:
Mo Feb 14
BLURRY VISION -
I mentioned in my previous remarks [see entry directly below] on Jihad Khazen's Neon-Cons series that his narrative is full of blurry material. And I wanted to give an example that illustrates this.
From the current VII chapter:
*Out of his Zionist extremism, Douglas Feith objected on the performance of Benjamin Netanyahu's government; as he is the real son of his father Dalck Feith, who was a militant in Betar, a Zionist youth movement founded by Ze'ev Jabotinsky, an admirer of Mussolini. Betar, whose members wore dark brown uniforms and spouted militaristic slogans modeled after other fascistic movements, was associated with the Revisionist Movement, which evolved in Poland to become the Herut Party, which later became the Likud Party.*
The Herut Party, he asserts, became the Likud Party. But that is factually in error. Every political party has its own platform and credo, what it stands for, what it believes in, and what it wants to try to accomplish. The Herut party was, in part, a product of a certain time and place and conditions and demography. It still exists as a separate and distinct entity apart from the Likud Party. And it even has its own website.
It is clear from Khazen's discourse that he blames the Likud party for something he attributes to the Herut party. That's like blaming the Democrats for something the Green Party said or did, while claiming that the Green Party became the Democratic Party. The Likud party is not the Herut party. They have different histories. And they are not synonymous. His series is full of this kind of "fuzzy" thinking.
What Khazen does NOT mention in that paragraph above is conspicuous in its absence: the Nazis and the Nazi genocide of the Jews. He has crafted his narrative in complete isolation from the context of reality, in this case, historical reality.
Let's return to the current Khazen piece:
*Even if Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle are more famous than Douglas Feith, the latter remains one of the most dangerous and despicable neo-conservatives. I personally held him accountable for the killing of Americans and Iraqis, and if there is a true justice, they should have been in Guantanamo Bay prison, or facing the International war crimes tribunal, which the Bush administration refuses to join it for clear reasons. Feith's resignation is not enough; he ought to be punished.*
Frankly, I worry about speech like that. Khazen describes Feith as "despicable." The intensity of Khazen's feelings concerns me. While Khazen's remarks may not constitute "a clear and present danger" vis a vis a distinct death threat, he is advocating that Feith "ought to be punished."
Thus, one wonders, what kind of punishment does he have in mind? Because throughout his series thus far, Khazen strings together insinuations by propinquity, innuendos by association, allegations and accusations. But no criminal convictions. Does Khazen have legal punishment in mind? Or does he have an extra-legal punishment in mind? Is he thinking of a courtroom environment or is he thinking of "street" justice or "rough justice?" Or is he invoking the death penalty on Faith for "killing" those he named?
While I support freedom of speech, I worry that remarks such as Khazen's "ought to be punished" may come perilously close to the Fatwa against Salman Rushdie.
:: Dar Al Hayat ::
...
Monday, February 14
Sunday, February 13
:
Su Feb 13 -
IN SEARCH OF:
VILLAINS AND SCAPEGOATS -
I think I have posted a couple of casual reactions to a series Jihad Al Khazen has been publishing at Dar Al Hayat. In case my remarks have gotten you interested in reading his series more thoroughly, the online publication does not provide a list of courtesy links to each back chapter, but you can retrieve them at Google by pasting the following query into the search box:
:: QUERY: *site:english.daralhayat.com Ayoon wa Azan +"The Neo-Cons Again" by Jihad Al Khazen*
# What was the impetus for this series? I am choosing to presume that it was his intellectual curiosity. But if you read it for yourself, you'll see that he brings some baggage to the project.
# For this series he has accumulated lots of information out of which he has tried to construct a narrative thread or story. I don't have a problem with the bulk of his information for the sake of a preliminary discussion, but, rather, I have issues with the way he connects the dots.
# In Chapter II, for example, he posits two groups: former students of a Chicago professor named Strauss and the Qaeda.
First, there is no valid parallel between these two groups which are like apples and oranges.
The first is a random group; the second has a special mutual interest which binds them together and becomes the organizing principle for their lives.
The first group is random because people sign up for a professor's course for many diverse reasons. Some may need three more credits to complete a semester requirement, some may have the time period for the class open on their schedule, and some may even sign up because a pretty blonde girl they're soft on has signed up for that class whom they'd like to get closer to so they can get to know her. The former or current students of any professor are random.
The second group has a mutual interest. The first group may not have any interests in common. But Khazen invests the random students with a special teleology from his own imagination.
So much for parallel.
Then Khazen tries to draw a moral equivalence between the two groups which is, well, beyond ridiculous.
There is no moral equivalence between random former students of a Chicago professor and a group of mass murderers who killed 3,000 office workers in cold blood by using jumbo jets as missiles on 9/11.
This is just not credible.
# The series is filled with flaws like the one described above. And it has lots of shmooshy ellisons and sloshy thinking. This may not be The Twilight Zone; but it is, at least, The Blurry Zone.
As I've mentioned before, I enjoy some of his lighter pieces. I don't normally study his more intellectual ventures. And I did not intend to delve into this series so intensely.
Try it if you're so inclined, but try to be a critical reader.
Gee, I hope I haven't ruined your Sunday.
Take it easy :-)
...
Su Feb 13 -
IN SEARCH OF:
VILLAINS AND SCAPEGOATS -
I think I have posted a couple of casual reactions to a series Jihad Al Khazen has been publishing at Dar Al Hayat. In case my remarks have gotten you interested in reading his series more thoroughly, the online publication does not provide a list of courtesy links to each back chapter, but you can retrieve them at Google by pasting the following query into the search box:
:: QUERY: *site:english.daralhayat.com Ayoon wa Azan +"The Neo-Cons Again" by Jihad Al Khazen*
# What was the impetus for this series? I am choosing to presume that it was his intellectual curiosity. But if you read it for yourself, you'll see that he brings some baggage to the project.
# For this series he has accumulated lots of information out of which he has tried to construct a narrative thread or story. I don't have a problem with the bulk of his information for the sake of a preliminary discussion, but, rather, I have issues with the way he connects the dots.
# In Chapter II, for example, he posits two groups: former students of a Chicago professor named Strauss and the Qaeda.
First, there is no valid parallel between these two groups which are like apples and oranges.
The first is a random group; the second has a special mutual interest which binds them together and becomes the organizing principle for their lives.
The first group is random because people sign up for a professor's course for many diverse reasons. Some may need three more credits to complete a semester requirement, some may have the time period for the class open on their schedule, and some may even sign up because a pretty blonde girl they're soft on has signed up for that class whom they'd like to get closer to so they can get to know her. The former or current students of any professor are random.
The second group has a mutual interest. The first group may not have any interests in common. But Khazen invests the random students with a special teleology from his own imagination.
So much for parallel.
Then Khazen tries to draw a moral equivalence between the two groups which is, well, beyond ridiculous.
There is no moral equivalence between random former students of a Chicago professor and a group of mass murderers who killed 3,000 office workers in cold blood by using jumbo jets as missiles on 9/11.
This is just not credible.
# The series is filled with flaws like the one described above. And it has lots of shmooshy ellisons and sloshy thinking. This may not be The Twilight Zone; but it is, at least, The Blurry Zone.
As I've mentioned before, I enjoy some of his lighter pieces. I don't normally study his more intellectual ventures. And I did not intend to delve into this series so intensely.
Try it if you're so inclined, but try to be a critical reader.
Gee, I hope I haven't ruined your Sunday.
Take it easy :-)
...
:
Su Feb 13 -
IRAQ CATCH-UP:
*'He came to Kirkuk from Mosul,' a source in the Kirkuk police department told Reuters news agency, speaking on the condition of anonymity. 'There's a possibility that he might be captured at any moment.'
In Kirkuk in the north, police said they were hot on the trail of Abu Musab Zarqawi, the Jordanian terrorist who has claimed responsibility for many of the worst attacks in Iraq, including the beheading of several foreign hostages.*
Robert H. Reid of AP gets you all caught up
on the latest recap of events.
:: The Washington Times ::
...
Su Feb 13 -
IRAQ CATCH-UP:
*'He came to Kirkuk from Mosul,' a source in the Kirkuk police department told Reuters news agency, speaking on the condition of anonymity. 'There's a possibility that he might be captured at any moment.'
In Kirkuk in the north, police said they were hot on the trail of Abu Musab Zarqawi, the Jordanian terrorist who has claimed responsibility for many of the worst attacks in Iraq, including the beheading of several foreign hostages.*
Robert H. Reid of AP gets you all caught up
on the latest recap of events.
:: The Washington Times ::
...
:
Su Feb 13 -
EVERYONE'S A
CRITIC THESE DAYS -
*CAIRO, Egypt: A statement in the name of the al-Qaida in Iraq terror group posted Saturday on the Internet accused Arab satellite network Al-Jazeera of trying to win U.S. favor by reporting false information about an attack the group had claimed responsibility for.*
+ Memo: Don't invite them
to the same party-- at least for a while.
:: KeralaNext ::
...
Su Feb 13 -
EVERYONE'S A
CRITIC THESE DAYS -
*CAIRO, Egypt: A statement in the name of the al-Qaida in Iraq terror group posted Saturday on the Internet accused Arab satellite network Al-Jazeera of trying to win U.S. favor by reporting false information about an attack the group had claimed responsibility for.*
+ Memo: Don't invite them
to the same party-- at least for a while.
:: KeralaNext ::
...
:
Su Feb 13 -
ADVICE OR MEDDLING?
*A mirrored ceiling in your bedroom is fine, as is driving an American car or having a facelift. Eating caviare, however, is forbidden, as is a quiet chess game.
So goes the advice dished out to millions of Iraqi Shi’ites by the nearest thing their country has to an online agony uncle: the website of the country’s most senior cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani.*
+ This is a soft, but informative, background feature piece by Colin Freeman.
:: Scotland on Sunday ::
...
Su Feb 13 -
ADVICE OR MEDDLING?
*A mirrored ceiling in your bedroom is fine, as is driving an American car or having a facelift. Eating caviare, however, is forbidden, as is a quiet chess game.
So goes the advice dished out to millions of Iraqi Shi’ites by the nearest thing their country has to an online agony uncle: the website of the country’s most senior cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani.*
+ This is a soft, but informative, background feature piece by Colin Freeman.
:: Scotland on Sunday ::
...
:
Su Feb 13 -
WITHOUT BOUNDARIES -
Jihad Al Khazen continues his "research" series on The Neo-Cons with this, his seventh chapter, from which comes the following excerpt:
*This man must be tried along with Gaffney and the rest of the neo-con cabal members, for the crimes they committed against the U.S., Iraq, Palestine, and the Arabs and Muslims everywhere.*
:: Dar Al Hayat ::
...
Su Feb 13 -
WITHOUT BOUNDARIES -
Jihad Al Khazen continues his "research" series on The Neo-Cons with this, his seventh chapter, from which comes the following excerpt:
*This man must be tried along with Gaffney and the rest of the neo-con cabal members, for the crimes they committed against the U.S., Iraq, Palestine, and the Arabs and Muslims everywhere.*
:: Dar Al Hayat ::
...
Saturday, February 12
:
Sa Feb 12 -
WEEKEND DIVERSIONS -
# This is an online comic strip I just came across. And here's what they say about it:
OK/Cancel is a comic strip collaboration co-written and co-illustrated by Kevin Cheng and Tom Chi. Our subject matter focuses on interfaces, good and bad and the people behind the industry of building interfaces - usability specialists, interaction designers, human-computer interaction (HCI) experts, industrial designers, etc.
If this sounds interesting to you,
check it out at:
:: OK/Cancel ::
# And if you run out of other entertainment this weekend, try dropping into one of my old favorites: Atom Films.
:: ATOM FILMS ::
...
Sa Feb 12 -
WEEKEND DIVERSIONS -
# This is an online comic strip I just came across. And here's what they say about it:
OK/Cancel is a comic strip collaboration co-written and co-illustrated by Kevin Cheng and Tom Chi. Our subject matter focuses on interfaces, good and bad and the people behind the industry of building interfaces - usability specialists, interaction designers, human-computer interaction (HCI) experts, industrial designers, etc.
If this sounds interesting to you,
check it out at:
:: OK/Cancel ::
# And if you run out of other entertainment this weekend, try dropping into one of my old favorites: Atom Films.
:: ATOM FILMS ::
...
:
Sa Feb 12 -
HEATHROW ARREST -
*A man arrested after arriving at Heathrow has been charged with conspiring to cause an explosion.
Salahuddin Amin, 29, had flown in from Pakistan when he was detained, police said.
[ ... ]
He will appear in custody at Bow Street Magistrates Court on Monday, Scotland Yard said.*
:: This is London ::
...
Sa Feb 12 -
HEATHROW ARREST -
*A man arrested after arriving at Heathrow has been charged with conspiring to cause an explosion.
Salahuddin Amin, 29, had flown in from Pakistan when he was detained, police said.
[ ... ]
He will appear in custody at Bow Street Magistrates Court on Monday, Scotland Yard said.*
:: This is London ::
...
Friday, February 11
:
Fr Feb 11 -
GO AWAY !
Once it was announced that Prince Charles and Camilla were going to get married, there was no end to it on our media. It was bad enough that they kept repeating it over and over again in diverse ways, but they also immediately sent in the British Brainwashing Brigade who instantly appeared on our TV screens telling us how we "have to feel."
*Even now there will be people who condemn him over his relationship with Camilla, but I think they will be in a very small minority.*
Well, you guess wrong, Mr Smarty!
They aren't my royalty; I'm an American. And I don't like people dictating to me how I have to feel! I have a right to feel any way I want to about it. And I happen to think this is very tacky.
Why tacky? Because she was alleged to have been so active in destroying his first marriage.
I just want them to disappear from my TV screen. I heard the announcement enough already. How long are they going to take over my viewing space?
*Today, it is clear that most people - partly as a result of some astute media management - recognise that they are now a genuine item.*
It's the part about the "astute media management" that severely aggravates me. It looked a lot like brainwashing to me. Thanks, but no thanks.
In addition to the tackiness, this event just fuels the conspiracy theories about how Diana so conveniently disappeared as an impediment to their marriage. The rumours were rife anyway; now they'll be proliferating. You probably couldn't sell it in a movie script because many people would find this chain of events too seemingly contrived.
Sorry to rain on your parade, Dude! But a simple announcement would have sufficed.
I'd like to skip the British Brainwashing Brigade.
:: By J Dimbleby - The Guardian ::
...
Fr Feb 11 -
GO AWAY !
Once it was announced that Prince Charles and Camilla were going to get married, there was no end to it on our media. It was bad enough that they kept repeating it over and over again in diverse ways, but they also immediately sent in the British Brainwashing Brigade who instantly appeared on our TV screens telling us how we "have to feel."
*Even now there will be people who condemn him over his relationship with Camilla, but I think they will be in a very small minority.*
Well, you guess wrong, Mr Smarty!
They aren't my royalty; I'm an American. And I don't like people dictating to me how I have to feel! I have a right to feel any way I want to about it. And I happen to think this is very tacky.
Why tacky? Because she was alleged to have been so active in destroying his first marriage.
I just want them to disappear from my TV screen. I heard the announcement enough already. How long are they going to take over my viewing space?
*Today, it is clear that most people - partly as a result of some astute media management - recognise that they are now a genuine item.*
It's the part about the "astute media management" that severely aggravates me. It looked a lot like brainwashing to me. Thanks, but no thanks.
In addition to the tackiness, this event just fuels the conspiracy theories about how Diana so conveniently disappeared as an impediment to their marriage. The rumours were rife anyway; now they'll be proliferating. You probably couldn't sell it in a movie script because many people would find this chain of events too seemingly contrived.
Sorry to rain on your parade, Dude! But a simple announcement would have sufficed.
I'd like to skip the British Brainwashing Brigade.
:: By J Dimbleby - The Guardian ::
...
:
Fr Feb 11 -
CLARIFICATION -
Al-Jazeera denies Fox buyout -
*PESHAWAR: A satirical narrative carried
recently by the media in the West,
where Fox News Channel is shown
buying Al-Jazeera, was unfortunately
understood to be factually correct
by a section of Pakistan's media...*
:: Daily Times - PK ::
...
Fr Feb 11 -
CLARIFICATION -
Al-Jazeera denies Fox buyout -
*PESHAWAR: A satirical narrative carried
recently by the media in the West,
where Fox News Channel is shown
buying Al-Jazeera, was unfortunately
understood to be factually correct
by a section of Pakistan's media...*
:: Daily Times - PK ::
...
:
Fr Feb 11 -
CHURCHILL LINKS -
Someone has collected a lot of links
related to Prof Ward Churchill.
If you're interested in reading more about
him, you might want to look into this:
:: ABOUT WC ::
-- via LGF --
...
Fr Feb 11 -
CHURCHILL LINKS -
Someone has collected a lot of links
related to Prof Ward Churchill.
If you're interested in reading more about
him, you might want to look into this:
:: ABOUT WC ::
-- via LGF --
...
Thursday, February 10
:
Th Feb 10 -
MORE Z*GORAMA -
Nu, it's in the air . . .
UFO's ALSO LOYAL TO ISRAEL -
Jihad Al Khazen reports that
Dr Stephen Bryen had a COSMIC
Level Security Clearance
[ie: suitable for Groom Lake, etc].
Nevertheless, Khazen insists:
NOT a conspiracy!
*while the final goal of the members of the neo-cons mob is to serve Israel, on the account of the American interests and all other interests. I do not think there is a conspiracy in their work, as one of the essential criteria of a conspiracy is secrecy, and these men speak openly.*
There's a whole cast of characters here, including Perle, Ledeen and Wolfowitz. Keeping up with these neo-cons could occupy you for the entire weekend. And you've got a headstart now because it's still only Thursday today. But aren't you exhausted just thinking about it?!
:: From Dar Al Hayat ::
...
Th Feb 10 -
MORE Z*GORAMA -
Nu, it's in the air . . .
UFO's ALSO LOYAL TO ISRAEL -
Jihad Al Khazen reports that
Dr Stephen Bryen had a COSMIC
Level Security Clearance
[ie: suitable for Groom Lake, etc].
Nevertheless, Khazen insists:
NOT a conspiracy!
*while the final goal of the members of the neo-cons mob is to serve Israel, on the account of the American interests and all other interests. I do not think there is a conspiracy in their work, as one of the essential criteria of a conspiracy is secrecy, and these men speak openly.*
There's a whole cast of characters here, including Perle, Ledeen and Wolfowitz. Keeping up with these neo-cons could occupy you for the entire weekend. And you've got a headstart now because it's still only Thursday today. But aren't you exhausted just thinking about it?!
:: From Dar Al Hayat ::
...
:
Th Feb 10 -
WAR BLOG INTO BOOK -
G.P. Putnam's Sons is publishing the personal experiences of twenty-eight-year-old U.S. Army soldier Colby Buzzell. His book, 'My War,' began as a weblog...
World and audio rights to My War have been acquired by David Highfill, Senior Editor, G.P. Putnam's Sons, from literary agent Heather Schroder at ICM. Putnam will publish the book in hardcover in fall 2005, with a paperback edition to be published by Berkley in 2006...
Esquire magazine will be publishing a chapter from the book in its March, 2005 issue.
:: Stryker Brigade News ::
...
Th Feb 10 -
WAR BLOG INTO BOOK -
G.P. Putnam's Sons is publishing the personal experiences of twenty-eight-year-old U.S. Army soldier Colby Buzzell. His book, 'My War,' began as a weblog...
World and audio rights to My War have been acquired by David Highfill, Senior Editor, G.P. Putnam's Sons, from literary agent Heather Schroder at ICM. Putnam will publish the book in hardcover in fall 2005, with a paperback edition to be published by Berkley in 2006...
Esquire magazine will be publishing a chapter from the book in its March, 2005 issue.
:: Stryker Brigade News ::
...
:
Th Feb 10 -
BANKROLLING "FREE" SPEECH -
*When controversial scholar Ward Churchill tried to speak last week at Hamilton College, a number of contributors to the institution answered with a message that's gaining currency from New York to Nevada: not on our dime.*
:: Donors - CSMonitor ::
-- By G. Jeffrey MacDonald --
...
Th Feb 10 -
BANKROLLING "FREE" SPEECH -
*When controversial scholar Ward Churchill tried to speak last week at Hamilton College, a number of contributors to the institution answered with a message that's gaining currency from New York to Nevada: not on our dime.*
:: Donors - CSMonitor ::
-- By G. Jeffrey MacDonald --
...
Wednesday, February 9
:
We Feb 9 -
CHURCHILL: NEVER BACK DOWN -
*Boulder: Met by wild applause Tuesday night from hundreds of supporters, controversial University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill strongly attacked Gov. Bill Owens and the CU Board of Regents and said he would never back down from his comparison of some 9/11 victims to Nazi Adolf Eichmann.*
:: From The Denver Post ::
...
We Feb 9 -
CHURCHILL: NEVER BACK DOWN -
*Boulder: Met by wild applause Tuesday night from hundreds of supporters, controversial University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill strongly attacked Gov. Bill Owens and the CU Board of Regents and said he would never back down from his comparison of some 9/11 victims to Nazi Adolf Eichmann.*
:: From The Denver Post ::
...
:
We Feb 9 -
Q8 MILITANT
DIES IN CUSTODY -
*The alleged leader of a cell
accused of plots to kidnap US
soldiers and other Westerners
in Kuwait has died in custody,
Kuwaiti officials say.
Amer Khlaif al-Enezi died on
Tuesday of heart failure,
interior ministry officials said.*
+ They should do an autopsy
test on him for drugs. Maybe
he was taking speed or such.
:: From BBC NEWS ::
...
We Feb 9 -
Q8 MILITANT
DIES IN CUSTODY -
*The alleged leader of a cell
accused of plots to kidnap US
soldiers and other Westerners
in Kuwait has died in custody,
Kuwaiti officials say.
Amer Khlaif al-Enezi died on
Tuesday of heart failure,
interior ministry officials said.*
+ They should do an autopsy
test on him for drugs. Maybe
he was taking speed or such.
:: From BBC NEWS ::
...
:
We Feb 9 -
FREE SPIRIT TV JOURNO WHACKED -
*Abdul Hussein al-Basri, correspondent
of Al-Hurra, and his son were both killed
in the Maqal area of Basra, 340 miles
southeast of Baghdad, said Nazim
al Moussawi, a spokesman for the
local government administration.*
:: AP via Guardian ::
...
We Feb 9 -
FREE SPIRIT TV JOURNO WHACKED -
*Abdul Hussein al-Basri, correspondent
of Al-Hurra, and his son were both killed
in the Maqal area of Basra, 340 miles
southeast of Baghdad, said Nazim
al Moussawi, a spokesman for the
local government administration.*
:: AP via Guardian ::
...
:
We Feb 9 -
MORE Z*G DITHER EXPECTED -
Now that Douglas Feith is going to be history in the Bush Administration, you may have thought that everything would settle down, the conspiracy theorists would take a hiatus, and the public would just go about its business without having to cope with complex plots. But, if that's what you thought... you guessed wrong!
Because Elliot Abrams is back,
and Islam Online has got him:
*Embodying neo-conservatism perhaps more than any other neoconservative, Elliot Abrams will be assigned with promoting democracy and freedom abroad in line with the Bush administration's Greater Middle East and North Africa Initiative...
Jewish Abrams is the author of the book: Faith or Fear: How Jews Can Survive in a Christian America.*
:: Islam Online - News Section ::
-- By Adam Wild Aba --
+ I have no idea why the Bush Administration would do this, but this appointment may keep the conspiracy theorists busy enough so that they stay out of some other people's way. Errr, maybe that's the point.
Speaking of conspiracies and the like, is the James Bond movie position still open? I'd heard that it was temporarily filled, but the candidate didn't work out. If the role is still open, I'd like to nominate Adrian Paul to fill it. I think that Paul has worked very hard over the years, what with all that swordplay and fight choreography, so he's earned it. How come I don't hear his name being bandied about for the role? To whom are we supposed to submit this proposal? I dunno, but give it some thought, will you.
...
We Feb 9 -
MORE Z*G DITHER EXPECTED -
Now that Douglas Feith is going to be history in the Bush Administration, you may have thought that everything would settle down, the conspiracy theorists would take a hiatus, and the public would just go about its business without having to cope with complex plots. But, if that's what you thought... you guessed wrong!
Because Elliot Abrams is back,
and Islam Online has got him:
*Embodying neo-conservatism perhaps more than any other neoconservative, Elliot Abrams will be assigned with promoting democracy and freedom abroad in line with the Bush administration's Greater Middle East and North Africa Initiative...
Jewish Abrams is the author of the book: Faith or Fear: How Jews Can Survive in a Christian America.*
:: Islam Online - News Section ::
-- By Adam Wild Aba --
+ I have no idea why the Bush Administration would do this, but this appointment may keep the conspiracy theorists busy enough so that they stay out of some other people's way. Errr, maybe that's the point.
Speaking of conspiracies and the like, is the James Bond movie position still open? I'd heard that it was temporarily filled, but the candidate didn't work out. If the role is still open, I'd like to nominate Adrian Paul to fill it. I think that Paul has worked very hard over the years, what with all that swordplay and fight choreography, so he's earned it. How come I don't hear his name being bandied about for the role? To whom are we supposed to submit this proposal? I dunno, but give it some thought, will you.
...
:
We Feb 9 -
INTERNET SPAT -
*Juan Cole has taken some delight in smashing pundit Jonah Goldberg, who ventured a one-paragraph criticism of Cole's take on the Iraqi elections. Cole hammered back that Goldberg knows no Arabic, has no Iraq expertise, hasn't lived in an Arab country, etc. The spat has been all over the weblogs...*
:: From M Kramer's Sandbox ::
...
We Feb 9 -
INTERNET SPAT -
*Juan Cole has taken some delight in smashing pundit Jonah Goldberg, who ventured a one-paragraph criticism of Cole's take on the Iraqi elections. Cole hammered back that Goldberg knows no Arabic, has no Iraq expertise, hasn't lived in an Arab country, etc. The spat has been all over the weblogs...*
:: From M Kramer's Sandbox ::
...
:
We Feb 9 -
SNOWING IN MIDEAST -
*AMMAN: Snow showers, heavy rain and high winds gripped the Holy Land and Middle East countries on Tuesday, paralysing life in some areas but also bringing welcome relief to drought-hit regions.
Snow fell in the Jordanian capital and most regions of the desert kingdom, blocking off several roads into Amman, where schools kept their doors shut and police advised residents to stay indoors...
Snow fell on Jerusalem for the first time this winter as well as in northern Israel...*
Middle East Online
...
We Feb 9 -
SNOWING IN MIDEAST -
*AMMAN: Snow showers, heavy rain and high winds gripped the Holy Land and Middle East countries on Tuesday, paralysing life in some areas but also bringing welcome relief to drought-hit regions.
Snow fell in the Jordanian capital and most regions of the desert kingdom, blocking off several roads into Amman, where schools kept their doors shut and police advised residents to stay indoors...
Snow fell on Jerusalem for the first time this winter as well as in northern Israel...*
Middle East Online
...
Tuesday, February 8
:
Tu Feb 8 -
ISLAMIST WEB STALKERS -
Jeremy Reynalds, a Christian aid worker, ... apparently has been targeted for death by contributors to an Islamist website...
Reynalds' emergency homeless shelter is the largest in New Mexico... He wrote about the demise of a website called mawsuat.com in a January article.
Posting on the Houston-based website Al Ansar, the Islamists blamed Reynalds... for the demise of mawsuat.
::WND - Islamists threaten ::
...
Tu Feb 8 -
ISLAMIST WEB STALKERS -
Jeremy Reynalds, a Christian aid worker, ... apparently has been targeted for death by contributors to an Islamist website...
Reynalds' emergency homeless shelter is the largest in New Mexico... He wrote about the demise of a website called mawsuat.com in a January article.
Posting on the Houston-based website Al Ansar, the Islamists blamed Reynalds... for the demise of mawsuat.
::WND - Islamists threaten ::
...
:
Tu Feb 8 -
PK PHONE SYS BOMBED -
*QUETTA: Unknown saboteurs blew up a telephone tower on Monday; as a result all four local exchanges of Barkhan District came to a standstill while a bomb blast took place in the outskirts of the provincial capital of Quetta on Monday, however, no one was injured.
Meanwhile, some miscreants also blew up Quetta-Chaman railway track. Baloch People's Liberation Front, a new organisation, claimed responsibility for the attacks and for destroying the telephone system.*
:: Pakistan Times ::
...
Tu Feb 8 -
PK PHONE SYS BOMBED -
*QUETTA: Unknown saboteurs blew up a telephone tower on Monday; as a result all four local exchanges of Barkhan District came to a standstill while a bomb blast took place in the outskirts of the provincial capital of Quetta on Monday, however, no one was injured.
Meanwhile, some miscreants also blew up Quetta-Chaman railway track. Baloch People's Liberation Front, a new organisation, claimed responsibility for the attacks and for destroying the telephone system.*
:: Pakistan Times ::
...
:
Tu Feb 8 -
HOFSTAD EXTREMISTS -
*Twelve Muslims arrested in Holland have been accused of threatening to kill prominent politicians critical of Islam...
Prosecutors, speaking at a pre-trial hearing of the men, said last year's arrests had foiled further attacks.
The group, aged 18 to 27, are suspected of belonging to the extremist Muslim group Hofstad...
...copies of the letter found pinned to Van Gogh's chest with a knife that threatened leading Dutch politicians were found on computers owned by several of the suspects.*
:: From SkyNews ::
...
Tu Feb 8 -
HOFSTAD EXTREMISTS -
*Twelve Muslims arrested in Holland have been accused of threatening to kill prominent politicians critical of Islam...
Prosecutors, speaking at a pre-trial hearing of the men, said last year's arrests had foiled further attacks.
The group, aged 18 to 27, are suspected of belonging to the extremist Muslim group Hofstad...
...copies of the letter found pinned to Van Gogh's chest with a knife that threatened leading Dutch politicians were found on computers owned by several of the suspects.*
:: From SkyNews ::
...
:
M/Tu Feb 8 -
COUCH POTATO ALERT -
FRONTLINE TV: House of Saud -
Tues Feb 8 at 9 pm EST [U.S.]
*The House of Saud has controlled every aspect of Saudi life and politics since the kingdom was established in 1932. But outside the Desert Kingdom, little is known about Saudi Arabia's secretive royal family. In "House of Saud," FRONTLINE explores how the Al Saud family maintains its hold on power in the face of growing tensions between Islam and modernity. Through interviews with members of the royal family, government officials, and other experts from Saudi Arabia and the U.S., the two-hour documentary also traces America's relations with the Saudi royal family from their first alliance in the 1930s through September 11 and beyond to the present day.*
:: FRONTLINE HOMEPAGE ::
:: HoS Program Page ::
...
M/Tu Feb 8 -
COUCH POTATO ALERT -
FRONTLINE TV: House of Saud -
Tues Feb 8 at 9 pm EST [U.S.]
*The House of Saud has controlled every aspect of Saudi life and politics since the kingdom was established in 1932. But outside the Desert Kingdom, little is known about Saudi Arabia's secretive royal family. In "House of Saud," FRONTLINE explores how the Al Saud family maintains its hold on power in the face of growing tensions between Islam and modernity. Through interviews with members of the royal family, government officials, and other experts from Saudi Arabia and the U.S., the two-hour documentary also traces America's relations with the Saudi royal family from their first alliance in the 1930s through September 11 and beyond to the present day.*
:: FRONTLINE HOMEPAGE ::
:: HoS Program Page ::
...
Monday, February 7
:
Mo Feb 7 -
HERE COMES THE CANDYMAN -
*A Kuwaiti Interior Ministry official confirmed a report that militant suspects captured in recent police raids confessed to planning to use ice cream trucks packed with explosives to attack US military convoys traveling to Iraq...
On Sunday, most of the vans had disappeared from major highways and increased numbers of police cars were monitoring the roads. The snack vans, which also sell ice, are common on highways at this time of year when many Kuwaitis drive into the desert to camp...
One woman captured Saturday, who was identified as a "non-Kuwaiti," was "hiding a machine-gun under her abaya," according to an official...
In other news, security forces have been strategizing to arrest Khaled Al-Dousari and another wanted mastermind terrorist Mohsen Al-Fadhli... The same sources said Dousari is holding three passports-- Kuwaiti, Saudi and Iraqi-- all bearing different names...
It was also reported that the terrorists are financed by a Saudi citizen, [only] identified as Abu Zaid.*
-- Excerpts with redactions from:
:: ARAB TIMES - KUWAIT :::
...
Mo Feb 7 -
HERE COMES THE CANDYMAN -
*A Kuwaiti Interior Ministry official confirmed a report that militant suspects captured in recent police raids confessed to planning to use ice cream trucks packed with explosives to attack US military convoys traveling to Iraq...
On Sunday, most of the vans had disappeared from major highways and increased numbers of police cars were monitoring the roads. The snack vans, which also sell ice, are common on highways at this time of year when many Kuwaitis drive into the desert to camp...
One woman captured Saturday, who was identified as a "non-Kuwaiti," was "hiding a machine-gun under her abaya," according to an official...
In other news, security forces have been strategizing to arrest Khaled Al-Dousari and another wanted mastermind terrorist Mohsen Al-Fadhli... The same sources said Dousari is holding three passports-- Kuwaiti, Saudi and Iraqi-- all bearing different names...
It was also reported that the terrorists are financed by a Saudi citizen, [only] identified as Abu Zaid.*
-- Excerpts with redactions from:
:: ARAB TIMES - KUWAIT :::
...
Saturday, February 5
:
Sa Feb 5 -
BOOK FAIR ARRESTS -
*The three activists who were arrested at the [Cairo] Book Fair were accused of possessing leaflets that incite hatred of the regime, a catchall charge that is frequently levelled against political activists. Sahhary was also accused of resisting arrest. The three were remanded in custody for 15 days pending investigations. The leaflets in question were invitations to a 4 February demonstration organised by the Egyptian Popular Movement for Change (EPMC) against President Hosni Mubarak's re-nomination for a fifth presidential term. All three denied the charges.*
-- Amira Howeidy --
:: Al-Ahram Weekly - Egypt ::
...
Sa Feb 5 -
BOOK FAIR ARRESTS -
*The three activists who were arrested at the [Cairo] Book Fair were accused of possessing leaflets that incite hatred of the regime, a catchall charge that is frequently levelled against political activists. Sahhary was also accused of resisting arrest. The three were remanded in custody for 15 days pending investigations. The leaflets in question were invitations to a 4 February demonstration organised by the Egyptian Popular Movement for Change (EPMC) against President Hosni Mubarak's re-nomination for a fifth presidential term. All three denied the charges.*
-- Amira Howeidy --
:: Al-Ahram Weekly - Egypt ::
...
:
Sa Feb 5 -
Q8: HOT ICE ~
Here's Da Plan . . .
Kuwaiti security forces are hunting several key militant suspects after a recent spate of al-Qaeda-linked violence in the state. Militant suicide bombers had been planning to target US convoys and other US citizens in the country.
Amer Khlaif Al-Enezi confessed he had enough explosives to wire 10 cars and explode them minutes apart to confuse authorities, and the priority was for American targets, the pro-government Al-Anba Daily quoted a security source as saying...
According to Al-Anba, the group trained on using weapons and making explosives in the Kuwaiti desert. Many of them, including Al-Enezi’s brother, Nasser, trained on wiring cars in Iraq. The brother was killed in a clash on Jan 30.
The ringleader reportedly said the group’s ultimate aim was to set up an "Islamic emirate" in Kuwait...
Al-Enezi claimed that the money came from a Saudi national named Sulaiman Al-Ghamidi... And it was reported that the weapons were smuggled into Kuwait from Iraq via Saudi Arabia.
Investigations also revealed the Ministry of Interior has ordered all stationary vehicles off the road, particularly routes used by military convoys, after it was learnt that the terrorists were planning to plant explosives in trucks used to carry ice and then detonate them as the military convoys approach...
A security source also quoted Amer as telling interrogators that securitymen will not be able to arrest Mohsen Al-Fadhli alive because he always wears a belt around his waist laden with explosives...
Apparently, the trouble all started for Amer when he gave a sermon titled "Fallujah," calling on the people of Kuwait to support the people of Fallujah and criticizing the US attacks against the city...
Speaking about action taken against the former secretary-general of the Salafist movement, Hamid Al-Ali, Al-Shihab said Ali was a volunteer in the ministry and had earlier been suspended from work for posting radical ideas on the Internet...
Since then the ministry has been keeping a watch on preachers to ascertain they do not go astray... and so far, has terminated the services of 12 imams for not complying with rules and regulations set by the ministry.
-- Excerpts from an article at:
:: The Arab Times of KUWAIT ::
+ Question: Is the Al-Ghamidi allegedly identified above a member of the Saudi Al-Ghamdi Family, which has been described as rich and powerful? Is "Al-Ghamidi" a spelling variant of "Al-Ghamdi" when transliterated into English? This needs some clarification. A medical student named Al-Ghamdi blew up the mess hall in Mosul. And, it was reported, some of the 9/11 bombers were also named Al-Ghamdi. Just a puzzling point.
...
Sa Feb 5 -
Q8: HOT ICE ~
Here's Da Plan . . .
Kuwaiti security forces are hunting several key militant suspects after a recent spate of al-Qaeda-linked violence in the state. Militant suicide bombers had been planning to target US convoys and other US citizens in the country.
Amer Khlaif Al-Enezi confessed he had enough explosives to wire 10 cars and explode them minutes apart to confuse authorities, and the priority was for American targets, the pro-government Al-Anba Daily quoted a security source as saying...
According to Al-Anba, the group trained on using weapons and making explosives in the Kuwaiti desert. Many of them, including Al-Enezi’s brother, Nasser, trained on wiring cars in Iraq. The brother was killed in a clash on Jan 30.
The ringleader reportedly said the group’s ultimate aim was to set up an "Islamic emirate" in Kuwait...
Al-Enezi claimed that the money came from a Saudi national named Sulaiman Al-Ghamidi... And it was reported that the weapons were smuggled into Kuwait from Iraq via Saudi Arabia.
Investigations also revealed the Ministry of Interior has ordered all stationary vehicles off the road, particularly routes used by military convoys, after it was learnt that the terrorists were planning to plant explosives in trucks used to carry ice and then detonate them as the military convoys approach...
A security source also quoted Amer as telling interrogators that securitymen will not be able to arrest Mohsen Al-Fadhli alive because he always wears a belt around his waist laden with explosives...
Apparently, the trouble all started for Amer when he gave a sermon titled "Fallujah," calling on the people of Kuwait to support the people of Fallujah and criticizing the US attacks against the city...
Speaking about action taken against the former secretary-general of the Salafist movement, Hamid Al-Ali, Al-Shihab said Ali was a volunteer in the ministry and had earlier been suspended from work for posting radical ideas on the Internet...
Since then the ministry has been keeping a watch on preachers to ascertain they do not go astray... and so far, has terminated the services of 12 imams for not complying with rules and regulations set by the ministry.
-- Excerpts from an article at:
:: The Arab Times of KUWAIT ::
+ Question: Is the Al-Ghamidi allegedly identified above a member of the Saudi Al-Ghamdi Family, which has been described as rich and powerful? Is "Al-Ghamidi" a spelling variant of "Al-Ghamdi" when transliterated into English? This needs some clarification. A medical student named Al-Ghamdi blew up the mess hall in Mosul. And, it was reported, some of the 9/11 bombers were also named Al-Ghamdi. Just a puzzling point.
...
:
Sa Feb 5 -
MUSHIE MEMOIRS: FALL 06 -
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has sold the rights to his political memoir, which will feature his views on the US war on terrorism and the Bush administration, to Simon & Schuster imprint Free Press. Musharraf showed his proposal to several New York publishers before accepting this bid. Simon & Schuster is a unit of Viacom Inc. The book will be published in fall 2006, according to Reuters...
:: KuwaitTimes ::
...
Sa Feb 5 -
MUSHIE MEMOIRS: FALL 06 -
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has sold the rights to his political memoir, which will feature his views on the US war on terrorism and the Bush administration, to Simon & Schuster imprint Free Press. Musharraf showed his proposal to several New York publishers before accepting this bid. Simon & Schuster is a unit of Viacom Inc. The book will be published in fall 2006, according to Reuters...
:: KuwaitTimes ::
...
Friday, February 4
:
Fr Feb 4 -
MORE INFO THAN
YOU CAN HANDLE -
*Britain's secret X-files
have revealed a flurry of
UFO activity in the last two
weeks, it was revealed today.*
:: ThisisLondon ::
...
Fr Feb 4 -
MORE INFO THAN
YOU CAN HANDLE -
*Britain's secret X-files
have revealed a flurry of
UFO activity in the last two
weeks, it was revealed today.*
:: ThisisLondon ::
...
:
Fr Feb 4 -
OPEN INTEL WEB SITES -
*On Wednesday, a visitor to ansarnet.ws posted a grainy photograph purporting to show a kidnapped U.S. soldier dressed in desert fatigues, wearing a vest and knee pads. A gun was held to the soldier's head. But the photo turned out to depict 'Cody,' a U.S.-made toy action figure...
The ansarnet.ws site, the Internet bulletin board that carried the toy soldier hoax, also features posts from Iraqi rebels and sympathizers from places like Saudi Arabia, Jordan and even Bosnia.*
:: Insurgency-friendly Web sites ::
-- By Jim Krane - AP via Detnews --
...
Fr Feb 4 -
OPEN INTEL WEB SITES -
*On Wednesday, a visitor to ansarnet.ws posted a grainy photograph purporting to show a kidnapped U.S. soldier dressed in desert fatigues, wearing a vest and knee pads. A gun was held to the soldier's head. But the photo turned out to depict 'Cody,' a U.S.-made toy action figure...
The ansarnet.ws site, the Internet bulletin board that carried the toy soldier hoax, also features posts from Iraqi rebels and sympathizers from places like Saudi Arabia, Jordan and even Bosnia.*
:: Insurgency-friendly Web sites ::
-- By Jim Krane - AP via Detnews --
...
:
Fr Feb 4 -
WEBSITE THREATENS Q8 -
*A website statement posted Tuesday in the name of a previously unknown militant group promised to carry on its fight against the Kuwaiti government and the United States despite the arrest of a Kuwaiti Islamic militant during fierce clashes with Kuwaiti police.
There was no way to verify the authenticity of the statement, which the group noted was its first...
"Don't think even the thought that we are finished following the arrest of Sheik Amer Khlaif al-Enezi, God grant him freedom. We have only began," the group said, addressing Kuwaiti state security. "God willing, the raids will include you. You will regret it, you pigs of Al Sabah (ruling family in Kuwait), you servants of the Americans."*
:: Sarah El-Deeb - AP via Canoe ::
* * * * *
Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah dismissed the threat against Kuwait posted on an Islamist website Tuesday.
"Let them say what they wish. We will hunt them down everywhere," he told reporters after the parliamentary debate.
The Internet statement had threatened the Kuwaiti authorities with a "fierce war in which many innocent people will lose their lives."
Unless "the infidels, including America and other occupying troops" leave Kuwait, "it will be the end of your tyranny," it warned.*
:: By Omar Hasan at MEO ::
...
Fr Feb 4 -
WEBSITE THREATENS Q8 -
*A website statement posted Tuesday in the name of a previously unknown militant group promised to carry on its fight against the Kuwaiti government and the United States despite the arrest of a Kuwaiti Islamic militant during fierce clashes with Kuwaiti police.
There was no way to verify the authenticity of the statement, which the group noted was its first...
"Don't think even the thought that we are finished following the arrest of Sheik Amer Khlaif al-Enezi, God grant him freedom. We have only began," the group said, addressing Kuwaiti state security. "God willing, the raids will include you. You will regret it, you pigs of Al Sabah (ruling family in Kuwait), you servants of the Americans."*
:: Sarah El-Deeb - AP via Canoe ::
* * * * *
Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah dismissed the threat against Kuwait posted on an Islamist website Tuesday.
"Let them say what they wish. We will hunt them down everywhere," he told reporters after the parliamentary debate.
The Internet statement had threatened the Kuwaiti authorities with a "fierce war in which many innocent people will lose their lives."
Unless "the infidels, including America and other occupying troops" leave Kuwait, "it will be the end of your tyranny," it warned.*
:: By Omar Hasan at MEO ::
...
:
Fr Feb 4 -
Q8: THE PENINSULA LIONS -
*Meanwhile, interrogations with Amer Khlaif Al-Enezi, believed to be the leader of the so-called Peninsula Lions revealed the two fugitives Mohsen Al-Fadhli and Khalid Al-Dousari played key roles in offering protection and logistic services to members of terrorist cells by providing them food, ammunition and moving them from place to place...
"We must locate the intellectual roots of this problem, their internal and external causes, psychological and security behaviours, international policies and religious beliefs, if we want to identify such misguided ideologies and their sources," Dr Awadi continued...
"What is needed is to cut off the snake’s head, namely the masters of terror and all those who propagate for terror in mosques and the media," he [Ali Al-Baghli] said...
...liberal activist Ahmed Al-Rubei called for the questioning of political groups which harbour hardline ideology. "We want to know which political group is harbouring this ideology … We want to know from where they raised all these funds that helped them to arm"...
+ This is from a longish article with a rather dense, but informative, text and a smallish font which you may need to enlarge in order to read comfortably.
:: ARAB TIMES : KUWAIT ::
-- By Moamen Al-Masri et al --
...
Fr Feb 4 -
Q8: THE PENINSULA LIONS -
*Meanwhile, interrogations with Amer Khlaif Al-Enezi, believed to be the leader of the so-called Peninsula Lions revealed the two fugitives Mohsen Al-Fadhli and Khalid Al-Dousari played key roles in offering protection and logistic services to members of terrorist cells by providing them food, ammunition and moving them from place to place...
"We must locate the intellectual roots of this problem, their internal and external causes, psychological and security behaviours, international policies and religious beliefs, if we want to identify such misguided ideologies and their sources," Dr Awadi continued...
"What is needed is to cut off the snake’s head, namely the masters of terror and all those who propagate for terror in mosques and the media," he [Ali Al-Baghli] said...
...liberal activist Ahmed Al-Rubei called for the questioning of political groups which harbour hardline ideology. "We want to know which political group is harbouring this ideology … We want to know from where they raised all these funds that helped them to arm"...
+ This is from a longish article with a rather dense, but informative, text and a smallish font which you may need to enlarge in order to read comfortably.
:: ARAB TIMES : KUWAIT ::
-- By Moamen Al-Masri et al --
...
Tuesday, February 1
:
M/Tu Feb 1 -
REACTIONS TO THE IQ CHANGE -
*American democracy is a damaged
good that the United States is trying
to spread across the world in the
interests of domination, oppression and
obscurantism,' Cairo daily Al-Akhbar said.*
:: AFP/YahooNews ::
...
M/Tu Feb 1 -
REACTIONS TO THE IQ CHANGE -
*American democracy is a damaged
good that the United States is trying
to spread across the world in the
interests of domination, oppression and
obscurantism,' Cairo daily Al-Akhbar said.*
:: AFP/YahooNews ::
...
:
M/Tu Feb 1 -
RIYADH MUNI ELECTIONS -
*It's election time in Riyadh. The tone in the capital and its suburbs is charged with sloganeering and promises, as the 1,828 candidates have launched the election campaign on Saturday.
A number of tents on the roadside across the city, billboards displaying candidates pictures with election slogans and voters moving from one tent to another is a common sight in the capital. All the commotion is aimed at electing half of the 14-member Municipal Council on February 10...
From the 400,000 eligible voters in Riyadh Region around 149,000 have registered in the month-long registration that ended December 23, 2004...
Almost all the candidates have launched websites announcing their election promises and plans, should they be elected to serve the community.*
-- By Shahid Ali Khan --
:: Saudi Gazette Online ::
...
M/Tu Feb 1 -
RIYADH MUNI ELECTIONS -
*It's election time in Riyadh. The tone in the capital and its suburbs is charged with sloganeering and promises, as the 1,828 candidates have launched the election campaign on Saturday.
A number of tents on the roadside across the city, billboards displaying candidates pictures with election slogans and voters moving from one tent to another is a common sight in the capital. All the commotion is aimed at electing half of the 14-member Municipal Council on February 10...
From the 400,000 eligible voters in Riyadh Region around 149,000 have registered in the month-long registration that ended December 23, 2004...
Almost all the candidates have launched websites announcing their election promises and plans, should they be elected to serve the community.*
-- By Shahid Ali Khan --
:: Saudi Gazette Online ::
...
:
M/Tu Feb 1 -
UNQUIET NEIGHBORS -
This is an excerpt from a background story on the Kuwait shootout below, but taken from a grassroots perspective:
*Abu Abdullah said he had wanted to record the whole incident on his camcorder but fate did not allow him. 'I returned from holidays in Dubai on Monday. As soon as we heard the police I asked my daughter for the video camera. I started shooting immediately but later realized that the battery was down. That was why I missed the opportunity,' he sighed. He said the militants, who he thinks were aged between 35 and 40, wore green track suits and sported long, thick beards. 'Those who surrendered were told by the police to come out in the open in their under wears to prevent any mishap in case they may have bombs strapped to their bodies,' Abu Abdullah told the Arab Times.
[ ... ]
What baffles Abu Abdullah was the way the militants entered the imam's residence without breaking any door. 'I don't understand how they got to know that the Egyptian imam was on vacation, headed straight here and entered the residence without breaking the doors. I think they have lived in the house before.'*
:: HOTBED FOR TERROR ::
:: ARAB TIMES :: KUWAIT ::
...
M/Tu Feb 1 -
UNQUIET NEIGHBORS -
This is an excerpt from a background story on the Kuwait shootout below, but taken from a grassroots perspective:
*Abu Abdullah said he had wanted to record the whole incident on his camcorder but fate did not allow him. 'I returned from holidays in Dubai on Monday. As soon as we heard the police I asked my daughter for the video camera. I started shooting immediately but later realized that the battery was down. That was why I missed the opportunity,' he sighed. He said the militants, who he thinks were aged between 35 and 40, wore green track suits and sported long, thick beards. 'Those who surrendered were told by the police to come out in the open in their under wears to prevent any mishap in case they may have bombs strapped to their bodies,' Abu Abdullah told the Arab Times.
[ ... ]
What baffles Abu Abdullah was the way the militants entered the imam's residence without breaking any door. 'I don't understand how they got to know that the Egyptian imam was on vacation, headed straight here and entered the residence without breaking the doors. I think they have lived in the house before.'*
:: HOTBED FOR TERROR ::
:: ARAB TIMES :: KUWAIT ::
...
:
M/Tu Feb 1 -
KUWAIT: ILLEGAL ISLAMMING -
*The Kuwaiti government decided Monday, January 31, to refer the nascent Ummah (Nation) Party's leaders to the public prosecution's office, accusing them of declaring the establishment of the Islamist party illegally and unconstitutionally.
The government further presented an official complaint to the US embassy in the Gulf emirate, expressing uneasiness over the participation of embassy officials in "an illegal" gathering or meeting, during which the party was declared, according to Al-Watan daily, citing an unnamed cabinet source.*
:: Islam Online - News Section ::
-------------------------------
+ Hmmm... this gets curiouser and curiouser. Which US embassy officials were "participating?" And why would they do that? Meanwhile, Kuwait is experiencing problems with some Qaeda guys:
*Kuwaiti security forces killed five al-Qaeda militants and captured four others, including a top leader, during a prolonged gun battle today.*
:: From TIMESONLINE ::
---------------------------------
*Among those detained was Amer Khlaif al-Enezi, a former mosque preacher who is the alleged spiritual leader of militants involved in a series of clashes with security forces this month.*
:: AFP via The Turkish Press ::
----------------------------------
+ But is al-Enezi a member of the nascent Ummah party, too? Or maybe this is what his big problem is:
*State media said among those detained was accused top Al-Qaeda militant, Amer Al-Enezi, suspected of training and helping militants go to Iraq to join anti-foreign troops fighters there.* [From Islam Online, link above]
...
M/Tu Feb 1 -
KUWAIT: ILLEGAL ISLAMMING -
*The Kuwaiti government decided Monday, January 31, to refer the nascent Ummah (Nation) Party's leaders to the public prosecution's office, accusing them of declaring the establishment of the Islamist party illegally and unconstitutionally.
The government further presented an official complaint to the US embassy in the Gulf emirate, expressing uneasiness over the participation of embassy officials in "an illegal" gathering or meeting, during which the party was declared, according to Al-Watan daily, citing an unnamed cabinet source.*
:: Islam Online - News Section ::
-------------------------------
+ Hmmm... this gets curiouser and curiouser. Which US embassy officials were "participating?" And why would they do that? Meanwhile, Kuwait is experiencing problems with some Qaeda guys:
*Kuwaiti security forces killed five al-Qaeda militants and captured four others, including a top leader, during a prolonged gun battle today.*
:: From TIMESONLINE ::
---------------------------------
*Among those detained was Amer Khlaif al-Enezi, a former mosque preacher who is the alleged spiritual leader of militants involved in a series of clashes with security forces this month.*
:: AFP via The Turkish Press ::
----------------------------------
+ But is al-Enezi a member of the nascent Ummah party, too? Or maybe this is what his big problem is:
*State media said among those detained was accused top Al-Qaeda militant, Amer Al-Enezi, suspected of training and helping militants go to Iraq to join anti-foreign troops fighters there.* [From Islam Online, link above]
...
Monday, January 31
:
Mo Jan 31 -
HUSH HUSH -
Great spy yarn including OBL
and the notorious London mosque--
what more could you ask for?!
They could make this into a movie.
Get me Central Casting...
:: The spy fears for his life ::
-- By Keith Dovkants --
...
Mo Jan 31 -
HUSH HUSH -
Great spy yarn including OBL
and the notorious London mosque--
what more could you ask for?!
They could make this into a movie.
Get me Central Casting...
:: The spy fears for his life ::
-- By Keith Dovkants --
...
:
Mo Jan 31 -
DAVOS AND THE MIDEAST -
*Some of the torch-bearers of Arab reform came to this year's World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos to debate the ripples of change stirring from the Atlantic to the Gulf. *
This is a somewhat brief recap:
:: By Paul Taylor : At Reuters ::
-- via The Jordan Times --
* * * * *
FLY ON THE WALL:
Davos, 7:30 AM, -20 degrees,
Turki Al Faisal, Sharon Stone...
If you ignore the anti-Semitic remark toward the end, the rest of this memoir is quite entertaining. I'm not generally a big fan of Jihad Al Khazen, but once in a while he writes something interesting. Face it: this combination had to produce a winner!
:: To Annoy Me ::
-- Dar Al Hayat --
...
Mo Jan 31 -
DAVOS AND THE MIDEAST -
*Some of the torch-bearers of Arab reform came to this year's World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos to debate the ripples of change stirring from the Atlantic to the Gulf. *
This is a somewhat brief recap:
:: By Paul Taylor : At Reuters ::
-- via The Jordan Times --
* * * * *
FLY ON THE WALL:
Davos, 7:30 AM, -20 degrees,
Turki Al Faisal, Sharon Stone...
If you ignore the anti-Semitic remark toward the end, the rest of this memoir is quite entertaining. I'm not generally a big fan of Jihad Al Khazen, but once in a while he writes something interesting. Face it: this combination had to produce a winner!
:: To Annoy Me ::
-- Dar Al Hayat --
...
:
Mo Jan 31 -
EXISTENTIAL ANTIDOTE -
In a dramatic address reportedly crafted
by a "neoliberal" speechwriter within
his administration, Mr. Zarqawi urged
the Iraqi people to "throw off the
oppressive mantle of self-determination."
-- From a Satire by Scott Ott --
:: ScrappleFace: Visionary Zarqawi ::
...
Mo Jan 31 -
EXISTENTIAL ANTIDOTE -
In a dramatic address reportedly crafted
by a "neoliberal" speechwriter within
his administration, Mr. Zarqawi urged
the Iraqi people to "throw off the
oppressive mantle of self-determination."
-- From a Satire by Scott Ott --
:: ScrappleFace: Visionary Zarqawi ::
...
:
Mo Jan 31 -
SHADID'S WORLD -
Did you want to ask Anthony Shadid a question? Is there something you're wondering about?
You'll have that opportunity
Monday morning at 11 AM EST.
*Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post foreign correspondent Anthony Shadid will be online from Baghdad on Monday, Jan. 31, at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the aftermath of the elections and the latest news from Iraq.*
Be there or be square :-)
SHADID - WaPo - Live Online
And here's a link to his latest
story; it's a long one (3 pp):
:: IRAQIS DEFY THREATS...
*But for the first time since the fall of Saddam Hussein in April 2003, the haggard capital and other parts of Iraq took on the veneer of a festival, as crowds danced, chanted and played soccer in streets secured by thousands of Iraqi and American forces.*
...
Mo Jan 31 -
SHADID'S WORLD -
Did you want to ask Anthony Shadid a question? Is there something you're wondering about?
You'll have that opportunity
Monday morning at 11 AM EST.
*Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post foreign correspondent Anthony Shadid will be online from Baghdad on Monday, Jan. 31, at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the aftermath of the elections and the latest news from Iraq.*
Be there or be square :-)
SHADID - WaPo - Live Online
And here's a link to his latest
story; it's a long one (3 pp):
:: IRAQIS DEFY THREATS...
*But for the first time since the fall of Saddam Hussein in April 2003, the haggard capital and other parts of Iraq took on the veneer of a festival, as crowds danced, chanted and played soccer in streets secured by thousands of Iraqi and American forces.*
...
:
Sun/Mon Overnight - Jan 31 -
A CHAPTER CLOSES -
While we're watching the end of an era in Iraq, I think we may also be seeing the end of a chapter in the Jarrar family's life. They are no longer "A Family in Baghdad." And they may never be that again.
Faiza is currently posting from Amman. Just before the election in Iraq on Friday, January 28th, she writes:
*The elected candidates are going to discuss very dangerous issue like separating mosque from state, whether religion is the only source of law, the rights for different religious and ethnic groups, the relationships with neighbouring countries including Israel, the relationship with the occupying forces and whether they will be asked to withdraw their forces from Iraq or not...*
+ Faiza seems strangely preoccupied with Israel, which suddenly pops up out of nowhere. But Iraq does not share any common borders with Israel which might as well be located on an entirely different planet. The only common link between them is fleeting: the nostalgia factor. There are some elderly Iraqi Jews who live in Israel, but they have not expressed any desire to move back to Iraq.
*I believe that the violence in Iraq is linked directly to the presence of occupation. Violence won’t stop as long as the occupying forces are inside the country...*
+ Faiza confuses the cause with the effect. The reason the Allied Forces are in Iraq is because of the violence there. They had an aggressive war criminal government which violently invaded two of their neighbors and gassed many of the people inside their own country.
*But even here in Amman, where the security situation is really stable, the number announced about the registered voters are really low...*
+ That number would be low; it was to be expected. Most of the Iraqis who went on hiatus in Amman are Sunni and many of them (but not all) are Baathists or former Saddam associates.
* * * * *
Meanwhile, Raed Jarrar writes on Saturday, Jan 29: *The romantic Iraqi elections will open the doors of hell.*
+ Raed seems to be expecting civil war in Iraq, but doesn't present any evidence which suggests that prospect to him.
On Sunday, Raed posts: *It is well known all over Iraq now that if you didn't go to vote, the government will cut your monthly food rations. EVERYONE is talking about this, and EVERYONE believes it too!!! and this is one of the main reasons why millions of poor and destroyed Iraqis were dragged out of their homes today and sent to election centers in the middle of explosions and bullets. They don't give a damn about elections, they want food. Millions of Iraqis don't have the possibility of testing whether this rumor is true or false, this is about surviving. They are ready to put their lives in danger to go get their monthly food rations...*
Raed claims that the elections were illegal and asserts: *Voter Turnout Is NOT Enough to Legitimise Elections!*
He then issues what seems like a vague threat of revenge:
*Today's elections were another shameful page in the long Bush war on Iraq; these elections were another mistake that Bush and the occupying armies will pay for in the near future.*
* * * * *
Khalid Jarrar writes on Sunday: *Today was full of explosions. I didn't leave the house...*
+ That seems sensible enough. He then goes on to explain how, he believes, the voting system there operates:
*The way the voting happened, is that you go to the voting center, and you go to the man who is your ration dealer, the one who you take the ration from every month; so you tell him that you are gonna vote, he marks your name on his list, and then you vote!!!
That way the goverment will know exactly who voted and who didn't. Two dealers said that the next year's card won't be given to those who didn't vote...*
+ That sounds a bit like the Oil For Food program, doesn't it?
* * * * *
+ I feel like I've got a kind of Jet Lag from the Iraqi Elections, probably due in large part to the time difference between here and there. I've been a wreck all day, though I took a nap. I hope I recover by tomorrow.
...
Sun/Mon Overnight - Jan 31 -
A CHAPTER CLOSES -
While we're watching the end of an era in Iraq, I think we may also be seeing the end of a chapter in the Jarrar family's life. They are no longer "A Family in Baghdad." And they may never be that again.
Faiza is currently posting from Amman. Just before the election in Iraq on Friday, January 28th, she writes:
*The elected candidates are going to discuss very dangerous issue like separating mosque from state, whether religion is the only source of law, the rights for different religious and ethnic groups, the relationships with neighbouring countries including Israel, the relationship with the occupying forces and whether they will be asked to withdraw their forces from Iraq or not...*
+ Faiza seems strangely preoccupied with Israel, which suddenly pops up out of nowhere. But Iraq does not share any common borders with Israel which might as well be located on an entirely different planet. The only common link between them is fleeting: the nostalgia factor. There are some elderly Iraqi Jews who live in Israel, but they have not expressed any desire to move back to Iraq.
*I believe that the violence in Iraq is linked directly to the presence of occupation. Violence won’t stop as long as the occupying forces are inside the country...*
+ Faiza confuses the cause with the effect. The reason the Allied Forces are in Iraq is because of the violence there. They had an aggressive war criminal government which violently invaded two of their neighbors and gassed many of the people inside their own country.
*But even here in Amman, where the security situation is really stable, the number announced about the registered voters are really low...*
+ That number would be low; it was to be expected. Most of the Iraqis who went on hiatus in Amman are Sunni and many of them (but not all) are Baathists or former Saddam associates.
* * * * *
Meanwhile, Raed Jarrar writes on Saturday, Jan 29: *The romantic Iraqi elections will open the doors of hell.*
+ Raed seems to be expecting civil war in Iraq, but doesn't present any evidence which suggests that prospect to him.
On Sunday, Raed posts: *It is well known all over Iraq now that if you didn't go to vote, the government will cut your monthly food rations. EVERYONE is talking about this, and EVERYONE believes it too!!! and this is one of the main reasons why millions of poor and destroyed Iraqis were dragged out of their homes today and sent to election centers in the middle of explosions and bullets. They don't give a damn about elections, they want food. Millions of Iraqis don't have the possibility of testing whether this rumor is true or false, this is about surviving. They are ready to put their lives in danger to go get their monthly food rations...*
Raed claims that the elections were illegal and asserts: *Voter Turnout Is NOT Enough to Legitimise Elections!*
He then issues what seems like a vague threat of revenge:
*Today's elections were another shameful page in the long Bush war on Iraq; these elections were another mistake that Bush and the occupying armies will pay for in the near future.*
* * * * *
Khalid Jarrar writes on Sunday: *Today was full of explosions. I didn't leave the house...*
+ That seems sensible enough. He then goes on to explain how, he believes, the voting system there operates:
*The way the voting happened, is that you go to the voting center, and you go to the man who is your ration dealer, the one who you take the ration from every month; so you tell him that you are gonna vote, he marks your name on his list, and then you vote!!!
That way the goverment will know exactly who voted and who didn't. Two dealers said that the next year's card won't be given to those who didn't vote...*
+ That sounds a bit like the Oil For Food program, doesn't it?
* * * * *
+ I feel like I've got a kind of Jet Lag from the Iraqi Elections, probably due in large part to the time difference between here and there. I've been a wreck all day, though I took a nap. I hope I recover by tomorrow.
...
Sunday, January 30
:
Su Jan 30 -
CONNECTING THE DOTS -
*It may not have been apparent on the surface, but Europe's recent commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz was steeped in irony. Even while the Old World stirringly recalls the horrors of Hitler's death camps and vows never to forget the Nazi genocide of the Jews, it also embraces an increasingly -- and alarmingly -- antagonistic attitude toward the Jewish state that arose from the ashes of
World War II...
Perceptions of Israel in the United States, meanwhile, contrast sharply...
What accounts for this transatlantic values gap?*
:: In Europe... ::
-- By Robin Shepherd, WaPo (RR'd) --
:: A HISTORICAL CONTINUUM ::
...
Su Jan 30 -
CONNECTING THE DOTS -
*It may not have been apparent on the surface, but Europe's recent commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz was steeped in irony. Even while the Old World stirringly recalls the horrors of Hitler's death camps and vows never to forget the Nazi genocide of the Jews, it also embraces an increasingly -- and alarmingly -- antagonistic attitude toward the Jewish state that arose from the ashes of
World War II...
Perceptions of Israel in the United States, meanwhile, contrast sharply...
What accounts for this transatlantic values gap?*
:: In Europe... ::
-- By Robin Shepherd, WaPo (RR'd) --
:: A HISTORICAL CONTINUUM ::
...
:
Su Jan 30 -
NEW ERA OR NEW EMPIRE -
Kuwaiti Islamists have just announced the creation of the first political party in the Gulf region...
*The Ummah Party said it would endeavor to achieve political, economic and military unity among the Gulf countries to protect the region and to dispense with the foreign military presence which threatens its sovereignty and independence.*
:: Islam Online - News Section ::
* * *
So, is this (below) just a random coincidence?
*KUWAIT CITY - A fierce hourlong battle between police and suspected terrorists holed up in a residential building Sunday left a most-wanted fundamentalist, one policeman and a Bahraini resident dead, the government said.
It was the third shootout this month between security forces and suspected militants in Kuwait, a major U.S. ally that has been battling fundamentalists who oppose the presence of the American military here...
The government reiterated its resolve to uproot "this group that has lost its way" and called on more public cooperation with police.*
:: AP via Billings Gazette ::
...
Su Jan 30 -
NEW ERA OR NEW EMPIRE -
Kuwaiti Islamists have just announced the creation of the first political party in the Gulf region...
*The Ummah Party said it would endeavor to achieve political, economic and military unity among the Gulf countries to protect the region and to dispense with the foreign military presence which threatens its sovereignty and independence.*
:: Islam Online - News Section ::
* * *
So, is this (below) just a random coincidence?
*KUWAIT CITY - A fierce hourlong battle between police and suspected terrorists holed up in a residential building Sunday left a most-wanted fundamentalist, one policeman and a Bahraini resident dead, the government said.
It was the third shootout this month between security forces and suspected militants in Kuwait, a major U.S. ally that has been battling fundamentalists who oppose the presence of the American military here...
The government reiterated its resolve to uproot "this group that has lost its way" and called on more public cooperation with police.*
:: AP via Billings Gazette ::
...
:
Su Jan 30 -
IQ ELECTION RESOLUTION:
*Polls have now closed in Iraq,
with militants failing to derail
the elections with a series of
suicide bombs and firefights.*
:: From Sky News ::
...
Su Jan 30 -
IQ ELECTION RESOLUTION:
*Polls have now closed in Iraq,
with militants failing to derail
the elections with a series of
suicide bombs and firefights.*
:: From Sky News ::
...
Saturday, January 29
:
Sa Jan 29 -
Z*G CONSPIRACIES -
It didn't take long for the second shoe to drop on the Douglas Feith resignation. Sure enough, Prof Juan Cole took the ball and ran with it:
"Having a Likudnik as the number three man in the Pentagon is a nightmare for American national security..."
Did I bait him into it? Moi? Nooooo.
He doesn't need any bait; it seems to be a preoccupation with him.
But here's what General Tommy Franks had to say about Feith:
*Retired general Tommy Franks, who commanded the US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, memorably referred to Mr Feith in a pep talk with military planners as "the dumbest ******* guy on the planet."*
For all of Prof Coles' conspiracy theories, Feith doesn't seem very capable of carrying out any elaborate plots, according to Gen Franks.
Who do you want to believe?
I don't know much about Feith, but I have a high regard for Gen Franks' ability to evaluate performance.
:: Informed Comment perma ::
:: Franks in The (UK) Telegraph ::
...
Sa Jan 29 -
Z*G CONSPIRACIES -
It didn't take long for the second shoe to drop on the Douglas Feith resignation. Sure enough, Prof Juan Cole took the ball and ran with it:
"Having a Likudnik as the number three man in the Pentagon is a nightmare for American national security..."
Did I bait him into it? Moi? Nooooo.
He doesn't need any bait; it seems to be a preoccupation with him.
But here's what General Tommy Franks had to say about Feith:
*Retired general Tommy Franks, who commanded the US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, memorably referred to Mr Feith in a pep talk with military planners as "the dumbest ******* guy on the planet."*
For all of Prof Coles' conspiracy theories, Feith doesn't seem very capable of carrying out any elaborate plots, according to Gen Franks.
Who do you want to believe?
I don't know much about Feith, but I have a high regard for Gen Franks' ability to evaluate performance.
:: Informed Comment perma ::
:: Franks in The (UK) Telegraph ::
...
:
Sa Jan 29 -
HATE LIT ALLEGED -
*The government of Saudi Arabia
is spreading 'hate propaganda' in
religious tracts sent to mosques
throughout America...* group claims.
:: Katherine Clad - WashTimes ::
...
Sa Jan 29 -
HATE LIT ALLEGED -
*The government of Saudi Arabia
is spreading 'hate propaganda' in
religious tracts sent to mosques
throughout America...* group claims.
:: Katherine Clad - WashTimes ::
...
:
Sa Jan 29 -
WAHABIS THREATEN VOTERS -
In Sydney, a polling station
for Iraqi exiles had to be closed
for an hour on Saturday after a
riot broke out and a suspicious bag
prompted a bomb scare, organizers said.
:: MSNBC - Riot, bomb scare ::
...
Sa Jan 29 -
WAHABIS THREATEN VOTERS -
In Sydney, a polling station
for Iraqi exiles had to be closed
for an hour on Saturday after a
riot broke out and a suspicious bag
prompted a bomb scare, organizers said.
:: MSNBC - Riot, bomb scare ::
...
:
Sa Jan 29 -
WEEKEND VIDEOS -
It's a tense weekend leading up to the Iraqi Elections.
Found via Live From Dallas and hunted down to get the proper links, I found two web videos by Salam Pax. In a way, they're perfect for this weekend.
As you may remember, Salam was working with BBC Newsnight, which is where they are located. Because I'm surfing on a half-speed slow connection lately, I don't regularly check Newsnight anymore, although I still have it bookmarked. Each of these two web videos runs about 10 minutes long, so get comfortable.
# SALAM EXPLAINS IT ALL:
The Iraqi Elections and thensome,
complete with Fun Facts and Car Bombs.
:: BBC NEWSNIGHT VIDEO - 20 JAN '05 ::
-----------------------------------
# SALAM GOES SOUTH:
in which he travels to Amara and shows you the cultural diversity there, including what's left of a Christian Church and an old synagogue. As far as I could make out on my lousy connection: there is no diversity there; it's on its way back to the Stone Age. God created a thousand flowers and the Iraqis have destroyed them. Look upon these ruins and weep. This is a Desecration. Yeah, it's peaceful there; it's the peace of the dead.
:: NEWSNIGHT VIDEO - JAN 26 '05 ::
+ If it weren't for Salam's usual antics, it would be depressing. But try not to think about that. It's gotta get better, right?!
...
Sa Jan 29 -
WEEKEND VIDEOS -
It's a tense weekend leading up to the Iraqi Elections.
Found via Live From Dallas and hunted down to get the proper links, I found two web videos by Salam Pax. In a way, they're perfect for this weekend.
As you may remember, Salam was working with BBC Newsnight, which is where they are located. Because I'm surfing on a half-speed slow connection lately, I don't regularly check Newsnight anymore, although I still have it bookmarked. Each of these two web videos runs about 10 minutes long, so get comfortable.
# SALAM EXPLAINS IT ALL:
The Iraqi Elections and thensome,
complete with Fun Facts and Car Bombs.
:: BBC NEWSNIGHT VIDEO - 20 JAN '05 ::
-----------------------------------
# SALAM GOES SOUTH:
in which he travels to Amara and shows you the cultural diversity there, including what's left of a Christian Church and an old synagogue. As far as I could make out on my lousy connection: there is no diversity there; it's on its way back to the Stone Age. God created a thousand flowers and the Iraqis have destroyed them. Look upon these ruins and weep. This is a Desecration. Yeah, it's peaceful there; it's the peace of the dead.
:: NEWSNIGHT VIDEO - JAN 26 '05 ::
+ If it weren't for Salam's usual antics, it would be depressing. But try not to think about that. It's gotta get better, right?!
...
Friday, January 28
:
Fr Jan 28 -
JAMMING THEM UP -
*The clampdown has begun and the anticipation is building... U.S. forces tonight will start (1) jamming Iraq's entire cell phone network, (2) cordoning off hundreds of roads and streets, (3) preventing travel between Iraq's 19 provinces, among other things.*
From David Shuster's Baghdad Diary,
Day 6; and there's a bonus Webcast.
:: An MSNBC Blog ::
...
Fr Jan 28 -
JAMMING THEM UP -
*The clampdown has begun and the anticipation is building... U.S. forces tonight will start (1) jamming Iraq's entire cell phone network, (2) cordoning off hundreds of roads and streets, (3) preventing travel between Iraq's 19 provinces, among other things.*
From David Shuster's Baghdad Diary,
Day 6; and there's a bonus Webcast.
:: An MSNBC Blog ::
...
:
Fr Jan 28 -
FATAL IRREGULARITIES -
"In my [TV] station, they killed my friend Dina, a female journalist... Half her face was missing. I carried Dina in my arms and go into hospital, and they say Dina is dead."
*More could die on Sunday, as reporters are being asked not only to cover the voting for their employers but also to serve as an independent monitoring force.*
:: Sharon Behn, WashTimes ::
...
Fr Jan 28 -
FATAL IRREGULARITIES -
"In my [TV] station, they killed my friend Dina, a female journalist... Half her face was missing. I carried Dina in my arms and go into hospital, and they say Dina is dead."
*More could die on Sunday, as reporters are being asked not only to cover the voting for their employers but also to serve as an independent monitoring force.*
:: Sharon Behn, WashTimes ::
...
Thursday, January 27
:
Th Jan 27 -
MADANI about . . .
I'm not a political junkie,
but I found this bit interesting:
*The LBC Arab satellite channel ran an extended interview Sunday afternoon EST with interim Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawir...
Yawir also revealed that he had initially hoped to have a joint slate with Iyad Allawi, since the politicians on both lists are dedicated to 'civil' (i.e. non-theocratic) governance. He said he did not like the word 'secular' ('almani) to describe their stance, but preferred 'civil' (madani). He said he believed that religion is too sublime and pure to be mixed into the nitty-gritty of day to day politics...*
From Prof Cole's Sun, Jan 23rd Entry:
:: Informed Comment perma ::
...
Th Jan 27 -
MADANI about . . .
I'm not a political junkie,
but I found this bit interesting:
*The LBC Arab satellite channel ran an extended interview Sunday afternoon EST with interim Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawir...
Yawir also revealed that he had initially hoped to have a joint slate with Iyad Allawi, since the politicians on both lists are dedicated to 'civil' (i.e. non-theocratic) governance. He said he did not like the word 'secular' ('almani) to describe their stance, but preferred 'civil' (madani). He said he believed that religion is too sublime and pure to be mixed into the nitty-gritty of day to day politics...*
From Prof Cole's Sun, Jan 23rd Entry:
:: Informed Comment perma ::
...
:
Th Jan 27 -
RAED'S "SHAM ELECTIONS" -
I was very saddened to read Raed Jarrar's latest screed loosely about the Iraqi elections.
First, I was saddened to see him simply parroting secondhand nonsense: scurrilous claims that the forced removal of the Baathist war criminal regime was illegal and fantasies that the US went there to "liberate" the Iraqis. He says some other silly things and then demands that the US government pay him.
*...nothing justifies the illegal war that happened to “liberate” the country.*
No one is "liberating" the Iraqi people; they are in the process of liberating themselves. In contrast, Raed Jarrar is a zombie like a manchurian candidate, in that he just repeats what other airheads have bloviated. We hope to afford the Iraqi people the opportunity to think their own thoughts. And, so far, it looks like many of them are using that opportunity.
But then, Raed communicates in a much more honest, personal way than he has done before and, thus, we learn that the Jarrar family is not Iraqi at all; they are simply Iraqi Nationals.
*I am one of the people affected by the Iraqi political national government. I have relatives that were killed in all the wars, I have relatives that were thrown on the borders during the Iraqi Iranian war because of our Iranian descent.*
Prior to this more honest admission, we only knew that his father was a Jordanian National of Palestinian heritage. This new revelation throws a considerably different light on their family's viewpoints of the Iraqi people's situation.
I wish him and his girlfriend Niki well, even though it is quite clear at this point that he has no respect for the Iraqi people whatsoever.
Raed, it turns out, is not "in the middle." He's on the outside, looking in. And that appears to be the way he wants it.
Sham Iraqis view the exercise in
self-determination of the Real Iraqis
as Sham Elections.
I suppose that makes sense in its own futile way.
Excerpts are from Raed's:
Thurs, Jan 27th Entry
:: Raed in the Middle perma ::
...
Th Jan 27 -
RAED'S "SHAM ELECTIONS" -
I was very saddened to read Raed Jarrar's latest screed loosely about the Iraqi elections.
First, I was saddened to see him simply parroting secondhand nonsense: scurrilous claims that the forced removal of the Baathist war criminal regime was illegal and fantasies that the US went there to "liberate" the Iraqis. He says some other silly things and then demands that the US government pay him.
*...nothing justifies the illegal war that happened to “liberate” the country.*
No one is "liberating" the Iraqi people; they are in the process of liberating themselves. In contrast, Raed Jarrar is a zombie like a manchurian candidate, in that he just repeats what other airheads have bloviated. We hope to afford the Iraqi people the opportunity to think their own thoughts. And, so far, it looks like many of them are using that opportunity.
But then, Raed communicates in a much more honest, personal way than he has done before and, thus, we learn that the Jarrar family is not Iraqi at all; they are simply Iraqi Nationals.
*I am one of the people affected by the Iraqi political national government. I have relatives that were killed in all the wars, I have relatives that were thrown on the borders during the Iraqi Iranian war because of our Iranian descent.*
Prior to this more honest admission, we only knew that his father was a Jordanian National of Palestinian heritage. This new revelation throws a considerably different light on their family's viewpoints of the Iraqi people's situation.
I wish him and his girlfriend Niki well, even though it is quite clear at this point that he has no respect for the Iraqi people whatsoever.
Raed, it turns out, is not "in the middle." He's on the outside, looking in. And that appears to be the way he wants it.
Sham Iraqis view the exercise in
self-determination of the Real Iraqis
as Sham Elections.
I suppose that makes sense in its own futile way.
Excerpts are from Raed's:
Thurs, Jan 27th Entry
:: Raed in the Middle perma ::
...
:
Th Jan 27
FEITH RESIGNS -
*The No. 3 man at the Pentagon, Douglas J. Feith, undersecretary of defense for policy, is resigning his Pentagon position, FOX News learned Wednesday.* [--to spend more time with his family.]
So, what's the Big Deal?
This gentleman has become a magnet for some truly demonic conspiracy theories of an anti-Semitic character.
:: Feith Resigns - FOXNews ::
...
Th Jan 27
FEITH RESIGNS -
*The No. 3 man at the Pentagon, Douglas J. Feith, undersecretary of defense for policy, is resigning his Pentagon position, FOX News learned Wednesday.* [--to spend more time with his family.]
So, what's the Big Deal?
This gentleman has become a magnet for some truly demonic conspiracy theories of an anti-Semitic character.
:: Feith Resigns - FOXNews ::
...
:
Th Jan 26 -
FROM REPORTERS' NOTEBOOKS -
This has become a new variation of a weblog. Are they worth reading? They may provide some extra "color" or texture as far as background features of the main stories. I expect we're going to see more of them approaching this weekend's Iraqi elections.
----------------------------------
#) Shuster's Baghdad Diary:
*If U.S. soldiers respond to any convoy ambush by going en-masse into the neighborhood, they would be looking for a needle in a haystack, because few Iraqis in these areas have shown any willingness to identify the insurgents in their midst...
There are some U.S. forces that have found Iraqis they can work with. But many American units we've seen are clearly on their own. And the glares they get from Iraqis... well, it is truly chilling.*
:: Shuster: MSNBC ::
-----------------------------------
#) Dana Lewis Notebook:
He has an informal portrait of
and interview with General Petraeus.
:: Lewis: FoxNews ::
-----------------------------------
#) Abu Harith in Hit, Iraq:
*Children in Iraq are off school at the moment...
Now, we just try to keep them safe and entertained. They have their television, their satellite TV (which they love), their computers... it keeps them diverted. Before kids would play with their kites, their paper airplanes... it's very different now!*
:: BBC Iraq Election Log ::
-----------------------------------
#) F of D - Grassroots:
Intisar reports that the "Fighters of the Army of Mouhammad" are terrorizing citizens in Babel province, especially in the northern region... Threat comes through messages left at citizens’ doors...
The fuel crisis got worse in Al Hilla, making this problem the talk of the day. Despite the students’ transportation being interrupted due to the spring holiday, the transport fares doubled during the Eid. The main cause was the rise in the price of gas today, now 750 dinars per liter.
Electricity cut-offs are still between 18 and 22 hours a day.
***************
And there's a report of the Refugee Controversy worsening in Kirkuk, where the EICI allowed tens of thousands of "refugees," who arguably are not really from that city, to register for the election.
Their correspondent in Tamm'im Providence says the Iraqi Turkmen Front is threatening to withdraw from the elections, and the Arabic United Front already has withdrawn from the elections over the controversy.
:: FoD: Citizen Journalists ::
...
Th Jan 26 -
FROM REPORTERS' NOTEBOOKS -
This has become a new variation of a weblog. Are they worth reading? They may provide some extra "color" or texture as far as background features of the main stories. I expect we're going to see more of them approaching this weekend's Iraqi elections.
----------------------------------
#) Shuster's Baghdad Diary:
*If U.S. soldiers respond to any convoy ambush by going en-masse into the neighborhood, they would be looking for a needle in a haystack, because few Iraqis in these areas have shown any willingness to identify the insurgents in their midst...
There are some U.S. forces that have found Iraqis they can work with. But many American units we've seen are clearly on their own. And the glares they get from Iraqis... well, it is truly chilling.*
:: Shuster: MSNBC ::
-----------------------------------
#) Dana Lewis Notebook:
He has an informal portrait of
and interview with General Petraeus.
:: Lewis: FoxNews ::
-----------------------------------
#) Abu Harith in Hit, Iraq:
*Children in Iraq are off school at the moment...
Now, we just try to keep them safe and entertained. They have their television, their satellite TV (which they love), their computers... it keeps them diverted. Before kids would play with their kites, their paper airplanes... it's very different now!*
:: BBC Iraq Election Log ::
-----------------------------------
#) F of D - Grassroots:
Intisar reports that the "Fighters of the Army of Mouhammad" are terrorizing citizens in Babel province, especially in the northern region... Threat comes through messages left at citizens’ doors...
The fuel crisis got worse in Al Hilla, making this problem the talk of the day. Despite the students’ transportation being interrupted due to the spring holiday, the transport fares doubled during the Eid. The main cause was the rise in the price of gas today, now 750 dinars per liter.
Electricity cut-offs are still between 18 and 22 hours a day.
***************
And there's a report of the Refugee Controversy worsening in Kirkuk, where the EICI allowed tens of thousands of "refugees," who arguably are not really from that city, to register for the election.
Their correspondent in Tamm'im Providence says the Iraqi Turkmen Front is threatening to withdraw from the elections, and the Arabic United Front already has withdrawn from the elections over the controversy.
:: FoD: Citizen Journalists ::
...
Wednesday, January 26
:
We Jan 26 -
ZARQAWI BOMBING POLLS -
During our overnight, Aljazeera TV Net has been reporting that numerous voting centers in Iraq have been blown up or shelled with Zarqawi's Year-Zero gang taking credit.
*...10 polling centres north of Baghdad were attacked overnight, police reported. A further voting station was hit in the south of the country.
The attacks across Salah al-Din province, a main area of the violence, caused severe damage to the stations, most of them located in schools, police said.*
+ I'd have to have a second source to nail down some specific hard facts. So far, with only this one source, I'd have to accept the story as tentative. We'll see what facts emerge later.
:: Aljazeera.TVNet - poll centres hit ::
...
We Jan 26 -
ZARQAWI BOMBING POLLS -
During our overnight, Aljazeera TV Net has been reporting that numerous voting centers in Iraq have been blown up or shelled with Zarqawi's Year-Zero gang taking credit.
*...10 polling centres north of Baghdad were attacked overnight, police reported. A further voting station was hit in the south of the country.
The attacks across Salah al-Din province, a main area of the violence, caused severe damage to the stations, most of them located in schools, police said.*
+ I'd have to have a second source to nail down some specific hard facts. So far, with only this one source, I'd have to accept the story as tentative. We'll see what facts emerge later.
:: Aljazeera.TVNet - poll centres hit ::
...
:
We Jan 26 -
THE GO-BETWEEN:
Since the fall of Saddam everything
has changed for Iraq's Sunni Arabs...
G writes about an alleged friend's
father who's been going through
a bit of a rough patch lately.
But I can say no more...
Ghaith Abdul-Ahad: Guardian ::
...
We Jan 26 -
THE GO-BETWEEN:
Since the fall of Saddam everything
has changed for Iraq's Sunni Arabs...
G writes about an alleged friend's
father who's been going through
a bit of a rough patch lately.
But I can say no more...
Ghaith Abdul-Ahad: Guardian ::
...
:
We Jan 26 -
CONSPIRACY THEORIES -
Sheikha Mouza of Qatar has won a libel case against the Azzaman newspaper.
The [spurious] claims against her, made in a series of articles in 2001, ranged from "improper interference in political, judicial and security matters in Qatar to engagement in secret dealings with Israel."
Azzaman is supposed to publish an apology for the allegations in both its print and electronic editions as part of the settlement reached with her legal team. And a three-quarter million dollar financial penalty was attached, too.
The Sheikha seems to have become the target of some Byzantine conspiracy theory. Such theories are not uncommon in the Middle East where the line between poetry and history is often blurred.
:: Sheikha Wins ::
-- AFP/Yahoo --
At first it seemed so simple...
Then The Guardian wrote their story:
*Lawyers for Mr Bazzaz argued that Azzaman was raising issues of importance and it was not possible to check everything in an undemocractic and secretive country such as Qatar.*
Pardon me while I scrape myself off the floor from laughing so hard. His lawyers asserted that if it's inconvenient to verify a story, you're entitled to fabricate one?
And that's just the beginning. By the time you reach the end of this story, you'll think you fell down the White Rabbit's hole.
Whose conspiracy was that?
:: D.Pallister-Guardian: Mogul ::
...
We Jan 26 -
CONSPIRACY THEORIES -
Sheikha Mouza of Qatar has won a libel case against the Azzaman newspaper.
The [spurious] claims against her, made in a series of articles in 2001, ranged from "improper interference in political, judicial and security matters in Qatar to engagement in secret dealings with Israel."
Azzaman is supposed to publish an apology for the allegations in both its print and electronic editions as part of the settlement reached with her legal team. And a three-quarter million dollar financial penalty was attached, too.
The Sheikha seems to have become the target of some Byzantine conspiracy theory. Such theories are not uncommon in the Middle East where the line between poetry and history is often blurred.
:: Sheikha Wins ::
-- AFP/Yahoo --
At first it seemed so simple...
Then The Guardian wrote their story:
*Lawyers for Mr Bazzaz argued that Azzaman was raising issues of importance and it was not possible to check everything in an undemocractic and secretive country such as Qatar.*
Pardon me while I scrape myself off the floor from laughing so hard. His lawyers asserted that if it's inconvenient to verify a story, you're entitled to fabricate one?
And that's just the beginning. By the time you reach the end of this story, you'll think you fell down the White Rabbit's hole.
Whose conspiracy was that?
:: D.Pallister-Guardian: Mogul ::
...
:
We Jan 26 -
BUT WHERE'S THE SPRITZ?
Everybody and his uncle is arriving in Baghdad or trying to. The SkyGuy has landed, but his entry is blaah. This guy seems like he might be more of a live wire:
*Finally I make it to the hotel. Though well guarded, it’s a microcosm of everything that goes wrong in Baghdad.
The power goes off regularly, so often I walk from one level to the next because the elevators don't always work. For three weeks there wasn't any hot water because the boiler broke, and no one, including the U.S. Army officer who is in charge of this area, could get it fixed...
When Strosky finally got some kind of warm water to the hotel, a day later insurgents apparently blew up a water main supplying most of Baghdad. So we - along with millions of Iraqis - went from no hot water to no water at all...
The lights just went out again. And the window rattled from a distant bomb blast. It's gotta get better, right?*
-- By Dana Lewis: FoxNews --
:: Reporter's Notebook ::
...
We Jan 26 -
BUT WHERE'S THE SPRITZ?
Everybody and his uncle is arriving in Baghdad or trying to. The SkyGuy has landed, but his entry is blaah. This guy seems like he might be more of a live wire:
*Finally I make it to the hotel. Though well guarded, it’s a microcosm of everything that goes wrong in Baghdad.
The power goes off regularly, so often I walk from one level to the next because the elevators don't always work. For three weeks there wasn't any hot water because the boiler broke, and no one, including the U.S. Army officer who is in charge of this area, could get it fixed...
When Strosky finally got some kind of warm water to the hotel, a day later insurgents apparently blew up a water main supplying most of Baghdad. So we - along with millions of Iraqis - went from no hot water to no water at all...
The lights just went out again. And the window rattled from a distant bomb blast. It's gotta get better, right?*
-- By Dana Lewis: FoxNews --
:: Reporter's Notebook ::
...
Tuesday, January 25
:
Tu Jan 25 -
TEMPLATE CHANGE -
I just increased the Font size
for this blog from 12px to 16px.
I understand that in theory the ideal might be to just indicate "normal" which is supposed to be user-friendly. But I'm not much of a techno-wiz.
I don't know why, but the print seemed to be getting smaller and smaller lately and today seemed especially squished together to the point of becoming almost unreadable on a practical and comfortable level. Sooo... I decided to do something about it.
For a while, some of the text may be a bit out of kilter due to the change, and I don't have the patience to go back to fix whatever glitches may arise during the transitional period. But, in the long run, I hope the size increase will enhance the experience for both reader and writer.
I do generally try to break up large, solid blocks of print for the screen into smaller chunks which are more easily "grabbed."
Thank you for your forbearance.
...
Tu Jan 25 -
TEMPLATE CHANGE -
I just increased the Font size
for this blog from 12px to 16px.
I understand that in theory the ideal might be to just indicate "normal" which is supposed to be user-friendly. But I'm not much of a techno-wiz.
I don't know why, but the print seemed to be getting smaller and smaller lately and today seemed especially squished together to the point of becoming almost unreadable on a practical and comfortable level. Sooo... I decided to do something about it.
For a while, some of the text may be a bit out of kilter due to the change, and I don't have the patience to go back to fix whatever glitches may arise during the transitional period. But, in the long run, I hope the size increase will enhance the experience for both reader and writer.
I do generally try to break up large, solid blocks of print for the screen into smaller chunks which are more easily "grabbed."
Thank you for your forbearance.
...
:
Tu Jan 25 -
COUCH POTATO ALERT -
*FRONTLINE investigates the new front in the war on terror: Europe. Now home to an estimated 18 million Muslims - which some call 'Eurabia' - the continent is a challenge to intelligence services on both sides of the Atlantic, exacerbated by political divisions over the Iraq War.*
FRONTLINE (in U.S.) may be on TV
at 9 or 10 PM tonight.
Check your local schedules for PBS shows.
:: FRONTLINE: home - PBS ::
...
Tu Jan 25 -
COUCH POTATO ALERT -
*FRONTLINE investigates the new front in the war on terror: Europe. Now home to an estimated 18 million Muslims - which some call 'Eurabia' - the continent is a challenge to intelligence services on both sides of the Atlantic, exacerbated by political divisions over the Iraq War.*
FRONTLINE (in U.S.) may be on TV
at 9 or 10 PM tonight.
Check your local schedules for PBS shows.
:: FRONTLINE: home - PBS ::
...
:
Tu Jan 25 -
FROM FRENCH HISTORY TEACHERS -
*Their outspoken book 'The Lost Territories of the Republic' opened France's eyes to classrooms where some Muslim pupils openly denounced Jews, praised Hitler and refused to listen to any non-Muslim teacher talking about the history of Islam."
Such tension has prompted Jewish pupils in these areas to switch to private Jewish or even Catholic schools...
"The problem concerns not only the Shoah but anything to do with religion," he said. "Some Muslim pupils don't accept being taught about Christian religious life, which is very important to understand the Middle Ages.
"The Algerian War is difficult, too, as is slavery," he said...*
:: By Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor ::
-- Reuters via Yahoo --
...
Tu Jan 25 -
FROM FRENCH HISTORY TEACHERS -
*Their outspoken book 'The Lost Territories of the Republic' opened France's eyes to classrooms where some Muslim pupils openly denounced Jews, praised Hitler and refused to listen to any non-Muslim teacher talking about the history of Islam."
Such tension has prompted Jewish pupils in these areas to switch to private Jewish or even Catholic schools...
"The problem concerns not only the Shoah but anything to do with religion," he said. "Some Muslim pupils don't accept being taught about Christian religious life, which is very important to understand the Middle Ages.
"The Algerian War is difficult, too, as is slavery," he said...*
:: By Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor ::
-- Reuters via Yahoo --
...
:
Tu Jan 25 -
ZARQAWI PROPAGANDISTS -
*Mr. Naqib also issued a later statement saying that on Jan. 14 security forces captured Mr. Zarqawi's chief of propaganda, Hasam Hamad Abdullah Muhsin al-Dulaimi, known as Dr. Hassan. Mr. Dulaimi had not served long in the post; he took the job after American-led forces killed the former propaganda chief, Hassan Ibrahim, in a Baghdad raid on Dec. 13, Mr. Naqib said.*
:: Edward Wong: NYTimes ::
-- Reg Req'd --
...
Tu Jan 25 -
ZARQAWI PROPAGANDISTS -
*Mr. Naqib also issued a later statement saying that on Jan. 14 security forces captured Mr. Zarqawi's chief of propaganda, Hasam Hamad Abdullah Muhsin al-Dulaimi, known as Dr. Hassan. Mr. Dulaimi had not served long in the post; he took the job after American-led forces killed the former propaganda chief, Hassan Ibrahim, in a Baghdad raid on Dec. 13, Mr. Naqib said.*
:: Edward Wong: NYTimes ::
-- Reg Req'd --
...
:
Tu Jan 25 -
A ZARQAWI NARRATIVE -
From an account by As'ad AbuKhalil in The People's Republic of Berkeley comes this purported glimpse into the mind of Zarqawi, but, alas, the blogger doesn't give a source attribution or cite a hyperlink:
...And after the last statement by his former comrade, Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi, who reminded him that he was not trained in religious sciences, Zarqawi has a complex now... He compares his gang to the movement by Muhammad against the pagans. And then he reports a few "miracles" from the battle of Fallujah: about his fighters coming across a watermelon that is so red (and out of season - he tells you); about a fighter coming across a house with containers of cold water "oddly lined up next to one another;" and about a fighter whose brains were blown up with gunfire, but the pieces were then collected together by his comrades, and then he recovered fully. He is trying to imply that God was helping his movement. But could not God's help have been more helpful? And then he cites a poem, which looks like his composition...
+Very lightly edited.
:: As'ad AbuKhalil Blog perma ::
...
Tu Jan 25 -
A ZARQAWI NARRATIVE -
From an account by As'ad AbuKhalil in The People's Republic of Berkeley comes this purported glimpse into the mind of Zarqawi, but, alas, the blogger doesn't give a source attribution or cite a hyperlink:
...And after the last statement by his former comrade, Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi, who reminded him that he was not trained in religious sciences, Zarqawi has a complex now... He compares his gang to the movement by Muhammad against the pagans. And then he reports a few "miracles" from the battle of Fallujah: about his fighters coming across a watermelon that is so red (and out of season - he tells you); about a fighter coming across a house with containers of cold water "oddly lined up next to one another;" and about a fighter whose brains were blown up with gunfire, but the pieces were then collected together by his comrades, and then he recovered fully. He is trying to imply that God was helping his movement. But could not God's help have been more helpful? And then he cites a poem, which looks like his composition...
+Very lightly edited.
:: As'ad AbuKhalil Blog perma ::
...
:
Tu Jan 25 -
COVERING THE IQ ELECTIONS -
Many journalists are on their way
into Iraq, but some are experiencing
delays in getting there.
*The streets of the capital are full of muddy brown water from a storm at the weekend. There is now 10 hours electricity a day in the capital, compared to only two or three hours a month ago ... Mobile phones now often cease to function for hours at a time due to overloading of the system. There has also been a water shortage, blamed on sabotage, in much of Baghdad over the past 10 days ... Many from Baghdad have already left for Jordan, Syria and Dubai.*
:: Patrick Cockburn : The Independent ::
*But Baghdad residents received a boost on Sunday when water was restored to nearly half of the capital after a week-long crisis caused by sabotage of a water main.*
:: Reuters ::
*Apparently, there were "issues" today at the Baghdad International Airport. One issue was a nasty sandstorm. Another issue was that for a brief part of the day, the airport was under mortar attack.*
:: From D Shuster : MSNBC Baghdad Diary ::
And Anthony Shadid sends in a long
:: Dispatch from Basra ::
Although there may be a lot of Big Name journalists covering the event, there are also some newer hopefuls making an effort, too. And we are no longer limited to Big Media, since there are going to be some grassroots people sending in dispatches on various
kinds of weblogs.
Some of these correspondents may be good; some not very good; some may make your eyes glaze over.
It's going to be quite a weekend with satellite equipment and videophones and probably at least some glitches.
So, fasten your seat belt!
...
Tu Jan 25 -
COVERING THE IQ ELECTIONS -
Many journalists are on their way
into Iraq, but some are experiencing
delays in getting there.
*The streets of the capital are full of muddy brown water from a storm at the weekend. There is now 10 hours electricity a day in the capital, compared to only two or three hours a month ago ... Mobile phones now often cease to function for hours at a time due to overloading of the system. There has also been a water shortage, blamed on sabotage, in much of Baghdad over the past 10 days ... Many from Baghdad have already left for Jordan, Syria and Dubai.*
:: Patrick Cockburn : The Independent ::
*But Baghdad residents received a boost on Sunday when water was restored to nearly half of the capital after a week-long crisis caused by sabotage of a water main.*
:: Reuters ::
*Apparently, there were "issues" today at the Baghdad International Airport. One issue was a nasty sandstorm. Another issue was that for a brief part of the day, the airport was under mortar attack.*
:: From D Shuster : MSNBC Baghdad Diary ::
And Anthony Shadid sends in a long
:: Dispatch from Basra ::
Although there may be a lot of Big Name journalists covering the event, there are also some newer hopefuls making an effort, too. And we are no longer limited to Big Media, since there are going to be some grassroots people sending in dispatches on various
kinds of weblogs.
Some of these correspondents may be good; some not very good; some may make your eyes glaze over.
It's going to be quite a weekend with satellite equipment and videophones and probably at least some glitches.
So, fasten your seat belt!
...
Monday, January 24
:
Mo Jan 24 -
GO FLY A JIHAD -
*Heavy fighting outside Baghdad International Airport prevented two Jordanian passenger planes from landing Monday, the airline spokesman said.
Royal Jordanian's planes made quick turns over Baghdad, where the airport's control tower denied the aircraft permission to land because of heavy fighting nearby, a spokesman said on condition of anonymity.
Royal Jordanian is one of three airlines running a regular passenger service to Iraq.
One of the others, Iraqi Airways, operated its afternoon flight from Iraq to Jordan on Monday.*
:: AP/Yahoo! News ::
...
Mo Jan 24 -
GO FLY A JIHAD -
*Heavy fighting outside Baghdad International Airport prevented two Jordanian passenger planes from landing Monday, the airline spokesman said.
Royal Jordanian's planes made quick turns over Baghdad, where the airport's control tower denied the aircraft permission to land because of heavy fighting nearby, a spokesman said on condition of anonymity.
Royal Jordanian is one of three airlines running a regular passenger service to Iraq.
One of the others, Iraqi Airways, operated its afternoon flight from Iraq to Jordan on Monday.*
:: AP/Yahoo! News ::
...
:
Mo Jan 24 -
JIHADI RICOCHET -
Are some Saudi clerics
exporting Jihadis to Iraq?
**Saudi clerics such as Al-Odeh and al-Hawali have issued several fatwas saying jihad is legitimate in Iraq...
Saleh al-Owfi, believed to be al-Qaida's leader in Saudi Arabia, claimed in a Web site statement that al-Hawali had asked him not to fight at home but to go to Iraq...
Iraq as a battleground offers the solution to a quandary facing the Saudi clerics who have to both placate the kingdom's rulers and keep their radical base happy...**
:: As reported by S Faramarzi ::
-- AP/Yahoo --
...
Mo Jan 24 -
JIHADI RICOCHET -
Are some Saudi clerics
exporting Jihadis to Iraq?
**Saudi clerics such as Al-Odeh and al-Hawali have issued several fatwas saying jihad is legitimate in Iraq...
Saleh al-Owfi, believed to be al-Qaida's leader in Saudi Arabia, claimed in a Web site statement that al-Hawali had asked him not to fight at home but to go to Iraq...
Iraq as a battleground offers the solution to a quandary facing the Saudi clerics who have to both placate the kingdom's rulers and keep their radical base happy...**
:: As reported by S Faramarzi ::
-- AP/Yahoo --
...
:
Mo Jan 24 -
MORE ON MOUTHPIECE -
*Zarqawi's propaganda mastermind,
Hassan al-Dulaimi, who confessed Kurdi
had been plotting attacks on polling centres
to disrupt Sunday's vote had also been
arrested, the government added.*
:: AFP/Yahoo: top Zarqawi ops arrested ::
...
Mo Jan 24 -
MORE ON MOUTHPIECE -
*Zarqawi's propaganda mastermind,
Hassan al-Dulaimi, who confessed Kurdi
had been plotting attacks on polling centres
to disrupt Sunday's vote had also been
arrested, the government added.*
:: AFP/Yahoo: top Zarqawi ops arrested ::
...
:
Mo Jan 24 -
MOUTHPIECE ARRESTED -
During the course of reporting that the "most lethal" car bomber, Sami Mohammad Ali Said al-Jaaf, has been arrested, the BBC also reports the arrest of a man described as Zarqawi's propaganda chief.
More details as they become available.
:: BBC : 'top Zarqawi ally' ::
...
Mo Jan 24 -
MOUTHPIECE ARRESTED -
During the course of reporting that the "most lethal" car bomber, Sami Mohammad Ali Said al-Jaaf, has been arrested, the BBC also reports the arrest of a man described as Zarqawi's propaganda chief.
More details as they become available.
:: BBC : 'top Zarqawi ally' ::
...
:
Mo Jan 24 -
ACROSS THE POND -
# Rory McCarthy from The Guardian
drops in on Yanar Mohammed:
"The liberation should happen through
a civil and secular alternative."
The latest copy of her group's newspaper,
al-Musawat, or Equality,
shows a photo of her burning a veil.
:: R McCarthy article ::
:: Yanar Mohammed's Website ::
# William Shawcross has a superb
Op-Ed essay which, if you have a
couple of extra minutes, is worth reading.
In it he says:
"It is shocking that so few democratic
governments support the Iraqi people."
:: Shawcross Op-Ed ::
# And Jane Perrone on Newsblog
discloses that the Beeb now has three
people blogging from Iraq about the election.
:: Perrone's Newsblog Entry ::
:: BBC Iraq Election Weblog ::
...
Mo Jan 24 -
ACROSS THE POND -
# Rory McCarthy from The Guardian
drops in on Yanar Mohammed:
"The liberation should happen through
a civil and secular alternative."
The latest copy of her group's newspaper,
al-Musawat, or Equality,
shows a photo of her burning a veil.
:: R McCarthy article ::
:: Yanar Mohammed's Website ::
# William Shawcross has a superb
Op-Ed essay which, if you have a
couple of extra minutes, is worth reading.
In it he says:
"It is shocking that so few democratic
governments support the Iraqi people."
:: Shawcross Op-Ed ::
# And Jane Perrone on Newsblog
discloses that the Beeb now has three
people blogging from Iraq about the election.
:: Perrone's Newsblog Entry ::
:: BBC Iraq Election Weblog ::
...
Sunday, January 23
:
Su Jan 23 -
IQ GALS: TOUGH DECISIONS -
**Both Kadhim and Maysoon al-Damluji went to the same elite high school and studied architecture together at Baghdad University. But today, their different paths underscore the dilemma faced by many Iraqi professionals as they decide whether their ambitions to build a new Iraq is worth the risk.**
:: By Scott Peterson - CS Monitor ::
+ I notice that Faiza Jarrar has a new entry posted in Arabic, but it hasn't been translated into English yet.
...
Su Jan 23 -
IQ GALS: TOUGH DECISIONS -
**Both Kadhim and Maysoon al-Damluji went to the same elite high school and studied architecture together at Baghdad University. But today, their different paths underscore the dilemma faced by many Iraqi professionals as they decide whether their ambitions to build a new Iraq is worth the risk.**
:: By Scott Peterson - CS Monitor ::
+ I notice that Faiza Jarrar has a new entry posted in Arabic, but it hasn't been translated into English yet.
...
:
Su Jan 23 -
IQ GRASSROOTS ELECTION REPORTING -
Omar's new entry explains the new Friends of Democracy website, the new Arabic Blogging Tool, and the Arabic Blog Project.
:: Omar at ITM perma ::
Friends of Democracy, which I saw first via GM's Big Pharoah Blog, is a very fancy piece of work. It can be accessed in both English and in Arabic.
In English, it is a blog which features grassroots election reporting from all over Iraq. This may give us access to some pretty farflung locations, way off the beaten path, that professional journalists are not apt to get into very deeply.
:: Friends of Democracy ::
...
Su Jan 23 -
IQ GRASSROOTS ELECTION REPORTING -
Omar's new entry explains the new Friends of Democracy website, the new Arabic Blogging Tool, and the Arabic Blog Project.
:: Omar at ITM perma ::
Friends of Democracy, which I saw first via GM's Big Pharoah Blog, is a very fancy piece of work. It can be accessed in both English and in Arabic.
In English, it is a blog which features grassroots election reporting from all over Iraq. This may give us access to some pretty farflung locations, way off the beaten path, that professional journalists are not apt to get into very deeply.
:: Friends of Democracy ::
...
:
Su Jan 23 -
LIT-NETTING:
**The Iraqi writer Arif Alwan has decided to publish his new novel, Al-Adhwa'a, exclusively on the Internet. The writer told Asharq Al-Awsat the main reason behind his decision is the disappointments he found dealing with the publishers. I think it is good to see Arab writers finally take advantage of the Internet. I downloaded the novel and I will try to read it when I get back to Riyadh.**
-- Ahmed : Thurs Jan 20th Blog Entry
:: SAUDI JEANS permlink ::
...
Su Jan 23 -
LIT-NETTING:
**The Iraqi writer Arif Alwan has decided to publish his new novel, Al-Adhwa'a, exclusively on the Internet. The writer told Asharq Al-Awsat the main reason behind his decision is the disappointments he found dealing with the publishers. I think it is good to see Arab writers finally take advantage of the Internet. I downloaded the novel and I will try to read it when I get back to Riyadh.**
-- Ahmed : Thurs Jan 20th Blog Entry
:: SAUDI JEANS permlink ::
...
Saturday, January 22
:
Sa Jan 22 -
IRAQI PENNY DREADFUL SATURDAY
These accounts are not
suitable for sensitive readers:
*A senior official [Ali Ghalib] from the city of Tikrit who was kidnapped this month and reported dead was released alive this week after what he described as two harrowing weeks in captivity.
[ ... ]
Several days into the ordeal, the group was herded outside to witness the beheading of a fellow captive, the men said. "The guy was sitting in a chair facing a man with his face covered and holding a sword," Ghalib said. "After they read a paper saying he was cooperating with Iranian intelligence, the masked man cut off his head.*
:: K.Vick/S.S. Aldin: WaPo ::
* * *
Then, at the end of a longish article
for Saturday, Shadid adds:
*The Reuters news agency reported Friday that a group beheaded an Iraqi soldier in broad daylight in Ramadi, on the Euphrates River west of Baghdad. They left the body in the street, with the severed head placed on the torso and a note warning other Iraqi soldiers to quit, according to Reuters.
In a video posted on the Internet, insurgents loyal to Zarqawi beheaded two Iraqis who said they worked at a U.S. base in Iraq, Reuters reported.*
That Reuters report can be found
on Yahoo for Fri.
:: Shadid et al: WaPo ::
...
Sa Jan 22 -
IRAQI PENNY DREADFUL SATURDAY
These accounts are not
suitable for sensitive readers:
*A senior official [Ali Ghalib] from the city of Tikrit who was kidnapped this month and reported dead was released alive this week after what he described as two harrowing weeks in captivity.
[ ... ]
Several days into the ordeal, the group was herded outside to witness the beheading of a fellow captive, the men said. "The guy was sitting in a chair facing a man with his face covered and holding a sword," Ghalib said. "After they read a paper saying he was cooperating with Iranian intelligence, the masked man cut off his head.*
:: K.Vick/S.S. Aldin: WaPo ::
* * *
Then, at the end of a longish article
for Saturday, Shadid adds:
*The Reuters news agency reported Friday that a group beheaded an Iraqi soldier in broad daylight in Ramadi, on the Euphrates River west of Baghdad. They left the body in the street, with the severed head placed on the torso and a note warning other Iraqi soldiers to quit, according to Reuters.
In a video posted on the Internet, insurgents loyal to Zarqawi beheaded two Iraqis who said they worked at a U.S. base in Iraq, Reuters reported.*
That Reuters report can be found
on Yahoo for Fri.
:: Shadid et al: WaPo ::
...
:
Sa Jan 22 -
THOSE OL' DEVIL TOWERS -
*'I stoned the three jamarat in less than 15 minutes,'
Nasser AbdelFattah, a 31-year-old Egyptian,
proudly said.
'Today Satan is America and Israel and I hope
that, thanks to God, we defeat them,' he added.
Abdo Abu Zeid, a 38-year-old Syrian,
had the same opinion.
'America and Israel are the devils of our day,' he said.
'In the world, there is only a great devil, it's America,'
Sukhamat Ali, a Pakistani pilgrim, also said.*
* * *
+ I believe that Mohammed Atta thought he was "stoning the Devil" when he hit the WTC Towers with his jumbo jet missile. The inherent symbolism seems inescapable. Or was it some kind of magical thinking?
Then, too, the recent slaughter of the Egyptian family in Jersey City evokes the ritual-style slaughter of Daniel Pearl which also occurred around an Eid period, as I recall.
I suspect that a kind of syncretic sect of Islam may be developing. By "syncretic" I mean somewhat like the African belief systems with a Christian facade that resulted in Santeria and Voodoo, etc., except that this one may have a Moslem facade. But I could be
wrong, too.
:: AFP/Yahoo - final hajj ritual ::
...
Sa Jan 22 -
THOSE OL' DEVIL TOWERS -
*'I stoned the three jamarat in less than 15 minutes,'
Nasser AbdelFattah, a 31-year-old Egyptian,
proudly said.
'Today Satan is America and Israel and I hope
that, thanks to God, we defeat them,' he added.
Abdo Abu Zeid, a 38-year-old Syrian,
had the same opinion.
'America and Israel are the devils of our day,' he said.
'In the world, there is only a great devil, it's America,'
Sukhamat Ali, a Pakistani pilgrim, also said.*
* * *
+ I believe that Mohammed Atta thought he was "stoning the Devil" when he hit the WTC Towers with his jumbo jet missile. The inherent symbolism seems inescapable. Or was it some kind of magical thinking?
Then, too, the recent slaughter of the Egyptian family in Jersey City evokes the ritual-style slaughter of Daniel Pearl which also occurred around an Eid period, as I recall.
I suspect that a kind of syncretic sect of Islam may be developing. By "syncretic" I mean somewhat like the African belief systems with a Christian facade that resulted in Santeria and Voodoo, etc., except that this one may have a Moslem facade. But I could be
wrong, too.
:: AFP/Yahoo - final hajj ritual ::
...
:
Sa Jan 22 -
BAGHDAD: ONE WEEK TO D-DAY...
The Big D / Decision Day -
Zeyad describes what's going on:
*One week to elections day and the general atmosphere in the capital is eerie, yet strikingly familiar. I suspect the streets of Baghdad will look as if a war is looming this week. There is no doubt that many Iraqis regard the date of 30 January as a day of renewed hope, one they have been awaiting all their lives, but at the same time, many others are already dreading it.*
-- From his Fri - Jan 21st Blog Entry.
:: Healing Iraq Blog ::
...
Sa Jan 22 -
BAGHDAD: ONE WEEK TO D-DAY...
The Big D / Decision Day -
Zeyad describes what's going on:
*One week to elections day and the general atmosphere in the capital is eerie, yet strikingly familiar. I suspect the streets of Baghdad will look as if a war is looming this week. There is no doubt that many Iraqis regard the date of 30 January as a day of renewed hope, one they have been awaiting all their lives, but at the same time, many others are already dreading it.*
-- From his Fri - Jan 21st Blog Entry.
:: Healing Iraq Blog ::
...
:
Sa Jan 22 -
MOSUL TRAIN STATION -
*Iraqi Intervention Forces were able to defeat
repeated anti-Iraqi insurgent attacks on a train
station in southern Mosul. The insurgents tried to
overtake the train station, but were defeated
by IIF soldiers. No IIF injuries were reported.*
:: From SBNews ::
...
Sa Jan 22 -
MOSUL TRAIN STATION -
*Iraqi Intervention Forces were able to defeat
repeated anti-Iraqi insurgent attacks on a train
station in southern Mosul. The insurgents tried to
overtake the train station, but were defeated
by IIF soldiers. No IIF injuries were reported.*
:: From SBNews ::
...
Friday, January 21
:
Fr Jan 21 -
FCC CHIEF STEPS DOWN -
Michael Powell has resigned. An atronomically increasing barrage of male performance enhancement drugs and a finicky obsession with pastie ornaments distinguished his strange tenure at the agency.
The combination was troubling and leaves perplexing questions unresolved: viz; how did our broadcasting airwaves come to be so flooded with male sex chemicals, especially at dinnertime?
*Powell has praised the record fines, saying the commission was 'wielding our sword' to protect children and viewers who object to racy programming.*
But, seemingly and in stark contrast, racy commercials are just fine.
Go figure.
:: By Ted Bridis/AP/Yahoo ::
...
Fr Jan 21 -
FCC CHIEF STEPS DOWN -
Michael Powell has resigned. An atronomically increasing barrage of male performance enhancement drugs and a finicky obsession with pastie ornaments distinguished his strange tenure at the agency.
The combination was troubling and leaves perplexing questions unresolved: viz; how did our broadcasting airwaves come to be so flooded with male sex chemicals, especially at dinnertime?
*Powell has praised the record fines, saying the commission was 'wielding our sword' to protect children and viewers who object to racy programming.*
But, seemingly and in stark contrast, racy commercials are just fine.
Go figure.
:: By Ted Bridis/AP/Yahoo ::
...
:
Fr Jan 21 -
UK TV STATION:
"Ban It or We'll Bomb It!" -
A hardline Iranian religious group threatened on Wednesday to carry out suicide attacks on a UK-based Iranian exile TV presenter, saying Manouchehr Fouladvand's broadcasts were inflammatory and insulted Islamic values.
Mojtaba Bigdeli, the spokesman for the group, said the British government must ban the satellite channel run by Iranian exiles within 30 days or face the consequences.
"After one month, our commandos will carry out suicide attacks in London against the shameless presenter of the channel," Bigdeli told Reuters by telephone.
"He has crossed our red lines by insulting our prophet and Islamic values," Bigdeli said.
:: From Rantburg ::
...
Fr Jan 21 -
UK TV STATION:
"Ban It or We'll Bomb It!" -
A hardline Iranian religious group threatened on Wednesday to carry out suicide attacks on a UK-based Iranian exile TV presenter, saying Manouchehr Fouladvand's broadcasts were inflammatory and insulted Islamic values.
Mojtaba Bigdeli, the spokesman for the group, said the British government must ban the satellite channel run by Iranian exiles within 30 days or face the consequences.
"After one month, our commandos will carry out suicide attacks in London against the shameless presenter of the channel," Bigdeli told Reuters by telephone.
"He has crossed our red lines by insulting our prophet and Islamic values," Bigdeli said.
:: From Rantburg ::
...
:
Fr Jan 21 -
IQ BOLO TIPS -
*"Many, many people tell us about the terrorists with this,'' al-Zobaidi said, tapping his black cell phone and thumbing down to show more messages.
"All the time, I hear his phone -
beep beep beep beep, beep beep
beep beep,'' said Sgt. Eddie Risner...
...mobile phone text messages allow civilians to pass on information from a discreet distance, their identities shielded from security forces and their neighbors.*
+ Recommended. Well written and informative.
:: By Ellen Knickmeyer ::
--AP via The Guardian --
...
Fr Jan 21 -
IQ BOLO TIPS -
*"Many, many people tell us about the terrorists with this,'' al-Zobaidi said, tapping his black cell phone and thumbing down to show more messages.
"All the time, I hear his phone -
beep beep beep beep, beep beep
beep beep,'' said Sgt. Eddie Risner...
...mobile phone text messages allow civilians to pass on information from a discreet distance, their identities shielded from security forces and their neighbors.*
+ Recommended. Well written and informative.
:: By Ellen Knickmeyer ::
--AP via The Guardian --
...
:
Fr Jan 21 -
NEW 'HAVE-A-HEART' TRAP for humans...
*An Israeli newspaper reported that a young Iraqi from Kirkuk had successful heart surgery in a hospital in Peta Tikvah. The family of the young man said that they could not afford the expenses of the surgery and so went to a humanitarian aid organization that arranged for their son to be transferred and treated in Israel for free.
'I never believed that I'd visit
Israel one day,' said the young man...
~How dare he seek the help
of the Zionists to save his life!*
+ Ali at Free Iraqi has a cute story today...
-- Yeah, it's from:
The Life Can Be Complicated Dept.
:: FREE IRAQI permalink ::
...
Fr Jan 21 -
NEW 'HAVE-A-HEART' TRAP for humans...
*An Israeli newspaper reported that a young Iraqi from Kirkuk had successful heart surgery in a hospital in Peta Tikvah. The family of the young man said that they could not afford the expenses of the surgery and so went to a humanitarian aid organization that arranged for their son to be transferred and treated in Israel for free.
'I never believed that I'd visit
Israel one day,' said the young man...
~How dare he seek the help
of the Zionists to save his life!*
+ Ali at Free Iraqi has a cute story today...
-- Yeah, it's from:
The Life Can Be Complicated Dept.
:: FREE IRAQI permalink ::
...
:
Fr Jan 21 -
IS MOSUL READY-SET-GO?
*It's the rainy season in Ninewa province, and the mud sticks to your boots the way old ideas stick in your mind.
But rain also washes away the mud, and officials hope the elections Jan. 30 will wash away the old ideas governing this country.
Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, commander of the Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq; Iraqi armed forces chief Gen. Babakir; and Iraqi ground forces commander Army Maj. Gen. Abdul Qadr led a trip to Ninewa to get the latest on the security situation for the elections...
Iraqi officials said the election will happen in Ninewa province...
"Insh'allah (God willing), we will be ready."*
-- Excerpted From Jim Garamone, AFPS --
* * *
In other news about the city via Stryker:
Allied Forces were fired upon by anti-Iraqi insurgents from Al Sabrine Mosque in eastern Mosul... Firing from a mosque clearly is a violation of the law of war.
And yesterday, terrorist insurgents attacked Al Salam Hospital in eastern Mosul, but were successfully repelled with no injuries to ISF or Iraqi civilians reported.
:: From Stryker Brigade News ::
...
Fr Jan 21 -
IS MOSUL READY-SET-GO?
*It's the rainy season in Ninewa province, and the mud sticks to your boots the way old ideas stick in your mind.
But rain also washes away the mud, and officials hope the elections Jan. 30 will wash away the old ideas governing this country.
Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, commander of the Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq; Iraqi armed forces chief Gen. Babakir; and Iraqi ground forces commander Army Maj. Gen. Abdul Qadr led a trip to Ninewa to get the latest on the security situation for the elections...
Iraqi officials said the election will happen in Ninewa province...
"Insh'allah (God willing), we will be ready."*
-- Excerpted From Jim Garamone, AFPS --
* * *
In other news about the city via Stryker:
Allied Forces were fired upon by anti-Iraqi insurgents from Al Sabrine Mosque in eastern Mosul... Firing from a mosque clearly is a violation of the law of war.
And yesterday, terrorist insurgents attacked Al Salam Hospital in eastern Mosul, but were successfully repelled with no injuries to ISF or Iraqi civilians reported.
:: From Stryker Brigade News ::
...
:
Fr Jan 21 -
GOOD MORNING, ORANGE CITY!
~ Radio Diyala is on the Air ~
"That's your opinion."
*...to deliver a message: If Sayed didn't stop talking about the election and criticizing the insurgency, someone would come to the radio show host's house and cut out his tongue, his brother was told... Since the threat, Sayed has been sleeping at the station...
...the U.S. military does not control the station's content, said Sgt. 1st Class Rodd Coker of the 350th Psychological Operations Unit. The station is owned by the Iraqi Media Network, a property of the central government in Baghdad, which in turn was set up by the Americans...
During the special election show, the two
phone lines for listeners rang non-stop...*
From an article by Aamer Madhani
:: ChiTribune via Yahoo ::
...
Fr Jan 21 -
GOOD MORNING, ORANGE CITY!
~ Radio Diyala is on the Air ~
"That's your opinion."
*...to deliver a message: If Sayed didn't stop talking about the election and criticizing the insurgency, someone would come to the radio show host's house and cut out his tongue, his brother was told... Since the threat, Sayed has been sleeping at the station...
...the U.S. military does not control the station's content, said Sgt. 1st Class Rodd Coker of the 350th Psychological Operations Unit. The station is owned by the Iraqi Media Network, a property of the central government in Baghdad, which in turn was set up by the Americans...
During the special election show, the two
phone lines for listeners rang non-stop...*
From an article by Aamer Madhani
:: ChiTribune via Yahoo ::
...
:
Fr Jan 21 -
EG SHUTS IQ VOTE CENTER -
Iraqi activists said Friday Egyptian authorities
closed down a center they opened to register
the names of eligible voters for Iraq's upcoming
elections... the reason given by the Egyptian police
was that it was not licensed... Hundreds of Iraqi
expatriates had already registered their names...
There are an estimated 6,000 Iraqis in Egypt...
:: UPI via WashTimes ::
...
Fr Jan 21 -
EG SHUTS IQ VOTE CENTER -
Iraqi activists said Friday Egyptian authorities
closed down a center they opened to register
the names of eligible voters for Iraq's upcoming
elections... the reason given by the Egyptian police
was that it was not licensed... Hundreds of Iraqi
expatriates had already registered their names...
There are an estimated 6,000 Iraqis in Egypt...
:: UPI via WashTimes ::
...
:
Fr Jan 21 -
MAJORITY OF IRAQIS INTEND TO VOTE -
*An overwhelming majority of Iraqis continue to say they intend to vote on Jan. 30 even as insurgents press attacks aimed at rendering the elections a failure, according to a new public opinion survey.
"Despite the efforts of the terrorists,
Iraqis remain committed to casting
their vote on election day."
Western specialists involved with election preparations said they were struck by the determination and resilience of ordinary Iraqis as they anticipate their country's first free election in half a century.*
:: Karl Vick for WashPost ::
...
Fr Jan 21 -
MAJORITY OF IRAQIS INTEND TO VOTE -
*An overwhelming majority of Iraqis continue to say they intend to vote on Jan. 30 even as insurgents press attacks aimed at rendering the elections a failure, according to a new public opinion survey.
"Despite the efforts of the terrorists,
Iraqis remain committed to casting
their vote on election day."
Western specialists involved with election preparations said they were struck by the determination and resilience of ordinary Iraqis as they anticipate their country's first free election in half a century.*
:: Karl Vick for WashPost ::
...
Thursday, January 20
:
Th Jan 20 -
LIMITED TO 'HOTEL JOURNALISM'?
*Armed with flak jackets and strict
security rules, dozens of reporters
are gearing up to leave London
to cover the historic January 30 vote.*
:: AFP/Yahoo ::
...
Th Jan 20 -
LIMITED TO 'HOTEL JOURNALISM'?
*Armed with flak jackets and strict
security rules, dozens of reporters
are gearing up to leave London
to cover the historic January 30 vote.*
:: AFP/Yahoo ::
...
Wednesday, January 19
:
We Jan 19 -
MURDER IN MIND -
*Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
has labelled author Salman Rushdie an apostate
whose killing would be authorised by Islam,
according to a message carried by Iranian media.*
Khamenei referred to Rushdie as a
"mahdour al-damm" which is a term applied to
someone whose blood may be shed with impunity.
:: AFP/YahooNews -
...
We Jan 19 -
MURDER IN MIND -
*Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
has labelled author Salman Rushdie an apostate
whose killing would be authorised by Islam,
according to a message carried by Iranian media.*
Khamenei referred to Rushdie as a
"mahdour al-damm" which is a term applied to
someone whose blood may be shed with impunity.
:: AFP/YahooNews -
...
:
We Jan 19 -
IQ BLOGGERS' P.O.V.s SOUGHT OUT -
*While Iraq's many newspapers get little notice in the American media, the country's citizen bloggers are drawing increased attention, as reporters in the United States try to gauge views within that country during the lead-up to this month's elections. One reason for the interest: Many of the Iraqi bloggers' postings are written in English, unlike the commentary in local newspapers.*
From an article by Brian Orloff
For Editor and Publisher
Carried via YahooNews
:: Turning to Bloggers ::
...
We Jan 19 -
IQ BLOGGERS' P.O.V.s SOUGHT OUT -
*While Iraq's many newspapers get little notice in the American media, the country's citizen bloggers are drawing increased attention, as reporters in the United States try to gauge views within that country during the lead-up to this month's elections. One reason for the interest: Many of the Iraqi bloggers' postings are written in English, unlike the commentary in local newspapers.*
From an article by Brian Orloff
For Editor and Publisher
Carried via YahooNews
:: Turning to Bloggers ::
...
:
We Jan 19 -
CAMPAIGNING IN BAGHDAD -
*Across the courtyard was a banner:
'This is how nations begin to decide
their destiny... through the ballot box,' it said.*
The latest piece by Anthony Shadid.
:: Shadid -washpost ::
...
We Jan 19 -
CAMPAIGNING IN BAGHDAD -
*Across the courtyard was a banner:
'This is how nations begin to decide
their destiny... through the ballot box,' it said.*
The latest piece by Anthony Shadid.
:: Shadid -washpost ::
...
:
We Jan 19 -
FOR AFGHAN GALS : A RELAUNCH -
*The first radio station dedicated
to the interests of women has been
relaunched in Afghanistan."
The station was taken back on air
by its director - and one of the country's
most famous women - Jamileh Mujahed...*
:: Paul Anderson for BBC ::
...
We Jan 19 -
FOR AFGHAN GALS : A RELAUNCH -
*The first radio station dedicated
to the interests of women has been
relaunched in Afghanistan."
The station was taken back on air
by its director - and one of the country's
most famous women - Jamileh Mujahed...*
:: Paul Anderson for BBC ::
...
:
We Jan 19 -
TAL AFAR INCIDENT -
The following is a dispatch from
The Stryker Brigade News:
*Two Iraqi civilians were killed when the vehicle they were driving tried to speed through a Multi-National Force patrol yesterday in northern Iraq. Soldiers of the 2nd Squadron 14th Calvary Regiment tried to halt the vehicle in Tal Afar. The soldiers used hand signals and shot to disable the vehicle before shooting at the vehicle and killing the driver and the front seat passenger. There were six uninjured children in the rear seats of the vehicle.
Military Officials extend their condolences for this unfortunate incident.
Due to the threat car bombs present to Iraqi Security Forces, Multi-National Forces, and the people of Iraq, military must take appropriate action against possible threats. Since January 1 at least five moving car bombs have detonated on ISF and MNF patrols and checkpoints.
Multi-National Forces have previously warned civilians to obey all signals given by military troops and all signs directing them how to react to checkpoints.*
:: MOSUL, IRAQ -Jan 19, 2005 ::
* * *
:: Documentary Photos at the BBC ::
-- Featured on Brits' Front Page --
-- Our Middle East Section --
...
We Jan 19 -
TAL AFAR INCIDENT -
The following is a dispatch from
The Stryker Brigade News:
*Two Iraqi civilians were killed when the vehicle they were driving tried to speed through a Multi-National Force patrol yesterday in northern Iraq. Soldiers of the 2nd Squadron 14th Calvary Regiment tried to halt the vehicle in Tal Afar. The soldiers used hand signals and shot to disable the vehicle before shooting at the vehicle and killing the driver and the front seat passenger. There were six uninjured children in the rear seats of the vehicle.
Military Officials extend their condolences for this unfortunate incident.
Due to the threat car bombs present to Iraqi Security Forces, Multi-National Forces, and the people of Iraq, military must take appropriate action against possible threats. Since January 1 at least five moving car bombs have detonated on ISF and MNF patrols and checkpoints.
Multi-National Forces have previously warned civilians to obey all signals given by military troops and all signs directing them how to react to checkpoints.*
:: MOSUL, IRAQ -Jan 19, 2005 ::
* * *
:: Documentary Photos at the BBC ::
-- Featured on Brits' Front Page --
-- Our Middle East Section --
...
:
We Jan 19 -
THE NEW NORMAL AD HOQ -
*ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Tuesday that the situation in Sui was normal and gas was being restored to all parts of the country.
[ ... ]
Meanwhile, thousands of Baloch tribesmen armed with weapons reached Dera Bugti after the provincial government requested the federal government to deploy federal security forces in the area. A VOA report on Tuesday said that about 20,000 to 25,000 Bugtis reached the area after FC contingents were sent to Dera Bugti. Law enforcement agencies have set up checkpoints in Sui and are monitoring people movement.*
:: Daily Times - PK ::
-- Via Rantburg --
...
We Jan 19 -
THE NEW NORMAL AD HOQ -
*ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Tuesday that the situation in Sui was normal and gas was being restored to all parts of the country.
[ ... ]
Meanwhile, thousands of Baloch tribesmen armed with weapons reached Dera Bugti after the provincial government requested the federal government to deploy federal security forces in the area. A VOA report on Tuesday said that about 20,000 to 25,000 Bugtis reached the area after FC contingents were sent to Dera Bugti. Law enforcement agencies have set up checkpoints in Sui and are monitoring people movement.*
:: Daily Times - PK ::
-- Via Rantburg --
...
:
We Jan 19 -
CONFOUNDED BELIEFS -
In a flap about an article on Iraqi Bloggers by Sarah Boxer in the NYTimes, Jeff Jarvis goes "Jarvistic" over several aspects of the piece.
Among other things...
*...CIA Tech Solutions is owned by a nice guy named Jeff Reed who donated domain hosting for a list of Iraqi bloggers, including ones quite anti-American. And if you went to his site, you'd confirm that CIA stands for Complex Internet Applications Technical Solutions...*
So far, no one as asked Mr Reed
what impelled him to give his company
such a controversial name.
Maybe Temporary Insanity.
:: BuzzMachine - perma ::
* * *
And, here's an explosive article
about political operatives being disguised
as journalists in the Middle East at the JPost.
:: Where the reporting stops ::
...
We Jan 19 -
CONFOUNDED BELIEFS -
In a flap about an article on Iraqi Bloggers by Sarah Boxer in the NYTimes, Jeff Jarvis goes "Jarvistic" over several aspects of the piece.
Among other things...
*...CIA Tech Solutions is owned by a nice guy named Jeff Reed who donated domain hosting for a list of Iraqi bloggers, including ones quite anti-American. And if you went to his site, you'd confirm that CIA stands for Complex Internet Applications Technical Solutions...*
So far, no one as asked Mr Reed
what impelled him to give his company
such a controversial name.
Maybe Temporary Insanity.
:: BuzzMachine - perma ::
* * *
And, here's an explosive article
about political operatives being disguised
as journalists in the Middle East at the JPost.
:: Where the reporting stops ::
...
Tuesday, January 18
:
Tu Jan 18 -
PALTALK : MORE TROUBLE -
*An internet company is under pressure
to pull the plug on inflammatory broadcasts
by an extremist London-based Muslim cleric.*
PalTalk is the same company recently
identified in the case of the ritual-style
slaughter of the Coptic family in Jersey City.
See blog entries below about that case.
:: From This is London ::
...
Tu Jan 18 -
PALTALK : MORE TROUBLE -
*An internet company is under pressure
to pull the plug on inflammatory broadcasts
by an extremist London-based Muslim cleric.*
PalTalk is the same company recently
identified in the case of the ritual-style
slaughter of the Coptic family in Jersey City.
See blog entries below about that case.
:: From This is London ::
...
:
Tu Jan 18 -
IRAQI WOMEN'S CAUCUS -
Rep Kay Granger (R-Texas) appeared on the Fox "News" TV Channel [all blondes; all the time] early this morning as the leader of the U.S. Congressional Iraqi Women's Caucus. Unfortunately, I was channel-surfing at the time and tuned in during the middle of her appearance, so I didn't catch much of it.
But there is a related deadtree article online.
Granger just returned from a
confer in Amman about this issue.
*...20 women candidates - representing different parties, religions and perspectives - are braving a hostile insurgency and an uncertain future in Assembly elections that will usher in a post-U.S. Iraq. Assembly members will have the daunting task of writing a new Constitution.
The meeting [was] held in Amman because of safety concerns in Baghdad.*
From an article by Maria Recio, KR
Via the Billings Gazette -
:: Iraqi women candidates ::
...
Tu Jan 18 -
IRAQI WOMEN'S CAUCUS -
Rep Kay Granger (R-Texas) appeared on the Fox "News" TV Channel [all blondes; all the time] early this morning as the leader of the U.S. Congressional Iraqi Women's Caucus. Unfortunately, I was channel-surfing at the time and tuned in during the middle of her appearance, so I didn't catch much of it.
But there is a related deadtree article online.
Granger just returned from a
confer in Amman about this issue.
*...20 women candidates - representing different parties, religions and perspectives - are braving a hostile insurgency and an uncertain future in Assembly elections that will usher in a post-U.S. Iraq. Assembly members will have the daunting task of writing a new Constitution.
The meeting [was] held in Amman because of safety concerns in Baghdad.*
From an article by Maria Recio, KR
Via the Billings Gazette -
:: Iraqi women candidates ::
...
Monday, January 17
:
Mo Jan 17 -
RITUAL-SLYLE SLAUGHTER update -
Trophies may have been taken from the Coptic Armanious family found in a ritual-style condition in Jersey City.
*Sources said Hossam Armanious' wallet had been emptied and his pockets were turned out when he was found along with his wife and two daughters, bound with fatal knife wounds to their throats.
Investigators also found his daughter's purse emptied out, and no cash in the house except a penny on the floor by their bodies.*
Items such as a driver's license or library cards may be scanned and then posted on Cult websites.
:: From NYPost ::
-- By E Calabrese and L Greene --
...
Mo Jan 17 -
RITUAL-SLYLE SLAUGHTER update -
Trophies may have been taken from the Coptic Armanious family found in a ritual-style condition in Jersey City.
*Sources said Hossam Armanious' wallet had been emptied and his pockets were turned out when he was found along with his wife and two daughters, bound with fatal knife wounds to their throats.
Investigators also found his daughter's purse emptied out, and no cash in the house except a penny on the floor by their bodies.*
Items such as a driver's license or library cards may be scanned and then posted on Cult websites.
:: From NYPost ::
-- By E Calabrese and L Greene --
...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
