April 18, 2005

American Peace Activist Killed in Car Bomb Attack in Iraq

marla_ruzicka_peace_activist.jpg
It appears that Iraq's minutemen didn't really care that Marla Ruzicka was in Iraq trying to help civilians affected by the 'Evil Zionist Crusader forces occupation'. Note that she appears to have been killed on the same road that Giuliana Sgrena's car was shot by U.S. tropps. SF Gate:

Marla Ruzicka, 28, of Lakeport (Lake County), founder of CIVIC -- Campaign for Innocent Victims of Conflict -- died with her driver on the Baghdad Airport road Saturday when a suicide bomber attacked a convoy of security contractors that was passing next to her vehicle, according to her family and news reports quoting U.S. Embassy officials in Iraq.

The target of the attack apparently was not Ruzicka's vehicle, said her mother, who received the account from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

She was killed while traveling "to visit an Iraqi child injured by a bomb, part of her daily work of identifying and supporting innocent victims of this war," said CIVIC representative April Pedersen in a statement on the group's Web site.

Given the U.S. military's policy of not accounting for civilian casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq, Ruzicka's work played a key role in drawing attention to the human tragedy of the war and giving the world a well-researched accounting of the cost in innocent lives.

Ruzicka grew up in Lakeport and made New York City her base for her frequent trips to the war areas. She continued going into the increasingly violent Iraqi conflict areas even after most international aid organizations and relief agencies had bailed out.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, she worked 15-hour days going out to scenes of civilian carnage and painstakingly documenting the toll. She also struggled to obtain relief for the families of the victims.

How would Ruzicka's mother know that her daughter was not the target of the attack? Either she has contacts with the 'insurgents' (which I doubt) or she believed that people like Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's al Qaeda in Iraq wouldn't target a blonde American woman.

CIVIC has Marla's online journals here. Apparently Marla Ruzicka was more than just a peace activist. Her mission, it seems, was to document the victim's of U.S. aggression. No documentation of those killed by terrorists, like herself.

Here are some more thoughts on Marla Ruzicka.

UPDATE: Via LGF this WSJ piece from 2002:

"Flaws in U.S. Air War Left Hundreds of Civilians Dead," blares the lead headline of yesterday's New York Times. "The American air campaign in Afghanistan, based on a high-tech, out-of-harm's way strategy, has produced a pattern of mistakes that has killed hundreds of Afghan civilians," claims reporter Dexter Filkins.

But the BBC reports that the Afghan government rejects Filkins's account: "A spokesman for Afghan President Hamid Karzai told the BBC that fewer than 500 civilians were believed to have been killed in US air strikes--a low figure considering the size of the military campaign."

Whom to believe? This passage from the Times account gives ample reason to doubt Filkins's objectivity:

Field workers with Global Exchange, an American organization that has sent survey teams into Afghan villages, say they have compiled a list of 812 Afghan civilians who were killed by American airstrikes. They say they expect that number to grow as their survey teams reach more remote villages.

Marla Ruzicka, a Global Exchange field worker in Afghanistan, said the most common factor behind the civilian deaths has been an American reliance on incomplete information to decide on targets.

"Smart bombs are only as smart as people on the ground," Ms. Ruzicka said. "Before you bomb, you should be 100 percent certain of who you are bombing."

So what is this Global Exchange, which Filkins describes only as "an American organization"? A look at its Web site makes clear it's a far-left outfit that opposed any military intervention in Afghanistan. Blogger Michael Moynihan has more details on Marla Ruzicka, who turns out to be a fervent admirer of Fidel Castro. There's also a "report" on the 2000 election dispute from the World Socialist Web Site, which quotes her as suggesting Republicans are terrorists:

Marla Ruzicka, 23, an officially accredited observer from the Green Party, commented on the tactics of the Bush supporters. She described them as "really nasty. There was one guy with a bald head, like a skinhead. They surrounded me and called me a baby killer, because of my support for the right to abortion. When I pointed out Bush's presiding over the death penalty, they said: no, no, that's justice. They're scary. Maybe they're the ones who should be on the terrorist lists."

Ruzicka, of course, is entitled to her opinions--but surely her extremist political agenda is relevant to Filkins's readers in determining how much weight to give to her comments. Meanwhile, buried in the 16th paragraph of Filkins's story is an admission that the whole thing is trumped up: "Indeed, the extraordinary accuracy of American airstrikes since they began in October has produced few of the types of disasters that plagued past wars, when bombs aimed at one target hit something else instead." Oh well, never mind.

more...

Posted by: Rusty at 08:50 AM | Comments (105) | Add Comment
Post contains 1651 words, total size 11 kb.

100+ Shiites Taken Hostage in Iraq (UPDATED: Hoax???)

4/18/05 Update: Could this all be a hoax? Traderrob first alerted me to this NY Times story which questions the veracity of earlier reports: Sent to Rescue Shiite Hostages, Iraqi Troops Find None:

By this afternoon, Iraqi army officials were reporting that the crisis in Madaen, which had been narrated in a stream of breathless television reports and news agency stories, was nothing but a tissue of rumors and politically motivated accusations.

The hysteria over Madaen was one vivid illustration of the way Iraq's daily violence and sectarian tension, which are real enough, can be easily twisted into fantasy here. In a country where phones are unreliable and roads between cities often blocked, facts can give way to a fast-running engine of rumor. And most people have good reason to believe the worst.

Pro-terrorist and leftwing publications already calling the whole operation a U.S. plot. Al Jazeera.com (not to be confused with al Jazeera.net, which is the real Al Jazeera):
He added that he had contacted some people in Madain and that they confirmed there was a fierce attack on the town despite the absence of fighters.

"We can call this another Falluja," al-Kubaisi said. He noted that interior ministry announced on 14 April that Iraqi forces will attack the town.

"We have urged them to keep the situation calm, but they have insisted to storm this safe city with its Sunni and Shiites residents. Therefore, this operation comes to create a sectarian strife in the town," he added.

Al-Hureya area in al-Wihda neighborhood was raided 22 days ago although there were no rebels there, al-Kubaisi said. Five days later, all families were thrown out, he added.

"Therefore, the issue is a matter of pursuing resistance fighters in Baghdad," he said, adding that "This is a U.S. plan. Unfortunately, Iraqi National Guardsmen have been dragged into such operations."

By 'another Fallujah' this man is referring to widespread reports in the Arab press and left-wing media of U.S. massacres of civilians.

-----------------------------------------
Speed of Thought is all over this one. Check his site out for updates. The numbers seem to be in flux, some reporting as low as 60 hostages other reports saying 150. Here's a bit of info from The Guardian:

Husseini said about 100 masked militants drove through Madain, capturing Shiite youngsters and old men. He and government officials said between 35 to 100 people were taken hostage.

A resident reached by telephone said the militants had returned early Saturday, shouting through loudspeakers that all Shiites must leave or the hostages would be killed. Later, the resident said, the town appeared calm and there was no sign of insurgents. Other residents said no hostages had been taken. The conflicting accounts could not be reconciled.

Posted by: Rusty at 08:25 AM | Comments (83) | Add Comment
Post contains 468 words, total size 3 kb.

Morning Reading: Darth Tater Edition

darth_tater_small.jpgGot a link? Just send it to me. Because that's just the kind of guy I am:

Shiite hostage crisis bogus?

The Lebanese Cedar Revolution now has its own blog, and it's being published from the tent-city itself.

I keep getting e-mails about the returned soldier who was arrested for detaining some illegal immigrants in Arizona. Honestly, I haven't really formed an opinion about this yet. Here's Confederate Yankee's take.

See your state capital from space. Cool.

Howard Dean attempts to reach out to people of faith by spitting in their faces.

Guess which major newspaper this post takes on? One guess.

Dan obviously had some serious time on his hands this weekend.

darth_tater_big.jpg

Posted by: Rusty at 08:24 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 123 words, total size 2 kb.

April 16, 2005

Blog Sabbath Caption Contest: Zarqawi Edition

Caption this photo of a billboard in Iraq bearing the face of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Winners announced Monday with mucho fanfare.

Posted by: Rusty at 09:17 PM | Comments (46) | Add Comment
Post contains 33 words, total size 1 kb.

Which Side of the Blogosphere is Getting Paid?

AS A SUCCESSUL RIGHT-WING BLOGGER I DEMAND MY PAYCHECK!!! more...

Posted by: Rusty at 09:06 PM | Comments (22) | Add Comment
Post contains 286 words, total size 2 kb.

Pat Tillman: Even a Bigger Hero

Pat Tillman could have gone back to the NFL. Instead, he stayed in the Army Rangers and paid the ultimate sacrifice. Hero to the end.

Posted by: Rusty at 08:42 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
Post contains 37 words, total size 1 kb.

Playboy for Jihadis

via Evil Glenn Reynolds (not to be confused with Dr. Glenn Reynolds)

Posted by: Rusty at 08:36 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 18 words, total size 1 kb.

Cat Hunting

I don't hunt, but I might just start! Phin gives tips on how to hunt cat.

Posted by: Rusty at 08:32 PM | Comments (13) | Add Comment
Post contains 20 words, total size 1 kb.

NY Times: Are they just lazy?

Our good friend Keith Taylor is guest blogging for Dean Esmay, and he's on fire! He takes on the NY Times here. Granted, taking on the NY Times these days isn't the most difficult task, but scroll down to the three photos he posts. They're worth it.

Posted by: Rusty at 08:22 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 59 words, total size 1 kb.

Mass Graves Uncovered in Iraq

Horrible. The rest of the article reveals even worse. It is to our everlasting shame that we didn't finish this war the first time around. NY Times:

Investigators have discovered several mass graves in southern Iraq that are believed to contain the bodies of people killed by Saddam Hussein's government, including one estimated to hold 5,000 bodies, Iraqi officials say.

The graves, discovered over the past three months, have not yet been dug up because of the risks posed by the continuing insurgency and the lack of qualified forensic workers, said Bakhtiar Amin, Iraq's interim human rights minister. But initial excavations have substantiated the accounts of witnesses to a number of massacres. If the estimated body counts prove correct, the new graves would be among the largest in the grim tally of mass killings that have gradually come to light since the fall of Mr. Hussein's government two years ago. At least 290 grave sites containing the remains of some 300,000 people have been found since the American invasion two years ago, Iraqi officials say.

Hat tip: Seeker.

Posted by: Rusty at 07:47 PM | Comments (28) | Add Comment
Post contains 186 words, total size 1 kb.

April 15, 2005

I Am a Digital McCarthyite! (Updated)

First it was the vast right wing conspiracy. Then it was digital brownshirts. Now it's the digital McCarthyites. Well, sign me up folks. I'm a digital McCarthyite. From Mary Mapes new book:

“Conservative bloggers are part of the story. They have vilified me, mounted a “wilding” attack against me…we were, it seemed the first victims of a new kind of digital McCarthyism, which uses the same techniques as the old McCarthyism–rumors, slurs, false charges and ugly attacks–but now employs the Internet, talk radio and cable TV echo chamber to ricochet information around the world
The Anchoress has more via Instapundit.

Thoughts Online notes that the connotative usage of 'wilding' refers to the 1989 Central Park Jogger incident. Thus, Mapes equates right-wing bloggers with a pack of rapists and paints herself a sexual assault victim. Classy.

Prepare for the swarm Ms. Mapes.

digital_mccarthyites.jpg

Any other volunteers for the Digital McCarthyites? Any one have a better logo they can think of?

UPDATE: Tom over at Scared Monkeys Digial McCarthyite designed this logo. Awesome! Feel free to download the image here.

digital_mccarthyites_logo.jpg

Goldfalcon comes up with his own McCarthy photoshop (it helps if you know something about old movies).

Other Digital McCarthyites (like a gang 'wilding' Ms. Mapes in an online Central Park): Charles Johnson, Bill Quick, Mean Mr. Mustard, Ace, Cream and Bastards, Scared Monkeys, INDCent Bill, Vince Aut Morire, Scared Monkeys, Beth at My VRWC, Dread Pundit Bluto, Musing Minds, NIF, The Right Nation, The Nose on Your Face, and a whole gang of others...

Posted by: Rusty at 03:38 PM | Comments (31) | Add Comment
Post contains 262 words, total size 4 kb.

Good News Every One,

Collin Baber has been banned. Any appeals should be e-mailed to me directly.

UPDATE:Thanks to Phin. We got ourselves a poll. I'm moving this post to the top for now.


Should Collin Baber be banned
Yes
No
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Posted by: Rusty at 03:19 PM | Comments (190) | Add Comment
Post contains 46 words, total size 1 kb.

Imperial Land Walker for Sale

Via Flea, this super-sweet Imperial Landwalker. Check out the video of it in action at this website. It actually works!

land_walker.jpg

Posted by: Rusty at 03:13 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
Post contains 30 words, total size 1 kb.

INDCent Bill admits to what we've always known,

he's into Lllama orgling!

So I tried to listen to Jeff Goldstein of Protein Wisdom and Bill Ardolino of INDC's radio show yesterday. They did this interview of another blogger who I'm sort of fond of, Ace of Ace of Spades Headquarters. The problem is that Right Talk Radio won't replay the interview!

Ace, Bill, and Jeff might think it was the frequent homoerotic jokes or maybe it was the occasional f-bomb dropped, but I have a different theory. Bill mentions the very forbidden kink of Llama orgling. Listen carefully. Near the beginning. It's there. Nuff said.

Anyway, thanks to the good folks over at The Daily Recycler you can now listen to the now banned stream here or here.

Posted by: Rusty at 02:23 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 136 words, total size 1 kb.

Pataki Hires Strippers For Fundraiser

Ok, so a belly dancer isn't technically a stripper. But Scott from Slant Point was wise enough to take his digital camera to Governor Pataki's South Street Seaport fundraiser last night. Check out the dishes below. Especially the one on the right. Who says Republicans don't know how to party? That Pataki can swing with the best of them, yah baby!!!

Scott has a couple of more pics here. Hey, Scott: MORE PICS!!!! more...

Posted by: Rusty at 01:27 PM | Comments (14) | Add Comment
Post contains 83 words, total size 1 kb.

Star Wars: Porn Version

Stephen Green muses on the news that Star Wars is set to get a PG-13 rating. But might I suggest that a nude and tattood Bai Ling also might play some role in that rating.

Posted by: Rusty at 01:17 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 43 words, total size 1 kb.

Happy Birthday Dad (Buy a Gun)

Today is my father's birthday. Happy birthday dad!! You can help my dad celebrate by buying a gun. Today is Buy a Gun Day.

Posted by: Rusty at 12:58 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 36 words, total size 1 kb.

Making Holy the Unholy

Dr. Zen doesn't quite get the Bonfire of the Vanities. It's the less than serious side of the blogosphere's chance to showcase not their best, but their worst post of the previous week.

My frequently crappy posts are a staple of the bonfire.

You may know Laurence Simon from his frequent comments (usually defending some stupid cat or another) and the occasional link from us, but his Is Full of Crap site steps up to the take on the fine tradition that is the Bonfire. I kiss the papal ring of Avignon!

UPDATE: Carpe Bonum has an interesting take too.

Posted by: Rusty at 12:34 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 108 words, total size 1 kb.

Dolphin + Whale = Wholphin

That's right wholphin. From the Island of Doctor Moreau, you know Hawaii, this news that some corporate jackass with nothing better to do decided to force a whale and a dolphin to hump. Well, maybe force isn't the right word. I hear some dolphins like the big whale c*ck. They were just born that way!

I knew gay marriage would lead to this.

And for all you wholphin porn fans, here's a pic (scroll down). Apparently Dr. Moreau did this thing ten years ago too. Only they spelled it wolphin back in the day. You know, so as not to offend any one.

UPDATE: Llama Butchers find evidence of widespread dolphin/human breeding. Could Douglas Adams be right? Are aliens dolphins? more...

Posted by: Rusty at 09:06 AM | Comments (23) | Add Comment
Post contains 130 words, total size 1 kb.

Iran Pulls Troops out of Lebanon

Interesting article. But the more important question is will Iran stop funding armed militias and terrorists in Lebanon? WaPo:

Iran has pulled out the vast majority of its Revolutionary Guards in Lebanon after two decades as a major player among the country's Shiite population, most notably as the impetus for the creation of Hezbollah, according to U.S. and European officials.

At one point, Iran was estimated to have as many as 2,000 of its elite troops inside Lebanon. But today Tehran is reported to have from 12 to 50 military personnel in the country -- and probably on the lower end of that range, the officials said.

Hat tip Rev. Jim Sutter.

Posted by: Rusty at 08:48 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 123 words, total size 1 kb.

<< Page 6 of 12 >>
361kb generated in CPU 0.0967, elapsed 0.2114 seconds.
135 queries taking 0.1504 seconds, 870 records returned.
Powered by Minx 1.1.6c-pink.

Search Thingy



Recent Comments

Categories

Archives

Blogroll

Sample link

Monthly Traffic

  • Pages: 13785
  • Files: 6
  • Bytes: 84.4M
  • CPU Time: 11:13
  • Queries: 1241554

Content

  • Posts: 5690
  • Comments: 76631

Feeds


RSS 2.0 Atom 1.0