Yet another scoop from Wikileaks: The U.S. military says it is taking steps to alleviate conditions at the Iraqi-run city jail in Fallujah after recent visitors found a filthy, overcrowded facility where prisoners had to provide their own food. The episode demonstrates how far Iraq’s judicial and penal institutions still have to go under U.S.…
Showing all posts tagged Iraq
The benefits of arse-kissing
Some journalists, in the words of John Pilger, “pretend to be objective while ensuring his or her words remain within the undeclared limits set by authority”. Two American journalists were central figures in pushing the Bush administration’s case for war against Iraq, erroneously linking al-Qaeda to Saddam. Of course, their careers have blossomed since 2003.
How to ditch Washington, part 356
Iraq is falling apart and turning against the American occupation…
The United States of torture
Since Abu Ghraib first came to the world’s attention in 2004, nearly 300 photographs of Iraqi prisoner abuse have been shown to the public. But soon an enormous archive of new material – including more than 1,500 other photos, unredacted court papers and interview transcripts – will be posted online by filmmaker Errol Morris, whose…
How to end the war
Naomi Klein and Jeremy Scahill, Huffington Post, March 26: “So?” So said Dick Cheney when asked last week about public opinion being overwhelming against the war in Iraq. “You can’t be blown off course by polls.” His attitude about the the fact that the number of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq has reached 4,000 displayed…
Burqas, blogs and bombs
My following article appears in today’s ABC Unleashed: The 1979 Iranian Revolution continues to reverberate around the world. Iranian-born professor of political science at Reed College, Darius Rejali, recently said that torture was a key “inspiration” for the revolution. “It pulled all the radicals to their side,” he said. “It was a revolution about human…
News we’d like to see
Chinese Rockers Hold Benefit For Oppression. Local Motorist Urged To Free Tibet. New Hallmark Line Addresses Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. U.S. Finishes A ‘Strong Second’ In Iraq War. New Bomb Capable Of Creating 1,500 New Terrorists In Single Blast. Chinese Factory Worker Can’t Believe The Shit He Makes For Americans. Homoerotic Overtones Enliven NRA Meeting.
Diplomacy, Washington-style
In an upcoming book, Heraldo Muñoz, Chile’s ambassador to the United Nations, writes the efforts by the Bush administration to cajole other countries into supporting the invasion of Iraq “generated lasting ”˜bitterness’ and ”˜deep mistrust’ in Washington’s relations with allies in Europe, Latin America and elsewhere.”
Every day brings greater liberation
All hail the noble Iraq war, five years in with no end in sight:
Iraq, a different perspective
Five years into the Iraq war – a disaster of virtually unparalleled proportions – and one of its key original backers, columnist Andrew Sullivan, has explained the faulty reasons behind his support. At least he understands the error of his ways, though I fear he would support another war, by a new President, again based…