BAGHDAD—The Americans have killed two Iraqi journalists inside of a week. One was killed Friday and I just heard news of the other. I know a lot about the first death, but at the request of his family, I can't publish much because his widow fears retribution for her husband having worked for a Western news organization. But he was killed with a single shot to the head by Americans in a passing convoy.
[UPDATE 30/6/05 11:33 +0400 GMT: The journalist I mention above is Yasser Salihee, who worked for Knight Ridder. The full story is available here. As Tom writes in the copy, "Knight Ridder didn't previously report on Salihee's death because his family was worried about reprisal from insurgents, who often target Iraqis working for Western organizations. The family's wish to have Salihee's story told now outweighs those concerns."]
The second I don't know much about, as I just heard about it. Details haven't started coming in yet.
[UPDATE 29/6/05 10:38 +0400 GMT: Sorry for the harshness of my above words. I wasn't trying to say that the first Iraqi journalist was killed by Americans for being a journalist. There is no evidence that he was killed for anything but being near a convoy and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, a single shot in the head does suggest he was definitely targeted and not the victim of a lucky shot.]
I think the Americans have gotten a lot more trigger-happy and twitchy after the campaign of car bombs and other violence that has gripped Iraq for the last, what? Five weeks? Six? I've lost track. I can't tell anymore what headlines from the Associated Press listing the number of dead are new bombings or just updated casualty figures from earlier in the day.
“We have a choice now,” said A., my gruff, scotch-drinking office manager, confidant and mentor in all things Iraqi. “We can be killed by Zarqawi or the Americans.”
Since returning, it feels like I'm listening to the same record I've been listening to for a year, only with the volume turned up. Donald Rumsfeld, the American Secretary of Defense, says U.S. is winning the war and that the media are focusing too much on bad news. I know this because the press releases from the American Forces Information Network tell me so:
Progress in Iraq Takes Back Seat to Violence in Media, Rumsfeld Says
By Petty Officer 3rd Class John R. Guardiano, USN
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, June 26, 2005 – The “solid progress” being made in Iraq seldom gets the same level of media attention as terrorist killings and beheadings there, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said today.
Moreover, the Iraqi people, he argued, are winning against the insurgency and, with the help of American and coalition forces, will prevail.
“The fact of the matter is that the progress has been solid,” Rumsfeld told George Stephanopoulos on the ABC News program “This Week.”
“It's amazing, it's historic, what's taken place,” he said. “Twenty-five million Iraqi people have been liberated, and they have now have a sovereign government. And they've had a successful election, and the hospitals and the schools are open, and they're making good progress on developing a constitution. And they're going to have a final election in December of this year.”
Yet, none of these facts is well known to the American public, the secretary said. “They're not as newsworthy, apparently, because (they) don't get reported as much,” Rumsfeld said. “What gets reported is that 10 Iraqis are killed (by) a suicide bomber, or an American soldier is killed.”
The secretary said this is not the media's fault; it's just the nature of wartime reporting.
“War is a tough, difficult, dirty business,” he explained. “And when it's reported, it leaves people with the impression—correctly—that it's a terrible thing. It's everybody's last choice, nobody's first choice.”
Rumsfeld said this has been true throughout American history. “We know that this has been true in the Revolutionary War. We know it was true in the Civil War. We know it was true in World War II (sic) and World War II,” he said. “If all people know is what they see on television or read in the press—the negatives,” he explained, then they don't see the progress that is being made.
Army Gen. John Abizaid, commander of U.S. Central Command, and Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., commander of Multinational Force Iraq, are the people with the most direct knowledge of what's transpiring in Iraq, and they “feel very good about the progress that's being made,” Rumsfeld said.
Casey told the Senate Armed Services Committee last week that only “one-tenth of 1 percent” of Iraqis are involved in the insurgency.
“For those of us who have spent many months in the field,” Abizaid told the committee, “we see good progress in both Iraq and Afghanistan. We sense good progress against the extremism that once seemed so pervasive in the region. ... Progress in counterinsurgency and counter-terrorist work is not easily recognized. Setbacks, casualties and difficult problems undoubtedly remain ahead. ... We will need patience and strength to achieve success.”
But while negative media coverage of war has been the historic norm, television and the modern media may have exacerbated the problem in recent history.
On the NBC News program “Meet the Press” with Tim Russert, the secretary noted that according to historian David McCullough, author of a new book titled “1776,” if the American Revolutionary War had had the same type of media coverage as the Iraq war, then “there wouldn't have been a successful revolution.”
As far as Iraq is concerned, “the progress is impressive,” Rumsfeld said. “I think they're going to choose the path of lightness. The sweep of human history is for freedom. Look at what's happened in Lebanon and Kyrgyzstan and the Ukraine.”
The secretary said the American people can be optimistic about a good outcome in Iraq, but the optimism must be tempered with an understanding of reality. “We have to recognize that it's a tough, tough, tough world, and there are going to be bumps in the road between now and then,” he said.
“Bumps in the road”? Just earlier today, presumably before the Iraqi journalist was killed, an Iraqi member of parliament was killed in a car bomb attack. I can't even begin to tell you how many Iraqis have been killed in the weeks I was away. And how many more Iraqis, journalists or otherwise, will die because the Americans can't tell who's friend or foe? Those aren't “bumps in the road.” Those are signs that you went off the road without a map a long time ago.
Where do you even begin combatting the head-in-the-sandism, brazen propaganda and revisionism of the above release. (By the way, it's about the fourth or fifth one I've received in the last few days touting the same theme, apparently in concert with President Bush's push to let Americans know that everything is going hunky-dory.)
News flash: Iraq is a disaster. I've been back one day, and the airport road was the worst I've ever seen it. We had to go around a fire-fight between mujahideen and Americans while Iraqi forces sat in the shade of date palms on the side of the road, their rifles resting across their laps. My driver pointed to a group of men in a white pickup next to me. “They are mujahideen,” he said. “They are watching the Americans.” Indeed, they were, and so intently that they paid no attention to me in the car next to them. We detoured around two possible car bombs that had been cordoned off while Iraqis cautiously approached.
Rumsfeld's assessment of “good progress” on the constitution is not accurate, as the committee to draw it up still hasn't completely agreed on how the Sunnis will take part.
When I was in Ramadi, I found the morale to be lower than expected. It wasn't rock-bottom among the Marines of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, but it wasn't great. Most of the ones I talked to weren't confident they were doing anything worthwhile, and were instead focused on getting home alive. If a few Iraqis had to die to make that happen, well, war is hell.
I'm not sure who's winning this war, the Americans or the insurgents. But I know who is losing it: the Iraqi people. Those bumps in the road are their graves.
It’s good to hear from you, again, Chris, despite the unpleasant truth of your words. If I were blogging, I wouldn’t know what to say - the disconnect between the facts of Iraq and the crap this administration persists in disseminating is just too vast. I believe you are right in what you say, and I think a large percentage of Americans are finally beginning to realize it, too - a little too late for the Iraqis and a lot too late for America. Thanks for once again putting everything in perspective. God help the Iraqis - and all of us.
Chris, your assessment isn’t a bit of a surprise to me. My son-in-law got late last month after almost 2.5 years over in Iraq. He may go back to work in the rebuilding - he’s being courted by commerical interests to do so. Even my daughter is being looked at by the headhunters due to her combination language and journalism skills. They are considering going to the north to work there. I know it’s a risk, but how can a country ever become whole again if good people aren’t willing to do what is necessary?
Stay safe, myfriend. It has been amazing to read the transformation in your consciousness during this blog’s history. My brother survived ten months in Iraq, might be going back, and it’s so valuable to be able to get an unvarnished read on this unbearable situation. I’ll link this story to everyone I know.
Judging from the way things look on the ground, does it seem like the incipient negotiations between the Americans and insurgent leaders will get anywhere over the next couple of months?
In an op-ed in NYTimes.com today, John Kerry — who annoys me greatly now with his conviction that anyone wants to know what he thinks — wrote a long piece that included lots of politically correct things about our Iraq occupation, including the following statement: “… our huge military presence stands between the Iraqi people and chaos, and our special forces protect Iraqi leaders.”
That would be just before the Iraqi head of parliament was car-bombed, as Chris mentioned.
Dhari Ali al-Fayadh, the lawmaker killed, was the oldest member of parliament and thus served as speaker on the first few days before the current speaker was selected. He wasn’t the current speaker of parliament, who is Hajim al-Hassani.
Al-Fayadh was also the second parliamentarian killed.
Chris,
Your report about the airport road is truly frightening. If the US forces and their Iraqi colleagues can’t safely maintain the connection between their two strongholds — the airport and the Green Zone — then where can they (and you) feel safe?
BTW, a good friend and college classmate of mine is working with the State Dept team in Iraq. I can’t imagine that he’s a “true believer”, so he might have some valuable insights. I can give you his email address if you contact me privately.
Chris, it is good to see your blog again. Today’s was depressing though. I do agree that there is nothing good to read about this whole situation, and I do agree that Rumsfeld and company made lots of mistakes and are way off the main road. But what is the solution, do we just pack and leave or do we re-adjust and work on making things work? A main issue here is the inclusion of the Sunnis in the decision making process. It is true they realized that not participating in the January elections cost them a lot, therefore they need one more chance to get back, without that the insurgency will continue. We, and the Iraqis can not have the Baathis in power again, and these Baathis have to realize that. Without the violence and the car bombs, I think the political process is going in the right direction. My fear is it gets hijacked by the same people who are running the government now. I was reading an article earlier today about some groups in Basra that are trying to intimidate people into adhering to strict religious practices, and this is not what most people want.
It is a long and rough road, but we should not lose hope. We have to stay the course and have to make it work. If we need to make adjustments to this course every week we have to do it and follow through. We just cannot afford to let go.
Mark
The second one killed was Ahmed Wael Bakri, a programs director for al-Sharqiya television.
http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?tl=1&display=rednews/2005/06/28/build/world/28-iraq-journalistkilled.inc
Trish,
The last thing Americans should be doing is to participate in this war effort. Americans have been (and I think will be) incapable of rebuilding Iraq because the American presence in Iraq is a major part of the problem.
Americans have almost no credibility as far as I can determine. One can only hope that Iraqis will find a more peaceful way to force them to leave. Perhaps a national strike, huge protest marches, an edict from Sistani, who knows.
Iraqis realize the American interest in Iraq (at least that of our gov’t) is military domination and control of the oil. Why are we building 4 permanent gigantic bases there? BushCo intends to remain there permanently and more Iraqis and soldiers are dying every day. The good will of individual Americans over there is lost as blood continues to flow (and Americans do much too much of the killing of ordinary Iraqis and even journalists as Chris points out).
Why do you not tell your family members to stay alive and remain home? Why should Americans participate in the subjugation of the Iraqi people (because this is what we have on our hands, a massive occupation and military effort.
A longterm solution could involve an apology from the U.S. for the destruction caused and Iraqis killed, a withdrawal in the short term to military bases, payment of reparations, and a world conference where the U.S. gives up control of this war perhaps to an international group, perhaps directly to the Iraqis themselves. Another option might be a national vote in Iraq that asks “Do you vote for the Americans to fully leave the country by a specific date certain.
Hi Chris.
As is everyone else who posted, I am glad you read your very human and as-it-is reporting and to know you’re still with us.
The GOP still continues its attack on the journalists - Americans, Iraquis, Frech - here and abroad. If I recall, it was Rummy’s idea to embed journalists in the Military. Maybe he thought it would be a good cause for Propaganda. Maybe it was and maybe it wasn’t.
I’d be more worried about the Americans than the mujahideen.
Thank you for the risks you’re taking to tell us what in the Hell is going on.
If this Iraqi was killed by a single shot from a passing convoy, I would suggest that he was killed simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, not for being a journalist. Do you know how hard it is to hit a target from a moving vehicle? Unless there’s more to the story that Chris can’t divulge, I would argue that this is a tragic accident, not the targeted assassination of a journalist.
Yet people like Brian feel we have more to fear from the Americans than the mujahadeen. Why is it again that Chris can’t tell us more? Because the poor man’s wife fears retribution from the insurgents if its discovered that he worked for a Western news agency. These animals would torture, rape and murder this poor widow for this and yet people like Brian fear US soldiers more than the terrorists. Have you lost your mind?
Hello Chris,
I am amazed at your fearlessness. Some of your bloggers, don’t seem to be getting it! Re- read !! Chris can’t even recall which bombing happened when. endless chaos.
This is Bush’s war. This has been his entire agenda from the beginning. One million soldiers have gone to Iraq.
What a terrible waste of potential skills
So many things could have been accomplished. Teaching in poor communities. Eliminating drugs in American cities. But this government wont pay for that kind of work.
They pay for “hunting down enemies”—-
and destroying a country.
Don’t you see? There is no way to “fix” this?
Its not a matter of whether your relatives take good paying jobs in Iraq and risk their lives….its not a matter of whether we are “cutting and running”.
War was Bush’s only solution to everything. It works for him.
But the Middle East will not be controlled
by a liar and a killer.
And its equally painful to live in a country where at least half the population is brainwashed into thinking this has something to do with “democracy”, “freedom” or protecting Americans.
I cannot put a Peace Flag on my balcony—
I don’t dare!
Bush’s speech tonight was filled with phrases such as “command and control”, “combat operations”, “battle hardened”, “our mission”….
This is not a re-run of MASH or a GI Joe game….but many Americans can’t see through the lies and use of hot button words.
Look into some of the Iraqi bloggers—
Iraq Portals.
The Democrats are also a terrible disappointment.
They feel they have to condone this war otherwise they will lose so many voters.
So Biden says..” Not enough troops…its going to take awhile..”..
Bad ideas and lies, killing and destruction will not lead to a good conclusion.
Chris, I’m glad you are doing this - hope you wouldn’t take unnecessary risks.
It must be amazing to be there and so dangerous!
Cecilia. Chico California
Stoner; so he was ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’?
Maybe.
Were the tens of thousands of other Iraqis killed (not to mention locked up without trial and tortured) also in the ‘wrong place at the wrong time’?
Hi chris,
It is good to have you back alive.
I was so surprised that Americans would fall for the type of ideology that President George Bush created to justify this war. In his ideology, those supporting the war are “good” and “patriotic”. Those against it are “bad” and hate America. More interesting was his success in merging the words “Insurgent” and “Terrorist” to mean one and the same thing in the eyes of the average American.
Another thing I can’t fathom is that the people killing American soldiers and defying the norm are not a standing army. What is the population of these individuals? What did Donald Rumsfeld say was the population of American soldiers stationed right now in Iraq? Did he say up to at least Eighty Thousand (80,000)?
America has also changed a great deal. I never knew that Americans could constantly condone an administration that repeatedly lied about the ground situation in Iraq.
I never knew that Americans could allow their ruler to repeatedly play with their knowledge of where their tax money is really going to. How many Billions of dollars has been devoted to this war and what is the result?
Are Americans stoned about the fact that this administration has spent not millions but billions? Which generation of Americans is going to pay this bill? Or rather we could say,” I don’t have much to say about that generation because at the age of 18 they are pretty much on their own”, like we have always said.
I love America and patriotism is devotion to the best outcome for one’s country. This is ill defined when it becomes devotion for the administration. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate this administration. What I mean is that just because we don’t have dead bodies of our own loved ones coming back in a coffin from Iraq, does not mean this is questions not worth asking.
History will show this administration as one that increased the hatred and polarization of Americans toward each other, took America on a war of ideology without any clear plan to win the peace, and left a bill that will financially punish the generations to come(as long as it doesn’t affect their own kids),used polls to keep their egos going and created an anomaly of an economy(Record poverty, Record Unemployment and a robust stock market with our economy now being kept afloat by foreign countries).
We founded this country based on our loathing for the blind patriotic actions of individuals for a king. I think the very thing we ran from, is come back in another form, full circle.
Stoner dude:
I think he probably fears the U.S. soliders more because of their firepower and trigger happines, not because they are “bad people.” Plus I will take his word, seeing as he is RIGHT THERE, over your ass-parked-in-air-conditioning-in-Lincoln-Nebraska hide any day.
I had a buddy, true believer Republican who worked for the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Iraqi government last summer. It was exactly as described above. He still beleived, but he told the truth about conditions there.
Sounds more like propaganda than “news” to me. Notice the lefty is even pushing the Eason lie.
Joe, by lie, I take it you mean that Eason was mendaciously accused of saying journalists were being targetted when, in fact, there’s no evidence he said such a thing?
The US is showing it’ s age (senility). Perhaps we would be better of if the Reds had their own country.
The US is showing it’ s age (senility). Perhaps we would all be better off if the Reds had their own country, and did not drag everyone else into their lunatic adventures.
Anyone know of a good country to move to, where a person can make a living? I’m serious, I was raised up to not like police states.
Canada.
There seems to be a lot of people in Canada who can’t live in their own countries, either. (Political refugees from Iraq and Iran—)You will be in good company.
And still be close enough to stay involved.
Cecilia
OMG; this is exactly what all those opposed to the invasion had been saying all along; occupying Iraq will simply embolden a new generation of Islamic radicals to hone their terrorist tactics, and will destroy American credibility worldwide, while embroiling the US in a wretched war of attrition because Bush and the Neo-Cons cannot pressure Saudi Arabia or Pakistan to eradicate support of Al-Qaida within their respective nations. Freedom’s on the march all right; straight to the graveyard.
Some of the best non-apologia analysis I’ve read on the Iraq FUBAR has come from http://billmon.org/. Check it out.
I saw a Frontline episode the other day on non-GOP TV about Halliburton, and it had a lot of footage from Iraq, including a drive between the Green Zone and the airport. I like a nice adventure, but that would have terrified me.
The four or so “enduring bases” frighten me as well. Bush is obviously a liar when he says we’re going to get out when the Iraqis are ready to govern themselves. That ain’t gonna happen in my lifetime, and only because the insurgents know about those plans, which are so conveniently withheld from the American messes (as Garbo used to say). What a gruesome tarbaby we’re all glued to.
people, people.
If this isnt indicitive of the wishful thinking plaging the so called liberal response to this organised murder and destruction, i dont know what is.
WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME?
Anybody care to guess what story this guy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time was working on?
Not sure what you’re driving at Kevser, but it was Yasser’s day off when he was killed. He wasn’t working on a story. Are you implying that everyone killed by Americans in Iraq are bad guys or something?
He was clearly targeted for his work.
Negroponte is losing no time in implementing a middle-american style solution to the political problem.
http://fullcoverage.yahoo.com/s/krwashbureau/bcusiraqkillingswa
LOOK AT THE DATE.
He was investigating this new development.
War is organised murder. The war is continuing. The murder continues. Stop giving the benefit of the doubt to the lying murders.
Oh, for heaven’s sake. No, he wasn’t. You probably won’t believe me, but your average soldier on patrol has no idea who the Iraqis are around him. They see an Iraqi, ascertain whether he is a threat — rightly or wrongly — and take action. I’m not sure how you tell if an Iraqi is a journalist just by looking at him, much less that he was working on a specific story. Journalists don’t have horns and tails, you know.
I’m sick of these mad conspiracy theories. What you don’t understand is that most of the screw-ups the military does — and there are plenty, trust me — come from ignorance and bigotry, not some all-powerful command structure that can track every Iraqi journalist in the country. I mean, honestly. If you had any clue about how clueless the Americans are here, you wouldn’t even begin to think he had been targeted.
I’m a journalist and I do not believe American troops are targeting my profession. What I do believe is that they’re negligent in trying not to shoot journalists — or any civilian in the field of battle, for that matter. There’s a big, big difference there.
Thank you, Christopher, for setting that straight. I was really sick of reading comments about how regular soldiers were supposedly assassinating Iraqis. That’s ridiculous.
I don’t know if you’ve been to Afghanistan too, but things are pretty rough there right now as well. My husband is in Asadabad. What a mess. We have no plan (besides perhaps spreading chaos and destruction) in either country.
Bush keeps changing the rationale behind the invasion of Iraq (while completely ignoring Afghanistan all together) — from WMDs, to “spreading democracy,” to his new “bring ‘em on” strategy of supposedly attracting terrorists to Iraq in order to defeat them. It’s mind boggling that anyone would fall for that flawed logic. As if there is a finite number of terrorists and once we kill them all (soon, according to the admin), then there will be peace, democracy, and prosperity around the world. It’s insanity. And it’s so morally bankrupt!
I’m so glad you are over there covering the war unembedded. We need an independent voice. Thank you for what you do. Take care and stay safe —
Oh, don’t get me wrong. They are killing Iraqi civilians on a regular basis. They’re just not targeting people for their jobs or political beliefs or whatever.
I’m not sure which is worse, though, frankly.
Here is a tribute to Yasser from NPR, also some audio and photos and link to Knight Ridder obit:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4726759
You’re right, Chris, it doesn’t matter to the family of the person who’s been killed whether they were killed on accident or on purpose. They’re dead regardless. Their loss is still unbearable.
But I think it would be significantly worse for our nation’s future (and Iraq’s) if our soldiers were targeting Iraqis based on their professions. Having a million soldiers who are trained to kill in battle situations is bad enough, but having a million assassins would be worse.
Most soldiers are burdened with having a conscience, to the great dismay of the military. This is why there are groups like Operation Truth out there fighting for more PTSD treatment and funding. One of the major causes of PTSD is killing (remember David Grossman’s book “On Killing”? He found about 2% of soldiers killed without conscience.). Most soldiers aren’t sociopaths, as assassins are. To kill without conscience is something all together different. There’d be absolutely no hope if our military was made up of assassins and no one else. It’s hard enough as it is, battling the neocon/Christian fundamentalism craziness in this country and their insane ideology. If they had an army of sociopathic assassins behind them, we’d be doomed.
Hopefully the voices of soldiers who are against this war, men and women of conscience, will help us fight the administration and end this illegal war sooner. What else can we do but try to change our government’s policies and direction? The sooner we can get our government to change its policies, the sooner things will get better for Iraqis. Some of these soldiers will help us do that.
Chris,
Thank you for clearing that up - I mean journalists being targeted.
I still think there is occasional action against journalist but not pin-point assasinations. From what I read about wars past, there has always been a degree of censorship and killing-the-messenger sort of animosity toward the Press. People don’t want bad news or information about their screw-ups getting out.
I honestly wish I were there (I’m a photographer and writer) so I could see for myself what was happening.
It’s great to read this blog, and the comments, and realize that the brief periods of time when Chris wasn’t posting did not in any way diminish the vitality and energy of the participants involved. Sounds like we’re all back, plus some new people, and no less willing to communicate with each other - more so, if anything. Thank God.
I’ve never been so sure that Iraq is turning into another vietnam than just now reading your comments…
The part about the marines losing sight of the reason they’re there and focusing on getting out alive at the expense of the Iraqi’s chilled me to the bone with terrible thoughts of the horrors yet to come from this.
I’d like to thank you for doing what your doing (what most lack the courage to do in journalism) and I will begin to read this site regularly.
God, what whining jerks. Compared to the true battles and struggles for years and decades that other countries had to go through to achieve freedom, in far less brutal and ignorant neighborhoods than the Middle East, Iraq is moving very fast with only trivial costs and casualties.
Stop your snivelling and get to work on making things better, Chris.
You’re right, Chris - that is indeed a big big difference
Brian H:
How come you are not over there making things better?
Brian H,
Yes , recruiting sergeants love guys with attitudes like yours. When you join the great band of dead heros, Geo. W. Bush will consider your sacrifice “worth it.” (Mind you he wasn’t too keen in getting too close and personal in his old man’s first Gulf War.)
Incidentally, don’t join the military unless you have a good sense of humour, because as many before you , you are going to discover that the laugh is on you.
Yeah, something else. Read the fine print closely and know just what you are letting yourself in for. Your obligation doesn’t end with your discharge.
excuse me! I’m afraid that that just wont do. You believe that the us forces are not targeting iraqis, so that makes it true?
Like Tony Blair asked people to trust him?
I did not say that the soldiers on patrol are doing this. Not the ones that are visible anyway.
Look, the evidence is there, you can ignore if if you want. If i had said what was going on in Abu Graib before the pictures and video was released, what would your rection have been?
So you say, it was afew bad eggs. Yes. And now we have a few bad eggs killing opposition journalists.
And negroponte is in charge.
http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-234/0507020831154243.htm
“…apparently by a US SNIPER”
excuse me! I’m afraid that that just wont do. You believe that the us forces are not targeting iraqis, so that makes it true?
Like Tony Blair asked people to trust him?
I did not say that the soldiers on patrol are doing this. Not the ones that are visible anyway.
Look, the evidence is there, you can ignore if if you want. If i had said what was going on in Abu Graib before the pictures and video was released, what would your rection have been?
So you say, it was afew bad eggs. Yes. And now we have a few bad eggs killing opposition journalists.
And negroponte is in charge.
http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-234/0507020831154243.htm
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/jul2005/iraq-j01.shtml
Reading some of the right wing blogs like Little Green Footballs, so gung ho for the war, I really really wish those brave keyboard warriors could spend just 24 hours in Iraq. Most of the brave posters on LGF have decided they are fighting just as important and difficult and dangerous a war here in the US, against “liberals” and “leftists” and they feel a bond with the fighting men and women.
Thanks Chris for posting the real 411
Today in Iraq does a good job of listing all the violence, without duplications. It’s a lot.
oh. link didn’t show:
http://dailywarnews.blogspot.com/
Mike,
Checked out that Little Geen Footballs website you mentioned.
No sign of intelligent life there
Little Green Nazis might be a more appropriate title.
Only reason these knuckle dragging morons can’t find their way to a recruiting offices is because they have their heads up their asses. (In Iraq this might be an advantage in that it would keep the sand out of their eyes.)
The Bronx Zoo rather than the US military is a more appropriate establishment for that bunch of retards.