Journalist Steven Vincent Murdered by Paramilitary Death Squads

Steven Vincent was abducted and killed in Basra recently. Vincent was the author of In the Red Zone, an account of his journeys in Iraq. Omar at Iraq the Model writes:

I was extremely shocked and saddened when I saw on the news a few minutes ago that Steven Vincent was found dead in Basra. Mohammed and I were closely following his reports from Basra and we really enjoyed reading them.
Now the bastards took him away. The terrorists try to silence every voice that tells the truth but they can not succeed as there will be always people who are ready and willing to write and speak the truth and they will see that our pens are stronger than their guns. We lost a fine writer today, God bless his soul and our deepest condolences to his family and friends.

A reader quotes the following from an interview with Steven Vincent:

Words matter. Words convey moral clarity. Without moral clarity, we will not succeed in Iraq. That is why the terms the press uses to cover this conflict are so vital. For example, take the word “guerillas.” As you noted, mainstream media sources like the New York Times often use the terms “insurgents” or “guerillas” to describe the Sunni Triangle gunmen, as if these murderous thugs represented a traditional national liberation movement. But when the Times reports on similar groups of masked reactionary killers operating in Latin American countries, they utilize the phrase “paramilitary death squads.” Same murderers, different designations. Yet of the two, “insurgents”—and especially “guerillas”—has a claim on our sympathies that “paramilitaries” lacks. This is not semantics: imagine if the media routinely called the Sunni Triangle gunmen “right wing paramilitary death squads.” Not only would the description be more accurate, but it would offer the American public a clear idea of the enemy in Iraq. And that, in turn, would bolster public attitudes toward the war. ...

The most despicable misuse of terminology, however, occurs when Leftists call the Saddamites and foreign jihadists “the resistance.”

Read the interview here.

Fayrouz has a few thoughts.

Chrenkoff writes:

Steve had a successful and rewarding career as an art critic in New York. Then came September 11, and his life would never be the same again. "When the Administration launched the Operation Iraqi freedom, I felt strangely excited," he wrote. "I wanted to join the conflict." Too old to enlist (his only military experience, driving a cab in NYC, he says), too freelance to hope to accompany the troops, Steve made the decision to see Iraq away from the frontlines: "I sought to embed myself in the Iraqi society."

The fruit of his two trips, and several months of stay in Iraq was his book "In the Red Zone: A journey into the soul of Iraq" - "some of the best journalism to come out of Iraq since the liberation," I wrote in my review. It was ‚– is ‚– a wonderful work, not uncritical of both the liberated and the liberators, but nevertheless infused with deep sympathy for the long suffering of the Iraqi people, as well as love of freedom, and hope for a better future. ...

Go read the rest of Chrenkoff's post at the link, and understand what the world lost with Steven Vincent - and what we must still strive for, now that he is gone.

Steven Vincent's last published articles:
On Again, Off Again
Switched Off in Basra

Morning Report: August 1, 2005

King Fahd dies. Though largely a figurehead since suffering a debilitating stroke in 1995, Saudi Arabia's King Fahd, who rose to power in 1982, left his mark on the Middle East. He died early Monday at the age of 84. Voice of America has this: 'Saudi Arabia's King Fahd, who had been in ill health for years, died early Monday in Riyadh. The Saudi royal court announced the king's death and said Crown Prince Abdullah, Fahd's brother, has assumed the throne. The crown prince has been Saudi Arabia's de-facto ruler since Fahd suffered a stroke 10 years ago. Officials say the monarch died at the King Faisal Specialized Hospital in Riyadh, where he had been admitted in late May for unspecified medical tests. ...' MSNBC: 'Fahd died at approximately 2:30 a.m. EDT, a senior Saudi official in Washington told The Associated Press. President Bush was alerted within minutes of Fahd’s death, the official told The AP on condition of anonymity. The king’s funeral was to be held Tuesday evening, he said.' Mahmood has a tribute. (VOA, MSNBC, Mahmood)

Bolton to get UN appointment. President Bush will appoint the controversial John Bolton as the US ambassador to the United Nations, media sources report. MSNBC: 'Frustrated by Democrats, President Bush will circumvent the Senate on Monday and install embattled nominee John Bolton to be ambassador to the United Nations, a senior administration official told NBC News. Bush has the power to fill vacancies without Senate approval while Congress is in recess. Under the Constitution, a recess appointment during the lawmakers' August break would last until the next session of Congress, which begins in January 2007. ...' Fox: 'Democrats have not relented in their argument that Bolton is not the man for the job. "He's damaged goods; this is a person who lacks credibility. This will be the first U.N. ambassador since 1948 we ever sent there under a recess appointment. That's not what you want to send up, a person who doesn't have the confidence of the Congress," Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., told "FOX News Sunday." Republicans say the Democratic filibuster justifies use of a recess appointment. "I think Mr. Bolton has been treated incredibly unfairly by the process here. And the president would have every right to give him a recess appointment," said Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa.' CNN: 'Senate Democrats held up the nomination after the White House refused, on grounds of executive privilege, to provide records of communications intercepts Bolton sought from the National Security Agency when he was the State Department's point man on arms control. The State Department last week acknowledged that Bolton incorrectly told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a questionnaire that he had not been interviewed as part of any investigation within the past five years.' (various)

Bloggers' demo cancelled. Overshadowed by President Mubarak's unsurprising (but awkwardly timed) announcement that he will seek a fifth term in office, the planned demonstration in memory of the victims of Sharm-el-Sheikh was cancelled. 'Why did our permit get revoked? Why did the police send such a huge number of security soldiers to an anti-terror demonstration? I believe the answer lies in the phobia that our government has towards any sort of demonstration even if it was a protest denouncing Osama Bin Laden. They hate assemblies, period. May be the police was afraid lest our protest turn into an anti-government or an anti-Mubarak demonstration or something. They just don't want the hassle.' Sandmonkey: 'How can you explain to people the logic behind the illogical? Forget that, how can you put them in the same situation you were put in? After all the work they had to do to lobby for this thing to work, they had to call all of those people and convince them not to go, because the vigil was canceled, just like that. And the worst part is: you will no longer have any credibility with those people. You won’t be able to get them to come the next time.' (Big Pharaoh, Sandmonkey)

Mark Yost and Michael Fumento: What the MSM Aren't Telling You

Mark Yost got himself in a ton of hot water with this column:

... I know the reporting’s bad because I know people in Iraq. A Marine colonel buddy just finished a stint overseeing the power grid. When’s the last time you read a story about the progress being made on the power grid? Or the new desalination plant that just came on-line, or the school that just opened, or the Iraqi policeman who died doing something heroic? To judge by the dispatches, all the Iraqis do is stand outside markets and government buildings waiting to be blown up.

I also get unfiltered news from Iraq through an e-mail network of military friends who aren’t so blinded by their own politics that they can’t see the real good we’re doing there. More important, they can see beyond their own navel and see the real good we’re doing to promote peace and prosperity in the world. What makes this all the more ironic is the fact that the people who are fighting and dying want to stay and the people who are merely observers want to cut and run.

I feel for these soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan because I’m sure they’re coming home and noticing the same disconnect that I did when I served. Moreover, stories about their families and others who are here and trying to make a difference largely go unreported.

Ever heard of Soldiers’ Angels (http://soldiersangels.homestead.com/index.html) or Operation Minnesota Nice ( www.operationminnesotanice.com)? Probably not. ...

Michael Fumento at Townhall.com writes:

Editorial page associate editor Mark Yost at the Knight-Ridder newspaper the St. Paul Pioneer Press committed a major boo-boo. He penned a provocative column on media coverage of the Iraq war, observing that from what his contacts there told him – with apologies to Johnny Mercer – the mainstream media are accentuating the negative and ignoring the positive.

Yost couldn’t have imagined he was bathing in blood and throwing himself into the shark pen. His media colleagues were merciless. “With your column, you have spat on the copy of the brave men and women who are doing their best in terrible conditions,” reporter Chuck Laszewski at the same newspaper charged in an open letter. “You have insulted them and demeaned them,” he wrote. “I am embarrassed to call you my colleague.” ...

Chuck Laszewski ought to be embarrassed to look in the mirror, but that's beside the point. Read these articles at the links, and understand why more and more Americans hold the media establishment in ever-growing contempt.

Morning Report: July 29, 2005

London bomb suspects arrested. CNN: 'Three men have been arrested following police raids in west London in connection with last week's failed terror attacks in the British capital. Unconfirmed media reports, citing police sources, said two of the men were suspected bombers behind the July 21 attempted attacks on London's transit system. Friday's arrests came after heavily armed police raided two locations in west London at around 11:00 a.m. (1000 GMT). ...' BBC: 'Two more of the failed London bombing suspects are believed to have been arrested as police carried out a number of armed operations in west London. ... Police moved residents to safety during two raids, in Notting Hill and north Kensington, and made three arrests. Officers also arrested two women at Liverpool Street station, which has reopened after packages were examined. Police are still questioning a third suspect arrested on Wednesday in Birmingham. Yasin Hassan Omar was wanted as a suspect in the Warren Street Tube attempted bombing. ...' Debka: 'Two of the three July 21 bombers at large arrested by armed London police in swoops on hideouts across city, Friday July 29. Two women were also detained at Liverpool Station after struggle. Three of the four July 21 bombers are now in custody. They are two men who unsuccessfully tried to blow up a train at Oval Tube station and a bus in Hackney. The Warrren St. bomber was captured in Birmingham Thursday. Still sought is the would-be bomber who fled Shepherd’s Bush station ahead of pursuit. ...' (various)

Saddam faces questions. CNN reports: 'Saddam Hussein was called to a hearing where he was questioned about the 1991 repression of a Shiite-led uprising in southern Iraq after the Gulf War, a court official told CNN on Friday. Judge Raid Juhi, of the Iraqi Special Tribunal set up to try the jailed ex-leader, said Saddam answered questions in Thursday's session, more than 30 minutes long. The former president attended the session alone. A trial date for the former dictator will be announced soon for Saddam's alleged role in a 1982 incident, in which Shiite Muslims in the village of Dujail north of Baghdad were massacred. ...' (CNN)

Orthodox Union: Israeli troops harass religious Jews. The Jerusalem Post reports: 'The Orthodox Union, an umbrella group representing hundreds of thousands of Orthodox Jews in North America, accused the Israeli government and security forces of bigotry and religious discrimination in a recent letter sent to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Ambassador to the US Daniel Ayalon and Attorney-General Menahem Mazuz. The letter, released to the media Tuesday evening after Israeli officials failed to respond for four days, stated that, based on both media and eyewitness accounts, "Israeli government officials, jurists and police and security forces" showed an "indifference to civil liberties." ... The OU cited an incident in Ma'aleh Adumim in which police stopped a bus and removed all passengers wearing kippot [skullcaps]. "Those passengers were not even traveling to a demonstration but were simply seeking to reach their place of work in Jerusalem upon the same bus on which they travel each and every day," said the letter. The OU also accused the government of using administrative detention or house arrest against persons "merely advocating positions at odds with government policy," "baseless confiscation of drivers' licenses," and "threats and coercion against persons seeking to exercise their right of lawful travel and free association." ' (JPost, via e-mail)

Samir Hassan: Religion vs. oppression. '... A number of different [Koranic] verses clearly demonstrate that the "cause of Allah" is not to be actively pursued in any nation unless the people of that nation have collectively agreed to an accord which defines and guarantees the basic liberties and responsibilities of its citizens. Here are just a few examples: "There is no compulsion in religion." "You shall have your religion and I shall have mine." "Truth is from your Lord; if you wish, you can either believe or you can disbelieve." "Thou art not in control over them." "Thou shalt consult with them." "Intercession for all is by Allah alone." The believers in such a nation would readily volunteer to fight in defense of its lifestyle. They would also volunteer to liberate the "ill-treated (and oppressed)- Men, women, and children" of other nations....' Read the full English text of Samir Hassan's very fine article at Friends of Democracy. Arabic text is here. (Friends of Democracy)

Iranian Hunger Striker in Coma

Via Free Iran, Amnesty International reports:

Manuchehr Mohammadi has reportedly gone into a coma. He had been on hunger
strike since 6 July, in protest at the authorities' refusal to grant him leave
from prison to receive medical treatment. His life is in grave danger.

His family visited him on or around 20 July, and reported that his health was
deteriorating rapidly: he was unable to walk, could barely talk or see, his
skin had turned yellow, and his eyes were sunken. On 24 July it was reported
that he had fallen into a coma.

Manuchehr has suffered serious health problems in prison, some reportedly
caused by torture and ill-treatment, and the conditions in which he has been
held. ...

Read the full item at the link. Thanks to Stefania.

Ugandan Police Attack Lesbian Activists

Via Pseudo-Adrienne at Alas, A Blog, Black Looks has this item on anti-gay government violence in Uganda:

The ugandan parliament have enacted a new anti-homosexual law and with this the Ugandan police yesterday stormed the house of lesbian activist, Victor Julie Mukassa. Victor tried to contact me today but unfortuantely I missed her call so the details on her present situation are still sketchy. However there is a report on the raid in Behind the Mask as follows:

On the night of 20 July 2005, Victor Juliet Mukasa, who is the chairperson of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), had her residence raided by the Ugandan government police officials. The officials confiscated all documentations and other materials that had homosexual content.

Unfortunately for the police contingent which was clearly intending to pounce on Mukasa, they didn't find her at home as she had not yet arrived back home from town.

On the house they found a gay activist from Kenya who works closely with SMUG. She was detained for the night. According to Kasha Jacqueline, a lesbian human rights activist, "They took her [the Kenyan activist] in so Victor and the other LGBT activists [from SMUG] would want to fetch her from the police and then they can arrest Victor specifically and or the other activists

"The police threatened to broadcast the information found in the national media and that can lead to more containment by public at large", said Jacqueline.

This purported trap to arrest for SMUG officials is suspected to be part of an elaborate plan by the Ugandan government to obliterate gay and lesbian activities in that country.

Here's a link to the original post at Behind the Mask. An update at the Black Looks post adds:

I have just spoken to Victor who has reported to the police. They were unable to detain her since they have nothing on which to charge her. She has a lawyer and the IHLHRC are supporting her case. Meanwhile she cannot go home as people near where she lives planned to attack her. Once the matter comes out in the press she will be in even more danger. She is staying and moving from hotel to hotel. Victor's human rights have been grossly violated. There was no search warrant on her home and her guest was stripped naked by the police and detained and both their lives are now in danger. All of these issues will be followed through with the support of the international gay and lesbian community and their friends.

Meanwhile, a current post at Black Looks has this:

Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) Press Release

On July 20th, an LC1 Chairman (local government official) and another man forcibly entered the home of J.M. at Kireka, who is a human rights activist and chairperson of SMUG (Sexual Minorities Uganda). They proceeded to search her home without a warrant and to mishandle her friend, a visiting Kenyan activist who they found at the home. ...

Read the rest here. And don't forget to bookmark (and blogroll) Black Looks, Behind the Mask, and IGLHRC.

PS - If you possibly can, take a moment to make a donation to IGLHRC. I just did.

Egyptian Bloggers Set to Demonstrate Again

In case you missed it the first time (which would be partly my fault, 'cuz I failed to post on it), Big Pharaoh and Egyptian Sandmonkey are organizing ANOTHER demo against terrorism - this time with official approval!

The first protest in response to the terrorist murders at Sharm el Sheikh was small but drew a lot of attention. (They even made MSNBC - thank you, Glenn - and the Guardian.) Unfortunately, the demo ended prematurely when the police arrived - the demonstrators didn't have a permit.

Now, with official permission, they're ready to roll. So are you waiting for an invitation? Here it is:

A candle light vigil will be held tomorrow (Friday July 29th) from 6-9 P.M at Al Azhar Park. Permission was granted. If you are in Cairo, please come wearing white and bring as many people as you can.

Sadly, I won't be able to make it to Cairo tomorrow, but I will be following this one.

Science and Space

Shuttle roundup. NASA has issued the following release on the Space Shuttle Discovery foam incident:

RELEASE: 05-207

Statement on Foam Shedding From External Tank

NASA engineers are evaluating the loss of a large piece of insulation foam from the Space Shuttle Discovery’s external fuel tank during Tuesday's launch. Based on initial assessments, the foam -- which appears to measure approximately 24 to 33 inches long, 10 to 13 inches wide and 2-1/2 to 8 inches thick -- was seen by high-resolution camera equipment added to the Shuttle system after the loss of Columbia in 2003. The accident was caused by foam from the external tank hitting the orbiter during launch.

There was no indication the piece of foam sighted Tuesday caused any damage to Discovery. The Shuttle will undergo further inspection beginning Thursday to check for any significant damage to the orbiter.

"As with any unexpected occurrence, we will closely and thoroughly evaluate this event and make any needed modifications to the Shuttle before we launch again," NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said. "This is a test flight. Among the things we are testing are the integrity of the foam insulation and the performance of new camera equipment installed to detect problems. The cameras worked well. The foam did not.”

Discovery’s seven crew members are being updated with the latest ground team analysis of the foam loss and are continuing to take part in the inspection process.

Tariq Malik at Space.com writes: 'NASA officials have grounded the agency's remaining space shuttles after the Discovery orbiter's external tank shed chunks of foam, including one piece more than 2 feet long. The problem is similar to what occurred in the disastrous Columbia flight in 2003 and was thought to have been fixed. Space shuttle officials said that while there is currently no indication the foam contacted the Discovery orbiter, the incident should not have happened in the first place and is reason enough to put a hold on future flights. Images taken of the external tank in orbit identified the foam separation, and also detailed additional areas where the material pulled loose from its tank, they said. "Until we've fixed this, we're not ready to fly," said Bill Parsons, NASA's space shuttle program manager, during a press briefing here at Johnson Space Center. "You could say that we're grounded." ... he foam shed during Discovery's Tuesday launch originated on a protuberance air load (PAL) ramp that juts out from the orange external tank and protects vital cables, wiring and pressure lines running along its length. Current estimates place it between 24 and 33 inches long at its longest point and up to 8 inches wide.' NASA's two remaining shuttles, Atlantis and Endeavour, will not be flown until engineers fully understand and fix the problem, according to officials.

An AP article by Marcia Dunn (you can tell it's AP by the word "pessimistic" in the headline) reports:

NASA may never be able to prevent threatening chunks of insulation foam from breaking off the shuttle's fuel tank during launch, the agency's chief said Thursday, a day after future flights were ordered grounded because of the problem during Discovery's liftoff.

"We are trying to get it down to the level that cannot damage the orbiter,'' NASA administrator Michael Griffin told NBC's "Today."

"We will never be able to get the amount of debris shed by the tank down to zero," he said.

With Discovery in orbit, NASA grounded all future flights because a large chunk of foam had broken off the external fuel tank in a hauntingly similar fashion to Columbia's doomed mission. This time, NASA believes the foam missed the spacecraft, although it's being closely inspected.

"Everything that we see at this point says that the orbiter is in fact a clean bird," Griffin told ABC's "Good Morning America'' on Thursday shortly after the shuttle did a somersault maneuver to allow the crew on the international space station to photograph the shuttle's belly for signs of damage. Discovery later docked at station to deliver long-awaited supplies.

Griffin stressed in a statement late Wednesday that the current mission was a test flight and ``among the things we are testing are the integrity of the foam insulation and the performance of new camera equipment installed to detect problems."

"The cameras worked well. The foam did not," he said. ...

No new posts from Rand Simberg, but I'll keep an eye out.

On the air, in the air, into space. On a somewhat more upbeat note, Kuwaiti Girl posts some pictures of her radio rig and a story on Kuwait's first woman pilot, 19-year-old Munirah Mohammad Buruki. Also thanks to Maryam for the link to this blog by aspiring astronaut Damaris B. Sarria of Florida. The 23-year-old woman holds a degree in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M, has held a string of space-related jobs, and currently works for Boeing at the Kennedy Space Center. Go pay her a visit.

Of spacecraft and art museums. Some rules can't be broken. On "The L Word" (Season 1, Episode 12), Bette, the art museum director, asks the cute butch contractor Candace for an estimate on some remodeling. When Bette is taken aback by the quote, Candace draws a triangular diagram with its three sides labeled fast - good - cheap. She then imparts the following wisdom to Bette: "You can have any two of the three in combination, but you can never have all three together."

If NASA under Administrator Goldin had hired Candace as a consultant, she could have explained the self-evident folly of the slogan "faster, better, cheaper" - but it's doubtful that anyone would have listened. It took the disastrous consequences of that approach to shake things up. Let's hope that the current leadership understand that the laws of economics, like the laws of physics, are unforgiving. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.

Morning Report: July 28, 2005

NASA grounds shuttle fleet - foam causes concerns. The space shuttle Discovery successfully docked with the International Space Station, but NASA officials aren't pushing their luck. CNN reports: 'Discovery docked with the international space station Thursday as NASA tried to determine why insulating foam fell off the shuttle's external fuel tank during its launch. ... Discovery flew in an unusual upside-down maneuver before it docked so space station cameras with special lenses could take pictures of it, looking for possible damage. The images were sent from the station to NASA engineers on Earth, who will scrutinize Discovery's surface tiles and its thermal-protection system, explained Wayne Hale, deputy shuttle program manager. "Any damage will not escape our detection," Hale said at a Wednesday news conference. NASA said that during launch, a piece of tile also fell from Discovery's underside near the forward landing gear -- an area that has a redundant thermal barrier.' Foam fragments are blamed for the loss of Discovery's sister ship Columbia in 2003, in an accident where falling foam during liftoff apparently damaged the spacecraft's critical heat shield, causing the spacecraft's destruction - and the deaths of its seven crew members - upon re-entry. More to follow under "Science and Space". (CNN)

IRA: A farewell to arms. "All IRA units have been ordered to dump arms. All Volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely political and democratic programmes through exclusively peaceful means. Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever. The IRA leadership has also authorised our representative to engage with the IICD to complete the process to verifiably put its arms beyond use in a way which will further enhance public confidence and to conclude this as quickly as possible." These are the words of an official statement from the Irish Republican Army as quoted on the BBC. British Prime Minister called the move "a step of unparalleled magnitude." (BBC)

More on Iraqi constitution. Iraq's Constitution Drafting Committee called for an emergency meeting among political and religious leaders to overcome difficulties with the present draft of the Iraqi Constitution. Omar at Iraq the Model writes: 'The main points that are going to be discussed in this conference will-in my opinion-include the shape of the federalist system of the state, the issue of considering Islam the main source of legislation, the name of the state as well as case of considering Persian ethnicity among the components of the Iraqi society. I have expressed my disagreement with the draft in the last post and actually I noticed that most of the people I met in the last couple of days share the same concerns I have and many people are disappointed by the weak performance of the CDC.
Let's not forget that many of the public opinion polls that were conducted in Iraq in the past two years showed that a maximum of 15% of the voters would favor an Islamic state, so if the Saturday conference failed in dealing with the above points I mentioned, then I expect this constitution will be rejected by the voters.' Go to Iraq the Model at the link for the full post, and don't miss the reader discussion in Comments. (ITM)

Morning Report: July 27, 2005

Shuttle launch successful, but debris under scrutiny. Voice of America reports: 'The space shuttle Discovery successfully blasted into orbit Tuesday morning, but there are questions about some debris which fell from the spacecraft on take-off. ... As the shuttle roared into orbit on its 12-day mission, video images showed debris falling away. But it wasn't immediately clear if the spacecraft's sensitive outer skin had been jeopardized. At a news conference late Tuesday, NASA officials said a piece of tile may have come off during liftoff. Tiles have been lost on take-off during previous flights, without causing any trouble during re-entry. ... NASA officials say they will study the tapes carefully to see if the spacecraft sustained any damage.' Rand Simberg has more: 'I'm quite certain that NASA has an extensive data base of tile damage from every single flight, organized by section of the orbiter in which it occurred (and if they don't, someone should certainly be keelhauled across Atlantis), and are even now scouring it to see if there was similar damage in a similar location on some previous flight, including notes of any structural insult observed when the offending tile was removed and replaced. That, and perhaps a closer inspection by EVA, will determine the resolution of this.' Read the full post at the link. (VOA, Transterrestrial Musings)

Bird flu cause for worry? Winds of Change has this to say on a potential epidemic of avian flu (commonly called "bird flu"): 'Some of our readers will recall (a) China's dismal record of inaction and cover-up with SARS; (b) The 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic that killed 20-50 million people; (c ) Winds' article about global democracy promotion as a global development policy; it pointed out the inherent and inevitable failings of planned/ authoritarian socieites, and specifically noted their inability to react to things like avian flu pandemics as a key example of what we were talking about. It seems the chickens may be coming home to roost a little earlier than we'd hoped. Reader Eric Kansa of the Alexandria Archive Institute writes in to say: "I want to direct your attention toward avian flu, an issue that, given its scope and potential consequences, receives very little attention both in the traditional press and blogosphere. I've been following this for some time, basically the World Health Organization is doing everything NOT to raise the alert level from stage 3 to stage 5 or 6, and has tried to explain away clear cases of human-to-human transmission (these cases mean we're at Stage 5 at least). There are also LOTS of rumors China is covering up an outbreak of Stage 6 human-to-human bird flu. ... The upshot: A pandemic can breakout any time now, especially as we move into the fall (weather changes and bird migration become more favorable to flu transmission). This is really urgent." ' Joe Katzman continues: 'If we really want to "plan" for a dynamic scenario like this and get a fast fix out there, however, there's a simpler way: don't depend on a huge, elaborate system, but on fast point defense and overlapping measures. Spend about $1 million, and ship copies of SimOutbreak to every key official all around the country. In a scenario like this, fast and informed local reaction will be worth hundreds of millions in backup infrastructure. Include law enforcement and first responders in the distribution - they'll probably be the first to see the signs. Have cities like my Toronto, hit hard by SARS, share plans and lessons learned. Spend a bit of time following this yourself, on a personal level, and think about what your contingency plans might be re: your family. Spread the word. Write your representatives. Point out that the WHO is soft-pedaling this, and may fail entirely.' Read the full post for details and links. (Winds of Change)

Iraqi draft constitution raises concerns. The draft text for Iraq's new constitution doesn't sit well with Omar at Iraq the Model: 'This morning, Al-Sabah had the exclusive right to publish the current draft of the constitution. This draft will be submitted to the national Assembly to get the Assembly's approval before putting it to the October referendum. ... [Excerpted text, with Omar's comments in brackets] 1-the republic of Iraq (the Islamic, federal) is a sovereign, independent country and the governing system is a democratic, republican, federal one. [The Islamic republic of Iraq!? NO WAY.] 2-Islam is the official religion of the state and it is the main source of legislations and it is not allowed to make laws that contradict the fundamental teachings of Islam and its rules (the ones agreed upon by all Muslims) and this constitution shall preserve the Islamic identity of the majority of the Iraqi people (with its Shea't majority and its Sunni component) and respect the rights of all other religions. [This is the deadliest point if approved; Islam or any religion cannot and must not be the main source of legislation.] 9-The family is the basis of the community and the state preserves the family's genuine Iraqi identity that is based on patriot, religious and ethical values and the state also is responsible for protecting maternity and childhood and looks after the youths and provide the appropriate environment to assure the development of their skills and capabilities. [I don't know for sure what they mean by saying "the state preserves the family's genuine Iraqi identity that is based on patriot, religious and ethical values" but it doesn't sound great anyway.] ...' Read the full post for text and links to Arabic text; also be sure to follow the reader discussion in Comments. (ITM)

Rumsfeld visits Iraq. Voice of America reports: 'Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in Iraq for an unannounced visit with American and Iraqi officials. Secretary Rumsfeld arrived Wednesday morning, with a series of messages for the country's interim leaders. ... The defense secretary told reporters traveling with him that he would urge Iraqi leaders to do more to curb what Mr. Rumsfeld characterized as "harmful interference" from neighboring Syria and Iran.' Al-Sabah (July 27) adds: 'Defense Minister [Donald Rumsfeld] revealed a new plan to be conducted in Mosul, Falouja and Baghdad, well informed sources said.The minister said that his new plan was approved by the president himself, who expressed trust in the Iraqi forces efforts.The minister blamed Syria for neglecting Iraq's demands of halting the trespasses made by terrorists, affirming that the government has strong evidences of trespassers entering the borders via three points targeting Baghdad, however he warned Baghdad of such acts that may lead to including Damascus with the same fire.As for the situation in Tallafer, he made it clear that direct interference would cost civilian casualties, a matter that Iraqis do not prefer, but he said that indirect process of about 4 to 5 weeks would end the task with minimum civilian victims.He rejected proposals of recruiting militias as a joint force with the army force stressing that the ministry doors are open for all citizens to defend the country.Concerning border problem in Um Qasr with the Kuwaiti side, he advised the Kuwaitis to be patient for the current time and dialogue would be the path way for solving any problem, describing his visit to Teheran as peace message.' (VOA, Sabah)

Iran: Woman burns self on threat of return to prison. Free Iran quoting Iran Focus: 'A 30-year-old woman set herself on fire outside a justice department office in southern Iran on Monday evening, eye-witnesses reported. The unidentified woman was on temporary parole from prison in the southern city of Marvdasht and had gone to the justice department to request an extension of her prison leave. When her application was rejected, she attempted to commit suicide by setting herself on fire. She is reportedly in critical condition. A Marvdasht resident reached by telephone said it was rumored in town that the woman had been brutally treated by prison guards. Prison conditions in Iran have become the focus of international concern after the publication of a report by an internal investigative body of Iran’s judiciary. The report discovered serious cases of torture, solitary confinement, long-term detention without trial, and other abuses.' (Free Iran)

Iran: Two gay youths executed by hanging. The islamist entity continued its 26-year crime spree against the Iranian people with the hanging of two teenage boys. Free Iran reports: '(Amnesty International): On 19 July 2005, an 18-year-old, identified only as A. M. and a minor, Mahmoud A, were publicly hanged in the north-eastern city of Mashhad. According to reports, they were convicted of sexual assault on a 13-year-old boy and had been detained 14 months ago. Prior to their execution, the two were also given 228 lashes each for drinking, disturbing the peace and theft. (AFP): A Swedish gay rights group called on the government to immediately halt all deportations of homosexuals to Iran, saying two young men were hanged there this week for committing a "homosexual act." "There are clear examples that homosexuals are killed in Iran for their sexual orientation. I think the Swedish government is extremely cynical when it sends gays and lesbians back to Iran," Soeren Andersson, head of the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights (RFSL), told AFP. The two men, one of whom was under 18 years of age, were hanged on Tuesday, officially for raping a 13-year-old boy at knife-point, but Andersson said it was possible that they had in fact only had sex with each other.' Read the thread for full details, links, and coverage from gay activist groups. (AI and AFP via Free Iran)

New to Blogroll: Jinnderella

Islam, folklore, English horsemanship, romance, science/fiction, and anti-idiotarianism are a few of Jinnderella's passions at Hot Needle of Inquiry. Oh, and she's a real hottie in a bathing suit. (But don't let that influence you.) Sadly, Jinn seems to be taking a break from blogging. Hopefully she'll be back. Meanwhile, take your time perusing her thoughts. Oh, and in case you were wondering about that name ...

Let's blogroll!

What'cha gonna do when the well runs dry? Emily at Strangechord gives an excellent analysis of the age of peak oil:

President Bush has been briefed on the end of cheap oil... have you?

We will soon start seeing ads put out by Chevron for its new campaign: Will You Join Us. Rather than advertising some new "high-performing" gasoline, this campaign is a public admission of the end of cheap oil and a PR move designed to get YOU, Mr. and Ms. Public, to consider the oil companies your allies as the shit hits the fan over the next few years. Get ready for a probable economic downturn this winter.

For those of you still in the dark (I blogged about peak oil a few months ago), here it is in a nutshell: there's strong evidence indicating that the globe may have reached peak oil, which means we've pumped out half of the world's known supplies. While one's first reaction is "So? That means one half is left," the bad news is that after peak, oil is much more difficult and expensive to extract and refine. Thus, the oil we've been using for the past 70+ years has been the light, sweet, "gusher", cheap stuff. The explosively exponential rise in human population over the past 70 years has been predicated on cheap, easily accessible oil. In fact, economic growth as we know it is dependent upon cheap energy. Think of everything from auto transportation, small and large-scale shipping, plastics, medical infrastructure, industrial agriculture that uses huge quantities of petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides, etc. Did you know that for every one calorie the average American consumes, more than ten calories of fossil energy went into putting it on her plate? Well, things are about to change radically.

Here's the kicker - there is no combination of renewable and alternative fuels that could possibly ramp us up to present levels of consumption in the short period of time we have. ...

Read the whole thing at the link. Also at Emily's blog: the "Women's Land" concept isn't only in southern Oregon ... here's a village in Kenya called Umoja (Unity), an all-female community where 'women have the money and decision-making power to choose education for their children.' Follow Emily's post to the link at Feminist Majority ... and don't forget to bookmark Strangechord.

What is an idiotarian? Winds of Change has the answers.

More centrists speak out. I've already plugged Nadz ("None of the Above"), but I can't resist mentioning her again here. Despite its curious features, this creature is surprisingly reasonable. For those who don't grasp the concept of "centrist", Michael J. Totten draws you a picture.

Echoing George Galloway's now-famous rant against Christopher Hitchens, Drink-Soaked Trotskyite Popinjays for War takes this post's "Best Blog Title" award - an honor it shares with this blog by Grace Davis.

Finally, MJ continues to roast but that doesn't stop her from offering some great links. Beware Seat 29E. No info, though on what to do about the problem of a hippo on your keyboard. Well, maybe next time.