The biggest moment?
After the debate on ABC NEWS, Martha Raddatz was on her attack of Russia kick.
She felt the need to trash Donald Trump.
"He's doubting our intelligence agencies!"
You mean the same ones who cooked the books on Iraq, Martha?
Better question, trashy Martha.
You're a journalist.
You're supposed to be skeptical.
You're supposed to question.
Why can't you do your job?
Oh, that's right, you're a tool of imperialism.
Martha Raddatz had a freak out on air because Donald Trump dared to question the supposed conclusion of our intelligence agencies.
Poor Martha.
Someone give her a happy pill so she can go back to dreamland.
"Iraq snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):
Wednesday, October 19, 2016. Chaos and violence continue, broken
promises continue, Moqtada al-Sadr hosts a big meet up, and more.
The Iraq War continues.
The Iraq War continues.
Bob Owens
We have reports of U.S. Marines on the ground in Mosul.
Aren't you glad you voted for Obama to get us out of the Iraq War?
Not only did he promise that, in 2011 and 2012 he was bragging that he had done that.
He did no such thing.
Michael Tracey
Obama will try to claim "ending the Iraq War" as part of his "legacy" while he is simultaneously waging war in Iraq. That should be good.
He will try to claim that.
But his true legacy is destroying the reputations of his legions of whores.
Except for the millions he basically extorted from Jane Fonda, Tom Hayden didn't have much but he did have his (inflated) past.
Now the forever sell out doesn't even have that.
He's just an old drunk who couldn't speak out against the ongoing Iraq War, the Drone War, the war on Muslims (no surprise there, as a member of the California Assembly, he was a tool of the Zionist machine), the spying on Americans, you name it.
He's exposed as an old drunk.
And Jane Fonda?
She's an "activist."
She always says.
But then in DC in January 2007, she also said she was committed to ending the Iraq War and would not be silent.
Since then?
She's covered for Barack and worn really ugly wigs.
She's whored for Barack and done some lousy acting (NEWSROOM was especially an embarrassment).
She's pimped more exercise videos -- how many calories does one lose with each repeated face lift? -- and she's stayed silent.
Please note, when Richard Nixon had Jane's mail opened and her phones tapped, Jane sued the government -- after the fact.
It was that important to her.
And for years and years, she'd blather on about how important that was.
But today, with Barack collecting every bit of information on a person?
Jane's too busy making sure her bad wig doesn't upstage Robert Redford's bad wig as they rush to make a bad movie for NETFLIX.
She's an "activist," she says.
Does anyone believe her anymore?
Leslie Cagan, Bill Fletcher . . .
So many fake asses.
We've seen a million frauds, and we've exposed them all.
Like the 'leader' who was with Veterans for Peace.
Remember him?
His own son doesn't want to serve in the Iraq War and wants to self-check out and this 'anti-war' 'leader' criticizes him and condemns him.
Yeah, check the archives, we've been exposing the fake asses all along.
They better grasp that they will not escape their pasts.
They cannot, as they did during Vietnam, claim to have been doing something when they weren't.
They have Twitter feeds now -- the better to stroke the forever hungry egos.
Via THE WAYBACK MACHINE, their statements and activities will live on forever.
So when they step forward to try to lead next and insist they protested the Iraq War, people will be able to say to the United For Peace and Justice folks, for example, "Wait, a week after the November 2008 election of Barack Obama as president, you announced you were closing shop. You weren't protesting the Iraq War, you were protesting a Republican -- Bully Boy Bush -- being in the White House."
Fake asses, one and all.
Did someone say Jar Jar Blinks?
Yes, Raed Jarrar!
Iraqi (or Iraqi-American) when it can get him publicity.
Scroll through his Twitter feed and search in vain for a mention of Iraq -- I gave up after scrolling back through the month of August.
Fake asses one and all.
John Nichols, Matt Rothschild, Katrina vanden Heuvel . . .
On and on it goes -- and it never ends.
Just like the violence in Iraq.
And while the coverage of Iraq focuses on Mosul and other violence, things are taking place outside the camera's view.
Stratfor reports Shi'ite cleric and movement leader Moqtada al-Sadr met with Shi'ite military/militia leaders on Tuesday:
Al-Sadr has long been a divisive figure in Iraq, having come to international fame, or infamy, in his violent fight against American and British forces in his country. Since 2011, however, he has been more interested in political voice than in military power, relying on his clerical training to cultivate a more respected image. Al-Sadr has spent the past year alternately championing Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's efforts at reform and protesting their sluggish pace. As a political organizer, al-Sadr's sway reaches well beyond the Shiite community, rallying Sunni and Kurdish protesters to join his massive demonstrations. Combating foreign occupation is another of al-Sadr's favored causes, and, like reform, it resonates with Iraqis, especially in light of the Mosul offensive and the foreign military influences it entails. Pushing against foreign influence in Iraq — particularly non-Shiite influence — is just one of many issues on which al-Sadr and the other leaders present at Tuesday's meeting see eye to eye.
Although al-Sadr is reluctant to cast his lot with any one political movement, the upcoming municipal vote could be enough to bring him closer to his Shiite rivals. To make gains in the elections, especially among skeptical Iraqi voters tired of the same old corruption, political blocs will have to demonstrate a greater degree of unity. Tuesday's landmark meeting was a step in that direction. After the meeting, al-Sadr held a press conference outside his home during which he and the other attendees affirmed their respect for one another and their commitment to their country's best interest. Al-Sadr announced that he had reached an agreement with the leaders of the Popular Mobilization Forces standing alongside him on Iraq's future "after the Islamic State." Hadi al-Amiri, commander of the Iran-backed Badr organization, said a common understanding with al-Sadr was at "its highest level." Even Qais al-Khazali, commander of the Iran-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia, put his turbulent history with al-Sadr — a former ally with whom he had not met in seven years — behind him, hailing al-Sadr as a patriot. Such effusive comments indicate the strong political pragmatism of these individualistic leaders and hint at a grander plan.
Moqtada does not get along with Nouri al-Maliki.
Nouri is th eformer prime minister of Iraq and the forever thug of Iraq.
Last week's news that the federal court had overturned present prime minister Haider al-Abadi's decision to axe the post of vice president bothered Moqtada because that meant Nouri al-Maliki returned to being one of Iraq's three vice presidents.
Nouri and Moqtada were always at odds.
That's one of the reasons Moqtada spent so many years out of Iraq (in nearby Iran).
There was an arrest warrant for Moqtada prepared in 2004 (two years before Nouri became prime minister) but instead of it being executed, it was kept in a drawer should someone feel the need to remove Moqtada.
Both are Shi'ites.
Nouri is desperate enough for power that he'd make a deal with anyone.
That includes Moqtada.
Moqtada's refusal to reach out to Nouri and make a deal might seem surprising unless you realize that Moqtada is fully aware that Nouri has never honored any deal (or promise) he's made.
He lies to get what he wants and then never follows up on his promise.
What's interesting is where Ammar al-Hakim factors in.
He is the leader of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (a Shi'ite political movement).
He's also now in charge of the Shi'ite coalition/grouping in Iraq -- having replaced Ibrahim al-Jaafari.
Moqtada and Ammar have never publicly feuded and have joined forces with other groupings.
The future of much of Iraq may rest upon whatever type of relationship Moqtada and Ammar can hammer out.
On the US political front, Friday THE YOUNG TURKS are hosting a presidential town hall:
The Young Turks
We are hosting a Presidential Town Hall
with Jill Stein @drjillstein this Friday Oct 21st… instagram.com/p/BLuqBd2jaVh/
The following community sites -- plus BLACK AGENDA REPORT, THE GUARDIAN and Jody Watley -- updated:
-
Janet Jackson6 minutes ago
-
Janet? Yes! Joan? No.6 minutes ago
-
That gross John Oliver7 minutes ago
Hillary Hypocrite
9 hours ago
She's so hideous
9 hours ago
What if The Originals is cancelled?
9 hours ago
Unspeakable America
10 hours ago
New content at THIRD:
- Truest statement of the week
- Truest statement of the week II
- A note to our readers
- Editorial: Over and over
- Media: It was a dark, rainy night . . .
- War reporting (Reality Division)
- The Trump Allegations
- Young voters
- And here we are again (Jess)
- The climate is in meltdown mode
iraq