Iran helped Broker Recent Cease fire in Iraq

Last week violent clashes broke out yet again in Iraq, following months of decreasing violence.

That outbreak of renewed combat between Shia millitants in Basara as well as Iraqi forces came as the Iraqi goivernment was carrying out a U.S backed mission to disarm Shia militias. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on a number of occasions demanded that the Shia militias disarm.

As many as 461 people are said to have lost their lives in the recent resurgence of violence and mayhem according to the AFP news agency.

On Sunday, a new ceasefire was announced with the support of al-sadr on a number of conditions including that Iraqi forces no longer arrest militia members, and that they release prisoners who have not been charged with any crimes.

The Iranian government, according to reports is said to have been backed by the government of neighboring Iran, and despite the demands of al-sadr and conditions of the ceasefire, a number of his forces have not abidded by the agreement.

USA Today:

Haidar al-Abadi, a Dawa legislator who is close to [Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri]Al-Maliki, confirmed that Iranians played a role in the negotiations. Sadiq al- Rikabi, a senior advisor to al-Maliki, said he could could not confirm or deny Iranian involvement in the deal.

“The government proved once again that Iran is a central player in Iraq,” said Iraqi political analyst and former intelligence officer Ibrahim Sunnydai.

The nine-point deal was released by al-Sadr’s office and read aloud from the minarets of Shiite mosques across southern Iraq. Al-Sadr called for the government to stop arresting his followers and release prisoners who have not been charged with a crime.

Hours later, rockets continued to shake Baghdad. According to the U.S military, elements of al-Sadr’s militia no longer answer to him.

MY TAKE: So aside from undercutting the ceasefire that was the central reason for the lull in violence and chaos, what has this accompolished.

It has shown Maliki to be what many suspected, a weak leader with poor management skills and an inept figure who is upstaged by the Iranian government. It failed to achieve its objective and in the process, the Green zone, which is supposed to be the safest place in Iraq for U.S forces and Iraqi government forces came under attack from gunfire and rocket attacks. Can I just remind you that we are in the fifth year of the coccupation here, and that this is what the Bush?Cheney gang deem as progress?

Cellphones

Somewhere between ten and fifteen years ago, Cell phones ( yeah, I also remember the large car phone craze of the mid 90s), became a prevalent role in American society, western society, and for the bulk of people our everyday lives.

Now imagine being stranded in a location where there is there is no cell phone access? Well, according to a British publication there is a name for such a fear that plagues some cellphone junkies.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the fear of no cellphone access in this age of portable and quick technology in the arena of communications shall be known as: Nomophobia.

Cellphones

Somewhere between ten and fifteen years ago, Cell phones ( yeah, I also remember the large car phone craze of the mid 90s), became a prevalent role in American society, western society, and for the bulk of people our everyday lives.

Now imagine being stranded in a location where there is there is no cell phone access? Well, according to a British publication there is a name for such a fear that plagues some cellphone junkies.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the fear of no cellphone access in this age of portable and quick technology in the arena of communications shall be known as: Nomophobia.

A Voice of Sanity on the Right (as well as a possible Obama Crossover)

U.S Senator Chuck Hagel (R- Nebraska), could he support Obama?

Recently Iraq War critic and retiring Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) revealed that he would not flat out dismiss the idea of endorsing Democratic Presidential contender Senator Barack Obama (D-Illinois), who also sits on the U.S Senate Foreign Relations Committee with Hagel.

Hagel, who briefly mulled a run for the 2008 Republican party presidential nomination, says that Obama’s youth and the fact that he both appeals to younger generations and is of a different generation then many in Washington,that in his view is the best candidate to help heal the partisan and political wounds of the recent past.

Hagel has in the past week been making rounds on the news talk show circuit to promote his new book America : Our Next Chapter (in which amongst other things he said to criticize the current strategy being employed in Iraq, the President’s handling of the war in Iraq, and raises the need of a third major political party in U.S politics).

Huffingtonpost.com

Hagel also stated that he believes the inventory of problems the next President will face is unprecedented and that is why it is so important that the country be brought together so that it could really solve problems. Although Hagel did not endorse Obama, he did not rule out the possibility.

MY TAKE: Obviously with an incumbent Republican President staunchly in favor of maintaining the occupation forces in Iraq, Hagel’s endorsement would not add much to the party and would likely deliver little more then vitriolic criticisms and ridicule to Hagel. Not to mention it would run counter to all the statements Hagel has made in opposition to the Bush/Cheney/McCain position on Iraq, that stands in stark contrast the 100 year occupation stance of the Iraq war.

However, if Hagel were to endorse Obama, he might be able to bring with him the support of some of the more moderate elements of the Republican party as well as those who don’t subscribe to the more neo-conservative elements in foreign policy that Bush, Cheney, and McCain embrace.

The crossover would likely be minimal, but it would give credence to Obama’s claim that he can bridge or at least narrow the partisan divide. The country needs a return to a newer and updated foreign policy of realism. The Democrats appear to be heralding that banner and it is good to see that at least a bit of that logic remains in some alcoves on the conservative side of the isle.

A Voice of Sanity on the Right (as well as a possible Obama Crossover)

U.S Senator Chuck Hagel (R- Nebraska), could he support Obama?

Recently Iraq War critic and retiring Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) revealed that he would not flat out dismiss the idea of endorsing Democratic Presidential contender Senator Barack Obama (D-Illinois), who also sits on the U.S Senate Foreign Relations Committee with Hagel.

Hagel, who briefly mulled a run for the 2008 Republican party presidential nomination, says that Obama’s youth and the fact that he both appeals to younger generations and is of a different generation then many in Washington,that in his view is the best candidate to help heal the partisan and political wounds of the recent past.

Hagel has in the past week been making rounds on the news talk show circuit to promote his new book America : Our Next Chapter (in which amongst other things he said to criticize the current strategy being employed in Iraq, the President’s handling of the war in Iraq, and raises the need of a third major political party in U.S politics).

Huffingtonpost.com

Hagel also stated that he believes the inventory of problems the next President will face is unprecedented and that is why it is so important that the country be brought together so that it could really solve problems. Although Hagel did not endorse Obama, he did not rule out the possibility.

MY TAKE: Obviously with an incumbent Republican President staunchly in favor of maintaining the occupation forces in Iraq, Hagel’s endorsement would not add much to the party and would likely deliver little more then vitriolic criticisms and ridicule to Hagel. Not to mention it would run counter to all the statements Hagel has made in opposition to the Bush/Cheney/McCain position on Iraq, that stands in stark contrast the 100 year occupation stance of the Iraq war.

However, if Hagel were to endorse Obama, he might be able to bring with him the support of some of the more moderate elements of the Republican party as well as those who don’t subscribe to the more neo-conservative elements in foreign policy that Bush, Cheney, and McCain embrace.

The crossover would likely be minimal, but it would give credence to Obama’s claim that he can bridge or at least narrow the partisan divide. The country needs a return to a newer and updated foreign policy of realism. The Democrats appear to be heralding that banner and it is good to see that at least a bit of that logic remains in some alcoves on the conservative side of the isle.

This Date in History Calendar- March 29

Former 1968 Democratic Anti-war contender for the U.S Presidency Senator Eugene McCarthy (D- Minnesota) was born.

Courtesy: Hippy.com, wikipedia, history channel

1849: The United Kingdom annexes the Punjab in India.

1857: In India the British face the early signs of a rebellion, when Manguel Pandy, a Sepoy revolts against the British. The incident will, eventually culminate in the Sepoy Mutiny against the occupied British.

1882: The Knights of Columbus is founded.

1886: The first batch of Coca Cola is brewed in Atlanta, Georgia.

1916: U.S Senator Eugene McCarthy (D- Minnesota) who will eventually run as a anti-war candidate for President is born.

1936: In a German referendum, Chancellor Adolf Hitler backs a move to ratify the German reoccupation of the Rhinelands, which amasses a 99% approval.

1942: During World War II, the bombing of Lubeck occurs.

1951: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are convicted of espionage for allegedly supplying soviet communists with atomic weapons secrets.

1971: Murderer Charles Manson and several members of his cult are sentenced to death for several murders.

1971: Lt. William Calley is convicted for his part in the 1968 My Lai Massacre.

1973: The last remaining U.S Soldiers withdraw from Vietnam

This Date in History Calendar- March 29

Former 1968 Democratic Anti-war contender for the U.S Presidency Senator Eugene McCarthy (D- Minnesota) was born.

Courtesy: Hippy.com, wikipedia, history channel

1849: The United Kingdom annexes the Punjab in India.

1857: In India the British face the early signs of a rebellion, when Manguel Pandy, a Sepoy revolts against the British. The incident will, eventually culminate in the Sepoy Mutiny against the occupied British.

1882: The Knights of Columbus is founded.

1886: The first batch of Coca Cola is brewed in Atlanta, Georgia.

1916: U.S Senator Eugene McCarthy (D- Minnesota) who will eventually run as a anti-war candidate for President is born.

1936: In a German referendum, Chancellor Adolf Hitler backs a move to ratify the German reoccupation of the Rhinelands, which amasses a 99% approval.

1942: During World War II, the bombing of Lubeck occurs.

1951: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are convicted of espionage for allegedly supplying soviet communists with atomic weapons secrets.

1971: Murderer Charles Manson and several members of his cult are sentenced to death for several murders.

1971: Lt. William Calley is convicted for his part in the 1968 My Lai Massacre.

1973: The last remaining U.S Soldiers withdraw from Vietnam

"Caddyshack meets reality"

So when you have a gopher problem and the weather is dry, don’t ask ‘what would Carl Spackler (played by Bill Murray) do?’

An example when the world of film comedies and real-life collide.On a golf course in Canada two groundskeepers decided to eliminate the gophers using extreme force.One problem the climate has been extremely dry, making for a Caddyshack style ending, minus the dancing gopher.

Treehugger:

Two Calargy men wreaked havoc trying to kill gophers with a rodenator, a device which pumps propane and oxygen into their holes and then blasts them out. Unfortunately the grass is really dry and flammable, and 160 acres, including several outbuildings were completely torched, with a value of c$200,000 (U.S $197,000 and falling).

It wasn’t a total failure of mission however, the men did destroy about eight gopher holes before the course was accidently set ablaze, when one of these two guys didn’t pour the propane in deep enough.

MY TAKE: Just another one of the plethorea of examples of just because youy saw something in a movie doesn’t mean it won’t blow up in your face. Actually, as I recall it, something similar happened in CaddyShack as well via Bill Murray.

Watch for yourself:

"Caddyshack meets reality"

So when you have a gopher problem and the weather is dry, don’t ask ‘what would Carl Spackler (played by Bill Murray) do?’

An example when the world of film comedies and real-life collide.On a golf course in Canada two groundskeepers decided to eliminate the gophers using extreme force.One problem the climate has been extremely dry, making for a Caddyshack style ending, minus the dancing gopher.

Treehugger:

Two Calargy men wreaked havoc trying to kill gophers with a rodenator, a device which pumps propane and oxygen into their holes and then blasts them out. Unfortunately the grass is really dry and flammable, and 160 acres, including several outbuildings were completely torched, with a value of c$200,000 (U.S $197,000 and falling).

It wasn’t a total failure of mission however, the men did destroy about eight gopher holes before the course was accidently set ablaze, when one of these two guys didn’t pour the propane in deep enough.

MY TAKE: Just another one of the plethorea of examples of just because youy saw something in a movie doesn’t mean it won’t blow up in your face. Actually, as I recall it, something similar happened in CaddyShack as well via Bill Murray.

Watch for yourself:

The first Part of Allen Ginsber’s "Howl" animated!