM, Satellite Radio and Pod-casts what use can they really derive out of listening to diapered and dusty Conservative pundits on the radio? None.
Soon analog cable will be gone, and my prediction is AM radio will go extinct shortly thereafter.
Back to the point...
On average people over 50 are going to be Conservative.
Why?
They were raised in a different time and place where racism was not only acceptable it was the norm in most, if not all American homes.
Racism and dominance was practically part of the American dream, from the slaughtering of the Indians to the enslavement of African Americans to the substandard treatment of woman and the handicapped, which was prevalent until very recently.
The "folks" were raised in a time and place where religion trumped science, tradition trumped reason and a woman had "illegitimate children" or married into a life sentence of silent domestic servitude.
Most importantly, they were raised in a time before The Civil Rights Movement.
So naturally this archetype, when turning on the radio is going to listen to someone they can agree and sympathize with.
The "folks" need someone who can put into words just how "rough" it is out there for the privileged white man. Someone who shares their ignorantly prejudiced points of view, their hardcore take on crime and punishment and their unusually high bar of standards that they themselves cannot even live up to.
They won't find much solace in a Liberal who will preach that we are all equal and should be treated as such. They can't agree with a Liberal who suggest sometimes we should turn the other cheek, even though that is a direct suggestion of Christ, Messiah to the Christians. They hate a Liberal who says human rights are Universal and the Constitution trumps the Bible in America.
These chest beating, bible thumping self proclaimed right wing patriots do not realize their beliefs are the polar opposite of those of Christ, or the visionary founding fathers of this country.
Back to the point, that is why Conservatives dominate the radio. Now we know what audience tunes into these pundits we can understand why they are popular. Old people, mostly bigots, who wish we could still live in the glory days of the "yes sir" of the Negro. Their children as well, because bigotry takes more than a single generation to die.
These are the people and children of the people who protested the integration of schools and held up signs that read "Go Home N*gger" when African American students wanted a fair education.
The more unacceptable the "Go Home N*gger" banner becomes the more angry the "folks" become. They complain of "political correctness" but it is just having common respect for your fellow man that they have a problem with.
So they tune into the Rush Limbaugh's of the world to make them feel a little better about their once socially acceptable beliefs, that are now becoming intolerable and bigoted to the new generations who were born and raised long after The Civil Rights Movement.
Some Liberals complain of the Rights stranglehold on AM radio, I'm not concerned with it.
Why? I think the Liberals have the blogosphere, true public opinion, by the balls.
Liberals have helped engineer and master the new media. Liberals understand how to use "the Google" on "the Internets" and the "series of tubes" to broadcast their political message of Democracy and equality. We understand this is the true new media - small man to small man, not big man to small man.
Liberals understand how to use the new media in the same way Conservative pundits use the dinosaur AM radio to broadcast their message of plutocracy and cloaked racism in the old media - big man to small man.
Not only have Liberals mastered the new media, the generations sympathetic to Right Wing pundits like Limbaugh and O'Reilly are dieing out.
Meanwhile young people are growing up to be more Liberally inclined even before they are turning on the computer, not the radio, to get their dose of political punditry.
Add the fact that each generation is less tolerant of bigotry and plutocracy than the last...
So who do I think will win in this battle? It's obvious isn't it?
Twelve out of thirteen pundits you will hear on talk radio are Conservatives.
As far as AM radio goes, it is a Liberals no man's land only to be ventured into by a few brave souls who know no one is listening.
This though, can be explained quite easily.
Who listens to AM radio?
On average older people listen to AM radio, young people don't even seem to know AM radio even exists.
And why should they? With FM, Satellite Radio and Pod-casts what use can they really derive out of listening to diapered and dusty Conservative pundits on the radio? None.
Soon analog cable will be gone, and my prediction is AM radio will go extinct shortly thereafter.
Back to the point...
On average people over 50 are going to be Conservative.
Why?
They were raised in a different time and place where racism was not only acceptable it was the norm in most, if not all American homes.
Racism and dominance was practically part of the American dream, from the slaughtering of the Indians to the enslavement of African Americans to the substandard treatment of woman and the handicapped, which was prevalent until very recently.
The "folks" were raised in a time and place where religion trumped science, tradition trumped reason and a woman had "illegitimate children" or married into a life sentence of silent domestic servitude.
Most importantly, they were raised in a time before The Civil Rights Movement.
So naturally this archetype, when turning on the radio is going to listen to someone they can agree and sympathize with.
The "folks" need someone who can put into words just how "rough" it is out there for the privileged white man. Someone who shares their ignorantly prejudiced points of view, their hardcore take on crime and punishment and their unusually high bar of standards that they themselves cannot even live up to.
They won't find much solace in a Liberal who will preach that we are all equal and should be treated as such. They can't agree with a Liberal who suggest sometimes we should turn the other cheek, even though that is a direct suggestion of Christ, Messiah to the Christians. They hate a Liberal who says human rights are Universal and the Constitution trumps the Bible in America.
These chest beating, bible thumping self proclaimed right wing patriots do not realize their beliefs are the polar opposite of those of Christ, or the visionary founding fathers of this country.
Back to the point, that is why Conservatives dominate the radio. Now we know what audience tunes into these pundits we can understand why they are popular. Old people, mostly bigots, who wish we could still live in the glory days of the "yes sir" of the Negro. Their children as well, because bigotry takes more than a single generation to die.
These are the people and children of the people who protested the integration of schools and held up signs that read "Go Home N*gger" when African American students wanted a fair education.
The more unacceptable the "Go Home N*gger" banner becomes the more angry the "folks" become. They complain of "political correctness" but it is just having common respect for your fellow man that they have a problem with.
So they tune into the Rush Limbaugh's of the world to make them feel a little better about their once socially acceptable beliefs, that are now becoming intolerable and bigoted to the new generations who were born and raised long after The Civil Rights Movement.
Some Liberals complain of the Rights stranglehold on AM radio, I'm not concerned with it.
Why? I think the Liberals have the blogosphere, true public opinion, by the balls.
Liberals have helped engineer and master the new media. Liberals understand how to use "the Google" on "the Internets" and the "series of tubes" to broadcast their political message of Democracy and equality. We understand this is the true new media - small man to small man, not big man to small man.
Liberals understand how to use the new media in the same way Conservative pundits use the dinosaur AM radio to broadcast their message of plutocracy and cloaked racism in the old media - big man to small man.
Not only have Liberals mastered the new media, the generations sympathetic to Right Wing pundits like Limbaugh and O'Reilly are dieing out.
Meanwhile young people are growing up to be more Liberally inclined even before they are turning on the computer, not the radio, to get their dose of political punditry.
Add the fact that each generation is less tolerant of bigotry and plutocracy than the last...
So who do I think will win in this battle? It's obvious isn't it?
Creepy Conservatives
- Audience Applauds As Giuliani, Tancredo Endorse Waterboarding Torture
- Romney: ‘We Ought To Double Guantanamo’
Does anyone need anymore evidence to be convinced these people are facist and dangerous to our Freedom? I don't.
- Romney: ‘We Ought To Double Guantanamo’
Does anyone need anymore evidence to be convinced these people are facist and dangerous to our Freedom? I don't.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Lazy Links
- U.S. fights for Wolfowitz to stay at World Bank
- Gonzales Throws McNulty Under The Bus
- Gonzales Claims Deputy Attorney General And Chief Of Staff Are Not ‘Top Aides’
- Alberto Throws Paul Under Bus; Ditto James to Alberto
- NYT = Nuclear Chicken Little?
- Palestinians under rule of the gun
- Suicide bombing in Pakistan kills 25
- Karachi police told to go unarmed
- Jordan's king urges Olmert to stop all escalation steps
- Is the Noose Tightening on Gonzales
- U.S. Senate Democrats want Iraq war deadline
- Governors say war has gutted Guard
- Speaking of Iraq Deadlines
- Gonzales Throws McNulty Under The Bus
- Gonzales Claims Deputy Attorney General And Chief Of Staff Are Not ‘Top Aides’
- Alberto Throws Paul Under Bus; Ditto James to Alberto
- NYT = Nuclear Chicken Little?
- Palestinians under rule of the gun
- Suicide bombing in Pakistan kills 25
- Karachi police told to go unarmed
- Jordan's king urges Olmert to stop all escalation steps
- Is the Noose Tightening on Gonzales
- U.S. Senate Democrats want Iraq war deadline
- Governors say war has gutted Guard
- Speaking of Iraq Deadlines
Reverend Jerry Falwell Dies
CNN - Evangelist Jerry Falwell died Tuesday after he was found unresponsive in his office, an official at Liberty University told CNN.
AP - The Rev. Jerry Falwell, who founded the Moral Majority and built the religious right into a political force, died Tuesday shortly after being found unconscious in his office at Liberty University, a school executive said. He was 73.
AP - The Rev. Jerry Falwell, who founded the Moral Majority and built the religious right into a political force, died Tuesday shortly after being found unconscious in his office at Liberty University, a school executive said. He was 73.
Monday, May 14, 2007
General Eaton Ad Unveiled
From VoteVets.Org :
"On the heels of the ad that rocked the political world, retired Major General Paul Eaton takes to the airwaves to say that the President doesn’t listen to his commanders on the ground. General Eaton should know whether the President really listens to his commanders on the ground, or not. General Eaton recently retired from the US Army after more than 33 years service. His most recent operational assignment was Commanding General of the command charged with reestablishing Iraqi Security Forces from 2003-2004, where he built the command and established the structure and infrastructure for the Iraqi Armed Forces."
"On the heels of the ad that rocked the political world, retired Major General Paul Eaton takes to the airwaves to say that the President doesn’t listen to his commanders on the ground. General Eaton should know whether the President really listens to his commanders on the ground, or not. General Eaton recently retired from the US Army after more than 33 years service. His most recent operational assignment was Commanding General of the command charged with reestablishing Iraqi Security Forces from 2003-2004, where he built the command and established the structure and infrastructure for the Iraqi Armed Forces."
Lazy Links
- 234 bodies dumped in Baghdad in only 11 days
- Tenet Agrees To Cooperate With Congressional Investigation Into Niger Fraud
- Democrats prod automakers on mileage
- Voter-Fraud Complaints by GOP Drove Dismissals
- Guiliani Loses To Bloomberg In Poll
- Guiliani's WTC Problem
- Pentagon, State Department fueding in Iraq
- Pakistani cities virtually shut down by strike
- Militants kill U.S., Pakistani troops in convoy attack
- From 'dirty bomb' to dud, Padilla case is a lesson in how not to fight terrorism
- Zealot who destroyed Bamiyan Buddhas
- NY Gov. Wants DNA Data in Most Crimes
- Texas Town Approves Ban On Renting to Illegal Migrants
- Microsoft takes on the free world
- Pentagon Blocks MySpace and YouTube
- Palestinian crisis after new gun battles
- No Love Affair for the Pope in Brazil
- Japan Sets Referendum on Pacifist Constitution
- Russia cafe blast leaves 10 dead
- U.S. forces search for missing soldiers
- Hagel Hints At Independent Run, Expresses Frustration With GOP
- Tenet Agrees To Cooperate With Congressional Investigation Into Niger Fraud
- Democrats prod automakers on mileage
- Voter-Fraud Complaints by GOP Drove Dismissals
- Guiliani Loses To Bloomberg In Poll
- Guiliani's WTC Problem
- Pentagon, State Department fueding in Iraq
- Pakistani cities virtually shut down by strike
- Militants kill U.S., Pakistani troops in convoy attack
- From 'dirty bomb' to dud, Padilla case is a lesson in how not to fight terrorism
- Zealot who destroyed Bamiyan Buddhas
- NY Gov. Wants DNA Data in Most Crimes
- Texas Town Approves Ban On Renting to Illegal Migrants
- Microsoft takes on the free world
- Pentagon Blocks MySpace and YouTube
- Palestinian crisis after new gun battles
- No Love Affair for the Pope in Brazil
- Japan Sets Referendum on Pacifist Constitution
- Russia cafe blast leaves 10 dead
- U.S. forces search for missing soldiers
- Hagel Hints At Independent Run, Expresses Frustration With GOP
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