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Tag(s): Activism Anti-War; Activism Anti-War; Antiwar; Bush War Strategery; Dept Of Def War Strategy; General Petraeus; Military War Strategy; Peace_War; Veterans For Peace; Violence-War; (more...) War Aerial; War Casualties; War Civilian Targets; War Crimes; War Criminal- Crimes; War Illegal; War Iraq; War Victims Children (less...)
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April 7, 2008 at 11:10:45

Headlined on 4/7/08:
Ask Petraeus

by Barbara Bellows-TerraNova Page 1 of 2 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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On Friday, April 4th, Congressman Robert Wexler sent out a email asking what questions we, the people, would like asked of General Petraeus when he delivers his assessment of the Iraq War to Congress next week, and appears before such committees as the Armed Services Committee and Foreign Relations Committee, beginning next Tuesday, April 8th.

Wexler asks that we submit "short and focused" questions to him at contact@wexlerforcongress.com along with a first name, city and state. He will ask two questions that have been sent by the public.

I received the email on the same day I discovered a report released on April 1, 2008 entitled: "U.S. War Crimes in Iraq 2007-2008", written by Karen Parker, President of the Association of Humanitarian Lawyers and Chief Delegate to the United Nations for the International Education Development/Humanitarian Law Project, along with author/policy analyst Bill Rau, produced by http://www.consumersforpeace.org">Consumers for Peace.

The only news article available to date on the release of this report is titled: Report Recommends Petraeus Be Quizzed by Congress on Iraq War Crimes.

The report is the third in a series, with the original being "War Crimes Committed by the United States in Iraq and Mechanisms for Accountability", published in October 2006, and revised in December 2006.

This original report is endorsed by such honorable scholars and journalists as Howard Zinn, Dahr Jamail, Kathy Kelly, and retired Colonel Ann Wright.

The second report, titled "U.S. War Crimes in the 'Surge' -- 2007: Petraeus Manual and Tactics Flout International Law" is an analysis by Karen Parker of the "Counterinsurgency Field Manual" co-authored by General Petraeus and released in 2007, followed by documentation by Bill Rau of the effects of the policies and tactics of the U.S. military on the Iraqi population.

Both the above reports are notably concise, with lengths of merely 38 pages and 26 pages, respectively, and present significant information we, the people, need to know.

The third report, the one just released, mere 20 pages, is the one you should read immediately.

Even if you only have a few minutes to glean information, this piece is revelatory.

From the first report onward, Parker and Bau have shown that the U.S. military, in its wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, has turned its back on international humanitarian law, as well defined by the Geneva and Hague Conventions.

In this third report, the "surge" that has been "successful", according Mr. Bush, Mr. Gates, General Petraeus and others who either have ulterior motives or are drinking the Koolaid, is completely based on statistics that indicate a decrease of Iraqis killing other Iraqis.

However, what they are not reporting is the severe increase in civilian Iraqis killed by U.S. troops, a figure that was already too large to report without public outrage.

The further increase in Iraqis killed by the U.S. military is caused by the switch from troops on the ground to air strikes. Rather than going door-to-door searching for "insurgents" (otherwise known as 'Iraqis-with-an-internationally-recognized-legal-right-to-resist-the-tyranny-of-an-occupying- force'), more often the U.S. is finding it easier to use helicopters and bombers to blast away at "assumed targets".

This does make for less American casualties, to be sure, but the slaughter of Iraqis is also conveniently less noticeable to the America public, since the Pentagon has made it clear from the beginning that it is not in charge of body count.

Of course, the Iraqis can't help but notice it.

In addition, the report reviews the continuing increase of detention of innocent Iraqis, without charge, as well as the disastrous living conditions, without medical care, drinkable water, schools, and few social services for those trying to survive these frightening times.

1 | 2

Take action -- click here to contact your local newspaper or congress people:
Ask Petraeus about increased civilian deaths

Click here to see the most recent messages sent to congressional reps and local newspapers

http://oneperson-knowmore.blogspot.com

"Look around. You're not alone, and you know what we need to know. So go tell it on the mountains and in the cities. From your websites and laptops, tell it. From the street corners and coffeehouse, tell it. From delis and diners, tell it. From the workshop and the bookstore, tell it. On campus, at the mall, the synagogue, sanctuary and mosque, tell it. Tell it where you can, when you can and while you can. Tell America what we need to know, and we may just rekindle the patriot dream." -- Bill Moyers (as Studs Terkel calls him, "my North Star"), June 7, 2008 at the National Conference on Media Reform. . . I am a working mom living in the very red state of Utah who began to really pay attention in 2003 and began sharing what I found out in 2004 -- with "Know Bush Facts", a series of 40 emailed statements that culminated with "Know Bush: Launching Facts That Shock & Awe, A One Person Patriot Act" -- a presentation of the best of the facts retold for theatre -- in October 2004. I continue to write about the hypocrisies I study, believing that what the Bush administration has done goes far beyond partisan disagreement and should be known. I've learned that it isn't that hard to discover the bit of information that puts the news we see into a much greater perspective. I don't need to bash. I don't even need to convince. I simply need to reveal what is going on behind the tap dancing.

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10 comments

Currently I'm a cartoonist and contributing writer for The New Orleans Levee. For those wishing to view my work you can see my latest at: nolevee.com
Mr MCurrently I'm a cartoonist and contributing writer for The New Orleans Levee. For those wishing to view my work you can see my latest at: nolevee.com

I asked ...

Gen. Petraeus in your last testimony to the Armed Services Committee on 9/11/07 you stated: “… I believe that we will be able to reduce our forces to the pre-surge level of brigade combat teams by next summer without jeopardizing the security gains that we have fought so hard to achieve.”, given that not one of your our goals has been achieved, but instead a rather dramatic increase of attacks have occurred, why should we believe that continuing to exercise a policy that has failed continually is in the best interests of the American people, practically since this is the same thing we’ve been hearing six-months at a time since than Sec. of Defense Rumsfeld stated February 7, 2003: “It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months.”? Are we to be “six months to death” again? Is that what you’re going to ask us to do?

by Mr M (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 15 diaries, 1696 comments) on Monday, April 7, 2008 at 2:01:53 PM

Gregg Gordon is a writer, musician, activist, and otherwise ne'er-do-well in Columbus, Ohio.

"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little." - Edmund Burke
Gregg GordonGregg Gordon is a writer, musician, activist, and otherwise ne'er-do-well in Columbus, Ohio.

"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little." - Edmund Burke

Ah yes

The return of the Friedman Unit.

by Gregg Gordon (26 articles, 47 quicklinks, 15 diaries, 199 comments) on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 5:39:59 AM

"Look around. You're not alone, and you know what we need to know. So go tell it on the mountains and in the cities. From your websites and laptops, tell it. From the street corners and coffeehouse, tell it. From delis and diners, tell it. From the workshop and the bookstore, tell it. On campus, at the mall, the synagogue, sanctuary and mosque, tell it. Tell it where you can, when you can and while you can. Tell America what we need to know, and we may just rekindle the patriot dream." -- Bill M...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Barbara Bellows-TerraNova"Look around. You're not alone, and you know what we need to know. So go tell it on the mountains and in the cities. From your websites and laptops, tell it. From the street corners and coffeehouse, tell it. From delis and diners, tell it. From the workshop and the bookstore, tell it. On campus, at the mall, the synagogue, sanctuary and mosque, tell it. Tell it where you can, when you can and while you can. Tell America what we need to know, and we may just rekindle the patriot dream." -- Bill M...

to see more of bio, click on member name

An 'Enhancement' to my article

After I submitted the above article, I was moved to expand on the other two main issues brought up in the most recent report: the detentions and the collapse of community services. Though I was too late to have the revisions in the article, they are included here, because you need to know more specifics:

In addition, the report reviews the continuing increase of detention of innocent Iraqis, up from 17,000 in March 2007 to approximately 50,000 at this time. This includes approximately 1000 children as of December 2007. They are picked up arbitrarily, often for being male, held without charge, for a year or more, in filthy, disease-ridden prisons that were meant to hold 30-40% of their current occupancy – with the apparent intention of intimidating Iraqi citizens into submission.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate is over 60%, making the promise of money for terrorist/resistance acts even more tempting for the most moderate Iraqis.

Two thirds of medical professionals have left the country, and those who remain have inadequate facilities and supplies, so needless deaths are a constant.

Few schools remain open, many educators have also left, and few students regularly attend, leaving a large population who will not have the skills necessary as adults to improve their lives.

Other servicers, such as water and electricity, are worse than ever. While living without electricity may be mostly survivable, drinking contaminated water is not. Last fall, a major cholera epidemic struck 45 Iraqi districts.

by Barbara Bellows-TerraNova (18 articles, 1 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 75 comments) on Monday, April 7, 2008 at 3:00:59 PM

viet era vet
el. eng. pilot
hlgviet era vet
el. eng. pilot

ASk Petraeus and ODOM

1) Ask them why German Newspaper e.g. spiegel.de show the destroyed

APC resp. ILAV (Armed personel carrier Tank) last sunday in Sadr City.

And why American Press has not come across his Vehicle.

It is important that we know everything about the warfare and the current balance of POWER . I learned from analysing the picture and the

RPG carrying people around it there , that it must be relatively easy

to hit those vehicles. ALso easy is it to accumulate sufficient RPG

and preposition the individual(s) accordingly and when the day comes

to deploy , all ILAV's can be lost in a matter of hours (deploying time)

2) withdrawal , how safe is a carefully planned withdrawal from Bagdad ?

In the open desert , movements/maneuverings look relatively safe.

Instructions to refugees ? There could be large masses in the way

resp. in line of anticipated fire.

3) Training. All iraqies are trained in Infantry Marksmanship . Is it

true , if someone demands training , he is actually just after

absorbing a trainer from his unit.

4) Embedding troops. Is it a risk of becoming a hostage for a GI

TO an Iranian-led regional axis that includes Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria?

Lately many individuals have been observed switching sides or

even commence friendly fire .

This is the most serious concern, the counter-weapon to Nukes are hostages . They can be dispursed and some of them used as human shields to protect high value targets , and held for more than 444 Days, for Generations! Look at North Korea , I learned Families still pslit up

after 55 Years after cease-fire signing.

5) Reposition beyond the Horizon . Give up Bagdad Bashra

However maintaqin the Airspace and the OILFIELDS .Feasible ?

All areas or only Curdistan and the Bashra Fields/Ports ?

6) Attack Iran to cease fire or capitulation. Corridor to Afghanistan.

No question because ,should not be discussed public.

There will be hearings to the appr. commitee ina few hours.

7) Establish Mediteranean acces corridor(s) . Feasible ?

8) Friendly Bases . Infrastructure schools Housing US Communities.feasible ?

Safe ? can it be made and held safe ?

9) Bagdhad again . All these Taxi's , 60% unimployed, and soo much

movements /business transports , Radiocalls day and night.

Paying customers ? NO I doubt it. Is this all Sadrs OPS ?

10) OFF PORT Damascus Russian Fleet , What ROE ?

11) Pakistani Submarines . ROE and their location ? UNderstand

chinese captains trained in cuban waters end sep 07 .

by hlg (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 79 comments) on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 12:31:11 AM

RETIRED CONSTRUCTION SUPT.MARRIEDOVER 60GOALS: MAKING THE PUBLIC AWARE OF JUST HOW CORRUPT THIS ADMINISTRATION REALLY IS, AND EDUCATING THE IGNORANT 30%
GUY P. FRASERRETIRED CONSTRUCTION SUPT.MARRIEDOVER 60GOALS: MAKING THE PUBLIC AWARE OF JUST HOW CORRUPT THIS ADMINISTRATION REALLY IS, AND EDUCATING THE IGNORANT 30%

IRAQ

WHY ARE WE THERE? THE TRUTH AS FOR THE MEMO, ISN'T IT PAST TIME FOR PUBLIC OUTRAGE

by GUY P. FRASER (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 64 comments) on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 4:45:25 AM

"Look around. You're not alone, and you know what we need to know. So go tell it on the mountains and in the cities. From your websites and laptops, tell it. From the street corners and coffeehouse, tell it. From delis and diners, tell it. From the workshop and the bookstore, tell it. On campus, at the mall, the synagogue, sanctuary and mosque, tell it. Tell it where you can, when you can and while you can. Tell America what we need to know, and we may just rekindle the patriot dream." -- Bill M...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Barbara Bellows-TerraNova"Look around. You're not alone, and you know what we need to know. So go tell it on the mountains and in the cities. From your websites and laptops, tell it. From the street corners and coffeehouse, tell it. From delis and diners, tell it. From the workshop and the bookstore, tell it. On campus, at the mall, the synagogue, sanctuary and mosque, tell it. Tell it where you can, when you can and while you can. Tell America what we need to know, and we may just rekindle the patriot dream." -- Bill M...

to see more of bio, click on member name

A Moment for Being Gracious

Of course, we could always take a lesson in manners from Erin Brockovitch:

"How's your water there, Sir? We had it brought in special for you -- from Iraq."

by Barbara Bellows-TerraNova (18 articles, 1 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 75 comments) on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 5:00:58 AM

Bia Winter is an Artist/Writer from Maine,
and has been an activist and letter-writer since the 60's.
In 2004 she received the Roger Baldwin Award from the Maine American Civil Liberties Union for furthering Democracy after she got a Resolution Against the USA"Patriot"Act passed in her small home town of Mount Vernon, by overwhelming show-of-hands vote at Town Meeting. She continues to Write, Activate and Cartoon for Progressive causes. Her Letters are often seen in the Baltimore Ch...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Bia WinterBia Winter is an Artist/Writer from Maine,
and has been an activist and letter-writer since the 60's.
In 2004 she received the Roger Baldwin Award from the Maine American Civil Liberties Union for furthering Democracy after she got a Resolution Against the USA"Patriot"Act passed in her small home town of Mount Vernon, by overwhelming show-of-hands vote at Town Meeting. She continues to Write, Activate and Cartoon for Progressive causes. Her Letters are often seen in the Baltimore Ch...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Two Questions

Two Questions immediately come to mind:

*What effect do you think this illegal War of Occupation has had on our economy?
and
*What do you think Americans would do if OUR country had been brutally invaded and occupied
on the premise that George Bush was a threat to the World?

by Bia Winter (1 articles, 2 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 169 comments) on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 5:52:04 AM

viet era vet
el. eng. pilot
hlgviet era vet
el. eng. pilot

answer the second Mrs WINTER Question

Most Americans would answer : Yes , i'd fight off the occupyer and

thankfully accept the help of any 3rd party force/supply/arms etc.

Most Americans or lets be more exact , mid and low IQ Americans

agree for the (2) presumptions that Mrs Winter has

integrated there in the question.

1) Pres Bush threat to the world

2) illegal war

Presumtion 1) analysed: To be powerful (mil.powerful) implies

to have threat potential . USA is powerful.Number 1 as a matter of fact.

If someone assumes the US POwer would be abused ,he/she is simply wrong. Compare History Power was used to liberate people never to opress people evilwillingly.

Presumtion 2) This war is not an illegal war ,neither Vietnam , neither

Korea neither WWI and WWII . To wage an aggression war is illegal

not the resolve of such war or the attempt of resolving genocids.

Agression wars were : Hitler invading Polen 1939,Italy abessinia 1934.

Emp.Japan expanding brutally deep into Asia 1932 Nanking

Also an Agression is kUWAIT 1990 . Also an Agression is the RE-Agression after signing a ceasefire ( in all such Agreements it says .... else the instrument of war will be used to continue)

So you are required to rephrase the Question and i am happy to give

a nice answer. So i can answer:

Thank You ,Liberator , I am greatful for your relief,You saved my home

my freedom my life and pers. of happiness.Be my guest , bring your

Family , rotate your Tour , provide my security, establish friendly base

to help others in same bine as I was before You came to liberate me.

by hlg (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 79 comments) on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 9:10:29 AM