News – Musing the State of Moral Ground

Iraq

Rummy makes a surprise visit to Iraq. He says he isn’t there to throw water on the fire. Already speculation runs rampant about just why he’s there. Meanwhile, General Richard Myers says we have the high moral ground in Iraq. He might think so, but usually when you have the high moral ground, you don’t shift your tactics to act like those who you fight. I’d honestly question if we have retained the moral high ground. Of course, trying times try the principals of good folk.

France is alarmed over recent and lasting developments in Iraq. If you don’t know France’s position, it’s pretty well laid out in this article.

Nouri Badran, who resigned as Interior Minister last month, says the issues at Abu Ghraib were covered up anytime the Iraqi Governing Council sought to investigate them. HE says Iraqis should be included in the investigation if the US wants to regain some credibility.

Fighting continues in Kerbala, with US forces clashing with Sadr’s Mehdi Army. Apparently it has been said the Mehdi Army lost seven, but claims to have inflected heavy casualties on the new Iraqi Army and the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps in ambush. This hasn’t been confirmed by US commanders. Seems Sadr might be ready to give it up thought. He’s said he’s ready to disband his Mehdi Army, though he still opposites the US.

Bush says there is no justification for the beheading of Nick Berg. Granted. Though I’ve also heard he plans to get them killers. Like he planned to get those killers who mutilated the four and hung them on a bridge. He should stop making promises he won’t be likely to keep. Meanwhile Nick’s family blames the government. They believe that, after being held, Nick was released into the dangerous environment Iraq had become and was subsequently snapped up. The FBI says that he was offered a way out, but rejected it and an offer to inform his family of his status. His family doesn’t believe that he’d do that. Personally, I’m inclined to agree with them. If I were alone in Iraq at that time, I’d be more than happy to get a safe ride home ASAP.

Arab opinion on the beheading death seems to be largely on the side of condemnation. Some believe that it might blunt efforts to root out the Abu Ghraib abuses. I don’t know about that, but I know it’s hardened a lot of hearts. Read and listen a little and you’ll see it.

Saddam Salah al-Rawi, prisoner number 200144 in Abu Ghraib, says he spent 18 days naked alone in a cell, often with his hands and feet bound together, and was frequently beaten, urinated on and occasionally photographed hooded and naked by American troops. That’s a heavy tale.

Musing why there hasn’t been the righteous outrage that some expected after the Abu Ghraib incident.

Does the Stanford Prison Experiment explain Abu Ghraib?

Poking at the right’s Abu Ghraib denial. I suppose it comes down to what you think is worse. Light shone on a US fault or portraying our collective facing up to it as a mere political move by the opposition. Already the culture warriors are pegging everything but gross incipience of military and government figures as the cause of Abu Ghraib. Now who is using the issue as a political tool? Pot and kettle, my friends. And the core of the issue will continue to be ignored, allowing history to repeat itself. Silly humans.

Suggested exit strategies for the US. Since the Bush Administration doesn’t seem to have one save for wait and see. You know, I think that, after the great push that the more hawkish often laud, the focus was lost. It’s sort of like how things are when you rush to do something and, after finding it to be easier than expected you’re at a loss for what to do next. You loose stride and are stunned.

Israel/Palestine

Eleven Palestinians, four said to be militants, were killed in a helicopter missile strike on the Rafah refugee camp after ambushes that killed eleven Israeli soldiers. Later a nineteen year old Palestinian on the ground push into the camp, where ten homes were destroyed. And the wheel of death continues to turn, oiled by the blood of the innocent and the guilty.

Thank you, that was my prose for the day. 😉

US

Bush and Kerry spar over education. As usual, focused around No Child Left Behind.

Bush remains concerned about gas prices while Kerry pokes at him about not doing enough about it. US oil refiners say that there is no quick fix, expecting prices to peak at $2.03 this June and average $1.94 for April through September.

41 US lawmakers are steaming over the FDA decision to not allow the sale of the Plan B emergency contraceptive sans prescription.

Four homosexual couples are suing in Florida federal court for the right to marry. They charge the constitution forbids “the creation of second-class citizens” through bans on same sex marriages.

Krispy Kreme uses Atkins as an excuse. Is the diet craze an excuse for their economic dip?

Why is the INS hassling foreign journalists?

General

A virus created to hunt down AIDS could be a novel cure for the prolific ailment. The amazing thing? It only took $200k and a grad student to develop the potential Meanwhile a documentary that traces the origin of AIDS to a polio vaccine has scientists annoyed. The other theory of origin is that it came from monkeys.

In game news, Playboy: The Mansion is coming(insert pun here) in November. Yup, a SimHef game. For those who prefer the violence to the sex, Doom 3 is nearing release.

The Day After Tomorrow wins praise from the British research establishment and the environment movement. It looks like a blast to me, so I plan to see it in two weeks. The film is light on scientific detail, but high on political accuracy.

Explainer tells you about that little gizmo on GI helmets. The answer is quite simple.. nightvision mount.

Today’s Papers has Kerry returning some focus to hitting Bush on Iraq, lack of confidence among Iraqis in the US occupation, more Abu Ghraib stuff(you expected that, didn’t you?) and other tidbits.

Amusements

Mark Fiore: Priatizing the Military

Friends was trashed in confidential 1994 NBC research report.

When growing pot at home, be sure not to alert police of an imaginary robber hiding in house

Seventh-grader brings World War I artillery shell to school for show-and-tell. Hilarity ensues

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Today’s new state-quarter design brought to you by: North Dakota.

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this bizarre-looking orchid

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: Today’s Iron Photoshop ingredient: Popcorn