October 20, 2007

Steven Vincent, Molly Bingham: compare and contrast

Re my previous post about the documentary about Iraqi insurgents "Meeting Resistance."

Steven Vincent was in Iraq the same time Connors and Bingham were. He went there in 2003, and returned in 2004 and 2005. He was murdered in Basra in 2005. Unlike Connors and Bingham, he traveled the entire country, interviewing a wide range of people from different regions, ethnic groups, ages, genders, political stances. And he did not end by saying that all Iraqis think the same about anything, or that any of the people he spoke to represented the majority of Iraqis.

Connors and Bingham bugged out in 2004 because:

The dwindling access our characters were allowing us combined with increased violence towards foreigners and the very real threat of kidnapping meant that it was time to wrap up and go. The kind of work we had been doing, and the working method we'd been using had become un-tenable. We drove out of Iraq on the long road to Amman, Jordan at the end of May 2004.

Vincent didn't let fear keep him from pursuing his stories. Maybe he was foolhardy. But he made modest claims for the veracity of his stories and his work bore that out.

Connors and Bingham were careful of their own skins, yet make extravagant claims.

Vincent was a real journalist. These people are propagandists.

Read his book. See their movie. Decide for yourself.

Remember, Q&A with the directors tonight in NYC, this coming week in DC. Info below.

Continue reading "Steven Vincent, Molly Bingham: compare and contrast"

Judith | 10/20/07 at 03:02 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 18, 2007

Meeting Resistance

UPDATE: Steven Vincent vs Molly Bingham: compare and contrast.

I saw a "video Op-Ed" at the NYT site, which was a prime example of trying so hard to be non-judgmental about nasty people that you squeeze yourself through your own asshole and out the other side. It is a 7-minute excerpt/spin-off from Meeting Resistance, a pro-insurgent piece of propaganda now playing in theaters around the world.

The short at the NYT site as of 6 PM EST is not loading - must be all the LGF and Hot Air readers checking it out. But you can also see it at Crooks and Liars. And here's the official trailer.

(There will be Q&A with the filmmakers after screenings of "Meeting Resistence" THIS WEEKEND in New York and Washington DC. More info at the end of this post. If you can make it, show up and, you know, ask questions.)

In addition to inserting tendentious quotes from unidentified 2007 polls into footage from 2004, these PR flacks for terrorists take the opportunity to fit in this week's wide misquoting of General Sanchez, demonstrating that - like the NYTimes - they didn't bother to read what Sanchez actually said. However, the Times plays this straight, presenting the video thus:

Continue reading "Meeting Resistance"

Judith | 10/18/07 at 07:05 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

August 30, 2007

The insurgency began, and we missed it

But we're catching up.

We have to apply the counterinsurgency lessons of Vietnam in today's Iraq - and President Bush and William Kristol understand this.

Here's Michael Yon:

Continue reading "The insurgency began, and we missed it"

Asher Abrams | 08/30/07 at 02:00 AM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

August 08, 2007

"Are you still in the Reserves, John?"

John Soltz vs Col. Buzz Patterson:

Judith | 08/08/07 at 10:56 PM | 5 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

August 04, 2007

Military speech at Yearly Kos

[ Another update at the end. ]

Watching the PJ Media video of the soldier at Yearly Kos, I don't get the same impression as some of the pro-war bloggers.

Uncle Jimbo and This Ain't Hell are debating these issues, and the comments are worth reading. Also the comments here.

[ UPDATE: More debate in the comments here and here. I am struck how much vets disagree with each other on what the regs allow. There seems to be some leeway for interpretation. Possibly the soldiers checked the regs and thought he would be okay. ]

[ UPDATE: Also here. ]

My impressions - as a civilian - of this incident:

Continue reading "Military speech at Yearly Kos"

Judith | 08/04/07 at 02:54 PM | 9 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

July 22, 2007

Thomas Lipscomb - 0, milbloggers - 1

Like almost everyone associated with the military who has read it, professional journalist Thomas Lipscomb thinksthe TNR "Scott Thomas" story stinks to high heaven. But according to the Democracy Project, he also perceives

lack of depth in the Weekly Standard’s skepticism. Lipscomb wonders where are any military veterans among these titans of journalism, who could directly and immediately see through the absurdity of the TNR piece and provide immediate truth.

For that matter, why not let their fingers do the walking, right to the Pentagon, and ask the operator to connect them with someone with military experience. Instead, days pass, until a blogger -- a Marine Reservist and a student at Columbia University in New York City, presently in Iraq interviewing the troops -- gets a Public Affairs officer in Iraq to reply courteously that the TNR piece is BS.

As Lipscomb says, this isn’t about politics; it’s Journalism 101.

Neither Lipscomb nor the Democracy Project apparently considered that the voluminous response to Michael Goldfarb's Weekly Standard blog was worth investigating. They could have done their own investigative reporting to find out how Goldfarb solicited the opinions of soldiers in the field and how he ran five posts on the topic, each time asking for more information from those who would be in the best position to know, here, here, here, here, and here.

Want some military veterans? Goldfarb also links to the following group blogs which are clearing houses for opinions and cameraderie by actual military personnel, many of whom have served in Iraq. They also investigated the story:

Continue reading "Thomas Lipscomb - 0, milbloggers - 1"

Judith | 07/22/07 at 12:02 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

July 21, 2007

No, we really do support the troops . . .

When confronted with examples of denigrating the military profession in general and our troops in particular, many liberals deny they are culpable. It's the insane lefties who do that, not us. (The most recent examples I've seen of this denial are in comment threads and I didn't bookmark them, but if I come across any more I will link. if you have any examples of "liberals don't do that" put them in the comments.)

Maybe this is a problem of definition. What would you call the students and teachers at Hunter High School who taunted Marya Rosenberg?

Continue reading "No, we really do support the troops . . ."

Judith | 07/21/07 at 07:16 PM | 6 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

July 16, 2007

The Reid-Pelosi Massacres

Ralph Peters:

I hate the long-mismanaged mess in Iraq. I wish there were a sensible, decent way to get out that wouldn't undercut our security and produce massive innocent casualties. But there isn't. Not now. And, like it or not, we have a moral responsibility as well as practical interests in refusing to surrender to the butchers in Iraq.

This has been the Bush-Cheney War. But it will only be fair to call the carnage after we run away the "Reid-Pelosi Massacres."

Senator John Cornyn (who was also clear about the Fairness Doctrine) wants to hold Senators accountable for their votes:

Continue reading "The Reid-Pelosi Massacres"

Judith | 07/16/07 at 06:41 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Topical humor in the Middle East

UPDATE: Per Dan's critique, I made the first joke more politically correct.

Two Middle East jokes for your enjoyment . . .

A fleeing al Qaeda guerrilla, desperate for water, was plodding through the Iraqi desert when he saw something far off in the distance. Hoping to find water, he walked toward the object, only to find a little old Jewish man at a small stand selling neckties. The Arab terrorist asked, "Do you have water?"

Continue reading "Topical humor in the Middle East"

Judith | 07/16/07 at 02:08 PM | 4 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

July 15, 2007

The Surge of Facts

The hawkish blognocenti have been grumbling since the 2004 election about the Administration’s lackadaisiacal approach to explaining and promoting the Iraq War. Yes, Bush has often been eloquent and passionate in laying out the reasons and rationale for deposing Saddam and replacing the typical Middle East strongman regime with a representative government. And it’s not his fault that huge chunks of the mainstream media have been systematically misrepresenting everything he says while giving him as little air time as possible.

But instead of recognizing the necessity to go on the offensive, he has been content to defend his course as though there were no organized campaign to discredit it, and to let his advocates in the blogosphere take up the slack.

Some of us, watching the successful blitzkreig against the Administration’s immigration proposals, decided that the war deserved a similar effort, and it’s finally starting. Better late than never.

Tony Snow, on a conference call with bloggers right now:

We need a surge of facts. That’s one of the things we’re going to be working on. I’m going to be doing it from the podium.... So far we have had very few visuals to confirm what Americans want to believe. We have an amazing and heroic American military... The only way to change public opinion [on Iraq] is to present a fuller, more nuanced and more accurate picture.”

“We’re gonna present bad news too. You have to... But it’s a miracle anyone supports the war, based on the characterizations that have been painted.

Snow says he’s going to put up slides, video, and audio on new screens behind him during the daily press briefing. “We’re not gonna spin, but we’re going to provide real hard data.”

Tony, you guys have been doing that. The problem is not that you don’t do it. The problem is that you don’t do it repeatedly and pervasively. You put it out there and go on to the next bit of business, and while your attention is elsewhere, it gets buried under spin. You have to keep keep shoveling it out faster than they pile it up.

Meanwhile, a citizen-led effort akin to the immigration bill campaign is also getting underway, led by Vets for Freedom. This Tuesday July 17th, they launch the "Ten Weeks of Testimony" campaign, sending vets to lobby Congressmen in Washington DC. If you are not a vet and want to help, Call your senators! (If you are thinking of sending emails, the Win the War Campaign suggests using this article for talking points.)

If you are a vet and want to participate, read on. VfF will reimburse you for travel to Washington.

Continue reading "The Surge of Facts"

Judith | 07/15/07 at 06:40 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Another journalist murdered in Iraq

Another Iraqi journalist is murdered by good squads.

The murderous turmoil in Baghdad has reached a point where many families never know the killers of their loved ones, or their motives. Sunni insurgents? Shiite militias? Killers who mimic one or the other, while pursuing more private motives of greed, spite or revenge? Or, in Mr. Hassan’s case, the nature of his employment, which placed him doubly at risk: as an Iraqi journalist, and as an Iraqi working for Americans?

. . . . Mr. Hassan was the second member of The Times’s Iraqi news staff — a group that includes more than 30 journalists in Baghdad and across the country — to be shot and killed. A journalist the newspaper relied on in Basra, Fakher Haider, was taken from his home and killed in the fall of 2005, a murder for which some local officials blamed Shiite militiamen angered by aspects of his work. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, based in New York, 110 journalists have been killed in Iraq since the American-led invasion in March 2003. The toll includes 88 Iraqis, including Mr. Hassan.

Last month CPJ held a panel discussion on this topic, which we recorded. It was co-sponsored by the Steven Vincent Foundation which donates funds to families of slain local journalists. (The Times says to send an email to foreign@nytimes.com with “fund for Khalid Hassan’s family” in the subject line, and the foreign desk will respond with more information.)

NYTimes correspondents reminisce about their young colleague. I was going to pull a few quotes but you have to read the whole thing - he sounds like a really neat guy. He loved American pop culture and Western technology. He had an expansive personality and a great sense of fun. He worked hard to support his mother and sisters. (Reading between the lines, it isn't hard to conclude that he saw the older correspondents he worked with as father figures.) And he exemplified the energy and loyalty and courage that characterizes so many of the stringers and fixers who work with our journalists, as shown in this anecdote:

Continue reading "Another journalist murdered in Iraq"

Judith | 07/15/07 at 09:59 AM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

July 09, 2007

Fixers on the Front Lines

Last week I attended a panel discussion (video below) on the accomplishments and plight of "fixers." These are natives of war-torn areas who help Western journalists by - in the words of one participant on the panel - finding hotel rooms, briefing them on the local customs, ethnic groups, and political situations, guiding them through unsafe neighborhoods, setting up interviews, translating during interviews, translating transcripts and articles, and much more. As George Packer said, "Without my fixer I would not have been able to get anything done in Iraq."

Fixers and "stringers" are controversial. The purpose of the panel was to raise awareness of the danger Iraqi journalists face at home: militias and insurgents target the along with doctors, judges, publishers, and anyone who contributes to a stable civil society in Iraq (and their relatives). The vast majority of journalists killed in Iraq have been locals. Although they can make a case for refugee status, our government has allowed few of them to repatriate to the US. Does the US have an obligation to help people whose work with our journalists put them and their families at risk? Especially now, as the NYTimes blithely admits that its advocated troop withdrawal will probably result in a bloodbath, how does the plight of those who sided with us fit into our national debate about immigration?

At the same time there have been cases of local journalists fabricating stories for Western journalists, as part of disinformation campaigns intended to give advantage to terrorist movements. In light of these, and the insidious nature of terrorist infiltration in general, how do we tell who is an honest journalist?

The panel only addressed the political refugee problem, which is real and serious. Most readers of this blog spend their time in ideological neighborhoods where George Soros (whose Open Society Institute funded this event) and Middle Eastern fixers merit suspicion, but viewing this panel will introduce you to brave and conscientious war correspondents who have risked death and exile to report honestly. And you can help resettle more Iraqis to the US.

Continue reading "Fixers on the Front Lines"

Judith | 07/09/07 at 12:12 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

July 08, 2007

The blood of patriots

Lots of discussion today about the NYTimes editorial which blithely suggests mass slaughter of Iraqis as preferable to methodical targeting of insurgents and jihadis, with little loss of American life - over the next few months. Well, this is the same NYTimes which published Walter Duranty, who lied about the slaughter of tens of millions.

A comment at Blackfive gives some historical perspective, especially pertinent after celebrating our nation's birthday just this week, on what we expect the Iraqis to be able to do by themselves in 2008 (an expectation which illustrates our short attention span):

Apparently we have forgotten, as a culture and a Nation, what it takes to have a common society. And from our lofty perch, we have never experienced decades of brutality and one of the harshest police states ever seen on the planet. It takes a bit to recover from those things and to start knitting society together. We were very lucky in our Revolution to be far away from the mother country and still only have to face down the best military on the planet with men on a one-year hitch. Seven years of mostly losing would lead to victory, but at a very, very steep price and then the first attempt at government would fail and nearly have it all fall into chaos. And we had no outside powers during that latter period and a group of folks that were reallly wondering if such a large place could hold together. One successful Shays and we would not be here in this situation. Twelve long years of death, loss and bare victory with crushing debt that nearly destroyed it all. The US had it *easy* compared to Iraq.

Continue reading "The blood of patriots"

Judith | 07/08/07 at 11:38 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 25, 2007

A Jewish soldier KIA

From the YouTube post:

It is estimated that around two thousand Jewish soldiers are currently serving in Iraq.

Marine Private First Class Colin Joseph Wolfe of Manassas died last Wednesday, August 30, 2006, in the al-Anbar province of Iraq, while riding in the back of a truck that triggered a road-side bomb. The 19-year-old was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. A 2005 graduate of Osbourn High School, Wolfe entered the Marine Corps the July after his high school graduation, according to Marine First Lieutenant Barry Edwards.

It seems to be an Israeli documentary. More about Private Wolfe, and his girlfriend who comes to sit at his grave almost every day. Interesting guy - he was also a ballet dancer.

May his memory be for a blessing.

Judith | 05/25/07 at 04:47 PM | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 30, 2007

Lisa Vincent on PBS

From Lisa Vincent, widow of the first blogger-journalist from the Iraq War, and the first slain in action, Steven Vincent:

On friday, May 4, Steven's translator Nour and I are going to be on PBS' "Now with David Brancaccio", which will air from 8:30 - 9:00 pm on the east coast; Everyone else, please check your local listings for the time and channel if you want to see it.

The show sent a team to the middle east to interview Nour on location, and came to my house to talk to me, so I think it will be an interesting program.

Nour was kidnapped and shot along with Vincent, and almost killed herself. She received medical treatment and has been living in an undisclosed location. A radio interview with Lisa and Nour last month, here.

PS Lisa adds: "thanks for the mention; i heard from the producers and they have decided to give the entire program over to the story, rather than only half."

Judith | 04/30/07 at 07:47 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 12, 2007

Muslim Leftists Love America, Western Leftists Hate America

As I've stressed repeatedly, one of the reasons for my post-9/11 political shift from left to right, and that of many others in the same camp, has been the Western left's attachment to anti-Americanism, even when it lands them on . . . more »

Cinnamon | 04/12/07 at 01:07 PM | 6 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 01, 2007

CNN Correspondent Michael Ware continues to drink heavily on camera

[ UPDATE: Ware claims and video shows that he did not heckle McCain. ] Michael Ware has been Exhibit A in the controversy over unprofessional partisan journalism in the Iraq War. Make that inebriated unprofessional partisan journalism. (And unlike Christopher . . . more »

Judith | 04/01/07 at 08:33 PM | 13 Comments | 2 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 30, 2007

How to Win in Iraq

Read this. Send it to everyone you know. . . . more »

Judith | 03/30/07 at 07:29 AM | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 29, 2007

The same old conspiracy theories about Iraq the Model

When the brothers who write Iraq the Model came to the US in December 2004, as guests of Spirit of America, I tracked their tour via all the many blogposts written about them. It is gratifying to see President Bush . . . more »

Judith | 03/29/07 at 03:00 PM | 2 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 27, 2007

Porky Pig in Congress

Don Surber has a list of the appropriations in the Senate Iraq spending bill. When one of your antiwar friends gloats about how the new Democratic congress is carrying forward the will of the citizens, remind them how much pork . . . more »

Judith | 03/27/07 at 07:36 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 19, 2007

Zombie Captures San Francisco "Antiwar" Protesters in all their Glory

As expected, the streets of San Francisco were home to the usual bizarre assortment of "antiwar" protesters this past weekend. What that actually translated into were communists, pro-terrorists, Jew-haters, 9/11 conspiracists, acid-casualties from the 60s, brainwashed college students, a sea . . . more »

Cinnamon | 03/19/07 at 11:07 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 18, 2007

Gathering of Eagles

[ UPDATE: More coverage from Hot Air, including interviews with vets and other ralliers. Estimates are that the Eagles outnumbered the antiwar folks 3-to-1. ] Michelle Malkin has massive coverage of the Gathering of Eagles rally yesterday in Washington DC. . . . more »

Judith | 03/18/07 at 01:49 PM | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 11, 2007

Moments of truth in Mainstream Media

[ UPDATE: Video of Ted Koppel interview referenced below. ] Journalist Pamela Hess caused a stir this week when she argued passionately and eloquently on C-SPAN for staying the course in Iraq. What is heartbreaking about this video is her . . . more »

Judith | 03/11/07 at 11:23 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 06, 2007

Let's remember Wilson outed Plame first

David Frum reminds us what the point is: Can you our readers find any example of denunciations of Richard Armitage's leak of Valerie Plame's name by a) Democratic officeholders or b) MSM columnists or c) left-wing bloggers? I did some . . . more »

Judith | 03/06/07 at 10:15 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Shameless celebrity spooks on parade

Just in case you thought the Wilson-Plame bubble had finally burst . . . On Saturday, March 17 at 7:00 p.m. at the Tishman Auditorium, 66 West 12th St. in New York City, Valerie Plame will make the first public . . . more »

Judith | 03/06/07 at 07:22 AM | 5 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 04, 2007

Latest from the Steven Vincent Foundation

Every once in a while the universe gives you a present, like continued interest in the life and death of someone you care about. Readers of this blog know we were big fans of Steven Vincent's reporting from Iraq, and . . . more »

Judith | 03/04/07 at 11:13 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 20, 2007

Countering Defeatism: Words of Courage From the Frontlines

Amidst the sickening display of defeatism that's been taking place in our nation's capital, it's refreshing to hear from a true warrior on the frontlines of the war on terrorism. Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Allen B. West - currently . . . more »

Cinnamon | 02/20/07 at 12:47 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 19, 2007

Jack Murtha, War Hero in Action

Whither the Centrist Democrats? Have they lost their way so soon? Have their bread crumbs already been eaten up by the doves? Improbable though it may seem, blunt and brassy Jack Murtha is moving close to command over U.S. policy . . . more »

Alcibiades | 02/19/07 at 09:13 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Kurdistan on "60 Minutes"

(Via Hot Air) About a year after Michael Totten visited Kurdistan and reported on its success as a peaceful prosperous region which is a separate country in all but name, 60 Minutes discovers this story. (Video) Kurds don't want to . . . more »

Judith | 02/19/07 at 04:38 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 17, 2007

"The non-binding resolution is the first skirmish in an escalating battle"

One of the few grownups in the Democratic Party, on the non-binding resolution which is a Trojan Horse containing . . . well, read the speech: . . . more »

Judith | 02/17/07 at 09:34 PM | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 15, 2007

Sadr and the Surge

Asher noted a critic of the "surge" making claims that even as he wrote were not matching the facts on the ground. But whatever the facts are on the ground, the surge is wrong, according to Rich Lowry: Old worry . . . more »

Judith | 02/15/07 at 07:00 AM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 14, 2007

Sadr and Chait: Separate Realities

The New Republic's Jonathan Chait in TNR Online (subscription), February 12, 2007: There is something genuinely bizarre about those remaining supporters of President Bush's strategy in Iraq. It is not just that they are wrong--being wrong happens to all of . . . more »

Asher Abrams | 02/14/07 at 12:39 AM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 11, 2007

The Old Jewish Quarter of Nineveh/Mosul

A blog friend emailed me this story, in which the Rabbi of the 101st Airborne Division describes his inquries into the existence of the old Jewish section of Mosul/Nineveh: As I entered light came through the half-open roof, and I . . . more »

Alcibiades | 02/11/07 at 11:39 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 08, 2007

Tim Russert - Boldly Lying on the Stand

A report on the Morning's testimony: Libby's defense attorney, Wells, continues to grill Russert. To recap, Russert, being a god, unlike you and me, got special treatment for his "grand jury" testimony. He got to testify in his office, with . . . more »

Alcibiades | 02/08/07 at 12:13 PM | 4 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 07, 2007

Grilling Russert to a Fine Turn

For those of you who are not Plamiacs - all Plame, all the time! now that the Libby trial is going on - there was a delicious moment in the court today. Tim Russert walked into court today, a commanding . . . more »

Alcibiades | 02/07/07 at 07:27 PM | 2 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 06, 2007

Fortunate sons

Some folks are born made to wave the flag, ooh, they're red, white and blue. And when the band plays "Hail To The Chief", oh, they point the cannon at you, Lord, It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't . . . more »

Judith | 02/06/07 at 12:39 AM | 4 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 05, 2007

Senate Resolution on Iraq, Version 4.0

Jim Geraghty makes a suggestion about the wording of a Senate Resolution all the senators can sign on to: Aw, heck, why don't they just introduce a resolution declaring, "We, the Senate, like all the good parts of the war . . . more »

Alcibiades | 02/05/07 at 10:27 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 31, 2007

The Solution for the Middle East

Stolen from Stephen Pollard, who stole it from Samizdata: "I think we should take Iraq and Iran and combine them into one country and call it Irate. All the pissed off people can live in one place and get it . . . more »

Alcibiades | 01/31/07 at 10:22 AM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 26, 2007

Shoot to Kill

Bush, at long last, has changed the rules of engagement for soldiers in Iraq, giving them the order to kill or capture Iranian operatives. A senior US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the outlines of the Post . . . more »

Alcibiades | 01/26/07 at 10:32 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 24, 2007

Listen to the general

If you agree with General Petraeus that sending more troops specifically to pacify Baghdad is a good idea, please inform your Republican congresspersons that you will not be happy with them if they do not agree that it is a . . . more »

Judith | 01/24/07 at 11:58 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 22, 2007

Nick Cohen on the Anti War Left

Nick Cohen, raised a principled liberal, where even the decision of what fruits and vegetables to buy was a moral decision, from his own account, did not knowingly come into contact with a Conservative until he was 13. I still . . . more »

Alcibiades | 01/22/07 at 11:22 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 17, 2007

Martin Amis on the Most Depressing Thing in Britain

In a Q&A at the Independent, with questions sent in from online readers Martin Amis was asked: What is the most depressing thing about Britain you have observed since your return? And the best? GRANT MULLIN, Surrey The most depressing . . . more »

Alcibiades | 01/17/07 at 12:20 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 12, 2007

Faux Klingons are Running the War!

Congressional Eloquence at its peak: . . . more »

Alcibiades | 01/12/07 at 04:27 PM | 4 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 11, 2007

More Please

US forces have stormed an Iranian consulate in the northern Iraqi town of Irbil and seized six members of staff. The troops raided the building at about 0300 (0001GMT), taking away computers and papers, according to Kurdish media and senior . . . more »

Alcibiades | 01/11/07 at 12:33 PM | 6 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 03, 2007

They Killed Saddam! You Bastards!

Not since the death of Socrates has the passing of a public figure caused so much hand-wringing as when Saddam Hussein found himself on the short end of a long rope last week. One account says, The officials said the . . . more »

Van | 01/03/07 at 09:23 PM | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 31, 2006

Saddam's Long Black Veil Moment

What was going through Saddam Hussein's head as the noose went around his neck, when "the scaffold is high and eternity's near," in the words of the awesome song "Long Black Veil." I read several stories about the execution, such . . . more »

Van | 12/31/06 at 11:29 AM | 8 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 30, 2006

Saddam in Jerusalem

I stopped by this coffee shop in the Old City for a cup of that hot sweet spiced milk, and the news about Saddam was on the TV. I asked if they had executed him and the vendor nodded. I . . . more »

Judith | 12/30/06 at 04:37 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 29, 2006

Breaking: ITM Says Saddam Won't See 2007

Mohammed at Iraq the Model: Year 2007 will definitely be without Saddam walking on the ground…. It's very imminent now and might become a fact at any minute. The situation in Baghdad is tense now and US and Iraqi forces . . . more »

Asher Abrams | 12/29/06 at 12:43 PM | Categories: - Iraq

December 28, 2006

Iraq War Veteran To San Francisco: We Must Win This Fight!

Last year, I wrote a column for SFGate titled, "San Francisco Declares Itself A Military Free-Zone." It was about the city's propensity for anti-military activity and how taken to its logical conclusion, San Francisco might well become a military free-zone . . . more »

Cinnamon | 12/28/06 at 11:54 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 22, 2006

Spit and Baby Killers: Echoes of Vietnam

We often hear false comparisons between the war in Iraq and the Vietnam war, but one link that holds true is the anti-military attitude exhibited by the left. U.S. soldiers today are treated as either victims or butchers--whichever one happens . . . more »

Cinnamon | 12/22/06 at 02:24 AM | 4 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 19, 2006

Hypocrisy: The Measure of a Man

In the 1990s, James Baker's legal firm arranged business deals that flouted American sanctions against Saddam, and profited from it to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. Baker was fully aware of this and complicit. the law firm . . . more »

Alcibiades | 12/19/06 at 02:56 AM | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 04, 2006

Lafayette "War Memorial" Dishonors the Dead

Looks like Bay Area Moonbats are up to their old tricks again, erecting false "war memorials" in an attempt to use U.S. casualties in Iraq to undermine the war. As always, they do so under the guise of paying respect . . . more »

Cinnamon | 12/04/06 at 10:37 PM | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 23, 2006

Be thankful for courageous journalists

Last week in London, Lisa Ramaci-Vincent accepted her husband's posthumous award from the Institute for War and Peace Reporting in London. The award is in honor of and is named for Kurt Schork, who - like Steven Vincent - began . . . more »

Judith | 11/23/06 at 01:18 PM | 2 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 20, 2006

"A combination of blurring and smearing"

Greyhawk takes us step-by-step through the events surrounding the scandal at Abu Ghraib, demonstrating how the shadow of its prolonged exposure influenced the battle of Fallujah and the growth of Sadr's power, and made security for Iraq harder to achieve. . . . more »

Judith | 11/20/06 at 08:14 AM | 5 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 14, 2006

Pulling the rug

I've been busy with various things, but this expresses how I feel about things (via Powerline) . . . more »

Judith | 11/14/06 at 12:42 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 10, 2006

The Big Gloat

And so it begins. This just in from Reuters: A purported audio recording by the leader of Iraq's al Qaeda wing gloated over the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, as a top U.S. general said the military was preparing . . . more »

Alcibiades | 11/10/06 at 01:06 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Can Someone Explain to Me How This is Realism

We've been hearing over and over that the purported plan of the Iraq Study group is to offer incentives to Iran and Syria to help the US in Iraq. Iran and Syria. Iran and Syria? How is this realism rather . . . more »

Alcibiades | 11/10/06 at 03:27 AM | 8 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 09, 2006

Now I understand the Kerry joke . . .

Jim Treacher explains it all to you: Did it ever occur to you wingnuts that Kerry might have meant Saddam Hussein? If Hussein had just stayed in school, he wouldn't have become a genocidal tyrant and gotten stuck in Iraq . . . more »

Judith | 11/09/06 at 10:47 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Whither Iraq: More Background on Bob Gates

I really don't like realist conservatism. It often produces detestable, morally-cringeworthy Republican policy: for example, the retreat from Lebanon after Hezbollah bombed our Marine barracks, abandoning the Shi'ites and the Kurds in 1991, the decision to abandon Afghanistan to rack . . . more »

Alcibiades | 11/09/06 at 12:40 PM | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 08, 2006

Election 2006: What Went Wrong for the Republicans

The midterm elections are over and those who hoped for a Republican victory are still digesting the results. The usual pre-election mainstream media hype led many to the mistaken impression that the Democratic Party's much-vaunted success might not pan out. . . . more »

Cinnamon | 11/08/06 at 02:10 PM | 14 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 05, 2006

EU: No to Death Penalty for Saddam!!

Heh. You knew this was coming as soon as the death penalty for Saddam was announced. The European Union urged Iraq on Sunday not to carry out the death sentence passed on Iraq's former leader Saddam Hussein after his conviction . . . more »

Alcibiades | 11/05/06 at 08:16 PM | 5 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Saddam to Hang

Omar: I was overwhelmed with joy and relief as I watched the criminals being read their verdicts. For the first time in our region tyrants are being punished for their crimes through a court of law. Until this moment and . . . more »

Asher Abrams | 11/05/06 at 07:28 PM | Categories: - Iraq

An excellent use of the death penalty

Yes! Sky News: "This is the exact moment he finds out he will hang." Lots of pre- and post-sentence coverage at Pajamas, including some details of court procedures from the press conference (yes, Saddam can appeal): . . . more »

Judith | 11/05/06 at 11:43 AM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 02, 2006

Hitch and Sullivan on Iraq

Via Omni Ceren . . . Andrew Sullivan and Christopher Hitchens mix it up on TV. But that's not the only reason this video is entertaining. Well, let Omri explain. Within thirty seconds of the interview, Hitchens has corrected the . . . more »

Judith | 11/02/06 at 07:00 AM | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 27, 2006

Shabbat Music Friday: Back to Babylon

Back to Babylon: 2000 Years of Jewish Life in Iraq is a conference being held at Sephardic House in NYC the first weekend of November. It is inexpensive for a 4-day conference, so if you are in the NYC . . . more »

Judith | 10/27/06 at 05:17 PM | 0 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 26, 2006

Invaluable Advice: If Only We Had Done This in 2003

[ From Judith: This is another way of looking at it. "Bleeding Kansas" is cited in the comments. ] Here's Ralph Peters with some invaluable advice about Iraq:The first thing we need to do is to kill Muqtada al-Sadr, who's . . . more »

Alcibiades | 10/26/06 at 11:45 PM | 4 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 24, 2006

Steven Vincent honored by Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Longtime readers of this blog know that we are big fans of Steven Vincent, and his widow Lisa is a big fan of the bloggers who appreciated and publicized his reporting from Iraq in 2003 and 2004, and remembered . . . more »

Judith | 10/24/06 at 07:18 AM | 1 Comments | 5 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 22, 2006

Bush: Just a Scary Fundamentalist

Or so asserts Gerhard Schrodiger, whom the Germans, thank the scary Lord! replaced with Angela Merkel last spring. The former Chancellor, an agnostic, seems to consider President Bush to be a Christian fundamentalist, and as such less likely to make . . . more »

Alcibiades | 10/22/06 at 11:41 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 20, 2006

CNN: The Al-Jazeera of the West?

CNN's airing of portions of the latest Iraqi "insurgency" (as the MSM labels it) propaganda videotapes this past week put them in the realm of Al-Jazeera, the mouthpiece for al-Qaeda and Islamic terrorists all over the world. The fact that . . . more »

Cinnamon | 10/20/06 at 04:15 PM | 3 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 19, 2006

Eminent British Military Historian

John Keegan reminds us why Iraq is nothing like Vietnam, militarily speaking, and why the present situation is nothing like the Tet offensive. He thinks the President was unwise to be drawn into admitting that some people would see a . . . more »

Alcibiades | 10/19/06 at 10:44 PM | 5 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 18, 2006

The Lancet Report

Just in case you want to know why the current Lancet Report is completely flawed in its methodology, read this. Steven Moore deconstructs the flawed statistical metholodogy employed by the researchers. It comes down to two factors, far too few . . . more »

Alcibiades | 10/18/06 at 11:03 AM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 09, 2006

Die Hard With A Vengeance - Battlestar Galactica Version

There was some amount of perturbation among Battlestar Galactica fans of the pro-Iraq persuasion when it looked like the new season might possibly turn out to be no more than a negative commentary on the Iraq war, Hollywood style. This, . . . more »

Alcibiades | 10/09/06 at 04:25 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Rape and Repression as a Tactic in the Sectarian War in Iraq

A very disturbing look at the situation of women in Iraq who live around sectarian militia activity in the UK Guardian (a fact which may - or may not - effect the objectivity of the reporting.) Strong anecdotal evidence gathered . . . more »

Alcibiades | 10/09/06 at 12:35 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 05, 2006

Good cop, bad cop

The PA struggles over which face to present to the world, while Israel continues its diplomatic work. Some sobering thoughts on the Iraqi government - and on men in government everywhere - plus advances for gay rights in California round . . . more »

Asher Abrams | 10/05/06 at 10:33 AM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

August 07, 2006

We Go Together..Like the Fire That Needs the Flame

Londoners demonstrate their support for Hezbollah: Walid Phares: “The vast majority of intellectuals still live on a pre 9/11 planet. They refuse, even after the rise of democratic movements and dissidents in the region, to acknowledge that the jihadists are . . . more »

Alcibiades | 08/07/06 at 09:52 AM | 1 Comments | 2 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

August 02, 2006

Steven Vincent: Honoring a Life

Steven Vincent Blogger Commemoration - Part I Steven Vincent Blogger Commemoration - Part II Steven Vincent Blogger Commemoration - Part III What are we doing here? What is it, exactly, that gets us from one day to the next, that . . . more »

Asher Abrams | 08/02/06 at 06:33 PM | 1 Comments | 5 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Steven Vincent: Lisa's charge

Steven Vincent Blogger Commemoration - Part I Steven Vincent Blogger Commemoration - Part II Steven Vincent Blogger Commemoration - Part IV Lisa sends a pizza: To honor and remember my beloved husband Steven Vincent, the freelance journalist kidnapped and murdered . . . more »

Judith | 08/02/06 at 04:05 PM | 1 Comments | 11 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Steven Vincent: Bloggers remember one of their own, cont.

Steven Vincent Blogger Commemoration - Part I Steven Vincent Blogger Commemoration - Part III Steven Vincent Blogger Commemoration - Part IV Vincent's inspiration was his friend, the artist Steve Mumford, who had gone to Iraq ahead of Vincent and showed . . . more »

Judith | 08/02/06 at 03:43 PM | 3 Comments | 4 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Steven Vincent: Bloggers remember one of their own

Steven Vincent Blogger Commemoration - Part II Steven Vincent Blogger Commemoration - Part III Steven Vincent Blogger Commemoration - Part IV Steven Vincent was murdered in Basra, Iraq, one year ago on August 2, 2005, because he went where other . . . more »

Judith | 08/02/06 at 03:23 PM | 3 Comments | 16 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

July 23, 2006

Hawkish women

[ UPDATE: Ilya Somin sees this as a split within the libertarian movement. ] Since 9-11, I have noticed a counter-intuitive trend: Of couples I know, the husband is usually more dovish or more assured of the efficacy of diplomacy, . . . more »

Judith | 07/23/06 at 12:27 AM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

July 20, 2006

The Looming Sunni-Shi'ite War?

[UPDATE: transcript now added below] Just heard a worrisome report on Hardball - Chris Mathews was interviewing former CIA Agent Bob Baer who, despite the shambles of a movie George Clooney turned his book into, still has insightful comments and . . . more »

Alcibiades | 07/20/06 at 08:24 PM | 6 Comments | 3 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

July 13, 2006

Bring It On Baby!

As if the world did not have enough craziness this particular day, Drudge is reporting in a preliminary way that: VALERIE PLAME SUES CHENEY, ROVE, LIBBY... DEVELOPING... Plame and her husband Joseph Wilson allege that Cheney & Co. outed her . . . more »

Alcibiades | 07/13/06 at 04:14 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

July 09, 2006

Iraq's Baathist Funded Insurgency

Blogging will be light for the rest of the day from my end, while I watch the World Cup finale and do other fun summer things. However I wanted to link to this important editorial from Laurie Mylroie about Iraq, . . . more »

Alcibiades | 07/09/06 at 11:35 AM | 0 Comments | 2 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

June 28, 2006

Russian Roulette

Van receives a preliminary response direct from President Putin: President Valdimir Putin has ordered Russian special services to hunt down the killers of four Russian hostages in Iraq, news agencies reported Wednesday. "The president has ordered the special forces to . . . more »

Alcibiades | 06/28/06 at 09:29 AM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

June 25, 2006

Your Move, President Putin

Video images here show the beheading of Russian embassy workers kidnapped in Iraq, in response to Russian actions in Chechnya. Moscow News has its coverage here. Gateway Pundit has pictures of the four Russians here. The proximity to the horrific . . . more »

Van | 06/25/06 at 09:52 PM | 2 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Two Articles on Zarqawi

Fouad Ajami writes a resigned post-mortem on Zarqawi and the situation in Iraq and in the Arab World at his death in the Wall Street Journal, The Extremist is Never Alone. Subscription only, but here is a passage: In the . . . more »

Alcibiades | 06/25/06 at 11:04 AM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

June 09, 2006

Steven Vincent's widow on Fox this afternoon

Email from Lisa Ramaci, widow of Steven Vincent, the American journalist murdered in Basra: I will be on Fox Cable News (channel 46, I think) at 4 pm New York time, as the 'anti-Michael-Berg', who is running around saying that . . . more »

Judith | 06/09/06 at 03:22 PM | 4 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

When Zarqawi Speaks, Jihadists Listen

Abu Musab Zarqawi enjoyed a few lucid moments after the Great Satan came a-knocking. Thanks to Kesher Talk's exclusive sources at the NSA, which monitored Zarqawi's demise, we can confidently say that his final words most probably included some of . . . more »

Van | 06/09/06 at 02:29 PM | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

June 08, 2006

More on Zarqawi

(graphic from Texas Rainmaker) [ UPDATE: High-level context from Thos. P. M. Barnett. Read the whole thing. ] Video of press briefing by CENTCOM, including maps and charts and detailed info, including the video of the strike that has . . . more »

Judith | 06/08/06 at 10:22 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 30, 2006

The Political Odd Couple: Bush and Blair and their state of play

Tim Hanes gets it just right in much of this column in his analysis of the Bush/Blair relationship: AT A TIME when divorce is evidently getting easier and more lucrative, it is touching to see one couple soldiering on despite . . . more »

Alcibiades | 05/30/06 at 10:04 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 29, 2006

Letter to the Washington Post

[ RELATED: Context. Also, I posted the below at Winds of Change, which prompted a huge debate going on there right now. ] A year ago I was charged with two counts of premeditated murder and with other war crimes . . . more »

Judith | 05/29/06 at 09:17 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 28, 2006

American soldiers aren't nice enough

A BBC story claiming the Iraq war has caused an increasing number of deserters from the British army has been debunked by USS Neverdock using the BBC's own figures from previous stories. (He also links to a story in the . . . more »

Judith | 05/28/06 at 09:16 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 19, 2006

Former Senator Torricelli tied to Oil for Food Scandal

The repercussions from this story are going to be huge. Former Senator Torricelli from New Jersey has been revealed through documents to have a connection to the Oil for Food scandal in Iraq. Flopping Aces has a write up. . . . more »

Alcibiades | 05/19/06 at 10:07 AM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Ciao Italia

Nearly Romano Prodi's first task on getting elected Prime Minister of Italy is to bring home its 2,700 troops from Iraq. To do so, though, he has to survive a vote of no confidence. Making his first policy address as . . . more »

Alcibiades | 05/19/06 at 10:03 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

The Mirror Self: A Foolish Journalistic Projection

Two stories today lay clear the perils of journalistic hubris in telling only one side of the story, both of them centered around Iraq. In the first, Ken Silverstein writes a post called: “Fairy Tales” The (lack of) intelligence underpinning . . . more »

Alcibiades | 05/19/06 at 08:32 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 03, 2006

Feminist utopias

News flash! Saddam Wasn't a Feminist. Well, duh, you might say. But some on the left have already started to spin Saddam's Iraq as a time of equal opportunity for women. This includes equal opportunity to be falsely imprisoned, tortured . . . more »

Judith | 05/03/06 at 09:27 PM | 4 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 24, 2006

Juan Cole: a disgrace to scholarship

Like many academics, University of Michigan professor Juan Cole is a well-known habitue of the political blogosphere. Most academics, mindful of their professional reputations, make their points with dignity and careful application of their expertise. Cole, however, comes out swinging . . . more »

Judith | 04/24/06 at 08:51 PM | 8 Comments | 2 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 15, 2006

Reality check

A bit of low comedy via LGF: Newly freed pacifist: I am learning many things from my captivity, and have a universe of things to be grateful for. Among them is a new and deep appreciation for the women and . . . more »

Judith | 04/15/06 at 09:09 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 12, 2006

Melanie Phillips Talks to General Georges Sada About the Lost WMD

Melanie Phillips recently met with General Georges Sada, former Air Vice Marshal in Saddam’s Iraq, to discuss what he believes happened to the WMDs. He also says that he lived and worked with the ever-present daily reality of Saddam’s tactics . . . more »

Alcibiades | 04/12/06 at 01:57 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 11, 2006

What's a "civil war," mommy?

Most interesting comment about the latest stats from Iraq (8th comment): Although there are those who may choose to think of the current situation as a civil war, it reminds me far more of Pottawatomie Brown’s “Bloody Kansas” updated and . . . more »

Judith | 04/11/06 at 07:06 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 10, 2006

Anti-Iraq Media Manufactured Story of the Day

Thomas E. Ricks, of the Washington Post, has "sources" who have informed him that the US military is conducting a propaganda campaign "to magnify the role of the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq." Apparently "some military intelligence officials" believe that . . . more »

Alcibiades | 04/10/06 at 04:17 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 09, 2006

The Next Generation of Weapons

Check out this new, ultra modernistic, RPG repeller from Israel, named Trophy. To be tested by American troops in Iraq. . . . more »

Alcibiades | 04/09/06 at 10:10 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Iraq Liberation Day: from the narrow places

Three years after the end of the Iraq War, Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission encourage the media to mark the anniversary by showing some of the positive results of the war as well as the negative. The . . . more »

Judith | 04/09/06 at 08:49 AM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Saddam toppled: April 9, 2003

Photo sequence of the Saddam statue in Firdos Square, coming down: From the Boston Globe. From the Guardian. From the BBC. Khadom Sharif Hassan, Iraq's weightlifting champion and former mechanic for Uday's motorcycle collection, struck the first blow. He . . . more »

Judith | 04/09/06 at 12:19 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 05, 2006

Iran's Borderline Provocations

Michael Ledeen points out that British newspapers are now publishing the news that Iran has set up terror camps to target the troops in Iraq. A NETWORK of terror camps has been set up in Iran to train insurgents to . . . more »

Alcibiades | 04/05/06 at 11:03 AM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 04, 2006

An Iraqi Politician Speaks Out -- And It's All Good

Powerline Video is hosting a must-see video of Iraqi politician Iyad Jamal Al-Din asking questions and commenting on the situation in Iraq - and on Israel and America - in a reasonable way that I wish was far more common. . . . more »

Alcibiades | 04/04/06 at 07:06 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 03, 2006

Zarqawi Out?

Has Zarqawi been forced out of the Leadership in Iraq as Al Jazeera is reporting, as a result of his poor leadership? Otherwise known as alienating the local populace by killing them off indiscriminately and turning them against you. Or . . . more »

Alcibiades | 04/03/06 at 02:29 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 31, 2006

Bush's reading list

Below is an email from Lisa Ramaci, March 26, 2006 (posted with permission): In my mail yesterday was a note: March 16, 2006 Dear Lisa, I recently finished Steven's book In the Red Zone. I enjoyed Steve's insights. I appreciate . . . more »

Judith | 03/31/06 at 05:36 PM | 3 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 29, 2006

Hewitt Does Ware

For those following the Michael Ware discussion here and here, Hugh Hewitt has a lengthy, substantive interview with him up at Radio Blogger which you can read or download and listen to as you prefer. He also has a post . . . more »

Alcibiades | 03/29/06 at 10:26 AM | 0 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 28, 2006

Even Chinese Intelligence Heard the WMD had been Moved to Syria

According to Iraqi Intelligence Document: ISGZ-2004-028179, from the Iraqi Files now publicly released. Even the Chinese received intelligence that the WMD went to Syria, and this by January 10, 2003. B. He mentioned that a meeting in Beijing in the . . . more »

Alcibiades | 03/28/06 at 04:14 PM | 2 Comments | 2 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 27, 2006

The Russian Connection

Gateway Pundit has a post with links detailing ties between the Russians and Saddam's Iraq in the days before the war began and the question of whether they gave the Iraqis the US war plan: Gateway Pundit: Ouch! Photos Show . . . more »

Alcibiades | 03/27/06 at 10:57 AM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Speaking of Michael Ware...

Judith mentioned some of Michael Ware's shenanigans below. Last week radio host Hugh Hewitt interviewed both Victor Davis Hanson and Christopher Hitchens and the subject of Michael Ware was raised. HH: TI want to play you a little bit. Michael . . . more »

Alcibiades | 03/27/06 at 10:12 AM | 0 Comments | 4 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 26, 2006

Our intrepid war correspondents

Two years ago, some dumb sex therapist in California triggered at least one huge suicide bombing simply by posting an essay on the internet, for US consumption, in which she used rape as a metaphor for the US invasion of . . . more »

Judith | 03/26/06 at 08:52 AM | 0 Comments | 2 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 20, 2006

Maybe Iraq really is like Vietnam...

But not the way you think! . . . more »

Alcibiades | 03/20/06 at 05:25 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 09, 2006

I was Zogby Polled!

So I just got my first call from Zogby to poll my opinions: One of the questions I was asked about was of interest: To the best of my recollection, it went like this: In the next NY State Senatorial . . . more »

Alcibiades | 03/09/06 at 06:30 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

"Is Islam Compatible with Democracy?"

Ann Althouse attends a lecture at her university, given by law school colleague Professor Asifa Quraishi, and provides an account. What I was tackling in my presentation was the roadblock in this issue that I think is presented by the . . . more »

Alcibiades | 03/09/06 at 10:11 AM | 3 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 27, 2006

Plame's Status - Covert, Classified, or Not - Is Unimportant

Or so claims Patrick Fitzgerald, the CIA Leak Prosector, currently prosecuting Lewis Libby. CIA leak prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald argued at a hearing Friday that, as far as the perjury charges against former Cheney chief of staff Lewis Libby are concerned, . . . more »

Alcibiades | 02/27/06 at 04:55 PM | 5 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 22, 2006

The Asymptote of Disaster in Iraq

Mosque Attack Pushes Iraq Toward Civil War Approaching Disaster in Iraq Insurgents posing as police destroyed the golden dome of one of Iraq's holiest Shiite shrines Wednesday, setting off an unprecendented spasm of sectarian violence. Angry crowds thronged the streets, . . . more »

Alcibiades | 02/22/06 at 11:16 PM | 7 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 29, 2006

WMD still, in all likelihood, in Syria

The likelihood grows that Iraq's chemical weapons ended up in Syria: The man who served as the no. 2 official in Saddam Hussein's air force says Iraq moved weapons of mass destruction into Syria before the war by loading the . . . more »

Alcibiades | 01/29/06 at 12:57 PM | 0 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 25, 2006

The Far Less Amusing Side of George Galloway

All expectations are that George Galloway is about to get voted out of his celebrity house later tonight in Britain. If so, he'll return to find a video from 1999 of him fawning over Uday Hussein and joking about weight . . . more »

Alcibiades | 01/25/06 at 10:37 AM | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 18, 2006

Iraqi-American solidarity

More on the Florida teen who took an impromptu trip to Iraq a few weeks ago: Farris is the youngest of four children born in America to [Dr. Redha] Hassan and Shatha Atiya, who divorced in 2002. Hassan, an anesthesiologist, . . . more »

Judith | 01/18/06 at 11:57 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 23, 2005

Ritter and Hitchens

Four of us were going to take the train up to Tarrytown to see Christopher Hitchens debate Scott Ritter this week, but the NYC transit strike prevented that. Half of us had no way to get to Grand Central Station, . . . more »

Judith | 12/23/05 at 04:18 PM | 3 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Iraqis marching in the streets

Looks like the Iraqis are starting their own Orange Revolution. (Green Revoluton?) Like I said, the Fat Lady hasn't stepped up to the mike yet. The pessemists need to stop being so gleeful and have a little faith. Iraq the . . . more »

Judith | 12/23/05 at 03:19 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 22, 2005

The vultures are still circling

[ UPDATE: Neo-neocon's thinking the same way I am. We even went surfing through the same comment threads at Iraq the Model. ] This is an update from this post. I see it's my job to be an optimist, and . . . more »

Judith | 12/22/05 at 01:09 AM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 21, 2005

Some reassurance on Cameron

David Cameron, elected last month in Britain to head the Tory party, has been seen to this point as pretty much of a blank slate. Here's some reassuring news about his views on Foreign Policy, from Brendan Simms, writing in . . . more »

Alcibiades | 12/21/05 at 10:14 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 19, 2005

Reform Jews talk back, part II

We posted about the first stirrings of disagreement with the resolution against the Iraq war presented at the annual conference of the Jewish Reform Denomination. That disagreement is boiling over. [Republican Jewish Coalition] executive director Matthew Brooks, a member of . . . more »

Judith | 12/19/05 at 02:58 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

They Seek Them Here, They Seek Them There

Are they in Syria or are they in Lebanon? Those Demned Elusive Destructive Mass Weapons Er, Forgive me Baronness Orczy... High ranking Israel intelligence officials are still convinced that, as Debka specified in 2003, right after the Iraq invasion that . . . more »

Alcibiades | 12/19/05 at 02:29 AM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 16, 2005

Okay, I see more cluepons are needed

Any blogger with an interest in foreign policy who completely ignores the the Iraqi elections or sneers at them because their success challenges your agenda, needs to get a clue. So feel free to copy the cluepon from the previous . . . more »

Judith | 12/16/05 at 07:40 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 15, 2005

The boy's club

Here in the US, our political leaders come from Yale. In Iraq, they come from a Jesuit high school called Baghdad College. The three Iraqi political leaders considered most likely to end up as prime minister after nationwide elections this . . . more »

Judith | 12/15/05 at 06:00 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Iraq election link roundup

Iraqis started going to the polls about an hour ago, 8 AM their time. The election promises to be the fullest version of the democratic experiment that has been tried here to date: voters in the 18 Iraqi provinces are . . . more »

Judith | 12/15/05 at 01:46 AM | 2 Comments | 2 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Brits still looking the other way as Iran infiltrates

Michael Ledeen on the contested story about Iran smuggling forged ballots into Iraq: I keep getting reports from Iraqis and from American soldiers, that tell of abundant evidence of direct Iranian involvement with terrorism in Iraq, but these stories never . . . more »

Judith | 12/15/05 at 12:16 AM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 14, 2005

Reform Jews talk back

The latest brouhaha in the Jewish world results from a resolution adopted by the Reform movement at their annual convention, to wit, a Resolution on the War in Iraq which reiterates most of the false premises and misstatements of the . . . more »

Judith | 12/14/05 at 10:03 PM | 2 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Which Iraqi political party represents you?

Via Iraq the Model, an aid to the upcoming Iraqi elections: You can find out which Iraqi political party has the platform most in line with your views, through this interactive questionaire, available in Arabic, Kurdish, and English. Here is . . . more »

Judith | 12/14/05 at 05:55 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 13, 2005

Purple solidarity

Iraqis in hospitals or the military started voting yesteray, with the rest of the electorate following on Thursday. This is the third time the Iraqis have gone to the polls in huge numbers, braving snipers and suicide bombers and manipulation . . . more »

Judith | 12/13/05 at 09:47 PM | 0 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 06, 2005

Where are the Liberal Hawks of Yesteryear?

Joe Lieberman Is Still My Favorite Democrat. Today Joe Lieberman said in a speech: "It's time for Democrats who distrust President Bush to acknowledge he'll be commander-in-chief for three more years," the senator said. "We undermine the president's credibility at . . . more »

Alcibiades | 12/06/05 at 07:25 PM | 4 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Ill Making

Here's more first hand testimony from Saddam's trial, from a woman describing her imprisonment at Abu Ghraib: [T]he woman said: "I could not even eat because of the torture". At Abu Ghraib, the woman said one of her relatives had . . . more »

Alcibiades | 12/06/05 at 02:19 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 03, 2005

"Fake, but accurate"

Propaganda - as Stephen Green points out - is as important a factor in war as it ever was, although its reverberations have become more complex as global communication has become instantaneous and means of distorting and faking images and . . . more »

Judith | 12/03/05 at 08:47 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 02, 2005

Who would you vote for in the next Iraqi election?

Via Iraq the Model, an aid to the upcoming Iraqi elections: You can find out which Iraqi political party has the platform most in line with your views, through this interactive questionaire, available in Arabic, Kurdish, and English. The site . . . more »

Judith | 12/02/05 at 08:47 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 29, 2005

Fred Kaplan rewrites the facts

I'm going out on the trail one more time before I have to pack and go back to New York, so somebody please fisk Fred Kaplan for me. The errors and ignorance and twisting of history in this piece are . . . more »

Judith | 11/29/05 at 01:39 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 28, 2005

No End But Victory

Josh Trevino - the blogger known as "Tacitus" and one of the founders of Redstate - has started a new blog: No End But Victory. It is a huge portal for political and military news and blogging about what's going . . . more »

Judith | 11/28/05 at 10:21 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Purple solidarity

The Iraqis are going to the polls for the third time this year, on December 15th. While googling for a link to the election campaigning, I scrolled past many pundits claiming the elections were rigged, that they elected a . . . more »

Judith | 11/28/05 at 09:19 PM | 0 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 23, 2005

An Oscar For Munich?

Does Stevie Boy Wonder hope to snag an oscar for Munich, the controversial new film about the aftermath of the Israeli response to the PLO massacre at the Munich massacres, based on an apocryphal account by Yuval Aviv, purporting to . . . more »

Alcibiades | 11/23/05 at 05:01 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Zarqawi Not Dead...

...says Iraq Al Qaeda. The story is a "lie." That word is getting a little overplayed lately, isn't it? "The media has lately circulated this news that was announced by the Crusaders (U.S.) about the death of the leader of . . . more »

Alcibiades | 11/23/05 at 11:22 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 21, 2005

Zarqawi Really Presumed Dead?

Al-Zarqawi thought to be dead, according to Iraq's Foreign Minister, the Associated Post reports today: Al-Qaida in Iraq chief Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was believed to have been killed in a military operation in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, Iraq's . . . more »

Alcibiades | 11/21/05 at 12:26 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 20, 2005

Dead or Alive?

In other news, Zarqawi may or may not be dead. 8 high ranking Al Qaeda members blew themselves up in Mosul today after a local tip-off enabled US troops to surround them. Zarqawi may or may not be one of . . . more »

Alcibiades | 11/20/05 at 12:25 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Down The Toilet

In the Comments to my post, The King Democrats Have No Clothes, Jewish Atheist and I argue about our differences on Iraq. I make the point that I still think it is likely that Saddam disposed of his WMD's before . . . more »

Alcibiades | 11/20/05 at 09:17 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 18, 2005

Whacking the President

The Ex-President, that is. Yesterday, both the NYSun and the NYPost whacked Bill Clinton for his extremely non-Presidential behavior two days past in Dubai, where he called the Iraq War "A Big Mistake". It has long been accepted that former . . . more »

Alcibiades | 11/18/05 at 11:13 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 16, 2005

The Clinton Colors

Clinton says Iraq invasion was a big mistake You know, I'm just so glad Clinton delivered this message first to students of the American University in Dubai. The United States made a "big mistake" when it invaded Iraq, former President . . . more »

Alcibiades | 11/16/05 at 09:54 AM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

November 09, 2005

A challenge for the sourpuss Left

An ad campaign from Kurdistan to say... Thank you USA!! As soon as these air, this is what I am going to hear on the Upper West Side: "These brainwashed manipulated fools are shilling for the Bush admin because they're . . . more »

Judith | 11/09/05 at 04:51 PM | 8 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 31, 2005

I heart Clifford May

I mentioned last week that I was developing a crush on Clifford May second only to my crush on Paul Wolfowitz. Here's more May: Imagine if, immediately after the criticism of the “16 words” in Bush’s State of the Union, . . . more »

Judith | 10/31/05 at 12:07 AM | 0 Comments | 2 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 28, 2005

How to turn silk purses into sows' ears

Media Research Center has just released a thorough study on the US news media treatment of the Iraq War, and yes, it's extremely biased toward pessimism. Any optimism from Iraqis and US military undermines the picture the MSM is trying . . . more »

Judith | 10/28/05 at 02:30 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 27, 2005

In the Best Tradition of British Irony...

...American Joe Wilson deadpans...Leak indictments would be 'a sad day,' Wilson says Uh huh. Wilson said Wednesday he took little comfort that the men he believes have engaged in a campaign of character assassination against him for the past two . . . more »

Alcibiades | 10/27/05 at 10:49 AM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 26, 2005

Perspective

One of the American dead is journalist Steven Vincent, murdered in the line of duty while reporting from Basra. His widow has set up a foundation to support the families of local stringers in war zones, who help gather . . . more »

Judith | 10/26/05 at 11:22 PM | 0 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 24, 2005

Me, I'm curiouser and curiouser

Unlike the quagMier, which my esteemed co-blogger has pronouced "intensely boring", the Plame Game keeps getting more fascinating. Not only does it provide a rare glance into the nature of the CIA's war against the Bush Administration's Iraq policy - . . . more »

Alcibiades | 10/24/05 at 12:17 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 23, 2005

Duelling Portraits

A portrait of I. Lewis Libby Jr. here. And a portrait of Patrick Fitzgerald here. I'm curious as to why the NYTimes is hosting a relatively positive portrait of Libby just now. Can it be, maybe, for deniability purposes after . . . more »

Alcibiades | 10/23/05 at 02:46 PM | 4 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 21, 2005

First Female Airman Killed in Iraq Had Jewish Roots

Elizabeth Nicole Jacobson, 21, was providing convoy security in Iraq on Sept. 28 and was killed when her vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device. . . . more »

Alcibiades | 10/21/05 at 12:54 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 19, 2005

Talk to the finger

Sortapundit introduces Kos and Willis to a couple of Iraqi voters. . . . more »

Judith | 10/19/05 at 10:48 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 15, 2005

Democracy, Whisky, Sexy!

Congratulations to Iraq on another successful nation-wide experience of determining their future by voting and arguing and compromise, rather than violence, in the face of enormous unrelenting provocation. You are a shining inspiration to the rest of the world. John . . . more »

Judith | 10/15/05 at 10:29 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 10, 2005

Jalal Talabani to Tony Blair and the British People

Writing in the London Times, Jalal Talabani, the current President of Iraq, says: EVENTS OF recent weeks have reaffirmed the need for the alliance between the new Iraq and Britain. The lesson of the ghastly drumbeat of terrorism, the rioting . . . more »

Alcibiades | 10/10/05 at 12:29 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 02, 2005

Eventful

It's been a busy blog weekend. Friday night I went to the huge blogger bash produced by NYC blogger impresario and Right Wing Death Beast Karol Sheinen. Saturday night I attended a memorial service for journalist Steven Vincent, murdered by . . . more »

Judith | 10/02/05 at 03:29 PM | 0 Comments | 2 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

September 29, 2005

5 Iraqi Anglican Church Leaders Missing, Presumed Dead

Ten days ago, several of the Bishops of the Church of England published a proposal for the leaders of the Anglican church in Britain to get together and apologise on behalf of their nation for the Iraq war. In the . . . more »

Alcibiades | 09/29/05 at 10:08 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

September 26, 2005

On the Remarkable Prescience of Steven Vincent

Steven Vincent's seminal piece in the NY Times about the eroding situation in Basra, written mid-summer, is still available here. Read it to discover why last week's debacle in Basra, between the Iraqi police and the British army was forseeable . . . more »

Alcibiades | 09/26/05 at 10:54 AM | 0 Comments | 2 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Inventive fundraising

If you want to adopt an American military sniper in Iraq, AND make George Galloway pay for it, make a bid at this eBay auction.So what happens when you cross a beautiful girl with George Galloway? It depends. After the . . . more »

Judith | 09/26/05 at 09:51 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

September 24, 2005

Idiots and counter-idiots

More protest and counter-protest pix. David Adesnik reads the A.N.S.W.E.R. brochure so you don't have to. He also plans to administer a little quiz to the antiwar protestors. (You know, the thousands of mainstream Americans who never took to the . . . more »

Judith | 09/24/05 at 04:59 PM | 0 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

September 22, 2005

The further adventures of Gorgeous George

After duking it out with Christopher Hitchens in NYC, George Galloway continues to barnstorm across the US, trailed by protestors and leafletters trying to spread the word about his true beliefs. I made the acquaintance of many Chicagoans when I . . . more »

Judith | 09/22/05 at 10:08 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Signs of Life on the Jewish Far Left

Gene has a post up at Harry's place showing that a few segments of the Jewish far left are *finally* becoming wary of the rising anti-semitism among fixtures of the far-left. But he also reports that other far left Jewish . . . more »

Alcibiades | 09/22/05 at 09:07 AM | 2 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

September 21, 2005

Steve Mumford this evening at Barnes & Noble

Sorry for the short notice. I just found out about this: Steve Mumford shows slides and reads from his book, "Baghdad Journal: An Artist in Occupied Iraq," 7 p.m. on Sept. 21 Barnes & Noble, 675 6th Ave. (at 21st . . . more »

Judith | 09/21/05 at 02:51 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

September 20, 2005

Turning The Other Cheek Right Into A Big Fist

"It is not patriotism when you say, 'My country right or wrong,'" [Cindy] said. "Because our country is very wrong now." Well, it looks like Cindy has managed to convince someone in her wake. Or maybe it was Galloway. A . . . more »

Alcibiades | 09/20/05 at 07:25 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

September 16, 2005

Post-Mortemizing The Rumble

Well I never got around to doing my full write up of the debate, just filled in some odds and ends. But here are two excellent articles on the Hitch-Galloway grapple that do it for me. So now I don't . . . more »

Alcibiades | 09/16/05 at 10:51 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

August 29, 2005

Iraq is just like . . .

A succinct rejoinder to all the "Iraq is Vietnam" crap, which might be especially useful to veterans attending college this fall:Iraq is just like Vietnam except: We occupy Hanoi. We've captured Ho Chi Minh. The North Vietnamese have just held . . . more »

Judith | 08/29/05 at 01:18 PM | 1 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

August 24, 2005

Democracy is a process, not an event, cont.

Previous entry on this topic. First of all, somewhat related: The marshlands of southern Iraq, drained by Saddam in 1991 to flush out and punish rebels who hid in them, destroying the ancient culture of the marsh Arabs, are now . . . more »

Judith | 08/24/05 at 11:46 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

August 23, 2005

Democracy is a process, not an event

Some text from the latest draft of the Iraq constitution. (Previous entries on Iraqi political negotiating here, here, and here.) [ UPDATE: Many more comments on the process going on in Iraq. ] Iraq the Model has been closely following . . . more »

Judith | 08/23/05 at 04:26 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

August 22, 2005

Juan Cole disgraces himself again

Last week I linked to a radio interview with Lisa Ramaci, the widow of murdered journalist Steven Vincent. (And you can get to my previous entries on Vincent's death from there.) I said at the time that Ramaci was a . . . more »

Judith | 08/22/05 at 09:45 PM | 0 Comments | 5 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

August 10, 2005

The iconoclastic career of Steven Vincent

I would take issue with the sweeping generalization of the subhead, but this is a fascinating look at murdered journalist Steven Vincent's personal life and history. . . . more »

Judith | 08/10/05 at 12:31 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

August 05, 2005

Steven Vincent: mensch

As people who knew Steven Vincent post their eulogies, a portrait emerges of not only an idealist, skilled writer, and brave man, but also a nice guy. Steven Vincent guestblogged at The Adventures of Chester, and Chester reminisces about their . . . more »

Judith | 08/05/05 at 04:29 PM | 0 Comments | 4 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

August 04, 2005

To Honor Steven Vincent

Vincent's widow has requested that donations in his honor be made to Spirit of America, an organization that Vincent thought highly of. Here's the donation page. Kesher Talk also thinks highly of SoA. We have written about them here, here, . . . more »

Judith | 08/04/05 at 10:20 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

August 03, 2005

Freedom of the press

As I noted previously, the murder of journalist Steven Vincent resulted from the reluctance of the occupying forces - in this case the British - to judge the behavior of some factions in Basra and take decisive action against them. . . . more »

Judith | 08/03/05 at 03:00 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

A Sad Note In Update

Steven Vincent, whose work I quoted on my blog, was proven too prescient in his analysis of the religious authoritarianism and lawlessness permeating the culture of Basra's police forces. Sadly, he was murdered yesterday. Kidnapped off the street, along with . . . more »

Alcibiades | 08/03/05 at 10:34 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Horsetrading, cont.

I previously quoted Rich Lowry's unnamed source on progress in Iraq, and here's another dispatch:Here is what a well-informed source has to say about the two issues that have been getting a lot of play in the media lately: 1) . . . more »

Judith | 08/03/05 at 03:39 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Steven Vincent has been killed

Journalist Steven Vincent was abducted at gunpoint, along with his Iraqi translator. He was found shot to death dead today. Vincent was one of the most honest and fearless reporters in Iraq. He went everywhere, and genuinely cared about the . . . more »

Judith | 08/03/05 at 03:01 AM | 1 Comments | 3 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

August 01, 2005

A Marvelous Conjunction

I've just noticed something rather marvelous. There's an ad for Aish Ha Torah - an Orthodox Jewish Yeshivah, that seeks to familiarize unreligious Jews with the history of their tradition - at the very top of Iraq The Model, which . . . more »

Alcibiades | 08/01/05 at 10:59 AM | 0 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

July 19, 2005

Classical liberal Iraq

Tom Palmer is a sensible libertarian hawk who recently went to Iraq to lecture on libertarian ideas. Here is one of his PowerPoint presentations. Among his impressions:. . . a lecture and Powerpoint presentation on the process of writing an . . . more »

Judith | 07/19/05 at 05:58 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

June 19, 2005

More lies, damn lies, and statistics

About a month ago the UN released a study of Iraqi deaths following the 2003 Coalition invasion, which essentially refutes the hastily published The Lancet study whose speculations of "100,000 Iraqi deaths" immediately became beloved talking points for the antiwar . . . more »

Judith | 06/19/05 at 01:40 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

June 17, 2005

"The media is never going to get this," part 7482

Rich Lowry on the latest horsetrading in the nascent Iraqi government:Here's an administration official on the deal in Iraq: "The media is never going to get this, but this is just the way the Iraqis operate. They take it . . . more »

Judith | 06/17/05 at 04:30 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 16, 2005

Lies, damn lies, and statistics

A new study conducted by the UN - which has no interest in making the Iraq war look like a success - dramatically refutes the infamous Lancet study rushed to publication just before the Presidential election last fall. . . . more »

Judith | 05/16/05 at 04:45 PM | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 10, 2005

Democracy, Whisky, Sexy! courtesy of the International Zionist Conspiracy

When the Fadhil brothers came to the US in December, I saw them speak here in NYC, and began to record their tour by linking to everyone who wrote about them. There was a laughable (to anyone not in . . . more »

Judith | 05/10/05 at 07:59 AM | 5 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 07, 2005

And now for something completely different: Good news

After many doom and gloom posts about antisemitism around the globe, it's time for some cheer. Senator Rudy Boschwitz, head of the U.S. delegation to the UN Commission on Human Rights, notes a small good sign: . . . more »

Judith | 04/07/05 at 02:50 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 17, 2005

Maybe I should start reading Alterman's blog

People like Major Robert Bateman are willing to email him:A few days ago an Italian journalist, recently freed by a ransom paid (to people who are, not to be too delicate about it, trying to kill Mrs. Bateman�s son), . . . more »

Judith | 03/17/05 at 01:09 AM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 15, 2005

Alternate reality Dept.

Since the antiwar movement can't allow itself to celebrate the spread of democracy, the overthrow of tyrants, and the recovery of the economy, all it can do is mourn. . . . more »

Judith | 03/15/05 at 12:31 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 04, 2005

Gunner Palace

The much heralded documentary about a troop of soldiers in Baghdad just after the end of the war opened today here in NYC and other major markets, to be followed next week by many other cities. Gunner Palace also . . . more »

Judith | 03/04/05 at 11:32 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 26, 2005

We won

Gunner Palace - the new documentary about a troop bivouacking in one of Uday's palaces right after the Iraq War - was initially given an R rating, presumably for rough language. A petition was circulated, the rating was reviewed, . . . more »

Judith | 02/26/05 at 10:38 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Democracy Watch, cont.

Previous entry in this series here, and follow the links there to the others. Jay Nordlinger: I wish to direct your attention to an intriguing editorial in the New York Sun, which deals with Ahmad Chalabi's future. When I . . . more »

Judith | 02/26/05 at 11:50 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 22, 2005

. . . and the rocket's red gleaming

Gunner Palace is opening next month, and has already had a few sneak previews. Master of the milblogs Blackfive got to attend one and hoist a few with the director.Getting ready to go to the theater, my wife asked . . . more »

Judith | 02/22/05 at 11:19 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 21, 2005

Quote of the Day

From Roger Simon's comments:I am been saying for a long time that the Baathists are secularists who enjoy aged whiskey, young women, and fast cars. They are not even slightly interested in dying for Allah. It is absurd to . . . more »

Judith | 02/21/05 at 10:24 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 15, 2005

Meeting halfway

Best. Mark Steyn. Column. Ever. UPDATE: I was going to also add this David Brooks column that everyone is citing, as the best column I've ever read of his, but it works best embedded in this appreciation by a . . . more »

Judith | 02/15/05 at 03:17 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

The Iraqi election returns, cont.

Previous entry on the Iraqi election results here. Cliff May has the same take on the Wapo article that I do. . . . more »

Judith | 02/15/05 at 07:31 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 13, 2005

Current events

An excellent outcome for the Iraqi elections: A very respectable 60% turnout, with none of the three major groups getting enough of a majority to rule without making deals with the other two, which will give this new democracy . . . more »

Judith | 02/13/05 at 09:44 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 06, 2005

Speaking of Oil for Food. . . .

Mark Steyn has the latest on the bottomless pit of corruption that is the UN Oil for Food Program, specifically the latest revelation about the oily functionary Benon Sevan. Coincidentally, a few days ago I was googling for info . . . more »

Judith | 02/06/05 at 11:17 AM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Bitch bitch bitch - or not?

A survey of opinion on how things are going in Iraq - a bit unorganized. According to the NYTimes, the concept of personal initiative and responsibility is still a bit unclear in Iraq, but it is gratifying that the . . . more »

Judith | 02/06/05 at 10:33 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 02, 2005

A statement from the International Action Center

Just in case you were wondering how the extreme antiwar left was going to spin the elections: . . . more »

Judith | 02/02/05 at 03:01 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Iraqi bloggers redux

Jeff Jarvis responds to the long-awaited NYTimes response to criticisms of reporter Sarah Boxer's snarky smear of the Fadhil Bros. Jeff is rightfully pissed. As I said in his comments, I have not been impressed with Dan Okrent's ombudsmanship; . . . more »

Judith | 02/02/05 at 01:09 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 31, 2005

More afterglow

Still basking in the afterglow of the Iraqi election. Previous Afterglow post here. Europe is cautiously optimistic, and almost sorta maybe willing to admit it might have been a little wrong, maybe. If you want a sneak preview of . . . more »

Judith | 01/31/05 at 08:21 PM | 0 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 30, 2005

Afterglow

Iraqi election link roundup here. Mary and I met at Susan's apartment this afternoon to watch the Spirit of America coverage on C-SPAN. The whole set-up had that endearing Wayne's World Public Access TV feel, but it also had . . . more »

Judith | 01/30/05 at 06:26 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 29, 2005

Browsing the blogs on the Iraqi election

Previous entries on this topic here and here. Voting began at 7 AM Iraq time. Remember to check in at Friends of Democracy for on-the-ground reporting and election maps and explanations of the various parties, etc. And be sure . . . more »

Judith | 01/29/05 at 11:43 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 28, 2005

Iraqi election update

Check in with the Friends of Democracy blog: scores of reports from Iraqis all over the country on preparations for the elections. In coordination with Friends of Democracy, Spirit of America will be hosting an event in DC this . . . more »

Judith | 01/28/05 at 10:41 AM | 4 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 24, 2005

Iraqi election coverage

Plan to be at your computer or TV this Sunday afternoon (it's cold and yucky, so you weren't planning to go out anyway, right?) This Sunday, January 30, Spirit of America will be providing coverage of Iraq�s elections at . . . more »

Judith | 01/24/05 at 02:29 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 21, 2005

America sees you for who you are: the future leaders of your free country

A commenter at Michael Totten's linked to this Iraqi election ad. It's a specific demonstration of the themes of Bush's inaugural speech. It made me cry. Notice how the expression on the old guy's face changes after the others . . . more »

Judith | 01/21/05 at 04:45 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 25, 2004

Spirit of America tour update

Audio of the Global Voices blogging conference sessions is now online. You can hear Omar and Mohammed of Iraq the Model, and Matt of Blackfive, in "Bridge Blogging: The Global Conversation." The most recent version of the Global Voices . . . more »

Judith | 12/25/04 at 01:05 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 17, 2004

Spirit of America update

I just want to remind everybody that I am still accumulating links about the Iraq the Model tour and the Juan Cole controversy about their sponsorship, so keep checking back for the latest. . . . more »

Judith | 12/17/04 at 08:40 AM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 16, 2004

The rocket's red gleaming. . .

Gunner Palace is finally finished and will premier in February, with a wider opening in March. . . . more »

Judith | 12/16/04 at 08:38 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 15, 2004

Spiderhole Day - belated

Monday December 13th was the anniversary of the day we pulled Saddam out of his hidey-hole. Iraqi Bloggers Central has the link-fest, including a first-person account by the Iraqi-American interpreter on the scene. . . . more »

Judith | 12/15/04 at 07:59 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

The Spirit of America link-fest was getting so long . . .

. . . I put the Juan Cole/Iraq the Model feud here. Go here to read what all the bloggers and journalists have to say about Omar and Mohammed's December 2004 tour of America, and check back frequently for . . . more »

Judith | 12/15/04 at 07:27 PM | 5 Comments | 3 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 14, 2004

Support the troops

Hugh Hewitt quotes an email from a naval officer: . . . more »

Judith | 12/14/04 at 01:33 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Spirit of America update

Charles notes that none of the left-wing blogs have seen fit to participate in the Spirit of America challenge. Maybe they all read Juan Cole. But you can donate to the Spirit of America Challenge here. Read all the . . . more »

Judith | 12/14/04 at 01:19 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 10, 2004

Spirit of America tour - link roundup

I made this entry for all the blogging and news links about the Spirit of America tour with Omar and Mohammed Fadhil, the bloggers of Iraq the Model. I've arranged them chronologically. Keep checking back for updates. Status report . . . more »

Judith | 12/10/04 at 01:04 PM | 3 Comments | 3 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 09, 2004

More updates on the Spirit of America tour

Keep checking back to the end of this entry for latest reports on Omar and Mohammed's adventure on America. RELATED: Jeff reports on Hoder's talk at a blogging conference. (Hoder is the instigator for the explosion of Iranian blogs, . . . more »

Judith | 12/09/04 at 07:29 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 08, 2004

Let freedom reign!

Monday and yesterday, Spirit of America came to NYC to give a presentation about their work helping to reconstruct Iraq and build enduring relationships with the Iraqi people. [I've removed the links to other reports and given them their . . . more »

Judith | 12/08/04 at 01:25 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

October 29, 2004

Iraqis speak

Those of us who read blogs are used to hearing the many different opinions coming out of Iraq (links to over 40 Iraqi blogs in the sidebar), but now there is a new venue for Iraqis to speak to . . . more »

Judith | 10/29/04 at 02:14 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

August 24, 2004

Doing good by drinking beer

Spirit of America - the blog-organized volunteer organization which donates needed supplies to Iraqi civilians - is having a fundraiser tonight near Union Square.Location: Heartland Brewery 35 Union Square West, New York, NY When: Tuesday, August 24, 6:00pm to . . . more »

Judith | 08/24/04 at 02:48 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

July 15, 2004

Some good news

The latest polls from Iraqis and Afganis. Very optimistic. Putting the Iraqis in charge was so smart - they are very invested in their new government and wanting things to go right, now that they can't blame problems on . . . more »

Judith | 07/15/04 at 01:06 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

July 02, 2004

Saddam in the dock

Photoshop phun with Jeff and Michele and Jeremy and Mr X and Lisa and Michael. . . . more »

Judith | 07/02/04 at 12:56 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

June 30, 2004

Happy birthday Iraq!

Although the real hand-over was two days ago, today is the official beginning of the interim Iraqi government, led by Iraqis. My contribution to the congratulatory linkfest is via Eve Tushnet: Iraqi talk radio! . . . more »

Judith | 06/30/04 at 04:38 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

June 20, 2004

Stupid like a fox

Check this out: why Putin backed Bush on Saddam's connections to Al Queda. . . . more »

Judith | 06/20/04 at 10:45 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

June 11, 2004

Nation-building

Via Winds of Change, I found this blog by journalist Laura Rozen. I always appreciate smart sophisticated analysis that challenges my biases, and she seems to know a lot of Beltway insiders as well. Like Laura, I am not . . . more »

Judith | 06/11/04 at 02:36 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

June 03, 2004

Yet more perspective on Abu Ghraib, part V

Previous post on the Abu Ghraib scandal here, and use that post to link back to previous posts. John Keegan:Because we in the Atlantic region remember 1945 as the year of victory over our deadliest enemies, we usually forget that . . . more »

Judith | 06/03/04 at 07:52 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

June 02, 2004

Spirit of America

A worthy cause, and it's easy to get involved. More here and here. Disgruntled dissent and fisking of same here. . . . more »

Judith | 06/02/04 at 02:29 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 21, 2004

Yet more perspective on Abu Ghraib, part IV

Previous post on the Abu Ghraib scandal here, and use that post to link back to previous posts. I've compiled 4-5 since the scandal broke, with lots of links to military law and analysis, Iraqi opinion, the varied responses from . . . more »

Judith | 05/21/04 at 03:27 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 17, 2004

Yet more perspective on Abu Ghraib, part III

To our antiwar friends:. . . And to those who are torn between weeping over the end of the sitcom "Friends" or decrying American imperialism, I offer you relief from the mental anguish you go through daily by virtue . . . more »

Judith | 05/17/04 at 09:20 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 13, 2004

Living well is the best revenge

Time for a bit of good news, yes? The Iraqi football team kicked Saudi and Kuwaiti butt on their way to the Athens Olympics. Go, team! Since torture and execution seems to be the theme of the week, let's . . . more »

William | 05/13/04 at 11:38 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Nick Berg updates

I've been adding to my Nick Berg post as more news comes in, so check back there. Also, this from Reason: The Age of Comparative Atrocity: American shame; Islamist snuff movies. . . . more »

Judith | 05/13/04 at 10:06 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 12, 2004

Yet more perspective on Abu Ghraib, part II

I usually don't quote at such length, but the only non-pay link I found for this essay had lots of other text on the same page. I did snip a few paragraphs. From Fouad Ajami: . . . more »

Judith | 05/12/04 at 11:13 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Another one

I suspected Nick Berg - the tech entrepreneur just beheaded in a grisly videotaped execution - was Jewish, and I wondered when and if we were going to find out. Steven Weiss reports in the Forward that not only . . . more »

Judith | 05/12/04 at 10:36 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 11, 2004

Yet more perspective on Abu Ghraib

Jason Van Steenwyk is an American officer in Iraq who has some very sensible commentary on Abu Ghraib: . . . more »

Judith | 05/11/04 at 10:17 PM | 0 Comments | 2 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

This sums it up

Am I embarrassed to speak for a less than perfect democracy? Not one bit. Find me its equal. Do I suppose there are societies which are free of sin? No, I don�t. Do I think ours is, on balance, incomparably . . . more »

Judith | 05/11/04 at 10:15 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

More perspective on Abu Ghraib

My previous link roundup about Abu Ghraib is here. Some hindsight from 1942 on how to assess the progress of a war when you're in the middle of it. Hint: It's not a linear progression, but a series of . . . more »

Judith | 05/11/04 at 11:59 AM | 0 Comments | 2 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

The Niger yellowcake story was true after all

Oops, my bad, says Joseph Wilson, who initially denied it, and then got all huffy when his wife was outed as a CIA op (but then posed with her for a photospread in Vanity Fair). You can't make this . . . more »

Judith | 05/11/04 at 09:30 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 10, 2004

Updates on Abu Ghraib

I've been updating my post on this topic - if you haven't read it since before the weekend check it out. And read Michele. . . . more »

Judith | 05/10/04 at 08:09 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 06, 2004

Perspective on Abu Ghraib

The prison guards at Abu Ghraib did despicable things to their captives, that are unworthy of American soldiers. However, the vast majority of soldiers in Iraq continue to build schools, repair infrastructure, kill terrorists, ensure local elections, train Iraqi . . . more »

Judith | 05/06/04 at 11:36 AM | 0 Comments | 4 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

May 03, 2004

Media ineptness Dept.

How propaganda works: . . . more »

Judith | 05/03/04 at 01:53 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 30, 2004

Sleazy UN functionaries Dept.

I haven't been blogging about the UN Oil-for-Palaces scandal because other bloggers with much larger readership than KT have been carrying the ball. (And here's the place to go for breaking news on the topic.) But I keep noticing . . . more »

Judith | 04/30/04 at 03:59 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 22, 2004

Sleazy UN functionaries Dept.

Here's a photo of the hub of the UN Oil-for-Palaces scandal. Supposedly hiding out somewhere in Australia. What a nice guy. Not. . . . more »

Judith | 04/22/04 at 01:20 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 13, 2004

International multilateral cooperation

Sadr's attempt at a power-grab was planned in London. . . . more »

Judith | 04/13/04 at 12:42 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 09, 2004

Happy anniversary, Iraq!

Read what a couple of Iraqis have to say about the first anniversary of the dismantling of Saddam's statue. (Scroll down for more.) Fitting that this coincides with Pesach (today is the 4th day of eight and the 3rd . . . more »

Judith | 04/09/04 at 05:19 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 04, 2004

A method to the madness

From a response to Hitchens' article in the WSJ: . . . more »

Judith | 04/04/04 at 04:13 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

April 01, 2004

Fallujah: The good, the bad, and the ugly

Fallujah: The good, the bad, and the ugly. History often provides useful perspectives. Here's one:We're dealing with a bunch of angry people without jobs, with a lot of time on their hands, who correctly perceive that they will never again . . . more »

Judith | 04/01/04 at 09:35 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 23, 2004

Kofi Annan's New Year's UN Resolutions

A mildly entertaining reminder of why there is no point in asking the UN to take over administration of Iraq. . . . more »

Judith | 03/23/04 at 12:19 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 19, 2004

What a long strange trip it's been

Today is the one year anniversary of the start of the Iraq War. The time went by so fast, didn't it? [Some commenters thought this remark was too breezy. Fine. Read the rest of the post, read the last . . . more »

Judith | 03/19/04 at 01:00 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Taking Stock

The Iraq war began one year ago today, and I'm collecting blogger responses to the anniversary. My response is cleaning out my bookmark folder "Reconstruction 2." ("Reconstruction 1" was doing the Mozilla equivalent of bulging, so I started another . . . more »

Judith | 03/19/04 at 12:53 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 16, 2004

Baghdad 2004 = Prague 1990

I've written before that the burgeoning entrepreneurial activity in Iraq reminds me of Eastern Europe after the wall came down. Latest example. More. UPDATE: Yet more. You know you're doing good when you worry about power grid capacity, not . . . more »

Judith | 03/16/04 at 05:35 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 05, 2004

Jews in odd places: Iraq

Iraq used to be home to tons of Jews, but not anymore. In January, "Nightline" profiled the 20-odd remaining Jews in Baghdad. However, nowadays you can find tons of Iraqi Jews on another continent, seeking sanctuary in New York's . . . more »

William | 03/05/04 at 08:42 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 17, 2004

Plus ca change Dept.

Lileks looked up some 1992 newspapers and this is what he found: . . . more »

Judith | 02/17/04 at 04:49 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 08, 2004

Support Iraqi women

Send letters protesting the imposition of sharia law in Iraq. It's from an international feminist site. You know - those feminists some people think don't care about women's rights in the 3rd world. (via Eve Tushnet) . . . more »

Judith | 02/08/04 at 11:43 AM | Categories: - Iraq

February 04, 2004

Baghdad 2004 = Prague 1990 Dept.

I've written before that the burgeoning entrepreneurial activity and increased local buying power in Iraq reminds me of Eastern Europe after the wall came down. Latest example: The new, improved Baghdad Stock Exchange is due to open soon. (Previous . . . more »

Judith | 02/04/04 at 03:04 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

February 03, 2004

Through the looking-glass Dept

Moveon.org is promoting a petition to censure Bush for supposedly "deceiving the public" about Saddam's WMDs. The letter reads:In an attempt to escape responsibility for the misleading statements that lead the nation to war, President Bush has announced plans . . . more »

Judith | 02/03/04 at 04:26 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 19, 2004

Baghdad 2004 = Prague 1990

I've written before that the burgeoning entrepreneurial activity and increased local buying power in Iraq reminds me of Eastern Europe after the wall came down. Latest example (via Tim Blair). Here are some previous examples. . . . more »

Judith | 01/19/04 at 07:22 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

I say to you today, my friends . . .

"I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. . . ." This is what I . . . more »

Judith | 01/19/04 at 07:07 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 17, 2004

The Wesley Clark weekend

I read the transcript of Clark's testimony, and at first I didn't think it invalidates the quotes that Drudge excerpted. They are surrounded by much hedging and "on the one hand ... on the other hand," but I didn't . . . more »

Judith | 01/17/04 at 06:35 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

January 16, 2004

Baghdad 2003 = Prague 1990

Last year I wrote:Think Prague in 1990. I have a feeling all the young dot.commers who got laid off two years ago are going to converge on Baghdad over the next six months. And I don't think that's a . . . more »

Judith | 01/16/04 at 11:10 AM | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 15, 2003

The rise of Lieberman

Reading lots of blog comments in the wake of Saddam's capture, I noticed a shift in attitude toward Joseph Lieberman. Namely, people realizing what a class act he is under that somewhat nebbishy schoolmarmish exterior. No, the guy has no . . . more »

Judith | 12/15/03 at 12:23 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

December 11, 2003

An antiwar demonstration I can respect

As announced for several weeks, thousands of Iraqis gathered in Baghdad yesterday to protest the terrorism of the Baathists and jihadis against the Coalition forces and the Iraqi people. Meanwhile, a clueless American reporter misses the story that is unfolding . . . more »

Judith | 12/11/03 at 10:27 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq