Comments on funny and interesting: Funny & Interesting People Part 1: Wesley Morgan o...

This was really interesting and I know it is a rea...

2008-10-24T18:05:00.000-07:00

This was really interesting and I know it is a real life story. I am glad I was able to meet you Wesley. Also I read your other blog about the Marines which of course was awesome. Anyway keep up the good work!

Semper Fidelis!
USMC

Wesley, thanks for your reply, I'm looking forwar...

2007-11-21T15:29:00.000-08:00

Wesley, thanks for your reply, I'm looking forward to read your remarks. I'll contact you very soon.
About the pertinence of war statistics, it's for Cameron to decide, maybe she'll enlighten us.
This blog touches also thorny stuff, reconstruction after Katrina, immigration laws etc. Have a look to Cam's Comic Economics post: she deals with a burning matter in a very sweet way and she's able to make it intelligible to a child (a rare talent), but the message is tough: goods and capital circulate freely but labour does not and that's not right; even more so, I add, no country should be allowed to have access to resources (e.g. Iraq oil) through coercive means, contribute to a slaughter, cause war and labour out-migration and then take no notice of the civilian deads, of emigrants and refugees. I get the "MTV mood" and the alternative spirit of your report, Wesley, it doesn't shock me, light and serious can coexist, but the main mass media coverage of Iraq war neither provides substantial information nor stresses the point of invasion legitimacy. Beside your light piece I just provide the often neglected numbers of the tragedy in progress, so that everybody can realize what your perspective is alternative to.
My second post is another story, it's just an answer to Anonymous' idealization of Petraeus; however founded on reliable sources, my little research doesn't claim to strike the balance of Petraeus' skills and work: my conclusion about him is partly satirical. As I've already written, Petraeus' "touch" is not that relevant: whatever the general in charge of Iraq may be, the White House aim, a protectorate on Iraq, is secured. Anyhow I'd like to know your objections, Wesley.
The following link seems to be another first person account of occupied Iraq: http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/
Just a note about my harsh tone: it's all about passion for this subject and about necessity of being precise and sticking to facts; I want neither to sound offensive to anyone nor to discourage replies.

Cameron in the Army - that I would love to see! Ha...

2007-11-13T12:36:00.000-08:00

Cameron in the Army - that I would love to see! Haha!

Stefano: I (same Wes who wrote this little piece) would be happy to discuss Gen. Petraeus's record with you more privately - some of those are fair criticisms, but some are not. Wesleysmorgan@gmail.com. Let's let Cam's blog stay about the funny and the interesting, not war statistics.

lllllllllloveyou cam

2007-11-12T23:11:00.000-08:00

lllllllllloveyou cam

Anonymous, the death toll is what war is (like) an...

2007-11-12T17:49:00.000-08:00

Anonymous, the death toll is what war is (like) and how it's overseen. Of course there's nothing wrong if you like Wes' report.
Invasion of Iraq was driven largely by oil: what really matters to Bush is to control oil supplies, to establish Iraqi leading classes that are sensitive to western economic demands, to secure contracts for American companies that pursue government work in the occupied territories (to build, operate and maintain warehouses destined for military equipment, for example). Whatever the cost: so Iraqis keep on dying and Americans go on paying. Given this strategy different military approaches to Iraq occupation are usually unimportant details. However let's give a look to Petraeus's work from the Internet media perspective.
After the 2003 invasion Gen Petraeus was responsible for north-central Iraq: backed by the overwhelming presence of the 101st Airborne, he "distinguished himself in Mosul with his hearts-and-minds approach" ( http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3056/
counterinsurgency_101/).
The organization of Iraqi army and police was his responsibility from June 2004 to September 2005; despite his optimistic report, dated September 2004 and published by the Washington Post( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/
articles/A49283-2004Sep25.html), the outcome of his efforts was a failure. In May 2004 the project of a "third force" of highly trained police commando units (Emergency Response Units) was launched. "The trainings began under General David Petreaus as an effort to bolster security in Iraq, and soon evolved into a system for providing support to the deeply sectarian Ministry of the Interior" ( http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=14700). According to a reportage by Peter Maass, Gen. Petraeus also supported the Special Police Commandos, led by ex-Ba'athist Gen Adnan: Maass witnessed many cases in which the Commandos (then National Police under the Ministry of the Interior) abused prisoners
(http://www.petermaass.com/core.cfm?
p=1&mag=123&magtype=1).
A September 2007 report about the Iraqi security forces, prepared by a commission of retired senior U.S. military officers, described Iraqi army as ineffective; the same commission recommended that the national police force, controlled by the Ministry of the Interior but "riddled with sectarianism and corruption", be disbanded.
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content
/article/2007/09/05/AR2007090501282.html).
And that's about "missing in action" weapons: "The Pentagon has lost track of about 190,000 AK-47 assault rifles and pistols given to Iraqi security forces in 2004 and 2005", that is "30 percent of the weapons the United States distributed to Iraqi forces from 2004 through early this year as part of an effort to train and equip the troops [...] The United States has spent $19.2 billion trying to develop Iraqi security forces since 2003, the GAO said, including at least $2.8 billion to buy and deliver equipment. But the GAO said weapons distribution was haphazard and rushed and failed to follow established procedures, particularly from 2004 to 2005, when security training was led by Gen. David H. Petraeus, who now commands all U.S. forces in Iraq."
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content
/article/2007/08/05/AR2007080501299.html)
In September 2007 Gen. Petraeus seemed to be "incomprehensibly" in the dark about the proportions of the Iraqi massacre and preferred submitting fishy numbers about a supposed recent drop in violence in the occupied territories ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content
/article/2007/09/05/AR2007090502466.html).
So Gen. Petraeus is a brilliant Princeton alumna who possesses great political skills (when he's backed by the 101st Airborne) and likes Sunnis and ex-Ba'athists (in a country where Curds and Shiites are predominant); tempted by the "salvadorization" of Iraq, he hates to account for the weapons he receives and he's little concerned in Iraqi civilians' lot. Do you "appreciate" his work?

Let's focus on most relevant things: where's Cameron? I'm worried, did she join the Army? Petraeus, dismiss Cameron Russell! when she signed up she was beside herself, intoxicated by the controversial eau de parfum Angel by Thierry Mugler.
What about a petition to have her back?

N° 1

Name: Stefano

From: Italy

Why do you want Cam back?
"Cos she's smart and ironic
(OK... cute dimples and
nice overall looks as well)"

...

I am and was against the war in Iraq. That doesn't...

2007-10-30T16:54:00.000-07:00

I am and was against the war in Iraq. That doesn't mean it isn't interesting for me to hear a first hand account of what it's like over there or appreciate the work of a General who was thrown in after the war had already started. I think that it is important to realize the death toll and the mistake Iraq was. But it is equally important to understanding now that we are in a war what that war is like and how it is overseen. I'm sure Patreaus (is that how you spell his name?) wants to get out of Iraq but I doubt it's an easy job.

Stefano thank you for the real info. General Petra...

2007-10-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

Stefano thank you for the real info. General PetraAss is more suitable name. Princeton University should be ashamed of him.

A study published by The Lancet in October 2006 co...

2007-09-23T06:52:00.000-07:00

A study published by The Lancet in October 2006 concluded that about 600,000 Iraqis had died due to the war during 39 months of conflict: surveyed people indicated U.S. troops and their allied forces as responsible for 31% of the murders
(http://www.thelancet.com/webfiles/images/
journals/lancet/s0140673606694919.pdf).
The U.S. and British governments, dismissing this study (Bush had spread the figure of 30,000 deaths in December 2005), offered no valid reasons for rejecting these findings, and they ignored the fact that they had sponsored identical studies in other war areas like Afghanistan, Kosovo etc.
(http://www.democracynow.org/
article.pl?sid=06/10/12/145222).
The likelihood of such a disaster had been indicated in advance, nevertheless USA opted for invasion
(http://www.medact.org/
article_publications.php?articleID=152).
Sadly a new survey (September 2007) done by the British polling agency ORB confirms the Lancet survey and suggests that more than 1,000,000 Iraqis have been murdered since 2003
(http://www.opinion.co.uk/
Newsroom_details.aspx?NewsId=78).
According to July 2007 Oxfam and NCCI report eight million Iraqis – nearly one in three - are in need of emergency aid. In detail:

Four million Iraqis – 15% - regularly cannot buy enough to eat.
70% are without adequate water supplies, compared to 50% in 2003.
28% of children are malnourished, compared to 19% before the 2003 invasion.
92% of Iraqi children suffer learning problems, mostly due to the climate of fear.
More than two million people – mostly women and children - have been displaced inside Iraq.
A further two million Iraqis have become refugees, mainly in Syria and Jordan.
(http://www.oxfam.org/en/news/2007/
pr070730_iraq_humanitarian_crisis)

How can we look at Iraq through a different lens? I don't know... frankly I think that the usual one works quite well: Gen. Petraeus is the dude in charge of raging through Iraq to perpetuate Western control over global oil supplies.
The most suitable soundtrack for Iraqi hell? A dead march, I suppose.

Stefano

Thank you for posting this piece Cameron. I am gla...

2007-09-20T20:27:00.000-07:00

Thank you for posting this piece Cameron. I am glad that I got to read it, I never would have if you hadn't posted it because it's not really my bag. I love your blog and always read it when you post new stuff, I only wish you posted more often!

Thank you for this first person account.

2007-09-19T20:33:00.000-07:00

Thank you for this first person account.