READINGS FOR CALAMITY
March 29, 2003
Very tragic, horrifying pictures from Iraq, see aljazeera.net. Michael Moore is reported to be working on a film about the "murky relationship between the Bush and bin Laden families." Go Mike! Get it out quick. We may not have much time. See UPI. Here is the right position on the Iraq war, though barely a handful of politicians have the guts to say it. Dennis Kucinich says, "This war must end now. It was unjust when it started last week, and is still unjust today. The U.S. should get out now and try to save the lives of American troops and Iraqi citizens." See commondreams.org Al Gore says he doesn't want media companies to be "in bed with the government." See mtsusidelines.com Bishop Tutu told an audience, "God weeps to see us raining bombs on those who are precious in the sight of God ... It's a perverse thing to say we are seeking to liberate you, and you do it by producing corpses, and you say to those corpses, 'Now you are free.'" "No assault on American sovereignty has been more successful than that carried out in recent years by corporate globalization, through such mechanisms as NAFTA and the WTO. Victory, which over the course of our history, had proved impossible to the British, Mexicans, Confederates, Spanish, Germans, and Japanese, was being accomplished by a handful of lawyers armed only with cell phones, fax machines, and the support of politicians willing to trade their country’s nationhood for another campaign contribution ... Today, we justly pledge allegiance to the republic for which America stands, but we do not have to pledge allegiance to the empire or failed policies for which America is now suffering." From "How to be a Patriot" by Sam Smith. According to Chuck O'Connell, "The U.S. backed sanctions program was designed to destroy the country economically and militarily; in effect, it was a form of siege warfare designed to degrade the target (Iraq) making it much easier to conquer. Added to the sanctions program was the imposition of northern and southern "no-fly" zones which not only effectively denied to the Iraqi military the airspace over the country's northern and southern perimeters but also allowed the U.S. and UK air forces to bomb northern and southern Iraq to pieces on a regular basis. The U.S. thus softened up the invasion routes for the conquest of Iraq. In short, the coming war represents a continuation of the ongoing war against Iraq." See Counterpunch. This German website shows the bitter truth of what America is doing to Iraq. www.strike-free.net. For information on the April 12 march on Washington, see internationalanswer.org This parody site of CNN looks so much like the real thing -- only slightly more grotesque in its war propaganda -- it's hard to tell at first that it's not real. See cnniraq.com. Wolf Blitzer wants to know what you think of CNN's "coverage" of the invasion of Iraq. You can let him know here: cnn.com/wolf. The poll questions given are woefully inadequate. You have to write an e-mail. Who was really flying those planes on September 11? Unanswered questions. See Stranger Than Fiction. A new interview with former marine and UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter says the US will lose its war against Iraq. See eircom.net. REFLECTIONS FROM THE BARBARIAN KINGDOM
March 28, 2003
Military leaders in Iraq say the enemy they are fighting is different from the one we war-gamed against. (See The Guardian). But this regime is so used to rigging everything, the military rigged the war games when they started to lose. When the officer assigned to play the role of the Middle East started kicking the asses of America and Britain, they changed the rules to make their team win. So they deprived themselves of the needed preparation for what they would face in reality. Americans are looking like the Goliath that blunders his way through relying solely on massive force. But surprise to the western world, there is a world beyond your video screen. Sometimes having the power to rig everything in your favor can come back to bite you. (See The Guardian). Here come the bunker busters. God help the Iraqis. God save the wretched souls of the Americans who are wreaking all this havoc. (See The Guardian.) An unimbedded reporter has the US military furious. They don't like the free ones. (See the Washington Post.) The war could last months, military leaders are now saying. (See the Washington Post.) It happens to all of them, now the Bushies are confronting it, The Dictators Dilemma. A candid comment from a general has upset the White House. (See The Guardian.) The evil Richard Perle has resigned as a top Rumsfeld advisor. What is that about? (See The Sun Times.) A commander sees a longer road than previously thought, and problems because of lack of supplies and bad planning. (See the New York Times.) Contrary to earlier reports, we now hear that the British are 'nowhere near' capturing Basra. (See Yahoo.) Baghdad is being rocked with "thunderous explosions." (See Yahoo.)