‘Strolling’ around Baghdad as a Westerner is ’suicidal.’
‘Strolling’ around Baghdad as a Westerner is ’suicidal.’
In an interview with Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks, Newsweek correspondent Babak Dehghanpisheh — who works in Baghdad — dismissed the rosy reports of congressional delegations that visit Iraq for brief periods of time. From the interview:
DEHGHANPISHEH: You know, I don’t know of any Westerners who go strolling around the streets of Baghdad, and unless you do have what you mentioned; a convoy of Humvees or choppers to back you up for protection. Then I think it would be suicidal.
UYGUR: You think it would be suicidal? So, if you’re a Westerner, the idea of going out for a stroll in Baghdad, you’re calling it suicidal. Your chances of getting killed or kidnapped is incredibly high?
Babak Dehghanpisheh: I would say it’s a hundred percent.
Watch it:
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52 Responses to “‘Strolling’ around Baghdad as a Westerner is ’suicidal.’”
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Noone doubts that.
September 9th, 2007 at 9:03 amOnly the most delusional wingnuts believe anything else
September 9th, 2007 at 9:09 amThis is obvious. Every one of these congressional as*holes that have suited up and bravely walked the streets of Baghdad with more firepower behind them than the entire militia of some small nations knows this to be true. In addition, Westerners won't be able to walk through the streets of much of the Middle East without being in danger for generations. The lying warmongers have soured Muslims on America for a good long time. Killing 10's of thousands of people, stealing their natural resources and belittling their faith is an excellent way to make walking through their streets a death wish.
September 9th, 2007 at 9:13 amAh it's like a stroll in an Indiana market place. Why a republican senator can solicite some afternoon delight in any one of the public restrooms. Just like home.
September 9th, 2007 at 9:13 am5 rugs for five bucks!
September 9th, 2007 at 9:14 amThat tells you that all these people who came back and claimed they saw things in their own eyes,and things are so beautiful in Iraq they are not telling the truth.
September 9th, 2007 at 9:24 amEverything reported here about Iraq has to be coordinated thru the military..because there is no such thing as journalists find out their own way in Iraq...All what they find out is planned and coordinated with the military...not for their reporting only , but also for their protection..
Why don’t we insist that all of the supporters of the war in government take just such a stroll? Maybe some of our local trolls wouldn’t mind doing so too.
September 9th, 2007 at 9:43 amLet's send "Heckuva Job Bushie" and his War Criminals to Baghdad for a stroll through the streets. Of course, they'll be glad to walk around without the protection of US troops, BlackHawk helicopters, and B-52s. 100% odds sound good to me.
September 9th, 2007 at 9:44 amOh ye of little faith. Pray with me that we may overcome the mistakes Clinton made that got us into this mess so we may reap the promise of a Starbucks on every other corner in Baghdad.
September 9th, 2007 at 9:45 amYes, Clinton has made such a mess these last seven years...I'm amazed that the Bush administration allowed him to get away with it. Those meddling Clinton's, they're a lot more powerful than you might think.
September 9th, 2007 at 9:51 amFrom a story about the Dora market in Baghdad, a showplace for some of the dog and pony shows:
September 9th, 2007 at 9:51 am
Clinton's mistake was in not tasking the CIA with taking out Georgie. Now we have the world's biggest terrorist as our "leader".
September 9th, 2007 at 9:51 amSend Hannity and Company from Fox television Network to Iraq, so they can report, and we decide...!
September 9th, 2007 at 10:05 amThe Left = Terrorist-humping bums.
Comment by Tryon
Anyone besides me notice that the quality of the trolls on this site is now rock bottom. Not a one of them is capable of intelligent thought and their critical thinking skills are non-existent. What do they think that throwing insults at us is going to accomplish? I quite enjoy them. It's like listening to a bunch of 8 year olds on the ball field.
September 9th, 2007 at 10:44 amhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-bromwich/iraq-israel-iran_b_62995.html
When John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt's article on the Israel Lobby appeared in the London Review of Books, after having been commissioned and killed by the Atlantic Monthly, neoconservative publicists launched an all-out campaign to slander the authors as anti-Semites. Now that their book The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy has appeared--a work of considerable scope, carefully documented, and not just an expanded version of the article--the imputation of anti-Semitism will doubtless be repeated more sparingly for readers lower down the educational ladder. Meanwhile, the literate establishment press will (a) ignore it, (b) pretend that it says nothing new or surprising, and (c) rule out the probable inferences from the data, on the ground that the very meaning of the word "lobby" is elusive.
The truth is that many new facts are in this book, and many surprising facts. By reconstructing a trail of meetings and public statements in 2001-2002, for example, the authors show that much of the leadership of Israel was puzzled at first by the boyish enthusiasm for a war on Iraq among their neoconservative allies. Why Iraq? they asked. Why now? They would appear to have obtained assurances, however, that once the "regime change" in Iraq was accomplished, the next war would be against Iran.
A notable pilgrimage followed. One by one they lined up, Netanyahu, Sharon, Peres, and Barak, writing op-eds and issuing flaming warnings to convince Americans that Saddam Hussein was a menace of world-historical magnitude. Suddenly the message was that any delay of the president's plan to bomb, invade, and occupy Iraq would be seized on by "the terrorists" as a sign of weakness. Regarding the correct treatment of terrorists, as also regarding the avoidance of weakness, Americans look to Israelis as mentors in a class by themselves.
So a war projected years before by Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz--a war secured at last by the fixing of the facts around the policy at the Office of the Vice President--was allowed to borrow some prestige at an intermediate stage by the consent of a few well-regarded Israeli politicians. Yet their target of choice had been Iran. They accepted the change of sequence without outward signs of doubt, possibly owing to their acquaintance with the Middle East doctrine espoused by the Weekly Standard and the American Enterprise Institute--a doctrine which held that to create a viable order after the fall of Iraq, regime change in Iran and Syria would have to follow expeditiously.
To sum up this part: the evidence of Mearsheimer and Walt suggests that Israel was never the prime mover of the Iraq war. Rather, once the Cheney-Wolfowitz design was in place, the Israeli ministers who trooped through American opinion pages and news-talk shows did what they could to heat up the war fever. This war was on the cards before they threw in their lot with Cheney and Bush; by their efforts they merely helped to confer on the plan an aura of legitimacy and worldly wisdom.
September 9th, 2007 at 10:51 amWar Criminal in Chief, war criminal Congress, war criminal US troop, $100,000,000 per day wasted in Iraq, civil liberties suspended.... Mission Accomplished (by Osama)
September 9th, 2007 at 10:51 amOf course I'm sure that the architects of this war and their lickspittle supporters would be too cowardly to walk around Baghdad and mingle with all those brown people even if peace reigned there.
September 9th, 2007 at 10:55 am"I don’t know of any Westerners who go strolling around the streets of Baghdad"
Except Dehghanpisheh himself. What a liar and conartist.
September 9th, 2007 at 10:56 amWhen an Iraqi says they're going to "run to the store," they mean it.
September 9th, 2007 at 10:57 amCorrect you are, Dean of Nocturnal Emissions. Go to the last stall in the Restroom on Level B, knock 3 times, and tell them your name is Larry.
September 9th, 2007 at 11:02 am"To sum up this part:
Ace"
Great idea Ace, just sum up and provide a link to those who want the details. really.
September 9th, 2007 at 11:04 amAll you need to know about trolls, and other knee-jerk republicans is that they see joe liebermann in and over-sized flak-jakcet and a helmet that hangs down over his eyes and they think MACHO!
September 9th, 2007 at 11:07 amTime for your afternoon Baghdad market stroll, Dean. The troops are all busy today, so you'll have to go alone. Don't forget your flack jacket and helmet. Could ya bring bck some rugs, and mebbe a couple of those AK-47s BuschCo completely lost track of?
September 9th, 2007 at 11:15 amThe left's theatrics? Who could possibly be a bigger drama queen that Ann?
September 9th, 2007 at 11:17 amNotice how the lickspittle bedwetting trolls are too cowardly to address the subject of the thread, but are perfectly happy to post as much noise as necessary to derail the thread.
September 9th, 2007 at 11:17 am5 rugs for five bucks!
Comment by dono — September 9, 2007 @ 9:14 am
Wasn't that a good one. Not only does he ignore the fact that he couldn't buy anything in the market if he wasn't protected by armed forces, he gleefully pays 1 dollar for a rug. That will really help keep the Iraq economy humming. I mean how long does it take to make a hand made rug anyway? The gal or kid that made the rug has to get what, 4 cents per hour? Pathetic congressman with no sense of reality.
September 9th, 2007 at 11:19 amWell, we can hope that the when the new administration comes in, that all these issues can be resolved once and for all. It is obvious that something is amiss, if the government paints one picture, and the others paint another.
September 9th, 2007 at 11:20 amI'm stupid enough to believe that Republicans are somehow bedwetters, yet I need a huge, overreaching government to hold my hand every step of the way.
My logic is clearly.....well, clear of nothing.
September 9th, 2007 at 11:22 amyou should click and examine Ms. Coulter’s fine words.
Lets then:
Coulter: If the charges against Craig are true -- and that is certainly in doubt -- he's a sinner (and barely that, according to The Idaho Statesman), but he is among the least hypocritical people in America.
LOL Fine words - Dean, you forgot to take your blinders off. LOL Why do you love Ann so much anyway?
September 9th, 2007 at 11:24 amDean_CT,
Ann Coulter is a fascist, plain and simple. That makes you a "good German" from the 1930's. I've read and heard many things that Ann Coulter has said over the last several years and none of them make sense, ever. She's a tired, muckraking, well-paid tool of the rightwing and she knows nothing about the truth. She never addresses the issue, only distracts and distorts. You tell me how Larry Craig's sexual exploits, when juxtaposed next to his political positions on social issues, don't wreak of hypocrisy. Explain it.
September 9th, 2007 at 11:25 amSo, why doesn't the main stream media in the U.S. call a spade a spade?
Are they too afraid of losing their place at the feeding trough?
Are they afraid to call a liar a liar, a hypocrite a hypocrite?
So, why don't you write them a nice little e-mail or two instead of blowing off steam on this website?
I think I will do that.
September 9th, 2007 at 11:25 amGood to read your post's Ace.Thank you for your contribution's..Blessings
September 9th, 2007 at 11:27 amBUT PEOPLE!!! YOU CAN GET 5 RUGS for $5.00!! IS THAT NOT WORTH IT ALONE? COME ON!
September 9th, 2007 at 11:29 amI see none of the righties want to discuss the topic. Deflect and obfuscate all you like. American has awakened to the lies, the cooked data, the manipulation of a nation, and your days are numbered. Even honest conservatives are sick of you and your ilk hijacking core conservative principles.
September 9th, 2007 at 11:36 amThe reason the Larry Craig story has touched a nerve with the American voter has less to do with homosexuality, or even hypocracy. It has to do with Public Bathrooms, where American Moms send their little boys to pee.
September 9th, 2007 at 11:37 amWesterns in millions every year visist the Arab countries , like Jordan,Egypt,Saudi Arabia, Tunisia,Morrocco and many others,as toursits,businessmen,and officials.
September 9th, 2007 at 11:37 amIt is sad to hear that Iraq...became the exception. Iraq is a very rich in culture and people are educated...But wars always create havoc on populatios involved.
We are linked to the Middle East in many ways,more than we think..after all our religious roots are from there,and now our economical and strategic status depends on the Middle East.
Peace will bring people closer.
Our media is not playing the positive part, but instead they are hidering all approaches toward better relationships with Arab countries, by painting wrong picture about the area.
The media is a big player in bringing a bad image about the Middle East, an
image that is not accurate.
traveling from the Airport to the Greenzone by car is also suicidal even after 5 years
September 9th, 2007 at 11:38 amDean_CT @39,
Ohhhh, now I understand completely. The right has absolutely no problem with homosexuality and in fact some may practice it themselves, in bathroom stalls. The "family values" that Craig and his ilk are so protective of are in no way tainted or diminished when one of the champions of their righteous cause gets caught soliciting sex in a public bathroom. Right?
You've got to be kidding. You wingtards can can contort your logic to justify anything. Ridiculous.
September 9th, 2007 at 11:38 amAnyone besides me notice that the quality of the trolls on this site is now rock bottom. Not a one of them is capable of intelligent thought and their critical thinking skills are non-existent. What do they think that throwing insults at us is going to accomplish? I quite enjoy them. It’s like listening to a bunch of 8 year olds on the ball field.
Comment by bilbogaggins — September 9, 2007 @ 10:44 am
You mean there was a time when they were better than this?
September 9th, 2007 at 11:53 amWhether the streets of Baghdad are safer or not is irrelevant. What matters are the public restrooms. They're no more unsafe than any restroom across America. Ever heard of Al Qaeda planting a suicide bomb in a restroom? The safety of restrooms is considered the number one benchmark of the Republican Party and that benchmark has successfully been met in Iraq. So there.
September 9th, 2007 at 12:01 pm#
Anyone besides me notice that the quality of the trolls on this site is now rock bottom. Not a one of them is capable of intelligent thought and their critical thinking skills are non-existent. What do they think that throwing insults at us is going to accomplish? I quite enjoy them. It’s like listening to a bunch of 8 year olds on the ball field.
Comment by bilbogaggins — September 9, 2007 @ 10:44 am
You mean there was a time when they were better than this?
Comment by toasterhead — September 9, 2007 @ 11:53 am
Send in the clowns.
September 9th, 2007 at 12:02 pmDean CT = CT_V1 - Same asshat, different name.
September 9th, 2007 at 12:16 pm"Did Craig propose marriage to the undercover cop? If not, I’m not seeing the “hypocrisy.â€
The Republican Senator was merely espousing his parties "family values" when he stared thru the stall crack for two minutes...
It was only his Republican "family values" that compelled him to tap his toe, and reach under the partition to signal his lewd intent..
His Republican "family values" led him to simply police the stall of used toilet paper, while maintaining a wide stance...
Move along everyone, no hypocricy to see here.
September 9th, 2007 at 12:22 pmRun Forest, Run!
September 9th, 2007 at 2:12 pmWould nice to see Senators Lieberman and McCain take a pleasant Sunday afternoon stroll--alone-- through the streets of Baghdad. They talk big and talk inevitable success in Iraq yet one afternoon walk in the midday sun should change their minds quick!
September 9th, 2007 at 2:36 pmhey, hey!!...It's operation Shok and AWWWW people!! We're winning the hearts and minds of our Arabic friends overthere!
September 9th, 2007 at 2:41 pmFor #13: I suggest you read Tim Weiner's book "A Legacy Of Ashes, The History Of The CIA", where you'll find that indeed Clinton did task the CIA was taking out Bin Laden. This following the embassy bombings. Weiner
details the different attempts and why they were either scratched (usually by the CIA) or failed. But he did task them with it. Sorry to blow apart another favorite Repub talking point.
And I highly recommend the Weiner book to everyone.
September 9th, 2007 at 2:45 pmI can think of a couple of folks I would like to send strolling through the streets of Baghdad without back-up troops and choppers flying overhead: Joe Lieberman and Lindsay Graham!
September 9th, 2007 at 3:07 pm(In a vain attempt to return the thread to the topic............)
What I'd like to ask some of the folks who've taken all these trips to Iraq and have returned with such glowing reports of the progress is why is it that all the people who've been kidnapped by various factions (whether Sunni, Shi'a, or Al-Qaeda in Iraq) have almost NEVER been in the presence of well-trained American military personnel but have typically been CIVILIANS (usually in the form of reporters and relief workers) doing their jobs.
September 9th, 2007 at 3:27 pmDo we actually have to have one of our Congressional delegations wind up being kidnapped or the victims of a suicide bombing or a sudden insurgent escalation before the Congress as a whole finally develops a spine and tells the Shrub "Enough is enough--we're done; the troops come home NOW!"? As things stand now, I'm afraid it's going to come to that.
Righty Has Cheney & Bush in office destroying our nation's economy , jobs , democracy , freedom and our military , then they have nerve to call insults towards Clinton , Independents , democrats and anyone else that disagrees with they total destruction of our country.
Can you believe someone should mention and quote an aritcles by Coulter..
This is the person that would have received a fine and or jail time for voter's fraud , if not for the republicans long reach in stopping charges against their personal. She was also involved in plagiarism on many different articles she had written.
Rush & Courier are really great examples of figures you would want your children to look up to. As far as the republicans in the last 6 plus years the courruption just keep coming..... and coming...
September 9th, 2007 at 8:12 pmHas it ever occurred to all the left-leaning commentators on this blog that Babak himself is too chicken to stroll through Baghdad? If hypocrisy has a name then it should be shifted from Larry Craig to Charles Rust-Tierney who got off on watching children as young as 6 years old get tortured and raped, while serving as the President of the VA Chapter of the ACLU and youth sports coach.
September 9th, 2007 at 8:19 pmMind you, I am seeing a lot of evidence this will be true for MOST OF EUROPE in a year or two.
If you are an murrcan right now, talk murrcan, or better still, wave a yankee flag, right now you get spat on and insulted. The first americans have been hospitalized after getting beat up, but the media aren't telling that. Many americans get shit thrown on them. Don't sit in a restaurant, the waiter will accidentally spill scalding coffee on you.
I am sure that if the current political corruption continues in the US, DO NOT GO ON VACATION TO EUROPE as an american. If you do, carry proof you are anti-bush, anti-war and not a republican.
THAT MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE. Your corpse may end up on a homemade video, and it certainly wouldn't be all nutter islamists making those video's - even extreme leftists would do the same, especially if the US do something like invade IRAN.
September 10th, 2007 at 2:19 am