There are bodies everywhere now . . . November 26, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Iraq.2 comments
There can no longer be any doubt that the situation in Iraq has spiraled completely out of control. In October alone the United Nations calculated that 3,709 Iraqi civilians were killed. (more…)
(Part II) I have a problem with . . . September 8, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Iraq.1 comment so far
Part II is here for your reading enjoyment (more…)
Body counts and nonsense September 3, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Iraq.add a comment
Umm, yeah. Body counts and nonsense.
I have a problem with . . . September 2, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Iraq.add a comment
This started as a list of ten and one post. It got long. So here are the first five things I have a problem with about the Iraq War/Global War on Terrorism. The next five will appear tomorrow. (more…)
Journalists in collusion with terrorists? April 19, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Iraq.2 comments
Editor's Note: Gonzo is a former journalism student and newspaper editor.
Alright, I just read a couple posts on the media's use of local stringers in Iraq.
Clicked here first
And then here
And then on to Michelle Malkin
And from there to CBS news blog
The gist of these posts is that certain stringers in the Iraqi (hired by Western outlets) media appear to be in collusion with terrorists. The last three links center around Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist Bilal Hussein, who was apparently captured and taken into custody by coalition forces in Iraq. (more…)
Historical perspective April 18, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Iraq, Politics.1 comment so far
A quick blast from the past.
Can someone tell me how this:
Turned into/was allowed to turn into this:
This concludes the blast from the past, brought to you by the "World Congress of Non-Paying Journalists."
The grand Iraq low-level civil war April 12, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Iraq, Politics.add a comment
“When foreigners come in with international solutions to local problems, it can create a dependency. A long-term foreign presence in a country can be unnatural. It is much like a broken bone. If it is not set properly at the outset, eventually, the muscles and tendons will grow around the break, and the body will adjust to the abnormal condition. This is what has happened in a number of places with a large foreign presence. Economies remain unreformed, distorted and dependent. Educated young people make more money as drivers for foreign workers, than as doctors or civil servants.”
Who said that? Hmmm . . . some dope smoking hippie? Nope. Some anti-American, commie? Nein. Who? None other than, ::drumroll:: . . . (more…)
Resource-war-hell April 8, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Iraq, Science.2 comments
(A reprint) Nov. 17, 2005– A time when I was too much like the Destroyers of themselves.
The United States is guzzling oil faster than Tara Reid downs martinis. Now is the time to do something – not later.
In Tuesday’s Northern Star the peak oil theory was explained. The theory, in essence, explains oil production along a bell curve and says that oil is cheap and plentiful on the up curve and scarce and expensive on the down curve. (more…)
Friday protest April 7, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in DeKalb, Iraq.1 comment so far
The regular Friday anti-war protest that I have been attending went pretty well this week despite the cold April wind putting me in a position near the edge of frostbite. Heh. (more…)
A letter to the editor March 29, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in DeKalb, Iraq, Politics.22 comments
Another quick note. I responded to a letter from an NIU alum, Jason Briski, that appeared in the Northern Star on Monday, March 27, 2006.
My letter was published today. You can see it here.
In case you don’t click links, the text of Briski’s letter is followed by my letter below. As a former Star editor, I was glad to see them publish my letter. : ) (more…)
1, 2, 3, 4 . . . We don’t want your f*cking war! March 23, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in DeKalb, Iraq, Politics.5 comments
Yesterday afternoon I gathered myself and went to an anti-Iraq War protest at Northern Illinois University’s Martin Luther King Commons.
Starting at about noon, the Northern Coalition for Peace and Justice sponsored protest featured live music and about 50 or so participants. The campus isn’t the most politically active one I have seen so the turnout was good considering that. (more…)
Everytime I close my eyes . . . Lies, Lies! March 5, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Iraq, Politics.add a comment
Does the MSM enjoy making things up? I am beginning to wonder.
Media reports this morning that the U.S. and Britain have set an Iraq withdrawal date for the Spring of 2007 are being roundly denied by the U.S. military
Both The Sunday Mirror and The Sunday Telegraph reported the story. Reuters was on it and the U.S. military told them that no such plans existed and that the stories in the media were “completely false.”
Mirror Story (The only mention on the Mirror site of the story was in a Reuters wire story).
Telegraph Story
Reuters Story
The story in the Telegraph quotes an anonymous source for the meat of the article, so obviously it is of dubious veracity.
The grand Iraq failure March 4, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Iraq, Politics.9 comments
It has been awhile since I have written about the disasterous war in Iraq. (Rest assured, it is a disaster).
Since I looked at the Strategy for Victory in Iraq the situation on the ground has continued to evolve. A wave of sectarian factional (I'm sick of the word sectarian). violence is sweeping the country (see news story about one of many events) following the destruction of the Golden Mosque in Samarra.
Many in the media and in the military openly speculated about the possibility of a civil war erupting. A danger that has lurked in the shadows since day one of the conflict anyway. The upsurge in violence has many, including me, wondering what this is all going to accomplish. (more…)
Travel warnings and coalitions December 31, 2005
Posted by dr. gonzo in Iraq, Politics.add a comment
More nonsensical ramblings enuse.
Iraq, this war sucks. I don’t care what the Bushies say about “progress.” 18,328 American soldiers and civilians have been killed or wounded as of 10 a.m. Dec. 30. That’s alot. Perhaps something good will come out of such carnage, I sincerely hope so, and if it does I would love to see it.
That aside, the U.S. Department of State issued a new travel warning for Iraq on Dec. 29. This may or may not be due to the revelation that a Florida teenager traveled to Iraq for a school project on immersion journalism. The warning is nothing new as the last State Dept. warning came June 28. (more…)
Iraq and military recruiting December 18, 2005
Posted by dr. gonzo in Iraq, Politics.4 comments
My mind is churning over the Iraq War. What does it all mean? Such a broad question but some tangibles can be looked at.
This war is having an effect on recruiting and retention for the U.S. military. It seems the Reserves are suffering the most. While the active duty components have remained fairly steady over the years from 2000-2004, the Reserves have missed some goals. Though, I’m a little lost for some of their math on the active duty table below. (more…)
Victory strategy in Iraq December 17, 2005
Posted by dr. gonzo in Iraq, Politics.3 comments
I’m reading the Presidents strategy for victory in Iraq it was released Nov. 30. I’m only on page 8 (of 38) and already questions are festering in my brain. (more…)
From the Gonzo 