A NEW YORKER ON IRAQ!
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Tuesday February 04, 2003 10:02
by John Gerard Keeney
A New York view on the Iraq crisis!
It is curious that the so-called "anti-war" and
"peace" demonstrators around the world never mention
one word about the real violator of human rights,
Saddam Hussein. Actually, that is putting it lightly.
Hussein consistently rapes and pillars his own people
and has demonstrated a skilled propensity to invade
his neighbors, as long as they have an abundance of
oil. This particular fact really makes me laugh when
liberals speak of George Bush in terms of a tycoon in
search of global domination. Nelson Mandela even
insisted that he is attempting to bring back a
holocaust!! The insanity truly goes on and on.
Why in the world would any American President seek
more land...in the Middle East no less!! Yes, Iraq has
been holding hostage the world's fair supply of oil.
Once Iraq realized its total defeat in the first
Persian Gulf War, it set fire to an immense amount of
oil fields in Kuwait, its intended target. That
country recovered from the invasion and the infernos
largely as a result of Americas support, aid and
continued presence there and Saudi Arabia (a major
reason why Al Queda attacked on 9/11). However, oil
constitutes a tiny percentage of the war quotient.
Anybody who truly believes that President Bush would
place one American life at risk just for oil is
completely blinded by hatred of the American
administration and cannot be debated with in the first
place.
Actually, plenty of the "anti-war" demonstrators are
not against war at all. If they were, they would speak
out against the Fundamentalist Muslim violence in
places like the Sudan and Pakistan. Christians in
those countries are murdered on a daily basis by the
Muslim majority, in order to dominate and bring
non-Muslims to extinction. Or even against Saddam
himself! (Oh, I forgot, he's a victim of America's
aggression...GASP!!). Maybe these groups might want to
demonstrate against the suicide bombers in Israel?
Nah, I guess not. They just don't like Bush, so they
protest his just international policies. Very easy to
do, and very trendy.
Never forget, it is usually very easy to ridicule
those who are strong in the face of adversity. The
world, and especially the desperate people of Iraq,
are in need of new leadership. Surviving families of
Hussein's political opponents would verify that
assertion, if granted the opportunity to speak.
America is not picking and choosing governments to gun
down for its own interest. It risked many lives to
take down Milosevic in Kosovo. I won't go through the
number of innocent people he murdered. Educated,
informed opinions suggest that Hussein makes Milosevic
look like a girl scout.
George Bush will go down as one of the strongest
leaders this nation has ever known. That's my personal
opinion. He has exhibited determination, yet an
abundance of patience. He is prepared to strike, and
he has prepared and informed the free world, with the
amazing support of his appointed leaders (Condeleeza
Rice, Donald Rumfseld, Colin Powell and Dick Cheney).
Iraq knows it is coming. Their government has chosen
this route because they refuse to change. Ultimately,
citizens there will be able to live under no threats
of cruelty.
Did I mention weapons of mass destruction or the
desire of Iraq to hand them over to terrorists?
Eh, whatayagonnado??
Those Marines, etc.: GET HOME SAFE!!!!
Gerard
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Comments (17 of 17)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17... how does any of that justify Mr Bush's intention to kill thousands of Iraqis?
bjg
I identify myself as a New Jerseyan butI was born in Brooklyn and raised in Staten Island in New York City and spent all of my life as a New Yorker until my late 30's when I moved to NJ in 1994. My parents, three siblings and numerous nieces and newphews still live in Brooklyn and SI. My dad is a retired NYC police officer and lives in a parish that lost 30 people on Sept. 11. But he and my mom were out there on the streets of Eltingville, SI in Nov. picketing the office of a Congressman who voted for Bush's war resolution.
That fellow Keenan aside, there is very little real support for Bush's oil war. The vast majority are at least uncomfortable with the notion of an unprovoked war on Iraq but they are not certain or do not feel they can make a difference or are still so traumatized by Sept. 11 that when Bush and his axis of oil invoke the threat of terorism they lose their ability to think straight.
On the other hand, there are a growing number of people like my 74-year old mom (never an activist about anything til now) who are passionately opposed and our numbers are growing. We have been vigiling, marching, writing letters to the editor, getting our towns to vote anti-war resolutions, etc.
I stretch out a hand of solidarity to the people of conscience in Ireland and elsewhere who stand against the idea of preemptive war and further hardship inflicted upon the already suffering people of Iraq by a rogue US governemnt. Together we will stop this.
Please do not judge Americans by the acts and rhetoric of Bush-Cheney--Rumsfeld--Rice--Wolfowitz, etal. After all, we didn't elect Bush. It was a judicial coup.
If you want to get to know us a bit, please visit
www.nowarnj.org and www.njpeaceaction.org
We'll be together in spirit with you on Feb. 15 as we all march for a better world than the cruel, murderous, blood and oil-soaked one Bush wants to inflict upon us all. (Though have you heard NYC is trying to deny us a march permit?)
Pax,
Mary
Bush doesn't even care about Americans, let alone Iraqis. This statement may shock the pro-war brigade but here's the proof: Last year the Indonesian army murdered two American school teachers in West Papua, in a crude attempt to discredit the Papuan guerrillas fighting for independence. So how does the American govt. react the the killing of Americans? by giving more money and training to the people who murder Americans! The Friday before last the US Senate voted against a motion to restrict military funding for the Indonesian army, despite the fact that the families of the victims asked them to vote for the restrictions. The entire basis of the current drive to war is that Bush wants to get rid of Saddam because he poses a threat to Americans, but Bush doesn't give a f*ck about Americans, other than the ones who fund his election campaigns. There are lots of other exanmples of Americans being murdered by foreign govts. and the US leaders (and media) covering them up. Eg, the 4 American nuns raped and murdered by the army in El Salvador in 1982, another nun, Dianna Ortiz who was gang raped by the Guatemalan army, had cigarette butts put out on her body and then was thrown into a pit full of dead bodies and rats, Charle Horman, a journalist murdered by Pinochets army with the help of the CIA in 1973, the list goes on.
Our military should be at home. Not overseas killing children. You don't speak for me. Bush doesn't speak for me. No WAR!
I'm not sure who posted my "e-mail" (which was sent by me to friends and relatives, not to this site) on this Web site, however I saw no strong responsive arguments against it. In fact, the replies were so feeble that they were actually somewhat embarassing. The only item I would grant kudos to was the humorous, "New Yorker on Crack" description. Now that was funny. I do have a sense of humor. And to the New Jersey chap, my last name is Keeney, not Keenan.
The lies stated in one e-mail in particular and the hype in others, in all honesty, would have been astounding to me if I wasn't already aware of how horrendously vindictive the left wing peace movement has become. Demonizing anyone who disagrees with them has sadly become the norm.
The fact remains that Iraq now is even further on the road to freedom and democracy, has had extremely successful elections (more successful in percentage numbers than Britain or the US - and voters had to defy terrorist threats in order to cast their ballots...what does that tell you about their resolve, huh?), has a working Constitution and will be a shining light in the Middle East in the near future. It's no wonder that the terrorists are working so feverishly to prevent this progress in Iraq from occurring. Iraq's success is an Islamofascist/ terrorist defeat. It is nauseating how individuals around the globe (in free societies), who condemn the coalition at every turn, have ironicially aligned themselves (at least in a politicial/public relations capacity) with anti-democratic, murderous terrorist assasins - many of whom seek nothing less than absolute theocratic, religious domination over the entire Middle East, and ultimately (if they had their dreams come true), the world.
The overwhelming majority of Iraqis absolutely despised Hussein' s brutal regime and now of course feel the same way about the savage insurgency that has consistently disrupted the progress they are so desperate to achieve. Innocent Iraqis also abhor, rightfully so, the insurgency's extermination of countless innocent Iraqi lives. These "insurgents" kill Iraqis almost every day. These groups have also killed UN reps and NGO members whose sole purpose there was to assist Iraqis, many of whom were against the war itself!
The elitist "peace" movement has venom only for Bush and Blair, the two courageous leaders (with the immeasurable help of many others: Spain, Italy, and several eastern European nations and yet other countries; too many to name here) who removed one of the world's worst dictators in the modern era and in the process saved thousands upon thousands of Iraqi lives. Let's not forget that Hussein was responsible for the deaths of AT LEAST 300,000 people, started two wars and essentially was in the process of engaged genocide with respect to the the Kurds in the North and the Shi'ites in the South.
Weapons of mass destruction? He had them and he used them to kill thousands. That is absolutely indisputable. Did he violate the peace treaty after the first Gulf War? Yes, he did. Did he violate 19 UN Security Council Resolutions? Yes, he did. Did he cooperate with weapons inspectors? No, he did not. Did he kick them out in 1998? Yes, he did. Is there evidence that his entire arsenal was destroyed? No. It wasn't located once Saddam was defeated - that does not mean it did not exist. We know that it did. I personally believe that the French and the Russians (who mostly benefitted from the Oil for Food Scandal and whose pockets were lined with Saddam blood money) stalled the UN Security Council as long as they could so that Hussein could get his house in as much order as was possible before the invasion (my personal opinion, not necessarily fact). In any event, an evil regime is on trial and will answer for countless crimes against humanity. The weapons were there and, in the end, wound up not being accounted for. What we do know is that they were used when they were operational. We don't know about after because Saddam violated almost every agreement we had. We also know that Saddam supported terrorist activities, particularly in Israel - rewarding the families of Palestinian homicide bombers with blood money.
Currently, Iraq's security forces are getting stronger by the day and coalition forces will at some point in time be able to withdraw - but not before the democratic government is viable in every way necessary. This would be an enormous blow to the despotic regimes nearby (see Iran and Syria) assisting the murderers attempting to prevent this tremendous, historic development from taking place. It would also be a heavy blow to those in the West who are dedicated to belittling coalition efforts - not to mention demonizing the individuals engaged in the fight for freedom and against terror. The notion that certain individuals actively participating in the anti-war effort purport to represent everything that Hussein DID NOT and the former Fedayeen and foreign terrorists in Iraq DO NOT will essentially become a fairly pathetic, "oxymoronic" footnote in history.
John G. Keeney
After 3 years, John G.Keeney returns to Indymedia with anoher apocalyptic essay in support of his Commander in Chief and his pal - the Brit PM (for how long more?).
I will not repeat my message in another thread
re: Iraq.http://www.indymedia.ie/article/76263. Read it if you please.
Neither will I respond to the irresponsible comments made by the author about the growing strength of the US based Anti-War movement - not a pip of course from JGK about the 350,000 people who were on the streets of New York a month ago. Not a squeak on why Bush's popularity is at its lowest in just over 30%...all of those people are ignorant, all of us are Saddam Hussein puppets or apologists?
WMD? "He had them and he used them" - What? JGK must be reffering to chemical weapons given to Saddam by the US to be used against Iranians....then their ex-friend decided to continue using them against the Kurds and the Shiite population in the south. Even Blair in the last couple of days had to admit that the Iraq "adventure for freedom" (his words) was highlighted by "a number of mistakes" (a comment not amplified). Blair, who was demolished in the last elections and whose standing inside his own party, let alone the English, the Welsh , the Scots and the Irish is at an all time low. Who does he represent now except himself? And, listening carefully to his Georgetown University speech yesterday, he's already preparing to leave his job in the UK and transfer into a well-paid plush job in the UN, the IMF or the World Bank. I have no doubt that these two "courageous men" will be remembered as Nixon, Johnson and Thatcher are remembered. "Demonising the individuals" JGK calls it - I can think of many better names New Yorker.
So JGK - a message from a Dubliner. The Empire's adventure in Afghanistan and Iraq is doomed to fail....the Empire will withdraw its forces in the next 18-24 months, in the same manner the Empire got the hell out of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos....and, as for Iran, which the Empire is likely to attack with the help of its good friend Israel sometime before the forthcoming US elections, watch us in the anti-war movement and the Resistance grow. The only question that remains is how many young working class soldiers will be sacrificed - how many innocent people will be killed, how many mothers, daughters, sisters and wives will bury their dead while the courageous men retreat to their ranches and write their memoirs. As for their apologists....what can I say?
Ah, yes, the 350,00 people on the streets of NY protesting the war. I wholehearteldy support their right to do so. I also support the right of people who feel the same way as myself (and they also number in the hundreds of thousands, if not more) to voice their opinions. You couldn't organize an event like that in protest of the government's policies in Iraq a few years ago. Isn't freedom great, Dubliner?
Regarding your prediction that the U.S., the U.K., the coalition and its Iraqi and Afghan allies will fail....well I am sure that those who are with you on that and are violently acting to make that predicition come true, are appreciative of your support.
You essentially absolved Hussein of blame with respect to his usage of chemical weapons to kill his own people and predictably (and solely) inculpated the US for those atrocities. Maybe you should have conducted some additional analytical research before making that assessment. Iraq was given chemical, biological and nuclear weaponry support by NUMEROUS countries in the late 70's and early 80's, yet the only one you name is the U.S.:
Germany
By far Germany had the largest role in Iraq’s WMD program. As part of Project 922, German firms such as Karl Kobe helped build Iraqi Chemical weapons facilities such as laboratories, bunkers, an administrative building, and first production buildings in the early 1980s under the cover of a pesticide plant. Other German firms sent 1,027 tons of precursors of Mustard, Sarin, Tabun, and Tear gasses in all. This work allowed Iraq to produce 150 tons of mustard agent and 60 tons of Tabun in 1983 and 1984 respectively, continuing throughout the decade. About 52% of Iraq's international chemical weapon equipment was of German origin. Chemical weapons were used extensively against Iran by Iraq.
Five other German firms supplied equipment to manfacture botulin toxin and mycotoxin for germ warfare.
In 1988 German engineers presented centrifuge data that would help Iraq expand its nuclear weapons program. Laboratory equipment and other crucial information was provided, involving many German engineers.
France
France built Iraq’s Nuclear Osirak reactor in the late 1970s, but it was destroyed by Israeli jets in 1981. Later, a French company built a turnkey factory which helped make nuclear fuel.
France also provided glass-lined reactors, tanks, vessels, and columns used for the production of chemical weapons. Around 21% of Iraq’s international chemical weapon equipment was French. Strains of dual use biological material helped advance Iraq’s biological warfare program.
Switzerland
Swiss companies attempted to aid in Iraq’s nuclear weapons development in the form of specialized presses, milling machines, grinding machines, electrical discharge machines, and equipment for processing uranium to nuclear weapon grade.
Italy
Italy gave Iraq plutonium extraction facilities that advanced Iraq’s nuclear weapon program. 75,000 shells and rockets designed for chemical weapon use came from Italy. Between 1979 and 1982 Italy gave depleted, natural, and low-enriched uranium.
Brazil
Brazil secretly aided the Iraqi nuclear weapon program. Supplied natural uranium dioxide between 1981 and 1982 without notifying the IAEA. About 100 tons of Mustard gas came from Brazil.
United States
The U.S. exported $500 million of dual use exports to Iraq that were approved by the Commerce department. Among them were advanced computers, some of which were used in Iraq’s nuclear program, and strains of anthrax and botulinum which helped Iraq’s biological warfare capabilities in the late 1980s.
United Kingdom
The U.K. sent advanced tools and computers to Iraq, some of which were used in Iraq’s nuclear program.
Austria
An Austrian company gave Iraq calutrons for enriching uranium. The nation also provided heat exchangers, tanks, condensers, and columns for the Iraqi chemical weapons infrastructure, 16% of the international sales.
Singapore
Singapore gave 4,515 tons of precursors for VX, sarin, tabun, and mustard gasses to Iraq.
Netherlands
The Dutch gave 4,261 tons of precursors for sarin, tabun, mustard, and tear gasses to Iraq.
Egypt
Egypt gave 2,400 tons of tabun and sarin precursors to Iraq and 28,500 tons of weapons designed for carrying chemical munitions.
India
India gave 2,343 tons of precursors to VX, tabun, Sarin, and mustard gasses.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg gave Iraq 650 tons of mustard gas precursors.
Spain
Spain gave Iraq 57,500 munitions designed for carrying chemical weapons. In addition, they provided reactors, condensers, columns and tanks for Iraq’s chemical warfare program, 4.4% of the international sales.
China
China provided 45,000 munitions designed for chemical warfare.
Portugal
Portugal provided yellowcake between 1980 and 1982.
Niger
Niger also provided yellowcake in 1981.
This intelligence emanates from a most reliable source, wilkipedia.org. The fact that Saddam used these weapons to murder thousands (What do you mean, "What?") does not absolve him from ACTUALLY DOING IT.
By the way, Germany, as you can see, had the biggest role in Hussein's weapons program. Also, France provided him with 21% of their chemical weapons capabilites, not to mention their indisputable guilit in the Oil for Food scandal. These countries argued against the invasion relentlessly. Nothing bad to say about these actions? Oh, I forgot, it doesn't involve the US, so you will probably remain silent on that one.
The overwhelming majority of the U.S. military are out there conducting themselves with professionalism and bravery. I thank them for it and I pray for their safe return. I grieve for those lost, American or any innocents from any country.
Continue your right to protest and continue to watch the coalition, as time moves on, defeat those that wish to enslave the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition, watch as courageous Iraqis and Afhans play a key, instrumental and ultimately primary role in this great endeavor. Watch it all from your couch in Dublin and protest it all the way - and blaspheme the US all you want. It doesn't deter us from a noble cause.
What can YOU SAY? You can say whatever you want to say! That's what freedom is all about. All the best to you.
JGK
I neglected to add the following to address MichaelY's reply post to me:
JESSIE MACBETH (the American soldier quoted by you in your earlier article), by the way, is an absolute fraud and you, Dubliner included his fraudulent testimony as FACT. He is a liar and so, in turn, are you. Actually, he is a peon for the peace movement. In reality, he's a sacrificial lamb. Didn't realize you who your were dealing with, did you, Dubliner?:
THE FABLES OF JESSE/JESSIE MACBETH
By Michelle Malkin · May 23, 2006 11:14 AM
***scroll for updates...Just Citizens blog reports that Army has no record of service from Jesse/Jessie MacBeth...more below...(hat tip: LGF )...12noon update: I just talked to the Army spokesman as well. Paul Boyce told me: "At a minimum, this appears to have been concocted" and "some sort of hoax." Special Ops Command and State Department have been alerted. The uniform issues of the alleged soldier were a "red flag," Boyce said. As were MacBeth's claims to have entered the Army at 16 and exit at age 20, and have been both Army Ranger and Special Ops, and have received the Purple Heart and other medals. I asked whether there would be a criminal investigation. Boyce said they would follow up on any substantial leads.***
300pm EDT: The Peace Films site is now down.
"Jesse MacBeth" is currently the Number 2 search term at Technorati.
He's the moonbat and purported Army Ranger featured here at "Peace Films" sliming the troops and weaving tales of Iraq war atrocities.
Don't. Believe. The. Hype.
Macbeth's "costume" didn't copy here, but here is how the costume is fraudulent:
Via Milblogs:
1. Special Forces Combat Patch (Wrong)
2. Two "Tabs" sewn above SF patch (Wrong- Only One)
3. No Ranger Tab
4. No Airborne Wings
5. No Unit Crest
6. No Sewn on Rank
7. No One in the Army rolls their sleeves like that.
Bonus:
8. Mustache is out of regulation by extending past the corner of the mouth.
Here is the article by Michelle Malkin (and um, factually correct according to sources within the peace movement), debunking the tale told by Macbeth and the one told to you all by Michael:
Meet "Jessie MacBeth." He's the latest cause celebre of the anti-war Left — a "former Army Ranger and Iraq war veteran" who accuses his fellow troops of committing a litany of atrocities against innocent civilians. Anti-Vietnam War veteran John Kerry and the Winter Soldiers cast a long shadow.
In his 20-minute Internet video interview at peacefilms.org, which promises that watching the video "will change your life," MacBeth (who also claims to have served in Special Forces) says:
Superiors told him "our job over there is to strike fear in the hearts of the Iraqis . . . to be brutal and to not feel" and that "the Geneva Convention doesn't mean crap."
He would "do night raids, pull people out, on their knees and zip-tied," and if a man didn't answer the way he wanted him to, he "would shoot his youngest kid and keep going."
"By my hand alone . . . almost 200 people were taken out by me. That's just a rough estimate. A lot of them at close range . . . they would actually feel the hot muzzle of my rifle on their forehead . . . we'd do stuff that would scare them first . . . beat 'em up or kick 'em or hit the wife . . . slaughtering 30-40 people a night sometimes, women and children . . . I was trained, you know, in all the Ranger school, 18 months of that crap . . . I got disappointed in my country . . . but I didn't say anything because I would have been locked up."
"Other things they told us to do, man, we were ordered to go into a mosque. This really hurts me a lot. My nightmares come mostly from this . . . we infiltrated the mosque . . . a couple hundred of people of all ages were praying . . . we started slaughtering them, we started shooting them, started taking them out . . . we would burn their bodies, hang the bodies from the rafters . . . after a while, it's just sickening to think that I took part in that . . . "
"Kids threw rocks at us before and the guard command officer told us to take them out . . . Our job was just kill, kill, kill."
"I'm so disappointed in my country. I'm ashamed to have actually served in Iraq."
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On the Military.com website, to which anyone can contribute, a profile of MacBeth claimed he had three basic combat jumps, service in Afghanistan as well as Iraq, and several awards including a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.
There's just one problem: According to Department of the Army spokesman Paul Boyce, there is no record of "Jessie MacBeth," a.k.a. Jesse Adam MacBeth, having served in either the Rangers or the Special Forces — or in any part of the Army at all. Boyce told me Tuesday that a check on MacBeth's credentials came up empty. "At a minimum, this appears to have been concocted" and "some sort of hoax," Boyce said. Special Operations Command and the State Department have been alerted.
MacBeth's story started to crumble after my colleagues at the Hot Air blog (www.hotair.com) called attention to the Peace Films video interview and asked military bloggers about MacBeth's appearance and claims. Harnessing the specialized knowledge of the blogosphere, military bloggers debunked a photo purportedly showing MacBeth in his official uniform (with his beret backward, incorrect flashes and tabs, and missing wings).
The Army's Boyce told me the uniform issues were a major "red flag" — as were MacBeth's incredible claims to have entered the Army at 16, served as both a Ranger and in Special Ops, sustained various stabbing and shooting wounds, and exited at age 20. Not to mention all those unsubstantiated, slanderous smears against the Army Rangers (who suffered similar attacks by another lying anti-war veteran poseur, Micah Wright, in 2004).
Anti-war zealots initially defended the bogus soldier's tale, but are now moving quickly to cover up the MacBeth stain. The video was yanked Tuesday afternoon. But not to worry.
I hear former CBS producer Mary Mapes, champion of "fake but accurate" journalism, is interested in publicizing Jessie MacBeth's tall tales.
*Your credibility is in severe question, Dubliner. You posted something to fulfill your anti-American agenda without conducting your due diligence. What a shame. Again, all the best.
John
John
The Jesse MacBeth story was debunked on Indymedia.ie back on the May 24th.
see here: http://indymedia.ie/article/76271
It seems you have only come to the story today.
The source of the debunking was from the Iraq Veterans Against the War ( http://ivaw.net ).
Would you also say that they are part of an 'anti-American agenda'?
Red Jade:
No, I was in fact aware of the fraudulent story the day it was released. I just did not include it in my initial reply since l had not at that point read the previous poster's earlier comments, which included as FACT the contents of the story and which he referred to in an effort to refute my statements. These comments of his were of course on a different thread. Again, I did not read that thread (it wasn't relevant to me at the time; I was responding to what he wrote in "our" discussion) until I had already entered my reply to him. I decided to read his earlier post in that different thread after my reply and it was at that time addressed it, which is why those comments of mine appeared on my next entry. In any event, HE posted it as fact and I was replying to HIM.
He had a motive behind it, not the people that debunked the story. I didn't say a word about them (and for the record, I do not believe the Iraqi War Veterans against the War to be involved in any "anti-American agenda", per say). But make no mistake, I knew about this story well before you imply I did.
No response to any of the other items I presented?
Thanks anyway.
John
JGK
Thank you for the clarification who was responding to what.
———
Endorsed by MichaelY on Wed May 24, 2006 15:57
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/76263
and then debunked on indymedia.ie at...
May 24, 2006 23:13
http://indymedia.ie/article/76271
———
MichaelY was wrong for writing that and not doing some quick fact checking and bullshit-detecting before hitting the publish button, IMO. But the discrepency is a matter of a few hours, however.
What should be interesting here, however, is how quickly the Anti-War movement stopped this video and debumked it (perhaps with help from LGF etc, as well) - I'd say most Lefties only knew of this fake video because of its inauthenticity, first.
And JGK, it is you that are now using Jesse MacBeth for your propaganda purposes - as you wrote: 'Actually, he is a peon for the peace movement' - this even I challenge you to find anyone that even heard of Jesse MacBeth before his 15 minutes of fame - so therefore he never was nor is a peon to anyone. He's just a loser that will forever be known on the net as a fake.
IVAW has an update on Jesse MacBeth
http://ivaw.net/index.php?id=219
Compare the fact that some hoaxer attempts to get his 15 minutes of fame by uploading a video to the net to the BILLION DOLLAR EMPIRE of FoxNews.
Well its not much a comparison is it?
Jesse MacBeth had his video downloaded a few hundred, maybe thousand times. Bill O'Reilly is watched by millions. The self-correcting mechanisms of the 'blogosphere,' - left and right - debunked Jesse MacBeth within 24 hours.
But who will force Bill O'Reilly to correct himself? - no one but Rupert Murdoch, of course! - and Rupert wont do that because Bill O' currently serves his political and economic agenda.
JGK, I am really curious why you haven't been too quick to attack FoxNews' Bill O'Reilly here at Indymedia.ie when he recently repeated the lie the US Military committed War Crimes against German Troops at Malmedy during the WWII.
please go read this and watch the video, as well
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/06/01.html#a8537
i look forward to hearing your perspective on it.
Is Bill O'Reilly part of an 'Anti-American Agenda'?
JGK, I'd say your outrage is rather selective.
In my time in the US Army in Vietnam there was an inter-unit competition which ran pretty continuously as to which unit had shot the youngest Vietnamese (Cong or civilian). I distinctly remember two senior officers argueing about whether the age of a foetus counted in the competition. I doubt if things have changed much in Iraq.
As the killing of 24 civilians by US Marines in Haditha last November is making the news worldwide, seven Marines and a Navy corpsman could face murder, kidnapping and conspiracy charges today in the shooting death of an Iraqi man. Military prosecutors plan to file the charges against the men, who are being held in solitary confinement at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base.
The Iraqi man reportedly was dragged from his home in Hamandiya, west of Baghdad, and shot in April 26 . The Los Angeles Times and NBC News said troops may have planted an AK-47 and shovel near the body to make it appear the man was an insurgent burying a roadside bomb.
The eight men served in Iraq with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, and are members of the battalion's Kilo Company. The highest-ranking among them is a staff sergeant. The Marine Corps and Pentagon spokesmen have refused to comment on any aspect of the Iraqi man's death since the investigation was announced May 24.
However, a Pentagon official said yesterday that charges are expected to be brought "very soon." The official, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to discuss charges before they are filed, could not confirm the specific counts.When the Pentagon announced it was investigating the death, it provided no details about the incident, though it said "several service members" in the regiment were suspected of involvement. The men were "removed from operations" and sent back to the U.S. pending the results of the criminal investigation, it said.
In matters closer at home, as pointed out by Redjade above, when I published that paragraph about McBeth at 15.57 on May 24th, [http://www.indymedia.ie/article/76263] I was unaware of the fact that the video was a fake. Indymedia published the denial later that evening. Being unaware, of course, could be a sort of a defence but Redjade is right - it was a mistake, I should have checked my facts more thoroughly. However, I stand by my assertion that the US invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq is gradually unravelling. Stories like Haditha, like the one above in Hamandiya, like the shooting of over 20 people in Kabul last Sunday will continue to shake the remaining hope/belief that the Empire forces are in there for any other reason except power and control. The popular attitude in the US is obvious - over 60% of Americans want the troops to come home. The megamajority of Iraqis share the same belief that the US tyroops should go. Now even Karzai and the new Iraqi Admin are also making high decibel noises at the same level.
Finally, and as a partial response to the Bush supporter, an anti-war position is not an anti-American position. As an anti-Vietnam position was not an anti-American stance. But that argument should perhaps be elaborated later under a different heading.
"Stories like Haditha, like the one above in Hamandiya, like the shooting of over 20 people in Kabul last Sunday will continue to shake the remaining hope/belief that the Empire forces are in there for any other reason except power and control"
As I was writing those lines earlier today, I was unaware that a third set of allegations that U.S. troops have deliberately killed civilians is fueling a furor in Iraq and drawing strong condemnations from government and human rights officials. "It looks like the killing of Iraqi civilians is becoming a daily phenomenon," the chairman of the Iraqi Human Rights Association, Muayed al-Anbaki, said earlier today after video ran on television of children and adults slain in a raid in March on the Iraqi village of Ishaqi north of Baghdad.
To be continued
I disagree with your quote from Muayed al-Anbaki.
I don't think killing innocents is becoming a daily phenomen. I think it is now becoming an issue that is getting media attention at long last. It has always been a part of what the War Machine does. I'm sure you agree with me on this. I'm just dotting 'I's' and crossing 'T's'.
I remember Mary Robinson having to quit the UN because she wanted an investigation into a suspected massacre in Afghanistan - where a prison used for holding prisoners of war was routinely bombed and shelled for a number of days after an alleged attempted break out occured.
Many bodies were discovered, in bits mostly, but with their hands still tied together with plastic tie-wraps.
Terrorism is and has always been a major part of the deal.
The above was painted by Picasso in the early 50's showing the US Army doing an earlier massacre. It does not often appear on CNN or in the Murdock press. Probably just a few bad apples at it again.
Massacre in Korea
I am going to make this one short:
I had no reason within the context of this discussion to refer to Bill O'Reilly or his irresponsible and inaccurate comments. That was not a topic I was addressing, nor did it have anything in particular to do with what I was stating. He was wrong. There is nothing else I can say on the matter. That is a totally seperate discussion. I will say that these instances were uncharacteristic of O'Reilly. He is an intelligent reporter and his show is, in my opinion, a quality one. That said, it was disappointing to see him not at least apologize in this specific instance.
In addition: Anti-War does not necessarily mean Anti-American. This is a view I have always held, however there are most definitely NUMEROUS individuals in the anti-war movement who are Anti-American. They will actually tell you they are. Other will not, but will continue with an agenda that is developed in a way that no other conclusion can be drawn by intelligent/ interested outside observers. This is in NO way to state that I believe that people who hold views against the Iraqi War (or any other wars for that matter) are automatically Anti-American. I am not an individual (and I realize that there are many) who makes that determination immediately upon hearing one's viewpoints against Bush or the war. When I make that assessment, it is because it is obvious to me. Just take a look at my posts on the IAWM Web site. You may not agree with what I set forth, however at the very least you will see that I respect the anti-war movement's overall motives, however much I disagree with its perspective on (most) world events.
John