personal political

anniversary

Five years ago today, the coalition of the willing invaded Iraq.

Some depressing reading material:

- the civilian death toll in Iraq
- the catastrophe was forseen and inevitable
- Inside Iraq, a blog
- five years of lies
- how to destroy a country in five years
- an anti-war Arab opera.

heroes and martyrs

Cross-posted at LP.

On the car radio the other day, I caught a snatch of US Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

After five years of the war in Iraq and more than six in Afghanistan, the selflessness of our heroes continues to make us proud.

War extracts a terrible price. Just in the past three days, 12 more of our heroes have fallen in Iraq.

I couldn’t help being struck by the euphemism.

sam's jacob

This is by a young Australian woman who married an American soldier. But there's a sad twist in the tale (before an even sadder one)...

it's the oil, stupids

To sum up, then: it was about the oil and it's still about the oil.

Downing St memo II

A few weeks ago, on September 26, the Spanish daily newspaper El Pais published the transcript of a meeting between then Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar and US President George W Bush in Texas on February 22, 2003 — a few weeks before the Coaliton of the Willing invaded Iraq.

The transcript makes clear that Bush had already decided to invade.

leaving iraq

The Baghdad girl blogger is no longer in Baghdad and has posted for the first time since April.

dead in iraq

Andrew Vacevich had been going to come to the Sydney Writers Festival last month but cancelled when his son was killed in Iraq.

iraq discussion

Iraq - Where to now?

Tuesday June 5, 7.30pm at Marrickville Town Hall in Sydney

Stephen Smith (US Consul General) will speak on US foreign policy in the Middle East (with a focus on Iraq).

Dr Alison Broinowski (author of Allied and Addicted) will speak on why Australia's dependence on the American Alliance endangers more than protects us.

the i-Rack

This is very funny! A You-Tube presentation (found over at LP.)

consolation

Take a deep breath and then read this piece about the money the US military pays to the families of civilians 'wrongfully' killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Take another deeply despondent breath and read another account of these claims and the money paid - and not paid, such as this:

Claimant filed a claim for $5,500 on 3 Sept. 2005.

Facts: Claimant alleges that a CF [coalition force] dropped a bomb in his orchard. The bomb allegedly did not explode upon impact. Claimant's son went to investigate and was killed when the UXO detonated. Claimant's cousin was seriously injured in the explosion. A couple of hours later, CF allegedly took the body and Claimant to LSA Anaconda for medical treatment. In support of their claims, the Claimants have offered witness statements, medical records from LSA Anaconda, and police and judicial reports.

Opinion: Under AR 27-20, paragraph 10-3, Claims arising "directly or indirectly" from combat sctivities of the US. Armed Forces are not payable. AR 27-20 defines combat activities as "Activities resulting directly or indirectly from action by the enemy, or by the U.S. Armed Forces engaged in armed conflict, or in immediate preparation for impending armed conflict." Here, an airstrike clearly constitutes combat activity. While unfortunate, this claim is precluded from compensation under the combat exception.

Recommendation: The claim is denied