New York Times: we were wrong on Iraq

The New York Times today issued an extraordinary mea culpa over its coverage of Iraq, admitting it had been misled about the presence of weapons of mass destruction by sources including the controversial Iraqi leader Ahmad Chalabi.

However, they printed it on page ten, rather than on the front page as they normally do with such apologies and neglected completely to mention Judith Miller, who wrote most of the articles, and who was one of the more noxious cheerleaders for the invasion. She is incompetent, did enormous damage, and should be fired.

Still, it made headlines worldwide. This is good! We now appear to be entering what I call Phase Two of such media events. Phase One is where the media ignores or continually distorts a story, mocking and scoffing those with opposing views. Phase Two occurs after they finally pick up on the story, start running with it, then realize they really screwed up during Phase One and begin blubbering apologies. Phase Three, which will no doubt be along soon enough after a few more weeks of anguished media apologies, will be when the media begins writing stories about how the media is apologizing. (And Phase Four is stories about all the stories about the apologies…)

Here’s a tip to the media: Next time, investigate and report competently from the beginning and don’t believe everything the government and their apologists tell you!

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U.S. General linked to use of dogs at prison

The U.S. Army general sent by the Pentagon to bolster the collection of intelligence from prisoners at Abu Ghraib is said to have urged the use of guard dogs to frighten Iraqis detainees, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing sworn testimony by the top U.S. intelligence officer at the prison.

Col. Thomas Pappas testified that the idea came from Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller, then commander of the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and was implemented under a policy approved by Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the top U.S. military officer in Iraq

When a colonel testifies against a general, well, things are really heating up, aren’t they? One can only imagine what’s going on inside the Pentagon now, as the evildoers dive for cover, try to get their fingerprints off anything incriminating, and backstab and blame anything within range. No doubt the Pentagon is a seething rats nest of intrigue and duplicity by now.

But let’s not forget there are real heros in the military too, like that first soldier who went to higher-ups to report about the atrocities or the Taguda Report, which blew the story into the open - people like Taguda are taking serious risks with their careers, futures and yes, maybe their lives, in doing the honorable thing and getting the truth out in the open.

I’ve mentioned this before but it bears repeating. For many career soldiers, concepts of honor aren’t just concepts, it’s the bedrock they live on. I once asked a decidedly right-wing uncle, a retired Marine Colonel, what he thought of Ollie North. He said, “Ollie North lied under oath and he’s a goddamn disgrace to the uniform.” I’m sure there are many like my uncle in the armed forces now, expressing similar sentiments.

More: US prisoner abuse ‘widespread’

A leaked study by the US army says abuse of prisoners in US custody is more widespread than previously known, a US newspaper has reported.

Cases of maltreatment date from as early as the war in Afghanistan in 2002 to as recently as last month in Iraq, according to The New York Times.

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Feel safer?

The US-led “war on terror” is behind a surge of human rights abuses around the world, according to a report by Amnesty International.

The organisation said America’s offensive against global terrorism was “bankrupt of vision” and had “made the world a more dangerous place”.

And the Democrats are calling in the big guns

Citing a ‘Shamed America,‘ Gore Calls for Rumsfeld, Rice, Tenet to resign

Kerry is playing a waiting game, not getting ahead of the story, testing the waters with people like Gore attacking Rumsfeld, and seeing what the response is. He doesn’t have to get ahead of the story, he can let the story wreak destruction on Bush, then move in for the kill when it’s obvious he has widespread support. Not the noblest of games, but certainly a good strategy.

PS Miss Monica found this quote

“I have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my Republican friends… that if they will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.”

– Adlai Stevenson

And don’t forget to watch the trailer for the upcoming web series - Republican Survivor! I say, vote ALL of them off the island!

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Anti-Muslim hate crime at UC Irvine

Arab students built a display wall in the campus Free Speech Zone to symbolize the apartheid-like wall being built in Israel now.

Someone burned it down.

UCI Police Chief Al Brown said officials are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.

PS Here’s a link from the student newspaper, via a comment from Incandenza  who notes the FBI is investigating.

Anti-Zionist wall burns to ashes

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