Mike and I are doing the same items from Democracy Now! so be sure to check out his site.
U.S. Confirms Sniper Killed Knight Ridder Journalist (Democracy Now!)
A U.S. military report has confirmed that Knight Ridder journalist Yasser Salihee was killed by an American sniper in June but claimed the shooting was justified. Salihee was shot as he was driving in western Baghdad. He was then left lying dead in his car, splattered with blood. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists U.S. troops have killed at least 13 journalists in Iraq since the war began.
How was the kill "justified." If it was justified, why the delay? In June, Yasser Salihee was shot by the U.S. military and left to die. Was it justified to shoot him? Did he appear to be a "hostile" at that point? If so, why was allowed to die in his car? Did no one check on him?
It's getting harder and harded for the Operation Happy Talkers to keep claiming that journalists are not being targeted.
The total number of journalists killed in Iraq is 72.
Army Suffers Worst Recruiting Year Since 1979 (Democracy Now!)
The Army has suffered its worst year for recruiting since 1979. The Army had set an annual goal of 80,000 new recruits by September 30 but fell 7,000 recruits short. The Army National Guard and the Army Reserve also fell short of their annual goal. Meanwhile the Armed Forces is trying new ways to reach the nation's young. The Army National Guard is now offering to give away three free music downloads from Itunes to individuals who sign up online to be contacted by recruiters.
You read this and you have to wonder, if it continues, at what point do they try to bring back the draft? There's really little to offer and you can see that when they're offering "prizes" for signing up just to be contacted. I can't image anyone saying, "Three downloads! Alright!" Maybe they will? If you're already being harrassed by recruiters, maybe you should sign up just to get something out of it?
If we're not bringing the troops home, and the administration doesn't want to, something has to happen because recruitment's so low. I'd be surprised if they tried anything before the 2006 elections because they want a low turnout. Low turnout helps incumbents and to remain in control of Congress, the Republicans need a really low turnout.
I believe it's Charlie Rangle, a Democrat, who proposed legislation to bring back the draft. His thinking is that if that happened, people would take the war a little more seriously. If there was a strong chance that they might go or their children, they'd take it a little more seriously.
My suggestion if the draft comes back is first draft all the arm chair warriors who blog that we have to stay over there. They really need to put up or shut up. They cheer the war and they aren't in the military.
Why is that?
If it's so important that we remain in Iraq then why don't the little boys and girls who blog "we have to stay over there" put their money where their overflowing mouths are?
They aren't concerned with the death toll of the Iraqis or the soldiers (though one tries to hide behind the soliders with a dopey dedication to them). But they want us over there so why haven't they signed up?
Wars are something that people like that always want . . . as long as someone else is fighting it.
They should be called on it. Every time they type, "We have to stay in Iraq" they should get e-mails asking, "Why haven't you signed up?" Why haven't they? Maybe they're little Cokie Roberts who want to hide behind a sick mother, the way she used her mother as an excuse for not reporting from LA even though it's where she was born.
They lie about the war. They lie about Cindy Sheehan. I think people have woken up to their lies and there's not a big difference, at this point, between them and the Bully Boy. They give cover to the Bully Boy and they can claim they are of the left all they want but when they support the continuation of the illegal occupation they aren't interested in human rights or social justice.
Those people really need to read C.I.'s "Should This Marriage Be Saved" but I honestly wonder if it could even reach them. They're so committed to being "warriors" (from the safety of their homes) that maybe nothing can help them at this point.
By the way, remember to check out Seth in the City. I was the new one until Seth and I know how hard everyone worked to get the word out on me so let me return the favor by helping out Seth whose site is not even a week old yet.
"Peace Quotes" (Peace Center)
There have been periods of history in which episodes of terrible violence occurred but for which the word violence was never used...Violence is shrouded in justifying myths that lend it moral legitimacy, and these myths for the most part kept people from recognizing the violence for what it was. The people who burned witches at the stake never for one moment thought of their act as violence; rather they though of it as an act of divinely mandated righteousness. The same can be said of most of the violence we humans have ever committed.
Gil Bailie
the common ills
mikey likes it
seth in the city
peace
