Sunday, October 14, 2007

first time they said "things will be better in six months" that i actually believed them
  • U.S. and Iraqi officials are negotiating Baghdad's demand that security company Blackwater USA be expelled from the country within six months, and American diplomats appear to be working on how to fill the security gap if the company is phased out. ("U.S., Iraq discusss Blackwater expulsion," By STEVEN R. HURST and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writers 34 minutes ago

Thursday, October 04, 2007

an independent country means having someone else enforce your laws; an open democracy means no free press
  • BAGHDAD A daring ambush of bombs and gunfire left Poland's ambassador pinned down in a burning vehicle Wednesday before being pulled to safety and airlifted in a rescue mission by the embattled security firm Blackwater USA. At least three people were killed, including a Polish bodyguard.
  • American authorities confiscated an AP Television News videotape that contained scenes of the wounded being evacuated. U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Scott Bleichwehl told AP that Iraqi law make it illegal to photograph or videotape the aftermath of bombings or other attacks." ("U.S. Confiscates AP Footage At Scene of Bloody Baghdad Bombing," AP from Editor and Publisher, Published: October 03, 2007 5:30 PM ET)
so what is the army doing enforcing iraqi law (and what the hell kind of law is that?)? and why was blackwater called upon when they don't have a role in protecting the Polish ambassador?