Remember the screaming headlines?
Soldier sentenced to 110 years in rape and murder of Iraqi girl
In fact it raises huge questions about American justice.
Read the CNN report and you find more detail:
"The sentence was part of a plea agreement attorneys for Pfc. Jesse Spielman had made with prosecutors.
It set the number of years he could serve in prison, regardless of the jury's recommendation.
The jury had recommended life with parole, a sentence under which he would have to wait longer for the possibility of parole.
He will be eligible for parole after 10 years."
Forget justice. Ignore the jury. Laugh at the sentence, it's meaningless PR spin. The way American justice works is to do shady deals in smokey back rooms.
What a disgrace.
Don't believe me? Go to the CNN story. I should warn you that it's a sickening report. Be reminded of what these animals are guilty of and there's only one sentence an honest system would hand down.
Showing posts with label Iraq. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iraq. Show all posts
Monday, August 06, 2007
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Ladies & gentlemen, we got him.
So Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has confessed to being responsible for all the terrorist attacks over the last ten years.
That's good then, BushW can declare victory and withdraw - from EyeRak, from Afghanistan, from the very War on Tear itself. The Good Guys won.
I might add that I'm surprised KSM didn't admit to assassinating JFK, pushing Jack down the hill and being the killer of Cock Robin too.
One of the reports is here
That's good then, BushW can declare victory and withdraw - from EyeRak, from Afghanistan, from the very War on Tear itself. The Good Guys won.
I might add that I'm surprised KSM didn't admit to assassinating JFK, pushing Jack down the hill and being the killer of Cock Robin too.
One of the reports is here
Monday, November 06, 2006
Sunday, November 05, 2006
The Best War Ever
This is worth having a look at. Turn your speakers on.
If you go to the page it's also worth clicking on 'Read an exclusive excerpt from the book'.
If you go to the page it's also worth clicking on 'Read an exclusive excerpt from the book'.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
In that strange parallel universe...
They live in a different world don't they. Black is white, wrong is right, it's all someone else's fault.
We've had BushW yet again repeating his mantra that "America doesn't do torture."
Now Karl Rove, the man known as 'White House political guru' and 'presidential adviser'...in other words the brains behind BushW (pause for hysterical laughter)...has come up with another doozie.
According to a Gulf News report, from Reuters/AFP/AP sources: "...Karl Rove blasted Democrats for even suggesting the US withdraw from Iraq, saying the US can't leave one of the world's largest oil reserves in terrorist hands."
Dontcha just love it!
Who the hell caused the terrorists to go into Iraq! Who jeopardised the oil reserves! Terrorists weren't there until the invasion and the monumental cock-up of the situation since.
Take a bow Mr Rove. Acknowledge your key role. You were a vital part of the cabal that caused the disaster.
He went on to say: "More sacrifice is going to be required." The report doesn't tell us exactly who he's volunteering to do the sacrificing. But you can bet your life - like too many literally are - that Mr Rove and his cronies aren't about to be doing much personal sacrificing.
By the way, the same report gives more support to my firm belief (which I posted on Wednesday) that the US is rapidly moving to 'declare victory and withdraw'.
A statement from BushW and Puppet Prime Minister Maliki outlined three goals: speeding up the training of Iraq's security forces; moving ahead with Iraqi control of its forces; making the Iraqi government responsible for the country's security.
Declare victory and get the hell out of there as quickly as possible. Mission Accomplished and anything that goes wrong after that is the fault of the Iraqis.
That's the plan.
The full Gulf News Report
We've had BushW yet again repeating his mantra that "America doesn't do torture."
Now Karl Rove, the man known as 'White House political guru' and 'presidential adviser'...in other words the brains behind BushW (pause for hysterical laughter)...has come up with another doozie.
According to a Gulf News report, from Reuters/AFP/AP sources: "...Karl Rove blasted Democrats for even suggesting the US withdraw from Iraq, saying the US can't leave one of the world's largest oil reserves in terrorist hands."
Dontcha just love it!
Who the hell caused the terrorists to go into Iraq! Who jeopardised the oil reserves! Terrorists weren't there until the invasion and the monumental cock-up of the situation since.
Take a bow Mr Rove. Acknowledge your key role. You were a vital part of the cabal that caused the disaster.
He went on to say: "More sacrifice is going to be required." The report doesn't tell us exactly who he's volunteering to do the sacrificing. But you can bet your life - like too many literally are - that Mr Rove and his cronies aren't about to be doing much personal sacrificing.
By the way, the same report gives more support to my firm belief (which I posted on Wednesday) that the US is rapidly moving to 'declare victory and withdraw'.
A statement from BushW and Puppet Prime Minister Maliki outlined three goals: speeding up the training of Iraq's security forces; moving ahead with Iraqi control of its forces; making the Iraqi government responsible for the country's security.
Declare victory and get the hell out of there as quickly as possible. Mission Accomplished and anything that goes wrong after that is the fault of the Iraqis.
That's the plan.
The full Gulf News Report
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
"Declare victory and withdraw"
It seems quite clear to me that the US is planning for Iraq what Senator George Aiken urged President Johnson to do exactly 40 years ago.
In October 1966 the Senator urged Johnson to “declare victory and withdraw” from Vietnam.
The noises now coming from various US politicians seem to be suddenly moving in that direction. In spite of reports that the training of the new Iraqi army – America having disastrously disbanded the original army! – is going well enough to hand over to them, a report by Lt. Col. Nick Demas paints a very different picture.
The colonel’s soldiers, most of them inexperienced reservists from Maryland, had been tapped to serve as advisers to the Iraqi army. Bush has touted such advisory teams as key to the US strategy for stabilising Iraq and bringing American troops home. Lt Col Demas and his troops expected some of the best instruction the army had to offer. His report says: " In my 28 years of military service, I have never seen such an appalling approach to training. Nowhere else in the army system would this have been acceptable." His soldiers received only a few hours of instruction in Arabic, Iraqi culture and advising foreign forces.
However, whether the Iraqi army is ready or not, victory will be declared, Bush and his poodles Blair and Howard will claim they stayed the course, saw it through until the job was done, didn’t cut and run. They will wash their collective hands of the devastation they have caused, the civil war, the ongoing carnage, the likely break-up of the country into three.
The Iraqi government will then be blamed for what happens in the future.
Foreign forces need to be withdrawn, of that there is no doubt. But to leave without taking responsibility for causing the disaster is dishonest in the extreme.
In October 1966 the Senator urged Johnson to “declare victory and withdraw” from Vietnam.
The noises now coming from various US politicians seem to be suddenly moving in that direction. In spite of reports that the training of the new Iraqi army – America having disastrously disbanded the original army! – is going well enough to hand over to them, a report by Lt. Col. Nick Demas paints a very different picture.
The colonel’s soldiers, most of them inexperienced reservists from Maryland, had been tapped to serve as advisers to the Iraqi army. Bush has touted such advisory teams as key to the US strategy for stabilising Iraq and bringing American troops home. Lt Col Demas and his troops expected some of the best instruction the army had to offer. His report says: " In my 28 years of military service, I have never seen such an appalling approach to training. Nowhere else in the army system would this have been acceptable." His soldiers received only a few hours of instruction in Arabic, Iraqi culture and advising foreign forces.
However, whether the Iraqi army is ready or not, victory will be declared, Bush and his poodles Blair and Howard will claim they stayed the course, saw it through until the job was done, didn’t cut and run. They will wash their collective hands of the devastation they have caused, the civil war, the ongoing carnage, the likely break-up of the country into three.
The Iraqi government will then be blamed for what happens in the future.
Foreign forces need to be withdrawn, of that there is no doubt. But to leave without taking responsibility for causing the disaster is dishonest in the extreme.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Double standards
The (London) Daily Telegraph reports that YouTube is showing videos of American soldiers being shot and blown up, in a piece headlined Website attacked over propaganda videos of soldiers' deaths in Iraq. In Gulf News the headline is "Fury as website 'gloats' over US Iraq deaths."
As you would expect, "Outraged relatives of soldiers killed in Iraq are now calling for the videos to be removed, or the website shut down."
The father of one of the victims said it was "deplorable" that YouTube was allowing such videos to be posted by its members.
"It's a propaganda tool, a recruiting tool and putting it on the internet like this is rubbing it in our faces," he said."It just infuriates me. Watching it was horrible. My son was hanging in there but he died eight hours after the explosion. He was only a kid."
I agree one hundred percent. Without question. Such images should not be shown.
Regardless of the nationality of the victims.
I well recall seeing on mainstream public television, film of Iraqis being killed. One that sticks in my mind is a man in a pick-up truck, jumping out and trying to hide from a helicopter gunship. We even had the voice-over of the aimer as the chopper hunted him down, then we saw the rocket fire hitting the road in front of him, he looked up startled, then was cut to pieces.
I read no outrage about that. I heard no-one demand that the tv station should be shut down. We didn't hear what his father thought about his son's death being broadcast on television around the world.
Double standards. Them and us. It's permissable for one side but not for the other. No family should have to see film of their loved ones being killed. No family. American or Iraqi. Or anyone else.
By the way, the report includes the line: The videos, made as propaganda by Islamist extremists... Using the same logic, wasn't the film I'm referring to 'made as propaganda by the US military'?
As you would expect, "Outraged relatives of soldiers killed in Iraq are now calling for the videos to be removed, or the website shut down."
The father of one of the victims said it was "deplorable" that YouTube was allowing such videos to be posted by its members.
"It's a propaganda tool, a recruiting tool and putting it on the internet like this is rubbing it in our faces," he said."It just infuriates me. Watching it was horrible. My son was hanging in there but he died eight hours after the explosion. He was only a kid."
I agree one hundred percent. Without question. Such images should not be shown.
Regardless of the nationality of the victims.
I well recall seeing on mainstream public television, film of Iraqis being killed. One that sticks in my mind is a man in a pick-up truck, jumping out and trying to hide from a helicopter gunship. We even had the voice-over of the aimer as the chopper hunted him down, then we saw the rocket fire hitting the road in front of him, he looked up startled, then was cut to pieces.
I read no outrage about that. I heard no-one demand that the tv station should be shut down. We didn't hear what his father thought about his son's death being broadcast on television around the world.
Double standards. Them and us. It's permissable for one side but not for the other. No family should have to see film of their loved ones being killed. No family. American or Iraqi. Or anyone else.
By the way, the report includes the line: The videos, made as propaganda by Islamist extremists... Using the same logic, wasn't the film I'm referring to 'made as propaganda by the US military'?
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Mindset confirmed.
"We don't do body counts" was a memorable quote from Gen. Tommy Franks, who directed the invasion of Iraq. A moment of truth that must have had the spin doctors in a real spin. Too late, he'd said what he really thought without, for once, the news being managed.
It set the tone, confirmed a suspicion - non-Americans simply don't matter. 'We can't even be bothered to worry about how many Iraqis are killed'.
That's been confirmed by actions over and over again, and now the latest revelation, from the LA Times & Washington Post in today's Gulf News. It clearly shows the mindset of the officers and the men they command. A sample of what it says:
Officer: Haditha killing normal
Los Angeles Times-Washington Post
Washington: Commander of the battalion involved in last November's Haditha killings did not consider the deaths of 24 Iraqis, many of them women and children, unusual and did not initiate an inquiry, according to a sworn statement he gave to military investigators in March.
It...provides a glimpse of the mindset of a commander on the scene who, despite the carnage, did not stop to consider whether Marines had crossed a line and killed defenceless civilians.
(Lt Col) Chessani told investigators he concluded that insurgents had staged a "complex attack" that began with a roadside bomb, followed by a small-arms ambush that was intended to provoke the Marines to fire into houses where civilians were hiding.
"I did not see any cause for alarm," especially because several firefights had occurred in the area the same day November 19, 2005 Chessani said. Because of that conclusion, the commander added, he did not see any reason to investigate the matter, or even to ask how many women and children had been killed.
Incidentally, notice that we have that 'he made me do it' nonsense of an excuse yet again..."intended to provoke the marines to fire into houses where civilians were hiding."
They couldn't win hearts & minds in Vietnam because of their disregard for non-Americans, it's continued ever since and I can't see it changing.
(The original Washington Post report).
It set the tone, confirmed a suspicion - non-Americans simply don't matter. 'We can't even be bothered to worry about how many Iraqis are killed'.
That's been confirmed by actions over and over again, and now the latest revelation, from the LA Times & Washington Post in today's Gulf News. It clearly shows the mindset of the officers and the men they command. A sample of what it says:
Officer: Haditha killing normal
Los Angeles Times-Washington Post
Washington: Commander of the battalion involved in last November's Haditha killings did not consider the deaths of 24 Iraqis, many of them women and children, unusual and did not initiate an inquiry, according to a sworn statement he gave to military investigators in March.
It...provides a glimpse of the mindset of a commander on the scene who, despite the carnage, did not stop to consider whether Marines had crossed a line and killed defenceless civilians.
(Lt Col) Chessani told investigators he concluded that insurgents had staged a "complex attack" that began with a roadside bomb, followed by a small-arms ambush that was intended to provoke the Marines to fire into houses where civilians were hiding.
"I did not see any cause for alarm," especially because several firefights had occurred in the area the same day November 19, 2005 Chessani said. Because of that conclusion, the commander added, he did not see any reason to investigate the matter, or even to ask how many women and children had been killed.
Incidentally, notice that we have that 'he made me do it' nonsense of an excuse yet again..."intended to provoke the marines to fire into houses where civilians were hiding."
They couldn't win hearts & minds in Vietnam because of their disregard for non-Americans, it's continued ever since and I can't see it changing.
(The original Washington Post report).
Thursday, June 29, 2006
No comment...
For reasons too boring to go into I was doing a quick bit of research on Magna Carta. Salisbury Cathedral has a copy and on their website I came across this paragraph. I was struck by the last two sentences, having just been reading about 'rendition', Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib et al:
"Magna Carta is Latin for “The Great Charter” the famous agreement made between King John and his barons at Runneymede in 1215. It is beautifully written in Latin on vellum (animal skin) and contains some 3,500 words, many of which have been abbreviated. It established, amongst other principles in law, that no free man may be imprisoned or prosecuted without fair trail before his equals. The basic principles of the Magna Carta have been incorporated into the Constitution of the United States of America."
"Magna Carta is Latin for “The Great Charter” the famous agreement made between King John and his barons at Runneymede in 1215. It is beautifully written in Latin on vellum (animal skin) and contains some 3,500 words, many of which have been abbreviated. It established, amongst other principles in law, that no free man may be imprisoned or prosecuted without fair trail before his equals. The basic principles of the Magna Carta have been incorporated into the Constitution of the United States of America."
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