Friedman Defends Repeated Prediction That ‘The Next Six Months Are Crucial’ In Iraq
Friedman Defends Repeated Prediction That ‘The Next Six Months Are Crucial’ In Iraq
Since 2003, Tom Friedman has repeatedly predicted that “the next six months are crucial” in Iraq. (FAIR documents it here.) This weekend on CNN, Friedman defended his remarks, saying “the story’s evolving.” He also attacked those on the left and right who criticize him, saying they “want to be proven right.” Watch it:
At no point did Friedman admit — or even suggest — he was ever wrong.
Full Transcript:
KURTZ: Now, I want to understand how a columnist’s mind works when you take positions, because you were chided recently for writing several times in different occasions “the next six months are crucial in Iraq,” the next six months. And now you’ve written a column saying that Americans are simply not going to tolerate this kind of anarchy for another two years and deadlines have to be set. Were you conscious that you were now shifting your position on this?
FRIEDMAN: Not really. You know, the problem with analyzing the story, Howie, is that it doesn’t — everyone, first of all, this is the most polarized story I’ve certainly written about, so everyone wants, basically, to be proven right, OK?
So the left — people who hated the war, they want you to declare the war is over, finish, we give up. The right, just the opposite. But I’ve been trying to just simply track the situation on the ground. And the fact is that the outcome there is unclear, and I reflected that in my column. And I will continue to reflect.
KURTZ: Unclear, but you’re running out of patience?
FRIEDMAN: Well, it’s not that I’m running out of patience. The story’s evolving. And what strikes me as I see it evolve, when it drags on, six months after an election we still don’t have a government. Then, as a columnist who’s offering opinions on what I think the right policy is, it seems to me we have to be telling Iraqis we are not going to be here forever, providing a kind of floor under the chaos, while you dicker over the most minute things when American lives are at stake. So I think it’s a constantly evolving thing.
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152 Responses to “Friedman Defends Repeated Prediction That ‘The Next Six Months Are Crucial’ In Iraq”
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Trust me, Al Kayduh in EYE RACK is REALLY HURTING RIGHT NOW. U can cut the tenshun with a nife.
June 12th, 2006 at 11:30 amIf you read the FAIR article and substitute the phrase "when we reach the horizon" for "over the next six months" it will be a more accurate state of affairs in Iraq.
June 12th, 2006 at 11:31 amThat's so funny, a "right fighter" like Friedman criticizing the left and the right for wanting to be proven right by criticizing him.
June 12th, 2006 at 11:38 amThe definitive pot calling the kettle black.
Tom Friedman is a paid Bush Regime apologist who spews complete nonsense and propaganda! The New York Times must fire him for being a Bush shill!
June 12th, 2006 at 11:41 amTom Friedman's head is so far up his ass thinking he is some kind of great prognosticator, one wonders how he can see anything clearly. BTW, doesn't he look like some news anchor from the 1970's with that cheesy moustahe?
June 12th, 2006 at 11:41 am#4 - I love that Briseadh na Faire translates to "Break of Dawn." So beautiful. I've always wanted to ask where you are from, but didn't want to be embarassed by having you say, "I'm from Brooklyn, why do you ask?" Good luck on that bar exam!
June 12th, 2006 at 11:41 amtom fried man is a microcosm of the NYT. They are primarily on the side of the war, neo-cons, and advancing the lie that the media is liberal. But, by chastising both sides, well, he's clearly impartial, right?
This man is a zionist hate-monger masquerading as a journalist and he has been nothing but wrong as far as I can tell.
He got his war, he has his occupation, and he needs to just shut up about it.
The left doesn't want to be "right", we want to stop inflicting our brand of "democracy and freedom" on those who cannot defend themselves against it without sniping at the soldiers who are the occupiers.
It is not rocket science that they hate us, and we need to come to terms with the fact that our behavior has been reprehensible, that we are lying about our entire involvement in the region, that we always intended to establish "permanent" bases in Iraq, and that as a result, we deserve the ire of those we continue to abuse.
Israel is doing the same to the Palestinians.
June 12th, 2006 at 11:41 amThe left doesn’t want to be “rightâ€, we want to stop inflicting our brand of “democracy and freedom†on those who cannot defend themselves against it without sniping at the soldiers who are the occupiers.
Comment by Ken Daves
Well said, Ken.
June 12th, 2006 at 11:43 amZookeeper,
#8. Thank you. I'm from California. Why do you ask? ;-)
And you?
(off to studies now, but I'll check back)
June 12th, 2006 at 11:49 amI think "Tom Friedman" spells "d#uchebag" in Russian.....
June 12th, 2006 at 11:49 amNow this is a fight worth going into. This really demands a rebuttal.
I think it's important to see where fried man has been in the media recently, because he has suddenly re-emerged on several outlets.
I think it's telling that he was on Democracy Now, and that Amy played at being tough with him while still allowing him to get his point across and thereby lending him credibility he does not deserve.
Sure, she challenged him a bit, but this man advances the official line about 9/11, OBL, and the GWOT, which apparently, he thinks he can win.
Now isn't the real reason the next six months is crucial due to the fact that by that time we should have our permanent bases and embassy/small US city outpost completed?
What are we looking at when that's done? Security? Democracy? Freedom?
CNN is bogus, and more dangerous than FOX, though less dangerous than PBS for the same reason: there is the presumption that CNN is more fair and balanced than FOX, and PBS, of course, is totally liberal, right?
No, only the internet can claim the mantle of truth. We need to have faith in this medium, and that through reasonable discussion the truth emerges.
So, what exactly is Democracy Now's agenda? The more they avoid 9/11, the more I wonder.
June 12th, 2006 at 11:51 amYou stupid progressive just don't understand. Even if you grew moustaches, (don't ther ladies already have them?) you could not compete with THE MOUSTACHE of UNDERSTANDING! It's POWERS are INCREDIBLE!
June 12th, 2006 at 11:59 amYou stupid progressive just don't understand. Even if you grew moustaches, (don't the ladies already have them?) you could not compete with THE MOUSTACHE of UNDERSTANDING! It's POWERS are INCREDIBLE!
June 12th, 2006 at 12:00 pmYou know you nuts are extremist when you think PBS is a right wing threat.
That is more telling and honest than anything I have ever read from you moonbats.
June 12th, 2006 at 12:05 pmYou know, Bushy Moustache, you're right - we just don't understand. Perhaps you could enlighten us on why you neocons swear blind allegiance to such a corrupt administration as it's picking your pockets for loose change (since it already drains your checking account and still wants more).
June 12th, 2006 at 12:06 pm#11 - Zookeeper,
#8. Thank you. I’m from California. Why do you ask? ;-)
And you?
You lawyer wannabees, I should have known.
June 12th, 2006 at 12:06 pmI'm from California, but live in Idaho.
Happy studdering, I mean studying. ;)
That is more telling and honest than anything I have ever read from you moonbats.
Comment by troll — June 12, 2006 @ 12:05 pm
I keep telling you - if you're gonna get up on that side of the bed, you have to move it away from the wall first...
June 12th, 2006 at 12:08 pmKind of like the "Rove indicted" story. BURN!
June 12th, 2006 at 12:09 pmYou know you nuts are extremist when you think PBS is a right wing threat.
That is more telling and honest than anything I have ever read from you moonbats.
Comment by troll
Hey look! I have a Gaelic name too! It means "Kiss my ass, troll!"
June 12th, 2006 at 12:10 pmHe is no more than a journalist. There should be a movement away from the notion that journalists have a profound knowledge of any topic just because they write about it.
He is no more than a well paid, "respected" propagandist who can not tell the truth because his sinecure depends on him lying, obfuscating and misdirecting.
June 12th, 2006 at 12:11 pmA ‘Right-Wing Coup’ at PBS & the CPB? A Roundtable Discussion on the Future of Public Broadcasting
PBS is a tool of the administration. You want an ordinary liberal bias, try Amy Goodman you ignorant POS troll.
This is what you voted for, dipshit.
June 12th, 2006 at 12:16 pmYou can't say that Friedman's not eclectic.
June 12th, 2006 at 12:18 pmHis mustache is part Charlie Chan, part Wang Hsi-Ch'i; his books owe everything to Portugese explorers who went the wrong way; his analyses are redolent of the Wailing Wall; his shirts and jackets are weekend Knesset; his idea of 'crucial time' is from opening day to the world series; his most demanding intellectual test is answering Larry King's questions, his need to recognize humanity is calling Imus 'Don'.
Kind of like the “Rove indicted†story. BURN!
Comment by Seixon — June 12, 2006 @ 12:09 pm
Ah, Seixon... you've got some links to valid scientific study on that solar warming hypothesis for me? Still waiting...
June 12th, 2006 at 12:19 pmSaw the Pogues recently. Great show!!!
June 12th, 2006 at 12:21 pmSlainte
Yup, we've turned a corner, and in 6 months everything will be OK! Right? I mean, Zarqawi's dead 'n stuff ... isn't that another corner?
June 12th, 2006 at 12:24 pmStill waiting…
Comment by unbelievable
I'm telling ya, don't hold your breath, Salma.
June 12th, 2006 at 12:25 pmI mean, Zarqawi’s dead ‘n stuff … isn’t that another corner?
Comment by blogenfreude
We're going in circles...
June 12th, 2006 at 12:26 pmThey want to be proven right.
Another 'Corner'....
I don't have to 'prove' that this guy speaks nonsense, that's readily apparent in his own words, wether he's nefarious in his rational or just an incompetent lacky is the question.
June 12th, 2006 at 12:26 pmBut, really, either way no one has to prove listening to such unsubstantiated diatribe is foolish at best and deadly at it's worst.
-=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=-
O' man Mustauche Man is genius. Wisdom in a Whisker.
It's power is that of a blackhole, full of light man cannot see.
-=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=-
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/home.html
Saw the Pogues recently. Great show!!!
Slainte
Comment by troll
ESAD, you royalist pig. I'd kneecap you and your mother in a heartbeat. All traitors should be shot and you and your mother are a treasonous pigs.
Making PBS as "fair and balanced" as Fox
PBS Panders to Right With New Programming
June 12th, 2006 at 12:29 pm25--- your asking Seixon to back up his statements with proof? But Karl didn't give him any links for backing up the talkingpoints. It just has instructions to repeat as much as possible and call whoever disputes it names. Standard instructions for the right wingers.
June 12th, 2006 at 12:30 pmSick, twisted, treasonous pig:
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America PAC sent a letter to Curt Weldon asking him to stop pissing on the troops by making shit up.
"On behalf of the men and women who have and are currently serving in Iraq, I implore you to stop ignoring the facts just to save face. Your continued support for the decision to go to war cannot be justified by ignoring the reality of the overwhelming evidence and espousing conclusions you wish were true. You can honor the service and sacrifice of these brave men and women by acknowledging the reality on the ground in Iraq and moving forward with the facts, not spin. Please join Congress, the President, and our allies in admitting there are no WMD in Iraq, and focus on how to achieve victory there so our 21st Century American Patriots can come home with the honor they have earned."
June 12th, 2006 at 12:33 pmI’m telling ya, don’t hold your breath, Salma.
Comment by Zookeeper — June 12, 2006 @ 12:25 pm
I agreed with your take on him providing links in the prior thread. We had a debate on Global Warming at the beginning of the year and he disappeared when I asked for links on his hypothesis that the sun is gradually warming (odd since it is actually buring itself out). He tried in our most recent debate to get me to read his blog. I refuse on principal (he has no resources). And he started calling me names... I think he's just here to advertize his personal webpage.
Plus, I think it's funny how asking for facts gets rid of him... :)
June 12th, 2006 at 12:39 pmThey have been saying 'next three months/next six months' for over three years now.
June 12th, 2006 at 12:39 pmwho the hell would believe ANYTHING that comes out of the NY Times?? they are just hard left democrats who put out a newspaper .
June 12th, 2006 at 12:40 pmthe writings here stating that PBS is "conservative" just shows how far to the left of the spectrum the moonbat culture has gone.
can the hammer and sickle flag flying in Washington (right above the Mexican flag) be far behind with such "progressive" ideology.
when in doubt vote from the rooftops!!
Standard instructions for the right wingers.
Comment by Wayne — June 12, 2006 @ 12:30 pm
What's that definition for insanity... :)
June 12th, 2006 at 12:42 pmBush; Stay the Course!
People; What Course?
Bush; The one with all those Corners.
People; Isn't their a shorter path?
Bush; No, I am the decider!
People; Are you sure?
Bush; My Insticts My Instincts!
People; But, now the course may be Decades?
Bush; Or Maybe more Corners,,,Look, See? Instincts.
People; [Shakes head, wha? huh?]
------------------------------------------------
Tom Friedman’s head is so far up his ass thinking he is some kind of great prognosticator, one wonders how he can see anything clearly.
We have also started the Friedman fund for Abdominal Plexautomy Visualosopy. Please Donate to a great cause.
[A clear plexiglas insert in the abdomen for those who are cranially/anally afflicted such as this guy....
Remember, No man should have to go thru life and not be able to see where he is going.
June 12th, 2006 at 12:43 pmChris - you you feel better now? Getting taht out of yoursystem? Well, good. We'll just step over it now, since you're clearly too ill to clean up after yourself...
June 12th, 2006 at 12:45 pmSomeone wanted the all wise answer to the Bush Crimea.
June 12th, 2006 at 12:49 pmI shall enlighten you, they are the Barbarian Boeations.
The "Syes" Yes. The Wisdom is now yours.
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Pelops brought over peoples from Phrygia to the Peloponnesus that received its name from him; and Danaüs from Egypt; whereas the Dryopes [Dropah], the Caucones, the Pelasgi, the Leleges, and other such peoples, apportioned among themselves the parts that are inside the isthmus — and also the parts outside, for Attica was once held by the Thracians who came with Eumolpus, Daulis in Phocis by Tereus, Cadmeia by the Phoenicians who came with Cadmus, and Boeotia itself by the Aones and Temmices and Hyantes. According to Pindar, there was a time when the Boeotian tribe was called "Syes." Moreover, the barbarian origin of some is indicated by their names — Cecrops, Codrus, Aïclus, Cothus, Drymas, and Crinacus...
lean up against something metal. your tinfoil hats will get a better signal
June 12th, 2006 at 12:50 pmFriedman is brilliant
June 12th, 2006 at 12:51 pmUnbelievable,
the funny bit about Chris, is he likes to think his pathetic rants drive anyone left of Attila the hun nuts. He is sad little boy seeking attention.
As for Freidman, He is correct that the next 6 months are critical. Of course the last 3 years have been critical as well. perhaps it would have been more honest to say the 6 years are critical.
June 12th, 2006 at 12:51 pmBoeotia itself by the Aones and Temmices and Hyantes. According to Pindar, there was a time when the Boeotian tribe was called “Syes.†Moreover, the barbarian origin of some is indicated by their names — Cecrops, Codrus, Aïclus, Cothus, Drymas, and Crinacus…
Actually that is not moon bat or tin foil hat at all.
It was a description of those Bohemian Club ninnies, the WISE ones, out in Caliornia. The B.C. Club as the Elites call their "Cremation of Care" and other skits and plays. The ;''worlds greatest mens party" I hear, yet they never invite me, too poor I suppose. You did know that money is wisdom did you not?
The Tinfoil Hat wearers are those like Rush Limbaugh, who BTW claims to have a Metal Truth Detector in his..Ergo Rush is a "Tin Head" in his own right.
June 12th, 2006 at 12:57 pmPeople is dying over there. It is not a matter who holds the truth, office boy. Address the proble like it is: a big f** mess you started.
June 12th, 2006 at 1:06 pmperhaps it would have been more honest to say the 6 years are critical.
Comment by Krazny — June 12, 2006 @ 12:51 pm
No doubt... though, come to think of it, the next 6 decades might just be even more realistic....
June 12th, 2006 at 1:06 pm#44, the palm beach post has a story w/picture of the Kos conventioneers. fashioning and wearing tin foil hats. apparently attempting to communicate with something. maybe you
June 12th, 2006 at 1:13 pmi read it. drudge has a link to it. whata bunch of morons
June 12th, 2006 at 1:17 pmif drudge links to it. millions will see it. pretty funny
June 12th, 2006 at 1:19 pmPlus, I think it’s funny how asking for facts gets rid of him… :)
Comment by unbelievable
That's why I do it. He usually comes back and insults me, but then he's gone again. It's all good, as long as he's gone. ;)
June 12th, 2006 at 1:23 pmIt’s all good, as long as he’s gone. ;)
Comment by Zookeeper — June 12, 2006 @ 1:23 pm
We're on the same page then :)
June 12th, 2006 at 1:25 pm#47 - Amy, hanging around here, reading this blog must surely be driving you to suicidal thoughts by now. I'm concerned about you, why don't you run along?
June 12th, 2006 at 1:25 pmHe usually comes back and insults me, but then he’s gone again. It’s all good, as long as he’s gone. ;)
Comment by Zookeeper
Yeah standard rightwing tactics, if the facts don't support you, attack the questioner. Sad thing is it seems to work in the MSM, thats why they keep doing it.
June 12th, 2006 at 1:33 pmThe next 6 months are critical... Insurgency is in its last throes... Mission Accomplished... blah.blah.blah. Bring the troops home and put Bush on trial. Enough of this crap.
June 12th, 2006 at 1:34 pmquite the opposite
June 12th, 2006 at 1:41 pmThe six month time frame fits. Being a Times journalist, also fits. Knowing some of the cabal certainly fits. Ready to bury Iran would fit as well.
June 12th, 2006 at 1:57 pmMaybe Mr Fitzpatrick should ask him some pointed questions. Or maybe he should just out his sources.
#13 - "I think it’s telling that he was on Democracy Now, and that Amy played at being tough with him while still allowing him to get his point across and thereby lending him credibility he does not deserve." - "Comment" by K. Dave
June 12th, 2006 at 2:09 pm*****K. Dave - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!! You have done more to re-inforce the awful suppositions conservatives have about progressives with your self-aggrandizing "commentaries" than I could have EVER done. "Still allowing him to get his point across??" I guess YOU and only YOU should deem what is acceptable information for the minions. Again, THANK YOU!!!!!
i'm making a tinfoil hat
June 12th, 2006 at 2:15 pmI am as surprised as I am appalled to see Friedman supporters offering up excuses to defend what is either his blatant deception or monumental incompetence. What's most absurd, however, is the basis for the supporter's arguments. Surprisingly, none of the excuses are based on reality or facts.
None of Friedman's convenient supporters are clamoring about 1st Amendment issues because there is no attempt at censorship. No one is complaining about compromising the "fourth estate" because no one is trying to claim that Friedman is not allowed to challenge the government or the administration.
So then, what is the prevailing excuse? What is the issue that has Friedman's and his supporter's panties in a bunch? It's that the news out of Iraq fully supports virtually all of the assertions and claims that the Americans who were/are opposed to this war made before the war (invasion) started and have continued to make in the THREE YEARS that this abomination to humanity has been allowed to continue.
Yes, the defense by Friedman and for Friedman is that the news out of Iraq overwhelmingly supports what the left/anti-war traitors said would happen and it is wholly unfair to point this out. Instead, according to Friedman and his intellectually-challenged supporters, Americans should be ignoring the news and just continue to wait another "6 months" for things to get better. Friedman and his supporters ask that you resist the temptation to believe reality and instead just trust them. However, with their .000% success rate, only a fool or idiot would do so.
June 12th, 2006 at 2:18 pmhow pathetic
June 12th, 2006 at 2:23 pm#58,
June 12th, 2006 at 2:25 pmThe tinfoil hat is so that aliens cannot read one's mind. You, my dear, have nothing to worry about as reading your mind is the literary equivalent of reading the troglodyte-level scribbling that tends to appear on the walls of public restrooms.
i’m making a tinfoil hat
Comment by amy — June 12, 2006 @ 2:15 pm
Don't forget to recycle the aluminum when you're done...
June 12th, 2006 at 2:26 pmFriedman is saying,
June 12th, 2006 at 2:29 pm"Hey, I thought the last time I said, "The next six months are crucial," that the interment camps they are building across the U.S. would be finished by now.
But they jacked me around!
But THIS time TRUST ME: They'll be ready for you if you'll just put up with this kleptocracy just a little longer..."
i struck a nerve. come on cry some more for mama
June 12th, 2006 at 2:29 pm# 57 Too much coffee.
June 12th, 2006 at 2:30 pmAmy,
I don't know how much free time the hospital gives you between meds, but you may want to spend some time outside, after you get your tinfoil hat together.
Best of luck.
June 12th, 2006 at 2:33 pm#61, Please tell us more about your tinfoil hat.
June 12th, 2006 at 2:34 pm# 57 Amy: you have been adding up so much to the debate. Thank you very much.
June 12th, 2006 at 2:35 pmi struck a nerve. come on cry some more for mama
Comment by amy — June 12, 2006 @
Hmmm, it seems that we can add "delusional" to "obtuse" and "moronic" when describing your "writings". I put writings in quotes because I believe that the accurate description of your comments, that of "non-sensical blatherings born of ineptitude and incompetence" may be beyond your level of comprehension. Which also explains your support for Friedman, by the way.
June 12th, 2006 at 2:38 pmi'll try to add up more for you soon little juan
June 12th, 2006 at 2:39 pmi did not mean to hurt you so. but i do love the way you can mix grown up words into your sobbing.
June 12th, 2006 at 2:42 pmHey Every one back of Tom, you might not agree with some of the things he says, but clearly he is one of the most educated and smartest guy around. I have a great deal of respect for him.
June 12th, 2006 at 2:47 pmHey Every one back of Tom, you might not agree with some of the things he says, but clearly he is one of the most educated and smartest guy around. I have a great deal of respect for him.
June 12th, 2006 at 2:47 pmi struck a nerve.
Comment by amy — June 12, 2006 @ 2:29 pm
To quote you "quite the opposite". We're amused. You know, like when the dog does a new trick like shaking hands?
June 12th, 2006 at 2:49 pm#
Hey Every one back of Tom, you might not agree with some of the things he says, but clearly he is one of the most educated and smartest guy around. I have a great deal of respect for him.
Comment by BJ — June 12, 2006 @ 2:47 pm
See my post above, I believe it is number 59. I have to admit, though, that I would have never considered the defense of "gee he's a smart fella and he has a college diploma, so the fact that he's consistently wrong should be ignored and marginalized".
Yup, that ranks as the most asinine defense yet. I guess the next defense will be that "gosh, he's a good Christian so you should believe what he says and ignore that the facts don't support him."
June 12th, 2006 at 2:59 pmDING DING DING DING
Amy is Santo:You can kiss this thread goodby.
June 12th, 2006 at 3:07 pm#59 - "I am as surprised as I am appalled to see Friedman supporters offering up excuses to defend what is either his blatant deception or monumental incompetence."
- Comment by, Human -Oid
*****Dear Mr./Ms. Oid, I am surprised and apalled that you find predictions which fail to come to fruition "a blatant deception" or evidence of "monumental incompetence". Obviously, your predictive powers are SOOOOOO astute as to amaze all around you. (P.S. Your spouse said your inability to correctly select the Lotto Numbers shows monumental incompetence on your part. I was not about to argue with that irrefutable point.)
Your argument is based in approximately as much "fact" as Tom's. (You're simply hurling stones from a different direction.) One's man abomination is nother man's liberation. 4 of 18 provinces still have insurgent and secular violence. (That comparison would be as correct as being parachuted into South Central Los Angeles or East LA and being told this is how Dem run cities look. Naturally, you'd be forgetting the Westside and the hypocrites in Malibu and Santa Monica.) Perhaps due to your vast array of "knowledge" your brain is understandably overloaded.
June 12th, 2006 at 3:07 pmMaybe Santo Gnende/amy, or the half dozen other aliases used by that person is really Mighty Aphrodite in her less lucid moments. If you read post #77 she appears to be coming apart at the seams.
June 12th, 2006 at 3:12 pmvast array of what?
June 12th, 2006 at 3:13 pmBJ,
You've been seduced. I've read a bunch of his stuff over the years because he likes to paint with a broad brush. I grew disenchanted when I saw that he's a nationalist, a corporatist, and a supporter of Israeli colonialism. If you don't know what's wrong with those three things, you've got some reading to do. If you know what's wrong with them and you haven't detected them in Friedman's writings, you need to go take another look.
June 12th, 2006 at 3:16 pmDING
Krazny----Santo is not mighty aphrodity,but is amy.
June 12th, 2006 at 3:20 pmKiss this thread goodbye.
Krazy - I suppose my mention of liberal hypocrisy in Santa Monica and Malibu were JUST a little too much for you...(HA!)...but leave it to you not to mention the stupidity of HumanOids' pathetic excuse for an argument....
June 12th, 2006 at 3:23 pmstupid scared little boy
June 12th, 2006 at 3:23 pmI wish you progressives out there would stop bating the trolls.
June 12th, 2006 at 3:26 pmI know you're just having fun to break up a day at work, but it interrupts the effort of people who are here to either learn something or make a contribution.
Aphro can you translate, I don't really speak mad ranting. Perhaps if you gave paticular instances, or tried placing ideas into context, or come up with a coherant pattern it might help. I am unsure what Santa Monica, or Malibu have to do with insurgents in Iraq.
June 12th, 2006 at 3:26 pmoh...i love the self righteous crap
June 12th, 2006 at 3:29 pm#77,
What an interesting form of debate or argument. You choose to ignore the issue and any facts and instead just spew false and misleading information. Are you Friedman's editor?
As far as Mr. Friedman's "predictions" not coming to fruition, yes, it is incompetence. Not because he did it once, as you imply, but rather because he is doing it continually. Because of his success rate of .000%, he is either purposely deceiving or is just blatantly incompetent. If you have a factual challenge to that assessment I would be happy to hear it.
I find your sophomoric attempt to insult me by insinuating that I am not fulfilling my wife's needs incredibly amusing. Your desperation is exceeded only by your immaturity. Oh, and for perspective, the lottery is a game of chance in which you wage a dollar per guess to see if your numbers are then drawn which would then cause you to "win" some money. If you cannot see the difference here then you are beyond help. Now, if you wagered your life or the lives of your family and loved ones on the lottery, then it would be more relevant.
Lastly, all of my predictions regarding the crime of your invasion of Iraq have come true. But I don't gloat about it nor do I derive any pride from it. You see, hundreds of thousands of people have died due to you Americans' ignorance and arrogance. I weep for each and every one of those deaths and it bothers me greatly that I have not been able, yet, to do anything to stop it. Unlike you, MA, I would rather be WRONG and have God's children still alive (God does say that we are ALL his children, right?), than to be RIGHT and be morning all of these senseless deaths.
So, MA, anything else that you would like to debate? Maybe we can talk about your self-righteous belief that your life is more valuable than the lives of others.
June 12th, 2006 at 3:30 pmif by others you mean you....
June 12th, 2006 at 3:34 pmoh…i love the self righteous crap
Comment by amy — June 12, 2006 @ 3:29 pm
Especially when it's your own, right?
June 12th, 2006 at 3:36 pm#
if by others you mean you….
Comment by amy — June 12, 2006 @ 3:34 pm
Amy, you continue to amaze with your intelligence. Not its abundance, mind you, but rather the immeasurable vacuum created by your lack of it. I guess, in a way, you illustrate an important point in that you demonstrate for us all the target audience of Mr. Friedman, the monumentally unintelligent. Why you choose to be ignorant is beyond me. Fortunately, I can choose to stay away from such ignorance and choose to do so. May you get the help necessary to address your lack of cognitive abilities as well as your obvious insecurities.
June 12th, 2006 at 3:42 pmsshhh!! realitycheck is trying to learn. a contribution could come at any moment
June 12th, 2006 at 3:43 pmIs Tom friedman an american ?Wow I didnt know that,amazing what U can learn on the internet.But really folks its time to leave left right politics and do something that might affect our corporate masters sense of invulnerability,punish Exxon at the pump brutally ( the biggest profit taker) we may even get to like the fact the we can even have some noticable influence over the scene as opposed to trying to work with this pitiful excuse of a system which our corporate overlords have constructed from both parties.When the game is rigged you get up from the table!!!!!!
June 12th, 2006 at 4:07 pmAmy is only here to derail this thread. We've been letting that happen way too often. PLEASE IGNORE HER AND THE OTHER TROLLS.
June 12th, 2006 at 4:17 pmTell the democrats this is their last chance at remaining relevant ,after reading blogs on ABC'snews site on the NSA's tracking of journalists I am of the opinion that this will end up in the streets .The blogs there on that issue were more radical than any I've seen here and its mainstream news folks .VERY SCARY !!!!!
June 12th, 2006 at 4:22 pm#87 and #90 Dont bother, Humanist. Frightened people does not think, just reacts.
June 12th, 2006 at 4:30 pmDear MR. Human-OID- Please allow me to disagree with you (again!!) on Friedman. Repeating an assertion over and over does not it so - you might try clicking your heels together and sying - "There's no place like home - there's no one as bright as me..." over and over.... Good luck - P.S. People who take themselves as seriously as you appear to, are RARELY taken very seriously by others.
June 12th, 2006 at 4:37 pmhey aprodite the neocons writing for the PNAC telegraphed pre 911 that it was their expreesed intention to invade the mid east and essentially all of the Bush administations cabinet are signatories.( a war crime ) according to the geneva conventions and you find it hard to believe that tiny tom is disingenuous .Wow ,how much does is cost to buy a conscience these days or are you that far removed from basic reason that you can ignore the written word of the very people you support?
June 12th, 2006 at 4:47 pmToms children are isreali arent they or are they just expatriots?
June 12th, 2006 at 4:49 pmBut I'm sure he's impartial in any case
June 12th, 2006 at 4:53 pmSome asshole said:
"You know you nuts are extremist when you think PBS is a right wing threat.
That is more telling and honest than anything I have ever read from you moonbats."
Well, just as an example, I just had NPR on for 5 minutes and heard that "President bush has ordered a mandatory evacuation of low-lying areas on the Florida panhandle..." Now, I live in hurricane country, experienced a couple, and find them fun to track and experience. That's just me. This is the first time I can EVER remember having a mandatory evacuation 1. based on a tropical storm that ain't so bad, and 2. coming from a president, especially the one who let New Orleans drown and fester.
Do you think maybe there was a little propaganda thrown into that statement by NPR? If not, you're as dumb as the person who made the statement I quoted.
AND, if that wasn't enough, there was a report out that violent crime in this country has dramatically increased. This was blamed on "kids". The commentator actually said "We knew they were coming." Those damned kids. Of course, no statistics were offered to demonstrate that it was actually "kids" doing the violent crimes. And in no way was it implied that bush and his policies may have added to the problem.
Think New Orleans when you really want to know how bush cares for his own country and its people.
Since bush, crime has risen. Under clinton, who I also detest, it dropped. Hmm, you tell me.
And no WAY could it have anything at all to do with our economy and the additional burdens placed on lower and middle income people.
NPR can't help themselves and they are the MOST dangerous because people still feel "liberal" for getting their news that way.
Enforced stupidity I guess.
June 12th, 2006 at 4:55 pmaphrodite U dont take the murders of 10's of 1000's too seriously ?What are you passionate about ? football ?
June 12th, 2006 at 4:55 pmOh, and mighty androgyny, or whatever it is (human?) NEVER has anything to say that's worth reading. You may skip.... I do.
June 12th, 2006 at 4:56 pmthere is no statute of limitations on war crimes folks and if these folks wrote of invading another country as a form of foreign policy they are really out on a limb.The Nazi's were very patriotic too God bless us ,wow talk about christian charity ,do U suppose that includes the 2/3's of the country who dont support the rewriting of the US constitution?
June 12th, 2006 at 5:02 pmA real NY Times journalist, Paul Krugman asks why Democrats hate America.
A real kick-ass original post comes a little later.
June 12th, 2006 at 5:06 pm"Lastly, all of my predictions regarding the crime of your invasion of Iraq have come true. But I don’t gloat about it nor do I derive any pride from it. You see, hundreds of thousands of people have died due to you Americans’ ignorance and arrogance." Human-Oid
******My dear Mr. Oid - The "crime" of the invasion of Iraq is that it did not take place sooner. But the whores of Europe and the UN couldn't bear to get out of bed with the sudeuctive Saddam. You speak of arrogance - yet you deny the arrogance of one so smug that you believe others should be forced to live under the thumb of a brutal dictator. (And if you have the NERVE to be a European liberated from the vise of Hitler or Stalin - a simple "thank you" will do.) Please in your incomprable "brilliance" name a war with no civilian casualties. Your pompous arrogance is sad - I'll bet your wife is out shopping all afternoon (or at the library) or having an extended lunch or coffee with friends, so she doesn't have to act studiously enthralled by you.
"Maybe we can talk about your self-righteous belief that your life is more valuable than the lives of others." - Human - Oid
*****It is - to me. It's called the survival instinct.....
June 12th, 2006 at 5:06 pmjust wave the flag faster it helps make reality go away.hey basic human rights are overrated anyway.
June 12th, 2006 at 5:06 pmYou see, I believe might idiot should be completely ignored. Maybe she'll get tired of talking to herself. She certainly never ever under any circumstances has anything to ADD to a conversation based in reality.
June 12th, 2006 at 5:11 pmand we suppoted saddam with millions because we couldnt overthrow the govt of iran fast enuf and that war killed millions! The iranians seemed to think they had a right to their oil fields even after those remarkable liberators the brittish gave them their country back.Minus control of their oil and that was 50years ago.Today we send millions to karamov in uzbekistan who boils people alive according to the ex brittish ambassador.
June 12th, 2006 at 5:13 pmkaramov is a wonderful source of info on al qeada and of cource we would never support torture .Well maybe a little water boarding.Im sure that faced with having your finger nails torn out you would be forth coming when asked a question right?
June 12th, 2006 at 5:17 pmWaterboarding, to rumsfeld, who thinks only 4 hours of standing is nothing ("I stand for 8 hours, why do they stand for only 4?") must be like club med. Sort of like a free scuba lesson without the tank.
That's okay, isn't it?
rumsfeld's likely response: As long as they don't actually die.
And the other thing with the finger nails, well that's just a manicure.
I'd love love love to see them all suffer what they have wrought.
June 12th, 2006 at 5:23 pmYears ago, I thought Friedman was a man to listen to - he's quite intelligent.
June 12th, 2006 at 5:23 pmI was wrong.
He may be smart, but he is a self-serving pundit. His pride overwhelms his intelligence because he can't believe, much admit, that he is wrong.
I lost all respect for him about the second time he said "six more months." He is simply ensuring his regular (paid) appearances on cable news. He is often promoting a book.
I saw some of the interview on Sunday and I turned it off because I don't believe him, even if he has some truths in his arguments, I can't trust his integrity.
Ruhmsfeld, good name for a nazi and of course disarming a tyrant whom we have just armed is just good fun .We support democracy Even though Haiti's democratically elected leader claims that the CIA kidnapped him and overthrew his government one year ago and we attempted a coup in venesuala
June 12th, 2006 at 5:30 pmBy serving mammon is how Friedman got to where he is,he'll NEVER change.Whatever "the establishment" wants,Friedman will be their mouthpiece.
June 12th, 2006 at 5:33 pmOn the day democracy now had an interview with him CNN ran all day with a piece about the presidents new commision to help democracy around the world .Haiti was the nearest democracy and not a word Wow very spooky
June 12th, 2006 at 5:33 pmThank you, KDave - your ignoring me is very welcome as I don't feel compelled to discuss much of anything with you. I noticed you manage to alienate friends and foe alike - you've become the embodiment of a virtual wallflower.....
June 12th, 2006 at 5:36 pmhey aproditye ever see an opposing point of view on a right wing blog site ?Maybe democracy is too much for you.Maybe you should try writing one (minus the expletives I see used by the trolls here ) just as an experiment .
June 12th, 2006 at 5:43 pmand by the way aphrodite is the goddess of love and that doesnt seem to fit your MO
June 12th, 2006 at 5:44 pmKILL the rest ?
June 12th, 2006 at 6:03 pmaphrodite it doesnt bother U the neocons said they planned to invade the middle east for its oil before 911 and I quote "but barring a national catastrophy it will be hard to galvanize the american public behind such a scheme" end quote ?
June 12th, 2006 at 6:07 pmDear Jurrasic Pork,
June 12th, 2006 at 6:14 pmThanks for posting Klugman and tipping us off to the article on your blog.
I've really missed him since NYT went elitist.
You love the flag ? what does it stand for if the VP condones torture publically or the administrations names are clearly signed to plans for war inorder to control the rest of the worlds oil supply, years before 911?If U think making enemies even of our closest allies or supporting Tyrants like karamov in Uzbekistan who boil people alive is making us secure You seem to be beyond reason .We even needed helpfrom Mexican troops to deal with KatrinaMaybe we Dont we have enough troops to deal an invasion on our shores or doesnt that worry U.It was on W'swatch that we were attacked by largely Saudi nationals and within 24 hours the BUsh admin flew all bin ladens relative out of the country before they were even questioned at tax payers expence !
June 12th, 2006 at 6:18 pmaphrodite how about it ?Do you have morals or is support of the fatherland tantamount.Are you feeling more secure under bush than you did when we impeached clinton over sex?The questions posed by the actions of this administation are so far beyond troubling to a vast majority of americans its remarkable and you havent any doubts? How about an answer ?
June 12th, 2006 at 6:26 pmaphrodite ,i still think a new name like Loki or Mars would be a little more appropriate,
June 12th, 2006 at 6:32 pmCNN is bogus, and more dangerous than FOX, though less dangerous than PBS for the same reason: there is the presumption that CNN is more fair and balanced than FOX, and PBS, of course, is totally liberal, right?
No, only the internet can claim the mantle of truth. We need to have faith in this medium, and that through reasonable discussion the truth emerges.
So, what exactly is Democracy Now’s agenda? The more they avoid 9/11, the more I wonder.
June 12th, 2006 at 6:38 pm#100:
"Well, just as an example, I just had NPR on for 5 minutes and heard that “President bush has ordered a mandatory evacuation of low-lying areas on the Florida panhandle…â€
...
Do you think maybe there was a little propaganda thrown into that statement by NPR?"
Well, no, if that's in fact what Bush did. Then it's a purely factual statment. If NPR said “President bush has ordered a mandatory evacuation of low-lying areas on the Florida panhandle and he was stupid to do it," then they'd be correct and you'd be happy, but it wouldn't be less biased.
In any case, I don't see any evidence online that the president has done any such thing. All I see are "officials", probably Floridian, ordering the evac. Maybe it was Brother Jeb.
June 12th, 2006 at 6:41 pm#123 - "aphrodite it doesnt bother U the neocons said they planned to invade the middle east for its oil before 911 and I quote “but barring a national catastrophy it will be hard to galvanize the american public behind such a scheme†end quote ?"
June 12th, 2006 at 6:42 pm*****Dear Mr. Freeman - Please provide the source of your quote. But to answer your question: No, it does not bother me ONE IOTA that the Bush administration was willing to protect a NATIONAL VITAL INTEREST like oil. Can you imagine what would happen without the free flow of oil? I am ALL for developing alternative energy sources like hydrogen or ethanol - and I would like to relegate the midEast shieks back to the camels they should ceremoniously be "driving". However, that technological advancement will take time and I am not willing to let our citizens suffer a depression IF it can be avoided. Could it be a depression would fit the politcal scheming of progs who would like to be the ones riding in on the white horses to save the day???? Hmmmm....what a nefarious thought? (But that's right up the leftist conspiracy alley!)
Great, now the stalinist blogosphere is further alienating itself even futher by ripping on PBS.
Are any of you clowns even liberals (as in the classical definition), or are you just a bunch of repressed marxist/socialists?
June 12th, 2006 at 6:45 pm#120- But that has never stopped Dick "Last Throes" Cheney, Or, Donald "Not 6 Months" Rumsfeld, now has it? Or is that different?
June 12th, 2006 at 6:51 pmThe Stalinist blogosphere acts like if Iraq isn't Switzerland its a complete failure. Of course, it's more than that. The fascist left wants and actively encourages American failure wherever it is at.
You braindead zombies aren't liberals, you're fascist leftists and masochists.
June 12th, 2006 at 6:55 pmRick,
we have gone through this before, Facist and commies are on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Please its commie leftists.
June 12th, 2006 at 6:58 pmkrazny, and no matter how many times you leftists try to deny history, we know that the only difference between Stalin and Hitler was that Hitler tried to maintain the notion that "private" citizens still had "private" property.
But it's very telling about you leftists that you are so quick and furious to distance yourself from Nazism, but not so equally rabid about distancing yourself from communism.
You are not liberals, and that's why you call yourself progressives. Progressives to what? - only your statist, academic masters know and will tell you in due time.
June 12th, 2006 at 7:04 pmKrazy - Extremists at BOTH EXTREMES of the political spectrum are so far over the edge, they end up meeting - and if egos and power weren't on the line, they would be comrades. Nuanced differences could be found between Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany - but the state controlled the means of production and distribution. and both regimes had their boot on the neck of the people.
June 12th, 2006 at 7:10 pmthe problem is, I am not the extremist, From the postings from you and Rick, richly filled with lunacy, and fringe hatred, you two are the extreme.
Please try to join us in the middle.
June 12th, 2006 at 7:12 pmYou are not liberals, and that’s why you call yourself progressives. Progressives to what? - only your statist, academic masters know and will tell you in due time.
Comment by rick — June 12, 2006 @ 7:04 pm
June 12th, 2006 at 7:17 pmRick, As your "statist academic master " I say GFUS. Re-read your talking points sonny! your are off script, lost and making a fool of yourself. You do not have a clue do you?
Of course Stalin and Mao thought they were in the "middle", just like Krazny.
To Krazny (and the rest of the government is god crowd), the middle is somewhere between Stalinism and modern socialism in Western Europe.
June 12th, 2006 at 7:18 pmJoeFriday, is that the best you can come up with? You statist fascists won't even deny it.
Can't wait for the civil war
June 12th, 2006 at 7:19 pmaphrodite check out the PNAC website if your really interested youll find the info .
June 12th, 2006 at 7:20 pmOf course Stalin and Mao thought they were in the “middleâ€, just like Krazny.
To Krazny (and the rest of the government is god crowd), the middle is somewhere between Stalinism and modern socialism in Western Europe.
Comment by rick — June 12, 2006 @ 7:18 pm
That is what we have now. The government is god/Bushco. The Bill of rights is now The bill of what we can't do or think. Crap; can't burn the flag anymore, gotta speak English, no more threesomes, gotta post the 15 commandments in my front hall, crap I have lost track.
June 12th, 2006 at 7:24 pmJoeFriday, that's why you and the bible thumpers are so much alike. You both love government dictating every action of the individual.
June 12th, 2006 at 7:26 pmbruthful, the other day you mourned Zarqawi's death. You are so typical of the fascist left
June 12th, 2006 at 7:28 pmaphrodite dont fall to name calling .If your family history is really what you say it is it seems as though your absolute trust in the government is truly misplaced and more than a little puzzling Ever seeLeni refenstahl's triumph of the will ?Watch it it makes Naziism seem saintly ,but suprize the majority of germans were not party members just appothetic fools and Hitler came to power by a parlour trick much as W did in the last 2 elections .You shouldf be outraged !
June 12th, 2006 at 8:23 pm"Well, no, if that’s in fact what Bush did (ordered evacuations.)Then it’s a purely factual statment."
It's amazing how "factual" can still be misleading.
You see, normally you only hear exactly what you say, at most. Usually it's just "emergency management has ordered a mandatory evacuation."
Normally you only hear that an evacuation has been established, such as "there is a mandatory evacuation."
My point, and I still think it's valid, is that IF the president ordered it, then that in itself is newsworthy, since that should come from Chertoff, since FEMA "took over".
No matter how you slice it, there is no reason to mention bush unless he ordered the evacuation, but then there should be news about that.
It was only in the news headlines they play at the top of the hour--that's the only time I heard it attributed to bush. When the newscast itself spoke about the evacuations, they did not attribute it to someone, as per usual.
June 12th, 2006 at 8:37 pmGrandpa worries that your thimble is the size of your brain....He might be right.
June 12th, 2006 at 8:49 pmI really am not being kind just to be kind. You are clearly a well-educated man of liberal mind (which has never been anything except GOOD,) and you know how to be direct and honest without name-calling or stooping to the level of the person who seeks to inflame you.
If I could do that, I would. And I wish I could.
Instead, I follow the path of least resistance. Mostly.
The coulter thing was a hoot, but draining. I hope that I demonstrated the dangers of "taking the bait."
You don't have the same problem.
June 12th, 2006 at 9:03 pmFrom Yale University's Cambodian Genocide Project:
The Cambodian genocide of 1975-1979, in which approximately 1.7 million people lost their lives (21% of the country's population), was one of the worst human tragedies of the last century. As in Nazi Germany, and more recently in East Timor, Guatemala, Yugoslavia, and Rwanda, the Khmer Rouge regime headed by Pol Pot combined extremist ideology with ethnic animosity and a diabolical disregard for human life to produce repression, misery, and murder on a massive scale.
Since 1994, the award-winning Cambodian Genocide Program, a project of the Genocide Studies Program at Yale University's MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies, has been studying these events to learn as much as possible about the tragedy, and to help determine who was responsible for the crimes of the Pol Pot regime. In Phnom Penh in 1996, for instance, we obtained access to the 100,000-page archive of that defunct regime's security police, the Santebal. This material has been microfilmed by Yale University's Sterling Library and made available to scholars worldwide. As of January 2006, we have also compiled and published 22,000 biographic and bibliographic records, and over 6,000 photographs, along with documents, translations, maps, and an extensive list of CGP books and research papers on the genocide, as well as the CGP's newly-enhanced, interactive Cambodian Geographic Database, CGEO, which includes data on: Cambodia’s 13,000 villages; the 115,000 sites targeted in 231,00 U.S. bombing sorties flown over Cambodia in 1965-75, dropping 2.75 million tons of munitions; 158 prisons run by Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge regime during 1975-1979, and 309 mass-grave sites with an estimated total of 19,000 grave pits; and 76 sites of post-1979 memorials to victims of the Khmer Rouge.
I do not see the word "communist" appear once in this brief description. They also do not mention the slaughter of Indonesian communists in 1965 and 1966. There is a link to the U.S. involvement in the slaughter in Cambodia, at least. But I doubt it's a true unbiased picture. Better than most, probably.
The U.S. Is Even More Guilty Than Pol Pot
Written by a communist, but people need to hear both sides of the story. Most of the rabid anti-communists who have met and debated with Grover Furr have nothing but the utmost respect for him, though they may disagree with him.
Grover Furr's Vietnam war page.
June 12th, 2006 at 10:27 pmKrazy - Extremists at BOTH EXTREMES of the political spectrum are so far over the edge, they end up meeting - and if egos and power weren’t on the line, they would be comrades. Nuanced differences could be found between Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany - but the state controlled the means of production and distribution. and both regimes had their boot on the neck of the people.
Comment by mighty aphrodite
Complete and utter bullshit. Ignore this moron. "It's Grandpa" would be dead by now if it was who it said it was. She is probably a Randian cultist as well. A very sick individual.
June 12th, 2006 at 10:32 pmA very sick individual.
Comment by Death To Fascists
Mighty Haggis is a known liar.
June 12th, 2006 at 10:36 pmJoeFriday, that’s why you and the bible thumpers are so much alike. You both love government dictating every action of the individual.
Comment by rick — June 12, 2006 @ 7:26 pm
Boy are you Fu*k*d up. That is you and your rethug s. You can't even read. I am for the bill of rights and aganist you right wing neocon pigs trying to add admendments to it. Like "not burning the flag(which I think is a bad idea) but should be protected as free speech. I also think free speech is in any language we should use. Don't be so quick to jump on someone, that is what they do.
June 12th, 2006 at 11:23 pmOne must ask Mr. Friedman about his true loyalty(ies) to begin with - - - in having supported this pre-emptive, illegal war.
June 13th, 2006 at 12:15 amcome on faggots, let’s fight
Comment by rick — June 13, 2006 @ 2:15 am
come on faggots
time to fight
Comment by rick
Homophobia and aggression linked to latent or repressed homosexual urges. All republicans and conservatives are repressed homosexuals.
June 13th, 2006 at 4:07 amRamadi: Fallujah Redux
By Dahr Jamail
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Monday 12 June 2006
Fearful residents are now pouring out of Ramadi after the US military has been assaulting the city for months with tactics like cutting water, electricity and medical aid, imposing curfews, and attacking by means of snipers and random air strikes. This time, Iraqis there are right to fear the worst - an all out attack on the city, similar to what was done to nearby Fallujah.
It has always been just a matter of time before the US military would finally get around to destroying Ramadi, the capital city of al-Anbar province. After all, Ramadi is not far from Fallujah, and so similar to Fallujah both tribally and in their disdain towards the idea of being occupied, that many people in Ramadi even refer to Fallujah as "Ramadi." I know many people from Ramadi who lost relatives and friends during both US assaults on Fallujah, and the level of anti-American sentiment has always been high there.
By now, we all know the scene when the US military in Iraq decides to attack an entire city ... we've seen this standard operating procedure repeated, to one degree or another, in Haditha, Al-Qa'im, Samarra, parts of Baghdad, Balad, Najaf and Fallujah twice ... so far. The city is sealed for weeks if not months, water and electricity are cut, medical aid is cut, curfews imposed, mobility impaired, air strikes utilized, then the real attack begins. Now in Ramadi, the real attack has begun.
Warplanes are streaking the sky as bombings increase, loudspeakers aimed into the city warn civilians of a "fierce impending attack," (even though it has already begun), and thousands of families remain trapped in their homes, just like in Fallujah during both attacks on that city. Again, many who remain in the city cannot afford to leave because they are so poor, or they lack transportation, or they want to guard their home because it is all they have left.
Sheikh Fassal Guood, a former governor of al-Anbar said of the situation, "The situation is catastrophic. No services, no electricity, no water." He also said, "We know for sure now that Americans and Iraqi commanders have decided to launch a broad offensive any time now, but they should have consulted with us."
Today, a man who lives in Fallujah and who recently visited Ramadi told me, "Any new government starts with a massacre. That seems like the price that we Iraqis must pay, especially in the Sunni areas. Ramadi has been deprived of water, electricity, telephones and all services for about two months now. US and government forces frankly told people of Ramadi that they will not get any services unless they hand over 'the terrorists!!' Operations started last week, but it seems that the Marines are facing some problems in a city that is a lot bigger in area than Fallujah. (Ramadi also has at least 50,000 more residents than Fallujah.) Killing civilians is almost a daily process done by snipers and soldiers in US armored vehicles. The problem that makes it even more difficult for the Ramadi people than for those of Fallujah back in 2004 is that they cannot flee to Baghdad, because there they'll face the government militia assassinations. Nevertheless, the US Army is telling them to evacuate the city. On the other hand, the government and the US Army made it clear that they will bring militias to participate in the wide attack against the city. The UN and the whole world are silent as usual, and nobody seems to care what is going to happen in Ramadi."
Thus, the stage was set and now Iraqis brace themselves for yet another staggeringly high civilian body count in Ramadi. This, amidst recent news from the Department of Defense that over $19 million has been paid out in compensation by the US military in Iraq to families who have had loved ones killed by US troops. The average payout is $2,500 per body, and nearly half of the $19 million was paid out in the province of al-Anbar. Reflective of the drastically increased levels of violence in Iraq, the total amount of compensation payouts for 2005 is nearly four times what it was the previous year.
The fact that the 1,500 US troops who were recently brought into Iraq, specifically to Ramadi, went unreported by most, if not all, corporate media outlets didn't come as a surprise to the residents of Ramadi, however, as street battles between troops and resistance fighters have been raging for months now.
The media blackout on Ramadi is already rivaling the blackout on the draconian measures employed by the military during the November 2004 siege of Fallujah, if not surpassing it. Thus far, the military have remained reluctant to allow even embedded reporters to travel with them in Ramadi. With each passing US assault on an Iraqi city, the media blackout grows darker - and with Ramadi, it is the darkest yet.
Most of what we have, aside from sporadic reports from sources inside the besieged city, is propaganda from the US military spokesman in Baghdad, Major Todd Breasseale, who only spoke of moving the newly arrived 1,500 troops in from Kuwait into positions around Ramadi. "Moving this force will allow tribal leaders and government officials to go about the very difficult task of taking back their towns from the criminal elements."
Similar to Fallujah, thousands of frightened residents of Ramadi are fleeing the city, then being turned away from entering Baghdad. With no tents, food, or aid of any kind being provided to them by the military, which is a war crime, they are left with nothing but what they carry and no place to go. These refugees are now adding to the horrific statistic of over 100,000 displaced families within Iraq, the majority of whom are so as the result of massive US military operations which have a tendency to make entire cities unlivable.
Reports from sources within Ramadi for weeks now have been that US soldiers have been inhabiting people's homes in order to use their rooftops as sniper platforms, innocent people are being shot daily, and people are confused - do they risk leaving and having nowhere to go, or risk staying in their homes and possibly being killed?
Hassan Zaidan Lahaibi, a member of the Council of Representatives in the Iraqi parliament, told reporters recently, "If things continue, we will have a humanitarian crisis. People are getting killed or wounded, and the rest are just migrating aimlessly."
He could just as easily be describing much of the rest of Iraq, where the majority of people struggle to survive under the weight of an increasingly brutal occupation, US-backed death squads, sectarian militias, staggering unemployment and a devastated infrastructure
June 13th, 2006 at 6:11 amWell, it's still good that the blogosphere got that question out there.
The corporate media would have never asked it if it wasn't posted on progressive Web sites for the past couple weeks.
June 13th, 2006 at 8:25 am“the story’s evolving.â€
..."I'm writing books"...
..."I'm getting paid megabucks to keep you dumbass American inbreds "pacified"...
...that's right! I'm an expensive "pacifier"...
..."just six more months"...
..."pay NO attention to those accounting scandals and whistleblowing (in the wind) bullsh*t"...
..."give us six more months"...
..."that's all we ask"...
-Tom Fried(notaman)-
June 13th, 2006 at 8:28 amNuanced differences could be found between Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany - but the state controlled the means of production and distribution. and both regimes had their boot on the neck of the people.
Comment by mighty aphrodite
Ignore this moron. “It’s Grandpa†would be dead by now if it was who it said it was. She is probably a Randian cultist as well. A very sick individual.
Comment by Death To Fascists #168
Yo DeathTF,
puny hermaphrodite is merely explaining to us how shim's mumsy and puppsy hooked up...
...being the product of "facist beastiality cultist communalism" does tend to make shim unstable and given to rants...
...but like (Ann/drew Coldsore) she's a good right wing, inbred, TREASONOUS who*e...
June 13th, 2006 at 8:38 am