It's still the f*ing war [Iraq]

[skdadl]

Iraq: Over 900 prisoners face execution by New Year

I just don't know what to say. I wonder whether AI Canada is organizing or advising anything.

[Croghan27]

Hey look! There's an elephant in the room!  :shock:

Tony Blair has said he would have invaded Iraq even without evidence of weapons of mass destruction and would have found a way to justify the war to parliament and the public.

or, as the BBC puts it:

The defence secretary says he was "surprised" Tony Blair said he would have gone to war even if he knew Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction.

A very DUH moment ..as if everybody did not know that.

My. My. My. One corner of the curtain of mendacity that covered the Iraq invasion has fallen. It does not say why Iraq was invaded - it just discredits one of the reasons that were promoted as the rationale  ... remember Iraq attacks in 45 minutes?

With any luck, what the Chilcot Inquiry, will tell us is why the invasion took place.

[Toedancer]

Blair will be giving testimony behind closed doors. Untouchable

It seems to me the purpose of the Chilcot inquiry is to normalize an epic crime by providing enough of a theatre of guilt to satisfy the media so that the only issue that matters, that of prosecution, is never raised. When he appears in January, Blair will play this part to odious perfection, dutifully absorbing the hisses and boos. All “inquiries” into state crimes are neutered in this way.

All of the evidence held behind closed doors is expected to be redacted from the Chilcot panel's final report on the war.

In November Blair described the invasion as “legal but of questionable legitimacy”. Total double-talk weasel words. Just like what's happening here with detainee issue.

[Toedancer]

Blair to be charged? Oh I hope so. A trial would be warmly welcomed by millions (including me) but truth is, the malevolent little prick prolly won't. Imagine who he could take down with him?  :evil:

[Toedancer]

Collateral Murder

WikiLeaks has released a classified US military video depicting the indiscriminate slaying of over a dozen people in the Iraqi suburb of New Baghdad -- including two Reuters news staff. Reuters has been trying to obtain the video through the Freedom of Information Act, without success since the time of the attack. The video, shot from an Apache helicopter gun-site, clearly shows the unprovoked slaying of a wounded Reuters employee and his rescuers. Two young children involved in the rescue were also seriously wounded. For further information please visit the special project website www.collateralmurder.com.

The Video

Of course this won't get msm coverage. But I'm sure many bloggers will spread it far and wide.

[skdadl]

Just watched the whole thing.

There are no words. Monsters.

[Toedancer]

DoD was already targeting wikileaks before this development, and they are likely considering criminal charges at this point. (maybe) But will it be properly investigated, will there be an admission and then a totally dishonest 'we're sorry', again? I guess we'll see.

[Toedancer]

Fox News

The "Rules of Engagement" have not been changed following the incident.

CNN

The Army's 2007 report on the incident found the crew had "neither reason nor probability to assume that neutral media personnel were embedded with enemy forces," according to a copy of the document released to CNN.

"We regret the loss of innocent life, but this incident was promptly investigated, and there was never any attempt to cover up any aspects of this engagement," Turner added.

No I'm sorry for the innocents, the children and the reuters guys, just regret. Fuckers.

[skdadl]

They shot at rescuers, who were clearly not armed (both men are using both hands to carry the wounded man). That is ok by what law of war?  That is the clearest of the war crimes committed here.

They pursued a fleeing man who is clearly unarmed. That is ok by what law of war?

Plus the war is forking illegal in the first place.

If the video goes viral, there may be a hope that it will break into the corporate media in the U.S., maybe MSNBC (Keith or Rachel). That's why I put it up at our place and Facebook and flogged self at EW's. We need critical mass, and every little bit helps.

[Croghan27]

snip
If the video goes viral, there may be a hope that it will break into the corporate media in the U.S., maybe MSNBC (Keith or Rachel). That's why I put it up at our place and Facebook and flogged self at EW's. We need critical mass, and every little bit helps.

Is the mass approaching critical?

Guardian

New York Times

LA Times

and even the America has never done anything wrong and never will (again)
Washington Post.

[skdadl]

A commenter at POGGE says that Newsworld ran the 17-minute version entire this a.m.

[Croghan27]

A commenter at POGGE says that Newsworld ran the 17-minute version entire this a.m.

I know what I think of it ... and I think I know how you see it  .... anyone who watched knows what the Marines in the Apache think of it ..... but it remains to be seen how it will be spun and if that spin works.

I do not think the comment that they should know better than to bring children to a war will have any legs - but who knows what the reality rejecting minds of some AM commentators can try to foist on the American public. I am sure Beck, Limbaugh & Co will try to find some way to blame the victims - and that will find some resonance in the more psychotic of the GOP. (When they are no too busy self-destructing with their Mr. Steele.)

Having great faith in the American public as I do, I hope it is as far out as the children to a war quip as it will only throw them into more disrespect.

*** Look for a lot of 'fog of war' comments - even if it was a clear day.

[skdadl]

Greenwald

[Toedancer]

Skdadl, I want to read Greenwald, but when I click your link I also get your printer  :lol:
when I cancel the printer, the entire link goes away. Is Okay I can find it on my own, just thought I'd mention it.

[skdadl]

Hmmn. Isn't that odd. I get Greenwald, but I also get my printer on top of it. I got that link from someone else -- it's obviously not the base Salon site, so I've just changed it -- link should be ok now.