When asking a question can get you killed

[solypsist]

just a little FYI....

A prize-winning Iraqi journalist, working for the Guardian, was investigating claims that the US and Britain misused and misappropriated tens of millions of dollars belonging to Iraq. (I assume that’s on top of the $9 billion in Iraqi money an audit last year said we "lost.")

A few days ago, the director of his film informed US authorities about what he had learned, and asked for an interview.

Soon afterward, American troops stormed into his home, firing into the room where he, his wife, and children were sleeping, and took videotape that he shot for the film.

If that isn’t an attempt to intimidate a journalist asking dangerous questions, I can’t imagine what it is. Looks like this thing ahs gone way beyond censoring photos of coffins.

[Watchman]

Cute.

...although by what I hear on the precision and accuracy with which Coalition troops often arrest people, it might actually have been unintentional...

[Marcellus]

Why did they shoot shots into the bedroom if its occupants were all sleeping?

[SwordsMaster]

Why did they shoot shots into the bedroom if its occupants were all sleeping?

To wake them up! Obviously

[Marcellus]

Oh, well that makes sense. Alarm clocks are so last year. Gunfire all the way!

[Strike For The South]

My goverment is full of class * **** ups. If they dont want to say anything about the money grant the interveiw and sidestep the questions. I mean these guys absouletly suck. FDR fooled the whole nation to think he could walk and these cant even cover up lost money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is a new low. My goverment has stopped trying





/edit: complete asterisks to replace partial asterisks

[Ice]

My goverment is full of class * **** ups. If they dont want to say anything about the money grant the interveiw and sidestep the questions. I mean these guys absouletly suck. FDR fooled the whole nation to think he could walk and these cant even cover up lost money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is a new low. My goverment has stopped trying





/edit: complete asterisks to replace partial asterisks

SFTS, don't try not to brainwashed to much here. I gurantee you every existing government in the world today isn't perfect. Mistakes happen everywhere, regardless of what people say.

[Strike For The South]

SFTS, don't try not to brainwashed to much here. I gurantee you every existing government in the world today isn't perfect. Mistakes happen everywhere, regardless of what people say.

Huh? Being perfect and going into a journalist residence and trying to play KGB are two diffrent things. If the goverment dosent want to answer his questions than side step them. The man was a journalist doing his job. Hell they couldve even gone for the thats classifed routine. The Antics they pulled have no place in the American goverment

[Samurai Waki]

Ladies and Gentlemen I announce to you: The Oil Wars. Where Governments play with billion dollar commodities like they are a part of rival mafia's. When someone knows something you don't want them to know, you either extort them for millions of dollars, or whack em'. If this is the way things are gonna be, I think I'll go with the best of the Crime Lords and vote for Don Corleone as the next President.

[Ice]

Huh? Being perfect and going into a journalist residence and trying to play KGB are two diffrent things. If the goverment dosent want to answer his questions than side step them. The man was a journalist doing his job. Hell they couldve even gone for the thats classifed routine. The Antics they pulled have no place in the American goverment

By the sound of it, it's only a couple of people in on this. The highly doubt the entire federal government knew and sponsered this raid. My point was, that there are bad people everywhere, and it isn't just in the US. I guess I'm just tired of everyone complaining about how corrupt the US is, when in fact it really isnt that bad.

[Zalmoxis]

The joys of dictatorships are so plentiful and diverse, enjoy.

[Strike For The South]

By the sound of it, it's only a couple of people in on this. The highly doubt the entire federal government knew and sponsered this raid. My point was, that there are bad people everywhere, and it isn't just in the US. I guess I'm just tired of everyone complaining about how corrupt the US is, when in fact it really isnt that bad.

Yes it may not be that bad but its still much worse than it should be in America. Just becuase were better than Iran or El Salvador with freedom dosent mean jack to me. We should be the best and currently were not. If this reporter found something out it is his duty to report it wether it looks bad on the goverment or not. Im sick of a few under fed overbearded people dictating American policy back home. We will never get rid of terrorism someone will always get pissed or snort the pages of there holy book. We have to learn how to deal with it, not take away god given rights. Im not willing to trade liberty for the sense and illusion of securety. If that makes me hate freedom or hate America so be it but its a sad day when my fellow countrymen are condoning this act facism.

[Xiahou]

SFTS, don't try not to brainwashed to much here. I gurantee you every existing government in the world today isn't perfect. Mistakes happen everywhere, regardless of what people say.

Frankly, there's scant little information about this story- try googling it. Zilch about it in the American media... What is out there on the net seems to all be based on the original Guardian story. Sorry, that's not enough information for me to make an informed comment on.

[Tribesman]

Zilch about it in the American media...
That must be another example of the damned liberal media bias then
Anyway what was he bothering to research the corrution and mismanagement for , it is already pretty well documented .

[Xiahou]

That must be another example of the damned liberal media bias then

Well, to be honest, the lack of coverage does seem suspicious. If we know anything about our media, it's that they seldom pass up a story critical of the administration.

[Abdel Hakam]

What a mess. It used to be easy to explain to my more Anti-American friends from the Middle East that plenty of Americans were wonderful and kind people, and only the policies seemed hostile. What can I say now after Abu Gharib, Falluja, regular shootings of civilians, etc.

This is not to say the criminals and murderers of Zarqawi's ilk haven't earned their evil reputation. Nor is it to say there are not people in the US Army who seem as though they really like the people of Iraq and want to help.

But with examples of self-defeating behaviour like this being consistent and prominent, the US is really digging a grave for its credibility. Actually, the grave is probably filled by now. I almost feel bad for the US military which seemed somewhat chivalrous before this war. Now they appear somewhat barbaric and certainly frightening.

I no longer think an all-volunteer army is a good thing. I know lots of Americans are appalled by these things, and I think if there were more average American people in the military we wouldn't see so many problems, and maybe the whole war wouldn't have come.

[doc_bean]

I almost feel bad for the US military which seemed somewhat chivalrous before this war. Now they appear somewhat barbaric and certainly frightening.

The military is like a gun, reasonably harmless until someone points and pulls the trigger. Blame the politicians, and the top government officials (who are mostly politically appointed), they're the ones doing the killing, even if they don't get their hands dirty.

[Kaiser of Arabia]

Shot him?

COME ON!

AT LEAST use a friggen Air Strike or a convienently placed suicide bomb! Geeze.

[Rodion Romanovich]

What a mess. It used to be easy to explain to my more Anti-American friends from the Middle East that plenty of Americans were wonderful and kind people, and only the policies seemed hostile. What can I say now after Abu Gharib, Falluja, regular shootings of civilians, etc.

This is not to say the criminals and murderers of Zarqawi's ilk haven't earned their evil reputation. Nor is it to say there are not people in the US Army who seem as though they really like the people of Iraq and want to help.

But with examples of self-defeating behaviour like this being consistent and prominent, the US is really digging a grave for its credibility. Actually, the grave is probably filled by now. I almost feel bad for the US military which seemed somewhat chivalrous before this war. Now they appear somewhat barbaric and certainly frightening.

I no longer think an all-volunteer army is a good thing. I know lots of Americans are appalled by these things, and I think if there were more average American people in the military we wouldn't see so many problems, and maybe the whole war wouldn't have come.

Well said! The US army is gradually degrading in discipline the levels of a typical 30 years war army, which is sad. Plus, the attempt to hide the abuse of money confirms that the Iraq war was, as the world community has believed all along, an affair of laundrying the money of Bush and his friends. Finally, the fact that media in the USA doesn't mention such a major milestone in America's development towards dictatorship is a proof that media is owned by, or indirectly controlled by, the same people who control the USA. Americans - this is the time for you to use your rights to carry guns, and fulfil your obligation towards your nation by revolting against this oppression. This is the time the founding fathers of your nation foresaw would once come.

[Crazed Rabbit]

I'm still waiting for an explanation of where asking a question can get you killed. As it is, noone's got killed.

It seems this is a story by a biased, anti-American newspaper with no collaboration in other media.

But don't let that stop you in your quest to find some morsel of a smidgen of a gist of a synopsis of a story somewhere that could be, if you squint and tilt your head during low light levels, construed as proof America is bad.

Crazed Rabbit

[GoreBag]

As it is, noone's got killed.

What?

[Watchman]

Heh. My mother always keeps saying that since the US is functionally immune to the sorts of external invasions that brought down previous hegemons, its eventual end must come through some sort of internal conflict...

That aside, did you know that not too long ago I read of several Delta Force or similar hush-hush elite unit members being under investigation for overly creative employement of operation funds for such necessities as SUVs and bigger houses back stateside ? Had apparently been going on for a while too...
But given how absurdly bloated US military expenditure is graft is quite possibly inevitable. Hang enough money before people's eyes and sooner or later their resolve starts cracking.