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

[Toedancer]

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/04/16-2
LETTER OF RECONCILIATION TO IRAQIS INJURED IN ATTACK


I can't read the actual letter the soldiers responsible sent for some reason. The link won't work, nor if I go to democracyinaction, still nothing.
But of course I'm thinking of all the soldiers who don't feel any remorse whatsoever, for these 'everyday occurrences'.
You don't shoot the wounded - ever - Geneva Convention ignored. War crimes.

ETA - oh wait, I found it @ http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25241.htm
There is a link at bottom for Americans to sign the letter. That link doesn't work for me.
Sheesh you'd think that letter just doesn't want to be seen. I can't find it on any MSM either.

[Croghan27]

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/04/16-2
LETTER OF RECONCILIATION TO IRAQIS INJURED IN ATTACK
 
 
I can't read the actual letter the soldiers responsible sent for some reason. The link won't work, nor if I go to democracyinaction, still nothing.
But of course I'm thinking of all the soldiers who don't feel any remorse whatsoever, for these 'everyday occurrences'.
You don't shoot the wounded - ever - Geneva Convention ignored. War crimes.
 
ETA - oh wait, I found it @ http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article25241.htm
There is a link at bottom for Americans to sign the letter. That link doesn't work for me.
Sheesh you'd think that letter just doesn't want to be seen. I can't find it on any MSM either.

So far they have about 1,200 signatures

1-25 of 1229 signatures

- if they are all members or ex-members of the military that is impressive.
 
If it fits - here is the letter:
 

AN OPEN LETTER OF RECONCILIATION & RESPONSIBILITY TO THE IRAQI PEOPLE
From Current and Former Members of the U.S. Military
 
Peace be with you.
 
To all of those who were injured or lost loved ones during the July 2007 Baghdad shootings depicted in the “Collateral Murder” Wikileaks video:
 
We write to you, your family, and your community with awareness that our words and actions can never restore your losses.
 
We are both soldiers who occupied your neighborhood for 14 months. Ethan McCord pulled your daughter and son from the van, and when doing so, saw the faces of his own children back home. Josh Stieber was in the same company but was not there that day, though he contributed to the your pain, and the pain of your community on many other occasions.
 
There is no bringing back all that was lost. What we seek is to learn from our mistakes and do everything we can to tell others of our experiences and how the people of the United States need to realize we have done and are doing to you and the people of your country. We humbly ask you what we can do to begin to repair the damage we caused.
 
We have been speaking to whoever will listen, telling them that what was shown in the Wikileaks video only begins to depict the suffering we have created. From our own experiences, and the experiences of other veterans we have talked to, we know that the acts depicted in this video are everyday occurrences of this war: this is the nature of how U.S.-led wars are carried out in this region.
 
We acknowledge our part in the deaths and injuries of your loved ones as we tell Americans what we were trained to do and what we carried out in the name of "god and country". The soldier in the video said that your husband shouldn't have brought your children to battle, but we are acknowledging our responsibility for bringing the battle to your neighborhood, and to your family. We did unto you what we would not want done to us.
 
More and more Americans are taking responsibility for what was done in our name. Though we have acted with cold hearts far too many times, we have not forgotten our actions towards you. Our heavy hearts still hold hope that we can restore inside our country the acknowledgment of your humanity, that we were taught to deny.
 
Our government may ignore you, concerned more with its public image. It has also ignored many veterans who have returned physically injured or mentally troubled by what they saw and did in your country. But the time is long overdue that we say that the value of our nation's leaders no longer represent us. Our secretary of defense may say the U.S. won't lose its reputation over this, but we stand and say that our reputation's importance pales in comparison to our common humanity.
 
We have asked our fellow veterans and service-members, as well as civilians both in the United States and abroad, to sign in support of this letter, and to offer their names as a testimony to our common humanity, to distance ourselves from the destructive policies of our nation's leaders, and to extend our hands to you.
 
With such pain, friendship might be too much to ask. Please accept our apology, our sorrow, our care, and our dedication to change from the inside out. We are doing what we can to speak out against the wars and military policies responsible for what happened to you and your loved ones. Our hearts are open to hearing how we can take any steps to support you through the pain that we have caused.
 
Solemnly and Sincerely,
Josh Stieber, former specialist, U.S. Army
Ethan McCord, former specialist, U.S. Army

[Toedancer]

The Poodle may be recalled to the Chilcot Inquiry

The former Attorney General (Lord Goldsmith) can now be asked, with   the papers declassified, why he changed his mind and stated the invasion   was justified, when his previous legal advice, and confidential letters   to Tony Blair had said that war without a fresh security council   resolution would be illegal. He can be asked why he executed a U-turn   without giving evidence of any new legal evidence to justify the change   of mind.
       

[Toedancer]

Blair, the poodle, the liar, the corrupted one, has been given the2010 Liberty Medal award for work on peace  See this is how the elites reward each other for following thru. And the war criminal is receiving his award from another war criminal, his name is clinton. B-LIar is sending the money to both of his OWN charities. Duh, no surprise there.

Lord Goldsmith told the bLiar the war was illegal and he was stonewalled from every war cabinet meeting henceforth.

Curses to bLiar. What is it with that name anyway?

[lagatta]

Well, ever since serial war-criminal Kissinger won a Nobel Peace Prize...

[skdadl]

What is it with that name anyway?

Blair is a Scots family name, Ayrshire (ie, south of Glasgow, not Highland, but very old). I can't figure out from a quick google why they gave their name to the great Murray castle at Blair Atholl (in Perthshire, a long way north and east), but that has long belonged to Clan Murray and is one of my favourite places on earth, white C13 castle rising up at you just before you begin the climb to the pass through the Cairngorms. If you can stand the weather (mostly cold and wet), Blair Atholl is one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Tony Blair came by his name through his father's adoption by a Glasgow couple named Blair. His father was exceptionally upwardly mobile -- a tribute to the Scots educational system, which has long been exceptionally good at giving promising young peeps a chance -- and all the kids were too, it appears.

Bill Blair, I dunno. Most Scots and Irish in southern Ontario fall into two sorts -- the ruling class, or the working class that produces either police or exceptionally articulate labour leaders.

[Toedancer]

Britain to Probe Collaboration with CIA   Renditions

This may be Britain's Abu Ghraib

Britain seems determined to restore national respectability and have no compunction now in saying out loud, they were dragged down to the U.S. standards, which are very low indeed.  Obama and Harper Not So Much. After reading the Guardian article I am now convinced Canada's complicity (Afghanistan) is much greater than of course we are lead to believe and I would probably find it *shocking*. The nation would go apeshit if the truth were told, and maybe that's why Canadians aren't agitating for the truth, they really don't want to know. Which is a terrible mistake. I have no respect for my country, in fact I am ashamed of it, more for not at least cleaning the slate so as to move forward.

eta - I have to add this good piece Grist to the Conspiracy Mill

Regarding history and 'when' the truth can be revealed - "Nothing ever happens – this is by design, not accident – when it needs   to happen."

Then it turns out that common sense was   right all along: Blair was lying, lying in plain sight, in full   knowledge of the meaning of his perfect sentences, at every step in the   adventure. A warrant for his arrest is long overdue. Last week there surfaced another claim   concerning Dr David Kelly, the man who knew all about Iraq and WMD. That   individual ended his life, they said, because foolishly he encouraged a   BBC journalist to question Downing Street’s claims. Now it is argued   seriously that Kelly was physically incapable of cutting his own wrists.

[Croghan27]

Toe: "If it were done when 'tis   done, then 'twere well    It were done quickly"
   
 
   
    Look   forward to seeing first a lack of enthusiasm for this investigation,

Cameron is a conservative, both in name and   impulse.   While he is new to government he may have some errant democratic   impulses (as did Obama). If this enquiry is to happen it had best go   ahead before the traditional forces of regression   get to him and he returns to his natural milieu - that of support for   the (his) ruling class.
   
    Look     forward to seeing first a lack of enthusiasm for this investigation, that morphs into an out-and-out antagonism   under the guise of   something like national security or 'for the good of the nation' or some   other nebulous and specifically meaningless genesis. Abu Ghraib went ahead because some   uncontrolled   journalist and some irreverent bloggers published the videos for all to   see.To   support the law in name, if not in substance (substance being making   changes so that situation could not happen again) Bush, the Military and   the DoJ had to do something - no matter how milquetoast.

  Changes indeed were made ... changes to guarantee that such activities   would never again become public - certainly they are still happening.   

[Croghan27]

From the Guardian ....

Iraq inquiry: Saddam posed very limited threat to UK, ex-MI5 chief   says

Echoed on al jazeera, the one time head of British intelligence services says that they knew: there was no evidence of Iraqi involvement in the September 11 attacks   on the US, a view she said was shared by the CIA.

In a move that must have made Stephen Harper suck in his breath in admiration, this prompted the then US defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, to set up an   alternative intelligence unit.

All in all ....

"It certainly wasn't of concern in either the short term or the   medium term to me or my colleagues," she replied.
Manningham-Buller   said the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan had radicalised parts of a   generation of Muslims who saw the military actions as an "attack on   Islam

This is not news to anyone - it is confirmation. 

[skdadl]

I wish I could believe that Tony is feeling the water lapping up against his ankles. I wish.

[Croghan27]

I wish I could believe that Tony is feeling the water lapping up against his ankles. I wish.

Let us not foist all of the blame in Tony.
Here is an interview with Hazel Blears, an MP and eventually a member of Brown's cabinet, from George Monbiot.

When asked about her support for the Iraq War and British support for a dictator that boils his opponents alive, she says she honestly and in good faith supported her government (and leader). (It also go her into Cabinet.)

The phrase 'in good faith' is a recurring meme in her answers.

Remember that Robin Cook, Lord President of the Council, Leader in the House of Commons, the Foreign Secretary no less  , left Blair's government in 2001 over the Iraq invasion.

Yes, Blair, Straw, Brown et al need condemnations ... but they also serve who only stand and vote.
 

[skdadl]

Oh, I don't forget Robin Cook (his resignation as leader in the Commons in principled opposition to the invasion of Iraq was in 2003, though, Croggy), who wasn't perfect but was a terrible loss to the party and the country, would have been a great PM. His funeral service is on YouTube -- it's worth watching, absolutely beautiful service.

This, though:

they also serve who only stand and vote

Maybe so, and I'm in favour of holding juniors and lackeys responsible if the leaders are held more responsible first, but that observation reminds me of one of the few reasons I still think that genuine leadership matters or can matter. Corrupt and brutal though he was in many ways, our sly old fox Chretien saved a lot of his limper juniors from making stupid choices like Blears'. The Liberal caucus is not renowned for strength of principle, and there were major pressures in Ottawa, including in the Liberal party, to join Bush's fake coalition. Chretien just said no -- I'm sure he had allies and smart advisers, but he said no, and thus spared a lot of the wimps in this country, among them many Liberals, at least that one major moral stain.  As with Viet Nam, we may have collaborated a bit on the side, but at least we didn't approve or join in a major war crime. 

[lagatta]

He also noticed the three mass demonstrations here in Montréal in extremely bitter winter weather - the largest was around 200,000 people - as well as many smaller demonstrations (throughout Canada, but in particular throughout Québec - even in tiny villages people walked from one village to the next - think the Bread and Roses Women's marches played a big part in setting the stage for that). Hardline federalist Chrétien certainly would not have wanted a major indépendantiste surge at the end of his time as PM as part of his legacy.

Stevie wouldn't really give a shit...

[Croghan27]

Sorry about the OOPs about Mr. Cook's funeral year. 

Maybe so, and I'm in favour of holding juniors and lackeys responsible   if the leaders are held more responsible first, but that observation   reminds me of one of the few reasons I still think that genuine   leadership matters or can matter.

Ms. Blears is indeed a leader - an elected MP who's business is to investigate government initiatives and vote in accordance with her constituents wishes. It is an age of specialization and few have time to research in depth what their government is up to ... they have to rely on their elected servants. Direct democracy is not an option.

No, she is (was) not a wig in the Party nationally, but her support allowed the ruling cabal to perform the repulsive deeds that eventually got them chucked out of office. It was her (and her ilk's) job to investigate what the government that she was a member of, was doing. Even you and me, sitting in Canada knew that the famous "Missiles of Saddam are 45 minutes away from London." was a croc.

As Monbiot comments when she denies any knowledge of British support for the dictator of Uzbekistan, who boiled opposition, "It was in all the papers."

Chretien had many bad points - Paul Martin being one of them - but I must have warm thoughts about him keeping us out of any coalition of the economically arm twisted. 

Perhaps if Britain had more Cooks and fewer toadies Blears a whole lot of Englishmen would still be alive and voting Labour.

[skdadl]

Not the funeral year, Croggy. Just so's we have the Cook chronology straight:

2001: Blair bumps Cook down from being foreign minister to leader of the Commons.

2003: Cook resigns as leader of the HoC on principle in opposition to the invasion of Iraq.

2005 (August): Cook drops dead while hill-walking with his wife in Scotland, surely one of the best ways to die imaginable from his pov, although he was only 59; the country needed him, and it was a horrible experience for his wife, who wasn't even put on the rescue helicopter with him but had to tramp down on her own not sure of what had happened.

As for Blears:

her support allowed the ruling cabal to perform the repulsive deeds that eventually got them chucked out of office

I think the opposite. No one, absolutely no one -- including Robin Cook -- could have stopped the divinely inspired Tony Blair from doing whatever the infernally inspired Tony Blair wanted to do. People like Blears don't "allow" jerks like Blair to do anything. They are weaklings whose "support" is easily bought as soon as they see which direction the power is tending. Is your MP a "leader"? Mine sure isn't; I'm sure you've never heard of him. Most people here have never heard of him. He allows nothing, except what he is allowed to allow.