I guess when you KNOW what you’re doing is wrong……

By R. Jeffrey Smith
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, September 11, 2006; Page A01

CIA counterterrorism officers have signed up in growing numbers for a government-reimbursed, private insurance plan that would pay their civil judgments and legal expenses if they are sued or charged with criminal wrongdoing, according to current and former intelligence officials and others with knowledge of the program.

The new enrollments reflect heightened anxiety at the CIA that officers may be vulnerable to accusations they were involved in abuse, torture, human rights violations and other misconduct, including wrongdoing related to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. They worry that they will not have Justice Department representation in court or congressional inquiries, the officials said.

More here

By Amit R. Paley And K.I. Ibrahim
The Washington Post
Posted September 11 2006

BAGHDAD · The main Sunni Arab political bloc boycotted parliament Sunday to protest legislation supported by Shiite Muslims and Kurds that would carve Iraq into a federation of three autonomous states.

The bill would create a predominantly Shiite region in the south of Iraq much like the largely independent zone currently controlled by the Kurds in the north. Sunnis vigorously oppose the plan, which would leave them with the center of the country, a vast desert devoid of the oil reserves in the other regions.

More here

To counteract the evil that is ABC’s propaganda piece, I thought I-d revisit some older 9/11 writings more evocative of what I feel to be the real spirit of the day. 9/11 does not belong solely to Bush. Or solely to conservative filmmakers. Or solely to liberals. Or solely to Americans.

While I find at least one of these pieces a bit overwritten now, I still like the underlying idea and feeling. I-m sure each of us has our own take on 9/11, and that’s what’s important.

Here’s the 9/11/05 post.

Here’s the pre-blog piece I sent to some folks a few weeks after 9/11/01.

And here’s the pre-blog piece I sent out on 9/10/02.

Peace. Shalom. Mir. Shantih shantih shantih.

Holy crap.

I-ll do a more in-depth review of ABC’s Path to Propaganda, err, Path to 9/11, later on. I-m sure other sites will give a detailed run-down of the glaring flaws of Part One.

But the quick review: it is indeed worse than we heard. I am an avid film buff. But I have never seen anything on Western TV remotely like this. I’ve seen laughable historical fiction, but it was labeled as historical fiction. I’ve seen earnest documentaries that failed. But I have never seen a major American network fund and air an outright propaganda piece. The only comparison that comes to mind is some of the Nazi propaganda films of the 30s, especially a feature film they commissioned with popular actors to legitimize the T-4 euthanasia program that was the predecessor of the death camps. Those pieces were of course far more vile than what these evangelical Christians and harcore rightwingers have created. But to purposefully distort history, for a rabidly partisan agenda, on network TV, is absolutely astounding. It-d be one thing if this was another bullshit book from a National Review writer of dubious intellect practicing sloppy scholarship. But this was blessed by ABC!

(more…)

The Taliban are again a part of the Afghanistan government. Since the US invasion the resolve of Islamic fundies there and in other parts of the world has only been emboldened.

Islamic militants controlling much of southern Somalia shut down a radio station Sunday for playing love songs and other music, the latest step to impose strict religious rule which has sparked fears of an emerging, Taliban’style regime.

Since sweeping to power over much of southern Somalia, including the capital Mogadishu, in June, the Islamists have banned movie viewing, publicly lashed drug users and broke up a wedding celebration because a band was playing and women and men were socializing together.

The group closed Radio Jowhar because the programs were un-Islamic, Islamic official Sheik Mohamed Mohamoud Abdirahman said. It was the only radio station in Jowhar, some 55 miles from Mogadishu.

“It is useless to air music and love songs for the people,” Abdirahman said.

Said Hagaa Ahmed, Radio Jowhar’s director, confirmed the station had been closed but declined further comment.

AP article here