Interesting Blog about Iraq

[Mofo8]

http://www.empirenotes.org

The Americans do seem to be pretty clueless when it comes to winning hearts and minds.

I had heard these claims at third-hand before coming into Fallujah, but was skeptical. It's very difficult to find the real story here. But this I saw for myself. An ambulance with two neat, precise bullet-holes in the windshield on the driver's side, pointing down at an angle that indicated they would have hit the driver's chest (the snipers were on rooftops, and are trained to aim for the chest). Another ambulance again with a single, neat bullet-hole in the windshield. There's no way this was due to panicked spraying of fire. These were deliberate shots to kill people in driving the ambulances.

 

[xane]

Not exactly an unbiased author is he ?

 

[Covenant]

http://www.empirenotes.org

The Americans do seem to be pretty clueless when it comes to winning hearts and minds.

Bloody good read.

There's a linked page from the blog to a NY Post article. The most entertaining part I have quoted here:

I think it's because we're making the Vietnam mistake, we're fighting with one arm tied behind our back. We're trying to curry world opinion and kiss the backside of people who are going to hate us no matter what. We're trying to be civilized in a contest with barbarians. We've forgotten the arithmetic of patriotic battle: That it's better for a hundred of them to die than for one of us to die.

We owe that to these young men in uniform, and we owe it to their families and sweethearts back home.

It is better for a B-52 to flatten an Iraqi neighborhood than it is for one United States Marine to die. It is better to roll tanks down a foreign street than it is to put an American soldier in his grave.

If 100 soldiers can get a job done, then 1,000 can get it done more safely.

We need to use our strength, we need to use our technology, we need to use our power. We need to go big.

More troops, more arms, more aggressive tactics and strategies. Let's flood Iraq with American men and munitions and let's steamroll anybody who gets in our way. No more pussyfooting.

It's time to fight like Americans.

That's the best thing for our troops - the best thing to give them a chance to come home and live the lives the rest of us enjoy.

And it's the best thing, ultimately, for Iraq.

I can't believe there are people that are so blind to what's actually going on in the world. Then again...

 

[ECA]

Every single Iraqi citizen killed will only create more anti-US feeling and drive people towards extremes such as terrorism.

America is fucking up badly.

 

[Tom]

I can't help but wonder why the French aren't killing Germans on a daily basis, given their recent history. Thats what people would have us believe about the USA and Iraq.

 

[Ivan]

Wrong to some extent as there is no way they can do "this" right.
We are victims of publiclized information here, biased or unbiased we dont know. I have a feeling they have a good lot of propaganda flying about in the US to stir up what was being said in the articale posted directly above [better to roll over them in a tank than to let marine die yada yada]. Good display of American way of reasoning. If you [related to the aurthor of the article] wanna blame someone, start with the goverment. After all Iraq didnt come to you, you came to destroy their homes. Iraq isnt 51st state, and US has no right to do what they wish with it. /rant over [re-reading this , it has no logical progression what-so-ever ]

Yet, after reading that i refuse to believe that all of the US citizens are so mislead.

 

[Covenant]

Yet, after reading that i refuse to believe that all of the US citizens are so mislead.

I hope you're right, I really do. It would be a terrible thing for the majority of such a country to actually feel this way.

The thing that interests me the most about all of this Iraq thing, apart from the question, "When will it ever end?", is the opinions on both sides of the argument.

There is so much that could be done better, but there's a lot that could be worse, too. I don't agree with the decision to invade them, but it was taken, and now we have to live with the consequences.

All of these articles serve to enlighten in many different ways - we just need to look at them objectively and hope that human nature hasn't slipped too far from sanity.

 

[Driwen]

There's a linked page from the blog to a NY Post article. The most entertaining part I have quoted here:

I can't believe there are people that are so blind to what's actually going on in the world. Then again...

dont believe post to much, I read some bloody stupid letters in newspapers. We cant read the reaction of people on the letter (in my experience people usually give a response to such articles) so we can only conclude that there are some ignorant people in the US (but hey those are in the UK or any other country aswell).

About the ambulances, he doesnt know wether the ambulance was actually used(meaning that the ambulances could have been used as vehicles possibly by soldiers or criminals) who did the shooting and why. It is reason to look into why it happened, but I do believe he is trying to lead people to believe the americans are just trying to kill everyone.

April 13, 10:50 am EST <-- the log of this day is what I find really weird though. It is about americans actually raiding a mosque as they were looking for weapons, but they first broke down the gate with a tank than ran in with hummers and by doing this destroyed lots of property and by searching they destroyed lots of possesions of people.
Now the thing is that I cant really believe the americans would do something like this without a really good reason. They can be stupid from time to time, but they arent that stupid that they would do something like this, unless off course there are reasons the blogger hasnt told us about.

I dont think the blogger is lying, but I am pretty sure he is only telling us bits he wants to be told.

When I asked Rashid if we could use his full name, he said, "Why not?" It's a response we get more and more these days, from people who would have been afraid but have lost their fears through anger. Dignity is one of the few things in Iraq that is not in short supply.

This bit is weird though. The americans cant harm anyone for just speaking their mind, so he shouldnt have any fear. So the loosing fear through anger is just nonsense, off course in the time of Saddam they had to be afraid. So they can still have that idea in their heads, but I dont think the only reason fear for speaking is disapearing just cause of anger its also disappearing as there is no real need to be afraid (of the americans) for speaking your mind.

 

[Munkey]

the mayor chap for london, cant for the life of me remember his name now, who's rejoined the labour party, he's pretty screwed up. Called for the Saudi royal family to be strung up amongst other things

 

[xane]

Ken Livingston ?

 

[Covenant]

This bit is weird though. The americans cant harm anyone for just speaking their mind, so he shouldnt have any fear. So the loosing fear through anger is just nonsense, off course in the time of Saddam they had to be afraid. So they can still have that idea in their heads, but I dont think the only reason fear for speaking is disapearing just cause of anger its also disappearing as there is no real need to be afraid (of the americans) for speaking your mind.

I think the reticence for speaking their mind is a leftover self-defence mechanism from the regime of Saddam. I could be wrong.

As I said, you have to be objective when looking at these sort of things. Taking it with a pinch of salt, if you like, is a good idea. I'd like to think that the blogger is relaying the facts as he sees them, rather than distorting it. The interweb is a free medium - unlike the Beeb, CNN, etc - where you can say whatever you like, as there's no regulation on people's private domains.

 

[xane]

Taking it with a pinch of salt, if you like, is a good idea. I'd like to think that the blogger is relaying the facts as he sees them, rather than distorting it.

Considering the bloggers background, you'd need more than a pinch !

Just in case you missed them, the adverts on that blog are for two (critical) books on American "imperialism" by the blogger, Rahul himself is an American, born in Philadelphia and educated at Caltech. He's a prominant anti-war and anti-globalisation activist, a member of several anti-war organisations and writes critical articles for both mainstream and alternative media. He has stood for the Green Party in Texas elections.

http://www.rahulmahajan.com/bio.htm

Personally, when it comes down to impartial reporting, I'd trust Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf more.

 

[Covenant]

Considering the bloggers background, you'd need more than a pinch !

Just in case you missed them, the adverts on that blog are for two (critical) books on American "imperialism" by the blogger, Rahul himself is an American, born in Philadelphia and educated at Caltech. He's a prominant anti-war and anti-globalisation activist, a member of several anti-war organisations and writes critical articles for both mainstream and alternative media. He has stood for the Green Party in Texas elections.

http://www.rahulmahajan.com/bio.htm

Personally, when it comes down to impartial reporting, I'd trust Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf more.

I agree completely!

 

[Mofo8]

Here's a different one, again dealing with Falluja.

http://blog.newstandardnews.net/iraqdispatches/archives/000162.html#more

Obviously to be taken with a pinch of salt He's got a goddam Islamic name ffs, he can't be unbiased.

 

[Tom]

I only really trust reports from reporters who have a track record of being accurate, and unbiased. Usually those reporters are on the 6 o'clock news on the BBC, or ITN.

 

[Paradroid]

The BBC you say?

"...units employing devastating firepower...proximity of civilians adds the risk of significant loss of innocent life and widespread damage to property...methods are controversial..."

 

[Bodhi]

I really do wish the anti-war lot would shut the hell up and let the States get on with fixing Iraq. The country has been fucked for over 3 decades, no-one, not even Uncle Sam can fix it that quickly. If it's still fucked when the States withdraw their troops you can bleat on all you bloody want. Until then, zippit.

 

[Ivan]

I really do wish the anti-war lot would shut the hell up and let the States get on with fixing Iraq. The country has been fucked for over 3 decades, no-one, not even Uncle Sam can fix it that quickly. If it's still fucked when the States withdraw their troops you can bleat on all you bloody want. Until then, zippit.

So what has started as a terrorist threat clean-up suddenly turned into a 'How to fix Iraq, while we pump oil in the background for dummies' by Mr Bush ? or am i wrong here.

 

[xane]

Here's a different one, again dealing with Falluja.

http://blog.newstandardnews.net/iraqdispatches/archives/000162.html#more

Obviously to be taken with a pinch of salt He's got a goddam Islamic name ffs, he can't be unbiased.

Hmm, wait a sec ...

"Young Iraqi boy shot in the neck by a U.S. sniper in Falluja"

Fucking stupid Iraqi doctors, the boy was shot in the neck and they've bandaged his head !!!

Yeah right, pinch of salt, whatever ...

 

[xane]

Obviously to be taken with a pinch of salt He's got a goddam Islamic name ffs, he can't be unbiased.

From the bottom of the report

Dahr Jamail is Baghdad correspondent for The NewStandard. He is an Alaskan devoted to covering the untold stories from occupied Iraq.

Check out the staff at The NewStandard here, such impartial reporting comes from people like ...

Jessica Azulay
co-founder, editor
Jessica Azulay is an activist, educator and writer from West Virginia. She has been an active organizer in the anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist globalization movements for almost a decade.

Cynthia Peters
associate editor
Cynthia Peters is a freelance writer and editor, anti-war and community activist,

etc ...

Your next truck of salt delivery will be ... ?

 

[Athan]

Another interesting site giving the 'other side' of things:

http://www.wildfirejo.org.uk/feature/index.php

Whilst the writing is a little biased (I'm SURE there are a lot of US etc soldiers SCARED SHITLESS by being there right now and thus a little jumpy/trigger happy) it is an eye-opener.

-Ath

 

[Mofo8]

Your next truck of salt delivery will be ... ?

Erm.... what have you got against people who are anti-war? Are you pro-war?

The reason many of these reports are coming from anti-war organisations is that they are the ones giving a fuck about what's happening over there.

 

[Tom]

They're also the ones who haven't got a clue what to do about it all. Probably the same kind of people who take pleasure in defacing statues of Winston Churchill.

Well, ok, thats a bit of a generalisation, but I don't see Saddam cowering in fear of nice words.

 

[xane]

Erm.... what have you got against people who are anti-war? Are you pro-war?

Nothing to do with anti- or pro-. If people have a political agenda then you expect their reports to be biased, I take the ones mentioned here with the same attitude as the US government reports, or any pro-Republican/American media.

Most people are "opposed to the war" because they have a political agenda elsewhere, opposed to Bush, opposed the Republicans, opposed to America, opposed to capitalism, opposed to globalisation, etc.

Where is the suggestions what we _should_ be doing ? Perhaps putting Saddam back on the throne maybe ? When I hear reasoned argument on an alternative Iraq strategy maybe I can listen, but it is just so fucking boring listening to so much rhetorical bollocks from people who obviously have axes to grind.

Hasn't it struck you that these people are journalists, you know, the ones that get paid to report what people want to hear and their proprietors want to publish ? You'd be happy to criticise the pro-Bush agenda of Fox News or any other mainstream US media, well it happens on the other side as well.

In fact they are all the more despicable because they use the suffering of Iraqis to promote their own political agendas, and in some cases profit from it.

I look forward to Rahal's new book ...

 

[Stazbumpa]

I love xane. For he hitteth the nail on the head many a time friends.

 

[Mofo8]

I can't believe we're talking about the same thing here. Yes, certain sources of news can be biased one way or another, but that doesn't change what's actually happening. Watch the BBC or ITN news channels. Women and children are being shot, ambulances are being shot at... by American forces.

I'm sure you wouldn't accuse The Telegraph of being anti-war, or lefty liberals or whatever, and I don't imagine the senior British officer quoted has an axe to grind or hidden agenda.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/04/11/wtact11.xml

Senior British commanders have condemned American military tactics in Iraq as heavy-handed and disproportionate

"My view and the view of the British chain of command is that the Americans' use of violence is not proportionate and is over-responsive to the threat they are facing. They don't see the Iraqi people the way we see them. They view them as untermenschen. They are not concerned about the Iraqi loss of life in the way the British are. Their attitude towards the Iraqis is tragic, it's awful."

"When US troops are attacked with mortars in Baghdad, they use mortar-locating radar to find the firing point and then attack the general area with artillery, even though the area they are attacking may be in the middle of a densely populated residential area."

 

[Driwen]

ambulances are being shot at... by American forces.

do you have an other source than this guys blog of that? As I said earlier an ambulance is basically just a vehicle, allthough usually used for carrying people to the hospital it isnt necesarrily so that they were in that case.

But yes the americans would rather kill 100 innocent iraqis than lose one soldier, which is the wrong approach(and leads to every iraqi atleast not caring wether the americans get killed).

 

[Mofo8]

do you have an other source than this guys blog of that? As I said earlier an ambulance is basically just a vehicle, allthough usually used for carrying people to the hospital it isnt necesarrily so that they were in that case.

But yes the americans would rather kill 100 innocent iraqis than lose one soldier, which is the wrong approach(and leads to every iraqi atleast not caring wether the americans get killed).

That's the thing... and ambulance ISN'T just a vehicle. It's a vehicle marked by special symbols, used for medical purposes and protected by international law.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,946336,00.html

It sounds to me from reading many accounts of what's going on in Fallujah, that the yanks are unhappy if the see someone they've shot being given medical treatment or assistance. Totally against the Law of Armed Conflict and International Law. I've yet to read any counter-claim from any news source at all that would suggest that the ambulances fired on (and ambulance drivers killed) were doing anything other than carrying out medical evacuations.

21. The wounded and sick are to be protected and spared under all circumstances. They must be treated humanely and are given all the medical support their condition requires

35. Medical personnel shall always be respected and protected. They are not to be attacked and may not be hindered in fulfilling their functions except for compelling military reasons.

 

[JBP|]

imo the best thing that could be done is to withdraw everyone from iraq and let them have a civil war


once the civil war is over and only then get the UN to go in and help them rebuild


sorted

 

[Mofo8]

imo the best thing that could be done is to withdraw everyone from iraq and let them have a civil war


once the civil war is over and only then get the UN to go in and help them rebuild


sorted

It seems to me the America and it's allies have placed themselves in a no-win situation. If they pull-out too early they'll receive deserved international condemnation. You can't go around invading and fucking up other countries, then leaving them in a state of chaos and disorder. If they stay indefinately, then it will be a constant drain on manpower and resources, with a steady trickle of casualties. If they ever get around to holding free and fair elections in Iraq, they're not going to like the result... there will be some form of Islamic government elected. If they choose to forego that nasty democracy business and install an unelected governement (or regime as I like to call them), then, again, they risk international condemnation and years of civil unrest.

The only way they could have avoided this messy business, would have been to fully involve the UN from the start. Which would have involved presenting a far more compelling arguement of the existance WMDs or whatever. That would have left the USA in the position of not being in charge though, and unable to hand out contracts and control of the oil to companies like Halliburton. I'll bet if they could somehow magically suck all the oil out in one go, they'd do so, and leave to country in an instant.

Instead, it's just going to get worse... much worse. They're preparing to move into Najaf to go after that cleric they don't like (*Sadr). Najaf is a holy city for muslims, Shiite muslims especially. And at the same time, Bush has basically destroyed any chance of a peace process in Palestine, by allying himself with Ariel Sharon, and his plan to keep illegal settlements on Palestinian territory.