Archive for March 19, 2004

Meet the Pioneers and Rangers, the president’s A-team for campaign cash

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

A year after the invasion the spectre of murderous civil war still hangs over Iraq

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

US media would like you to believe that only the Sunnis in Iraq are not happy with the US: “Thousands of fundamentalist Shi’ites in Iraq have marked the anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq with a mass protest and prayer meeting at the centre of Baghdad, demanding the scrapping of the country’s interim constitution, [...]

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

A UK newspaper says: “British troops are said to have killed 23 innocent Iraqis, and yet the British people and government remain silent”. (Of course, the American people are furious over reports that US troops have killed innocent Iraqis).

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

Hamid Karzai, US favorite puppet, speaks on his democratic plan for Afghanistan: “The Afghan government is keen to have elections in June, July or in August — depending on the preparations for elections.” He added that it may also be September, October, December, January, February, March, April, or May. US govt praises Karzai for his [...]

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

…”A surprise hit of the event was Lt. Col. Richard Long, public information officer of the U.S. Marine Corps, whose “bursts of candor proved thrilling.” Long admitted that so many media workers were embedded because “we wanted to dominate the information environment. We wanted to beat the propagandists at their own game.” He also said [...]

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

Instructions on Meeting Bush: “We’re going to show him a lot of love by waving flags,” the officer said. Telling the troops not to salute, he added: “You’re going to wave and clap and make a lot of noise. . . . You must smile. We are happy campers here.”

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

About 100 Bahraini Islamists shouting, “God is great!” and “Why do you drink?” stormed a French restaurant serving alcohol near Manama, the capital, and threatened diners with knives, witnesses said.

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

Noam Chomsky yesterday gave his reluctant endorsement to the Democratic party’s presidential contender, John Kerry, calling him “Bush-lite”, but a “fraction” better than his rival. Chomsky cannot have it both ways. I am disappointed. Americans, including some on the far left, cannot break with the two-party system.

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

The Bush administration considered bombing Iraq in retaliation almost immediately after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks against New York and Washington, according to a new first-person account by a former senior counterterrorism adviser inside the White House. Richard Clarke, the president’s counterterrorism coordinator at the time of the attacks, said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld [...]

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

For those who asked about background of Ayman Adh-Dhawahiri

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

I was just talking about that to my IR students: Joseph Nye’s Soft vs. Hard Power

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

What you do not get on US media. There was a big demonstration today in Baghdad against US war and occupation. Let me know if US media cover it. Also, the Sunni member of the Iraqi puppet council, Muhsin `Abdul-Hamid (who is the head of the Muslim Brotherhood in Iraq) gave a fiery Friday sermon [...]

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

The mathematical study of genealogy indicates that everyone in the world is descended from Nefertiti and Confucius, and everyone of European ancestry is descended from Muhammad and Charlemagne (thanks Elie)

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

The Syrian government should take immediate steps to curb excessive use of force and halt mass arrests in its response to unrest in Kurdish areas of the country, Human Rights Watch said today. (thanks S.)

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

I am not making this one up: A Saudi newspaper reports that: “Hijab May Prevent Nose Cancer” (thanks Abbas)

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

More than 100 women have been raped in a single attack carried out by Arab militias in Darfur in western Sudan. (thanks Walter)

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

The Saudi newspaper Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat has a first-page article detaling the long intimate relationship between Sen. John Kerry and the Saudi government. It noted the irony that this Senator who was close to the Saudi royals is now attacking the Saudi government.

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad

Iraqi Journalists Rebuke Powell Over Killings

Posted on March 19, 2004 by As'ad