Saturday, May 14, 2011

Sahwa will stand on the sidelines

Iraq, a country where, should you think, "It can't get worse," it usually does. Ayas Hossam Acommok (Al Mada) reports the latest news: Sahwa has stepped aside. The "Awakening" Councils, Sahwa and Sons Of Iraq are three names for a group of largely Sunni fighters the American military gave tax payer money to if they would stop attacking US forces and US property. Gen David Petreaus credited the 'movement' with turning the tide in Iraq. Sahwa is no more and that's largely because Nouri was too greedy to pay them. Now, in al-Anbar Province, the al-Dulaimi tribe is saying Sahwa is over and advising that the government considered Sahwa to be puppets all along. As a result, al-Dulaimi states that the fight between the government and 'terrorists' is between the two and that Sahwa should not attempt to step in or eliminate the conflict. al-Dulaimi is over 10,000 families and, counting those in Syria as well as those in Iraq, is an estimated three million people. In addition to there vast numbers, there is also the fact that they are highly influential when it comes to other Sunnis.

Meanwhile June 7th looms. What's that? As protests began to garner more and more attention. Nouri al-Maliki attempted to derail them. His chief weapon in this attempt was declaring February 27th that he was cleaning up corruption in 100 days. The 100 days comes to an end June 7th. Al Rafidayn reports on the debate as to whether or not Nouri can rid himself of the entire Cabinet.

Nouri's political slate for the 2010 elections was State Of Law. Muhammad al-Khaldi (Dar Addustour) reports that State Of Law's Jawad Albz is stating that there are ongoing talks between the US and the political blocs about US troops remaining in Iraq past 2011. Albz insists this is being done in secret and to avoid embarrassment.

Potentially complicating any such arrangement (or maybe it was done as a favor to Nouri to secure the arrangement?), Dar Addustour reports MP Yassin Obeidi, of the Iraqiya slate, states US forces -- accompanied by the Iraqi military -- raided his home and he is calling for an investigation into the raid.

While all this goes on, the New York Times attempts to channel Lily Tomlin's The Tasteful Lady. At least Lily played that for laughs. Michael S. Schmidt and Yasir Ghazi toss around terms like "tacky" leading one to wonder how far up the food chain reporters think they are? The police tell the American outlet judging Iraqi taste that they don't have the people to police such an issue. Nor would such an issue be a crime, but the paper seems to forget that. The police don't say, but should, that in the powder keg that is Iraq, looking for new ways to piss citizens off would probably enrage the population even more.

Of greater interest is an article Ned Parker and Raheem Salman (Los Angeles Times) write, specifically this section (they're describing Baghdad):

There are deadlines in the future that could still turn Iraq's protests into something dangerous. But, for now, Tahrir Square, even with a few hundred protesters, resembles its old self: a weed-filled park, famous more recently as a hangout for loiterers, lowlifes, gigolos, glue sniffers and pill poppers.
The two cultures mix this Friday: A dwarf walks through the crowd hawking cigarettes and phone cards; a teenager peddles Arabic coffee from a golden urn; and middle-aged men sit on benches, staring vacantly, as always. The souk across the street, where X-rated films are for sale, does brisk business.

Gigolos? That's a pretty established term. Some man who 'gives' himself for money. Sometimes to women. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that some wealthy Iraqi women engaged gigolos -- where wealth's displayed, that is often the case around the world. But, in Iraq, wealthy women wouldn't be picking them up off the streets. It wouldn't be safe for any woman to do that. That would just leave men. And while Iraq's got a large down-low population among the men, the Los Angeles Times wasn't overly interested in the targeting of gay men and men perceived as gay by Iraqi thugs and forces. (This despite the fact that a LA city council member felt the issue was hugely important.) So what is it that the reporters are attempting to tell us?

And one more time (because it is important), from Senator Patty Murray's office:




Chairman Murray Introduces Landmark Veterans Employment Legislation






Patty Murray




Senator Murray discusses her bill to provide help for veterans looking for work. Joining Senator Murray are from l to r Senator Chris Coons, Senator Jon Tester, and Eric Smith a currently unemployed Iraq War veteran.



FOR A HIGH RESOLUTION VERSION OF THIS PHOTO CLICK HERE



With the unemployment rate among young veterans at over 27%, Chairman Murray introduces a landmark bi-partisan bill that will require job skills training for every separating service member; create new pathways to private sector and federal employment

WATCH VIDEO HERE of Senator Murray and Eric Smith, an veteran of two tours of duty in Iraq who has struggled to find employment at home despite the skills he acquired in the military.


(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee introduced major legislation to help veterans struggling to find work and to address rising unemployment among our nation’s heroes. Senator Murray’s bill, the Hiring Heroes Act of 2011, is the first of its kind to require broad job skills training for all service members returning home and comes at a time when more than one in four veterans aged 20-24 are unemployed. In addition to requiring that each separating service member attend a transition assistance program, the bill will also create new direct federal hiring authority so that more service members have jobs waiting for them the day they leave the military, and will improve veteran mentorship programs in the working world. Read more about the bill here.



The following are Senator Murray’s remarks at today’s press conference:



Thank you all so much for coming out today.



I first want to thank Senators Tester, Begich, and Coons for joining us today to speak about this critical issue in their states and across the nation.



I’d also like to say a special thank you to Senator Murkowski who couldn’t be here today, but who has joined a growing list of sponsors and has helped to bring support from across the aisle to an effort that should certainly never be partisan.



I also want to thank Eric Smith for coming here from Baltimore to tell all of you a first-hand account of what it’s like to come home from two tours in Iraq serving our nation, only to have to fight every day to find work.



And finally I want to thank all of the veterans service organizations and their representatives that are joining us to help introduce this landmark bill – they include the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and the American Legion



Today, with the help of everyone here, we are taking a huge step forward in rethinking the way we treat our men and women in uniform after they leave the military.



For too long in this country we have invested billions of dollars in training our young men and women with new skills to protect our nation - only to ignore them once they left the military. For too long, at the end of their career we patted our veterans on the back for their service and then pushed them out into the job market alone.



And where has that left us today?



Today, we have an unemployment rate of over 27% among young veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan. That is over one in five of our nation’s heroes who can’t find a job to support their family, don’t have an income that provides stability, and don’t have work that provides them with the self-esteem and pride that is so critical to their transition home.



And all too often we read about the results of veterans who come home - often with the invisible wounds of war –who can’t find the dignity and security that work provides. We read about it in skyrocketing suicide statistics, problems at home, substance abuse, and even in rising homelessness among our young veterans.



But I also have heard about it first-hand from the veterans that we’ve failed to provide better job support to. I’ve had veterans tell me that they no longer write the fact that they’re a veteran on their resume because they fear the stigma that they believe employers attach to the invisible wounds of war. I’ve heard from medics who return home from treating battlefield wounds who can’t get certifications to be an EMT or to drive an ambulance. I’ve talked to veteran after veteran who’ve said they didn’t have to go through the military’s job skills training program, or that they were never taught how to use the vernacular of the business world to describe the benefits of their experience.



These stories are as heartbreaking as they are frustrating. But more than anything they’re a reminder that we have to act now.



The bill we are introducing today allows our men and women in uniform to capitalize on their service, while also ensuring the American people capitalize on the investment we have made in them.



For the first time, it would require broad job skills training for every service member as they leave the military as part of the military’s Transition Assistance Program.



Today, nearly one-third of those leaving the Army don’t get this training.



This bill would also allow service members to begin the federal employment process prior to separation in order to facilitate a truly seamless transition from the military to jobs at the VA, Homeland Security, or the many other federal agencies in need of our veterans.



This bill will also require the Department of Labor to take a hard look at what military skills and training should be translatable into the civilian sector, and will work to make it simpler to get the licenses and certification our veterans need.



All of these are real, substantial steps to put our veterans to work.



And all of them come at a pivotal time for our economic recovery and our veterans.



You know, I grew up with the Vietnam War - and I have dedicated much of my Senate career to helping to care for the veterans we left behind at that time.The mistakes we made then have cost our nation and our veterans dearly and have weighed on the conscience of this nation. Today we stand on the brink of repeating those mistakes.



We can’t let that happen. Our nation’s veterans are disciplined, team players who have proven they can deliver under pressure like no one else.



It’s time for us to deliver for them.



Thank you.



###

Matt McAlvanah

Communications Director

U.S. Senator Patty Murray

202-224-2834 - press office

202--224-0228 - direct

matt_mcalvanah@murray.senate.gov

News Releases | Economic Resource Center | E-Mail Updates





The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.











the new york times
yasir ghazi






Veterans issues

Robert Friese died serving in Iraq April 29th in a rocket and grenade attack. He was 21-years-old and one of eleven US soldiers who died in Iraq last month. Today he was buried. Ryan Berlin (Morning Sun) quotes his friend Ron Fraizer stating, "There is nothing bad you can say about Robert. He was a brother, a father, an uncle and a best buddy. He was put here to care, protect and keep us together. That's what he really did. He helped us get through hard times."


In other news, Joaquin Sapien ("with reporting by NPR, ProPublica and Frontline) reports for Columbus City Paper:

More than half of all Iraq and Afghanistan veterans treated in Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals since 2002 have been diagnosed, at least preliminarily, with mental health problems, according to statistics [1] obtained by the advocacy group Veterans for Common Sense.
The data, which is released quarterly, also show that the raw number of returning soldiers with psychological problems is rising. Nearly 18,000 new patients were treated for mental health issues at VA facilities in the last three months of last year -- the most recent time period for which data is available-- upping the total to more than 330,000 [1].
The latest numbers confirm a trend that has intensified over the last several years.

Around the country various groups are attempting to step in and help where the VA is failing. Heath Urie (Colorado Daily Camera) reports on a group in his state:

Now, a Boulder County nonprofit group is working to harness that common experience to bring veterans such as Lecy and Sutton together to overcome one of the consequences of war -- post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
Veterans Helping Veterans Now, based in Boulder, was formed in 2007 by a group of veterans representing multiple generations of warfighters who were looking for ways to reach out to other veterans who would not ask for help on their own.
The group's mission is to support veterans who are dealing with the effects of PTSD -- an anxiety disorder that can occur after a traumatic event -- or other issues associated with leaving the military and transitioning to civilian life.


There are also many individuals attempting to help veterans in need, people such as Troy Yocum. army_mil-73865-2010-05-19-060544

(Troy Yocum photo taken by John Crosby)

Hike for our Heroes is a non-profit started by Iraq War veteran Troy Yocum who is hiking across the country to raise awareness and money for veterans issues. He began the walk last April. From the Facebook page:


Iraq War Veteran Troy Yocum, his wife Mareike and Emmie the super dog are hiking 7,000 miles across America to help military families in need. They took their first steps of the 16-month cross-country quest on April 17, 2010. Backed by corporate sponsors, many volunteers and support members, Team Hike for our Heroes/Drum Hike are taking on the challenge of raising needed funds by hiking 7000 miles across America. The journey will take 16 months passing through 31 states and 38 large cities. The team will have to average over 20 miles a day while enduring each season. Funds donated go through The Wish Upon A Hero Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization that seeks to supports the community of individuals working online who grant the needs and wants of others making a wish. We believe that no wish is too large, no hero is too small and that everyone can become a hero. The idea for the hike has been evolving since Troy joined the Army in 2001 but it is now when our economy is struggling and military families are in most need that he and his family will put one foot in front of another to connect and help struggling families. Help our mission by making a donation today!

Troy Yocum continues his mission. Justin Rose (Technican News) reports:


Yocum spent the past week traveling east through the states recently ravaged by tornados, listening to the stories of families affected around Fort Bragg—an area Yocum said was heavily crippled, leaving a profound impact.
"All the trees were snapped to pieces," Yocum said. "It was one of the craziest things I've seen on the trip so far."
Since the start of his journey in Louisville, KY, Yocum has raised over $180,000 to help 40 military families, according to Mike Bowman, lead volunteer for Hike for Our Heroes.


The following community sites -- plus Antiwar.com and Washington Week -- updated last night and today:



Thursday morning, we included the following release but that's when Blogger/Blogspot went crazy and some may have issed mit.



Chairman Murray Introduces Landmark Veterans Employment Legislation






Patty Murray




Senator Murray discusses her bill to provide help for veterans looking for work. Joining Senator Murray are from l to r Senator Chris Coons, Senator Jon Tester, and Eric Smith a currently unemployed Iraq War veteran.



FOR A HIGH RESOLUTION VERSION OF THIS PHOTO CLICK HERE



With the unemployment rate among young veterans at over 27%, Chairman Murray introduces a landmark bi-partisan bill that will require job skills training for every separating service member; create new pathways to private sector and federal employment

WATCH VIDEO HERE of Senator Murray and Eric Smith, an veteran of two tours of duty in Iraq who has struggled to find employment at home despite the skills he acquired in the military.


(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee introduced major legislation to help veterans struggling to find work and to address rising unemployment among our nation’s heroes. Senator Murray’s bill, the Hiring Heroes Act of 2011, is the first of its kind to require broad job skills training for all service members returning home and comes at a time when more than one in four veterans aged 20-24 are unemployed. In addition to requiring that each separating service member attend a transition assistance program, the bill will also create new direct federal hiring authority so that more service members have jobs waiting for them the day they leave the military, and will improve veteran mentorship programs in the working world. Read more about the bill here.



The following are Senator Murray’s remarks at today’s press conference:



Thank you all so much for coming out today.



I first want to thank Senators Tester, Begich, and Coons for joining us today to speak about this critical issue in their states and across the nation.



I’d also like to say a special thank you to Senator Murkowski who couldn’t be here today, but who has joined a growing list of sponsors and has helped to bring support from across the aisle to an effort that should certainly never be partisan.



I also want to thank Eric Smith for coming here from Baltimore to tell all of you a first-hand account of what it’s like to come home from two tours in Iraq serving our nation, only to have to fight every day to find work.



And finally I want to thank all of the veterans service organizations and their representatives that are joining us to help introduce this landmark bill – they include the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and the American Legion



Today, with the help of everyone here, we are taking a huge step forward in rethinking the way we treat our men and women in uniform after they leave the military.



For too long in this country we have invested billions of dollars in training our young men and women with new skills to protect our nation - only to ignore them once they left the military. For too long, at the end of their career we patted our veterans on the back for their service and then pushed them out into the job market alone.



And where has that left us today?



Today, we have an unemployment rate of over 27% among young veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan. That is over one in five of our nation’s heroes who can’t find a job to support their family, don’t have an income that provides stability, and don’t have work that provides them with the self-esteem and pride that is so critical to their transition home.



And all too often we read about the results of veterans who come home - often with the invisible wounds of war –who can’t find the dignity and security that work provides. We read about it in skyrocketing suicide statistics, problems at home, substance abuse, and even in rising homelessness among our young veterans.



But I also have heard about it first-hand from the veterans that we’ve failed to provide better job support to. I’ve had veterans tell me that they no longer write the fact that they’re a veteran on their resume because they fear the stigma that they believe employers attach to the invisible wounds of war. I’ve heard from medics who return home from treating battlefield wounds who can’t get certifications to be an EMT or to drive an ambulance. I’ve talked to veteran after veteran who’ve said they didn’t have to go through the military’s job skills training program, or that they were never taught how to use the vernacular of the business world to describe the benefits of their experience.



These stories are as heartbreaking as they are frustrating. But more than anything they’re a reminder that we have to act now.



The bill we are introducing today allows our men and women in uniform to capitalize on their service, while also ensuring the American people capitalize on the investment we have made in them.



For the first time, it would require broad job skills training for every service member as they leave the military as part of the military’s Transition Assistance Program.



Today, nearly one-third of those leaving the Army don’t get this training.



This bill would also allow service members to begin the federal employment process prior to separation in order to facilitate a truly seamless transition from the military to jobs at the VA, Homeland Security, or the many other federal agencies in need of our veterans.



This bill will also require the Department of Labor to take a hard look at what military skills and training should be translatable into the civilian sector, and will work to make it simpler to get the licenses and certification our veterans need.



All of these are real, substantial steps to put our veterans to work.



And all of them come at a pivotal time for our economic recovery and our veterans.



You know, I grew up with the Vietnam War - and I have dedicated much of my Senate career to helping to care for the veterans we left behind at that time.The mistakes we made then have cost our nation and our veterans dearly and have weighed on the conscience of this nation. Today we stand on the brink of repeating those mistakes.



We can’t let that happen. Our nation’s veterans are disciplined, team players who have proven they can deliver under pressure like no one else.



It’s time for us to deliver for them.



Thank you.



###

Matt McAlvanah

Communications Director

U.S. Senator Patty Murray

202-224-2834 - press office

202--224-0228 - direct

matt_mcalvanah@murray.senate.gov

News Releases | Economic Resource Center | E-Mail Updates






The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.














thomas friedman is a great man






oh boy it never ends









Friday, May 13, 2011

Iraq snapshot

Friday, May 13, 2011.  Chaos and violence continue, protests continue in Iraq, 'withdrawal' or not-withdrawal continues to be a topic, revelations out of England continue to dominate the British news cycle, the funerals for 2 US soldiers who died in Iraq take place tomorrow, and more.
 
 
It's Friday which means protests in Iraq.  The Great Iraqi Revolution has posted video of the Baghdad protest here.  The protests have been going on for months now.  The protesters demands include: an end to government corruption, the restoration of basic services (electricity, potable water, etc.), jobs and freedom from foreign interference (including no foreign troops on Iraqi soil). 
 
Among the issues addresed at the Baghdad protest today?  The kidnapping of Omniya Al Sammaraie "-- she is a widow and raises her children on her own -- her parents and her husband are martyrs.  She is an engineer and was threatened by the security forces by internet on facebook!The Great Iraqi Revolution notes, "Omniya Al Sammaraie's sister, Dr. Shems, was speaking live a few minutes ago - she said that the people who came to kidnap her were dressed in black - so it is a militia dressed in black - really this gang of hooligans in the Green Zone is all balck in the face and dressed in black!!!!!" And they add, "Dr. Shems, Omniya's sister, speaking live on air stated that she holds Maliki responsible for her safety , in addition we, too , hold Maliki responsible fro her safety. She also told the - them the goervnment and its hooligans - that they will go on fighting for Iraq's liberation as well as getting rid of Haliki and his goons!"  
 
The Associated Press notes over 500 Iraqis protested in Baghdad. The Great Iraqi Revolution reports a Baghdad chant ("you" is Nouri), "Katthab wu Kahyyif, Menreedek Wallah Menreedek! It means you are a liar and scared and we don't want you By God we don't want you." Among those who turned out were family members of those lost in the Iraqi 'justice' system, "The screams and cries of the mothers and sisters of the detained and disappeared on LOYALTY FRIDAY IN TAHRIR BAGHDAD - ALWAFA'A FRIDAY."
 
And they note what's going on in Mosul currently, "People are gathering in Bab Jedeed District in Mosul - the army and security forces are surrounding them but they continue to gather." Plus, "‎1000s have come out protesting and demonstrating in Sammara'a - Interior Minsitry's Maghaweer and Army tried suppressing them but it has not worked! They have arrested some young demonstrators. United Prayers for Friday were carried out and the A'immeh from both sects called for this demonstration.And, "Our Correspondent in Ramadi, Anbar - security forces heavily deployed in and around Tahrir and have suppressed protestors as well as people attending Friday Prayers in an attempt to stop them praying! They have also arrested some 12 of our Anbar Youth. 13.5.2011 ALWAFA'A FRIDAY RAMADI"
 
Justin Raimondo (Antiwar.com) observes, "In Iraq, 'Arab Spring' protests continue, as they have across the Middle East, but -- unlike the demonstrations in Egypt, the civil war in Libya, and the violently-repressed upsurge in Syria -- the Western news media has decided not to cover them. When thousands jammed the streets of Suleimaniya, the supposedly pro-occupation, pro-American capital city of the Kurdish autonomous region -- Maliki and his Kurdish equivalents sent the Iraqi army in to crush the incipient rebellion no less violently than Syria's Assad is now doing in Syria. Yet we hear nothing from the White House, nothing from the media, and nothing from the former leaders of the "antiwar" movement -- yes, I'm talking to you, Leslie Kagan, you fraud -- after they folded up their tents and went off to work for Obama's election (and re-election). "
 
Some more realities took place on TV.  Monday through Friday at 7:00 pm EST,
Adam vs. The Man airs on RT America.  "Adam" is Iraq War veteran Adam KokeshYesterday he spoke with US House Rep Walter Jones.
 
US House Rep Walter Jones:  The day I walked to the floor -- it was actually a night -- on giving President Bush the authority to go into Iraq, I did not feel good about my vote. I --
 
Adam Kokesh: But you did vote for it.
 
US House Rep Walter Jones: Yeah, I did.  And I've apologized many, many times.  In fact, that's the reason, after I went to Sgt Michael Bitz' funeral down at Camp Lejeune, one week after we went in, sat there with his wife Janina, outdoor service and that's when I started questioning myself why didn't I vote my conscious? And that started my journey of a -- of a seeking the truth.
 
Adam Kokesh:  Do you think a lot of other Republicans who voted in favor of that authorization for Bush to go into Iraq felt the same as you did?
 
US House Rep Walter Jones: I think some did but maybe a couple of years after I made my public announcement to leave -- to have a time -- a plan to get out of Iraq.  And, uh, from that funeral, I have signed over 10,100 letters to families and extended families in this country because of my weakness to vote my conscious quite frankly.
 
Adam Kokesh: And what has the reaction of your constitutents been?  Most of them military and military families.
 
US House Rep Walter Jones: Yeah.  Well I think on Iraq, most are thinking now that maybe I was right but they won't admit it and I don't expect them to, I don't need people to say to me, "Well you were right and I made a mistake." I'm not looking for that.  But, you know, if anybody would look for the truth, you would see that the previous administration manipulated the intelligence to sell the American people.  And, to me, that is just absolutely wrong.
 
Adam Kokesh:  So you're saying we were lied into war.
 
US House Rep Walter Jones: Well absolutely.
 
Adam Kokesh:  Now members of your -- of your district obviously having a unique connection to the military have a different perspective on this.  But most Americans now think that, with Obama's policies, the war in Iraq is over, it's winding down, we're just tying up the loose ends and getting out.  What do you think of Obama's strategy in Iraq getting us out so far?
 
US House Rep Walter Jones: I think at some point and time as we continue to downsize, I think that Iraq is going to go back into a civil war situation.  I don't think -- I don't really think -- Yes, did we remove an evil dictator?  Probably so. But you cannot go into these Middle East countries and change their history and their culture.  You just cannot do it.
 
Adam Kokesh: Well what about Obama's policy right now?  We've still --
 
US House Rep Walter Jones: In Afghanistan?
 
Adam Kokesh: Well in Iraq.  We've still got 50,000 troops or so.  I don't know the exact current numbers but that's the thing: Most people have just assumed it's gone away and yet Obama's still got at least several ten-thousands troops in Iraq, he's got hundreds-of-thousands of contractors possibly.
 
US House Rep Walter Jones: Adam, I'm for pulling 'em all back home. I would tell you the truth, I've learned one thing.  You know Ron Paul's one of my dearest friends in Congress and I'm of the firm belief that any country that wants to nation build -- all that try to build, to take their way of life around the world, eventually they collapse.  You cannot go into particularly Muslim countries and make them want to be like America.  You just can't do it.
 
Adam Kokesh: Does it bother you to see the so-called conservative Republican Party in the United States trying to promote conservative policy at home and then basically  
 
US House Rep Walter Jones:  Yeah.
 
Adam Kokesh: -- trying to convert other nations with the most liberal policy possible, liberal nation building?
 
US House Rep Walter Jones:  It disappoints me.  I'll be honest with you.  I do not understand how a party which -- I am a Republican and I'm a social conservative for sure, I'm probably a centrist when it comes to trying to help people -- But, no, it does surprise me and disappoint me because I don't see the Republican party as -- as the party that believes in war and the party that believes in nation building.  I just don't.
 
US House Rep Ron Paul was mentioned above and Adam Kokesh supported Ron Paul's run for the 2008 Republican Party presidential nomination.  Jason Notte (The Street) reports that Ron Paul formally announced he's running for the GOP presidential nomination.  The Iraq War hasn't ended, Ron Paul has repeatedly and consistently called for an end to the Iraq War.  Last month, 11 US soldiers died in Iraq. 
 
One of the eleven is Robert Friese who died in an attack on April 29th. Yesterday the office of Michigan Govenor Rick Snyder released the following statement:
 
LANSING, Mich. - Gov. Rick Snyder ordered United States flags throughout the state of Michigan to be lowered to half-mast in honor of Army Private First Class Robert Friese on Thursday, May 12. Flags should be returned to full-staff May 13.
Friese, 21, of Harrison, died April 29 in Al Qadisiyah province, Iraq, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas. Friese's awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medals, Army Service Ribbon and Overseas Service Ribbon.
There will be an open viewing Friday, May 13 from 2 to 9 p.m. and the funeral will be held Saturday, May 14 at 10 a.m. at Stocking Funeral Home in Harrison.
"This young man served his state and country with pride and honor," Snyder said. "My condolences are with his family at this difficult time."
When flown at half-staff or half-mast, the United States flag should be hoisted first to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff or half-mast position. The flag should again be raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day.
 
 
Susan Field (Morning Sun) reports he "will be laid to rest following a funeral service at St. Athanasius Catholic Church in Harrison at 10 a.m. Saturday, with Father Noel Rudy officiating."  Kelly Dame (Midland Daily News) adds, "Fries graduated from Harrison High School in 2007, where he participated in the Army ROTC program. He joined the U.S. Army and enlisted as a Tanker in 2010. In January, he deployed to Iraq as part of Operation New Dawn." LaNia Coleman (Bay City Times) reported yesterday, "
Hundreds of people lined the streets of Clare and Harrison today as the Patriot Guard Riders and Forgotten Eagles escorted Friese's remains to Stocking Funeral Home.
Many waved American flags, placed their hands over their hearts and wiped away tears. Veterans, in caps emblazoned with the insignias of their respective branches of the military, saluted the procession."  Kyle Mitchell and Eli Gardiner (9 & 10 News) provide a video report of the procession here.
 
Another US soldier who died in Iraq last month, Andrew Evan Lara, will also be laid to rest tomorrow.  The office of Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber issued the following statement yesterday:
 
(SALEM, Ore.) -- Governor Kitzhaber today ordered all flags at public institutions to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Saturday, May 14, 2011, in honor of Oregon Army National Guard Specialist Andrew Evan Lara.
Specialist Lara, 25, of Albany, Oregon, died April 27, of a noncombat-related incident, in Babil province, Iraq.  He was assigned to F Company, 145th Brigade Support Battalion, attached to the 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Regiment.
"Specialist Lara died while deployed overseas serving both his state and country," said Governor Kitzhaber. "This is a tragic loss and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time."
 
Tom Hallman Jr. (The Oregonian) notes the 25-year-old will be laid to rest at an 11 a.m. service tomorrow at First Assembly of God Church in Albany and notes, "After graduating from high school, Lara got a job building log homes. He enlisted in the Oregon National Guard in June 2009 and drilled out of Woodburn. He was deployed last September. He was a driver for one of the convoy escort teams, driving a mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle meant to ensure that supplies arrive safely at their destination." Pat Caldwell (Argus Observer) reports from US Joint Base Balad that a memorial service was held for Andrew Lara on base May 1st and Caldwell quotes Chaplain Jock Johnson (who performed the services) stating, "It is important for (Lara's) family, his mother, to know we are honoring her son in every possible way."  The Iraq War has not ended.
 
Corey Dickstein (Savannah Morning News) reports, "Fort Stewart officials announced Thursday that the 3rd Infantry Division's Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion will be deployed to Iraq in late fall to support Operation New Dawn."  The Bryan County News notes the Fort Stewart press release, "It said the mission and location has not been assigned. It was not specific about which commanders will deploy, how long soldiers will be gone and how the mission meshes with a Dec. 31 deadline to have U.S. troops out of Iraq."
 
How the mission meshes with the deadline?  From Wednesday's snapshot:
 
 
The big news today?  Sinan Salaheddin (AP) reports Nouri al-Maliki declared that "he might ask thousands of U.S. troops to remain in the country next year provided that a solid majority of the main political parties back the request at a meeting this month." AGI News quotes Nouri stating, "The decision concerning the USA's withdrawal is an important national issue. For this reason, I am inviting all political leaders to establish a dialogue to clarify whether we want American soldiers to stay or not."  AFP continues the quote: "Aftter that, the government will decide on keeping them, or making them leave."  Xiong Tong (Xinhua) notes, "Iraqi political blocs are sharply divided over whether part of the U.S. troops will have to stay amid continuing violence in the country and the region as well, or to leave to assert independence eagerly wanted by Iraqis." Rebecca Santana and Lara Jakes (AP) add, "Equally important might be the nervousness many Iraqis feel at how the U.S. departure will affect sectarian relations. [. . .]  Many Sunnis and even Shiites worry that Iraq is falling too much into Iran's orbit, something that will only increase when the U.S. military leaves."
 
 
Aamer Madhani (National Journal) wonders what keeping US troops on Iraqi soil past 2011 might mean for Barack:
 
 
With American troops scheduled to leave Iraq this year, President Obama may be forced to consider going back on his word and leaving them there now that Iraq's prime minister said his country might ask the United States to leave boots on the ground.
Obama has stood solidly behind his pledge to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of 2011, as dictated by a U.S.-Iraqi security agreement signed more than three years ago. He's reiterated his intent as recently as six weeks ago, when in announcing his decision to take military action against Libya he noted that the U.S. remained committed to "leaving Iraq to its people."
 
 
Meanwhile The Great Iraqi Revolution states, "Secret Agreement between American Embassy and Ministry of Freign Affairs, Iraq for Occupation Troops to remain in 5 Provinces until 2016!Aswat al-Iraq reports, "The U.S. has the desire to extend its military presence in Iraq for another 25 years, until the Islamic rule in Iran is toppled, an Ahrar MP declared today. Amir Al-Kinani of Ahrar bloc, affiliate with  the Sadrist Trend, told Aswat al-Iraq that the majority in the Iraqi Cabinet and Parliament support the extension of U.S. military presence."  The Scripps Howard News Service editorial board -- noting the foot dragging that's become a hallmark of the Nouri-led government -- argues that, if US forces are to stay, time can't be wasted:  "Starting in August and accelerating through the fall, the U.S. is to send home 50,000 troops and 63,000 contractors, close 100 bases and do something with about 1 million pieces of equipment and unused supplies. Al-Maliki seems confident his government can engineer a compromise -- but in its own time. Perhaps by the start of August."   Throughout 2008, Congress would touch on the status of US troops in Iraq after it was learned that Nouri would not go to the United Nations mandate way again.  (The UN mandate gave legal authorization for the occupation of Iraq.  There was no UN authorization for the illegal war. The UN mandate was a yearly measure.)  Not only was it touched on but a few hearings actually focused entirely on the issue. 
 
 
 April 10, 2008, the US Senate's Committee on Foreign Relations, then chaired by Joe Biden, held such a hearing.  In it, now-US Vice President Joe Biden declared that if an agreement was not agreed to by both parties, US forces would retreat to their bases and either be pulled home or stay on base while more work went into coming to an agreement. The Status Of Forces Agreement expiring (not being extended or replaced) would mean something similar would happen January 1, 2012 with an exception.  The exception is the Strategic Framework Agreement between Iraq and the US which would be used for the US State Dept to supervise US soldiers.  It's a shame there's no concern in Congress over this issue.  There was real concern in the Senate in 2008.  Most Democrats and many Republicans were concerned (among the Republicans, Norm Coleman was frequently the most vocal).  But a Democratic Party candidate wins the presidency and suddenly Democratic Congress members no longer seem to care about accountability or ending the Iraq War.  As Justin Raimondo (Antiwar.com) points out:
 
That Republican congressman who yelled out "You lie!" to the President -- and was excoriated by our enforcers of political etiquette (Rule Number One: never tell the truth) -- is vindicated. Yes, yes, I know: this solon wasn't yelling because of our policy in Iraq, but still -- the President is indeed a proven liar, and the way our Iraq non-withdrawal is playing out underscores this irrefutable fact.
Will this be the final straw for the "progressive" left as far as their Hero is concerned? Will the Obama cult implode, will Leslie Kagan's head explode -- will Arianna Huffington add Iraq to her endless round of tiresome complaints about how the Glorious Leader has failed to enact every dot-and-tittle of her political agenda? Don't bet the farm on it.
Politics is very much like religion: a faith that brooks no doubt and punishes heretics. In authoritarian countries, the party line is enforced at gunpoint: in America, there is no need to point a gun at elite opinion-makers and other Washington sycophants of power -- the code of political correctness is self-enforcing. For these people have built their careers on certain assumptions, appealing for their pelf to very specific constituencies: to violate the prejudices and knee-jerk emotionalism behind those assumptions is to court professional disaster.
 
 
The increasingly marginalized Moqtada al-Sadr (hard to hold so many seats in the Cabinet and also pretend to be an 'outsider') is in the news today.  Aaron C. Davis (Washington Post) reports that Moqtada responded to Nouri's statements earlier this week that if 70% of the politicians agree on the US military remaining in Iraq past the end of 2011, Moqtada would have to go along, "For the first time since returning to Iraq after nearly four years of self-imposed exile in Iran, Sadr took to the pulpit and delivered an unannounced sermon at Friday prayers in his southern stronghold of Najaf.  In a forceful political message that prefaced his religious sermon, Sadr employed some of his strongest language yet against a U.S. troop extension." His strongest words yet?  We should be quoting that, right?  No.  And not just because we've established that Moqtada's pattern is strong words and threats followed by caving (as he did twice with the UN mandate and, in 2008, with the SOFA).  We don't have to wait for the cave.  Aaron C. Davis reports the cave took place as soon as his followers filed out at which point Moqtada admitted that he might not lift the ban on his militia and allow them to take to the streets.  That admission may surprise some.  If so, they haven't been paying attention to the way he operates.
 
 
The Iraq War hasn't ended for Iraqis either.  Not only do they have a puppet government forced off on them, they continue to face violence every day.  And they face the violence while knowing that there are no heads to the country's three security ministries.  Aswat al-Iraq reports:
 
Al-Iraqiya Bloc MP member said that the question of security and defense nominees will remain unsolved even once the 100-day period elapses, due to political sharing, calling for "a feeling of responsibility to solve this crisis."
Mohammed Al-Da'mi, in a press statement attended by Aswat al-Iraq, added "the insistence of Premier Nouri Al-Maliki to nominate unqualified and unprofessional figures is the main reason, as well as the insistence of his bloc to hold the post of ministry of defense."

Alsumaria TV speaks with Iraqiya's Wehda Al Jumaili, "Al Maliki is capable of dissolving the Parliament, Al Jumaili said. Iraqiya member called to create a state of political balance, otherwise, Iraq will remain in a political chaos, a source told Alsumaria. Al Jumaili argued that it is not acceptable for the Parliament to be manipulated by Iraqiya leader Iyad Allawi and Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki." And they add, "Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki complained of media's corrupt role calling on religious institutions to raise religious awareness through the media in a call that is regarded to be as the most radical stand taken by Al Maliki. "
 
An Iraqi correspondent for McClatchy Newspapers blogs  at Inside Iraq in "Facing Death:"
 
I don't know how to start this blog. I am still under the effect of the shock that happened to me only less than an hour ago. I was about to lose my life and my lovely son because of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. 
    I used to bring sweets to my family every Thursday from a close bakery on the main street. Today I did the same thing but I went only about half an hour ago. My son Haider insisted to join me so I took him. In my way back home and Just less than ten steps from the sweets bakery, I hear sound of shooting and I thought that some kids are playing with fireworks. I was shocked to know the issue is bigger than my simple mind. I saw by my own eyes two young boys covering their faces with black scarves holding two pistols and shooting a broker inside his office in a very cool blood and walked away.

In today's reported violence, Aswat al-Iraq notes a Baquba bombing which injured 3.
 
As big a lie that the war is over is the one that claims both that the Iraq War was legal and that it had nothing to do with oil.  From yesterday's snapshot:
 
-----------
Moving over to England where new revelations emerged from the Iraq Inquiry.  The John Chilcot led inquiry hasn't heard testimony in months but they've released evidence that is in leading the news cycle in England.  Richard Norton-Taylor (Guardian) calls the release "devestating" and explains, "A top military intelligence official has said the discredited dossier on Iraq's weapons programme was drawn up "to make the case for war", flatly contradicting persistent claims to the contrary by the Blair government, and in particular by Alastair Campbell, the former prime minister's chief spin doctor.  In hitherto secret evidence to the Chilcot inquiry, Major General Michael Laurie said: 'We knew at the time that the purpose of the dossier was precisely to make a case for war, rather than setting out the available intelligence, and that to make the best out of sparse and inconclusive intelligence the wording was developed with care'."  In his [PDF format warning] evidence released today, Laurie wrote:
 
Alistair Campbell said to the Inquiry that the purpose of the Dossier was not "to make a case for war". I had no doubt at that time this was exactly its purpose and these very words were used.  The previous paper, drafted in February and March, known to us then also as the Dossier, was rejected because it did not make a strong enough case.  From then until September we were under pressure to find intelligence that could reinforce the case.  [Redacted passage.]  I recall Joe French frequently enquiring whether we were missing something; he was under pressure. We could find no evidence of planes, missiles or equipment that related to WMD, generally concluding that they must have been dismantled, buried or taken abroad.  There has probably never  been a greater detailed scrutiny of every piece of ground in any country. 
During the drafting of the final Dossier, every fact was managed to make it as strong as possible, the final statements reaching beyond the conclusions intelligence assessments would normally draw from such facts.  It was clear to me that there was direction and pressure being applied on the JIC and its drafters.
In summary, we knew at the time that the purpose of the Dossier was precisely to make a case for war, rather than setting out the available intelligence, and that to make the best out of sparse and inconclusive intelligence the wording was developed with care. 
 
 
 
The JIC is a collegiate body and has not, in any significant way, broken ranks over events.
But now, in the form of Michael Laurie, someone serving just below the top tier has expressed his displeasure about the way events have been characterised and particularly the extent to which those collecting intelligence were blamed for getting things wrong.
He is adamant the purpose of the dossier was, indeed, to make a case for war.
His assertion that there was direction and pressure on those drafting the dossier will be deeply uncomfortable for those associated with it.
 
 
Gordon Rayner (Telegraph of London) adds, "The Iraq Inquiry will not produce its final report until September at the earliest, almost a year after it was originally due, the Inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot has disclosed. "
 
The statements from Laurie continue to receive press attention but there's a new element in the mix as well. Duncan Gardham (Telegraph of London) reports:
 
The briefing note from the Chief of MI6's private secretary to Sir David Manning, Tony Blair's foreign policy adviser three months after the September 11 attacks, said there was "no convincing intelligence (or common sense) case" that Iraq supported Islamic extremists.
But it said the "removal of Saddam remains a prize because it could give new security to oil supplies" as well as "engage a powerful and secular state in the fight against Sunni extremist terror."
 
 
The briefing note further contradicts the story Tony Blair told the Iraq Inquiry by demonstrating that the desire for and decision to go to war took place long before what he publicly admits.  If you need to jog your memory on the official timeline, check out the one provided by the Telegraph of LondonOliver Wright (Independent of London) notes, "Oil was a key motivating factor behind the efforts to remove Saddam. 'The removal of Saddam remains a prize because it could give new security to oil supplies,' the officer writes."  Noting the oil revelations, Ian Drury (Daily Mail) observes:
 
The intelligence service also made clear in newly declassified papers that the 'prize' for removing the Iraqi dictator was 'new security to oil supplies'.
The documents will add weight to critics' claims that this was the real reason the U.S. and Britain went to war, and not because they feared Saddam possessed weapons of mass destruction.
The Iraq Inquiry has heard that Tony Blair had signalled that he would be willing to back 'regime change' in Iraq when he met President George W Bush in Texas in 2002.
But the latest papers highlight how the prospect of removing Saddam had been discussed by the then Prime Minister's inner circle months earlier.
 
Amanda Platell (Daily Mail) observes, "Now, however, the mendacious former red-top tabloid political editor has been exposed. Devastating secret evidence has been declassified which proves that Campbell and Blair lied about Saddam's weapons of mass destruction. There was none."  The Evening Standard notes calls for Campbell to face new questions from the Iraq Inquiry.  And Ian Burrell (Independent of London) reports:
 

The editor of the BBC's Today programme at the time of its controversial 2003 report which claimed the Government had "sexed up" an Iraqi weapons dossier said last night that evidence provided to the Iraq Inquiry by the former intelligence official Michael Laurie proved that his team had been right all along.

Kevin Marsh described Maj-Gen Laurie's evidence as "devastating for [Alastair] Campbell", the former Downing Street communications chief, whose furious response to the Today report led to the Hutton Inquiry and ultimately to the resignations of the BBC's director general and chairman. "The thing that rankles with me a little bit is that I thought at the time when [the Today reporter] Andrew Gilligan came with the story was that it wasn't just broadly correct, it was 100 per cent correct," Mr Marsh said.

 
 
 
 
bbc news

Continued protests, continued occupation

It's Friday which means protests in Iraq.  The Great Iraqi Revolution has posted video of the Baghdad protest here.  The protests have been going on for months now.  The protesters demands include: an end to government corruption, the restoration of basic services (electricity, potable water, etc.), jobs and freedom from foreign interference (including no foreign troops on Iraqi soil). 
 
Among the issues addresed at the Baghdad protest today?  The kidnapping of Omniya Al Sammaraie "-- she is a widow and raises her children on her own -- her parents and her husband are martyrs.  She is an engineer and was threatened by the security forces by internet on facebook!The Great Iraqi Revolution notes, "Omniya Al Sammaraie's sister, Dr. Shems, was speaking live a few minutes ago - she said that the people who came to kidnap her were dressed in black - so it is a militia dressed in black - really this gang of hooligans in the Green Zone is all balck in the face and dressed in black!!!!!" And they add, "Dr. Shems, Omniya's sister, speaking live on air stated that she holds Maliki responsible for her safety , in addition we, too , hold Maliki responsible fro her safety. She also told the - them the goervnment and its hooligans - that they will go on fighting for Iraq's liberation as well as getting rid of Haliki and his goons!"   And they note what's going on in Mosul currently, "People are gathering in Bab Jedeed District in Mosul - the army and security forces are surrounding them but they continue to gather."
 
Meanwhile, in the US, Aamer Madhani (National Journal) wonders what keeping US troops on Iraqi soil past 2011 might mean for Barack:
 

With American troops scheduled to leave Iraq this year, President Obama may be forced to consider going back on his word and leaving them there now that Iraq's prime minister said his country might ask the United States to leave boots on the ground.

Obama has stood solidly behind his pledge to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of 2011, as dictated by a U.S.-Iraqi security agreement signed more than three years ago. He's reiterated his intent as recently as six weeks ago, when in announcing his decision to take military action against Libya he noted that the U.S. remained committed to "leaving Iraq to its people."

 
 
US forces staying past 2011?  From Wednesday's snapshot?
 
 
The big news today?  Sinan Salaheddin (AP) reports Nouri al-Maliki declared that "he might ask thousands of U.S. troops to remain in the country next year provided that a solid majority of the main political parties back the request at a meeting this month." AGI News quotes Nouri stating, "The decision concerning the USA's withdrawal is an important national issue. For this reason, I am inviting all political leaders to establish a dialogue to clarify whether we want American soldiers to stay or not."  AFP continues the quote: "Aftter that, the government will decide on keeping them, or making them leave."  Xiong Tong (Xinhua) notes, "Iraqi political blocs are sharply divided over whether part of the U.S. troops will have to stay amid continuing violence in the country and the region as well, or to leave to assert independence eagerly wanted by Iraqis." Rebecca Santana and Lara Jakes (AP) add, "Equally important might be the nervousness many Iraqis feel at how the U.S. departure will affect sectarian relations. [. . .]  Many Sunnis and even Shiites worry that Iraq is falling too much into Iran's orbit, something that will only increase when the U.S. military leaves."
 
Trouble seeing Wednesday's or yesterday's snapshot because Blogger/Blogspot is having problems?  Remember we have the original backup site and this backup site as well.  Will the US military remain in Iraq?  (Answer: Yes.  Either officially under DoD -- new or extended agreement -- or unofficially as has been addressed this year in Congressional hearings with soldiers being placed under the State Dept.)  The Great Iraqi Revolution states, "Secret Agreement between American Embassy and Ministry of Freign Affairs, Iraq for Occupation Troops to remain in 5 Provinces until 2016!"   But the Scripps Howard News Service editorial board -- noting the foot dragging that's become a hallmark of the Nouri-led government -- argues that, if US forces are to stay, time can't be wasted:  "Starting in August and accelerating through the fall, the U.S. is to send home 50,000 troops and 63,000 contractors, close 100 bases and do something with about 1 million pieces of equipment and unused supplies. Al-Maliki seems confident his government can engineer a compromise -- but in its own time. Perhaps by the start of August."   We may go into why Scripps is wrong in the snapshot today.  I'm for ALL US TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ NOW! but I'm not referring to that.  I'm referrig to the factual issue of being wrong about the tick-tock.  And basing it on discussions the Congress held publicly in 2008 when they last faced this problem.
 
Aaron C. Davis (Washington Post) notes what some see as a potential new problem: Iraqi refugees who have been living in Syria fleeing the country due to unrest there.
 
 
If you've missed it, Blogger/Blogspot has problems.  There's no logging into them (yesterday or today) and there's no update on the status page or on "known kissues."  It is this sort of nonsense that led to the backup sites to begin with.  I do not control Blogger/Blogpsot.  I have no idea when they will fix the problem.  Again, this is why -- since 2005 -- we've had a backup site.  (We now have two backup sites.)