the WIZARD, fkap

Binary Choices

the WIZARD, fkap — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 02:37:00 +0000

A society with a billion dollar fast food industry is always short on time.

Michael, in a reply to Bill Roggio's article, Iraq: The Greatest Enemy is Time

Iraq is not simple. The war on terror is not simple. And no matter how hard our fellow bloggers and television pundits and Washington politicians try to KISS us off ("Keep It Simple, Stupid"), the real issues are complex and the solutions difficult.

Bill Roggio said it best in his really superb article Iraq: The Greatest Enemy is Time, originally published in Die Weltwoche, but thoughtfully translated into English and reprinted in his blog by the author himself.

As President Bush unveiled his new vision to move forward on Iraq, the political debate in the United States has continuously degenerated into a simple, binary choice of withdrawal to prevent further American casualties, or surge more troops to attempt to restore order in Baghdad.

I would be hard pressed to be more disgusted with the level of political posturing in Washington over the last two day. Democrats, nearly all of whom are running fro President, have pontificated endlessly in front of their supposed "witnesses," while barely able to put together an intelligent sentence, let alone a reasonable question.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has now assured us that the Democrats don't need to come up with any ideas at all. "That's the President's job," he assured television reporters today.

I feel so much better now understanding his only responsibility is to insult the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense. I am quite certain it is the only job for which Mr. Reid is qualified.

So we have President Bush's reasonably well laid out plan for the next several months in Iraq. In 22 minutes on national television Bush was pretty clear. And further details and specifics have come over the last two days.

And we have the Democrat's alternative of attacking the President for the next six months. Hold hearings. Attack and insult witnesses. Hold meaningless straw votes. Talk vaguely about some sort of troop withdrawal.

And the key Democrat strategy, of course, will be to distance themselves from real and very brave leaders like John Murtha and Edward Kennedy, who have specific plans and proposals and aren't afraid to state them.

The real situation in Iraq demands more. Bill Roggio's thoughtful article about a possible future for Iraq was developed after he spent two months embedded with the US troops in the Anbar Provence.

After spending two months out of the last 12 in the land between the two rivers, one thing I've learned is nothing is simple about Iraq, and there are no easy solutions to the vast array of problems. But despite the constant media portrayal of Iraq as a hopelessly violent nation, Iraq is not a nation without hope.

The average life of an insurgency is about nine years. In Iraq, the insurgents and al-Qaeda hope to wear down the will of the American government and people, and precipitate a premature withdrawal.

Roggio is not unbiased. Those who have read his blog, articles or seen or heard him, know he is a hawk in the war on terror. He sees a real threat. And he believes in real solutions.

But he is knowledgeable and he researches and studies his subject with discipline. His opinions must not be dismissed out of hand.

When I talk to American troops about Iraq, their greatest concern isn't for their safety, but they are worried the American public has given up on the war before they can complete their mission. They watch the news - CNN, MSNBC and FOX News are beamed into the mess halls, some even possess satellite dishes with access to BBC World, Al Jazeera and hundreds of programs at their fingertips. Internet is readily available in many areas. I surfed the web in the center of Fallujah on wireless Internet.

American troops watch the news and follow the debate in real time. They will tell you the war they see on television isn't the war they are fighting. To the troops, the war as portrayed on television is oversimplified and digested into sound bites. The soldiers are portrayed as victims and the violence is grossly exaggerated.

From my own experiences with two months in Iraq out of a year, I had not personally witnessed an ambush, a roadside bombing or other attack. The closest action I saw were some poorly aimed mortar attacks in Fallujah, or a near by patrol getting hit (the bullets and RPGs never made contact). And this is in Anbar province, the most dangerous region in Iraq. I make it a point to accompany the troops on foot and mounted patrols on daily basis.

We can not and should not dismiss the fact that the invasion and occupation of Iraq was miscalculated and grossly mishandled. It's possible, even likely, that it should never have even occurred in the first place. Nothing that I write here or that Bill Roggio writes should be seen as a vindication or even an exoneration of George Bush and his team.

But is walking away, hat (and troops) in hand even a remotely acceptable answer to the mess we are in?

Senator John McCain went on his own offensive today against the grandstanding Democrats. The quotes below are from the Associated Press article here:

"I believe that together these moves will give the Iraqis and Americans the best chance of success," said McCain, R-Ariz., a leading presidential contender for 2008.

McCain also took a shot at Democrats who say the United States must bring some troops home within four to six months.

"I believe these individuals ... have a responsibility to tell us what they believe are the consequences of withdrawal in Iraq," he said. "If we walk away from Iraq, we'll be back, possibly in the context of a wider war in the world's most volatile region."

What are the costs of withdrawal? How many Iraqi's are we willing to sacrifice?

Let's return to Roggio's article.

The nature of the insurgency in Iraq is complex, and cannot be simply framed as a sectarian war or a war against "U.S. occupation." The insurgency is designed to destroy any semblance of a democratically elected Iraqi government, and is directed at the developing Iraqi security forces, the Iraqi government and institutions, U.S. and Coalition forces, and against sectarian targets.
In Anbar province, where I embedded in the city of Fallujah last December, sectarian violence is virtually non-existent. In fact, Sunni tribes have rallied to protect their Shia neighbors numerous times in the past and drove of al-Qaeda attempts to 'cleanse' the region of Shia. Al-Qaeda blood ran in the streets the few times they tried to purge the Shia from Ramadi.

In Fallujah, Ramadi and greater Anbar province, Al-Qaeda in Iraq the most dominant insurgent organization. Al-Qaeda focuses its attacks on Iraqi government security forces, government institutions, as well as U.S. Army and Marine units operating in the region. Their ability to fund the insurgency in the impoverished province is their greatest weapon. Unemployed Sunnis are a paid well (as much of $1,000 according to a military intelligence source) to attack Iraqi and Coalition forces. While there is a large volume of insurgent attacks, the large majority of attacks fail.

Inside Fallujah, there is no U.S. Marine or Army presence, save the members of the Police and Military Transition Teams – small, 15 to 20 man teams that are embedded within the police and Army units. I embedded as a reporter with both the Police and Military Transition Teams in Fallujah. The Marines in these teams take great risk in dong their daily job. They live, eat and sleep with their Iraqi counterparts, and are wholly dependent on them for security. Their American backup is stationed outside the city limits.

As brave as the American Marines are, their Iraqi counterparts outshine them. The police, who are local to the city, are specifically targeted by insurgents. Since the late summer, 21 Iraqi police were murdered by insurgents. Their families are regularly threatened with violence. Several police officers told me how that while they were home they would sit with their backs to the door, AK-47 in hand, as they feared their homes would be stormed and their families would be killed.

This is quite a different picture than we see in our national media.

Can this Iraqi force develop and grow? Is there a future for the elected Iraqi government? Will threats of scheduled troop pullouts help the fledgling Iraqi police and military?

The [Iraqi] police and soldiers do their jobs with very little resources. Some haven't been paid in a year. Supplies and equipment such as helmets, bullet proof vests, uniforms and batteries are in high demand demand, as the Iraqi Army logistical system is broken. The police just received armor Humvees to patrol the city, and have been up-armoring their pickup trucks with scrap armor kits. Despite these problems, morale and fighting spirit are not an issue. In fact, the police and Army believe that, if given the right equipment, they can defeat the insurgents without U.S. help.

Nationwide, the Iraqi Army and Police clearly are not ready to fight the insurgents and militias on their own. Baghdad and Ramadi are clearly two cities where the police and Army would collapse without U.S. backing. But the police and soldiers in Fallujah believe they can. Pride, courage and fighting spirit are certainly traits these soldiers do not lack.

They will need time to develop the capacity to fight on their own, and time is the one commodity the West seems to be short of.

From the very day the Coalition invaded Iraq I have said that we cannot win. We have superior fighting force. We have vastly superior weapons and logistical supply lines. We have talent and military knowledge. And we have great soldiers.

We can't win because we lack the patience and persistence to win. Our will was strong on day one. But we like six day wars. We want everybody home on Sundays.

There are dozens (perhaps hundreds or hundreds of thousands) of reasons why President Bush should not have embarked on this folly. For a man who so adamantly campaigned against the concept of nation building back in the fall of 1999, Bush began one of the toughest projects ever attempted.

But, having embarked on this tragic adventure, our problem today is that Al-Qaeda or Syria or Iran (or the Shi'ites or perhaps even the Sunni's) have the ultimate weapon we lack. Time.

TECHNORATI TAGS: BILL ROGGIO IRAQ EDWARD KENNEDY AL QAEDA DEMOCRACY WAR ON TERROR PRESIDENT BUSH SOLDIERS DEBATE JOHN MCCAIN JOHN MURTHA

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I Left My Heart in San Francisco

the WIZARD, fkap — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 13:47:00 +0000

Much of the "conservative" blogosphere and virtually all "conservative" radio talk show zealots are all talking about the nasty attack on the Yale a capella singing group The Baker's Dozen in San Francisco this past New Year's Eve.

This hits especially close to home for me because our radio station, WiZARD RADIO, plays the music of The Baker's Dozen and many of the other fine and talented college a capella groups. In fact, for the past three years WiZARD RADIO has done special March Madness programming each spring showcasing the nation's finest college a capella groups.

The reason for conservative outrage is that the group was taunted and then physically attacked after performing in sports coats and ties and singing The Star Spangled Banner.

That conservatives would jump to this conclusion isn't without merit. San Francisco has been the center of outrageous liberal behavior over the last several years. The city council and mayor, in particular, have set a tone that might seem to foster an anti-military, anti-conservative morality, and even "anti-preppy" atmosphere.

Whether it's forcing ROTC out of city schools or attempting to illegally sanction gay marriage, San Francisco is on the forefront of liberal values and causes. It might seem safe to assume that the mayor and city council actually reflect the views of the San Francisco population.

But the truth of this story is much darker and more sinister. This is much more likely to be an anti-gay hate crime.

Here's a portion of a report by San Francisco Chronicle columnists Matier and Ross, New Year's nightmare for visiting Yale singers

The 16 singers showed up late to the party wearing preppy sport jackets and ties, and launched into "The Star-Spangled Banner."

A couple of uninvited guests started mocking them, and allegedly the words "faggot" and "homo" were tossed -- and so were a couple of punches.

The loud noise drew relatives from next door, who promptly ordered the house cleared.

The Yale kids, most of whom were staying with a family a block away, began heading home.

But witnesses said one of the uninvited guests -- who happens to be the son of a prominent Pacific Heights family -- pulled out his cell phone and said, "I'm 20 deep. My boys are coming."

According to Rapagnani and others, the Yale kids barely made it around the corner when they were intercepted by a van full of young men.

"They were surrounded, then tripped -- and when they were on the ground, they were kicked," Rapagnani said.

According to police reports, the cops arrived about 12:40 a.m. to find 20 people fighting in the street.

To the police, who were out in force to keep a lid on New Year's, it looked like just another drunken brawl.

But according to Rapagnani, "This was not a fight -- it was an attack."

Four of the alleged assailants were detained at the scene, then released after the cops took their names.

Meanwhile, Sharyar Aziz Jr. was taken by paramedics to San Francisco General Hospital, and later had to undergo reconstructive surgery in New York for a broken jaw that will remain wired shut for eight weeks.

Another unidentified Yale student sought treatment for a concussion, and a third for a swollen ankle and other abrasions.

Yale Dean Peter Salovey told the school paper that he was "shocked and appalled" by the incident, which has yet to yield an arrest.

Bruce, the superb blogger over at Gay Patriot summed it up:

Of course, I naturally assumed the attack on these boys was because they dared sing our National Anthem in the City by the Bay.

Ah, but no.... it appears those tolerant folks in the Bluest of Blue America... went after the guys in a gay-bashing rage.... in San Francisco! *shocked*

Great, just great.! I actually have to be in San Fran in less than two weeks for work. I guess I better not wear a tie, look cleaned up, or sing the National Anthem. Maybe I'll attend all of my business functions dressed as a homeless bum. Heck, I might get a San Fran taxpayer-funded stipend out of it!

TECHNORATI TAGS: GAY BASHING HATE CRIMES SAN FRANCISCO STAR SPANGLED BANNER YALE LIBERALISM THE BAKERS DOZEN HOMOSEXUAL A CAPELLA WIZARD RADIO PREJUDICE

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The System is (in the process of) Working

the WIZARD, fkap — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 14:29:00 +0000

President Bush outlined his long awaited new tactics for the OCCUPATION of Iraq (and the largely coincidental war on terror) last night in a prime time television address. I thought his speech was well written and moderately well presented.

More importantly, I thought his strategy was well thought out and has the potential for some measure of success. Since, in the short term at least, he has the power to implement these tactics, I hope and pray for great success.

As I pointed out in a reply to comments to an earlier blog entry, peace and security are critical for the ultimate implementation of democracy and freedom. Bush's new tactics are an to attempt to provide security for the average Iraqi citizen and, therefore, could possibly be the key to ultimate success.

If you detect a tremor of doubt in my above statements, you are correct. I'm not at all certain that Bush's tactics will work. His tactics have been horribly wrong so far!

Of much greater interest to me this week was the impassioned speech by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) who insists that Congress MUST step up to the plate and bring Bush to heel. He sees his role is to turn the surge of troops around into a planned and programmed reduction of forces.

Kennedy's speech was played and replayed on all cable and network channels and I'm willing to bet more people saw Senator Kennedy than bothered to watch President Bush last night.

Thankfully more people were exposed to the eloquent and impassioned Kennedy than the largely uninspiring Senator Richard Durbin (D-Illinois) who gave the "official" Democrat response to Bush's speech last night. Durbin.... Pelosi..... Reed...... This team is never going to the Super Bowl of political discourse, but I digress.

The key is that Congress is set to act! Those who always "claim" they want a lively, full, in depth and detailed debate of the issues should be thrilled! Over the last five days we've seen our finest leaders present facts, plans and issues to the press, Congress and, ultimately, the American public.

President Bush's presentation last night was clear, clean, logical and detailed. Senator Kennedy (and many, many others) have been equally clear, impassioned, and thoughtful in their discussion.

Right now it's clear that Kennedy and his forces are winning the hearts and minds of the American public and they are making inroads in Congress.

But the Democratic Process will continue. And while many, including some of the most impassioned readers and comment contributors here, will decry the Bush's short term ability to wage further war on the Iraqi people, the fact is that our system is working.

Here we have the ability and the forum to debate ideas and strategies and tactics. And we have the ultimate ability to allow the winners of these debates to enforce their will, even overturning the President on occasion.

That may happen sooner rather than later.

Compare all that is happening here to the story on National Public Radio yesterday (Wednesday, January 10, 2007), by Benjamin Tupper.

Listen as an embedded U.S. Army National Guard Captain in the Afghan National Army recounts hearing a midnight transmission over the military radio: men from his group involved in a pitched battle. Ultimately, one of his Afghan comrades is isolated and his throat is slashed.

I'm not at all certain that the ideas of the Taliban could stand up to debate in the arena of public opinion. They must resort to terror to ultimately control the populace. On the other hand, such debate isn't even possible today in Afghanistan.

Public debate and discourse like that practiced (to perfection) by Senator Kennedy isn't possible in huge sections of the world today.

Again, I urge you to listen to this report about the plight of women in Afghanistan on National Public Radio yesterday by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson. Seeking to escape cultural oppression and economic hardship, an alarming number of Afghan women are taking their own lives.

I pray that someday these women will have a Senator Kennedy to help them.

TECHNORATI TAGS: AFGHANISTAN IRAQ EDWARD KENNEDY RICHARD DURBIN DEMOCRACY WAR ON TERROR PRESIDENT BUSH SOLDIERS DEBATE IDEAS

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Boise State is Number One

the WIZARD, fkap — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 03:03:00 +0000

In case you've somehow missed the biggest sports story of this century, you should hop over to CBS Sportsline and read Dennis Dodd's superb story, "Fiesta finish a legend with rag-tag roots."

If you missed watching the Fiesta Bowl, you may have missed the greatest college football game in the entire history of the sport.

Dennis Dodd is one great sport's columnist, but the Boise State story almost writes itself.

"There were a lot of people rooting for us," [WAC Commissioner Karl] Benson said.

Only the entire nation, minus the state of Oklahoma. Everything changed because just about everything you know about college football is now subject to review. Benson's WAC headliner, Boise State, belongs in the big time after Monday's shocking Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma.

With a coach who makes about one-seventh of what Alabama is offering Nick Saban.

With a stadium that would be considered a seating expansion in the SEC.

With the play-calling chutzpah of an 11-year old PlayStation 2 vet jacked up on Mountain Dew.

Boise State ends the season with a perfect 13-0 record.

Now there may be a few folks who will tell you that next Monday Number 1 Ohio State will play Number 2 Florida for the National Championship. That just isn't true.

And it doesn't matter a hill of beans who the AP or the coaches vote into the Number One spot in the polls next Tuesday.

In the hearts and minds of every sports fan who ever cheered for an underdog, Boise State has already won. And nothing that happens this next week can diminish their glory.

On a side note I want to mention something you've probably already noticed. For the next few weeks, The Wizard, fkap Journal will be hosted on blogspot.

We have, for well over a year, used the blogger.com software and simply hosted the resulting pages on our own website. But recently we've had numerous and painful difficulties uploaded and maintaining the journal on the Earthlink servers, which have housed the wizardfkap url since its inception.

Therefore we are moving wizardfkap.com onto servers we own and operate. This is actually the second to the last of our wide empire of websites to make the move. We've owned, operated and even leased space out on our servers for years.

At the same time we are cleaning up the over 10 years of history in The Wizard,fkap. Nothing will be lost, but most of it will be more accessible. We hope to complete the project in a few weeks.

We URGE YOU to NOT move any bookmarks, since once we leave blogspot there will be no trail for you to follow. Continue to link directly to www.wizardfkap.com and let the redirect take you here. That way you'll still find us after the move is complete.

TECHNORATI TAGS: BOISE STATE FOOTBALL OHIO STATE FLORIDA BCS COACH'S POLL ASSOCIATED PRESS THE WIZARD FKAP WIZARDFKAP

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It's a Beautiful Wreath, Except for the Trout

the WIZARD, fkap — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:56:00 +0000

A picture is worth a thousand words. And I had my camera with me. But, in this rare instance, I think it's better if you simply use your imagination.

We ate at a wonderful restaurant last night and they had a large wreath decorating the wall of the main dining room. The wreath was filled to overflowing with greenery and pine cones and berries. There was even a bird's nest, as you often see in "natural wreaths."

And then there were three large plastic trout. Not jumping through the wreath as you might imagine, but just included in the greenery around the wreath.

You have to wonder. Who looked at this gorgeous wreath and said, "I know just what this wreath needs!! Three large plastic trout!!!"

How and why did this happen? And exactly how did the restaurant owner decide on this particular wreath.

"Oh honey, let's buy the one with the trout."

Let's face it, a lot of people must have gone into the process that ultimately placed this trout laden wreath in the center of this restaurant.

Perhaps it was a committee decision. A compromise!! That's it.

"You can have a wreath decorating the restaurant, but only if you add a few trout!"

And, speaking of compromises, let's note that the United Nation's established and supported government of Somalia is now, finally, back in control of a sizable portion of that country.

The resurgence of the supposedly legitimate Somalian government wasn't due to any action of effort by the United Nations. Instead it was the neighboring army of Ethiopia that intervened and propelled the hapless U.N. backed government back to power.

The country had been largely controlled by the Council of Islamic Courts, which, frankly, seems to have a lot more popular support. The regions controlled by the Council of Islamic Courts were relatively peaceful. The return of the government seems to also mean a return to lawlessness. The legitimate government cannot control the "clans" or warlords.

There is an excellent audio report on National Public Radio here.

The Council of Islamic Courts, the umbrella group for the Islamic movement that ruled Mogadishu for six months, wanted to transform Somalia into a strict Islamic state. And they were rumored to have strong ties to al-Qaida and are supposedly harboring several known terrorists.

Secular and largely Christian Ethiopia feared a strict Islamic state on its borders. And Ethiopia has the largest, best trained and best equipped army in Africa.

The United Nations had condemned the Islamic revolutionaries for several reasons, including their use of child soldiers on the front lines of the fighting. Even now there are reports of forced conscription of twelve year old children to fight in the latest battles. Parents are fleeing with their children in hopes of protecting their lives.

But no one expects the 15 year civil war to end easily. From a report by the Associated Press on MSNBC:

“Even if we are defeated we will start an insurgency,” said Sheik Ahmed Mohamed Islan, the head of the Islamic movement in the Kismayo region. “We will kill every Somali that supports the government and Ethiopians.”

It seems to me that the biggest problem is that the United Nation's established government in Somalia has the same identical problem as the United State's established government in Iraq.

Both are wreaths, well intended gifts to the people of the respective, but occupied countries. And both are seriously infested with trout.

They must have sounded good to the bureaucrats in New York and Washington, D.C., but they look funny and work badly in the countries who must mount them on their walls.

TECHNORATI TAGS: SOMALIA IRAQ UNITED NATIONS ETHOPIA COUNCIL OF ISLAMIC COURTS AL QAIDA PRESIDENT BUSH SOLDIERS ARMY ISLAM

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Words Have Consequences

the WIZARD, fkap — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 03:55:00 +0000

Anyone of my liberal, progressive or left leaning readers who think the following is simply "Right Wing Hysteria" or a "Conservative Fiction" or just a mere "Blogosphere Exaggeration" needs to open their eyes and think again.

Ben of Mesopotamia writes in his blog:

After praising Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak, Senator John Kerry came to Iraq this weekend.

Before his arrival, rumors were already flowing that every FOB (Forward Operating Base) Commander told General Casey that they already had another "DV" (Distinguished Visitor) to support while Sen. Kerry was in country -- or that they would be in the middle of ongoing operations -- and hence were unable to support his visit. This rumor was either sparked or confirmed by a post by Matt on Blackfive. (Blackfive, for those who don't already read it, is an infinitely more interesting military blog than mine).

Hey, I just came from a meeting where they were trying to get some commander, any commander, in the Green Zone, to host Jawn Carri.

Swear to God, the CG is saying, "You can't tell me you ALL have things going on at that time! Come on!"

So, it appears that JF'nK will be coming to the Palace at the Embassy Annex and sitting around sucking up coffee at the Green Bean while we all try to ignore him.

And ignor him they did. While the soldiers swamped Bill O'Reilly with hundreds lined up for autographs, they avoided Kerry.

Kerry couldn't even get any local or national coverage for a press conference and had to cancel because... well, no one came.

Why?

The reason is simple and should be ignored only at our own peril. The soldiers are supporting those who support them.

I wrote earlier about FOX's unabashed love fest with the soldiers this Christmas. It wasn't journalism. It was a shower of old fashioned support.

Soldiers were allowed to talk on FOX. Unrestricted.

O'Reilly said one thing over and over and over and over and over again during his trip to Iraq: Thank You!!!

Kerry made a bad joke. Kerry refused over and often to apologize. And don't think for a minute today's soldiers aren't painfully aware for Kerry's slander against the troops during Viet Nam.

John Kerry is not their friend. And they know it.

And the soldiers are supporting their friends.

You don't have to like it. You can think the soldiers are "brainwashed" or misled.

But we must learn from Bill O'Reilly, Oliver North, FOX News and John Kerry.

Words Have Consequences.

TECHNORATI TAGS: JOHN KERRY IRAQ OLIVER NORTH BILL O'REILLY FOX NEWS BEN OF MESOPOTAMIA PRESIDENT BUSH SOLDIERS ARMY MARINES

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My Christmas Wish: Tolerance on Earth

the WIZARD, fkap — Mon, 25 Dec 2006 15:33:00 +0000

Predictable, yet poignant, the Associated Press has a Christmas story about the difficulty the few Iraqi Christians have in celebrating Christmas. Here is a link.

I can't remember a Christmas without such a story (or two, or three). Different countries, different wars, different Christian denominations or sects, different oppressors, and yet the stories themselves are virtually identical.

These stories of oppression always, remarkably enough, mirror the original Christmas Story. One group of people is oppressed, occupied or enslaved by another. They are forced to live in the shadows, to live in fear of violence. At the time of Jesus birth, it was the Jews who were oppressed and their lands occupied (as it has often been throughout history).

Traditionally, the AP gives us these Christmas stories of religious oppression from China where most religious celebrations, and even worship itself, must be hidden from the government. I remember reading these stories as a child. And even today many Christian and other religious leaders are imprisoned for the open demonstration of their faith.

But during the war in Bosnia, such stories came from there. It makes perfect sense the AP would profile the plight of Christians in Iraq.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Umm Salam draws her curtains across her windows, then settles into an armchair in a living room festooned with colored lights and a portrait of Jesus on the cross. Her Christmas tree glitters in the corner.

One of Iraq's estimated 800,000 Christians, the 56-year-old widow celebrates the holiday quietly with her children and grandchildren, as violence sweeps the country.

"It is very risky to go the church in our neighborhood, so we will have a party at home and some of our relatives will come to celebrate," she said. "They'll have to stay the night at our home due to the security situation and the curfew."

The evening service at the local church was canceled for security reasons.

The spirit of Christmas is still alive in Iraq, but it's tucked away behind the closed doors of Christian families, who represent about three percent of Iraq's 26 million people.

Of course the most horrific violence and oppression exists within the Muslim communities. And the worst violence is directed between Sunnis and Shiites. The Christian suffering is just a footnote.

As a Unitarian Universalist they thing I understand least of all is this lack of tolerance. The lack of mutual respect. The absence of inter religious support.

But I'm not sure why I'm surprised. Such lack of understanding and support and tolerance is rampant in this country. Why should the world be any different?

Why, indeed?

For over 50 years I've wished and prayed for Peace on Earth every Christmas. Maybe my wish was just too big. To difficult, even for God.

So this Christmas, I'll tone it down a bit. Let me just wish for a little Tolerance on Earth. I pray for a small amount of compassion. A little mutual respect. I pray everyone who wishes to celebrate Christmas can do so in peace, in safety and with hearts filled with happiness, not fear.

Dear Lord, please do what you can and grant us the wisdom and the courage to do the rest.

Merry Christmas.

TECHNORATI TAGS: CHRISTMAS IRAQ RELIGION CHRISTIAN PEACE ON EARTH UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHINA SUNNI ISLAM SHIITE

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A Personal Note

the WIZARD, fkap — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 02:04:00 +0000

I'd like to take a moment of your time to say "Hello" to Randi Rhodes, talk show host extraordinaire on the struggling Air America Network.

Randi and I share a wonderful set of friends, David and "LaLa." Randi occasionally mentions them on the air. She is spending the Holidays with them.

I have listened to Randi many times thanks to Internet Radio. Tragically, Air America had no outlet here in the deep interior south. There are (or were) outlets in Memphis and New Orleans.

Often outrageous and often courageous, Randi is a very important part of the political discourse in this country.

Over the last few months I have noted with troubled amusement the many conservative bloggers (including some I deeply respect and quote here) who have rejoiced at the financial woes and impending death of Air America.

It's as if somehow financial mismanagement of one company is a victory for the conservative set of ideas!

Of course nothing could be further from the truth! Ideas, concepts and philosophies must survive and grow on their own. And liberal and progressive ideas are flourishing now more than any time in the last 30 years.

Randi is more valuable because she is "out there." She is unapologetic. She is a force in the progressive community.

I, for one, am hopeful that she survives, grows and prospers. Perhaps Air America is the wrong venture. But there is ample room for the diversity of ideas Air America represents.

Happy Holidays to David, LaLa and Randi.... and to all of you reading here from around the world. May peace fill your hearts and the new year bring you the happiness you so richly deserve.

TECHNORATI TAGS: IDEAS FREE SPEECH RANDI RHODES AIR AMERICA

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Capt. Jamil Hussein versus Col. Oliver North

the WIZARD, fkap — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 02:58:00 +0000

The fog of war. Or something more?

I'm going to make a flat out statement with which many of you will disagree. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING IN IRAQ.

In spite of the news anchors, talk show hosts, bloggers extraordinaire, news magazines, cable networks and politicians, all of whom CLAIM to know the facts, WE DON'T HAVE A CLUE.

Two weeks ago the Iraq Study Group painted a very gloomy picture. Many pundits, bloggers and glitterati trumpeted the report as if it were the word of god, handed down from the mountain.

The only question left unanswered was which came first, the gloom or the doom.

But, somewhere in the background that very same week, Col. Oliver North, a conservative zealot to be certain, reporting for right leaning Fox News, began a series of reports from Iraq's absolutely worst hotzones. North is embedded with the troops, an increasingly rare vantage point. And he's outside of Bagdad, in Ambar Province and later in the city of Ramadi.

And his reports, almost all interviews with U.S. troops from privates to generals, is decidedly upbeat. Progress is being made. Iraqi's are taking control. Police forces are working. Violence is dropping. U.S. troops are taking a step back.

It's old fashioned reporting. Four years ago every network was doing it. Talk to the troops. Let them wish loved ones back home a Merry Christmas. Give them a much deserved pat on the back. All pretty much out of style in 2006.

Other networks turn up their noses. Only FOX and Ollie North are cheerleaders this Christmas.

Objective? No, not really. Fair and balanced? Nope.

Pro Bush? Yep. Pro U.S. troops? Absolutely.

While George Stephanopoulos treasures the dead each week, Ollie North treasures the living.

The other networks, newspapers and news magazines don't have the time for old fashioned troop support. There's hard news to report. They've got a civil war to cover. Sectarian violence. Murders. Kidnappings. Torture. Bagdad is burning.

Bagdad is burning. The reporters, safe in their Green Zone Hotels, can smell the smoke.

The violence increases daily. On November 24th, the Associated Press (AP) reported the most horrific violence yet. Iraqi Police Captain Jamil Hussein told the AP that Shia thugs in Baghdad "grabbed six Sunnis as they left Friday worship services, doused them with kerosene and burned them alive near Iraqi soldiers who did not intervene."

Twelve Mosques were burned. Payback for earlier violence against the Shia's was hell on earth for innocent Sunnis. Steven R. Hurst, writing for the Associated Press, reports,

BAGHDAD — The attack on the small Mustafa Sunni mosque began as worshippers were finishing Friday midday prayers. About 50 unarmed men, many in black uniforms and some wearing ski masks, walked through the district chanting "We are the Mahdi Army, shield of the Shiites."

Fifteen minutes later, two white pickups, a black BMW and a black Opel drove up to the marchers. The suspected Shiite militiamen took automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers from the vehicles. They then blasted open the front of the mosque, dragged six worshippers outside, doused them with kerosene and set them on fire.

This account of one of the most horrific alleged attacks of Iraq's sectarian war emerged Tuesday in separate interviews with residents of a Sunni enclave in the largely Shiite Hurriyah district of Baghdad.

The Associated Press first reported on Friday's incident that evening, based on the account of police Capt. Jamil Hussein and Imad al-Hashimi, a Sunni elder in Hurriyah, who told Al-Arabiya television he saw people who were soaked in kerosene, then set afire, burning before his eyes.

You'll remember this incident because it was so widely covered. It led the news reports. Civil War in Iraq was no longer a concept that could be debated. Civil War was a reality.

But there is one little problem. This might never have actually happened. This widely reported and often repeated story might actually have a whole lot less credibility than Col. Oliver North's cheer leading reports from Ambar.

Almost immediately the U.S. military liaisons questioned the report. They could not confirm it ever happened. The the Iraqi government denied the report. And finally the Iraqi's denied that there was ever anyone named Capt. Jamil Hussein in any branch of the Iraqi government, armed forces or police.

However, the U.S. military said in a letter to the AP late Monday, three days after the incident, that it had checked with the Iraqi Interior Ministry and was told that no one by the name of Jamil Hussein works for the ministry or as a Baghdad police officer. Lt. Michael B. Dean, a public affairs officer of the U.S. Navy Multi-National Corps-Iraq Joint Operations Center, signed the letter, a text of which was published subsequently on several Internet blogs. The letter also reiterated an earlier statement from the U.S. military that it had been unable to confirm the report of immolation...

...The U.S. military said that neither police nor coalition forces had reports of such an incident.

The Iraqi Defense Ministry later said that al-Hashimi, the Sunni elder in Hurriyah, had recanted his account of the attack after being visited by a representative of the defense minister...

The AP has stood by it's story.... sort of. But they've back peddled every day. And they can't seem to produce Capt. Hussein. The story has virtually fallen apart.

Hussein is likely a Sunni plant. For over two years he supplied stories to the AP that depicted horrific violence against Sunni's, but never a single incident of violence against Shiites. And the AP was duped.

The real problem is that the supposedly real reporters are trapped in the Green Zone. They are highly visible targets and their lives are in danger. They rely on Iraqi stringers. Sources can't be checked.

Bloggers who first broke the story are now traveling to Iraq in search of the elusive Capt. Hussein.

But where is the truth in all this? Oliver North claims progress, real progress, is being made. Is it possible he and the U.S. troops he interviews are telling the truth?

Or is Capt. Jamil Hussein just as real as the AP has claimed? Is Iraq in the throws of Civil War? Is the violence he reported (and virtually everyone covered without any question or confirmation) real? Or is it just partisan propaganda? Point and counterpoint to North's cheer leading?

We don't know because in this war truth is not just a victim, it's the sworn enemy of each faction. Every player in this drama has a reason to suppress the truth.

Sunni's plant stories. Shiites plant stories. The Iraqi Government has its message. The U.S. military orchestrates entire docu-dramas.

Politicians carefully paint partisan pictures.

And even the networks, newspapers and newsmagazines have agendas.

Holding reporters in the Green Zone serves everyone's interests.

Don't just wag the dog. Put on an entire dog and pony show. Just don't let any reporters actually look behind the stage.

Any reporters who might like to do their jobs are held captive in the Green Zone auditorium, unable to venture out beyond its walls, unable to trust anyone or anything, least of all what they see on stage.

The Truth is Out There.

Trust No One.

Save the Cheerleader, Save the World.

-------------------------------------------------

A Tip of the Wizard's Pointy Cap to Michelle Malkin, whose reporting on this issue was invaluable to me, even though she might disagree with my conclusions. Michelle is now planning to travel to Iraq in further pursuit of this story.

Click for an UPDATE from USA TODAY on the Capt. Hussein and Michelle Malkin portion of this story

TECHNORATI TAGS: THE IRAQ REPORT STUDY GROUP REPORT IRAQ OLIVER NORTH CAPT. JAMIL HUSSEIN FOX NEWS GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS PRESIDENT BUSH SUNNI ISLAM SHIITE

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There is No Silver Bullet

the WIZARD, fkap — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 14:25:00 +0000

The United States Institute of Peace has made The Iraq Study Group Report available for free download or for free reading on-line here.

I was finally able to read the entire report yesterday. It's an easy and relatively quick read. My delay in reading the report was due to outside time constraints and not any problem with the report itself.

But, since I was unable to read the report until yesterday, I was able to absorb the reaction to the report from newspapers, radio talk show hosts, television pundits and bloggers left and right all this past week.

Before I even got to the report I had the following observations based on the wide range of reporting available on the Hamilton/Baker chaired study.

The Left generally loved the report's flaming condemnation of the Bush administration and the multiple failures leading up to and executing the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq. There were more bombs being thrown over in The Huffington Post in one day than than in the entire city of Bagdad in a month.

Let me go ahead and apologize right now for the above analogy. I couldn't resist, but let me make it clear, when Arianna Huffington, Alec Baldwin or Nora Ephron throw bombs, no one dies.

Still, the left was out in force.

The Right saw the report as a pathway to surrender. A few pointed out good ideas but the Right almost universally rejected whole sections of the recommendations, cherry picking just a few points as worthy of consideration.

President Bush himself indicated some recommendations of the report might not be accepted, but generally was more receptive than the commentators, radio talk show hosts and bloggers on the right.

The Left and much of the mainstream media (which does tend to lean a little left) initially demanded that the report be accepted in totality. Vigilante (who always, very correctly, points out he does not speak for the left, or anyone, except himself) cleanly and clearly and FORCEFULLY made the point here (editing and emphasis are mine):

The ISG Report is not a 'fruit salad' to be cherry-picked....

But you and I could come together if Bush and Cheney would only eat their fruit salad in total. If they refuse, then they should be made to eat their vanity war before they are excused from the table. Progressives should demand that Bush and Cheney should be excused from the White House by November 2008, or our troops are excused from Iraq by the same date.

However, quickly the left realized, exactly as the right had already concluded, that the report was no silver bullet and had many, many flaws and loopholes. In fact, a sizable portion of the left quickly moved to generally condemn the report as simply more "stay the course."

The best blog entry (essay, for us old timers) comes from Senator Russ Feingold writing over at The Huffington Post in his entry A Washington Inside Job (editing and emphasis are all mine):

When the Iraq Study Group's report was unveiled this week, it was like the opening of a blockbuster movie, with reporters counting down the minutes until it was released. But now that all the hoopla has subsided, all we are left with is a Washington inside job: a report written by Washington insiders, for Washington insiders, who share the same mindset that led us into the misguided war in Iraq.

The Iraq Study Group essentially sees Iraq the same way that most of official Washington does - as the be-all and end-all of our foreign and national security policy. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The report has some good recommendations, including its call for the U.S. to step up diplomatic efforts with countries like Iran and Syria. But many of its recommendations perpetuate the Iraq-centric policies that have failed so miserably. They fail to correct the course that the American people rejected at the polls in November.

Feingold is right. Which, paradoxically means that President Bush and the commentators on the right are also right. The report is not the whole answer, but may contain a few good tactics.

I wish it had been more. I believe James Baker and Lee Hamilton and the group did their level best. But the occupation of Iraq is a quagmire. The solution will not be found in any 98 page report.

TECHNORATI TAGS: THE IRAQ REPORT STUDY GROUP REPORT IRAQ JAMES A BAKER VIGILANTE LEE H HAMILTON RUSS FEINGOLD PRESIDENT BUSH

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Remembering Darfur on Human Right's Day

the WIZARD, fkap — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 22:42:00 +0000

It would be virtually impossible for me to improve on the impassioned and heartfelt words of Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi this December 10th, Human Right's Day.

Below is a reprint of her comments from the Save Darfur Website. However, the various emphasis are mine.

Fifty eight years ago, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, announcing the basic rights and fundamental freedoms to which every citizen of the world is entitled, and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, declaring genocide a crime under international law which the civilized world must prevent. This weekend, we mark these anniversaries with heavy hearts, reminded that we are bound to aid those who have been deprived of these very rights and protections.

In the preamble to the Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations and its members pledged to achieve "the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms." Despite this pledge, we have seen an atrocity unfold before our very eyes in Darfur, yet we have taken little action to protect these sacrosanct rights. The lack of international action has allowed the Sudanese government to continue with what USAID and the United Nations have called an "ethnic cleansing," as the nightmare continues for our brothers and sisters in Darfur.

Although the Declaration promises "the right to life, liberty, and security of person," hundreds of thousands of civilians have been murdered and more than 2.5 million people have been displaced into unprotected camps throughout Sudan or sent to refugee camps in neighboring Chad. The Declaration states that "no one shall be subjected to torture, or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment," yet hundreds of women are raped or sexually assaulted every week, with no force to protect them. The African Union, the only peacekeeping force in Sudan, does not have the manpower or the mandate to prevent these heinous acts from occurring. It is obvious that the Sudanese government has no intention of stopping its indiscriminate massacre of Darfuris. If we do not act, the people of Darfur will continue to suffer, without hope or end in sight.

As we commemorate the 58th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Genocide Convention we must remember that with the crisis in Darfur, now is no time to celebrate. It is time to champion the rights of the Declaration not by words, but through our actions. We cannot stand idly by as the Sudanese government continues its systematic destruction of the people of Darfur. We are compelled by the conscience of the world to put an end to this humanitarian disaster and restore dignity and hope to the Darfuri. If we do not, we betray our commitment as the protector of human rights, and risk compromising the very nature of our own conscience. I join with you on this Weekend of Prayer for Darfur, and pray that our efforts will bring more attention to the worsening crises.

--Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi

Go GREEN This Christmas

As you consider gifts this Holiday, please remember to give a little GREEN to everyone on your gift list. Give the Save Darfur Wirstband.

Wearing your wristband and sharing them with friends will help others become aware of the crisis in Darfur and demonstrate your commitment to ending the suffering there. Wristbands serve as a visible declarations of our desire to bring an end to the violence and atrocities in Darfur.

Moreover, the bands further our awareness and education efforts by stimulating conversation on the crisis.The green wristbands read "Not On My Watch - Save Darfur" and are available in both youth and adult sizes.

The "Not on My Watch" Darfur Wristbands are just $15.00 for a package of 10 bands. Please buy several to give to your friends and relatives. They can be ordered on the SAVE DARFUR Website.

TECHNORATI TAGS: SAVE DRFUR SUDAN RELIGION FREE SPEECH HUMAN RIGHTS DARFUR NANCY PELOSI UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

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Congratulations, Mary Cheney

the WIZARD, fkap — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 20:17:00 +0000

A tip of the Wizard's pointy cap to Mary over at Freedom Eden for her really excellent commentary on Mary Cheney's recently announced pregnancy.

Let me join the very, very few who seem to be congratulating Mary and her life partner Heather Poe on the upcoming birth of their child. It is a most joyous occasion.

TECHNORATI TAGS: MARY CHENEY HOMOSEXUAL RIGHTS RELIGION LESBIANISM HUMAN RIGHTS GAY MARRIAGE CHILDBIRTH ADOPTION FREEDOM EDEN

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