Those of you with a ghoulish sense of the macabre, may find an exhibition in the Indian capital of Mumbai to be to your taste.
A waxwork House of Horrors is showing a reenactment of Saddam Hussein's hanging.
As visitors walk along on an uneven pathway, a rubber replica of Hussein's head pops up with a noose tied around the neck. The head makes a snapping noise, to simulate the neck being broken.
The visitors then run into a masked actor chasing them with an axe. The 20-minute walk through costs about $4 per person.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Saturday, May 12, 2007
The Poisoned Chalice
As President Bush's "policy" on Iraq sinks further into the quagmire, it seems that he is unable to find a new "tsar" for the Iraq war.
Bush is searching for someone credible to fill the new post of Iraq war “tsar” in the White House. Up to six US generals have reportedly rebuffed the White House's overtures.
Many Republicans are now wondering aloud what Bush's "Plan B" is, when the "surge" is proven to be a failure in September.
They should not wonder too hard, there isn't a plan B; American "policy" is being made up as they go along.
Bush is searching for someone credible to fill the new post of Iraq war “tsar” in the White House. Up to six US generals have reportedly rebuffed the White House's overtures.
Many Republicans are now wondering aloud what Bush's "Plan B" is, when the "surge" is proven to be a failure in September.
They should not wonder too hard, there isn't a plan B; American "policy" is being made up as they go along.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Saddam's Former Minister Denies Chemical Weapons
Sultan Hashim Ahmad al-Tai, Saddam Hussein's former defence minister, said on Sunday that he had no access to chemical weapons and had received no orders to use them in an operation that killed tens of thousands of Iraqi Kurds.
Also on trial is Saddam's cousin, Ali Hassan al-Majid, also known as "Chemical Ali" for allegedly ordering poison gas attacks against the Kurds.
If convicted, the defendants could be sentenced to death by hanging.
Al-Tai said:
"I did not receive any order asking me to use chemical weapons, but if so I would have implemented it. I did not receive any chemical-related weapons."
Chief Prosecutor Munqith al-Faroon said al-Tai knew about the chemical attack, and showed the court a letter sent by his superiors asking him to use "special ammunition (chemical weapons) against enemy poison."
Al-Tai's lawyer said that his client was only defending his country against Iranian attacks in northern Iraq during the 1980-88 war between the two countries.
Also on trial is Saddam's cousin, Ali Hassan al-Majid, also known as "Chemical Ali" for allegedly ordering poison gas attacks against the Kurds.
If convicted, the defendants could be sentenced to death by hanging.
Al-Tai said:
"I did not receive any order asking me to use chemical weapons, but if so I would have implemented it. I did not receive any chemical-related weapons."
Chief Prosecutor Munqith al-Faroon said al-Tai knew about the chemical attack, and showed the court a letter sent by his superiors asking him to use "special ammunition (chemical weapons) against enemy poison."
Al-Tai's lawyer said that his client was only defending his country against Iranian attacks in northern Iraq during the 1980-88 war between the two countries.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Cigars For Saddam
The final day of a hearing to determine if Lt. Col. William H. Steele, a former military police commander at the Camp Cropper prison, should stand trial on various charges of "aiding the enemy" heard that he let detainees use his cell phone to make unmonitored calls and approved buying Cuban cigars and hair dye for Saddam Hussein.
One of those investigating Steele noted:
"that during an interview, [Steele] admitted that he empathised with the prisoners he oversaw, who included ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and members of his former regime, and that he had lent them his cellular phone to make private calls."
A similar "bonding with the enemy" happened at Nuremberg, when the US guards allowed Goering to commit suicide rather than face the gallows.
One of those investigating Steele noted:
"that during an interview, [Steele] admitted that he empathised with the prisoners he oversaw, who included ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and members of his former regime, and that he had lent them his cellular phone to make private calls."
A similar "bonding with the enemy" happened at Nuremberg, when the US guards allowed Goering to commit suicide rather than face the gallows.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Iraq Reconsturction Fails
A US federal audit report has condemned the US attempts to reconstruct Iraq as being a total failure.
The reconstruction is so blighted by local corruption and insurgency violence, that most buildings fall into disrepair within six months of being completed.
The 210 page report was prepared by the American Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (Sigir). It concludes that fraud and corruption are so widespread within Iraqi departments, that the Iraqi annual financial loss now exceeds $7BN.
When buildings are completed, they are not being "adequately maintained". Repairmen and workers face intimidation and death threats, making their task all but impossible.
The report noted that at Baghdad Airport the vast majority of electricity generators were not working. At a maternity hospital in Irbil hypodermic needles, bandages and other medical wastes were found to have been thrown in the sewer system's traps and septic tank.
The US Government is trying to lay the blame on Iraqi incompetence, and notes that it could not "micro-manage" how American-funded facilities are run on the ground.
Sigir's last report, in January, said that reconstruction cash was being stolen by corrupt Iraqi officials and often disappearing without proper accounting in a "Wild West" atmosphere.
The State Department report on global terrorism noted that 46% of all terrorism attacks around the world took place in Iraq alone in 2006.
Therefore when President Bush claimed "mission accomplished", some time ago, what exactly was he talking about?
How has the invasion of Iraq made the world a safer place?
The reconstruction is so blighted by local corruption and insurgency violence, that most buildings fall into disrepair within six months of being completed.
The 210 page report was prepared by the American Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (Sigir). It concludes that fraud and corruption are so widespread within Iraqi departments, that the Iraqi annual financial loss now exceeds $7BN.
When buildings are completed, they are not being "adequately maintained". Repairmen and workers face intimidation and death threats, making their task all but impossible.
The report noted that at Baghdad Airport the vast majority of electricity generators were not working. At a maternity hospital in Irbil hypodermic needles, bandages and other medical wastes were found to have been thrown in the sewer system's traps and septic tank.
The US Government is trying to lay the blame on Iraqi incompetence, and notes that it could not "micro-manage" how American-funded facilities are run on the ground.
Sigir's last report, in January, said that reconstruction cash was being stolen by corrupt Iraqi officials and often disappearing without proper accounting in a "Wild West" atmosphere.
The State Department report on global terrorism noted that 46% of all terrorism attacks around the world took place in Iraq alone in 2006.
Therefore when President Bush claimed "mission accomplished", some time ago, what exactly was he talking about?
How has the invasion of Iraq made the world a safer place?
Monday, April 30, 2007
Saddam's Birthday Marked
Hundreds of people brought unlit candles and flowers to Saddam Hussein's tomb on Saturday, to mark what would have been his 70th birthday.
Children wore white, along with badges bearing Saddam's portrait, and sang songs and poems as cake was served in Saddam's burial place.
The supporters said they were also mourning the state of their country.
Children wore white, along with badges bearing Saddam's portrait, and sang songs and poems as cake was served in Saddam's burial place.
The supporters said they were also mourning the state of their country.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Tenet Assails Administration
George J. Tenet, the former director of the CIA, has assailed Vice President Dick Cheney and other Bush administration officials in his new book, "At the Center of the Storm", saying that they pushed the US into war in Iraq without ever conducting a "serious debate" about whether Saddam Hussein posed an imminent threat to the United States.
Quote:
"There was never a serious debate that I know of within the administration about the imminence of the Iraqi threat."
Quote:
"There was never a serious debate that I know of within the administration about the imminence of the Iraqi threat."
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Pentagon's Lies Exposed
When a country or political regime is losing a war, it searches desperately for stories that will encourage and embolden the "home front".
Usually, the more desperate the regime is to save its sorry reputation, the more embellished the stories become.
Under the full glare of a congressional committee, the lies told by the Pentagon (with the tacit approval of the Whitehouse) regarding the "heroism" of two of its service personnel have been exposed.
The brother of the late Cpl Pat Tillman, and Pte Jessica Lynch herself both appeared before the committee and debunked the stories propagated by the Pentagon about the heroism of Pte Lynch and Cpl Tillman.
Miss Lynch, who was injured near Nasiriyah in the 2003 invasion, said:
"I am still confused why they chose to lie and make me a legend."
Kevin Tillman, brother of Cpl Tillman, said that the deception "crossed the legal definition of fraud".
When a country and a "regime" deceives its own people in this way, the war is most assuredly lost and the grip on power of that "regime" failing fast.
Usually, the more desperate the regime is to save its sorry reputation, the more embellished the stories become.
Under the full glare of a congressional committee, the lies told by the Pentagon (with the tacit approval of the Whitehouse) regarding the "heroism" of two of its service personnel have been exposed.
The brother of the late Cpl Pat Tillman, and Pte Jessica Lynch herself both appeared before the committee and debunked the stories propagated by the Pentagon about the heroism of Pte Lynch and Cpl Tillman.
Miss Lynch, who was injured near Nasiriyah in the 2003 invasion, said:
"I am still confused why they chose to lie and make me a legend."
Kevin Tillman, brother of Cpl Tillman, said that the deception "crossed the legal definition of fraud".
When a country and a "regime" deceives its own people in this way, the war is most assuredly lost and the grip on power of that "regime" failing fast.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Weapons of Mass Deception
Those of you with access to American PBS on Wednesday 25th April, between 21:00 and 22:30, should make sure that you tune in.
PBS will be showing a 90-minute video "Buying The War" which documents the lies that the Bush administration told to sell the Iraq War to the American public, with a special focus on how the media aided and abetted Bush lie to the public.
There are even house parties in homes and community centres being arranged for groups of people to come together to watch it. Prior to viewing Bill Moyers, who made the video, will be available for an exclusive conference call with house party attendees.
Those of you who want to host a house party can register here Host House Party.
You can watch a preview here: Buying The War.
PBS will be showing a 90-minute video "Buying The War" which documents the lies that the Bush administration told to sell the Iraq War to the American public, with a special focus on how the media aided and abetted Bush lie to the public.
There are even house parties in homes and community centres being arranged for groups of people to come together to watch it. Prior to viewing Bill Moyers, who made the video, will be available for an exclusive conference call with house party attendees.
Those of you who want to host a house party can register here Host House Party.
You can watch a preview here: Buying The War.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Saddam's Body Taken
It is reported that Saddam Hussein's corpse has been taken from his grave.
The Kurdistan patriotic party said on its website that there had been unofficial reports that Saddam's grave in Auja village, just outside Tikrit had been exhumed.
It is also reported that the body was devoured by dogs.
These reports have not been validated.
The Kurdistan patriotic party said on its website that there had been unofficial reports that Saddam's grave in Auja village, just outside Tikrit had been exhumed.
It is also reported that the body was devoured by dogs.
These reports have not been validated.
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