Loyalty of Iraq’s elite in doubt

Republican guard units kept out of Baghdad : Loyalty of Saddam’s elite troops in doubt

…President Saddam cannot be sure of the Guard’s loyalties, according to a non-Iraqi source with well-placed contacts in Baghdad. “It’s touch and go who they fight for,” said the source, who asked not to be identified.

“The officer corps in the Republican Guard are highly trained and motivated, but they hate Saddam Hussein. They also hate the United States. They have a political mind of their own and there’s no way  Saddam will let them come with their armour into the centre of town.”

No Comments »

MTV censors Public Enemy

MTV has refused to air a Public Enemy video solely because it contains the lyric “Free Mumia Abu-Jamal”.

“MTV requested that Public Enemy remove the word “free” before Mumia Abu-Jamal, but the group refused the request. Chuck D explained the group’s stance to DaveyD.com, “Really it ain’t about playing the Public Enemy video. So be it. I do art and songs to provoke and not be a joke. It would’ve been simple as hell for them to rather say they didn’t like the video. But as a black man, it’s the nerve of them judging what’s acceptable coming out of blackface. If they think having a political viewpoint in music is irrelevant, it’s because they’ve taken the Nazi approach in censoring it themselves…I refuse to edit out the Mumia audio and visual, that’s crazy and they must be out of their f–king mind.”

Mumia, serving time for a murder many believe he did not commit, has, while in prison, become a passionate and determined spokesperson for progressive / radical causes.  His writings, and attempts to free him, have attracted international attention. 

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened.  During the Clinton era, NPR had planned to air Mumia’s spoken editorials, and were stopped by direct political action from high in the federal government, creating quite a stir at the time.

And now MTV has censored a video solely because of a political lyric - something they have never done before and something they decline to comment on.

No Comments »

The Bush Doctrine: All war, all the time

Bush Outlines Doctrine of Striking Foes First, NY Times 

The Bush administration published today its first comprehensive rationale for shifting American military strategy toward pre-emptive action against hostile states and terrorist groups developing weapons of mass destruction. The strategy document also states, for the first time, that the United States will never allow its military supremacy to be challenged the way it was during the cold war

Other media view this more harshly

Bush: how I’ll rule the world  Sydney Morning Herald 

The Bush Administration has spelt out its determination to enforce America’s global domination, insisting it will allow no other power to challenge its military and economic supremacy.

In a 33-page document, published overnight Sydney time, President George Bush says the US will never allow its military might to be challenged the way it was during the Cold War.

It says “the President has no intention of allowing any foreign power to catch up with the huge lead the United States has opened since the fall of the Soviet Union more than a decade ago”.

No Comments »