postponing election?

hammorabi let's us know his opinion, and here Omar gives a nice explanation of the different parties and his own opinion on the upcoming elections.
Madtom

"Elections guy"

"If an average american came to an Iraqi polling site on 30 January he or she would be pretty familiar with what was going on. The voters will fill out a ballot and place it in a box which, at the end of the day, will be taken and counted. But that's where the similarities between the system being used for the Iraqi elections and the US electoral system end."

Mission Statement

My name is Madtom and this is my blog.
There are a lot of blogs out there and I want to make this one a little different. I will post what I see out there or link to news or other blogs that bring us news from the front lines.

The thing that I want to do different with this blog, is that I want to post stories from the point of view of all the different characters that make up this war. I want to post stories from G.I.Joe, and from his enemy Haji, or from the point of view of their families. The idea is for anyone, be they friend or foe that has something to say, a story to tell, about this, or any war, can send it to me and I will post it here, anonymously.

I am doing this so that the public at large can get an idea of what is going on in this war, and for those doing the fighting can have their stories told. I want to try to do it from all sides.

The good the bad and the ugly.

So if you have a story that you think needs to be told, and you want a forum to tell your story then e-mail them to Madtom, or feel free to use the comments to tell your story.
Also read the post Cast of Characters

********************************************************

Update:
Now you can publish directly to this blog, just click here to learn how.

Madtom

contractors working with the Americans

"It seems that Iraqis are more independent minded that some people give them credit for. I saw a report last week that both Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya are quickly losing marketshare to two local Iraqi TV stations. Also note that most of the calls for Jihad are coming from non-Iraqis. Like a lot of people, they don't like to be told what to think, especially from people outside Iraq. This is a good thing."

Weekend Update

"Okay, since someone asked...CB is alive and well. He's still the same ol' guy he always has been. If you know him, then you know what im talking about"

Thanks for that update Cally
Madtom

Who even knew

"SINGAPORE (AP) - Singapore dispatched a troop landing ship with a crew of 180 to Iraq on Saturday in the city-state's latest military contribution to coalition forces there."

Snow and storms

"*I am in Iran ,so I have to self-censor my notes, and use sarcasm instead , I wish you have undrestood the meaning of my sarcasms !"

We hear ya
Madtom

A rebuttal to the mind of Yassir

"There was an opinion for ordinary Iraqi guy, I publish it because I believe in listening to others ,as much as they represent there thoughts and ideas peacefully and they just simply say any thing they want ,this is the basic for freedom ,but just let me ask ,those people including you my dear friend Yassir did they believe in what we say ,what we want to say ,what we want to think, no they didn't ,they simply say hey ,we lead you fellow and if you refuse you
die"

First time Jitters

Kurdo has something to say about the delay in holding elections. Something about snow in the mountains.
It's like any and every excuse to delay.
Madtom

courageous nun

Just when I start talking about men I go to fayrouz and get put back in my place, with the "courageous nun".
Madtom

tentative results

Well there are now two reports that I can find Iraq Today and of course the ever present and scoper of Iraq hammorabi that seem to point in the right direction. Is it a trend that will help move the country towards it's first taste of democracy.
Iraq is at a turning point with it's destiny. Soon we will be able to separate the boys from the men.

And while we are on the subject of men, does anyone out there have any word from Alaa. Like I said the situation is tentative.
Madtom

Blog power

I got these three stories of the power of the blog, and the people that are behind them.

nabilsblog brings us a look at the global reach of blogs and the Internet that makes it all possible.

Then we have this report of a blogger, that after using the power of blogs now has his sites set on real power and has created a new Iraq political party and is running for office in the countries first free election.
I wonder if this party wants a delay in the election date, if a delay would help anyone, his this is the guy, as his party is so new. Please ask them and report back.

Then I found this story on newscientist about just what a pain in the ass blogs have turned out to be for the Chinese Communist Government. They just cant seem to be able to censer them. Something has to be done, people cant just be allowed to speak freely, or could they?

Madtom

Happy Thanksgiving

graphics/phantom_fury/flash
and newsclips
Madtom

Support the troops

"The number ONE request at Walter Reed hospital is phone cards. Because the priority of our government is to continue tax cuts for the likes of Paris Hilton, the government doesn’t pay LD phone charges and these guys, many of them amputees, are rationing their calls home.
Many will be there throughout the holidays.

Remember that most are from poor families. It is disgusting that they cannot keep in touch with family after what they have been asked to sacrifice for BushCo; especially this time of year.

Support the troops—cuz BushCo doesn’t. Send phone cards of any amount to:
Medical Family Assistance Center
Walter Reed Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20307-5001

They say they need an “endless” supply of these—any amount even $5 is greatly appreciated. "

ginmar

Baghdad Bob's world

No there are no tanks in Baghdad, and there are no weapon factories in Fallujah!
thanks to Ladybird

Madtom

Keep your friends close

Live From Dallas

The insurgent strategy to drive out all aid work and kill as many Iraqi children as possible, in their campaign of self imposed sanctions on the Iraqi people has scored another victory.
Madtom

Help support the children

Poor fidel, he fell down, but forgot to DIE.
Send him your "Get Worse" greeting cards here and let him know how you really feel about his revolution.
Remember it's for the children.
Madtom

Where is Zarqawi?

"The Latest (few hours ago) unconfirmed reports that Zarqawi is now surrounded by the Iraqi National Guards in Baqoba after escaping from Kurkuk earlier.
Who will get the 25 millions dollars?!"

hammorabi

widespread fraud

The senior US observer, influential Senator Richard Lugar, commented that: "It is now apparent a concerted and forceful program of election-day fraud and abuse was enacted with either the leadership or cooperation of governmental authorities."

In Kiev's Independence Square, meanwhile, opposition supporters massed in the bright orange colour of Yushchecnko's campaign promised to carry on their protests until victory.

"I'm going to stay here until the end," pledged 49-year-old Serhiy Krasny. "How else can we defend our rights? We have a right to make our own choice."

sg.news.yahoo.com

near the Syrian border

""One of the six detainees is believed to be a high-ranking cell leader of anti-Iraqi forces operating in and around the Al Anbar province," the military said in a statement on Monday. The military did not provide additional details"

worldtribune.com

Why vote

"In the back streets of Khadimiya, election fever was building. "Now there is less work being done because people are sitting around talking about elections, in houses, in their shops," said Rassan Manhal Feisel, 23, a Shiite employed in a jewelry workshop. "People want to vote. My family is deciding whatever the consequences they will vote -- nothing will dissuade us."

billingsgazette.com

Calling ALL Kurds!

"We have got to think strategically!

Kurds come home!!! Come home NOW! Your country needs you and your expertise. Now is the time, because there is a window of opportunity that may not arise again soon. There are millions of Kurds in the diaspora communities in the US and Europe and now is the time for you to bring your skills, your labor, your fighting spirit to a country you can call your own.

Why now? If not now then when? Why you? If not you then who?"

peshmergawomen

Sorry for delay in posting a update

"Sorry for delay in posting a update. Thank to all email for your concern.

As a result of Fallujah assault the situation in Mosul became hard. That started in Wednesday 10th of November and was more complex on the following day when six of the police station became in the control of the gunmen. But the situation was relative quiet on the next two days before more difficulty until this day the Wednesday 17th of November. "

ponowaiwai.com

wars near me

"A few days ago I couldn't go to school because wars were been held between the resistors (as they call themselves) and the American Army + the Iraqi national gurds because they were right in my street, here comes the story:"

nabilsblog

New find

fallujapictures

Thanks Kurdo

In his own words

It's time you to have the facts from me, in my own words, about what I saw -- without imposing on that Marine -- guilt or innocence or anything in between. I want you to read my account and make up your own minds about whether you think what I did was right or wrong. All the other armchair analysts don't mean a damn to me.

Here it goes.

"Damn it, get moving,"

"It's not like I don't feel it," Captain Omohundro said. "But if I were to show it, the whole thing would come apart."

When the heavy fighting was finally over, a dog began to follow Company B through Falluja's broken streets. First it lay down in the road outside one of the buildings that Company B had occupied, between troop carriers. Then, as the troops moved on, the mangy dog slinked behind them, first on a series of house searches, then on a foot patrol, always keeping its distance, but never letting the marines out of its sight.

Company B, looking a bit ragged itself as it moved up through Falluja, momentarily fell out of its single-file line.

"Keep a sharp eye," Captain Omohundro told his men. "We ain't done with this war yet."
nytimes.com

HOLIDAY IN FALLUJA

I continued to watch the final assault on Falluja throughout the night from atop my humvee. It was interesting to scan the vast skies above with night vision goggles. Circling continuously overhead throughout the battle was an array of attack helicopters. The most devastating were the Cobras and Apaches with their chain gun missile launchers. Through the night vision I could see them hovering around the carnage, scanning the ground with an infrared spotlight that seemed to reach for miles. Once a target was identified, a rapid series of hollow blasts would echo through the skies, and from the ground came a “rat-a-tatting” of explosions, like a daisy chain of supercharged black cats during a Fourth of July barbeque. More artillery, more tanks, more machine gun fire, ominous death-dealing fighter planes terminating whole city blocks at a time…this wasn’t a war, it was a massacre!

I just found this blog in the comments at sam's, thanks Ken
Madtom

Zarqawi in Kirkuk ?!

PUK's television said in its News round-up that Kirkuk's police forces have been informed that a group of terrorists, and possibly, the Jordanian-born Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi has arrived in Kirkuk after his stronghold place of Fallujah was cleaned up by US forces.

More shooting followed.

A jet fighter was now screeching over our heads and it let off some flares apparently in an attempt to scare away the 'Mujahideen'. They left their positions for a while and slowly people started to come out. Parents nervously dragging schoolchildren behind them and youngsters who were undecided whether to move on or return home.

I was a believer with conspiracy theory

I hope the people of Falluja would understand that the battle in their city is not against them; actually it’s for them and on behalf of them against those who took them as hostages and used them as shields. But to be honest I don’t think the people of Falluja would understand that or believe it for a long time from now……….why?......... They still believe the conspiracy theory and don’t take facts for granted

To: U.S. Congress

To: U.S. Congress
Friday November 12 2004

U.S.Marines were fired upon by snipers and insurgents armed with rocket-propelled grenades from a mosque and an adjacent building. The Marines returned fire with tank shells and machine guns.

They eventually stormed the mosque, killing 10 insurgents and wounding five others, and showing a cache of rifles and grenades for journalists.

The Marines told the pool reporter that the wounded insurgents would be left behind for others to pick up and move to the rear for treatment. But Saturday, another squad of Marines found that the mosque had been reoccupied by insurgents and attacked it again.

Four of the insurgents appeared to have been shot again in Saturday's fighting, and one of them appeared to be dead, according to the pool report. In the video, a Marine was seen noticing that one of the insurgents appeared to be breathing.

A Marine approached one of the men in the mosque saying, "He's [expletive] faking he's dead. He's faking he's [expletive] dead."

The Marine raised his rifle and fired into the insurgents head, at which point a companion said, "Well, he's dead now."

The camera then shows two Americans pointing weapons at another Iraqi insurgent lying motionless. But one of the Marines step back as the insurgent stretches out his hand, motioning that he is alive. The other Marine stands his ground, but neither of them fires.

When told by the pool reporter that the men were among those wounded in Friday's firefight, the Marine who fired the shot said, "I didn't know, sir. I didn't know."

"You can hear the tension in those Marines' voices. One is saying, 'He's faking it. He's faking it,'" Heyman said. "In a combat infantry soldier's training, he is always taught that his enemy is at his most dangerous when he is severely wounded."

A Marine in the same unit had been killed just a day earlier when he tended to the booby-trapped dead body of an insurgent.

NBC reported that the Marine seen shooting the Iraqi insurgent had himself been shot in the face the day before, but quickly returned to duty.

About a block away, a Marine was killed and five others wounded by a booby-trapped body they found in a house after a shootout with insurgents.

Amnesty International has noted reports that insurgents have used mosques as fighting positions, and have used white flags to lure Marines into ambushes.

The Marine who shot the insurgent has been withdrawn from the battlefield pending the results of an investigation, the U.S. military said.

These terrorists do not follow the rules of war. These terrorists kill innocent women by disemboweling them, cut of the heads of innocent truck drivers, detonate car bombs in crowds full of innocent people, and fly planes into buildings filled with innocent Americans.

It is my opinion that NOTHING should happen to this American Marine. He should be returned to his unit or be given an honorable discharge. We don't need our young men and women taking an extra second to decide if its right to shoot an enemy terrorist when that could mean that one of our soldiers could lose their life. The lives of our soldiers should be the single most important factor in this war against terrorism. The rights of terrorists can come second.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

I signed this petition
Madtom

Islamic charities?

Look at what the possums were protecting.
csmonitor.com
How many innocents have died because of these Islamic charities?
Madtom

Grow up people war is hell

You know I have read a lot of people burning on Sites, and I just don't agree. Sites is a great reporter, and he's got a great blog kevinsites.net and has been doing a hell of a job as long as iv been reading his stuff.
To tell you the truth I have not read any interviews with him after the incident nor did I see him on TV or anything, I'm just going on the history I have or reading his blog. That said I have to admit that when the story broke the first thing that came to mind was "kevin what did you do"
but then I realized that all he did was report the news. It's the silly whiners that see a story about a war a freak, OMG there killing people over there. No shit.
So don't be so quick to shoot the messenger, just because some crazies did not like the message.
My answer to this is for there to be more images from the war, so people get a real look at what it's like, and not just the 15 sec blurb on the news.
Grow up people war is hell
Madtom

"ROGER THAT."

A lot of things ran through my head that I wanted to say. "Sergeant Major, I've been in the Army for thirteen years and I've been on this shitbird deployment for nearly a year. We're both NCOs and I don't appreciate you addressing me like I'm a basic trainee. So why don't you take this form I've so diligently filled out, put your little scribble on it or whatever, and send me on my way. And I'm gonna leave my sunglasses on and you're gonna like it, got it? Oh, and by the way, fuck off you fascist fuck." I didn't actually say this, but instead I compacted it all into one handy phrase as I removed my sunglasses.

What's ironic is the locals in my area believe that my base is protected by a force field (I'm not kidding), so they never attack it, but regardless we have to wear full body armor all the time when we move around on the base

Welcome back, maybe they have seen the error of there ways...naaa
Madtom

The video

Marine shoots "insurgent"

well I'm not sure what else he was supposed to do?
Madtom

72 Virgins to you mother fucker!

You media fucks who want to burn those Marines are not worth the sweat off my......just go fuck yourself! The rest of you, why are you not being the devils advocate?

Mrs. Almeida is 68 years old

Where are you now, Danny Glover? Oliver Stone? Pastor's for Peace? Harry Belafonte? Barbara Walters? Dan Rather? Why dont you stand up for her? Why dont I hear you screaming at the tops of your lungs over this clearly unjust and brutal beating of an old lady? Where is the compassion like the one you have shown for Fidel Castro?

This picture just blows my mind, I remember my own abuela, And I think to myself what kind of animal could do such a thing?
Madtom

Mission Statement

My name is Madtom and this is my first blog.
There are a lot of blogs out there and I want to make this one a little different. I will post what I see out there or link to news or other blogs that bring us news from the front lines.

The thing that I want to do different with this blog, is that I want to post stories from the point of view of all the different characters that make up this war. I want to post stories from G.I. Joe, and from his enemy Haji, or from the point of view of their families. The idea is for anyone, be they friend or foe that has something to say, a story to tell, about this, or any war, can send it to me and I will post it here, anonymously.

I am doing this so that the public at large can get an idea of what is going on in this fucking war, and for those doing the fighting can have their fucking stories told. I want to try to do it from all sides. The good the bad and the ugly. So if you have a story that you think needs to be told, and you want a forum to tell your story then e-mail them to Madtom
Also read the "Cast of Characters"

captured in Falluja

It is very interesting to notice that kidnapping, beheading, suicidal bombs and alike significantly decreased since Falluja freed from the terrorists. The problem is Al Jazeera TV lost its masked customers! We suggest for them to fake a video in the next few days about beheading of a wild dog kidnapped by the terrorists. The terrorists demanded that if the wild dogs not withdraw from Falluja they will kill the kidnapped dog who was arrested helping the occupied forces.

Director of Police in Mosul city had run away.

The most good news from the Mayor was that he presented a panegyric to the Iraqi National Guard (ING) which had just stayed fighting alone. The ING gave several martyrs during the two days. As I see the ING in the streets I can say that they are really better than policemen.

We Dream the war during and after,

My breacher kicked the door in, we all pour in a room. Fanning off and securing each corner. A man went for a weapon. I kicked hajji in the face with my boot, I then smash his face into the dirt with my other foot. There were 4 men in this room. Another guy begins to run towards a doorway. SPC E reaches him in time and strikes him in the back of the head with the butt of his weapon and he falls to the floor.

A good picture of determined Peshmerga Women

Who are the Peshmerga Women's Fighting Forces?

A new kurdish blogger with an interesting new twist.
Madtom

THE FIGHT:

RAW VIDEO CAPTURES BATTLE OF FALLUJAH..

Drudge Report

let loose the dogs of war

The gun battle continues late into the night -- eventually an AC-130 gunship is called in and strafes Elizabeth Street with its mini guns. With eight of their men wounded--it is a bloody and disappointing start for the Marines -- and a reminder that to win the battle for Falluja -- they will likely have to fight as they did today block by block, street by street

the Iraqi scene at the moment

I returned from Basrah Wednesday and was greeted by hooded men in a Kia minibus firing their AK-47's in the air close to the entrance of our street. The troubled taxi driver dropped me off with my suitcase and drove away to safety. The Kia went by and then into a sidestreet where they seemed to have found a target since frantic shooting followed. Not a living soul was on the street except yours truly and I froze for a few seconds uncertain on which way to head. A close 'whizzzzzz' followed by a loud metallic clang behind me got me moving, so I scurried to my destination keeping as close as possible to the walls while I was reflecting on a friend's description of what it felt like to have a bullet tear through his loin. It was definitely not a fun experience but I luckily made it home. I have been scared stiff to put my nose out of the door since. This is the fourth occasion in which I get myself caught in the middle of a shootout and something tells me I won't be as lucky next time if we follow probability laws.

( Baath means resurrection in Arabic)

But again I refer you to a post which I have made longtime ago about the rural problem in Mesopotamia. I still believe that the main problem stems from this unruly and backward peasantry, in all regions and not only in Sunni areas, with reactionary mentality stuffed with the prejudices and hatreds of centuries of religious and ethnic strife and division, and ever ready and eager for any opportunity for mob behavior, looting and thieving (Farhood, as it is called in local jargon). The Saddam regime itself was nothing but an expression and predominance of these provincial forces. It takes an iron fist and ruthlessness to restore law and order and the governance of the city, i.e. civilization.

LEAVE US ALONEEEEEEEEEE

I know that many of them are Saddam loyalists, those idiots they think they can bring him back. They call themselves resistance, what resistance is this that kills their own people, that destroys the land between the 2 rivers???What honourable resistence is this???ha?? Tell me??? You call this "jihad"??? Jihad is to go on killing innocent people???Jihad asks you to bomb police stations and slaughter them????Jihad tells you to kidnap children??? What book are you reading???Cuz surely it aint the same Quran that I have read. And how about those that call themselves Imams and are encouraging these killings, tell me, what book are YOU reading???

you should been killed

For me Allawi's decision is very right and I am with troops which they are fighting in there to make us get ride of the terrorists and we are praying for them that God help them and make them win evrey battle the get in.

insurgents

Many torture and beheading secret sites have been found and some hostages were freed by the Iraqi/US forces including the driver of the two French journalists.

The people in Mosel, Ramadi and other areas begin to refuse to give safe heaven for the insurgents due to the fear of similar fate may happen in their cities.

"waging a special war"

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch authorities on Friday raided a camp suspected of training Kurdish guerrillas for "terrorist attacks" in Turkey and arrested 38 people, prosecutors said.

Around 200 police swooped on locations across the south of the Netherlands, including a farmyard campsite in the village of Liempde where they seized night vision equipment, instructions, passports and a gun, prosecutors said in a statement.

black flag pop up all at once

The flags are the insurgents' answer to two-way radios, their way of massing the troops and - in a tactic that goes back at least as far as Napoleon - concentrating fire on an enemy. Set against radio waves, the flags have one distinct advantage: they are terrifying.

his father has DIED...

Till 5:30, my brother-in-law finally arrived! Thank God. He was stuck for 1:30 minutes with his luggage on the other side of the bridge, and he came on foot from the bridge to his house, eager to see his little daughter after a month of absence... And here he comes, to find his dad dead and buried!

Reactions of Fallujah Assault

While all the world in interesting in what is happening in Fallujah, I will write about what is happening in my city, because I think few will cover about the situation in my city. Also, it is more close to me to write about this than I might write about Fallujah operation itself.

It’s that simple.

I hope the Iraqi people all over Iraq would have the reason and open mind to accept our government and wait till the elections to evaluate the situation and the results at then, and I am sure they will find it was worth it and maybe we had a chance many people in Middle East dreaming of. I believe that any problem in the world between people or two groups of people is no more than a difference in point of views and salutation are no more than compromising and closing in point of views. It’s that simple.

"The most important thing is our religion, not Falluja and not the occupation"

Most of the time, when they weren't reading or praying, they spoke about death, not fearfully, but in happy anticipation. They talked about how martyrs would not feel pain and about how many virgins they would get in heaven.

I asked one of them, a young teacher from Saudi Arabia, why he was there. He started reading the verses in the Qur'an that urge Muslims to commit jihad. He read about the importance of martyrdom. After 20 minutes, he directed me to another fighter, an older man with a beard and a soft voice who said his name was Abu Ossama from Tunisia.

"We are here for one of two things - victory or martyrdom, and both are great," he said.

You have to pay to play

Can you imagine this; beheading a pregnant young woman whose only fault is being a relative of the Prime Minister. Now you know the kind of people who are terrorizing the majority of the Iraqi people and have been terrorizing them by the same methods for decades. We, Iraqis are not surprised, because we have seen countless examples of worst brutality over many years. It is Allah’s wisdom that the baseness of these creatures be exposed to the whole of humanity in this most scandalous fashion. Erstwhile, crimes used to be committed in the dark, unseen and unobserved by the rest of mankind. Now you see, and there is no doubt and no disputable claims and no uncertainty.

"hostage slaughterhouses"

NEAR FALLUJAH, Iraq -- U.S. forces cornered insurgents Wednesday in a small section of Fallujah after a stunningly swift advance that seized control of 70 percent of the militant stronghold. An Iraqi general said troops found "hostage slaughterhouses" where foreign captives had been killed.

Curfew declared in Mosel ........

NO ........What bugs me ,when you read ,watch ,listen yesterday al Jazeera and al Arabiya or al Jarabiya ! in their report they attribute the saying to a doctor ....but the doctor (junior)not qualified to comment ,secondly when there is a dead body in a hospital all will know it so not that easy to hide the news of dead if there is !
To fabricate a sheer pack of lies ,claiming 10s killed 10s injured ,the police stations controlled by the thugs ....and on and on on .........make Iraqi sick and want to vomit on the entire Arab world for tolerating lies and hypocricy as normal !

The TRUTH yes they did attack dressed in black(like saddam fedaais),but they got pushed back left 3 dead 16 arrested and no police stations under their control !
They did use the surprise and used missiles and mortars ,but pushed back and now large operation going on to hunt them in the area Buhrez,Mafareq,and Ba'aqoba !

Curfew declared in Mosel ........
truth

Railroad Station

"The clickable picture above consists of the following - background is overview of Fallujah with a blow up inset of the rail road station much in the news. It is located on the Northern border of the city. Additional insets show a troop guarding the location and others taking prisoners into same. This is all taken from public information. Below are texts and links relevant to the Rail Road Station fighting. "Recent Post" links on right have additional images and maps. More to be posted in conjunction with Chester"

from: carnivorous conservative

An open letter to President Bush

We’re also determined to establish a strategic, permanent relationship with our friends; the government and people of the United States to whom we hold the utmost feelings of gratitude, love and friendship for what they have given us and what they’re still offering.

Not sorry
Madtom

read

Body parts everywhere!" cries a US soldier as a shell crashes onto a group of suspected rebels in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, where a punishing torrent of firepower thundered down on Tuesday.

"Destination "Fallujah"

Before

Madtom

he's gone?

prayer does work!!!
Madtom

Funny of the day

Val

I'm BlogORED!

American Soldier

Well now that the voting is over for a while, I guess we might as well start praying. "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz"
Madtom

the far side

while you are reading this and enjoying the silence in your houses and offices, people in Falluja are dying and burning, screaming, 12 000 soldiers are trained and sent to kill them, for no crime except that they have pride, except that they wouldn't accept to be occupied, except that they swear to live with honor, and die with honor...
Close this window, get back to your life and enjoy it, I hope you all get nice sleep at night, and don't bother thinking of us, or pushing your administration, they are just "bad people" getting killed and you are liberating us, long life Red America!

Peace Deals?

-A clear timetable for the withdrawal of foreign occupation forces (fair enough).
-Immediate withdrawal of US and Iraqi security forces from the Anbar governorate and the handover of security responsibilities to former army officers from Anbar.
-The appointment of ministers from the Anbar governorate to the ministries of Interior, Defense, Oil and Finance.
-The removal of certain officials (most of them from Shi'ite Islamic parties such as Ibrahim Al-Ja'fari) from governmental positions.
-The complete return of Ba'athists, army officers, Republican Guards, Mukhabarat, intelligence and security personnel to their former positions.
-The removal of Shi'ite Edhan (call for prayers) from official television and radio programs.
-Incomes of Shi'ite sacred shrines should be returned under the control of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs.

These last two demands have been allegedly added by Sheikh Harith Al-Dhari (head of the Association of Muslim Scholars) and are said to have been a major reason behind the failure of negotiations with the government.

"That's the ticket"

Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters, has said that production, stockpiling and using nuclear weapons was un-Islamic and against human interests.

And when has he ever cared about human interests?
Madtom

This is State"less"

In a statement faxed to The Associated Press, Hezbollah said a reconnaissance drone of the Islamic Resistance, the group's military wing, carried out its first flights over "occupied northern Palestine, flying over several Zionist settlements, reaching the coastal settlement of Nahariya and returning safely to its base."

Lebanon's own armed forces has no drones or fighter jets, with lightly armed helicopters forming the backbone of the air force.

Foreign Relations

"He gave no figures for the number of people who are crossing but said the number has fallen since Kurdish security forces boosted border security in the past few months."

"We are not just talking about Iranians passively dealing with al-Qaida," one former U.S. official who worked in Iraq said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We are talking about al-Qaida at Revolutionary Guard bases and safe houses. This is active assistance."

The Revolutionary Guards are the shock troops of Iran's Islamic revolution, a well-funded force of 200,000 that answers to the country's Islamic leaders and not the military.

Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

Sgt. Maj. Carlton W. Kent, the top enlisted Marine in Iraq, told troops the coming battle of Fallujah would be "no different" than the historic fights at Inchon in Korea, the flag-raising victory at Iwo Jima, or the bloody assault to dislodge North Vietnamese from the ancient citadel of Hue they seized in the 1968 Tet Offensive.

"You're all in the process of making history," Kent told a crowd of some 2,500 Marines. "This is another Hue city in the making. I have no doubt, if we do get the word, that each and every one of you is going to do what you have always done - kick some butt."

The Color of America

All day I was thinking of that election map, the stark red and sharp blues, and I kept thinking that this map just did not provide sufficient resolution. That if someone could code the map at the level of the individual precinct, And each precinct would be a shade of red, blue and yellow, depending on the results. that this would produce a map with enough resolution.
Then today I found this:

Election 2004 Results

Not exactly what I was thinking about, But close enough for grenades.
Madtom

bell's and whistles

"Also it is most important to make information public about whatever terrorists are actually caught. The policy that has been followed since the fall of the regime of keeping the public almost completely in the dark about the identity of the perpetrators of terrorist acts, is almost a cover up of the crimes and encouragement for the criminals. Repeated calls for public exposure"

But Alaa.....does cb ring a bell
Madtom

Ingredients:

Maritime trade had been tough, because a 1992 U.S. law banned ships that call in Cuba from docking in U.S. ports for 180 days -- unless they had a U.S. government license, such as Crowley's

One live Frog
Madtom

Mission Statement

My name is Madtom and this is my first blog.
There are a lot of blogs out there and I want to make this one a little different. I will post what I see out there or link to news or other blogs that bring us news from the front lines.

The thing that I want to do different with this blog, is that I want to post stories from the point of view of all the different characters that make up this war. I want to post stories from G.I. Joe, and from his enemy Haji, or from the point of view of their families. The idea is for anyone, be they friend or foe that has something to say, a story to tell, about this, or any war, can send it to me and I will post it here, anonymously.

I am doing this so that the public at large can get an idea of what is going on in this fucking war, and for those doing the fighting can have their fucking stories told. I want to try to do it from all sides. The good the bad and the ugly. So if you have a story that you think needs to be told, and you want a forum to tell your story then e-mail them to Madtom
Also read the "Cast of Characters"

Killing of 10 Iraqi Shias

The video contains extremely sever barbaric distressful scenes more than the previous beheadings for which we abstain from showing it here!

Again and very important is that the voice of the thug who read the devil statement is none Iraqi accent.

Damn, it's got to be nasty if sam won't link

Madtom

This is why

"I stand here today, grateful for the diversity of my heritage, aware that my parents' dreams live on in my precious daughters. I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that, in no other country on earth, is my story even possible. Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation, not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Why Fukuyama Matters

“Fukuyama understands, quite correctly, that the Bush doctrine has washed up on the rocks,” the University of Chicago political scientist and author of The Tragedy of Great Power Politics tells openDemocracy. Fukuyama’s essay provides a “great service,” he says, in making plain that the neo-conservative strategy for dealing with Iraq has “crashed and burned.” Fukuyama is “to be admired for his honesty here. He is confronting reality.”

Report: Troops Watched Al-Qaqaa Looting

About a dozen U.S. troops were guarding the sprawling facility in the weeks after the April 2003 fall of Baghdad when Iraqi looters raided the site, the newspaper quoted a group of unidentified soldiers as saying. U.S. Army reservists and National Guardsmen witnessed the looting and some soldiers sent messages to commanders in Baghdad requesting help, but received no reply, they said.

"It was complete chaos. It was looting like L.A. during the Rodney King riots," one officer said.

— The writer is a Saudi Islamic scholar.

Some of the people who had gone to Iraq with the intention of participating in a holy war or jihad were disappointed. For they saw there an entirely different state of affairs that does not comply with legitimate jihad.

Hmm, did hell freeze over?

Madtom

Guy Fawkes

Eventually my mother’s young friend had to jump in the water to light it out. So much for a ‘special day’. They tortured a tree with fire already, what could have been worse than that??? Heh!

to be free in receiving a wide range of information.

To learn from other people is a great experience. I think what we need here in Iraq, as people, is more than just watching and admiring what the others doing. We have to learn how to be interactive with other nations. I believe that we need an (educational rehabilitation) after what we had gone through for the past four decades.

Salute to the American people for adoring freedom and justice.

"thinking"

But before I end this post I must make one urgent warning. It would be one of those serious mistakes, in my opinion, to rush into battle in Fallujah without protecting and thoroughly securing the rear in Baghdad and surrounding area.

Salaam

spying problems!

Yesterday, and for the first time since school started, we went out of the house to my uncle's house..
Even the family meetings has stopped because of the BAD situation recently. Also. Yesterday, they said the a bomb-car was near our school, we saw the American strikers but we're still not sure if there was actually a bomb but there must've been something abnormal that made all the teachers gather to watch. I and my friend were walking in the school yard discussing what might've happened if this happened in someplace else outside Iraq. There must've been lots of people corresponding the event and lots of TV news about that, lots of security instructions and also a mess.. Here, all the students are wandering in the yard, talking and laughing, some are in the 2nd story watching the strikers and trying to figure out what's happening!! WEIRD!

"RED"

Why do they call them "red" states

"The market for farm exports from all sources to Cuba, he said, was estimated by U.S. sources at $700 million for 2002, although Cuban statistics were more generous, setting the amount at $1 billion, which he said includes transportation and other costs added to the basic product costs."

"Because of the cash-only conditions of trade, Kavulich said, "We can now say that Cuba is one of the safest export markets in the world for U.S. companies."

"He went on to say the Cuban American National Foundation, the largest organization of its type in the U.S. has agreed not to object to the plan, the Bush administration is considering it, and the council has reached out to both Republican and Democratic members of Congress."

I guess thats why
Does anyone have a good recipe for boiled frog?

Madtom

The Sheepdogs

But sudden in their midst a beast
Has come to kill, has come to feast
The wolves attack; they give no warning
Upon that calm September morning
They slash and kill with frenzied glee
Their passive helpless enemy
Who had no clue the wolves were there
Far roaming from their Eastern lair.
Then from the carnage, from the rout,
Comes the cry, “Turn the sheepdogs out!”

Yep, it's the sheep that have voted the loudest
Madtom

Iraqi Kurds back Bush

“Most of the people in this city love Bush and hope he’ll win the election,” said Markosa Kamal Abdulkareem, an 18-year-old photo shop employee. “When Saddam was captured last year, a lot of people came to buy Bush pictures.”

Thanks Kurdo for the link.

Hi every one …

Exciting monuments you are living now ,one day on the presidential elections ,I am not go to talk about your times ,because you are the ones ,who are living these great time ,and you deserve it .
I am go to talk about how we are seeing these elections ? and how we are feeling about it ?and is it important for us as it is for you ? and who the Iraqis support to be elected? And is these elections go to effect on Iraq future ?

It's great to hear from you again, don't be such a stranger.

Madtom

Congratulations

Congratulations to the Republican party and President Bush.

Madtom

"when will the offensive begin."

Battalion Commander for the 3.1 Marines, Lt.Col. Willy Buhl says the Marines have been ready for some time.

"Plans have been ongoing since April and Regimental Combat Team 1 has been ready on our division commander's order to enter Falluja as required. I could tell you that within 48 hours we're prepared to do that at any time really. We have been."

He says he voted for Kerry—but fully understands his obligations to the current President.

" I'm also an active-duty Marine in a war zone. I'll go when and where my commander in chief tells me."
Moore says

This kid is about 22 years old

"This is not an anti-war statement and I don't want any false sympathy or "we support our soldiers" crap. One of the brothers died doing his job and all I can hear on the news is WMD, lost explosives, election, Bush, Kerry. Only NPR gives any coverage, real coverage to the dead soldiers. No partisan bullshit just a word with the families and a brief bio on the Joe that was killed and how."

Terrorists arrested

"Iyad Alawi the interim PM of Iraq announced that the Iraqi authorities with the help of the multinational forces arrested 167 Arab terrorists and at least 3000 Baathists under the leadership of Izat Al-Dori (Abo Al-thalaj). These arrests include two of Abo-Althalaj deputies. It also includes 4 of the important members of the Jordanian/Palestinian terrorists Abu Mosab Zarqawi. The movement names of these terrorists are Abo Anis the Palestinian, Abo Mohammad from Lebanon, Abo Ahmed from Tabok in Saudi Arabia and Abo Omar from Egypt."

Now how did all those terrorist get in to Iraq, Oh! that's right, It's Bush policy at work.

Madtom