I am the first person to criticize the national media about omitting the nuances of Iraq. The Los Angeles Times saw fit to write an article and it is authored by staff reporter Ned Parker. LA Times Kirkuk story. One of my constant criticisms of the odious wire services is that their articles are vague, voiceless, and usually un-authored. The LA Times on the other hand has actually dove into a subject that is hard for most media to dissect - the multi-ethnic Iraqi city of Kirkuk.
The Kurds want their flagship oil city back under full Kurdish Region of Iraq control. Saddam Hussein ripped Kirkuk away from the Kurds over a period of years in the 1970s and 1980s. They want it back. When Iraq found itself putting together a government after Saddam's reign, it was agreed on that there would be a referendum at some point to decided the fate of Kirkuk. The Kurds want the multi-cultural city back. Now Arabs in Baghdad are having second thoughts on the vote. Kirkuk sits on a huge oil reserve.
My humble opinion gleaned from a few miles distance from Kirkuk while I was in Iraq is, the Kurds will take Kirkuk whether there is a vote or not. The Kurdish Army and autonomous government is stronger every minute and inching toward Kirkuk day by day. It speaks to that old cliché, "be careful what you wish for."
We wanted to save the Kurds after Gulf War I in 1991. Saddam had tormented and killed thousands of them. We did end up saving the Kurds and protecting them. Now they are strong. Strong enough to agitate Turkey, Iran, and the whole of the rest of Iraq. They will I suspect, get their city back one way or the other.
Stupid pop culture, media-complex, distraction-from-reality story
I am thinking, each day I should jot down the stupidest news story that is foist upon us by the big-media-complex as a distraction from the reality that has become America. So here we go - welcome to today's "Stupid Pop Culture, Media-complex, Distraction-from-reality Story."
Hey everybody, high fuel prices are grinding us average guys into the dirt. Just about every thing sold in our stores is made in China. The price of everything is going through the roof. There is a whole generation that has never understood the concept of taking a weekend off from work. And...and oh to hell with that crap. Now here is the real damn story. No-genitals-allowed rule sought regarding Chesapeake trucks. Save me Jesus, somehow I missed the trend of trucks with body parts (truck nuts). I am so out of the loop. Now there is some real God damned news!
Wisconsin military service person of the week
This week's Wisconsin soldier to remember is Marine Lance Corporal John Mattek Jr., 24, who died from wounds he received from a roadside bomb that exploded near his Humvee in Anbar Province, Iraq. John died in the hospital in Maryland on Monday, June 13, 2005. The explosion was on June 8. He was a gunner on an armored vehicle. Lance Corporal Mattek was flown to Germany and then to Maryland. He was assigned to Company B, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team-2, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force. The unit's home base is in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel mentioned John played linebacker on the football team for Antigo High School and after graduating high school in 1999, he went on to play strong safety and special teams for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point's football team. John Mattek Jr. was the 40th Wisconsin service member to be killed in Iraq since the spring of 2003.
3,923 Americans have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
474 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
28,938 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
1,851 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
84 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
6 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
125 journalists (several nationalities) have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
14 journalists (various nationalities) have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
Soldier of the week, military casualty, and journalist casualty information sources: Committee to Protect Journalists; cnn.com; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; washingtonpost.com; and, icasualties.org.
