First!!!!
that sucks Omar
Omar, are you familiar with Michael Crichton? He is a popular American novelist but also a very smart scientist, and he said recently in a speech on global warming (his latest novel is "State of Fear" on that subject) that he never expects journalists to get anything right. He believes their main job is to distort or exaggerate events, just as cartoonists do (I can't remember his exact quote). I guess good stories about Iraq don't sell or fit the BBC template.
On a completely different subject, here is a story about "meth mouth" (dental news). I thought you would find it interesting. The New York Times had a big article about this condition last week too.
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/
0...0140819,00.html
Third!!!
Things like this can always be counted on from the MSM! They are not about the truth anymore, but about advancing theit own nerrow outlook on the world! If It does not fit their deffinition then it will not be heard!
Hasn't Mrs. Jarrar been living in Jordan over the past year or so?
OMAR, Omar, omar:
How long does it take to learn??
Do you have their e-mails AND your responses which you could publish on the blog?
Jim
Omar
Sorry man. Your facts just don't fit their template.
http://hammorabi.blogspot.com/
Publish the email of your BBC contact so we can all contact them and ask why..
Omar, your paranoid my friend.
I think 16 year old girls and expats living in the U.S. can clearly give a better perspective of what's going on in Iraq than an adult doctor actually living in Baghdad. C'mon!
DaveS
It is a link in the first sentence of his post.
Omar
Iraq the Model is getting around 4000 hits per day so this will get out to the people around the world who look to your site for real world Iraq information.
Thanks for sharing with the world how BBC dissed important information about life in Iraq.
BBC Lies just as the rest of the losers in the liberal society. They are just as bad as the rest of the evil that lurks in the real world, or at least encourages evil with their doom and gloom reports.
Omar
You are right on, my friend.
The reason that nobody trusts the media anymore is that more and more people have had experiences like you had. It's far too common. Each reporter thinks that it won't matter how they act since they are just one person...but they all do it.
I have had experiences like that with both liberal and conservative media. Its unbelievable how messed up a straightforward story can get.
The BBC = Baghdad Broadcasting Corporation during Gulf War 2. I'm a Brit, and even we hate them.
Dam Omar, that really blows the big one!
At first I thought I was going to be happy with your posting, but ended up being very dissapointed. Such is the case whenever the MSM get involved in Iraq.
On the bright side:
New Memo Suggests Oil-For-Food Link to Annan
i vote for you, publishing the whole thread of emails back and forth between them and you, here on the blog.
[ irregardless of the jury verdict yesterday]this is why people like michael jackson tape their own footage, with their own cameramen, of reporters like martin bashir who do interviews and follow them around when they produce a special. it's so that he can show the world the WHOLE event and put back in all the scenes and dialog that was edited out, to make a sensational piece slanted to fit the station's preconceived presentation.
and to think the brits get taxed for this! in order to have a tv, service, and this news source! dayum! i mean, at least in america, public television is paid for by voluntary contribution of viewers and philanthropists, and isn't compulsory. any tv can tune it in for free, whether you pay or not.
yeah, do it, Omar. post the thread of email correspondence with them.
pull down their prissy pants for the whole world to point at.
The BBC acctually helped me this spring. I sent in a photo to their "Your America" photo album. They wanted pictures from americans showing our america. I sent in a concert photo I took, and the artist saw in on the BBC. Now they are using my concert photos in a book by E.D Hill (Fox & Friends) and I get a free signed copy of the book. Also I get 2 free tickets to the concert next time that band comes to town, with a photographers press pass if I prefer.
The guy at the BBC was very helpfull in playing middle man in getting us together. I promissed him if I get anything out of it I would give him a commission. But I doubt he wants to fly to america for a free ticket to a Nugent concert.
Omar, welcome to the shady underbelly of the main stream media...the NY Times motto is "All the news that's fit to print" but it should really be, along with the BBC, "All the news (that jives with our views) that fits, we print." So much for good old objectivity when it comes to those coming out of journalism schools around the world...I guess "they" just know better than any of the rest of us poor souls who live out our daily lives in (as you intimate) relative anonymity and some days in just downright boredom..
Like the hen said in the cartoon movie Chicken Run, "Me life flashed before me eyes...and it was very boring..."
Here's to MANY MORE boring days in Baghdad for you...and great blessings in them!
Bruce - Seattle, WA, USA
http://www.haloscan.com/comments...7640662/
#263106
Thinker:
"Each reporter thinks that it won't matter how they act since they are just one person...but they all do it."
==============
Thinker:
Many reporters are just so arrogant - definitely a holier than thou approach with many of them...I did have one fairly positive experience when being quoted in an article in the Seattle Weekly - but that's an alternative newspaper anyhow...watch out for the MSM...
she was trying to 'change the world for the better', which is why she became a journalist.
Face it,youre just too cutting edge and high speed for the modern reporter.
-secret agent dentist-
Omar,
I had a bad experience with the BBC during the elections in January (before I started blogging).
They called me and asked me to contribute to a phone-in programme; but they prefered to hear from some Asians, some non-Iraqi Arabs, and an Iraqi expat who's brother spent the last two years in Abu Ghraib prison!
At the end of the programme, they apologised for not having enough time!
Typical!
Omar,
The BBC does lots of good things, but there is a comically bad thing here. The "One Day in Iraq" page is http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_de...raq/
default.stm
In the box titled "My Day in Iraq" are abbreviated quotes from about 8 participants. They appear to have been SORTED, from worst experiences first to best experiences last. At the top, a woman hairdresser says, "There is no electricity, no water, and the heat is killing us." At the end, a British soldier says, "The mornings here are beautiful with clear bright skies."
The European media is actually more biased than Al Jazeera when it comes to reporting on the Middle East.
Lots of good young people want to change the world by getting involved in media and reporting. But once they become involved in the business they quickly learn that in order to survive they first have to impress their boss. Thus when their good news or truthful stories are rejected and they are told what stories are acceptable (not in so many words) most of these reporters start playing the news game. A few refuse and turn to other occupations or smaller publishers. Mostly it is a cut throat business and those who do well aren't worth introducing to your friends.
Hello Omar,
Cumon, hnk is cute! And Faiza Jarrar does has lots of spirit(or is that attitude?). But you still have plenty of fans who eagerly await your postings, short or long.
When things do finally settle down, maybe you'll have enough material for a book.
You're probably too serious for MSN, anyways.
That is Ok Omar,
You don't need them! We know your blog is popular and you give us the truth in what goes on there.
People want excitement let them go to the movies!
BBC are about as rude as the trolls that hang out here tearing your loyal readers down! Nothing new just the unintelligent media!
Omar,
In all I counted 38 abbreviated interviews on "My Day in Iraq."
I don't think your interview could have been more boring then the guy that decided to stay home that day!
Actually your day sounded quite normal, pleasant and exactly what they were not looking for.
Wow, I was reading yesterdays posts and that Linkin guy is a real psycho, I think he thinks we are fighting a war against Islam. This is exactly what’s so scary about Islam ; radical teachings have far to much influence on young impressionable minds; does he really want to live in a religious theocracy? His passion and pride, (which was the sin of Moses), for his culture and people, makes him blind to what this war is truly about. This WAR is about taking power from a tyrant, and giving it to the people by means of forcefully imposing democracy, capitalism, and a constitutional government, (all the instruments of a free society). If he hates America, because we imposed unwanted freedom upon him, I could understand his psychopathic ranting. However, being he thinks this is a crusade, I feel he is dangerous. Islam as the philosophic structure of government, only has one outcome; Tyranny. Linkin, your perfect Islamic world doesn’t exist, has never existed, and will never exist, sorry.
Omar,
You don't need the BBC, if you help your country win.
By the way, I heard a great rant from Donald Rumsfeld on c-span radio today. It was at the close of a press briefing with Gen. Pace. Mr. Rumsfeld explained that what's happening in Iraq, with the elections, the constitutional negotiations and the decisions by all parties to talk to one another, is big. I haven't seen any part of it on TV, and I suspect the Post will have nothing on it, either. You're in good company.
An American,
Linkin's annoying and rude, but he has a point when he says that he is offended when people equate Islam with terrorism. It's true that the terrorists say they are following Islam, and the terrorists do say that we are at war to wipe them out. But, the terrorists are lying, and there are plenty of people who follow Islam who have spoken up on precisely this point.
Islam is not the problem. Certain evil people who are using their religion as an excuse to blow civilians up -- they're the problem.
If the Iraqis build a country, it will be an Islamic country, whether the Constitution is completely secular or not.
Linkin
You are not annoying. You are frightened of America. You lash out at America as a result.
You have to have your diapers changed to frequently when you think of America...
RG,
Your going to make him cry and then that will really be annoying!
Welcome to the 'real world' of "journalism" internationally (and otherwise)...Their ajenda for creating the news they want to present is very transparent to the world in general now. Sorry your time was wasted learning how they operate. Unfortunately it can make you cynical!
But then again who cares...carry on.
Omar - you are such a funny character, you really are - you complain to all that hear that the BBC won't publish you - and imply a certain censorship due to the "your news not fitting THEIR template" AND Yet you ban me from publishing my comments - I am no cruder than others - and the double
linkin
Answer this for me...
What is your religion, that you say you "do not practice here" (assuming you mean on this blog)?
RG,
Talk about potty mouth! 
The media only prints what they want to. Remember this is a owned blg by someone reporting what is going on in their world. Not putting up with your mouth!
So Omar - you are upset at being edited out of the BBC prog and think it is because of their propaganda bias - the funny bit is that this is what you did to me when you banned me y'day, no doubt because it does not fit your propaganda bias. Too funny!
Go figure?
Forgive Linkin.
No one likes a flunky. Everyone hates a flunky. Lashing out helps a flunky do another day.
Being a blowhard releases the stress a flunky feels about life.
Keeps the loser from intentionaly hurting himself.
OOOOOOh Now you did it RG,
good job!
See Omar,
This is what people at the media news want to here. Give the loser the spot light!
Linkin,
Did you get anything out of George Bush's innaugural speech, the one that had everyone aflutter? The one where people got all excited or upset because he said we are abandoning realpolitik? An awful lot of people thought he was referring to the uncomfortable compromises in our past history with a number of dictators, including Saddam Hussein. This has been a long-standing argument among people who were trying to steer our foreign policy at a time when our options were limited and mostly unpleasant.
Maybe, if we'd had more faith in ourselves, and in people from a different cultural background, we could have had a better result. But it took the election in Iraq, and that brave response of 8 M people who voted in the face of death threats to really turn things around.
"Hear" here at the blog I ment laughing too hard!
Oh - I already said that. Sorry.
Here is something interesting about America's dedication to human rights. I must admit I am so proud of how consistent they are. Such people one looks up to.
The one where people got all excited or upset because he said we are abandoning realpolitik? An awful lot of people thought he was referring to the uncomfortable compromises in our past history with a number of dictators, including Saddam Hussein.
Yea right - Bush abandoning real politiK, Please!! From the above link:
US and Russian officials have helped block a new demand for an international inquiry into the Uzbek Government's shooting of hundreds of protesters last month, with Washington saying it is worried about Uzbekistan cutting off its access to a military air base.
Linkin,
"Why did America put Saddam in power?"
US allies have M-16 rifles, M1 tanks and F-16 airplanes.
Saddam had AK-47 rifles T-72 tanks and Mig airplanes.
Hell fire and brimstone? You’re cursing...
Linkin can't answer those questions. He just can't. To much personal baggage to deal with if he has to try to answer those questions. Too frightening for Linkin.
The lashing out is his way of asking for help... and at the same time releasing the anxiety and fear...
"...but you know what? I don't care because I told the truth which they apparently don't like to hear and that's their problem now."Omar.
I like that.
This is wild.
Also, disappointing and not so surprising.
The media have their own little war to cover when using the bloggers and Middle Eastern people.
Dealing with such creatures will give you allergies.
Someone could make a good comment on that.
Like on the BBC, perhaps (?), this Jarrar family is regularly on air at CBC,the National or RDI.
They represent typical Iraqis to many Canadians, I think.
Omar your story could be the real story in another less real story.
The media people have to go back to school and relearn their trade.
They can then contibute in a more meaningful way through their reports.
Some journalists and writers are good at it. These are the ones to deal with.
Thx.
LINKIN, if you give a man a gun and years later he goes and kills someone, is it your fault?
Linkin,
Poppa and Momma slap you around too many times?
Hey, you are now one of the club! What club? The club of people who do not see hatred and failure in everything. You do not fill your hours with despair, rather, you do what you can to make things better. Not only for yourself, but others! Yes. You are an American Conservative!
I say "American Conservative" because in the USA, conservative is the opposite, somewhat, than it is in the rest of the world. American is an Idea. It is not a place. At least I am learning this.
What does it mean to be free? Who deserves to be free? Freedom is an idea, a dream, something we all desire. Why should it belong to just a few when so many, no-everyone, deserves to be free? We all are brothers and sisters. We just live in different countries (which we are proud of when it comes to competition in the sports!) lol.
I'm sorry they did this to you. They do it to us all the time. I am glad you are a strong man. Have a great day.
Linkin,
Had too many bad experiences with authority figures? You lookin brave and attacking authority figures hides that and makes the day easier doesn't it?
Yes, we are the masters of the universe.
Linkin is just another angry young man folks...
by the way LINKIN, I HAVE LOTS OF PERSIAN SHIA FRIENDS, who fled for their lives from IRAN.
If you would like to do an interview that will be published, come to Love America First and I will interview you.
Do not be thrown off by the name. I use that to offensively deal with the "Hate America First" crowd. It is my way of fighting back!
RPG,
What is your preposterous religion?
"The war on terror is one of those tests and the people in power are going to win because they rely on God in this test."-RPG
You're just a another dumbass crusader/loser.
"anonymous", that would be "john"...
Silly american,
You evidently like playing with your He-man doll..er, action figure(masters of the universe). You and Michael Jackson.
Oh great, we got a tyrant lovin pinko in the room.
an american.
anonymous is another regular moon bat here.
Fear also rules the day for anonymous. Refuses to even use an alias of any kind. Paranoiais anonymouses trademark.
Omar, maybe a typical day in Baghdad for you doesn't consider road blocks, checkpoints, aerial surveillance, home invasions, searches, random arrests,bombings, people being shot as anything more than what should be expected in Iraq when you're under occupation by over 150,000 troops!
How you stoically downplay this miserable human condition, when it manifests itself around you every day is truly beyond reasonable explanation.
No wonder the BBC didn't consider your account of a days activities in Baghdad to be credible! Lets hope the collaborating Wolf Brigade doesn't one day mistaken you for someone less credible or the occupiers for that matter, or have you already registered yourself as a "friendly citizen"!
Did you notice any vehicles carrying the bodies of 24 men, "victims of recent insurgent ambushes in the west of the country — were transported to a hospital in the capital."
And an American soldier was killed when a roadside bomb hit his convoy in southern Baghdad, the military said, adding that two other soldiers assigned to a Marine unit died in a similar attack Monday in Ramadi, 60 miles west of the capital.
How can such common everyday occurrences be so dramatically downplayed or over looked!
Just Wondering??
I bet it's LINKIN seeing if people are talking about him. I've seen it a thousand times, he lives in the ego and need confromation.
Johns to stupid to waste time and argue with.
john...
because Omar and Mohammed are stronger than you will ever hope to be...
Silly american,
You live in a fantasy world than not even a prepubescent child would admit to. Now that Saddam is in jail, he's the biggest tyrant going is your bully Bush, who managed to set up a concentration camp on US soil and routinely threatens countries he doesn't like with invasion. Maybe Bush wants to be the #1 world tyrant which is why he wants to knock off the others.
Ya, and the CIA smuggles crack, to control black people, i know John, good point.
Jesus,RG, you and an american have become symtomatic of the sort of night terrors you would expect after spending 24 hours in detox.
Have you not found Andreas site where you can spend your entire time spewing out mindless drivel with people that might in a delayed sort of way find you somehow to be bordering on entertainment.
Time to revist that Noahs Arc conundrum,I'm sure dcat will listen in a detached sort of way!
Noah’s Arch story was true in the since that there was a great flood. 7000 thousand years ago there was a land bridge between the black sea and Mediterranean ocean. When it broke it flooded all the oldest communities which emerged surrounding this mammoth fresh water lake. 7000 years is the date because all the shellfish etc, before this time was fresh water, and all the shellfish after this date, was salt. Researchers have found sophisticated structures using sonar, witch are located on the shores of the original coast. Through verbal tradition, the story of Noah had two completely separate lineages recorded, one in Mesopotamia, and the other in the Torah. This is interesting because if too separately distinct cultures held the same verbal tradition, perhaps this flood did destroy a large portion of early humanity. Poor JOHN FROM ORGAN, AN IMBECEL, WHO ARGUES WITH THE COMPLEXITY OF A CHILD. Weather the stories are allegorical of not doesn’t mean there is no GOD. Even more sadly it seem the wisdom of the story had been lost for years bouncing between JOHN FROM ORGANS, EARS.
Didn't mean to scare you john...
But that also is why you are here. America scares you. You too are here to lash out as a result...
Of course the BBC will quote Faiza, the mother of Raed, the most reflexively anti-americans in the ME. Her article is ridiculous--I wonder who's paying her, Saddam's wife?
She speaks of us at the "pampered elite." I would like that fathead to know that about 2,000 of the "pampered elite" gave their lives for her democracy.
Jeez, Omar! If your day was any more boring it would be my day.
Boring, uneventful days are prbably the norm for most Iraqis. That's a good sign of progress.
Hope you have many more boring days.
Her article is ridiculous--I wonder who's paying her, Saddam's wife?
Patricia your comment is ridiculous, fathead like in its content, perhaps representative of the head it came out of!
RG I would guess America would scare me more if I were Iraqi! Ignorance I generally find to border on appalling such as an americans desperate need for rehabilitation and some possible intervention on teaching self expression,spelling and being able to define your ideas representing a semblance or minor degree of rational discourse!
I hardly ever lash except when connfonted by a lunatic fringe. Time to take a second look at Iraq. The deaths continue unabetted. Over fifty today, fifty yesterday, fifty the day before. Bombings, murders, civilian arrests, ING's, Americans, yet Omar supposes to define his day as a mundane trip to the clinic, a trip out with friends to have tea, home early to Blog. Either he's in denial, as I'm sure you are, or he's under a censored script to never speak a negative word about the cesspool America has created in Iraq!
Yawn!
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz
How about BBC reporting, "US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has acknowledged that security in Iraq has not improved statistically since Saddam Hussein's fall in 2003."
Statiscally meaning as many or more people are dying now as there were two years ago. Or take today for example:
"On Tuesday, at least 22 people were killed in a suicide bombing in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk"
Theres no doubt there is a problem with the image of America as the liberator in Iraq. How can you liberate someone who you can't even protect: freedom and democracy in Iraq is becoming increasingly a tarnished and illusionary dream, the reality is:
"Police say most of the dead were civil servants lining up outside a government-owned bank to get their salaries or pensions."
More than 900 people, mostly Iraqis, have died in insurgent attacks across the country since the government of Prime Minister Ibrahim Jafaari took office six weeks ago.
Thats a yawner?? What happened in your city today, a couple of rapes, molestations, assaults. Any banks blown up, occupiers killed??
Just wondering!!
zzzzzZZZZZZzzzzz...
you are such a humanitarian, way to go.
Hear is my imatation of John:
Ah, someone was killed, It's America fault! Go smoke another joint hippie.
Let's inject some facts into the "America put Saddam in power" debate.
First, America did not put Saddam in power. He rose to power by his own means, gaining backing from a significant portion of the Ba'ath party after demonstrating an amazing lack of moral restraint on his own behavior. Whether this support was born of fear or admiration hardly matters.
Second, as Soldier's Dad pointed out, the US did not arm Saddam. His weapons were primarily Soviet in the Iran-Iraq war, and in the 1991 war, and Soviet/Russian made RPGs and AK-47s were his weapon of choice once the T-72s were destroyed. Saddam did not obtain any chemical weapons from the US.
The US did support Saddam against Iran. It also supported Iran against Iraq. Quite a scandal when it was revealed. The ugly head of realpolitik reared up, and an attempt to maintain a balance of power was made.
The US stopped short of removing Saddam in 1991 as a result of sensitivity (some might say oversensitivity) to the desires of the "world community" as embodied in the UN resolution calling for the Iraqi military's expulsion from Kuwait, and as a result of the perceived impact on "world opinion" of continuing to destroy the sitting duck Iraqi military on the highway to Baghdad. There may have been other reasons. A desire to see Saddam remain in power seems unlikely to have been one of them.
The US did allow Saddam the use of his helicopters within the borders of Iraq after the war, which was (in my opinion) a horrific mistake. It certainly made it easier for Saddam to put down the Shia uprising.
brilliant!
I really don't remember when I heard the last person accuse the MSM of having any integrity....They have their agenda's, which is exactly why I come to this blog for your perspectives Omar and Mohammed!
Uh John,
I agree that there are terrorist attacks in Iraq, and maybe even more that we don't hear about. But considering the size of the country and the number of people living there, the number of daily attacks are spread over a pretty dam big area. Isn't it possible that most Iraqis are not 'directly' affected most of the time by the terrorist attacks?
Omar, You are awesom!
Omar,
Don't worry about the BBC. They are typical of the MSM. If there isn't something dynamic or sensational about your interview, then they don't want to hear it. They can't stand for someone to have a normal life it seems! 
Isn't it possible that most Iraqis are not 'directly' affected most of the time by the terrorist attacks?
Not to John. Note the obvious comparison error he makes in his post:
"More than 900 people, mostly Iraqis, have died in insurgent attacks across the country since the government of Prime Minister Ibrahim Jafaari took office six weeks ago."
versus
"What happened in your city today...?"
There have been approximately 1,700 murders in the US over the last 6 weeks. Iraq being less populous by a factor of 8, you would expect the "insurgency" to affect about 4 times as many lives as murder does in the US.
Less than optimal? To be certain. A situation in which you would expect every Iraqi to live in constant fear, dodging bombs all day long? No.
If the murder rate of the city in which I live (without fear) were extrapolated to Iraq's 35,000,000 people, 12,000 would die each year. If these killings continue at the rate of the last 6 weeks in Iraq, 7,800 would die.
Perspective.
John is disengaged, he probably has been all his life! From reality!
Thanks for telling us about this Omar. The bias of the MSM is somtimes blatently obvious..
I've seen an MSNBC Correspondent upon the news of the capture of the terrorist that planned the hijack of the Achille Laurel in bagdad - first question to 'military expert' "So, do you think the US captured him to prove there are terrorists in Iraq?"
Not kidding, she actually said it.
Other times, media bias is unseen. Your example for instance. We would have never heard about it if not for your blog..
Sorry, my figures are in error. The population of Iraq is estimated at 25 million, not 35 million. The extrapolated murder rate would, therefore, be about 8200. No change in my conclusions is warranted.
You are making a difference in Iraq, with your words for the world too read and your work!
That is all that should matter to you! The rest of the world is backing you and your Country.
Omar,
Don't let it bother you. Just remember that journalists are looking for something that sells. "If it bleeds it leads."
Next time, give 'em a "story". A unique and interesting slice-of-life.
Yeah, they probably have a bias... just like every other news outlet. But if you give them something that'll "sell," they won't care so much how your perspective meshes with theirs.
Should you have lied? Well, my friend, free speech doesn't necessarily mean truth. Maybe a different day instead of June 7th would have fit the bill better.
Isn't this the second thread you have posted this in? Spam alert.
Newsflash: Gandhi was racially predjudiced against Blacks, and was opposed to the Allied forces going to war against Nazi Germany. He was a douche.
Anyways Omar that truly sucks.
To John-900 people in Six Weeks? I thought Iraq was supposed to be another Vietnam? The Commies were posting numbers like that every DAY in Vietnam, not over a six week spread!
The Insurgency has no chance as a viable political force in Iraq. They are a roving band of murderers.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/
latimest...ietheknotiniraq
Weddings of couples in Iraq's population of 24 million are booming due to anticipation of a prosperous future...
the san antonio spurs are no longer a viable basketball force in detroit..
the news business is primarily guys that like attention like a girl or girls that want attention like a guy. The only cool ones are drunks or ex SF. the rest ran home from school every day and played in the mirror.
screw the old commie media,make your own.
The headline reads:
Suicide Bombers Kill 28 in Northern Iraq
But it should say:
Suicide Bombers Kill Elderly Men and Women waiting to cash their pension checks
Omar,
This is nothing knew to your friends who roam through the links of your blog. We have known for a long time about the BBC. Maybe now, with the help of your post, others will come to see the light also. And with a small miracle some will lose their rose-colored glasses or defeatist attitude and perhaps realize what is really happening out in the real world and knock the spoon out of the hand who is feeding them. Only time will tell, but I won't hold my breath!
Omar, don't ever hesitate to ban any commenter you don't like, because you have the right my friend. Here read is the arguement which was said to some wacko at Sami's blog.
Louise said...
Hmmm. Only an indymedia reader would be dumb enough to believe that crap.
These are the same idiots who believe free speech means you can say whatever you want where ever you want and everyone has to listen to you.
Sorry pal, but you've misunderstood, at a very fundamental level, the meaning of free speech. Free speech does not guarantee you an audience or a place to publish your pathetic garbage where ever you may wish. You are, however, free to publish your own blog and see whether you can find an audience will to listen to what you have to say.
Sami has no obligation whatsoever to let you puke all over this one and his readers have not have to put up with smelling your vomit here, if they can't stand its stench. If Sami wants to keep his readers, you have to go.
That, my dear buffoon, is how freedom of speech works in a free market. So get over it.
11:55 PM
I recommend everybody go to Strategy Page today and read the story abou the Sunni Strategy. There's a link to the page on the right...under 'Links'.
haha omar the traitor deleted all my comments, that's cool but he will never shut me up.
by the way iraq population is not 35 or 25 million
25m estimate is from the 1980's, since then after the gulf war at least5 millions iraqis left , which bring it down to ~ 20m
26,074,906 (July 2005 est.):
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publicati...ok/geos/
iz.html
In any case, there's no getting away from the statistical fact that the average risk to Iraqis from the insurgency is about the same as the risk of homicide for people living in large urban areas in the US.
Linkin,
Why do you call Omar a traitor? He has spoken of nothing but trying to rebuild Iraq in a way that provides all law abiding citizens freedom from persecution or discrimination. How is that traitorous? Perhaps you want to go back to the days where the bathist rule, or let the mullahs run the county like they do in Iran.
As I see it, any other stance puts you both on the same team. The team to help Iraq heal and become strong again. If that is the case, why waste your time snipping at someone with the same goals?
Omar,
Interesting that the BBC would not use material from the author of a top Iraqi blog. Maybe they are unaware. I can't imagine anything being written about Iraq and blogs that didn't include you. Maybe they were afraid that it would anger their readers to include a pro-US blogger. They wouldn't want to appear biased, after all. (That would be ironic.)
Omar is a chicken : he better get a gun and go fighting for HIS country.
Even Tom Friedman looks desesperate today : the situation in Iraq is so bad, he foresees only one solution : double the number of american troops there (you can´t trust anyone else).
Iraqi Army : let me laugh !!!! According to US DOD, only 2.8% is fully operational ! And, we know 10%, 20% or 30% of the guys work in fact for the insurgents.
I disagree with Friedman : it´s a big mess, a quagmire. Send 150.000 soldiers there will make no difference. Better get the $%& out of there ASAP !
In march, 1.29 US soldier dies every day , in april 1.73, in may 2.84, in june 2.87
ENOUGH ! Basta !
"Free speech does not guarantee you an audience or a place to publish your pathetic garbage where ever you may wish"
Louise via Ahmad
Unfortunately it does almost guarantee one media attention.
The more outrageous the claims, the more press coverage one is guaranteed lately. And the more papers they sell, or viewers they attract by these outrageous claims, the more money they are guaranteed in advertising dollars.
If Omar would have ranted and raved about American occupation, if his day would contained bombings, loss of electricity or unlawful searches, I guarantee, the BBC would have predominately displayed his story up front.
"If it bleeds it leads," is an unfortunate fact of life. In urban areas we understand our newspapers are going to focus on the very worst that human behavior has to offer, in war zones, and especially in a story that advertises it is focusing on "One day in Iraq," it should widen it's focus to include the positives as well as the negatives. In a war, we need the bigger picture. We need not only a continual regurgitation of the negative but we need to know what is going right in order to develop a full understanding of what is going on in the country.
Our media considers themselves the watch dogs of the sitting government, which is all well and good, but that criticism has to be placed in the bigger context of world events. Our media is not a tool to be used against us but a way to get a fair and balanced picture and that understanding of their job is what they seem to be lacking.
By the way, Sean "everything is just ducky here in Iraq" Penn is now in Iran. First he came out on Saddam's side, now I have to wonder if he is going to be taking the mullah's side?
When I want the truth and up to date reporting I come to your site. Who needs the BBC anyway!You have your own loyal readers, keep up the excellent journalism; you are the best resource for Iraq news at this time and from the beginning..
"This is an illegal war. Besides my son and I are making good money on this oil for palaces deal..."
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/me...food/
index.html
Omar, maybe you mad the BBC people mad. Did you say something good about George Bush or Tony Blair? If you want to get in print, just bad mouth these two and say what idiots they are, and you will get on the front page.
You have this outfit figured out Omar, and don't feel too bad that you were not published. They more than likely would have twisted your words to mean what you didn't say.
You probably have guessed by now, that I am not a big fan of BBC News.
Omar
Sorry to hear of your experiences with our so-called public-service broadcaster. This mirrors an experience I had a couple of years ago when I put a great deal of effort into cooperating with the producer of a programme about blogs in Scotland (as did a number of other Scottish bloggers who were active then) only for them to use only the most bland and frankly pretty boring clips in the half-hour radio programme, broadcast across Scotland, that resulted - I think their whole objective was to belittle blogging, because they know that we bloggers represent a real threat to traditional media (print and broadcast) in their monopoly of news distribution and, equally important, interpetation and analysis.
To cap it all, just a couple of days ago we had the ridiculous spectacle of the first 33 minutes of a specailly extended (30 to 45 mins) 10pm television news on the main BBC channel (BBC1) being devoted to the breathless anticipation surrounding the imminent Jackson verdict in California, which carried on way beyond the reading out of the verdicts. All live coverage from California by a large team of British reporters reporting back to even larger teams of people specially in the studio to talk to them. Completely ridiculous, when there is REAL news to report - I could care less about a popstar in court 6,000 miles away. They'd rather cover this 'pap' than talk about real issues - for this we are legally obliged to pay, unless we get rid of every TV a household owns. Argh!!!
BBC
Bullshit Broadcasting Company
they rank right up there with Al Joke-era
Omar
mea culpa
- sorry for the double-posting
Omar and Mohammed
I understand compleatly your "anger" at BBC for not print your interview! They like most of the other MSM "news"
orginizations are unfortunately focused on what will sell!In Great Britten and other countries such as the USA.and Canada it is the financial bottom line (money) that they are after, not the truth!
They would rather dedicate time to such stories as the trial of Michael Jackson and his perversion then tell something good about what is hapening in your country!
That said, I try to comb the different news agencies throughout the world to get the latest stories about Iraq! With your permission, I am going to plug my home page where I have attempted to compile some of the latest news on Iraq.
Good morning to you all, I hope all is well where you are!
I hope you-all will forgive me, but I am going to ask that when you have time, go to my homepage, and there you will find the latest news out of Iraq!I would also apreciate it if you would leave comments on some of the links I have there!Your input is valued by me, and helps me know what you want to read.
Thomas of truth on Iraq
That sounds pretty typical. I had a similar experience with a German news crew. They spent a month doing interviews and shooting film and spent three whole days just filming the group I was working with. The crew was rude, inconsiderate, and totally ignored the safety rules we asked them to obey until I threatened to physically throw them out of the building. What they showed on TV ended up only being a five minute segment. I bet 98% of the material they gathered will never see the light of day. The only way I found out about the clip was through a friend of mine living in Germany.
It's obvious what your problem was, you didn't have any bad news for them. The BBC is a bunch of agenda driven, socialists. By reporting on what your experience was with them, you expose their true motive.
I bet you have more blog readers than they had viewers
Omar: Most of the feel good, everything's great, we wear shades 'cuz our future is so bright bullshit that is sported by many here...is just that...nonsense...it appears that your attempt to portray an 'everything is normal' day in Iraq wouldn't sell soap in Birmingham so they iced your comments...get over it!
The BBC are just totally biased against America, you should have known that. They are always publishing lies about our brave troops, Tony Blair should close them down. Nobody trusts them anyway. I watch FOX News all the time now. Omar, why haven't you been approached by unbiased media like Fox for an interview?
socialists,liberals,pro-terrorists,nazis they all WANT to feel shitty-makes'em feel 'realer'-
its their crack. So you get the govt to pay for your stupid tv show to show how horrible and wrong everything is and create an audience of goyos and drors that lap it up so they can feel so above it all cuz they know and we're all naive.
riiight.
hey assholes.tiday is a great day and its only going to get better for those that believe it. go hide in your euro welfare state of depression and leave the real livin' to ...we the living!!
My email in protest of the BBC's coverage has been sent. Thanks for the alert, Omar.
Omar,
The Post did not cover that great rant from Mr. Rumsfeld I mentioned above. But they did pick up on something else.
One way George Bush is following up on his innaugural address
The address
excerpt:
We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world.
America's vital interests and our deepest beliefs are now one.
Kudos to the 2nd Battalion 1st Brigade of the Iraqi army for finding and freeing the Australian hostage.
hey assholes.tiday is a great day and its only going to get better for those that believe it. go hide in your euro welfare state of depression and leave the real livin' to ...we the living!!...what bizarre sentence construction...back to the second grade for you my boy!
Omar,
I was one of the reporters that interviewed you for the BBC, and let me be clear about how we used your material for radio - at least the interview I conducted - and for the web because I also was involved in the online part of the Day in Iraq project.
We definitely used your interview on Radio 5 on a new hour-long programme devoted to looking at news and current affairs through the eyes of podcasters and bloggers. Your experience wasn't too pedestrian and wasn't left on the cutting floor. We did have to cut some of it just due to poor quality of the line, which was a shame. I fought to get as much on air as possible. But you yourself knew how poor the line was. I've sent you the audio as an MP3 file, please feel free to post it on your site if you have the ability to do that. Maybe, it can be Iraq The Model's first podcast?
As for the Day in Iraq online project and the quotes from bloggers. For the purposes of the project, we started our 'Day' at roughly sunrise in Iraq and carried on for 12 hours.
We limited ourselves to those blog posts during that 'day'. Unfortunately, you didn't post. Maybe, I should have e-mailed you and let you know what we were doing to encourage you to post. However, I didn't do that because I didn't feel it was my place to artificially intervene like that. I wanted bloggers to post or not to post that day because they wanted to post not because we the BBC wanted to get some posts. We wanted authenticity, not blog posts for the sake of blog posts.
Glad that you have a blog so that we can be clear about the motivations and our internal thinking. That's the great thing about this medium. Thanks.
all the best,
k
Kevin Anderson
BBC Radio 5 and the BBC News website
http://www.bbcnews.com
http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/pr...pallnight_blog/
Omar
The Boston radio station WRKO simucasts with the BBC in Leeds from time to time. Listeners from the US and Britain call in and complain about each other. The BBC Presenter is not allowed to voice her opinion on air like the American hosts. The American hosts sometimes have to surreptiously express her opinions so she won't get in trouble.
Perhaps the woman you spoke to had no control over the final product.
feelin' the heat!!
there's that old objectivity line popping up again...
the bebb has a rep, they know they have it. the also know they arent going todo a thing to go out of their way to change it.
the point of ANY sincere story on blogging would be that the blogs don't toe the massline of elitist news agancies, ESPECIALLY PUBLICALLY FUNDED ONES THAT ONLY TELL ONE SIDE!!
So we're sorry that we didn't actually think about how blogging works beforehand and just so happened to not let anyone know at the biggest and best non-mass line blog in Iraq that we were coming.
What utter bullshit.... puhleeeze!!
Youre going to lose your audience, your tax money budget and finally your jobs and it will be because your product does not sincerely serve its audience. Bitch about objectivity and neutrality and all the rest but its just so obvious to people outside your beebleworld that your propagandists.
The way to tell if someone is completely nuts is that when you try to point out the obvious, they turn it around to make YOU look like its all your fault. If you say something YOURE ruining the party.
That's EXACTLY what blogging does, why it was invented and why its thriving. So throw it back in the dentists' faces. But the bottomline is that YOU DIDN"T DO YOUR DAMNED JOB
AND YOU MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRUTHFULLY SERVE YOUR AUDIENCE!
At least one person from the BBC has the wavos to come clean about what happened! Thank you Mr. Anderson! I have book marked your web site! I may even share them with my readers at my homepage.
UAE paper: US troops Mass on Syrian Border
Anybody seen anything else on this or is this just "mass" hysteria
Bob,
"US Troops Mass on Syrian Border."
There were quite a few troops in Tall Afar not long ago. Who knows where they may have wandered off to.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050...nm/
india_206061
I apologize that this is really off-subject, but how can the above story happen in this day and age. That's a great city council they have there.
SD
Yeah, those troops are prone to "wander" you know ... I wouldn't want them wandering up on me if I had been up to no good.
Omar, your egotistical nature is showing through. You moan about how BIASED the BBC is because they didn't prominently display your views to their audience like you wanted. Well, Boohoo.
Meanwhile your hypocrisy is also prominently displayed. You allow comments slandering Islam, Arabs, and all of the Middle East yet you attempt to ban folks from commenting on your site. I'm not referring to your deletion of Linkin's comments, which are as extreme as the right wing Christians, whose comments you chose to leave posted, but rather those who rationally argue against the Iraq war effort. Folks like Waddard and myself, and many others whom haven't returned because either they have fixed ip's and they don't know about proxy servers, or they just don't care.
You know how Ghandi complained about this site being a CIA front and simply a pro-war propaganda site, well your actions lend credence to this view. Maybe the BBC should do a story about that. Even your brother Ali has found it necessary to part ways with you and operate independently. You should really take a good hard look at yourself and your motivations.
There are Muslims in Syria, aren't there. It is therefore a legitimate target.
On to Mecca!
huevos? come clean? bullshit.
he passed the buck!
of the thousand days this blog has been up he just HAPPENS to pick a non posting day?!!
for a story about iraqi blogs?!!
that's just inexcusable and wrong.
there's so much at stake here that he can't wait a fricking day?!!
its not being hard on anyone, its called resolve. do you think this guy was that 'objective' about abu ghraib? do you think he ever reported how many people were killed a year before the 'abusescandal' in the same rooms? hell no!
you fuckers are star struck.. he's a man just like you. just because he works at the beeb in london we're supposed to fall at his feet?!!
I just love to smoke college cowards that hid in their dorm rooms with their macs when I was walking the wall. fuck ALL of their punk as shit.
Not one single bit of it deserves to be equivalated to what the troops go OUT OF THEIR WAY to do. No,hell no.
Get it straight, they blew it and they know it. They are going to lose their welfare newspeak jobs and actually have to work for a living and it scares the shit outta them.
This jerkhas the nerve to post his reply in our comments. Just so no big meanies will say hurtful things.
well,i call bullshit on that and I didnt want to go to your lameass party anyway. Scissor sisters?!!What is that shit!
I heard on last evening's news that there was a poll taken regarding respect/dislike for Media. Overwhelming response was: We the people--all over the world, do not like or trust the media. One of the main reasons is the overused term "anonymous sources". There used to be so few anonymous sources that we gave them names "like deep throat" Now, just any old anonymous source will do. Omar, why would they need to interview you, when they can use an anonymous source, and present whatever trips their trigger for that broadcast or article. Come on BBC, it is not going to kill your ratings to let people know that there are some hohum days in Iraq. Based on past days, hohum is a wonderful thing.
yeah Omar,take a really good look at
yourself,cause you are a handsome
guy
Special CIA meeting tonite
location: alpha niner
time: 2200
supplies: all pop music records for terrorist questioning (no music from singers hotter than me)
pass phrase:
sandy berger stuffs his pants
response:
Mr. Chirac wears pink panties
please bring super secret CIA decoder rings
Oh puleeeeze
all the agents know I have the coolest meetings:
location: bravo two
time: 2000
supplies: all items related to mememememememememememmeme
pass phrase:
Who wouldn't authorize armor for our troops in the "Black hawk Down " battle?
response:
Bill "Don't bother me I am busy" Clinton
http://www.stripes.com/article.a...4&
article=29708
Female MP recieves the Bronze Star.
bwhahahahahahah ... RG you and I are checking the same sites ... well great minds think alike
Assh
Obviously your brain is what you are sitting on...
Bob,
Great story eh. And she re-enlisted after all of that!
Hey John, have you got a link for Andrea's chatty site? It would be fun to crash that party.
OMAR & MOHAMMED: I never read the MSM media sites, buy newspapers, and seldom watch television newscasts anymore... I read alternate news sources, your blog and many others for information that I know will have a lot more truth to it than the dressed up sensational entertainment news packages.
For me the fact that they rejected your whole "voice/blog/contributions" proves they are not interested in the full view of life in Iraq from an average Iraqi with a great blog, but of whatever the BIG dogs bark at them to produce... that is their audience - we all hate America!
For me, it's a badge for you to wear proudly.
As a matter of fact, when I read the name 'Sarah Brown-bbc' I seemed to recall a posting here sometime last year (in the early fall?) from someone stating she was a bbc writer/reporter? Do you remember that?
I don't recall exactly what the exchange was... but I'd love to see that thread now. hmmm...
Dear Kevin,
Your methodology for the collection of uncorrupted data may be sound, but it was not effective in showing a true picture of "A Day in Iraq".
It has merit, in theory, to avoid any kind of selection bias.
However, it is ultimatey flawed because it prohibits you from providing analysis and context to those posts used on the program.
So, for all your effort for a "Day in Iraq" all you got was some data for a programme. No way to give it any meaning. It was anything but a fair rendering of the breadth of Iraqi experiences that day.
As it is too often the case througt main streem media.
So what were you trying to achieve with this programme?
.
Bob,
Thanks,
Loved the link to those Iranian
women.
Here is the latest on the hostage freed in Baghdad.
Troops Free Australian Hostage After Finding Him Huddled Beneath Blanket in Dangerous Sunni Neighborhood
An interesting article about what it was like under Saddam, and how Iraqis feel about the Coalition.
The Stringer
.
hey leap and di
good comments
12 Released from Gitmo Recaptured by US in battle
Details Emerge about Doug Wood's Rescue
I am not sure if this is a blog or not, but the author of the site has some interesting thoughts and insights into what is going on in Iraq, and why. It is setup somewhat like a blog in that it is cronological, latest first. I would also be interested to know where he got his information.
IRAQ: The Sunni Arabs Have a Plan That May Work
.
corr. *through* main *stream* media.
Some things never change.
and after all of that she reenlisted.
hooah!!!
Interesting post by Kevin but it still does not totally clear the air.
I read 38 "A Day in Iraq," interviews. Why was Omar's not included among the online written interviews? It would be interesting to know the basis for your selections.
Also, I believe Omar sent you emails inquiring about the airing of the interview. Why no response? It is typical that every person interviewed is usually given the date and time of the interview, but instead of replying to one of his emails prior to air, you wait and post on his blog, after receiving criticism. Makes the explanation suspect.
In any case, you represent your organization and at best, you failed in your obligation to those who took time out of their busy schedule to help you complete your assignment.
Mr. Anderson,
Perhaps you can try to convince people to do a story on why so many people distrust the media now and are turning to alternative news sources? That would be a brave and admirable thing to do. Cover multiple sides and opinions of course without actually taking a side....well wait i'm sure you know how real journalists should write things.
ps. Love the last name. It seems fitting in this medium (Matrix).
An interesting tidbit off the AP -
"_ Two former Iraqi military officers with alleged links to al-Qaida were arrested Wednesday while planting roadside bombs. The Interior Ministry identified them as former Maj. Gen. Abid Dawood Salman and his son, former Capt. Raid Abid Dawood."
Seems to me to be a fairly high Former Regime Element to be out planting road side bombs. I would think a former Maj General would be co-ordinating planting road side bombs rather than doing the shovel work himself. Must be a recruiting crisis.
SD
excellent tidbit!
Annan Says He Will Not Resign From the UN
Bob,
That is one tough woman. Where do we get women like that?
Interesting, SD, so you endorse and quote MSM reporting when it falls into the black hole which defines your cynical and myoptic view of the world and now "please no more Rantburg" links Bob considers AP to provide excellent tidbits!
Hypocrisy, perhaps, more likely an inability to define or understand the extent of your own abysmal lack of awareness or your own illogical inconsistencies or your own incessant contradictions in position! Another defining moment for a couple of sad war apologists!
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
yawn. this John guy sucks.
John, head on down to your favorit bath-house and talk to the fags that care.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
fuck off mini-ward, Bob you can link Rantburg anytime you want.
Scottish Bill, your frustration with BBC is no worse than ours with CBS. They are kith and kin.
Playerinatutu,
"you fuckers are star struck.."
You respond to Mr. Anderson's normal, matter-of-fact explanation of what happened on his end of Omar's interview with the BBC like a hysterical weenie of a teenager. The more you talk the sooner the readers will sicken of your always embarrasing paranoid ranting.
Do yourself a favor and check yourself into the local looney bin and hopefully get some help. Your alternative is involuntary commitment for life by a judge before you start shooting people.
Hey John, are you known as Sabrina in another life? I've encountered a transgendered dude on another blog I used to visit who called himself Sabrina and he talked just like you. He has a f*cked up life and he was taking it out on the world.
You might be on to something Louise, but I still think he sounds more like Ward Churchill.
... trying to read john's comment but after the first few same ol words I, I, i zzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
MSM reports that, "Iraqi and United States officials were trying to coax some insurgents into mainstream politics by floating the possibility of an amnesty. In an interview with the BBC last night, the US defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, confirmed that "there are continuing contacts" between the Iraqi government and rebels, but gave no details."
The early warning signs of a desperate occupier and their bewildered collaborators! Not even the best efforts of America's finest military machine or the heroic attempts of Iraqi supporters of occupation seem to be able to turn the resistance tide! Today another fifty plus Iraqi soldiers and police were killed! Not as extreme as a day in inner city New York or Detroit but a bad day all the same! As expressed by a statistics genius who compared americas attrition to murder similar to a war zone!
Amnesty won't work, it only demonstrates a weakening of America's will! The homeland will rise up! Beware Bushs impeachment and final judgment for war crimes! America hasn't the slightest idea how to define their exit strategy, coached in terms of mission accomplished!
Wait a second, Bush declared that over a year ago ago yet there's been 1400 military deaths since!
Quagmire, another hopeless, hapless, disgraceful misadventure and example of the incompetency of america's political and military leaders! Now all they are doing is excusing torture and debating the advisability of using more chemical and more destructive weapons!
Fools, miscreants and losers, God Bless America, land of one eyed men or cyclopses in the valley of the blind, there are no kings here!
Yeah, RG
People like John rely on partial logic, no discussion, no learning, no method. He's a coward because he refuses to think. I think he has put a lot of people to sleep.
I'm sorry he has chosen to masterbate at this unique blog.
John,
It's all in your mind, ya poor bloke.
fools miscreants and.....ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Schneeze..as an expert and aficionado of masturbation, maybe you should learn how to spell it. It might come in handy the next time you're trying to explain your inner self to someone in verse! Ya poor wanker!
Off topic, but follow-up to a post on an earlier thread about the girlymen of France and their pink shirts and suspenders on backwards.
Where have all ze (real) men gone?
John, do you wear pink shirts??? I thought so.
.
Schneeze as an expert ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
ZZZZ
John must be one of those Trustifarian activists, because I haven’t herd him even once stray from the lunatic party line theme music of the nuts over at moveon.pac. John your saying the same old dumb ass shit you guys were saying four years ago. It was sad and despicable then, so why do you think it’s not sad and despicable now? I would like to think by now in your life, you would have grown beyond your indoctrination, and now perhaps your mind is able to understand the balancing nature of American politics. Perhaps you should read some Taoist philosophy , The teachings of Chang Tzu might impose the understanding for the need of balance. I fear if you fight the system much longer, you might go crazy like all leftists and become a rude, disgraceful, cynical and hatful young man.
HMMMM
Been to motown more then once. even the fags will kick yer ass anon.
I don't think this john guy is real, i think it's someone messing around and playing a charactor or something. It's just to stupid. How could any person be so two dimentional? I suppose, if he is a member of some cult, he could be vulnerable to such pathetic and lunatic ideas.
hey Omar....we are all loney...to believe in you........
couldn't help it
just woke up after doing a few
zzzzzzzZZZZZZzzzzzzz
talk to ya later,eh?
an ameican,like jim jones?
ya, drink ya cool aid, dude.
an american,i was kind of young when
that all happened but big brother
just joined the quard full time after
being in the navy,and had to go down
there to pick up all the bodies
and i just remember him,shaking his
head at what a waste of life that
asshole did to all those,and why
they even believed in such a cult
An American, "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt."
I mean, you've removed all doubt!! At this point I don't even think cool aid would do you justice!
An american, have you ever heard of Bob Dole, are you related, your line of reasoning are very "Doleian Like": try, "We know smoking tobacco is not good for kids, but a lot of other things aren't good. Drinking's not good. Some would say milk's not good.
Some might say Andrea and an American aren't good, but a lot of other things aren't good, so why would anyone think they're that bad! andrea, I have your chat site by the way, I'm going to post it, time to move on!'
Very desperate and vulnerable people, I bet most were democrats.
John's pseudo intellectual bullshit could put anyone to sleep, hence the zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzs are the only suitable answer. Have you ever seen anybody get so much joy from recounting the deaths of Iraqis and American service people?
What a psyco!
Quick get your made up news right at BBC!!!
For all you're most exciting news try MSN...Are you a journalist? You too may have a new career! What ever you can write that is exciting and new we will contact you. Fax your info @ 555-867-5309
You can also contact John right here at ITM for the lefty's side of view. We don't care what ever you can offer that is a total lie. We can help you twist things around to make it more interesting...
John,
Take you're raggedy ass tag team and leave we know what you are up to! 
Hopefully after all the madness, and Iraq is safe and secure, archeologists can get in there to study and preserve the structural and architectural history of Iraq. I have a Persian friend who visits Iran yearly and brings me photos of the region. The colorful intricacies in Islamic architecture is magnificent. No images what so ever, just complex angles and patterns which are very pleasing to the eye.
post it john!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
post my chat site right now!!!!!!
dare ya!!!!!!!!
double dare ya!!!!!!!!!
and if you really know it....
you will know its not mine
why don't those stinking socialists at the BBC report on that.
It must be feeding time down in Jonesvill
Easy, Andy. It has rabies.
i am sad,he said,time to move on....
what?to moveon.org????
heeheeheeeheeeheee
ok,Tom....
"How you stoically downplay this miserable human condition, when it manifests itself around you every day is truly beyond reasonable explanation."
John, Omar lives there and you're going to question his veracity - you're just an idiot...
john and anon sittin' in a tree
b-l-o-w-i-n-g...
hey ya'll, just walked over and watched the tigers whomp the padres. aint summer great!!
freedom!
Yes it is brother, I just threw away an empty pepsi can that had an add for ten off tickets, made me homesick.
Never been to comerica. Miss the old place.
The folks at the BBC must be shaking their heads in wonder at the brilliant comments that appear at good ole ITM!
Soldier's Dad, are you really surprised that a general would actually physically take part in warfare? Welcome to the world of insurgency. In case you haven't noticed, it is not traditional set piece battle games. Or traditional modern American warfare - let the laser guided ordinance do your bidding. Nope, it is down and dirty, and really only suited for those that really really care. These guys aren't like your average American Joe whom only wants to get his and his/her buddies ass out alive. They believe and they are willing to die for it. Real war sucks doesn't it?
Im drinking beer and watching TV buy my pool.
FREEDOM!
gay
Yeah well Bruce, you know military occupations aren't all that pleasant as far as I know and have heard!
Might be some issues living in Baghdad these days, more or less. Maybe Omar is living in the Green Zone or has a military convoy along with him whenever he travels. I mean after all this man met Bush, he's sort of like a poster boy for everything "good" America has done in Iraq!
The token, Iraqi dentist, a good news story who enjoys it when America kills his citenzry, the evil terrorists or insurgents! People such as these are a rare breed and a preferred propogandist tool for the occupier!
Sort of like in Germany when a Jew would tell their friends to come to Dachau, and describe it as if they were going to an amusement park!
Ash. what do you fight for?
an American, I certainly don't fight 'because it is my job'.
yeah....OMAR is sitting in the green
zone......teeeheeeeteeeeheeee...
bwahahahahahahahaha
no...wait this is a CIA front...hahahahahahahahaha
John....please post my chatty
site!!!!!!
the more hits i get...the more money
msn gives me
What do you do?
John,
Ohh yes, I am soooo myopic. I haved lived in two countries bordering Iraq. I could not possibly understand understand the Arab world. I've spent more time there than that paragon of world Middle East experts, Juan Cole.
It still amazes me how people who are absolutely ignorant about something can run around and criticize people who have spent a lifetime working a problem.
Got any stock tips John? What kind of retirement benefits do Saddam apologists get?
Ash, if you were good at fighting, you you take a job at which you might fight?
an american, please, step back, take a deeeeeep breath, and try to form a coherent thought.
Now, try asking a meaningful question. Maybe something useful will flow from your keyboard.
I'm just guessing your a pussy.
hahahahaha, I'm glad you thought that response out. Wow, good one!
I am becoming a regular reader of this blog again, now that I have a decent computer connection. It's great to read the exchange of comments by those who believe in that a better future for Iraq is possible and worth sacrificing for, but I have to confess that I have my favorites - for hilarious truth-telling (crude though it can be), Cowboy Up Boston Red Sox (and I'm a Yankees fan!), and for insight and thoughtfulness, Soldier's Dad. Thank you one and all, though, especially the regulars, for making this blog a great read.
No need to Ash, he's commenting at your level of understanding - hard for him to type s l o w l y for you.
SD quite frankly, it matters little to me where you might have lived, knowledge or experience seems to have failed you no matter what your life's condition might have been.
You're a proponent of war, an advocate of your daughters contribution. To me, you're nothing more than a purveyor of misery. Better you refocus on helping the greiving American families who have lost a loved one. Help them understand how their death wasn't in vane, rather than propogandize this war through your relatively naive and ill informed comments here!
Do something of value for a change rather than glorify or take pride in the devastation you have brought to all Iraqis!
Ash, I'm sorry those bullies picked on you in school.
how about useless INFO against the
support of these brothers that a few
of you do here......totally useless
information about "THEIR LIVES".....
are you there????with them?????
did not think soooooooo!!!!!!
but hey!!!!! we are CIA......WE are
family.........come on all my brothers
and sisters with me........
an american, my we are advancing here. Good, now tell me how invading and occupying Iraq was a defensive move.
Spreading democracy has always been my goal, even when I was a democrat.
john......please tell all about
my site!!!!!!
the extra money would be great!!!!!
Jesus Ash, I'd let that fish go, an american is undersized, there's absolutely no fight or sport in him, maybe a minnow that you might want to re-use for bait!
But entirely unworthy of a conversation. Most times, I'd just try to throw him off the hook without having to pull him on board so you don't have to waste time with him or grab his underbelly!
a good offence is a good defence.
an american, so, you are a missionary for democracy are you? If they don't choose to do it on their own, then, heck, bomb 'em, send some laser guided ordinance their way, roll out a bunch of tanks, blast the hell out of the place, and then if they still don't accept your democracy,the what the hell, kill the fuckers. Is that your plan?
The folks at the BBC must be shaking their heads in wonder at the brilliant comments that appear at good ole ITM!
Soldier's Dad, are you really surprised that a general would actually physically take part in warfare? Welcome to the world of insurgency. In case you haven't noticed, it is not traditional set piece battle games. Or traditional modern American warfare - let the laser guided ordinance do your bidding. Nope, it is down and dirty, and really only suited for those that really really care. These guys aren't like your average American Joe whom only wants to get his and his/her buddies ass out alive. They believe and they are willing to die for it. Real war sucks doesn't it?
Ash | Email | Homepage | 06.15.05 - 10:39 pm | #
Yeah, especially if you happen to be on the Insurgency's side, where various US military operations have ravaged your command and control centers, most of your leadership is dead or captured, you have lost your capability to consistently attack Hard Targets, the people of Iraq hate you, and your kill rate against the Americans is 20:1
Sucks to be an insurgent.
Andy, my still haven't gotten over Neon, almost autistic, drooling over the brothers to the point of embarrassment, never expressed an intelligble comment, yet gregarious to the point of manic, clinically bi-polar, cringe worthy friend, its time to move on! I think I'll post one day!
John, talking to you is like talking to a child. i know everthing you might say, feel, understand, know. You have never said one thing I don't already know. All you do is regergitate leftist propaganda.
ROFL!!!! John why are you such a mealy mouthed dork?
i have been waiting for john and
ash to join my site!!!!!!!!
you have it....so come on over!!!!!!
why have you not posted it yet john??
extra money is a good thing....
you said you would hours ago!!
Ash. wow, your such a tough guy. Those people don't wan't to be free, they want to be ruled by a tyrant. How could we intervine. Were so bad.
Assh is totally confused:
"an american, so, you are a missionary for democracy are you? If they don't choose to do it on their own, then, heck, bomb 'em, send some laser guided ordinance their way, roll out a bunch of tanks, blast the hell out of the place, and then if they still don't accept your democracy,the what the hell, kill the fuckers. Is that your plan?"
Dumb Assh, that is the insurgents plan. Replace Democracy with Wahabism and you have the terrorists down perfectly in your warped assessment. Evil does something, then you say, NO Good does that. Talking about a head that is screwed on wrong...
That was a nice response from the reporter from the BBC. I don't think they were trying to censor Mohammed/Omar.
By the way, our neighboring country, Mexico, has an insurgency going on right now. 600 people dead so far this year:
"The human cost of Mexico's aggressive war on drug trafficking is skyrocketing as the country suffers through the worst barrage of drug-related violence in years. More than 600 people have been killed this year, often in remarkably bold and bloody executions, according to national press tallies and state-by-state crime reports."
Take heart, an american. At least we stand for something. Not like the Jihadist wannabe's here. You will soon learn to Sierra tango Tango pretty soon. because if you read them once, you now their entire mantra. Remember all you will ever get from the Wannabe crowd is SOSDD (Same Old Shit, Different Day)
.
come on over john!!!!!
we can't wait for you!!!!!!
what is that????
my still haven't gotten?????
my step still????
you keep saying you will post
someday???please do.....msn gives
me money every time you do!!!!
and thank you in advance if you do...
he will be more then a friend to me
then you will ever know....teeeheee...
good night all, time for bed.
"A major earthquake occurred at 02:50:54 (UTC) on Wednesday, June 15, 2005. The magnitude 7.2 event has been located OFF THE COAST OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. (This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.)"
American sentimentality may once have seemed endearing, but now we know it’s just another instrument of evil. Every aspect of American culture has begun to stink of the grave. The pizzas and hamburgers: this is how world tyrants fuel themselves. The cars, the drugs, the music, the TV: this is how they distract themselves from their crimes. But how can they still think they’re right about anything? Their children are deep-fried, drug-soaked numbskulls, the adults hapless lemmings in their SUVs, heading straight into the back-end of the American dream. Where is the guilt - and where the apology?
OK, Anonymous, so you despise American culture and society. Could you give an example of a national culture and society that you DO admire, just to put your criticisms in perspective and bring them into the realm of the real world?
Tonight, I am thinking of ordering a big mac, with large fries, and diet coke. Lets biggie size that.
Roll down my window and listen to that good ole song by Don Mclean "American Pie" as my sweet heart and I hold hands in my new SUV with a looking up at the stars and the man in the moon while parked on lovers lane. Thank God in heaven that I live in the land of the free and the brave, America.
God Bless America
See ya!
johnlickingass must have taken their collective dump.
Talk about your "low budget desperate media!" They hound this blog day and night. I doubt that they are through!
I have but one thing to say to people like anonymous and john! Get off your butt, walk to the nearest exit from this country that you so lothe, and don't let the door hit you in the bum on the way out!
John you spew such smegma from your mouth against the Americans, but never do you give an alternative to what it is you don't like! So just go bugger off!
Anonymous,
Convince your little chicken shit country to attack us in some way and we will take our evil ways a lay a serious ass whupping on you, you cowardly piece of shit. Bad mouth the good old US of A all you want you commie pacifist. You only wish you had the freedom of choice and self determination that we do. Go ahead and sit in your safe little shit hole of a country and watch Islam slowly digest your culture.
You don't even have the courage to make up a stupid nickname to be identified by. You are a gutless idiot that has a keyboard and lets your alligator mouth overload his hummingbird ass.
Now go and put on your pink flowered shirt and green Peter Pan Leotards and take your boyfriend to a partner-swapping club. He will probably enjoy finally have a man to play Butt Pirate with!
Fvcking asshole
.
A wannabe american retard,
Uh-hem, every truly red white and blue american knows it's spelled,'offense' and 'defense' not offence and defence. You're just a phoney Canuk knockoff. O'Canada!
Please use your own troops(Mounties) to keep the world safe from Snidley Whiplash. You are so busted.
SD,
Juan Cole is an expert in the ME, if you have any idea of what that means.
You can find his background at the following:
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~j...cole/
jcpers.htm
I doubt your vaunted experience living in the ME has given you any better understanding of the ME than the typical blind,deaf,and dumb US military stumbling around in Iraq today looking for a translator.
Juan Cole, a Professor of History at the University of Michigan, has brought his intellect to bear on what happened in Fallujah.
And his carefully considered opinion is that it was Israel’s fault.
"You put yourself in the shoes of an American military commander in Fallujah. He treats with the local clan leaders and Sunni clergy. He tries to get them on the side of the US. He faces hostility, but he is making some progress. And then Ariel Sharon sends US-made helicopter gunships to Gaza and has them fire missiles at people coming out of a mosque, killing 8 and wounding 24. One of the dead is a half-blind paraplegic Islamist named Sheikh Yassin. He could have easily been arrested, and had been in the 1990s. But he was incinerated in a piece of state terror instead. And all of a sudden the people of Fallujah in Iraq are pointing their fingers at the American troops and saying, ‘you did this. You gave Sharon the green light.’ And all the commander’s hard work in building bridges collapses over night. And four US security personnel are dead, and 5 US troops are dead, and the fighting flares up. Thanks, Prime Minister Sharon. Thank you very much."
Juan Cole? expert? Bwahaha! next you'll be telling us ward churchill is an expert.. and an indian...
anonymous
You wouldn't make a pimpel on an American GI's butt!again Bugger off you spineless twit!
Can you say moonbat?
Juan Cole is a leftist peter puffer, you mental midget... He makes about as much sense as my bulldog does when he farts. They breath dOES smell the same though.
As for you now attacking Canada, I know a little woman (5' 4") in the Canadian Army, that even in her kilt, she would kick your ass three ways to Sunday, and not even raise a sweat. I would even buy a ticket to see that.
Yeah, You area big man behind your keyboard... In reality, you are probably a pimple faced, glasses wearing pussy. Mr. Big Mouth.
.
Yes Yankee I believe we all can!
Ya know YDS... this is the first time I have ever gotten mad while here on ITM. That puissy really pissed me off!!!!!
.
Sound like fun Burlyman,
I think I'll cross the border and help her out too!
She is in the Canadian Special Forces!!! That good looking little thing can hurt a man all the way up to and including DEAD!!!!!! and never even work hard enough to raise her kilt and show her beaver!!!! I'll tell ya!
No need to get angry Burley, Just concider the sorce! Anon isn't worth the powder that it would take to blow his nose!
Burlyman,
Deep breathes don't let the mindless media hounds get to you! They are all worthless chickens! Squawking behind the keyboard with out a name!
I dunno, Thomas... adn $.35 bullet sounds like money well spent to me right now...
.
Some day Anon is going to wake up, and realise that all that smegma that he, she, it has been spewing is based on nothing but lies, and when (it) does figgure it out, it will be too little too late!But for now, It isn't worth the time it would take you or me to put it out of its misery!
Thomas, I am not worried about its misery... I am worried about ours... I would like to put it out of our misery!!!
.
Off topic:
The internal and external pressures for democratic reform in the Middle East have never been greater. The strength of President Bush's commitment to the transformation of the region is no longer doubted, either by his domestic critics or by Arab intellectuals and hitherto entrenched political and military elites. The logic behind the strategy, a deliberate reversal of the decades of US tolerance of unpalatable regional governments for the sake of "stability", is that pressing for wider political debate, economic modernisation and women's rights is essential for the region's long-term success.
In Iraq, the Palestinian Authority and Lebanon, and more cautiously in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, political relaxation has been producing electoral outcomes that, while not always ideal, have underlined the strength of popular demand for a say in government. The next proving ground, and the one that may have the most profound impact on the Middle East, is Egypt.
Under persistent US prompting to take "a democratic lead" in the Arab world, Mr Mubarak, whose hold on the presidency has endured, unchallenged, for 24 years, has changed the constitution to allow opponents to run against him in September. Parliamentary elections will follow in November.
The government has unapologetically maintained its poltical ban on the Muslim Brotherhood, Islamists whose proclaimed conversion to democracy ministers dismiss as an oppotunistic ruse. The ruling National Democratic Party retains power to vet candidates. Opposition supporters boycotted last month's constitutional referendum in protest, and some were brutally beaten up on the streets of Cairo. Egypt's first reaction to the announcement by Ayman Nour, a liberal, that he intended to challenge Mr Mubarak, was to lock him up. The US had to insist on his release, but his arrest said much about the nervousness about opening the door to democracy, even by this careful chink.
The risk is that Islamist groups, whether moderate or radical, could be the big gainers. Liberal and secular politicians are at a huge disadvantage; discriminated against in official media, for years they have had no platform, whereas Islamists had their mosques. There is no guaratee that "political Islam" would repect democracy's rules, or that Egyptian Islamists would hold back from supporting Palestinian terrorism - a particular worry in the context of Isreal's pullout from Gaza.
Egyptian reformers who have already done much to free up the economy are genuinely anxious for change. Egyptians live in a sometimes tolerant state whose relative calm they value. An internationally monitored, reasonably fair election in this vast, populous, unnecessarily impoverished country would give fresh impetus to the entire region. And Mr Mubarak could be an unexpected role model.
That I understand!The twit does have its way of getting on that last nerve and iritating the fool out of it!
It is ashamed that it expends somuch energy toward getting people (p____d off
I don't normally just blatantly advertise my own blog, but I'm making an exception for an exceptional man.
Last Thursday, Spc. Jorge Estrada was murdered in Murrieta, California, not far from where I live. In honor of this young man, I have written about him and I invite you all to read about a precious life lost at FAIR.
Also:
LEBANON
Currently holding its first elections in the absence of Syrian troops for 30 years.
IRAQ
58 per cent of registered Iraqis turned out to vote in January in the country's first free elections in more than 50 years. Further elections were expected in December but may be delayed by wrangling over a constitution.
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
Mahmoud Abbas won elections praised for their openness in January after Yassir Arafat's death in November. Elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council are due next month.
KUWAIT
Women were granted the vote and full political rights in May.
SAUDI ARABIA
The absolute monarchy held its first elections in February when voters were able to choose half the members of the country's municipal councils.
Women were barred from voting in this election but may be able to take part in 2009.
ALGERIA
President Bouteflika was elected without opposition in 1999, but observers say that his re-election last year was the fairest poll in the country since multiparty politics was introduced in 1989.
Indigo..
I hope they find that scumbag. I would like to be on his Jury. I was on a murder jury a month ago and we found him guilty of a rape and murder 12 years ago. Took that long to find him. So have no fear. Justice will eventually be done.
.
Bring back the boys home NOW !
We cannot win this war !
5 US Marines die today for NOTHING !
Hope you're right, Amir.
Omar and Mohammed, Australia owes the Iraqi and American armed forces a debt of gratitude for returning one of our own, Douglas Wood. Here is a happy snap of the man himself after being rescued: http://network.news.com.au/
image...,5017940,00.jpg
And a video of him with his Iraqi and American rescuers: http://ninemsn.video.msn.com/vid...e.aspx?
id=49676
Douglas Wood words, "God Bless America". Also he said how great the Iraqi soldiers were and how we must be working out right in Iraq.
Kidnapped for seven weeks and he believes that we are doing the right thing in Iraq. Wake up all the disbelievers and smell the freedom.
Omar, I'm sure people have already said this, I haven't yet read the comments but I get most of my information these days from the source such as yourself. Not from Media outlets trying to make a story with an agenda attached. BBC and others are becoming more and more irrelevant and they know it.
I support my troops with one e-mail a week to my representatives telling them to bring them home. That's real support, not like that magnetic ribbon crap. Btw anyone else notice that those ribbons are looking kind of faded? LOL
Anon, great idea bringing them home when they are doing such a great job. Maybe we should have brought our troops back from East Timor when people started getting killed? Wouldn't want our soldiers to go to a place that is dangerous would we?
Let them do their work and bring them home when the job is done.
In any scientific experiment, change is wrought by introducing a catalyst to the mixture. The reaction is sometimes violent but at the end of the reaction, you have change.
We have a choice. We can accept this world as is. Accept that half the world's populations were born to be enslaved, born to be fed upon by blood sucking tyrants, or we can try to change it. Change will be met by stiff resistance by those who are benefiting from the status quo but what frightens you more? The fact that things can get worse? Or the fact that they just might get better?
anonypuss
Emailing your rep, wow that'll get alot done. Don't break a sweat.
hang in there omar,
i'm in baghdad as well. i have the same problem. you are doing a tremendous service to the people of this city, the people of iraq, and the people of the world by telling the truth about the situation in iraq. stay strong and stay safe.
mark
enjoyed your blog, especially the great pics ...
Welcome to our world. We in the West have to put up with garbage from the BBC, CBS, NBC, CNN, ABC, MSNBC, the NY Times, Washington Post, and that disgusting British newsrag The Guardian. I think blogs like yours are the only places to find real news.
Sallamalaykum - and stay safe.
Iraqi Kidnappers Got the Blues
The Iraqi Car Bomb
IED Zappers Sent to Iraq
Interesting news article, from the editorial page of the Washington Post, idenitfying a segment of the "insurgency".
Crime over Courage in Iraq
Yeah, Anon, bring the troops home now! And why only from Iraq? How about Afghanistan too? The Taliban wasn't so bad, was it? And for God's sake, lets bring them home from Bosnia and Kosovo too! We have no business protecting the lives of European Muslims in those places! US out of Germany and South Korea! No US troops to Darfur or Liberia! Let's just pull up the drawbridge of Fortress America and let the rest of the world solve it's own problems for a change!
Big Apple,
That is what the loony left libs along with the hollywood media want anyway!
Why would we want to be beaten down day after day for trying to have a positive outlook on life?
Beat us down for trying to do the right thing in Iraq. Personally I did not agree with attacking Iraq when we did but I damn sure support my country and I know it does not matter now how we got there we owe it to the Iraqiis and ourselves to see the job done.
Beat us down for freeing Afghanistan and driving Terrorists from their largest home base. Lets forget that and say we turned Afghanistan into the worlds largest drug supplier.
Beat us down for having THE most civilized and respectfull treatment of prisonors in history. No we have Gulags and torture everyone in the world.
Beat us down for everything that goes wrong in the world. It's America fault for getting involved, its Americas fault for not getting involved. I'm sooo tired of it.
More and more every day I feel we should just become total isolationists and leave the world to burn but of course that would be silly because eventually it would get to us and we would burn too. Unfortunately not everyone understands this.
There is one thing that keeps me from collapsing from this constant assault of negativity from within and without.
Remember 9/11. Too many forget exactly what it means and the lessons we should have learned there. I owe it to those 3000 murdered there to remember and do the right thing.
What we fail to understand is that what we faced on that day the muslims in the world face daily. Do you honestly think they prefer to live in a world dominated by radical Islamicists? What they have faced for decades we have had a small taste of.
I truly do not understand the mentality that believe the muslims in the world are better off without our intervention and aid. Like they really like being under the heal of a dictatorship. No, the truth is these people simply think they are superior and that saving the muslims is not worth the bother. The fact that now they can think they are noble and doing the right thing by denouncing everything America does makes them feel better about the guilt they feel deep inside.
Osama is a brilliant man. I do not think any American thought we where so resented and hated by the rest of the world. Osama knew what was there and how to flame it. Turning so much of the worlds opinion against America was easy, it took care of itself. The natural human desire is to tear down the strongest to put them on equal footing with you. I call it the Yankee syndrome. So many people despise the Yankees just because they are the Yankees, the best, Americas Team!
Some of us do not forget we are at war. What would you do if America really lost? What would you do when you found America gone from the world and Islamic Extremests taking over governments all over the world. What then of your precious rights that you foolishly believe the evil Bush is taking from you? WAKE UP! Get your heads out of the sand people. Worried about world hunger? Be more worried about world oppression fools because thats where the hunger comes from and thats the threat of today.
/rant off
Ok I feel better now thanks!
Interesting article, Valerie, and a reminder of something it's easy to forget: in early 2003 when Saddam realized the jig was up and that the American/British/ally troops massing on his southern border were not there just for show, he emptied the prisons of Iraq, unleashing 100,000 hardcore criminals on his own people and on anyone who dared to come in to help them. You gotta hand it to Saddam: he was an evil genius of the first rank.
valerie
great article ...
PajamaHadeen (cute handle, by the way, if it's not too harassing to say so),
I feel ya. Reading your rant made ME feel better. I call the chronic critics of Bush the "Goldilocks crowd," as in: he acted too late to do something about the threat in Afghanistan, he acted to soon to do something about the threat in Iraq, and the US should never take any military action anywhere in the world unless we can be 100% certain of getting it j-u-s-t right (Kofi's blessing be a sure sign of that).
Nancy Pelosi, leader of the House's minority Democrats, raised the stakes on the debate over the war in Iraq on Tuesday by introducing a resolution that if enacted would set the stage for the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq.
"And for God's sake, lets bring them home from Bosnia and Kosovo too! We have no business protecting the lives of European Muslims in those places! US out of Germany and South Korea!"
Why ? We don´t loose 3 soldiers per day in those places. Besides, bosnian, german and koreans don´t attack us kamikaze style every single day !
Just to respond to Diane who asked about the methodology.
Again, let me clarify a few things. Don't take what appears on http://www.bbcnews.com as the sum total of the output that day.
This project was across a wide range of our output. TV, radio and online. The BBC is a really complex organisation. I know. The org chart does my head in. And our online presence reflects that. We're actually now, a week after the day, trying to gather up the huge amount of material we gathered and present it in a meaningful way on the BBC News website so there is a single source for it. It's a huge task.
And let me tell you a little about our motivation for doing this. Due to security situation, we made a decision to reduce the number of staff in country in Iraq a while back. That's based on the level of protection we were able to provide for our staff. However, we're well aware of how that impacts our coverage.
We tried to use the Day in Iraq project to gather a number of voices from across Iraq to paint as complex of a picture as possible of a day - mundane or otherwise - in Iraq. It was a monumental effort for us. But, if you listen to the interview I did with Omar, it was in the spirit of his comments about the power of blogging in that we were trying to capture the wide range of experiences through the eyes of ordinary Iraqis, foreign contractors and soldiers. I interviewed Mike aka Ma Deuce Gunner up in Kirkuk, and a colleague at Radio 5 interviewed Major K.
Is it imperfect? Sure. There's no way to be everywhere at once and interview everyone. That day might have been very different than the next day or the day before. But honestly, it was motivated by trying to paint the most complete picture of that day in Iraq we could given constraints of time and resources.
best,
k
ps. Like the comment about my last name and the Matrix. Mr Anderson. All I can say? Call me Neo!
Kevin Anderson
BBC Radio 5 and the BBC News website
http://www.bbcnews.com
Andrea, if you really want folks to come to your chat site, post a link.
------
Ben-T wrote:
"Yeah, especially if you happen to be on the Insurgency's side, where various US military operations have ravaged your command and control centers, most of your leadership is dead or captured, you have lost your capability to consistently attack Hard Targets, the people of Iraq hate you, and your kill rate against the Americans is 20:1"
Yeah, Ben T, I'm sure it does suck to be an insurgent but those folks live there, it is their home, they aren't going anywhere. Take a look at what little boys with stones can do against the vast firepower of the Israeli military. But in Iraq they have so much more then stones. Take a look at what the American Military actually say about the insurgents they are facing versus what they say about thier 'allies' in the ING:
"Oh, and speaking about Vietnam-era parallels, how about this one: It turns out there are two different races of Iraqis. There are their Iraqis - jihadis, Ba'athist bitter-enders, terrorists, Sunni fanatics and even, as Major General Joseph Taluto, head of the US 42nd Infantry Division, admitted the other day, "good, honest" Iraqis "offended by our presence". The thing about all of them is, without thousands of foreign military advisers, or a $5.7 billion American-financed program to train and equip their forces, or endless time to get up to speed, they take their rocket-propelled grenades, their improvised explosive devices, their mortars, their bomb-laden cars, and they fight. Regularly, fiercely, often well and no less often to the death. They aren't known for running away, except in the way that guerrillas, faced with overwhelming force, disband and slip off to fight another day.
American military men, whatever they call these insurgents, have a sneaking respect for them. You can hear it in many of the reports from Iraq. They are - a typical word used by military officers there - "resilient". No matter what we throw at them, they come back again. All on their own they develop sophisticated new tactics. Facing terrible odds, when it comes to firepower, they are clever, dangerous, resourceful opponents. The adjectives, even when they go with labels like "terrorists", are strangely respectful.
Then there's this other race of Iraqis, as if from another planet - our Iraqis, the ones who scatter "like cockroaches". They are, as several recent articles on the desperately disappointing experience of training an Iraqi army reveal, not resilient, not resourceful, not up to snuff, not willing to fight, all too ready to flee, and, in the eyes of American military men on the scene, frustrating, cowardly, child-like, and contemptible.
Compare that, for instance, to the following comment on the enemy: "The ability of the [insurgents] to rebuild their units and to make good their losses is one of the mysteries of this guerrilla war ... Not only do [their] units have the recuperative powers of the phoenix, but they have an amazing ability to maintain morale." Oh sorry, that wasn't Iraq at all. That was actually General Maxwell Taylor, American ambassador to South Vietnam, in November 1964."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Mid...t/
GF17Ak02.html
------
Thomas R. McIntyre wrote:
"Some day Anon is going to wake up, and realise that all that smegma that he, she, it has been spewing is based on nothing but lies, and when (it) does figgure it out, it will be too little too late!But for now, It isn't worth the time it would take you or me to put it out of its misery!"
Thomas, lies, nothing but lies. Lets take a look at lies.
"A bright, shining lie
The error of the US in Iraq has a long pedigree. It is the imprisonment of the mind in ideology backed by violence in which every horror is seen as a mere imperfection in a beautiful larger picture. But a moment comes when the fantasy dissolves and all the "exceptions" turn out to be the rule. That's when America's grotesque misadventure in Iraq will end. -"
http://www.atimes.com/
and Anguisel - PajamaHadeen asks:
"Why would we want to be beaten down day after day for trying to have a positive outlook on life?
Beat us down for trying to do the right thing in Iraq. Personally I did not agree with attacking Iraq when we did but I damn sure support my country and I know it does not matter now how we got there we owe it to the Iraqiis and ourselves to see the job done."
Well, hope and a rosy out look is not what reality consists of.
"The American occupation of Iraq is something new, but the fundamental error of the United States has a long pedigree. It is the imprisonment of the human mind in ideology backed by violence. The classic example is Joseph Stalin's Russia, under which decades of misrule were rationalized as a "stage" on the way to the radiant future of true communism. As for the miserable present, it was amusingly called "actually existing communism". The future, when it came, of course was not communism at all but the disintegration of the whole enterprise. All the "stages" turned out to lead nowhere.
Once the mind is in the grip of such a system, every "actually existing" horror can be seen as a mere imperfection in a beautiful larger picture, every defeat a stage on the way to the glorious future. The simpler and more coherent an ideology, the better it can withstand the assault of fact. So today in Iraq, every act of torture, every flattened city, every gushing sewer, every car-bombing and beheading, is presented as a bump on the road to "freedom" for Iraq, or for the Middle East, or even for the whole world, in which President George W Bush has promised an "end to tyranny". (It's apparently a rule of ideology that the more sordid the reality, the more grandiosely splendid the eventual goal must be.)
But a moment comes - perhaps it is a sudden defeat, or perhaps it is merely reading a story like Shadid and Fainaru's - when the fantasy dissolves, and then one is left face-to-face with the factual truth. All the "exceptions" turn out to be the rule. When that happens with respect to Iraq, America's grotesque misadventure there - born of lies, sustained by lies and productive of more lies every day it continues - will be brought to a close."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Mid...t/
GF17Ak01.html
Omar, sorry to hear about your experience with the BBC. However, while the BBC is almost uniformly negative (like some of the trolls here) on the war on terror, including its Iraqi subdivision, even a stopped clock does get it right every so often, and the BBC occasionally partially makes up for its "sins."
Last night BBC World broadcast a remarkable report fully illustrating just how fighting the terrorists in Iraq makes both America and Europe safer. As the BBC reported, "Police in Spain say they've arrested sixteen suspected Islamic militants in raids across the country. Eleven of them are said to be linked to Abu Musab al-Zarkawi, the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq."
In the segment BBC reporter Frank Gardner described how "Sixteen men of North African origin were arrested, in what's said to be one of Europe's biggest counter-terrorist operations. Spain's Interior Minister spoke today of jihad and would-be suicide bombers, but their targets, he said, were not in Europe, they're in Iraq. Investigators believe they have uncovered an international network of extremists, financed and supported by robbery, drug dealing, and false documents. They say most of those arrested in Spain are linked to a cell of Islamist recruiters in Syria dedicated to sending volunteers into Iraq to fight the US-led Coalition. Five of those arrested are accused of links to last year's Madrid bombings. The remainder are accused of connections to Abu Musab al-Zarkawi, the Al Qaeda operative who's been driving the insurgency in Iraq."
One of the BBC's interviewees, Jeremy Binnie of Jane's Terrorism and Insurgency Centre, put it thusly: "The war in Iraq has minimized the threat to Europe because everyone who's Jihad-inclined wants to go fight over there. So even though some of these... the guys suspected of involvement in the train bombing have reportedly gone over to lodge themselves in Iraq. So there are these radicals sort of coming out of Europe and actually going to a different theater altogether."
Thus, the importance of the war in Iraq for keeping terrorists at bay from the centers of civilization. From Iraq's point of view, of course, it's unfortunate that the country is now the center of the jihadists' attention, but that just underscores the importance for Iraq, as an up and coming, future equal member of the democratic world community, that this war be won.
P.S. One of the funniest things read in the comments here of late has been "Ass" moaning and groaning over being banned from the group -- after he tried again and again (including against me) to get others condemned. As one of the Muslim prophets put it, "Judge not, lest thou be judged." Good going, Omar.
Oops, that "Anonymous" was me.
Kevin,
I think Omar was upset that he was asked to put in a lot of time in telephone and email correspondence yet after the article came out and he was not in it, and got no replies from a post publication email inquiry about the article. He, his brothers and his experiences are highly regarded by many people around the world and he is very brave to not hide behind aliases and in not discussing his daily routine in Bahgdad to the rest of the world. I personally believe these gentlemen would have been a great part of the story.
It is dangerous for westerners to get out and around Iraq, but I am finding a lot of awesome Iraqi's who are doing a great job of honestly reporting and doing excellent photography for westerners. They move with much less danger to them, they know a lot more about the areas, and people talk to them much more openly than westerners with concern for repercussions, etc.. I.E. the following link...
http://spencepublishing.typepad....n_the_red_zone/
All in all though, your comment is greatly appreachiated by me, especially to commenters who you will find to be very direct, honest and all those of the left who comment here to be looney!
I hope the BBC makes an honest effort in reporting in a non biased manner.
Ash, you must live a miserable life. And that miserable life will continue. Because as much bad news you true to dish out about the failures within the transition of Iraq, there are enough positives that are making the great nation on Iraq moving forward. And doing so very quickly. I know that will depress you no matter how much dirt you dig up on Iraq and Iraqis.
Whisper,
For the MoveOn/Michael Moore types who are so noisy in their criticism of anything and everything that the US is trying to do in Iraq, the issue for them is not how many of our troops may be getting killed there or anywhere else in the world on any particular day. The issue is the mere presence of our troops anywhere outside the borders of the US, which they take to be a sign of American imperialism - America being the ultimate source of all the world's ills - and an incitement to violence against us. After all, it was we who provoked Osama to attack the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, so the reasoning goes. According to their ideology, the world would be a better place if we turned in on ourselves and became the kind of country that was NICER and more LIKEABLE. Think Canada. I disagree - to put it, well, nicely.
How much longer can this go on before the rest of the world rises up and smashes the United States, regardless of the consequences?
Is it not perfectly clear by now that the great majority of Iraqis want nothing to do with the lie that is American "democracy"? Iraqis are Muslims. Their form of government is prescribed by the Quran and by Islamic law (Sharia). They wish to be governed by a strong, just ruler who will govern in accord with Sharia. Their "constitution" is the Quran, not some man-made document imposed upon them by non-Muslim invaders.
The Iraqi Resistance grows stronger with every passing day. How many more Americans must die for nothing before Bushitler and his fellow criminals are seized and turned over to the International Criminal Court for trial and execution?
America is hated and despised by the entire world. Even many brave American people are speaking up against the criminal Gulag of prisons and torture chambers maintained all over the world by the fascist Bush regiem. And to add insult to injury, the worst of these torture chambers is built on the soil of the freeest country in the Western Hemisphere, on land occupied by the American colonialists!
Even the American Congress is demanding that the American troops be withdrawn from Iraq.
IT IS OVER! STOP!!!
Impeach Bushitler!
Bring the Troops Home Now!
Power to the People!
Micheal McNeil. Good post at 11:12 AM As an Army vet of Iraq told me, "Its like we're a bug zapper in Iraq. The bugs are drawn to us and we zap them. And its better to have professionals fight them in Iraq than have them attack civilians in the US or Europe."
And as anyone with a bug zapper knows, you don't hang it over your picnic table, you put it in the area that the most bugs are.
Ash,
You talk about 2 types of Iraqis - the tough badass Iraqis who are against us and the pansy Iraqis who are for us. But many of those who are doing the car bombings and other such outrages are not Iraqis at all. They are Saudis, Yemenis, Algerians, Moroccans. They are religious fanatics who hate the idea of freedom and pluralism, not Iraqis who are part of a popular resistance that has support from the majority within the country.
"After all, it was we who provoked Osama to attack the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, so the reasoning goes."
No, I wouldn´t say it that way BUT OBL was considered a "Freedom Fighter" (as long as he kept fighting russian soldiers of course; now he is a "terrorist").
And yes, Canada is a very nice country : very high quality of life and... everyone loves Canada !
Only the willfully ignorant, the insanely deluded, and the truely evil can any longer believe that the events of 9/11/01 involved Arabs, Muslims, or "Al Queda" (if Al Queda even exists). Even high officials of the Bushitler administration are blowing the whistle.
There is no longer any doubt that 9/11 was carried out by the Amerikkkan government and the Zionist Massad.
Close the Gulag and release the innocent Muslims who have been so cruely treated by the fascist Bushitler cabal. Arrest Bushitler, his accomplices, and his Zionist masters (e.g., Sharon) and turn them over to the International Criminal Court for public trial and execution for their terrible crimes.
Impeach Bushitler!
Bring the Troops Home Now!
Power to the People!
I am reluctant to dignify the tired sceed of the Bush hater who posted at 11:27, but let me just say that if the majority of Iraqis truly did want a Taliban-style, Sharia-based form of government rather than determining their own destiny through democracy, there is no way that our troops - brilliant as they are - could have survived a single day in that country, let alone made the headway that they have in giving average Iraqis hope for a better future, incomplete though the job may be as of now. Hanging tough to get the job done, we must.
Canada can afford to be nice because, like most of Western Europe, they are free riders on America's willingness to take on the thankless job of standing up in defense of freedom and democracy in the world. Just like they can afford to have universal health care because many in the long lines of Canadians waiting for treatment in their government-run system can make a short trip over the border to the US for their health care, rather than mounting a rebellion against the system.
Thank you for that 11:49 post, Bush Hater. Any lingering doubt that you are a moonbat has now been lifted.
Michael, you say I tried to get you condemned? I'm not sure what you mean, do you mean I tried to have you banned from this place? That would be untrue. My problem with the 'ban' at this place is that it is very selective and the only people whom are banned are people who express opinions against the US involvement in Iraq. Swearing, racism, religious xenophobia are all fine, but opposition to the US's Iraqi project isn't. I find this ironic and it leads one to believe that ITM is indeed a propaganda project shilling for the US administration. Personally, I'm a big fan of free speech and I think that debate between opposing ideas is a good thing. I'm not in favor of banning anyone for thier viewpoint.
Ash
Viewpoints are one thing, but hitting below the belt is another! One can have a civilized discussion without getting down and dirty! Actions like that are what gets one banned! Not their idiology!
I think that the fact that journalists present only sensational news is a testament to the quality of writers in the media today. They can't interest people with the presentation of facts, because they haven't the talent to present facts in such a way as to interest people. Rather than relying on the development of their craft as writers to flame the significance of events, they must use blood and noise to do so. Some say that the facts alone should speak for themselves and that this is the essence of good reporting, but in the written and reported medium, I'd disagree. How you present material can be much more poignant than the material in its raw state. It's the difference between eating a few wheat stalks, choking down some beans, a raw egg, and gnawing a cane stalk and eating a nice, warm chocolate chip cookie. Same ingredients; differnt presentation.
Ben-T wrote:
"Yeah, especially if you happen to be on the Insurgency's side, where various US military operations have ravaged your command and control centers, most of your leadership is dead or captured, you have lost your capability to consistently attack Hard Targets, the people of Iraq hate you, and your kill rate against the Americans is 20:1"
"eah, Ben T, I'm sure it does suck to be an insurgent but those folks live there, it is their home, they aren't going anywhere. Take a look at what little boys with stones can do against the vast firepower of the Israeli military. But in Iraq they have so much more then stones. Take a look at what the American Military actually say about the insurgents they are facing versus what they say about thier 'allies' in the ING:"
-Anonymous
They don't need to go anywhere, they have already lost. Most of their leadership is dead or captured, various US military operations, such as Falluja and Operation: Matador have ravaged their command and control centers across Iraq, a democratically elected government runs the country and is in the purpose of drafting a Constitution, there are more ISF troops fighting in Iraq than American ones, the US is finding it's role to be increasingly in providing air and armored support for ISF infantry, the Insurgency has lost it's capability to reliably attack hard targets, and in over two years of combat in Iraq, fewer Americans have died than in one day on the beaches of Normandy.
The people of Iraq have spoken. The Insurgency is slowly bleeding to death.
Thomas, how come Waddard was banned?
Power to the People!
Oh yes, definitely power to the people but to all the people you obnoxious little ass. The people in Iraq, the people in Iran, the people in Lebanon and all the people across the Middle East, freedom has only started to whisper across this great world.
Hold on to your little whining "I'm comfortable so who cares about them," existence because this is just a beginning.
Power to the people baby and the people want to be free.
ass- pathetic,jealous,ignorant and passed by.
Ash,
You don't now much about civil debate. A lot of your friends were doing nothing but profaning. Since you have no conception of right vs wrong, there are those who do. Therefore they were banned. Now go learn what right vs wrong means.
Thanks for confirming what I've been saying RG. The ban is ideologically based.
Here is the comment that got me banned. Is that evil or what?
http://www.haloscan.com/comments...5541349/
#257768
Here is the comment that got me banned. Hitting below the belt?
"kung fu kat/missouri ™, much of our conversation is in the context of playertwo's notion that a democracy is only worth US backing if it is a democracy to the US's liking. If the Iraq government should adopt anti-american policies, according to playertwo, then it should be overthrown. Chavez was his example.
If we look at Iraq at the moment, according to your criteria, it does not qualify as a democracy. Under playertwo's criteria, it is ripe for US overthrow because the elected Shia are too close to Iran. There seem to be a whole bunch of double standards here.
From the US perspective,what is going on? Bush has put the US in an untenable position with little choice but to continue to expend Blood and Treasure with little to gain from it. A fractious and disfunctional government dominated by the Shia (close to Iran and theists) and the Kurds (separatists) with a raging insurgency are financed and supported militarily by the US. The US essentially has become a proxy army for the Shia and Kurds desires. If the US should withdraw, many believe, chaos will ensue and the Sunni will grab power again. Bush has put the US in a really bad spot, it is pretty close to a no-win situation. The only hope is to hold on and pray that a functional democracy will follow, meanwhile the US risks its economy and its military.
Ash | Email | Homepage | 05.27.05 - 3:44 pm | # "
Ash,
Omar and Mohammed read the comment threads when they can. I seem to remember one day around that date that you were posting comment after comment of the same thing, a raging comment about others being banned.
It was immature and you deserved the ban.
RG, you mean after I was banned and y'all was using 911 as a justification for everything in Iraq? My response:
"*Warning* *WARNING* *Warning*
**TERROR ALERT IS ELEVATED**
Line up behind our GLORIUS LEADER!!!
Line up behind our GLORIUS LEADER!!!
Line up behind our GLORIUS LEADER!!!"
Oh my, the horrors, the horrors.
Another Zar Cow Pee Aide Captured
Abu Talha is accused of masterminding some of the deadliest attacks against US and Iraqi forces in Mosul. Iraq's third-largest city, it has been a major front for the insurgency since November.
I have been trying to figure out what makes these spiteful, hateful uniformed people tick for a long time.
I am an American and damned proud to be,My daughter and granddaughter are strong willful and delightful. At 20 my daughter was rapped by as macho man and she lived with it alone for over a year. Perhaps the muslim world thinks that she should have been killed. Thank god her father wrapped his arms around her and held her while she cried. This is a typical American father who the whole world hates.
Do I care because the world hates me, No, I do not. I am proud of my country and my life. I will not say I am sorry because my president said after 9/11 things have to change. America did not go looking for a fight but has rarely walked away,
All the Whinners out there want me to give a rats as because we chose war. Sorry, I do not. I cry for every person who dies in this conflict, I read all the information I can and I cannot believe Iraq is not better off. Yes Innocents are dying, (How many died or were imprisoned under Saddam?)
I resent the hell out of people who come to the US and then whine how bad it is. The plane or Boat goes both ways. Get the hell out. The USA is a large melting pot of all cultures, I have no intension of allowing anyone telling me how I can worship or dress or whether I can destroy a book. My country has taken the poor and weak and hungry for almost 200 years and those who come here to bleed her need to leave and quickly to make room for people who want a better life.
And yes I can say that as I have quite a lot of American Indian blood. The stupid asses who complain constantly have probably never lifted a hand to aid their fellow man
Omar you and your brothers have worked hard to make life better for yourselves and your patients, let no man take that away and if it becomes to hard, there is always a place for you here.
God Bless
Big Apple...
HAHA Goldilocks crowd! A winner that one!
Mr. Anderson...
Good response and glad you enjoyed your new tag!
Ash and Bush Lied I want you to read Fahrenheit 451 and tell me who you think the hero is.
kthx
Thank you Kevin for taking the time to clarify what you were trying to achieve with A Day in Iraq.
It is appreciated.
It must be challenging to do reports in those conditions; danger on the grounds, political pressure and the mandate of the organisation.
Michael McNeil
http://impearls.blogspot.com/\">Impearls
http://www.haloscan.com/comments...#263711\">Tells usalso about * remarkable report by the BBC on the fight against terror.
That is encouraging.
Thx to you both.
corr. * us * also *
oops -
better looking links next time.
Thanks for confirming what I've been saying RG. The ban is ideologically based.
Here is the comment that got me banned. Is that evil or what?
http://www.haloscan.com/comments...ents...5541349/
#257768
Here is the comment that got me banned. Hitting below the belt?
"kung fu kat/missouri ™, much of our conversation is in the context of playertwo's notion that a democracy is only worth US backing if it is a democracy to the US's liking. If the Iraq government should adopt anti-american policies, according to playertwo, then it should be overthrown. Chavez was his example.
If we look at Iraq at the moment, according to your criteria, it does not qualify as a democracy. Under playertwo's criteria, it is ripe for US overthrow because the elected Shia are too close to Iran. There seem to be a whole bunch of double standards here.
From the US perspective,what is going on? Bush has put the US in an untenable position with little choice but to continue to expend Blood and Treasure with little to gain from it. A fractious and disfunctional government dominated by the Shia (close to Iran and theists) and the Kurds (separatists) with a raging insurgency are financed and supported militarily by the US. The US essentially has become a proxy army for the Shia and Kurds desires. If the US should withdraw, many believe, chaos will ensue and the Sunni will grab power again. Bush has put the US in a really bad spot, it is pretty close to a no-win situation. The only hope is to hold on and pray that a functional democracy will follow, meanwhile the US risks its economy and its military.
Ash | Email | Homepage | 05.27.05 - 3:44 pm | # "
Ash | Email | Homepage | 06.16.05 - 1:06 pm | #
Your analysis of Iraq is wholly lacking.
First off, allegations about the Iraqi Government's relationship with Iran have yet to be backed up and are still simple conjecture.
What has Bush done in little over two years in Iraq? Well let's look at the situation.
-Saddam Hussein, one of the Middle East's perennial problem causers, has been taken out of the picture. An example has been made and the neighborhood has had their pants scared off
-The USA has given itself a tactically advantageous base in the Mideast
-The Bush Doctrine's Plan for Strategic Middle East Democratization has been furthered
-A possible threat has been averted
-A democratically elected government, currently in the process of drafting a constitution, controls Iraq
-There are now more ISF troops than American ones fightin in Iraq
-Iraq's economic future appears to be booming, and the Iraqi Dinar is now catching up to the Euro in currency value
That is over two and a half years. By historicaly standards of nation building, shockingly fast progress.
But what has the insurgency accomplished? That is certainly worth looking at. Let us do so.
-Most of the Iraqi Insurgency's Major Leadership is either dead or captured
-Various US/ISF Military operations across Iraq have ravaged the Insurgency's Command and Control Centers
-The Insurgency has lost it's ability to reliably attack Hard Targets, and is now relegated to Soft Ones.
-In over two years of fighting in Iraq, the Insurgency has killed less Americans than died in one day on the beaches of Normandy
-The Insurgency now spends most of it's time attacking now coalition soldiers, but Iraqi Citizens
-According to US estimaties, Insurgent attacks since elections have dropped by twenty five percent (though media coverage has CERTAINLY gone up in that time! Hmmmm, I wonder....)
In short, Iraq is a reasonably succesfull war, and the Iraqi Insurgency is a sad failure.
haha omar the traitor deleted all my comments, that's cool but he will never shut me up.
by the way iraq population is not 35 or 25 million
Linkin | Visit my blog >>>>>
Hey Linkin - I get deleted all the time and then banned - but I can find my way around if I want. Yea - they are jokes these brothers.
one said, you have a readers more than they have viewers. well, that's right, your blog visiter are more than 400 every day. and their visiter is under 200.BUt I think that all because that you write what we need to hear, and they write what they need us to hear. this is the different.
both baghdad family and jarrar family against the war. AGAINST AMERICAN GOVERMENT
ok, what the f does that s mean?
bbc rptr emailed me and was pretty cool about it all. obviously he and she are bummed we all hate them but I tried to essplain that we're just sick of all the "unintentional near misses" the MSM "constantly and endlsessly" puts out.
I'm sorry, call me rude,but I will always be on the press's back about this war and what's going on in the ME because they need guidance.
All it takes is one sentence from Pelosi and they start just going along with "the assessment".
I got your "assessment".
We're winning.
the whole entire leftist charade is crumbling. In Iraq and everywhere else.
The Chinese and Indians are making billions off people just like the Iraqis and no one says a thing.
Freedom and leadership will NEVER be OK with the leftists and a lot of people can see through their bullshit than before.
The UK is being slowly sucken by these slime ball leftists. The BBC is the tip of a long iceberg, and its very biased.
Your blog should go out of the way to respond to the bias with one of your own, and dictate that the BBC is no longer wellcome, and that they have copyright removed. Other democrats and bloggers should join with you, and join the boycott
When the BBC apologises for its behaviour, then you can resume normal relations..
AdmV
Omar, I'm sorry you didn't get picked for the BBC spot.
However, I saw the BBC item this morning and I have to say it looks pretty positive. Here's the lead quote:
"Ava Nadir, journalist, Suleymaniya, 2010 LOCAL TIME (1610 GMT)
At the moment, I am sitting in my office garden in the middle of Suleymaniya. Things are very normal and calm here. I can go to restaurants and cafés.
Even at midnight I can walk alone and feel very safe. The Kurdistan region is one of the safest areas compared to other areas such as Baghdad and the centre of Iraq.
We Iraqis are looking forward to a new life and starting a new democratic process in our lives.'
The next quote is from an American officer, and the next one after that is an Iraqi who says "I have just returned from work. The journey home was fine..." Mateen in Dohuk says "Life here in the north has totally changed. I feel safer, we are not seeing any types of terrorist attacks or car bombs in this part of the country. ..."
There are some negative comments too; overall I think it's pretty balanced. So I guess we should let the BBC off the hook on this one. I'm still disappointed you weren't included, though.
The BBC are very very good at remaining nutral, and are still one of the best in the world at that.
But, sadly, as this and other cases prove, they still selective report stuff.
Not too support one side or another...but mearly to make things more interesting.
Too get more people watching.
Which is horrible, and unnesscerly because they are liesence-fee based.
Commenting by HaloScan
