Iraq snapshot - March 16, 2012

Iraq snapshot - March 16, 2012

The Common Ills

Friday, March 16, 2012.  Chaos and violence continue, the targeting of Iraqi youth continues, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch issue statements decrying the targeting, US State Dept spokesperson Victoria Nuland accuses the US military of offering safe harbor to a terrorist camp (she's given a chance to walk it back by an AP correspondent but chooses not to), and more. In every culture, the youth attempt to make their mark.  They attempt this by finding their own identities which often means dressing differently.  The fashion may elict laughter or groans but it doesn't usually result in murder.  Except in Iraq.  Ellena Savage (Eureka Street) explains: When I was in middle school, my taste for fashion was --  to say the least -- interesting. I would hack my hair into asymmetrical experiments, dye it impossible colours, and layer myself with kitsch garments found in northern suburbs op-shops. I would have liked to have been caught reading Camus in public, and for people to ask what made me such a complex personality. In other words, I was another precocious teenager who wore her emerging individuality on the outside. I've toned down on the black nail polish, but I still cut my own hair (with varied results). Right now in Iraq, teenagers just like I was are afraid for their lives. The media have dubbed the phenomenon 'Emo Deaths': young men who dress in emo fashion -- skinny jeans, black t-shirts, piercings -- are being targeted as homosexuals. The Iraqi youths are simply expressing themselves as young people do around the world. But doing this in supposedly "free" Iraq can get you killed. Killed by being pushed off a building, by being shot dead, by being beaten with concrete blocks, there are many ways Iraqi youths are being murdered.  Roby Hurriya has photos of his murdered Friend Saif Asmar and shows them to the press as he explains,  "They laid him down on the pavement and smashed his head with a cement block." Lists are compiled and people are threatened.  Emily Alpert (Los Angeles Times) notes, "Activists say one sign decorated with two handguns in Baghdad's Sadr City threatened 33 people by name, warning them to stop their 'dirty deeds' or face 'the wrath of God.' Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr issued an online statement calling emos "a lesion on the Muslim community," the Associated Press reported." And through it all, the government looks the other way.  Who's doing the targeting? Karlos Zurutuza (IPS) reports: Ruby points directly to the Mehdi militia - a former insurgent group led by cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Such crimes are being committed in complete impunity, says Ruby. "Ours is a militia-run government," complains this young man on the run. "The only possible solution is that Western governments put pressure on Iraq to end this nightmare." Dalal Jumma from the Organisation of Women's Freedom In Iraq concurs, and complains about the lack of a "mandatory separation between state and religion. "The militias' letters hanging on the walls even accuse homosexuals or 'emo' followers of 'Satanism for participating in the martyrdom of Imam Hussein' – the Shia community leader killed in the Seventh century. How can we deal with such monstrosity?" says Jumma at the NGO's headquarters in Karrada district in southeast Baghdad. IPS has had access to one of the letters allegedly found in Sadr City – it had a list of 33 individuals classified under their residence block numbers. In a sign of how much effect the world attention to these attacks are having, Moqtada al-Sadr has issued a statement. Alsumaria TV reports that the cleric declared yesterday that the targeting of Iraqi youths did not "please God" and he denounced the attacks. On Saturday, you may remember, he issued a statement calling them the scourge of the earth. What changed in the last five days? The level of attention the issue is receiving around the world.  Which includes Amnesty International issuing a statement today:   The Iraqi government should immediately investigate and bring to justice those responsible for a targeted campaign of intimidation and violence against young Iraqis seen as belonging to an "emo" subculture, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch (HRW), and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) said today. The attacks have created an atmosphere of terror among those who see themselves as potential victims. A 22-year-old gay man in Baghdad told the international rights groups that anonymous callers made death threats on his phone on 11 March. The callers described a friend of his whom they had kidnapped and brutally beaten days earlier, saying that was how they got his number. They told him that he would be next. He has since cut his hair and does not leave his house for fear of being targeted. He said: "When the news started spreading about emos, the threats and violence against gays increased. They are grouping us all together, anyone who is different in any way, and we are very easy targets." The campaign's victims appear to represent a cross-section of people seen locally as non-conformists. They include people suspected of homosexual conduct, but also people with distinctive hairstyles, clothes, or musical taste. In English, "emo" is short for "emotional," referring to self-identified teens and young adults who listen to certain types of rock music, often dress in black, close-fitting clothes, and cut their hair in unconventional ways. People perceived to be gay, lesbian, transgender or effeminate are particularly vulnerable.   In an official statement on 8 March, Iraq's Interior Ministry dismissed reports by local activists and media of a campaign against those seen as emos, saying the reports were "fabricated" and "groundless," and that it would take action against people who were trying "to highlight this issue and build it out of proportion." However, an official ministry statement on 13 February had characterised emo culture as "Satanist", casting doubt on the government's willingness to protect vulnerable youth, the international rights groups said. Amnesty International Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui said: "At best the response of the Iraqi Interior Ministry is completely inadequate, at worst it condones the violence against emo youth. Iraqi authorities should unequivocally condemn the attacks, investigate any killings and protect anyone in danger."     There is more to the statement but let's stay on the topic of statements to jump over to Huffington Post where they post two paragraphs and maintain that's a statement from the State Dept. Those two paragraphs are part of the four paragraph statement we ran in yesterday's snapshot. Maybe we should have included the title to the statement?  "U.S. Embassy Condemns Attacks on 'Emo' Youth In Iraq."  Use the link, you'll be taken to the US Embassy in Baghdad's website.  From the title alone, you should be able to grasp -- even if you write for the Huffington Post -- that this is a statement not from the State Dept but from the US Embassy in Baghdad.  It's a real shame Huffington Post can't stick to the facts or even do a basic fact check.  As we noted yesterday of Hillary's 'quote' in the statement -- she's not speaking of Iraqi youths, it's from a speech she gave at the start of December.   Huffin Puff also forgets to note that the State Dept has received billions this fiscal year (and are asking for billions for next fiscal year) because they are the leaders of the US mission in Iraq.  Where's the leadership?  Silence and cowardice from the top, all the way down.  If the State Dept -- and that includes Secretary of State Hillary Clinton -- can't publicly condemn these killings than they've just demonstrated that they are unable to lead any mission in Iraq and that no further monies should go to them for this purpose.     The State Dept provides no leadership on this or any other Iraq issue.  Not only that, they offer no transparency.  When the Pentagon was in charge, reports had to be issued, press conferences on Iraq held.  Getting billions of dollars -- billions of US taxpayer dollars -- has increased the State Dept's budget, it has not increased their efforts to inform the public of how the taxpayer money is being spent in Iraq.  There is no oversight.  The American people are supposed to take it on blind faith that their dollars are being used wisely in Iraq -- no, that is not how a democracy works.  In December, State officially took over the US mission in Iraq.  Since that time, Hillary Clinton has not given one press briefing on Iraq.  She has been able to avoid the topic and the issue.  The American people should be getting regular updates on how the monies are being spent.  But the Congress can't even get straight answers from the State Dept on that.   The Huffington Post has a poll, the question is: "Should the U.S. and/or other countries offer support to the LGBT people and 'emo' young adults of Iraq?"  That's far too vague a question.  A much simpler one would be: "Should the U.S. publicly condemn the attacks on the LGBT people and 'emo' young adults of Iraq?"  It's disgusting that the State Dept and Hillary can't even issue a statement calling out these murders.  It sends the wrong signals and it's disgusting.     Here's the opening of the statement issued by Human Rights Watch today:   The government of Iraq should immediately investigate and bring to justice those responsible for a targeted campaign of intimidation and violence against Iraqi youth seen as belonging to the non-conformist "emo" subculture, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission said today. The attacks have created an atmosphere of terror among those who see themselves as potential victims. On March 8, 2012, the Interior Ministry, in an official statement, dismissed reports by local activists and media of a campaign against those seen as emo. The ministry said the reports were "fabricated" and "groundless," and that it would take action against people who were trying "to highlight this issue and build it out of proportion." An official ministry statement, on February 13, that characterized emo culture as "Satanist" cast doubt on the government's willingness to protect vulnerable youth, the international rights groups said. "The government has contributed to an atmosphere of fear and panic fostered by acts of violence against emos," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "Instead of claiming that the accounts are fabricated, Iraqi authorities need to set up a transparent and independent inquiry to address the crisis." The campaign's victims appear to represent a cross-section of people seen locally as non-conformists. They include people suspected of homosexual conduct, but also people with distinctive hairstyles, clothes, or musical taste. In English, "emo" is short for "emotional," referring to self-identified teens and young adults who listen to alternative rock music, often dress in black, close-fitting clothes, and cut their hair in unconventional ways. People perceived to be gay, lesbian, transgender, or effeminate are particularly vulnerable.     And State remains silent.  I attend the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing yesterday thinking Iraq might come up (the topic was the naval fleet).  It didn't.  But let's note a section where accountability was expected and demanded.  This is Ranking Member John McCain questioning the Secretary of the Navy Raymond Mabus and then between McCain and the Marines' General James Amos.   Senator John McCain:  As you know, Mr. Secretary, the reason why Senator Webb, Senator Levin, I and others have been concerned about the issues of Guam is because the costs have escalated dramatically.  At least in one area, from six billion to sixteen billion dollars.  There has been slow progress with the Japanese. So we decided after Senator Levin, Senator Webb and other of us, that we needed some outside view.  An independent view of this situation.  We passed the Defense Authorization Bill in December.  It's now been two-and-a-half months.  How long does it take to let a contract -- to get an independent assessment, Mr. Secretary?   Secretary Raymond Mabus: Senator, since this contract is not under my purview, since I don't let this contract  --   Senator John McCain: I see, it's somebody else's responsibility.   Well I want to tell you for sure that until we get that independent assessment there should be no concrete plans made by the Secretary of Defense or the Defense Department until we have a chance to examine the assessment and then go through the authorization process or any expenditure of funds that need to be made in order to get this redeployment issue into some kind of sanity.  Believe me, we acted -- as is our responsibility -- because of our intense frustration about the lack of progress on this issue.  And now, two-and-a-half months go by they haven't even let a contract to get an independent assessment by the way.  And we wanted it to be completed by the first of April, the end of March, which obviously cannot happen.  I'm not going to let you continue to slow walk us on this issue.  Just to put things in perspective, on the F35, again, we started the program in 2001, cost estimates for a couple of thousand aircraft, 2456 aircraft were going to be $238 billion.  We've now had additional costs of $150 billion.  A hundred fifty additional billion dollars in cost.  Block IV, as I understand it, please correct me if I'm wrong, General Amos, Block IV, 32 aircraft which are approximately fifty-percent complete are not $500 million over original estimated costs.  Are those figures wrong?   General James Amos: Senator, I can't say whether the figures are wrong or not.  Uhm --   Senator John McCain: Do you know what the original costs were supposed to be, General?   General James Amos: Oh, I do.  I was the --   Senator John McCain: Alright, was [cross-talk]  Is that fact, is that fact wrong?   General James Amos: That fact is pretty close, sir.   Senator John McCain: And there's been an additional $150 million cost overrun.  Is that fact true?   General James Amos: I'm -- I'm not -- I can't comment on that.  I-I don't know.   Senator John McCain:  You don't even know what the cost overrun has been?   General James Amos: Well, I-I, sir, this is not a single point in time.  I've noticed the program grow, I've witnessed the technical baseline review last year --   Senator John McCain: Let me interrupt you again. Do you argue the fact that there's been a $150 billion additional costs of the aircraft since the original estimate of $238 billion?   General James Amos: Sir, I can't comment on that.  I cen't tell you whether it's a hundred fifty billion dollars.  I know it's significant.    Senator John McCain: So, for the record, you don't know how much the cost overrun has been for the F35?   General James Amos: Not precisely.     Senator John McCain:  Roughtly?  [silence]  Do you know roughtly what the cost overrun has been?  Sir, I'm assuming since --   General James Amos: No, I don't!   Senator John McCain: That's remarkable.         Do you think State could hold up under that kind of questioning about Iraq?  I don't.     Do you know what a winning election theme is?  There's no evidence that either major political party does currently but that is.  McCain calling out waste.  That's a winning strategy any election year but especially when programs -- needed programs -- are begin cut.  When that happens, the electorate really isn't the mood for officials who don't think they have to answer to the American people on how the taxpayer money is spent.  Having been told the Iraq War is over (it's not), the taxpayer really isn't prepared for the billions that are going to Iraq through the State Dept and that's before you get into the lack of transparency.   Were I Secretary of State, I would've gotten my head out of my ass long ago and scheduled weekly briefings on Iraq so the American taxpayer knew what was going on.       Earlier this month, the US government posted two positionsfor a US "AID Project Management Specialist (Economic Growth and Agriculture Office -- Baghdad)."  Why is US AID going to Iraq?   Back in December, Hillary received loud applause for declaring, "Gay rights are human rights."  Karen McVeigh (Guaridan) reported, "President Barack Obama has instructed officials to consider how countries treat their gay and lesbian populations when making decisions about allocating foreign aid.  In the first US government strategy to deal with human rights abuses against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) citizens abroad, a presidential memorandum issued on Tuesday instructs agencies to use foreign aid to promote such rights."   Pretty words.  Did they have any weight?  Did they have any meaning?  Not to judge by the terrorizing of Iraq's gay and/or Emo population.  Amnesty International notes:     While it is unclear who is behind the anti-emo campaign, Iraqi media reports have fuelled it by characterising what they call an "emerging emo phenomenon" as Satanists, vampires, immoral and un-Islamic. Some clerics and politicians have also contributed to the demonisation of young emos. The Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called them "crazy fools" and a "lesion on the Muslim community", though he also maintained that they should be dealt with "within the law." Documents received by Amnesty, HRW and the IGLHRC indicate that in August 2011 Iraq's Education Ministry circulated a memo recommending that schools curb the spread of emo culture, which it called "an infiltrated phenomenon in our society."In its 13 February statement the Interior Ministry's indicating that it was seeking approval from the Education Ministry for "an integrated plan that would let them [police] enter all the schools in the capital." On 29 February the Interior Ministry released another statement announcing a campaign against emo culture in Baghdad, particularly in the Khadimiya neighborhood, where they identified one shop as selling "emo clothing and accessories." After widespread media coverage of the violence and intimidation against emos, the Interior Ministry toned down its language in its 8 March statement. It warned against "radical and extremist groups attempting to stand as protectors for morals and religious traditions from any conduct against people based on a fashion, dress or haircut." The ministry denied that any emos had been killed and threatened "necessary legal actions against those who try to highlight this issue and build it out of proportion." Meanwhile, on 14 March security forces in Baghdad detained the film crew of Russia Today's Arabic TV channel, Rusiya al-Yaum for three hours as they tried to film a segment related to the attacks on emos. Security forces confiscated their footage even though the channel had a permit to film in Baghdad. Meanwhile, a report by Al-Sharqiya TV on 7 March said that men in civilian clothes brutally beat two young women in public in al-Mansour district because of their "fashionable clothing." On 15 March the Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project, a non-profit organisation that provides legal assistance and safe passage to Iraqis facing severe persecution, told HRW that in the past week it had conducted interviews with 23 young Iraqis, most of whom had cut their hair short and were in hiding after receiving death threats and harassment because they were perceived to belong to the emo or LGBT communities. The interviewees also reported that ten others perceived to be in those communities had been killed since mid-February.     And still the White House and State Dept remaing silent. In December, Barack and Hillary had a lot of strong words, but their actions this month demonstrate that they were empty words, nothing more.     The actions of the media and organizations are having some impact.  You can see it in the fear of foreign coverage and in the actions of the Ministry of Interior yesterday.   First up,  Kitabat reports that Russia Today (RT) found itself detained in Baghdad when it attempted to report on the targeting of Emos. Ashraf al-Azzawi Ali Hussein (correspondent and cameraman) and Abdullah al Ashe (assistant cameraman) were filming and had been given permission to film when police approached them and confiscated their equipment and film, took them to police headquarters and detained them there for three hours. When they were released, they were told they could not film in downtown Baghdad.   Secondly,   Alsumaria TV also reports that the Ministry of the Interior officially recognized the murders yesterday. Though various officials have talked about the murders, they have done so on background and the Ministry's official position has been that these attacks are not happening -- this despite their posting a statement to their website in February (only removed this week) calling for the elimination of the Iraqi Emo.     Dan Levin (The Cutting Edge) observes: Killings have been reported by other methods and in other cities as well. Since national authorities are not recording the incidents as a special category, the total is not known. In recent days, members of Shi'ite militias, mainly in the Sadr City district, have circulated lists of names of people targeted for killings. The threats refer to "obscene males and females," understood to refer to both gays and "emos," an American teenage subculture of distinctive hairstyles and black clothes that has spread to Iraq. Hurriya says he believes at least 200 men have been killed in recent years either for being gay or appearing effeminate. During an interview at the Reuters bureau in central Baghdad, he opens a satchel and brings out a series of photographs of bludgeoned corpses of young men found on the streets of Baghdad. He has been documenting the killings and running a safe house for gay men. "We, as the gay community, are connected like string," he says. "We know if anything bad has happened to any of us." The apparent spread of the violence in recent weeks to heterosexual youth who dress in emo style has caused panic among young Iraqis. Emo, a once-obscure genre of American "emotional" punk rock, became a mainstream subculture in the West in the past decade. In Iraq, it appeals to young people -- male and female -- hungry for self-expression in a conservative, often violent culture. Young Iraqis who call themselves emos typically wear long or spiky hair, tight jeans, T-shirts, silver chains, and items with skull logos. In recent days they have been rushing to barbers to get their hair cut. Shops selling clothing and jewelry with skulls and band logos have quickly taken down their emo displays. Iraq's Shi'ite-dominated government may not be helping. The Interior Ministry last month released a statement that labeled the emo culture "Satanism." It said a special police force would stamp it out.     At the State Dept today, Victoria Nuland came off more like an EST counselor than a spokesperson, crying out, "All right, everybody. Let's go right to what's on your minds. Happy Friday." Sadly, nothing about Iraq's youths were on her mind or on the mind of the so-called press gathered to jot down her faux pearls of conventional wisdom. For any who've forgotten, since this story developed two Mondays ago, there has been no State Dept press briefing where a spokesperson has brought up the issue of the targeting of Iraqi youth or where the press has raised the issue. Today was no different from the other days. Well, except for the fact that Nuland accused the US Army of harboring terrorists, providing aid and comfort.  It's not every day a State Dept spokesperson does that.  From today's brieifing (link is transcript and video):   QUESTION: Do you have any update on the status of the MEK as a terrorist group?   MS. NULAND: Well, I think you know that the review is ongoing. Beyond going back to something that the Secretary said when she was on the Hill, I don't have anything new to say. I think the Secretary made clear that it is important to us in the context of looking at this review that the MEK vacate its last known terrorist camp in Ashraf and that that would be a factor in our decision if they were be able to do that.   QUESTION: What about the court order that is asking for a response from this building by, I believe, next Friday in response to some petition on – for action on petition to be removed from the list? Do you have anything on that?   MS. NULAND: I'm not aware of any next Friday deadline, Ros. If you have something on that, you can send it us.   QUESTION: Sure.   MS. NULAND: But we are going to do this in a deliberative way.   QUESTION: Can I try -- you're going to get bombarded. I just want to make sure that you meant to say – you meant to call Camp Ashraf a terrorist camp.   MS. NULAND: I don't know what I meant to call it. Suffice it to say, that what the Secretary on the Hill is our statement of record on that subject.   QUESTION: Right, but do you – does the United States –   MS. NULAND: The closure of camp – sorry, it's main paramilitary base. Thank you, Matt. As the Secretary said, the closure of Camp Ashraf, the MEK's main paramilitary base, will be a key factor in any decision regarding the MEK's FTO status. Thank you for cleaning up my language as usual, Matt.   So the US military provided aid and comfort to a terrorist camp according to Victoria Nuland. And Matthew Lee was correct, March 26th is the date the federal court has ordered the State Dept to offer their classification.  If Victoria Nuland doesn't know that, that's rather sad.        The Associated Press reports that Iraqi President Jalal Talabani left the Mayo clinic on Wednesday and is scheduled to be back in Baghdad in time for the Arab Summit (March 29th). To review, on or around March 26th, Baghdad Airport International will be closed to all commercial traffic, no protests will be allowed on the day of the Summit, 100,000 security forces will be dispersed throughout Baghdad (leaving other areas prime targets for attacks), Baghdad will have spent over $86 million (in US dollars) on the summit and  Al Sabaah reports all vehicles (including bicycles) will be banned for the Arab Summit. Going to be hard to spin that as a success. Question: If, for example, Basra, Samara, Najaf and Rutba all suffer attacks on March 29th, would the security forces in Baghdad be forced to disperse to those areas? And, if they did, wouldn't it be similar to the way attackers use one bombing to draw the security forces to the location only to present them with another bombing? Wednesday Kitabat reported that the 28th and 29th would be declared a holiday. Today Al Mada reports that the Baghdad government is denying that there will be a holiday. (A holiday would allow the government to close down a number of facilities.) Speaking of holidays, Al Mada reports the Parliament wants to take 35 days off (holidays) this year.   We'll close with this from the Feminist Majority:   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 14, 2012 Contact: Francesca Tarant, 703-522-2214, media@feminist.org   Feminist Majority and NOW Supports the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests     Attorneys representing the Roman Catholic Church and priests who have been charged in two Missouri sex abuse cases have filed a case in an effort to legally compel the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) to disclose its records from the past twenty-three years. The documents requested include correspondences with victims, witnesses, police officers, and lawyers. SNAP, a network of survivors of religious sexual abuse and their supporters, is neither a plaintiff nor a defendant in the case. Feminist Majority Foundation President Eleanor Smeal adamantly spoke out against the outrageous attempts to intimidate SNAP and compel the release of its records: "The bishops are playing hardball with survivors of priest abuse, but the bishops are not playing hardball with priest predators. The Conference of Catholic Bishops needs to focus on stopping cleric sexual abuse and the hierarchy's cover-ups." "The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is at it again. In addition to playing a major role in the right-wing war on women, the all-male hierarchy of the Catholic Church is trying to silence an organization dedicated to helping women and men who have been victimized by clergy," said Terry O'Neill, President of the National Organization for Women. In the past few months, David Clohessy, national director of SNAP, and SNAP have been subpoenaed five times and questioned extensively about SNAP's operations by defense attorneys, despite the fact that SNAP is not a party in the litigation. Since SNAP refused to respond to all of the questions in the deposition or submit all of the subpoenaed documents in Kansas City, the attorneys on behalf of Catholic officials and the accused priests have filed a motion, scheduled for April 20, in attempt to compel SNAP to comply. "The effort to gain SNAP's records threatens not only survivors of priest pedophilia but also could set a dangerous precedent for victim advocates in domestic violence or other rape cases," said Smeal. Ten victims' advocacy groups filed a supporting amicus brief for SNAP saying the subpoena in unconstitutional since it violates the rights of association and would harm victims. SNAP criticized the court's efforts to "unseal" its private records in a statement: "Catholic officials are demanding thousands of pages of private records from child sex abuse victims and others. This has been called a 'fishing expedition.' But it's much worse than that. It's a cynical, shrewd legal maneuver to deter victims, witnesses, whistleblowers, police, prosecutors, journalists and others from exposing predators, protecting kids and seeking help from SNAP. And it threatens the long-standing privacy protections that almost all crime victims - not just child sex victims of predatory clerics' victims - have enjoyed for years."

Iraq snapshot - March 14, 2012

Iraq snapshot - March 14, 2012

The Common Ills

Tuesday, March 14, 2012.  Chaos and violence continue, Moqtada orders no protests during the summit, Iraqi youth continue to be targeted, the State Dept and White House continue to be silent, the Senate hears about homeless veterans, and more.   Sandra Strickland:  In January 1990, I process out of the Army and received an Honorable Discharge. With the skills and training that I acquired from the Army, I set out to live the American dream and become a business owner.  Life happened along the way and in nOvember 2002 I met and married my husband.  We talked about opening up an auto repair shop together, but about 4 months after we were married, he was called back to active duty to assist in training the soldiers who were being sent to Iraq and Afghanistan, and was stationed at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina while I stayed at our home in Stafford, Virginia. In 2006, my spouse was released from active duty and when he returned home, we opened up our auto repair shop in January 2007.  Our marriage suffered because of the separation, among other things, and we continued to grow apart and eventually talked about divorce.  Two days before Christmas of 2010, when my spouse picked up our children from school and preparatory academy, he made a verbal threat to the academy director that he was going to kill me and the kids.  That was the day I took my kids and left -- and ended up living in a domestic violence shelter with my two younger children in two (ages 6 and 4 at time).  At the time I was working as a temp on a Government contract so I managed to save enough money to move me and my children into a 1 bedrom with den apartment in February 2011.  Everything was going great until I wakled into work on Monday, April 25, 2011 and was told that the contract that I was working on was ending and Friday, April 29, 2011 would be my last day.  I became unemployed on April 29, 2011 and, despite being a veteran, going on countless interviews and submitting countless resumes and having a wealth of administrative experience, I remained unemployed until September 2011.  Although I received unemployment compensation for a brief time, my fanances became depleted and the eviction notices started coming.  Also during this time, I was dealing with custody issues for my children.  Although the court awarded joint custody to me and my spouse, I was awarded temporary physical custody until such time as we went to court for the final custody hearing. That hearing took place and although we both maintained joint custody, the judge reversed the order and awarded physical custody to my spouse because he still had the marital home that our children grew up in which was in their best interest to stay there and because my apartment was out of their current school district, it would not be in their best interest to transition them to a new school for the upcoming school term.  Not only was I in shock by the decision, I felt as though I was being victimized because I chose to take my children and leave an unhealthy environment -- regardless of the fact that we were homeless.  Not only did I lose physical custody of my children, I eventually ended up losing my apartment because I couldn't afford to pay the rent, due to the lack of funds from being unemployed and not having a full time job.  So now, I am homeless and have been reduced to a "every other weekend" mother because my children no longer live with me every day.   Sandra Strickland was testifying before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee at today's hearing on homeless veterans.  Senator Patty Murray is the Chair of the Committee.  During her opening remarks, she explained, "In 2009, Secretary Shinseki laid out the bold goal of ending homelessness among veterans in five years.  As we reach the halfway point, today's hearing will examine the progress made to date, as well as the challenges and opportunities moving forward -- particularly the challenges that homeless women veterans face.  As many in the room know, VA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development recently announced that the number of homeless veterans dropped by 12% -- to a little more than 67,000.  VA and HUD deserve to be commended for the signficant progress they have made.  But despite this progress, challenges remain."   The number of homelss earlier in the decade was said by the VA to have been 275,000 and now the VA states it has been reduced to 67,494 veterans.  While the overall veterans homeless population has been reduced, there has been an increase in the number of homeless women veterans.  They once made up 2% of the homeless population but that has increased to 6% by the VA's current numbers.    The VA's Deupty Assistant Inspector General for Audits and Evaluations Linda Halliday offered anecodtal evidence as to why that number might be increasing as she discussed the results of a recent audit:   31% of the 26 providers reviewed did not adequately address the safety, security and privacy risks of veterans, especially female veterans. GPD prgoram medical facility staff allowed providers to house female veterans in male-only approved fcailities and multi-gender facilities for which security and privacy risks had not been assessed and mitigated.  For example, we identified the following risks: bedrooms and bathrooms without sufficient locks, halls and stairs without sufficient lighting and female and male residents on the same floor without access restrictions.  In addition, some providers housed female veterans in female-only facilities that had inadequate security measures -- such as inadequate monitoring and not restricting access to non-residents. We discovered serious female veteran safety, security and privacy issues at one site that required immediate VHA management attention.  Two homeless femal veterans were housed in a male-only approved provider facility.  The two female residents shared a bathroom with male residents without an adequate lock and had sleeping rooms on the same floor as male residents witout adequate barriers restricting access to the female rooms.  We found that since fiscal year 2002, VA's GPD program staff had placed 22 homeless females in this male-only approved facility without adequately addressing the safety, security and privacy needs of the female veterans.   Strickland and Halliday were part of the first panel to appear before the Committee.  That panel also included Rev. Scott Rogers (Executive Director of the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry), Vietnam Veternas of America's Marsh Four who chairs the National Women Veterans Committee, National Coaltion for HOmeless Veterans' John Driscoll.  We'll note this exchange.     Chair Patty Murray:  You contacted the VA and asked for help. Obviously, they just said to you nothing.  Right?  They just said nothing.  You got no response?      Sandra Strickland: No.  No, to me, their basic concern was my mental health.  Because I had shared with them everything that was going on with me and their first question to me was, "Are you mentally stable?"   Chair Patty Murray:  So you weren't assigned a case manager or referred for employment or training services or anything?     Sandra Strickland:  No.   Chair Patty Murray:  What do you think they should have said when you first called?   Sandra Strickland:  What do you need? Not what I wanted or what they wanted for me but what I needed.  And if they weren't able to provide the resources themselves, provide resources that I could reach out too.  I wasn't even given that.  They just told me they could give me a list of shelters.  I could do that myself.  But I mean, are they -- I just felt that there should be some type of partnership.  If they're not able to assist or provide the assistance then there should be partners that they work with that they could refer a veteran too so that they're not just left when they hang up the phone feeling hopeless because that's how I felt.     Chair Patty Murray: Yeah. Ms. Halliday, your testimony was really eye opening, I think. Telling someone that they're going to be some place sleeping without a lock on the door, bathrooms that don't have locks. Insufficient lighting.   Ms. Strickland, what would that type of environment have meant to you?   Sandra Strickland:  An unsafe environment?   Chair Patty Murray: Yes.   Sandra Strickland: I would have stayed in my car.  It's -- It's different when you have children, you know?  I mean, of course I think of my safety but I think of my children as well. There aren't -- There are programs but it's not enough for women with children.  Yes, I could have gone to other shelters but I wouldn't be able to take my children with me.  And then, a female?  Just from being a woman, you want to be able to feel that when you go to a transitional home or shelter that you do have adequate safety.   Chair Patty Murray: Basic. Ms. Four, Reverend Rogers, what would that have meant for the women who live in your facilities?     Marsh Four: Let me just say we do have, that's the agency, a 30 bed transitional program exclusively for women veterans.  And, uhm, I believe in some cases the women do come there because it is a place that they know is safe, that they know is secured.  We take great attention to that and I think one of the situations that exists is that there are so few of these programs in the community that are exclusive to women veterans, that are designed for them, to address their tremendous needs.  That is one of the shortfalls also.   Chair Patty Murray: Reverend Rogers, what is the importance for basic security and things like that in your clients?   Rev. Scott Rogers: It is absolutely paramount.  We really feel like it took almost two years for us to earn that trust and making sure that we could commit the amount of resources that were needed.  That's why I asked you'll to consider some kind of a challenge grant.  The community wants to respond but because of the numbers of women and their children are low, even though we have them housed separately and they're able to have their own room and facilities, it's at a much greater cost. With a little bit of extra help from this Committee and from Congress, we can provide not only that safety and security but that can also address the professional needs around sexual trauma, having a well trained staff, being really able to train our volunteers.  I've got women who want to mentor other women but don't always understand the levels and complexities of that trauma.  We would like to be able to have the funding and the support and we believe we can get it matched by the community with some leadership here because we don't, again, believe in the entitlement system but we do want to help you create the incentives but with the funding to overcome the smaller numbers but dealing with more complex issues.   Chair Patty Murray: And both of the VA's Inspector General and GAO really made it clear that the VA has to improve their services for homeless women veterans.  But reports that were issued by two organizations and oversight by my staff have found really disincentives for homeless women veterans to seek VA's housing programs -- including no minimum standards for gender specific safety and limitations in available housing options for homeless veterans, especially with children.   So my question to all of you is what would you do -- What would you direct the VA to do today to serve homeless women veterans?  Ms. Strickland, if you had the opportunity to say to the VA, "Do this," what would it be?   Sandra Stickland: Provide adequate programs that can deal with the unique needs of female veterans.   Chair Patty Murray:  The basics.   Sandra Strickland: The basics.   Chair Patty Murray: Safety, security, locks, privacy.   Sandra Strickland:  Yes.  And then resources to help us get back on our feet, to help us become self-sufficient, so that we don't become --   Chair Patty Murray:  Chronic homeless?   Sandra Strickland:  Correct.   Chair Patty Murray:  Ms. Four?   Marsha Four:  One I think would be that certainly the issue of the security really impacts their ability to focus on the programs that they have to work in.  I think it's very important that the VA truly does some oversight of what they have in order to remold and work with some of the opportunities they have in front of them. I think that the addition of some extra funding through the special needs grants for those programs that want to do the work with women veterans -- it can be quite costly because the staff that's needed and the support that that grant allowed for assistance to the families who took care of the children while the women were attending to some very specific and some very important work to go into the mental health filed, I think that's another important place. And also to really make an evaluation of how many military sexual trauma specific residential treatment programs there are in this country and the fact that, if they are a far distance, how do they expect the homeless women to get into those programs and travel there.   Chair Patty Murray:  Reverend Rogers?   Rev. Scott Rogers: First, I want to say thank you, Ms. Strickland for your courage and I'm sorry for your experience.  We-we simply ask the VA to be right there with us.   And what we say and what Charles George VA Medical Center does is they train their staff.  There staff is with us as much as three and four days a week in our facility working with both our women and our men.  But they're also there saying they're going to be the advocate, the ombudsman right alongside us as a faith-based and other community based providers.  I think it's when they exhibit and put in place men and women, professionals, with that same passion that it really makes the difference because nobody can understimate the power of saying, "Welcome home, veteran."   Chair Patty Murray:  Ms. Halliday, final comment?   Linda Halliday:  We'd like to say that we'd like to see the VA transition away from the reliance of providing these services in multi-gender facilities.  We'd like to see incentives put in place for special needs to ensure that female veterans needs are met, just as it was said before.  And I think you would also have to possibly explore using contracts outside of the grant and per diem program to fit the unique needs of female veterans especially when they don't represent a large number and it would be smaller and get better economical solutions   We may cover more of the hearing in tomorrow's snapshot.  Right now, we're moving over to the targeting of Iraqi youth.  Michelangelo Signorile interviewed  (reposted at Huffington Post) Iraqi LGBT's Ali Hili on his Sirius XM radio program.  The targeted are those who are or suspected of being gay and/or Emo.     Michelangelo Signorile: What has the US State Dept done?  And certainly, in light of [Secretary of State] Hillary Clinton's strong statements about countries around the world -- she gave a speech in Geneva speaking out about the brutality [against] gay people and said the US would be, you know, pulling funding even in some cases for countries, foreign aid would be in jeopardy, that were pushing an anti-gay agenda.  Is the US State Dept just trying to look the other way?   Ali Hili: They have been looking the other way and it's a shame on the international world community that this genocide is happening under the eyes of the world and the gay community in particular.  No one is doing anything to help support their brothers and sisters inside Iraq and this is on the conscious -- this is on the conscious of everyone who's been  responsible to post it.   Michelangelo Signorile:  What do you think people listening right now should be doing?  Americans listening.  Should they be putting pressure on the State Dept and Hillary Clinton?     Ali Hili: Of course.  People should stand up.  Stand up against this. this administration in Iraq, this establishment of killing that has been prosecuting sexual minorities, minorities and groups like even the Emos.  Nobody ever did anything to stop these killings, these atrocities.  The media is going to pick up on it for a period of time and then it's going to slow down and disappear.  But those victims who are living there in fear, who's going to help them who's going to support them?   Michaelangelo Signorile:  Has there been any official statement from the State Dept or Hillary Clinton?   Ali Hili:  No. Nothing. Nothing.  We haven't heard anything.     And no statment again today.  Victoria Nuland handled the State Dept briefing.  She came out joking ("Only the early birds here today!") and did everything but called for someone to bump up the lights as she asked, "So, what's on your minds?"  Tomorrow, Victoria does the Tarzan yell.   Who is going to stand up for the Iraqi youth?  The State Dept?  The White House?  Anybody?  Bueller?  Bueller?  Bueller?      While the so-called adults in government cut class, the tragedy continues for Iraqi youths.  Peter Graff (Reuters) reports the way some Iraqi youths are dealing with the targeting: Hafidh Jamal, 19, who works in a shoe store in the upscale Karrada neighbourhood, said he used to dress in black with his hair long in the back, but he fled his home in Sadr City this week and cut his hair. Two friends were killed for dressing in the emo style, he said. "Let them kill me. They killed my close friends," he told Reuters. "I support emo. I love this phenomenon." Tim Marshall (Sky News) notes the work of the Organization of Women's Freedom In Iraq to call out the murders: The OWFI documents some of the crimes here (be aware this link leads to a graphic image) and says the current wave of killings began on February 6th. Gays have always been persecuted in Iraq, but two things happened after the 2003 invasion of the country which led to the wave of anti gay killings in 2009 and now again. Ali Hussein (Al Mada) notes Speaker of Parliament Osama al-Nujaifi's condemnation of the killing of Iraqi youths for being or thought to be Emo and Hussein notes that the targeting brings back memories of the Saddam Hussein regime when innocent people were behead and tossed into the garbage. Al Rafidayn quotes Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi stating that the liquadation of youths on the pretext of reforming Iraqi society is about embracing violence and terror and that they killers are in violation of the law. Another Al Mada article notes that while Nujaifi has spoken out against the killing, the Ministry of the Interior has remained silent except to deny that any targeting is taking place. MP Chuan Mohammed Taha serves on the Security and Defense Committee and notes that that governmental indifference to these killings is a new form of terrorism and that the Ministry of the Interior is a participant in the killings if only due to the fact that they know about the murders and they hide them from the public. Taha also declares that Emo is the expression of a personality and the law guarantees Iraqis the right to freely express their opinions. Abe Greenwald (Commentary) offers his thoughts on the subject: In a Contentions post, I noted that the initiative allowed Obama to shirk America's unique role in actually securing human rights around the world, while earning praise from identity-politics activists. The administration's failure (and disinclination) to maintain an American presence in Iraq after 2012 meant that anti-gay barbarians such as al-Qaeda and Iranian proxies would stay behind and prey upon Iraq's homosexuals without fear of American influence. If Obama really wanted to protect gay rights from history's most vicious anti-gay forces, I wrote, he'd keep America in Iraq (and Afghanistan) instead of issuing memos and giving speeches. And if the progressives singing his praises really felt that gay rights were human rights they'd have been more inclined to support George W. Bush's freedom agenda and less eager to cut and run in our wars abroad. How tragic to have been proven so right so soon. So even Commentary -- a right-wing periodical -- can weigh in publicly but elected and appointed officials in the US all have a case of Vegas throat?     Last night, Turkey launched another wave of air strikes on northern Iraq. Reuters notes Turkish Col Hussein Tamr states the assault -- supposedly targeting the PKK -- lasted over "an hour." Yesterday David Petraeus, the Director of the CIA, was visiting Turkey and speaking with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. RTT reports that they discussed "escalating sectarian strife in Iraq." Press TV tries to cover it and opens with: The director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), David Petraeus, has expressed concerns about the possible trial of Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi on charges of involvement in terrorist activities.      Al Sabaah reports that three "followers" of Tareq al-Hashemi were sentenced in Dhi Qar's Criminal court for possession of prohibited weapons and conspiracy terrorism charges. Al Rafidayn reports the three were sentenced to life imprisonment.   Meanwhile Baghdad prepares to go on lockdown. March 29th the Arab Summit is scheduled to be held in the capital and Al Sabaah reports that the Baghdad Operations Command has declared approximately 100,000 security officers will provide protection during the summit. In addition, Chen Zhi (Xinhua) reports that starting March 26th, Baghdad International Airport will be shut down.  Mu Xuequan (Xinhua) notes that Moqtada al-Sadr has issued a statement announcing protests will not take place during the summit.  So much for free expression in Iraq and, if any violate the edict of Moqtada, which of his deadly militias will he use for slaughter?  Dar Addustour notes that the Cabinet has agreed to foot the bill for the Summit which, according to Nouri's spokesperson Ali al-Dabbagh, will cost $100 billion dinars. That would be $86,073,447.54 in US dollars. As so many Iraqis remain unemployed and in poverty, it will be interesting to see how the costs play out among the people.     Nouri is stalling on the national conference to address Iraq's political crisis and his latest stalling attempt is insisting that it take place after the Arab summit. Al Rafidayn notes that Iraqiya leader Ayad Allawi and KRG President Massoud Barzani are both calling for the conference to take place this month before the Arab Summit (scheduled to kick off March 29th). Al Mada adds that after all the prep meetings for the national conference (there have been at least five), it was decided Monday to create a small committee that would set the agendy and that this committee is scheduled to meet today. For those who've forgotten, those prep meetings? They were also supposed to determine the agenda.

The Child Who Was Murdered Before Arriving At School

The Child Who Was Murdered Before Arriving At School

Kawther Salam

Ayyoubs mother shows his school bag. Pic. Credit: Palestinian Newspaper March 15, 2012 With deep pain and bitterness she asked, while her tears were falling on her cheeks like rain. She was carrying the remains of a school bag and some books in her hands. She asked: "Will the israeli killers of my little child, a piece from my heart and my liver find their way to justice, or they will survive their crime unpunished, as usual? I hope that they will be tried, or does the justice, which the international community is talking about so effusively, ONLY apply in Libya and Sudan but when the Israeli occupation murders, it is outside of the reach of their justice? Collecting the body pieces of the murdered child. Pic. Credit Maan News These are the very simple and clear words of the mother of Ayyoub Useila, 12, who was murdered in Gaza by an Israeli-American missile on last Sunday 11 March 2012. His body was torn to small pieces that were difficult to collect because the explosion caused the pieces of his body to fly even over the trees. His cousin (another child) was injured seriously in the same criminal israeli attack. The bloodthirsty Israeli criminals were not able to differentiate between a "resistance member carrying a rocket" and a little boy carrying a school bag on his way to school. Simply said, Israel is pursuing a policy of premeditated murder and assassination against Palestinians. All the Palestinians children, women, elderly, and also the resistance, are targets of Israel. During the past years the mother of little Ayyoub had already lost two of her children during different criminal israeli air-strikes. Each year she lost a child. This is a disaster, a catastrophe, why they are targeting me? What I did to them? said Ayyoub’s the mother. "That morning, as usual, Ayyoub packed his bag and went to school carrying a piece of bread filled with potato in his hand. A few minutes after he went. I heard the "Zannaneh", an Israeli Apache, firing a missile on the road which the students use when going to school. I ran to the street in search of my little son who just went out. He had been killed; he was the target of the Israeli missile. His bag flew dozens of meters and small pieces of his body were spread all around the place. The rests of his body were stuck in small pieces on the branches of trees and a piece of bread and the potato were scattered on the ground. He was murdered before he could eat his breakfast". Ayyoub and his mother with the bike he received some days before being murdered. Pic. Credit: Palestinian Newspaper The story of the mother of little Ayyoub in the Gaza Strip is the story of all mothers in Gaza, of all mothers whose children go to school in the morning but who have no guarantee that their children will return home in safety, walking on their own legs and in one piece. Some children in Gaza get murdered by missiles and others are injured with shrapnel and return to hospitals instead of home or going to school. Many others suffer pain, trauma and fears which last a life. The mother of little Ayyoub received the body of her child in small pieces which were collected in a plastic bag. This was the third time that Ayyoub’s mother received the bodies of her children in pieces. During the funeral of her child, she insisted in putting to rest with him the piece of bread with potato and his books. While israel continues its criminal career unhindered, many other mothers must fear that their children will not return home safe. And israel’s criminal career will continue until that time when it is given a sobering beat-down when it picks the wrong fight. That is the global experience with bullies, from schoolyards to neighborhoods to the middle east with israel: appeasement only encourages bullies, who are seldom smart enough to understand when they are spoken to in polite words. They only stop their antisocial and criminal behavior when they are given a memorable smack-down.

Israel initiates bloodbath on Gaza… which continues 4 days later

Israel initiates bloodbath on Gaza… which continues 4 days later

By Eva Bartlett

*injured Palestinians from Israel’s latest attacks on Gaza (photo by: Mohamed Majdalawi) March 12, 2012 As Gaza endures its 4th day of intense bombing from Israeli F-16s, V58 fighter planes, Apache helicopters, UAVs and warships, please take the time to look at these websites and read these key articles: Mohamed Majdalawi, Palestinian, Jabaliya camp, photos and thoughts Omar Ghraeib, Palestinian from Gaza website and photos Jenny Graham: Irish in Gaza Ali Abunimah:   "Mowing the lawn": On Israel’s latest massacre in Gaza and the lies behind it: Israel provoked this violence and according to some Israeli commentators its goals are to escalate pressure for war with Iran and to drag Hamas away from diplomacy and back into violence. Sunday’s victims of the Israeli bombing included Ayoub Useila, 12, of Jabalya refugee camp, whose seven year-old cousin was injured, and Adel al-Issi, 52, a farmer near Gaza City. Others suffered horrifying injuries, as recounted by doctors at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital. On Monday, another 5 people were reported killed, and dozens more injured, bringing the reported total of dead to 23. …This weekend’s attacks have followed a typical pattern. Israel launches a lethal attack knowing full well that Palestinian resistance factions will respond. It then uses the response—dozens of rockets falling on Israel rarely causing injuries or damage—as the very pretext for continued bombing. Israel also claims to have shot down several dozen incoming missiles using its US-subsidized "Iron Dome" anti-missile system. …Israel’s routine policy of executing Palestinians in occupied territories without charge or trial, based on flimsy allegations made by the killers themselves, is a major violation of international humanitarian law and makes a mockery of Israel’s claim to be a "democracy" by any possible measure. …In Haaretz, Gideon Levy undercut the official propaganda, that extrajudicial executions—"targeted killings"—are ever justified, let alone in this instance: Who started it? The IDF and the Shin Bet security service did. The impression is that they carry out the targeted killings whenever they can, and not whenever it is necessary. …"Mowing the lawn" Perhaps the most chilling explanation of why Israel was bombing Gaza came, again, from Yaakov Katz in The Jerusalem Post: the IDF is using this as an opportunity to do some "maintenance work" in Gaza and to mow the lawn, so to speak, with regard to terrorism, with the main goal of boosting its deterrence and postponing the next round of violence for as long as possible. So 12 year-old Ayoub Useila is not even an animal. He’s just part of a "lawn" of faceless nameless Palestinians, to be bombed into submission as routinely as an Israeli settler on stolen West Bank land maintains his suburban-style yard and swimming pool. …"The escalation in Gaza is good for Israel" So given all this, why has Israel decided to kill people in Gaza for no discernible reason? According to Bar’el in Haaretz it has everything to do with Israel’s effort to build support for an attack on Iran: Advocates of a strike on Iran couldn’t have hoped for a more convincing performance than the current exchange of fire between Israel and Gaza. "A million Israelis under fire" is only a taste of what is expected when Iran’s nuclear project is completed. When that happens, seven million Israelis will be under the threat of fire and nuclear fallout. This is what happens when "only" the Islamic Jihad fires Grad rockets, when Hamas stays out of the fight, and when the "miraculous system" that prevents missiles from falling on kindergartens still works. Under the threat of a nuclear Iran, miracles won’t help, and people in Tel Aviv will also be forced to hide in bomb shelters or escape to Eilat. Here’s the proof: There is no alternative to striking Iran and there is no better time than the present, when the weather permits and world diplomacy is preoccupied with Syria. For Israelis, there is no better proof that no harm will come to them as a result of an attack on Iran than the performance of the Iron Dome anti-rocket system, which has demonstrated a 95% rate of effectiveness. The escalation in Gaza is good for Israel – that is, for that part of Israel that wants to strike Iran. …Facts behind Israel’s rocket propaganda Whenever you hear Israel’s tired hasbara refrain about rockets, rockets, rockets, remember to ask the question Yousef Munayyer recently asked: Why don’t Israel’s spokespeople ever tell us how many rockets, missiles and bullets Israel has fired on Gaza? Of course the answer is because it is by orders of magnitude greater in both number and explosive power than anything Palestinian armed groups have or ever could muster against Israel. There are some data, however. In one 18-month period between September 2005 and May 2007 in which Palestinian armed groups fired 2,700 rockets toward Israel killing four people, Israel fired 14,617 heavy artillery shells into Gaza killing 59 people, including at least 17 children and 12 women. Hundreds more were injured and extensive damage caused. This data comes from a 2007 Human Rights Watch reported titled Indiscriminate Fire, which states in addition that: A subsequent artillery attack on November 8 [2006] killed or mortally wounded 23 and injured at least 40 Palestinians, all civilians. That report dates from 2007, but in the years before and since, thousands more Palestinian civilians were killed and injured in Israeli attacks, by what must be tens of thousands of Israeli munitions. This included the 2008-2009 assault called "Operation Cast Lead" and Israeli fire has been an almost daily occurrence since its end claiming many innocent lives. And Operation Cast Lead itself was launched on the false pretext—echoed ad nauseam by media—that Palestinians were firing unprovoked barrages of rockets into Israel leaving it no choice to attack in "self-defense." That too was a lie as Israel’s own official figures showed at the time. As Munayyer notes, citing UN statistics: In 2011, the projectiles fired by the Israeli military into Gaza have been responsible for the death of 108 Palestinians, of which 15 where women or children and the injury of 468 Palestinians of which 143 where women or children. The methods by which these causalities were inflicted by Israeli projectiles breaks down as follows: 57% or 310, were caused by Israeli Aircraft Missile fire, 28% or 150 were from Israeli live ammunition, 11% or 59 were from Israeli tank shells while another 3% or 18 were from Israeli mortar fire. That is why Israeli official propaganda has to be so distorted and selective. ________________________________________________________________ Max Blumenthal:  Israel’s bogus case for bombing Gaza obscures political motives The Israeli army claimed that it initiated the assault on Gaza in order to kill two alleged militants who supposedly "masterminded" a brazen and deadly terror attack near the Israeli city of Eilat in August of last year. The army also claimed the two were planning a new operation. As is so often the case, the Israeli army is lying. According to the army’s own investigation of the Eliat attack last year, the attackers were not from Gaza as Israeli government spokespeople initially claimed — they were Egyptian. The army’s investigative findings were first reported by Alex Fishman, the military correspondent for the Israeli daily Yedioth Aharanoth, who had treated the earlier attempts to blame Gaza’s Popular Resistance Committees for Eilat with extreme skepticism. Bloggers Idan Landau [Hebrew only], Richard Silverstein and Yossi Gurvitz also marshaled evidence shredding the army’s case against Gaza. Finally, in November, Egyptian security forces arrested the suspected mastermind of the Eilat plot, shattering the Israeli army’s initial claims about Gazan culpability. By then, however, Israeli forces had already killed 30 Gazans in retaliation for an attack they had absolutely nothing to do with. This weekend, the Israeli army reverted to falsely blaming Gazans for last August’s Eilat attacks, contradicting its own investigation and heaps of evidence proving the attacks were planned in Egypt and carried out by Egyptians. The army has no proof that the men it assassinated on Friday — Al-Qaissi and Al-Hannani — were involved in the Eilat attacks, or that they were planning any military operations. So in to manufacture a violent confrontation, the Israeli military simply concocted a lie that conceals what appears to be political considerations. The renewed assault on Gaza coincided with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s return to Israel after days of discussions in Washington with President Barack Obama about Iran’s nuclear program. …Almost as soon as he limped back to Jerusalem in frustration, Netanyahu gathered with his generals to gin up a case for pounding Gaza. The Gaza Strip, with its warehoused population of stateless refugees, would serve as their punching bag and pressure release valve. They could not have their war on Iran — not yet, at least — but they could assault Palestinians in Gaza without fear of repercussions from Washington. __________________________________________________________________ FROM DR. MONA El FARRA in Gaza: Urgent Appeal from Gaza As the Israeli army continues its military attacks against the Gaza strip those attacks that started since Friday 10th of march at 5:30 pm and continue targeting Palestinian resistance men. Those offensive acts are illegal according to international law, every human is entitled a trial, and assassination act is illegal while resisting occupation is legal according to international law Usually the entire civilian population, includes women and children, and pay a large price and take the brunt of this situation. Our concern is the lack of medications and supplies, and if the operation continues, the number of causalities will increase; the toll is 16 dead and 30 injured until this minute. [update: 23 killed and at least 77 injured, including life-threatening injuries] The Gaza population already lives under a devastating humanitarian situation, while the occupation continues, and the internal conflict is not solved, and the governments of the world are silent. And indifferent. We at the RCSG, appeal to the international community, and to our friends and supporters to spread the word,make the pressure on your governments, to stop these attacks soon. The humanitarian situation in GAZA is on the verge of collapse, the military attacks continue, while we lack electricity, and our medical facilities and hospitals have exhausted the amounts of fuel to operate the alternative generators. We have insufficient medications, 186 basic medications are lacking in our pharmacies and drug stores, beside the insufficient medical supplies, children in the special care baby units are in great danger, as well as renal dialysis patients, cancer patients are dying unnecessary, while unable to have their treatment, diabetic and asthmatic patients, as well as many chronic illness patients, those who needs their medications regularly cannot get it, the list is too long to mention. Please act immediately to stop this attack against Gaza population. You have been always great supporters and showed your solidarity, at the most difficult times. Yours sincerely Mona ElFarra, Vice president Red Crescent Society for Gaza strip

Iraq snapshot - March 12, 2012

Iraq snapshot - March 12, 2012

The Common Ills

Monday, March 12, 2012.  Chaos and violence continue, the targeting of Iraqi youth (gay and/or Emo) finally gets Big Media's attention, US officials and UN officials fail Iraqi youth with their silence, and more.   As Al Mada, Dar Addustour, Alsumaria TV and Kitabat reported last week (Al Mada all last week) and as the US and UK LGBT press picked up on the story of Iraqi youth being targeted -- those thought to be Emo, those thought to be gay and those thought to be both.  (As was the case in Egypt last year, Emo youth were demonized in Iraq this year as Satanists and vampires.)  But while all this went on, silence from Big Media.  Saturday,the silence was broken.  First,  Ahmed Rahseed and Mohammed Ameer (Reuters) reported on the targeting noting, "At least 14 youths have been stoned to death in Baghdad in the past three weeks in what appears to be a campaign by Shi'ite militants against youths wearing Western-style "emo" clothes and haircuts, security and hospital sources say. Militants in Shi'ite neighborhoods where the stonings have taken place circulated lists on Saturday naming more youths targeted to be killed if they do not change the way they dress." Later the same day,  Alice Fordham (Washington Post) reported on the targeting including,  "Lists threatening named people with death unless they change their attitude circulated anonymously late last week in Baghdad. Prominent clerics, as well as at least one police official, have condemned the emo -- short for emotional -- craze for its gloomy music and macabre look, which includes tight clothes and styled hair. The trend began in the 1980s in the West but has only recently become popular in the Arab world."  And suddenly, Big Media was interested in the story.  And applause for law professor Jonathan Turley who noted the targeting at his blog today.  With all that, we might have been tempted to feel things were finally moving.   How can we be Just along for the ride We'd rather believe That we decide That we can stand here And say loud and clear Here comes the turn of the tide -- "Turn Of The Tide," written by Jacob Brackman and Carly Simon, first appears in Robert Richter and Stan Warnow's 1984 film In Our Hands (of the June 12, 1982 peace demonstration in NYC -- which includes speeches and performances) and performed live on Marlo Thomas' 1988 TV special Free To Be  . . . A Family where Carly sang it live and -- via with satellite link -- with children in the then-Soviet Union, appeared on the soundtrack album to the special, on the cassette single of "Let The River Run" and first on a Carly collection with the boxed set Clouds In My Coffee.   But if the tide had truly turned on this topic, wouldn't today's the issue have been raised in today's State Dept briefing? It wasn't.  At least they were semi-adult.  The issue also wasn't raised in the White House press briefing but there were giggles and guffaws as a reporter joked about a Blackberry app and more garbage.  Does the press not get that their peers may laugh, White House spokesperson Jay Carney may laugh but the public's not laughing.  The public's wondering why these people paid to cover the White House use this time to giggle and snort instead of addressing serious issues?  And while trivializing serious issues, the press trivializes itself in the eyes of people.  And it's probably worth again noting that in 2009, when a wave of attacks targeted Iraq's LGBT community, it took the BBC to ask about it at a State Dept press briefing.  The New York Times, AP, Reuters, ABC News, CNN, and a host of other outlets at one press breifing after another in 2009 and no one bothered to ask.  That's okay.  The BBC took that embarrassing non-answer from the US State Dept and made it sort of the centerpiece of their 2009 radio documentary on the targeting of Iraq's LGBT community -- thereby allow the entire world to listen and laugh at the US press corps and the US State Dept.  The one hour documentary was anchored by Aasmah Mir, entitled Gay Life After Saddam and first aired on BBC Radio 5 July 12, 2009 (it was meant to debut the week prior but the Wimbledon Men's Final delayed it).  And let's note one thing from the documentary, Iraq's LGBTs had a better and safer life before the start of the 2003 US war on Iraq. Excerpt.     Aasmah Mir: Haider is an Iraqi seeking asylum in England.  He's been living in Huntersfield.  He left Iraq shortly after the US invasion six years ago.   Haider: If you respect yourself and live and you don't cause any problems nobody is going to kill you.  We didn't hear of anybody being killed because of his sexuality in Saddam's regime. Now after that, everything got worse, everything got fluctuated.  I fled from Iraq in 2003 because of one of the worst experiences I've had in my life. I was kidnapped for 9 days, they took me in a small car and they send me about to a place about half an hour.  I was.  I was eye-folded, they call it.  [. . .]  on the border of Baghdad. One of the officers there, he raped me. And then he said "if you're going to tell anyone from the rest of the gang, I will kill you directly." I was scared.  Just a one meal a day which is not enough. They were always telling us that they were going to kill you.   Today England's Sky TV filed a video report on the latest attacks on Iraqi youth:       Simon Newton: Even for a country used to terrible violence, these killings have been shocking. The rise of Emo culture among some young Iraqis hasn't been welcome in all quarters. Despite the infiltration of Western influence, many in the country remain deeply conservative. Sarah is an Emo but too frightened to show her face on camera. She interacts with other followers around the world using Facebook. Sarah: There are special events where we support the Emo group. We meet regularly to decide which ones to attend. ["Famous Last Words" by My Chemical Romance plays.] Simon Newton: Like most youth cultures, Emo has its own music, fashion and lifestyle -- much of it revolving around themes of emotional pain and andorgeny -- a blurring of the sexes. Sarah says she only meets fellow Emos with her parents approval and admits her family are divided by her lifestyle. Sarah: Sometimes we have heated discussions at home. I usually stay silent and usually don't go to gatherings. Simon Newton: Nine Emo youngsters were bludgeoned to death and seven shot recently in Sadr City. The Interior Ministry says it's monitoring the movement claiming rumors of homosexuality and mass suicide means it's a danger to wider society [Official babbling, I'm not interested.] Simon Newton: Being gay remains taboo in Iraq. Human rights groups say 750 men and women have been murdered for their sexual orientation. But with clerics linking the Emo lifestyle to homosexuality, the fear is that figure will only rise. Simon Newton, Sky News.   And one of England's premier music papers picked up the story, the New Musical Express which debuted in 1952.  Today NME notes, "Reports also indicate that militias in the Iraqi capital Baghdad's conservative Shia neighbourhood of Sadr City have distributed leaflets with the names of 20 young people that they say should be punished for being 'emo'."  Yesterday, BBC News explained, "Dozens of Iraqi teenagers have been killed in recent months by militias who consider them to be devil worshippers, human rights activists claim. The young people are described as 'emos', a term used in the West to refer to youths who listen to rock music and wear alternative clothing. [. . .] Iraq's interior ministry recently described emos as devil worshippers. In Iraq, the term emo is also conflated with homosexuality, which although legal is socially and religiously taboo."  And  Mohammed Tawfeeq (CNN) spoke with a gay Iraqi youth who explains, "Ten days ago, I received a letter from militiamen threatening me that if they found me then they will not kill me like other 'perverts' but they will cut my body into pieces." The letter reads, "We strongly warn every male and female debauchee, if you do not stop this dirty act within four days, then the punishment of God will fall on you at the hands of Mujahideen."  Jasim Alsabawi (Rudaw) spoke to a variety of Iraqis including Dr. Shamil Ashu who is a psychologist and explains that emo has been in Iraq for some time, "It emerged in the 1990s when some bands were singing emotional songs to attract people's attention. Many teenagers and children who had family problems were influenced by it. These bands have unique costumes, and the suppressed emotions and frustrations among teenagers nowadays is the reason they are mimicking these imported habits."  Peter Graff (Reuters) adds, "Since the start of this year, death squads have been targeting two separate groups - gay men, and those who dress in a distinctive, Western-influenced style called "emo", which some Iraqis mistakenly associate with homosexuality.  [. . .]  Iraq's government, dominated by the Shi'ite majority that was oppressed under Saddam, may not be helping. The Interior Ministry added to the atmosphere of menace last month by releasing a statement that labeled the emo culture 'Satanism'. It said a special police force would stamp it out."   As Graff points out, the statement came from the Ministry of the Interior last month.  And yet Nouri al-Maliki has done nothing. Excuse me, he's given his approval on this targeting, this terrorism and these murders.   In November 2010, Jalal Talabani named Nouri al-Maliki prime minster-designate.  It was his task to name a (full) Cabinet by the end of December 2010.  Nouri refused to name heads to the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of National Security.  For 15 months, the posts have remained empty.    Which means Nouri is in charge of all three -- something he insisted would be temproary at the end of 2010.  He's in charge of the Ministry of the Interior.  Which means he was or should have been aware of the statement on the Emo youth that the Ministry released last month.  He should have been aware of it and, as someone who takes an oath to the Constitution, he should have stopped it.  He didn't.    The deaths fall at his feet.  Via intent or ignorance, he has allowed this to take place and he is responsible for the deaths.  And this despite his proclamations to care for Iraq and to care for Iraqis.  Only some Iraqis, apparently, are worthy of Nouri's protection -- an interesting way to interpret both the Constitution and the role of prime minister.     In today's New York Times, Jack Healy reports on the targeting of Iraqi youth and notes the image problems as the Arab Summit looms, "Many details of what Iraqi newspapers have called the 'emo killings' are murky, but the uproar comes at an awkward moment for Iraq. The country has been preparing to showcase itself to the world as host of a high-profile meeting of Arab leaders in late March, the first major diplomatic event here since American forces withdrew in December. But the news that young men in tight T-shirts and skinny jeans are being beaten to death with cement blocks and dumped in the streets has threatened to overshadow the new palm trees and fresh paint."   The Arab Summit was supposed to have been the crowning glory of 2011.  Baghdad would host the Summit.  But it was postponed once and then twice.  Now they insist it will take place this month (March 29th), the officials from other Arab countries will come to Iraq for the summit to represent their countries.   AFP reports that Bagdhad is contemplating shutting down its airspace of all commercial traffic in an attempt to guarantee safety during the summit.  I'm not sure if they're assuming that al Qaeda in Iraq has had flight training (no one's offered that theory thus far) or that they believe a shipment of fighter planes is coming in.  But the only 'air' attacks in Iraq have been from mortars and small rockets.  They're also considering imposing a curfew.  Those moves don't really speak to a 'safer' Iraq, do they?   The summit, if it takes place, was supposed to be Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's moment to shine.  Due to the nature of the summit, Nouri would be representing Iraq in the same manner as visiting officials represented their countries.  Presiding over the summit itself would be Talabanai.  Over the weekend, Kitabat reported that Talabani's latest trip to the Mayo Clinic in the US makes many believe he won't be back in Iraq in time for the summit and won't be able to preside over it. (Past trips to the Mayo Clinic usually require Jalal to spend a week to a week and a half in the US. If this trip is like previous ones, he should be able to make it back to Iraq in time for the summit.) It's been a period of bad news for Talabani which kicked off with the March 1st killing of American teacher Jeremiah Small in the KRG. The killer then took his own life. The killer was Beyar Talabani, Jalal's great-nephew.   Last week, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari announced that United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had promised he would attend the Arab Summit.  Today Ban Ki-moon delivered prepared remarks on Middle East Countries at the UN Security Council meeting on Changes in the Middle East -- a 1330 word statement.  And not once did he ever mention the targeting of Iraqi youth or, in fact, Iraq.   US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton outdid Moon in bluster and word count. Yet her opening remarks running 1876 words didn't mean she found the time to note Iraqi youth or Iraq. Excuse me, who leads the US mission in Iraq now?    That supposed to be the State Dept which Hillary Clinton is supposed to be in charge of.  So, golly, maybe at a Security Council meeting entitled "Changes in the Middle East," Hillary should damn well talk about Iraq?   I understand why she doesn't want to talk about it.  Would you want to talk the US failure in Iraq?  Would you want to be the one to admit that, yes, Iraq is "the breakdown" of a state, that "the army, the ministries, and so on that are still plagued by chaos and confusion and violence"?    Oh, I'm sorry, that has been admitted to by the State Dept.  The press just forgot to inform you.  Friday, State Dept spokesperson Victoria Nuland agreed with that description quoted above as she conducted the press briefing and she herself stated that what was described "is precisely why we are focused [in Syria] on trying to push everybody towards a political solution through dialogue."   Seems to me, when your own spokesperson is describing Iraq that way and when your department is tasked with Iraq, when you brag about how the US is running Iraq to the US House Foreign Affairs Committee earlier this month --  when you do all of that and the country's falling apart, you stop screaming  for war on Syria or Iran or any other damn country, you shut your mouth, roll up your sleeves and do the damn job you've been tasked with.   No, Hillary Clinton, you are not doing that.   And, yes, Hillary Clinton, shame on you, for refusing to address Iraq today.  Either before the Security Council or after at the UN in your never-ending blab-a-thon press conference.  Shame on the reporters for not raising the subject, but shame on you for not addressing it.   You cheapen and betray every word you've spoken about what you've done for gays and lesbians at the State Dept when you can't even make the time to call out the attacks on Iraqi youths.  You won't shut up about the burned  Korans (again today -- over and over), and you blather on about every topic under the sun, but you won't say one damn word about the targeting of Iraqi youths.    You're not doing your job.    And you're not helping Iraq.   You have put out an order at the State Dept to "starve the beast" on the topic of Iraq, to not speak of the country, to avoid it, so the press has nothing to run with, nothing to print, nothing to air.  That may be skillful manipulation of the press and damage control (especially during an election year), but don't for one moment kid yourself that it's leadership or that you are doing your job or that you are helping the people of Iraq.   I know Hillary and I like Hillary but Hillary has her defenders, the Iraqi youth don't.  And for any who might whine that I'm being cruel to Hillary -- I'm holding to the same standard I'd hold anyone else and if I wanted to be cruel, I'd riff for three to four paragraph on the topic of  her outfit today and how "The Mad Hatter called.  He wants his wardrobe back."  Followed by three more about how clothes should be sewn and only rugs should be produced by latch hook and cross stitch.       While Hillary was silent again today on the topic, Saturday found Iraq's clerics weighing in on the killings.  Alsumaria TV reported that cleric Moqtada al-Sadr declared that Emo youths were the scourge of society, insane, a dark evil within the Muslmin community and called for their deaths ("finish them off under the threat of law"). By contrast, Dina al-Shibeeb (Al Araibya) reported on the cleric reaction to Emo youths in Iraq (including Moqtada) and notes that "on the other end of the spectrum, one of the most revered Shiite sheikhs in Iraq, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, said on Thursday that targeting 'Emo' youth is an act of 'terrorism' and a 'bad phenomenon for the peaceful co-existence project'." Cleric Mohammed al-Yaokoubi insists that the Emo targeting and killing is "exaggerated and fabricated." It's a plot, he insists, to serve a non-religious, government agenda. The report notes Al Akhbar reporting Friday sources in the Ministry of the Interior who acknowledged "the approval to eliminate it [Emo youths] as soon as possible since it's detrimentally affecting the society and becoming a danger." AGI added, "The ayatollah's [Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani's] Baghdad delegate Abdul-Raheem al-Rikabi described the stoning as 'terrorist attacks,' adding that while the emo movement may be questionable 'it has to be addressed by way of dialogue and by other peaceful means, not via physical elimination'."  Iraqi youth need to be defended.  The US government supposedly gives a damn about the Middle East.  HIllary told the UN today that the region has "a common desire for rights, freedom, economic hope and human dignity" and insisted that these "are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the UN Charter and they are fundamental to my country's identity" (on and on) but they're just words, just meaningless words, when you don't have the guts, the courage, the spine to condemn what is taking place with the targeting of Iraq's youth.  This is beyond ridiculous.  You're over sixty-years-old, you're a government official and you can't defend the children of Iraq.  It's disgusting and what's going to happen if Hillary doesn't find a spine real damn quick is that the Madeline Albright will no longer be the punchline when people mock a US Secretary of State, it will be Hillary.  That will be her legacy unless she starts making the time to start calling out abuses.   They're such idiots in the Barack Obama administration.  When they refuse to call out the targeting in Iraq, they look the War Whores they are and people paying attention just roll their eyes as they make claims about caring about the people of Syria or anywhere else.   When you refuse to defend the people in danger because the actions the US government has taken, the world sees that and they know your claims of humanitarian intervention are bulls**t.   Over sixty, the person supposedly in charge of the Iraq mission and she refuses to publicly call out the killing of Iraqi youth, to simply say, "This is wrong."  Just as Madeline Albright's Marie Antonette pose on sanctions will forever follow her around, just as Ronald Reagan's silence on the emerging AIDS crisis during his presidency is something his legacy will never escape, Hillary's ensuring that she'll be seen as the homophobe who was too busy crying out for more war to object when a genocide took place.  No one's asking her to send more US troops into Iraq (I believe there are 900 -- plus contractors -- still in Iraq).  We just expect her to condemn actions that are appalling and go against human rights.    But for an administration that uses "human rights" as a prop, that's apparently too much to expect.   And repeating, I know Hillary, I like Hillary, but her feelings aren't really my concern.  She's a public servant who's supposed to be representing the United States and she is silent as Iraqi youths are killed by thugs. She is silent in the face of that.  I don't have any sympathy for her.  I'll cry for the Iraqi youths.  They don't live in a mansion, they don't have six-figure book deals, they don't travel with an entourage and they didn't ask for their country to be invaded by the US to begin with.   Iraqi Christians have suffered wave of attacks since the start of the Iraq War, the most brazen being the October 31, 2010 attack on Baghdad's Our Lady of Salvation Church. These waves of attacks led many to become refugees which is why they make up a surprisingly large percent of Iraq's external refugees. Within Iraq, they have relocated to northern Iraq for safety. Jack Healy (New York Times) reported yesterday that lack of jobs and safety concerns are resulting in they're leaving northern Iraq and heading towards "Turkey, Jordan, Europe and the United States." Those who remain will face additional problems. Ahmed Mohammed (Al Mada) reports on the literacy law being discussed by Parliament and by educators which would foster education through a series of measures -- one of which would be withholding family rations cards if a family does not send their children to school. When waves of attack start on, for example, Iraqi Christians, the first thing many parents do is keep their children home. They are the ones who would most likely be punished by the measure. Iraq was once the cradle of civilization. It was an advanced country. Then the US wars and the sanctions wore it down. After the 2003 invasion, a new trend emerged -- Iraq's educated class began fleeing the country. This was dubbed "the brain drain." It didn't have to happen. But the US government didn't rate an educated class as important, they were too busy getting in bed with thugs and exiles and exiled thugs. Thugs scare, thugs intimidate and that was the role the US government wanted them to play, to throw off and scare the Iraqi people so that there would be little resistance to the plans the US decided to impose. An educated class could organize, could put forward leaders, could put forward opposition. So the US was more than happy to set the thugs loose throughout Iraq to ensure that didn't happen. And thugs fear knowledge so they especially loved targeting the doctors and the professors and the engineers, etc.   Let's stay on the targeting of Iraqi women for a moment. What is the State Dept doing for them?  I know the lie -- the lie that even friends in the State Dept laugh about because it's such a ridiculous lie.  Here it, if you haven't already heard it, "The State Dept is overseeing police training because it will help Iraqi women if the police are trained to recognize the rights of all."  That's not police training and it's not a description of the training the US is even offering.  All it is is a cheap lie from the State Dept.   Maybe some day, Iraqi women will reclaim the rights they had prior to the US invasion.  Fortunately, they're strong women and are used to fighting for themselves.  They'll continue to advocate for themselves and for all the children of Iraq.  (Iraqi women have been the most publicly outspoken in decrying the attacks on Iraqi's LGBTs and/or Emos.)   Al Mada reports that Saturday MP Safiya al-Suhail announced the formation of a coalition in Parliament to support women, noting that it includes men and women and that they come from various political blocs with the goal being to address the economic, social, political and cultural status of women. Also over the weekend, Suha Sheikhly (Al Mada) reported over the weekend that a workshop put together by the magazine Narcissus explored Iraqi women's rights and noted that while quotas allow a number of women into the Parliament, once women are in the institution they face many road blocks to exercising their powers; that in all civilizations, civil rights movements are necessary to strengthen the rights of the people; and more.  One participant felt that the workshop raised questions but did not provide solutions.  Another felt that the government money for individual widows was not sufficient to support even one person and that the payments were too often late whent hey did come.  Another woman voiced the opinion that Gender Traitor Ibtihal al-Zaidi who is Minister of Women cannot represent women because she has publicly stated she does not believe in equality and the Constitution recognizes equality. Iraqi women are the subject of Iraqi-American Heather Raffo's play 9 Parts of Desire which is playing in Malta's St. James Theatre in the Round March 16, 17 and 18th and is directed by Toni Attard and with a cast of Shirley Blake, Estelle Grech and Marta Vella.  Fiona Galea Debono (Times of Malta) explains, "The central element is thep lay, which highlights the plight of women in conflict.  It is about nine Iraqi women -- mothers, lovers, communist exiles, educated and not -- who were locked up during the Gulf War.  They are being portrayed by three actresses, whose talent is being challenged by the character changes they have to master.  But their differences have one common prop: a square garment wore by Arab woman as a veil or cloak."   Turning to the topic of violence, CNN reports armed assailants invaded the Mayor of al-Dhuloiya's office today and killed 5 of his guards while, in Baghdad, assailants "robbed a pair of jewelry stores" and had "a shootout with police." AFP adds that the Ministry of the Interior says both owners of the jewelry store were killed, 2 police officers and 2 bystanders were killed and ten people were left injured -- that adds up to six dead; however, the hospital states that 7 died and fourteen were attacked (go with the hospital figures), the Tarmiyah municipal headquarters were attacked early this morning leaving 3 police officers dead and a police patrol came across the assailants nearby resulting in 2 police officers shot dead. Zee News notes Tarmiyah mayor Jassim Mohammed Saleh's home was attacked yesterday resulting in the death of 1 bodyguard and four of the mayor's female relatives. Xinhua identifies the four women as the mayor's "wife, sister and two daughters."     Radio notes, real quick.  On this week's Law and Disorder Radio -- a weekly hour long program that airs Monday mornings at 9:00 a.m. EST on WBAI and around the country throughout the week, hosted by attorneys Heidi Boghosian, Michael S. Smith and Michael Ratner (Center for Constitutional Rights), topics explored included a squatters museum, AIPAC, Michael Smith's book tour for Who Killed Che? (written by Michael Smith and Michael Ratner), attorney Wolfgang Kaleck on the Columbian Trade Unionist murder and Cyrus McGoldrick on police surveillance of American Muslims. And Michael Steven Smith is Matthew Rothschild's guest on this week's Progressive Radio with the two discussing Che and the new book. Lastly, US Senator Patty Murray is the Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and her office notes this Wednesday hearing on the issue of homeless veterans (it should be an important hearing, the witnesses are impressive and well versed in this issue):     FOR PLANNING PURPOSES: Contact: Murray Press Office (202) 224-2834 Monday, March 12, 2012 WEDNESDAY: VETERANS: Murray to Hold Hearing on Veteran Homelessness Hearing will discuss VA's progress on 5-year plan to end homelessness among veterans (Washington, D.C.) -- Wednesday, March 14th, U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, will hold a hearing to discuss the progress the VA has made in its 5-year plan to end homelessness among veterans. During the hearing, the Committee will hear from 2 homeless female veterans, service providers, and officials from the VA. WHO: U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chairman Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Homeless Veterans Marsha Four, Executive Director of Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center Reverend Scott Rogers, Executive Director, Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry Linda Halliday, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Audits and Evaluations, Office of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs Pete Dougherty, Acting Executive Director, Homeless Veterans Initiatives Office WHAT: Hearing to discuss VA's progress on its 5-year plan to end homelessness among veterans, including the unique needs of homeless women veterans WHEN: Wednesday, March 14th, 2012 10:00 AM ET WHERE: Russell Senate Office Building Room 418 Washington, D.C. ###

Israeli forces fire on Gaza funeral, 3 injured

Israeli forces fire on Gaza funeral, 3 injured

Ma'an news

March 13, 2012 GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces opened fire on a funeral procession east of Gaza City on Tuesday, injuring three Palestinians, hours after a truce was agreed to halt cross-border violence. Mourners carried the bodies of Bassam al-Ajla and Muhammad Thaher, who were killed in an airstrike in the city’s Shujaiyeh neighborhood on Monday evening, to the eastern cementry. Medical spokesman Adham Abu Salmiyah said troops opened fire at the mourners, wounding three people, who were taken to al-Shifa hospital. An Israeli army spokeswoman said soldiers "operating along the security fence identified around 50 Palestinians gathered and in accordance with army procedures fired warning shots." Four days of Israeli airstrikes killed 25 Palestinians and wounded more than 80 since Friday, and Gaza militants fired a volley of rockets into Israel, wounding eight Israelis. An Egyptian official said a truce to end the violence was in effect since 1 a.m. local time (2300 GMT) Tuesday morning.

Settlers Expand Hebron Settlement

Settlers Expand Hebron Settlement

Saed Bannoura

FIle - Palestine-Info March 13, 2012 A group of extremist Israeli settlers expanded, Tuesday, the illegal Negahot settlement outpost on the expense of privately owned Palestinian lands in Doura city, near the southern West Bank city of Hebron. Local sources reported that, a few days ago, the settles brought several trucks loaded with cement and construction materials. The settlers then started the construction of several units in the western side of the illegal settlement while the army was heavily deployed in the area. Some settlers even illegally took-over privately-owned Palestinian lands in the area, fenced them, and hooked the area with running water . It is worth mentioning that there are around 10 settler families living in the illegal outpost, protecting by dozens of Israeli soldiers. The army also installed roadblocks around the outpost and prevented Palestinian traffic with driving nearby. In related news, Israeli soldiers invaded Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron, and confiscated several Palestinian vehicles, army also confiscated driving licenses from a several residents.