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Iraqi Shoe Thrower Gets 3 Years In Prison
The repugnant shoe throwing journalist who insulted president Bush by hurling his footwear at him was sentenced to three years in prison today. If I wasn’t working right now I would organize my neighbors and dance on top of cars celebrating and waving the flag, but like I said — I’m working.
Iraq Holds Successful Elections, Media Silent
You wouldn’t know it by watching the news, but believe it or not Iraq held successful elections a couple of days ago with no violence. More importantly, it was Iraqi military and police who were in control of security — not American soldiers. 14 out of 18 provinces in Iraq held elections (the other three will be in a separate election later in the year) with thousands of candidates representing every political party and ideology imaginable. This is a first in the Arab world and a historical moment for the entire region.
These provincial elections were held in 14 of the country’s 18 provinces (Kurdistan will hold separate elections, and the disputed oil-rich city of Kirkuk was deemed “too hard” at present). This was the first post-Saddam election that the Iraqis handled themselves. Iraqi soldiers protected the polling stations. It was also the first election to have international observers in all 712 constituencies. In 2005 terrorist attacks made that too dangerous. Then, more than 200 candidates were killed – this time, eight died. There were 14,412 candidates standing for office, an impressive number.
This was also the first election in which there was no boycott on ethnic or sectarian grounds. There was an enormous spread of views represented on the ballot papers – Iraq is the only Arab country which offers almost everyone, including Trotskyites and monarchists, the freedom to stand for election.
If you notice, there was only a passing mention of the elections by the mainstream media who tried everything to engineer a defeat for America. The cowardly democrats led by Harry Reid also tried to make us lose, but they too failed. The liberal democrats were hoping for failure at the outset, but even the republicans who were initially on board with the mission later attempted to get president Bush to pull out.
The only person who stood steadfast throughout and refused to see America defeated was president Bush. Approval rating, reputation, and legacy be damned he stuck it out, doubled down, and saw us to victory.
KBR Guilty Of “Negligent Homicide” In Soldier’s Death Says Army
Military contractor KBR is guilty of negligent homicide in a soldier’s death according to the Army:
An Army investigation called the electrocution death of a U.S. soldier in Iraq a “negligent homicide” caused by military contractor KBR Inc. and two of its supervisors, according to a document obtained by The Associated Press.
An Army criminal investigator said the manner of death for Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, 24, of Pittsburgh, has been changed from accidental to negligent homicide because the contractor failed to ensure that “qualified electricians and plumbers” worked on the barracks where Maseth died, according to the document.
I’ve been a pretty staunch defender of KBR and Halliburton because democrats always try and scapegoat them for everything, but this case is absolutely horrible and indefensible. Our soldiers have enough to worry about in Iraq without surviving a mission only to be electrocuted to death in the shower.
As many as 18 servicemen have died as a result of half-ass wiring thanks to KBR. That is an absolute outrage and since the democrats are seething to investigate something they should investigate that. KBR has overcharged the government in Iraq with impunity and now it’s killing our servicemen.
KBR has done some good work in Iraq, but I’ve come to believe there really hasn’t been sufficient oversight by Congress. The problem is that KBR does so much in Iraq and Afghanistan that the U.S. government can’t really cancel their contracts. Everything would grind to a stand still without them.
I guess you could call them — too big to fail. (I know, not again!)
Iraq Declares Christmas Official Holiday, Shiite Cleric Attends Mass
For the first time in history the government of Iraq has declared Christmas an official holiday. Several hundred thousand Christians live in Iraq, but many were forced to flee to the Kurdish north when violence was at its peak in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq.
In a show of solidarity with Christians a senior Shiite cleric attended the Christmas Mass in a Baghdad chapel.
A senior Shiite cleric, Ammar al-Hakim attended the event, flanked by bodyguards, in a gesture of cooperation with Christians.
“We came here to bring a message of love, respect and gratitude to our Christian brothers and to share happiness with them as we have shared sadness with them during the cruel targeting they came under,” al-Hakim said in an interview with al-Furat TV. “We will do our best for equality between people and a good life for all, whatever their religious, sectarian and ethnic background.”
He is the son and heir-apparent of Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, the leader of Iraq’s biggest mainstream Shiite party.
This is an extremely positive development in Iraq. This time last year Christian churches were burned and worshippers beheaded as Baghdad descended into an orgy of violence and bloodshed. Much to the chagrin of American left-wingers, the Iraq of today is a far different place. While much difficult work lies ahead, Iraq is continuing to move forward in a positive direction.
-Chris Jones
Shoe Throwing Journalists Means Vibrant Democracy
Col. Ralph Peters has an excellent column in the NY Post today about the disgraceful shoe throwing journalist. Peters makes the point that shoes being thrown at the president in Iraq means we won. There is no other country in the Middle East in where such a free wheeling press conference would be tolerated. If such an act were to occur at a press conference in Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, or any other country in the region with the exception of Israel the shoe tosser would almost certainly lose his life –and his family might as well.
Peters goes on to point out that the only reason the so-called ‘journalist’ did what he did was because he knew he would get away with it. So the very democracy he curses and spits upon is what allowed him to disrespect our president and live to tell about it.
It’s also worth noting that the shoe thrower is a supporter of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his family has a poster of Che Guevara on their wall. So democracy is clearly something they don’t get. However, if the shoe throwing journalist would like to throw something at our troops when he gets out of jail I’m sure they can arrange a meeting for him with say — 72 virgins.
-Chris Jones
Video: Reporter Throws Shoes At President Bush, Secret Service Asleep At The Wheel
It was quite an episode today when that disgraceful journalist in Iraq threw not one but two shoes at president Bush. Thankfully, the president’s quick reflexes allowed him to duck both shoes just barely. But the question I have is where in the hell was the Secret Service? That nut was able to throw a shoe, then wind up and throw a second shoe followed by at least a couple of seconds before he was tackled.
By my count it was more than 6 seconds before Bush’s lead Secret Service agent made it over to the president’s podium. Imagine if that had been a gun and not a shoe? Secret Service agents are supposed to be constantly scanning a crowd looking for unusual movement of any kind. How in the hell was that guy able to throw two shoes before anybody did anything?
What we saw today was a complete failure of the Secret Service to protect the president. The president casually waved off his lead agent who was about to extract him from the room following the incident. Had that been a gun, the president would have already been dead. That agent looked like a deer in headlights. The president should send that greenhorn back to the academy for a bit more training before he entrusts him with his life again.
Watch this video of the incident. Note the piss poor response time by the Secret Service:
Obama Op-Ed: “My Plan For Iraq”
In an attempt to clarify his Iraq position–again, Barack Obama has now taken to the pages of The NY Times in an Op-ed titled, My Plan For Iraq.
U.S. Removes 550 Metric Tons Of Uranium From Iraq
The U.S. has removed the last remnants of Iraq’s nuclear program in the form of 550 metric tons of “yellowcake” uranium from the Tuwaitha nuclear complex outside Baghdad.
The Iraqi government sold the uranium to Canada for “tens of millions of dollars” and the U.S. delivered the material to Canada.
The Iraqi government sold the yellowcake to a Canadian uranium producer, Cameco Corp. (CCJ), in a transaction the official described as worth “tens of millions of dollars.” A Cameco spokesman, Lyle Krahn, declined to discuss the price, but said the yellowcake will be processed at facilities in Ontario for use in energy-producing reactors.
Even with the uranium gone, Iraq still has many radioactive “hot zones” leftover from Saddam’s regime. Nuclear waste and other materials were buried in concrete during Saddam’s reign and must be dug-out and removed. Both U.S. and Iraqi experts recently trained at the Chernobyl fallout zone in the Ukraine are participating in the clean up effort.
Video: 1,125 U.S. Soldiers Re-enlist In Baghdad On July 4th
More news out of Iraq that isn’t fit to print.
(via Hot Air)
Iraqis Pimp Their Rides
Now that Saddam is dead, some Iraqis are finally doing something they’ve always wanted to do—Pimp Their Rides.
That’s right, the custom car culture that has raged across America for decades has hit Baghdad. Saddam’s two murderous sons controlled all auto imports in Iraq, and if Uday saw someone driving a car he liked he would simply confiscate it on the spot. Any kind of custom car culture just wasn’t possible under Saddam.
With Saddam and his sons out of power, Iraq is now awash in new and used cars, custom car magazines, and many of the same custom auto parts that are popular in America. Even with all the bloodshed and war, MTV’s “Pimp My Ride” is a popular show on Arab satellite television.
A center of Baghdad’s custom car culture is an auto repair shop run by two brothers, Adnan and Hisham Ghulan.
“I want to have a car that makes people turn their heads as I drive by,” said Adnan Ghulan, who favors sleeveless shirts that show off a collection of tattoos.
Their current pride and joy — a tricked-out white 1987 BMW M3 with front and rear spoilers, broad blue and red stripes, and a red eagle on the door — certainly turns heads.
They bought it from a man who put the car in storage for years after being chased by Uday Hussein’s thugs one night.
Inside, the pimping is even more over the top — red and yellow leather everywhere, dragons on the floorboards and a set of stereo speakers that take up most of the back seat.
“We’re not finished yet,” said Hisham Ghulan, who wouldn’t expand on his planned modifications and was reluctant to let his ride be photographed before he was done.
This is just another example of how much progress has been made in Iraq. The Democrats would love to convince Americans that the war is a failure and we lost, however the success of the “surge” has proven otherwise.
Kudos to the L.A. Times for having the courage to print something positive going on Iraq. It’s not that stories like this are rare, it’s that the mainstream media is invested in our defeat and chooses not to cover them.
-Chris Jones
(hat tip to Michelle)
Ahmadinejad Claims U.S. Tried To Kidnap Him
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the U.S. had plans to kidnap him during his recent trip to Iraq. According to him, the plan was never carried out because of “intentional” last minute changes to his schedule. As a result, the alleged plotters found out about the changes after he was already out of Iraq.
Read Ahmadinejad’s personal blog HERE
Ex-Saddam Aide Tariq Aziz Goes On Trial
Anyone who’s watched news coverage about Iraq over the last 25 years or so has probably seen Tariq Aziz. He was a part of Saddam Hussein’s inner circle from the first day the dictator took power. However, unlike ‘Chemical Ali’ and the rest of Saddam’s henchman, Aziz was never a strong man for the regime.
He was more or less the public face of Saddam’s Iraq. He was the one who spoke for Iraq at the UN and traveled to America for diplomatic meetings. Charges against Aziz stem from the murder of 42 merchants by Saddam’s regime, killed because Saddam thought they were apart of a conspiracy to raise food prices at a time when Iraq was under strict sanctions as a result of the 1991 Gulf War.
Iraqi prosecutors claim that Aziz had complicity in the murders, because as a member of Saddam’s Revolutionary Command Council his signature was on the execution orders. Though his signature was on the certificates it’s worth mentioning that Aziz had no choice but to sign the orders.
Even though his role in the regime was a diplomatic one, as a member of Saddam’s inner circle his signature being on the execution orders was more a formality than anything else. Had he not signed the papers, he would have been the next one to be executed.
Aziz is a devout catholic, and the only known Christian to have ever served in the former Iraqi government. I believe all of Saddam’s top henchman deserved to be hanged without a doubt, but I do have some reservations about Tariq Aziz.
If found guilty by the Iraqi courts he will be hanged like Saddam and the rest of his thugs, but I’m not sure death is the appropriate way to deal with Mr. Aziz. Since he had a purely diplomatic role in the regime, the new Iraqi government could use his trial as a way to give the new courts added legitimacy by showing mercy in this instance.
The man is 72 years old and has already suffered a stroke, so he probably won’t live that much longer anyway. So even if he were given only a 5-10 prison sentence, it’s doubtful that he would survive but it would show the Iraqi people that the new court system is fair and just.
That said, I think it’s understandable if the court feels that by going along with Saddam’s mass murder he made himself complicit in the acts. That was the same standard by which the U.S. held Nazi war criminals to after WWII, so that’s certainly a valid argument to make.
It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
-Chris Jones
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