Wednesday, April 26, 2023. Threats again of attacks on US service
members in Iraq, a US general uses a narrow time frame to try to claim
victory (when it's probably weather related), Joe Biden declares he's
running for re-election, and much more.
Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, an Iraqi resistance group,
has announced that it is prepared to expel American forces from Iraq if
the United States decides to keep them in the country.
"If
Washington insists on not withdrawing its military forces from Iraq,
the resistance groups are at the peak of their readiness to expel them
from this country's soil," said Kadhim al-Fartousi, the group's
spokesperson, in an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
You
can check the timeline, it's today. It just seems like a rerun because
it is. Over and over that threat is made. It's as old as the Iraq
War.
The Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, confirmed that his
country’s forces will not withdraw from northern Iraq and Syria at
present, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
In an interview, Cavusoglu said that the withdrawal from northern
Iraq and northern Syria means the cessation of the Turkish military
operations against terrorism and allowing terrorists to get closer to
the borders, and this poses a threat to Turkey’s national security.
The Turkish Foreign Minister explained that the Turkish forces will
leave a security vacuum if they withdrew from northern Syria, and that
national security and border security are very important for Ankara.
A
security vacuum? They're violating Iraq's national sovereignty by
putting troops on the ground in Iraq and setting up military bases in
Iraq. But they think they're the ones in the right? Weeks ago, they
attacked a convoy in northern Iraq that included US military personnel.
Why? Well as Cavusoglu makes clear later in his remarks, they don't
trust the US. Interesting.
Monday, the US
State Dept held a press briefing with Major General Matthew McFarlane
("the commanding general of the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation
Inherent Resolve") that's resulted in a lot of stenography but no
reporting and certainly no analysis.
"If
you walk away with one thing tonight, I
want it to be the progress we have made, our partners have made, and
the coalition in support of them, in the campaign against [. . .] ISIS,"
the general declared and like good stews in the secretarial pool, they
all did just that.
He
wanted people to know that ISIS holds "no territory." Terrorist groups
rarely do. That's not their real motive. Disruption is their motive.
The US government -- and lying generals -- still want to play like ISIS
taking over Mosul was normal.
He
then wanted to lie that ISIS "remains military defeated." What does
that even mean, you liar? They're a terrorist organization. As such,
they're active or they're inactive. You'd have to be a complete idiot
not to grasp that.
There's been a reduction in activity!!!! And everyone ran with that.
He insisted, "Since
the beginning of this year in Iraq -- so that's January 1st through the
first week of April -- we've seen a -- recorded a 68 percent reduction
in attacks when compared to the same
period last year."
That's so impressive . . . if you believe any lie you're told.
Ramadan just concluded. Do you know what his narrow period saw with regards to Ramadan?
Fewer pilgrimages.
Why?
The flooding.
What marks the end of fasting (from sunrise to sunset) of Ramadan? Eid al-Fitr.
Compared to previous religious and national holidays, the number of
tourists visiting the main attraction spots in Erbil province has
dropped due to the most recent flash floods and cold weather, according
to local authorities.
Heavy rainfall and floods over the past weekend caused serious damage
to resorts at Erbil’s tourist attractions and brought traffic to a
standstill. As Muslims in the Kurdistan Region celebrate Eid al-Fitr,
the number of tourists was lower than expected.
"The number of tourists that have come was not what we predicted due to
two key reasons; first, final examinations, second, most recent
floods... However, we believe, from after [Eid al-Fitr] the number of
tourists will go back to normal as the temperature degrees increase,"
Laween Jabar, owner of a resort in Soran told Rudaw’s Andam Jabbar.
Hey,
here's an idea for the US government: The next time Iraq's hit by a
bad sand storm and government offices have to close down, put Major
General Matthew McFarlane back before the press the next day so he can
claim victory again for a day where ISIS was inactive, take credit for
that too.
The press may be that stupid -- or that whorish -- the rest of us aren't.
Yesterday, US President Joe Biden became the third
candidate to declare that they were running for the Democratic Party's
2024 presidential nomination. Immediately, Marianne Williamson had
comments.
Ryan King (WASHINGTON EXAMINER) reports:
Bestselling author and self-help guru Marianne Williamson blasted President Joe Biden's 2024 launch video and warned he can't energize younger voters.
"I think that video was very out of touch, and that's what people are feeling," Williamson told the Hill's Rising.
"I think an entire younger generation would stay home in droves in
response to what that video is advancing as the administration's pitch
to the American people."
Hey,
Marianne, what voice in your head told you that? I don't know that I'd
be calling anyone else out of touch if I were the candidate whose
support evaporated the moment Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared he was also
running for the nomination. Disclosure -- and I'm not doing this every
day -- I know all three. I know Joe, I know Marianne, I know Robert.
If you talk crazy, I'll call you out. I'm not afraid to smack you
around. Marianne got off easy in 2019 and got off rough. Easy in that,
she was part of a group of women running so we focused on that and,
except for psychotic cult member Tulsi Gabbard, the women all got
along. Rough in that, when she called for everyone to send positive
energy to defeat something (COVID, I don't remember), I thought about
whether or not I wanted to write a piece on how positive thinking can be
a form of prayer before deciding, "No, I really don't feel like writing
something I don't believe in just because she's made a fool of
herself."
With a smaller
field, Marianne will have even more opportunities to make a fool out of
herself. She'll also have more opportunities to shine.
But
that would require Marianne learning to speak for Marianne. RFK Jr.
will face his own obstacles. But he's speaking for himself. His
remarks are authentic to who he is.
Marianne? "I think an entire younger generation . . ."
Are
you a younger generation, Marianne? Why don't you speak for yourself
or are you not able to? You've got Peter Daou handling your campaign
but are you listening to him? You're not making statements that appeal
to people. If you want to be a critic, go for it. We can use more.
But if you're a candidate, you need to learn to craft those soundbytes
better. This one is so bad, it's laughable.
Joe was actually the reason I was going to cover the campaigns today.
Some
people just can't turn the offense meter off. I don't like Donald
Trump but go back and you will see that when I thought he was being
misunderstood over a remark -- willfully or not -- I would weigh in. I
did not cover his Tweets. I felt the media was obsessed with his Tweets
and ignoring his harmful policies.
But
Joe Biden made comments about children. And the offense industry got
butt hurt over his comments: "Our nation's children are all our
children."
This is nothing controversial but when you're one of those Jonathan Turleys paid to create outrage every fifteen minutes . . .
Joe
grew up in a different time when the neighborhood children were
everyone's children. The adults watched out for all of them. Equally
true, only the most rabid would disagree with Hillary Clinton that it
takes a village. Joe's remark was not about stripping anyone of their
rights as parents. They were noting that children are our resources,
our most treasured resources.
There
are many things going on to take actual offense over. As I've said in
other election cycles, if we're going to be this stupid, it's going to
be a long election cycle.
To drop back to Gen Z Marianne Williamson, I think this is a strategy that will appeal to many. Here's Joe's announcement.
Why
do you need to vote for Joe again? The ad makes the argument that there
are too many crazies out there (no, Marianne, he doesn't mean you) who
are destroying our way of life and our democracy. They think they can
overturn established law. They think they can destroy women's
reproductive rights -- first with abortion and now with pills. They
think they can deny trans care to adults -- or, for that matter, to
children whose parents have made the decision that trans care is
needed. They think they can attack LGBTQ+ members. They think they can
tell us what we can read. They think they can tell us -- grown adults
-- how to dress -- don't dress in the opposite gender or they'll arrest
you.
And you think, on
that last one, that I'm talking about drag queens and kings? I am but
I'm talking about more than that as well.
The head of the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has issued a
memorandum telling all employees to dress “in a manner consistent with
their biological gender.” The revised dress code would not only force
transgender people to present in a way that feels inauthentic, it could
also be used to punish cisgender people who wear gender-neutral
clothing.
The memo, which experts say violates federal free speech and
non-discrimination protections, is just the latest move by Texas
Republicans to erase trans identities from the state.
The April 13 memorandum, signed by Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller
(R), was entitled “Texas Department of Agriculture Dress Code and
Grooming Policy.”
Miller’s two-page memo said that in order to “reflect the culture,
dignity, and professionalism of the TDA… All employees are expected to
comply with this dress code in a manner consistent with their biological
gender.” The memo effectively revises the department’s former dress
code, which didn’t mention “biological gender,” The Texas Observer noted.
The new dress code requires employees to wear “traditional business
wear, including Western business attire.” This includes button-down
shirts for men and skirts or pants for women. The code applies to all
work settings that don’t require uniforms or protective gear for
agricultural fieldwork.
Ladies, they don't
just want to control our reproductive rights, they also want to control
what we wear. This is the American Taliban.
If Marianne can't grasp that, she has no business running for office.
Joe's a known
quantity. He can't change his brand. He can't pretend to be something
he's not. So what he can he do? He can present himself as a voice of
sanity who is going to stand with Americans and tell the bullies to back
off.
That's what the campaign's going to run on and it's a smart move.
I believe former
Senator Claire McCaskill was on Andrea Mitchell's show just yesterday
talking about how the "Republican Party is worshiping at the alter of
extremism." She is correct.
Now for those who believe I'm trying to steer people away from Marianne to Robert, let's do Robert.
Robert, the American people want to stand behind you. They'll accept your stands on vaccines.
They will not accept you standing with crazy.
There's a reason I'm not endorsing RFK Jr.
I thought I would. Then I saw him too tight with someone.
Tucker?
Mother Tucker was media, I could care less.
But
Robert, if you're going to stand with a registered sex offender, a
convicted pedophile, you're going to watch your own campaign burn down
into flames.
You cannot survive that.
I'm sure some of the wack jobs are lying and telling you that you can.
These
same pieces of trash insisted that Scott Ritter -- the registered sex
offender and convicted pedophile -- was not going to hurt their DC rally
for 'peace.'
But what happened there?
Even the crazies had to back down and disinvite Scott Ritter.
The
media's not really paying attention to you, Robert, because they think
"anti-vax" is going to take you out. It's not. It's who you are and
it's not a surprise to anyone supporting you.
You're standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a registered sex offender?
Robert, that's not a dream of Camelot.
Basic rule of politics, don't stand next to a child molester for a photo op.
You're
going to need to stop associating with crazies or you're going to hand your current lead over to Marianne. I'm not joking on
this. Scott Ritter is going to run off support and if the media picks
up on this relationship and runs with it, it could kill your campaign in
a matter of weeks. That's your warning.
Marianne?
She doesn't suffer fools who harm what needs to be done. Just the
Scott Ritter relationship may be enough for some RFK Jr. supporters to
go elsewhere. If so, if Marianne will listen to Peter Daou, she can run
a solid campaign.
That's Marianne talking about issues which is what she needs to do if her campaign's going to have any real chance.
Can
we talk about John Stauber for a moment. The hate merchant felt the
need to reTweet Sean Ono Lennon. Hmm. He loves Sean but he hates Cher.
I'm
sorry who actually did something with their life? Right, that would be
Cher. Sean Ono Lennon is a 47-year-old man child who never learned
self-grooming and he's the definition of a nepo-baby. How many hits did
he have? Zero. Cher, by contrast, charted 63 songs in the US. Sean's
had zero gold albums and zero platinum albums in the US. Cher? 8 gold
albums and 6 platinum (and multi-platinum) albums. Sean has had two
albums make it on to BILLBOARD's Top 200 albums (both made it to 153)
while Cher's carried 44 albums onto BILLBOARD's Top 200. Both also
pursued acting careers. I don't know if you'd consider the episode of
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER or the episode of the original MELROSE PLACE
Sean's 'acting high.' But Cher carried three variety series. She made
films with Robert Altman, Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jack
Nicholson, Mike Nichols, Meryl Streep, Winona Ryder, Christina Ricci,
Liam Neeson, Norman Jewison, Nicholas Cage, Olympia Dukakis, Sandy
Dennis, Karen Black, Kathy Bates, Lily Tomlin, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench,
Chazz Palminteri, Stanley Tucci, William Friedkin, Peter Yates, Anne
Heche, Rita Wilson, Sam Elliott, Laura Dern and Eric Stoltz -- among
others. She's been nominated for two BAFTA awards, she's been
nominated for six Golden Globes (and won three), won Best Actress at The
Cannes Film Festival and been nominated for two Academy Awards (winning
Best Actress for MOONSTRUCK). Oh, and she's performed on Broadway.
Cher
worked for what she has. Sean? Nepo-baby who will be handed billions
when Yoko passes away. He's wasted his life. If that seems harsh,
let's compare him to his half-brother Julian. Julian has a million
selling album in the US to his credit and a gold one. In all, he took 3
albums onto BILLBOARD's top 200. And he charted six songs in the US.
Unlike Sean, Julian didn't grow up with a silver spoon in his mouth.
Even so, he leaves behind a musical history. Sean was handed
everything -- he even had sleep overs with Michael Jackson -- but now,
at the age of 47, he has nothing to show for it.
Naturally, that's who John Stauber elects to celebrate. Why? Because they both hold the same vapid opinion.
I'll
celebrate the people who work and not the idle rich who've had
everything handed to them and gone on to do nothing with their lives.
John Stauber will just go on being pathetic. It's the only card he has
left to play. And when -- and if -- Sean ever does anything with his
lazy life, I might care what he thinks about Tucker Carlson but right
now he's just a spoiled brat who has wasted his life.
Harry
Belafonte has passed away. Activist, actor, singer, friend to the
world. His life mattered and he gave so much. While fools and liars
like Tucker Carlson cheered on the Iraq War, Harry called it out. We'll
wind down with this from
David Bacon:
HARRY BELAFONTE, PRESENTE! Harry
Belafonte was a true people's hero. He opposed war and racism, and was a
friend of revolutionary movements in Cuba and Venezuela. He was a
radical activist, in the tradition of Paul Robeson, in whose footsteps
he said he walked. In these photographs he came to Oakland on April 15,
2003, for a march and rally against the war in Afghanistan right after
it started. He was unafraid to oppose U.S. wars and intervention, a true
man of peace.
Harry Belafonte, presente!
WHEN WE SPOKE OUT AGAINST WAR -
Unearthing the history of protest against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
Photographs © by David Baconhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/56646659@N05/52759801492/in/album-72177720306862427/ Copyright © 2023 David Bacon Photographs and Stories, All rights reserved.
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