Home > Hard News > News/Commentary
News/Commentary - Hard News
'Hard News' contains Dahr Jamail's published news reports regarding the Middle East.
May 07, 2008
US presidents-to-be in denial
McCain, Obama and Clinton silent on Iraq exit
May 2008 Issue
As soon as it was clear that the presidential primaries would be the news story of the year in the US, Iraq was dropped by the media. The occupation and the campaign for the presidential nominations were de-linked almost from the start. So we don’t know what the potential candidates would do in Iraq. But pulling troops out doesn’t seem to be an option for any of them.
By Dahr Jamail
Amman, April 2008: the UN undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs, John Holmes, said he wanted “to highlight the gravity of the humanitarian situation in Iraq” (1).
New Hampshire, January 2008: the Republican presidential candidate John McCain said: “President Bush has talked about our staying [in Iraq] for 50 years, maybe 100. We’ve been in Japan for 60 years, in South Korea for 50 years or so. That would be fine with me as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or killed” (2).
Baghdad, April 2008: in an interview with Al-Jazeera, an Iraqi government employee said: “There is no improvement in Baghdad on the security level. All of it is getting worse. We hear about it on TV, but on the ground we see nothing. No services, no security in the streets” (3).
Continue reading "US presidents-to-be in denial"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 01:41 AM
March 18, 2008
IRAQ: Five Years, And Counting
Inter Press Service
Analysis by Dahr Jamail
WASHINGTON, Mar 18 (IPS) - Devastation on the ground and largely held Iraqi opinion contradicts claims by U.S. officials that the situation in Iraq has improved towards the fifth anniversary of the invasion Mar. 19.
Continue reading "IRAQ: Five Years, And Counting"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 01:08 PM
January 28, 2008
Tomgram: Dahr Jamail, Missing Voices in the Iraq Debate
TomDispatch.com
27 January 2008
There's an old joke in which a fellow natters on endlessly about himself. Finally, he turns to his friend and says, "Well, enough about me, how about you? What do you think of me?" Sometimes, we in the U.S. seem to be that guy. There are so many voices crucial to understanding our world that we seldom or never hear. They just aren't attended to. This week at Tomdispatch, Nick Turse brought us the forgotten voices of a lost war in Vietnam and now Dahr Jamail offers voices from an ongoing lost war in Iraq. In many ways, we Americans, whether supporters or critics of the war, manage to fill all the roles when it comes to that country. Watch your TV set and ask yourself how often, in the last years, you've heard an ordinary Iraqi speaking at any length about his or her life -- or seen the Iraqi equivalent of a "talking head." We've talked our heads off about Iraq and yet how often have we even fulfilled the second part of that old joke and asked Iraqis what they thought of us -- or the lives the United States has brought them?
Dahr Jamail has been an exception. If you pick up a copy of his riveting book, Beyond the Green Zone: Dispatches from an Unembedded Journalist in Occupied Iraq, perhaps the most striking thing about it is how many Iraqi voices you do hear and what a different perspective they offer us on our version of their country. Here, then, is the latest from Jamail. Tom
"Reality Is Totally Different"
Iraqis on "Success" and "Progress" in Their Country
By: Dahr Jamail
This March 19 will be the fifth anniversary of the shock-and-awe air assault on Baghdad that signaled the opening of the invasion of Iraq, and when it comes to the American occupation of that country, no end is yet in sight. If Republican presidential candidate John McCain has anything to say about it, the occupation may never end. On January 7th, he assured reporters that he was more than fine with the idea of the U.S. military remaining in Iraq for 100 years. "We've been in Japan for 60 years. We've been in South Korea 50 years or so… As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed. That's fine with me."
He said nothing, of course, about Iraqis "injured or harmed or wounded or killed." In fact, amid the flurries of words, accusations, and "debates" which have filled the airways and add up to the primary-season presidential campaign, there has been a near thunderous silence on Iraq lately -- and especially on Iraqis.
Continue reading here
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 04:00 AM
January 15, 2008
Who Are the Insurgents?
The Progressive
January 2008
"SUPPOSE IRAQ INVADED AMERICA. And an Iraqi soldier was on a tank passing through an American street, waving his gun at the people, threatening them, raiding and trashing houses. Would you accept that? This is why no Iraqi can accept occupation, and don’t be surprised by their reactions," says "The Imam," a young man from a mixed Sunni-Shia family, as he explains the genesis of the insurgency in Iraq and its exponential growth.
He is one of the protagonists that Meeting Resistance presents as unmistakable evidence that the root cause of the conflict in Iraq is the occupation itself. The film has resistance fighters themselves tell their story.
Continue reading "Who Are the Insurgents?"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 11:10 PM
January 04, 2008
The myth of sectarianism
International Socialist Review
The policy is divide to rule
By DAHR JAMAIL
IF THE U.S. leaves Iraq, the violent sectarianism between the Sunni and Shia will worsen. This is what Republicans and Democrats alike will have us believe. This key piece of rhetoric is used to justify the continuance of the occupation of Iraq.
This propaganda, like others of its ilk, gains ground, substance, and reality due largely to the ignorance of those ingesting it. The snow job by the corporate media on the issue of sectarianism in Iraq has ensured that the public buys into the line that the Sunni and Shia will dice one another up into little pieces if the occupation ends.
Continue reading "The myth of sectarianism"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 06:45 PM
December 29, 2007
CHALLENGES 2007-2008: Iraq Progresses To Some Of Its Worst
Inter Press Service
Analysis by Dahr Jamail
WASHINGTON, Dec 29 (IPS) - Despite all the claims of improvements, 2007 has been the worst year yet in Iraq.
Continue reading "CHALLENGES 2007-2008: Iraq Progresses To Some Of Its Worst"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 05:21 PM
December 17, 2007
Mirage of Improvement in Iraq
Yet Another Facelift for the Failed Occupation
Islam Online
By Dahr Jamail
Independent US Reporter
The New York Times Nov 19 announces, "Baghdad’s Weary Start to Exhale as Security Improves."
The Washington Post Nov. 23 reports, "Returnees Find a Capital Transformed."
People in the US are willing to believe the establishment media telling them that refugees are returning to their homes in Baghdad in an environment of improved security and new hope.
Continue reading "Mirage of Improvement in Iraq"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 09:49 PM
March 24, 2007
Another Casualty: Coverage of the Iraq War
Dahr Jamail | March 23, 2007
Editor: Erik Leaver, IPS and John Feffer, IRC
Foreign Policy In Focus
www.fpif.org
Iraq is the most dangerous place in the world for journalists. Along with names and dates, the Brussels Tribunal has listed the circumstances under which Iraqi media personnel have been killed since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003. This extremely credible report cites 195 as dead. If non-Iraqi media representatives are included, the figure goes beyond 200. Both figures are well in excess of the media fatalities suffered in Vietnam or during World War II.
Continue reading "Another Casualty: Coverage of the Iraq War"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 05:49 AM
January 08, 2007
Managing Escalation: Negroponte and Bush's New Iraq Team
Dahr Jamail | January 8, 2007
Editor: Erik Leaver, IPS
Foreign Policy In Focus
www.fpif.org
As part of a massive staff shakeup of Bush's Iraq team last week, it was announced that John Negroponte, the current U.S. National Intelligence Director who has also conveniently served as the U.S. ambassador to Iraq from June 2004 to April 2005 is being tapped as the new Deputy Secretary of State.
Continue reading "Managing Escalation: Negroponte and Bush's New Iraq Team"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 05:37 PM
October 12, 2006
Excess Death in Iraq
By Dahr Jamail
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Thursday 12 October 2006
It is the single most important statistic regarding the illegal US invasion and occupation of Iraq. How many Iraqis have been killed?
655,000.
655,000 Iraqis killed as a result of the US invasion and occupation of Iraq.
Continue reading "Excess Death in Iraq"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 09:40 PM
October 05, 2006
The US Occupation of Iraq: Casualties Not Counted
By Dahr Jamail
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Thursday 05 October 2006
An anxious unrest, a fierce craving desire for gain has taken possession of the commercial world, and in instances no longer rare the most precious and permanent goods of human life have been madly sacrificed in the interests of momentary enrichment. - Felix Adler
In all past wars the United States has been involved in, including the two World Wars, Vietnam and the first Gulf War, the military was self reliant and took care of its basic support functions like cooking, cleaning and other services.
Continue reading "The US Occupation of Iraq: Casualties Not Counted"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 10:56 PM
September 27, 2006
A Broken, De-Humanized Military in Iraq
By Dahr Jamail
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Tuesday 26 September 2006
While the deranged chicken-hawks who "lead" the US continue their efforts to wage another unprovoked war of aggression, this time against Iran, what's left of their already overstretched military continues to be bled in Iraq.
Continue reading "A Broken, De-Humanized Military in Iraq"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 03:33 PM
September 22, 2006
AP Propaganda About Iraq
By Dahr Jamail
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Friday 22 September 2006
But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.
-George Orwell
On Monday, September 18, Associated Press (AP) ran a story titled, "Iraqi tribes fight Insurgency." At first glance, the average reader cannot be blamed for thinking that this is a story about how tribes in Iraq have decided to take up arms against the "insurgency."
Continue reading "AP Propaganda About Iraq"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 06:50 PM
September 06, 2006
Interview With Ray McGovern, Part 3
By Dahr Jamail
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Tuesday 05 September 2006
During the Veterans for Peace National Convention in Seattle, I conducted an interview with Ray McGovern. McGovern was a CIA analyst for 27 years and is co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS).
In the final installment of this interview series for Truthout, McGovern discusses links between US/Israeli policy, the need for change if there is to be true security for either country, the Bush administration's use of torture, and the likelihood of a US attack on Iran.
Continue reading "Interview With Ray McGovern, Part 3"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 05:58 PM
August 28, 2006
Interview With Ray McGovern, Part 2
By Dahr Jamail
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Monday 28 August 2006
During the Veterans for Peace National Convention in Seattle, I conducted an interview with Ray McGovern. McGovern was a CIA analyst for 27 years and is co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS).
In the second installment of this interview series for Truthout, McGovern discusses US policy regarding Iran, a US/Israel "mutual defense treaty" and the security ramifications for Israel.
Continue reading "Interview With Ray McGovern, Part 2"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 07:18 PM
August 21, 2006
Interview With Ray McGovern, Part 1
By Dahr Jamail
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Monday 21 August 2006
During the Veterans for Peace National Convention in Seattle, I conducted an interview with Ray McGovern. McGovern was a CIA analyst for 27 years and is co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS).
In this first installment of this short interview series for Truthout, I asked McGovern what he thought of the fact that Israel had been planning their attack on Lebanon for well over a year.
Continue reading "Interview With Ray McGovern, Part 1"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 07:34 PM
August 14, 2006
Ehren Watada
By Dahr Jamail
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Monday 14 August 2006
On Saturday night, I was lucky enough to be at the Veterans for Peace National Convention. For that night, Lt. Ehren Watada was able to give the following speech. The speech was met with a powerful, standing ovation from the vets who've been there.
Continue reading "Ehren Watada"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 07:45 PM
July 31, 2006
"Supporters of Hezbollah"
By Dahr Jamail
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Monday 31 July 2006
Today, Sunday, I write this from Beirut, which is being circled by Israeli unmanned military surveillance drones, the same kind I saw so often in Fallujah. I suppose they were spying on the raging demonstrators who clogged the streets in Beirut and assaulted the UN building in a rage of vengeance after the fresh massacre of civilians by Israeli warplanes in the small town of Qana in the south.
Continue reading ""Supporters of Hezbollah""
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 09:06 PM
July 25, 2006
Lebanon Bleeds, Iraq Burns, People Flee
By Dahr Jamail
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Tuesday 25 July 2006
"Habibi, to live in Baghdad now is to live in a big prison," he told me recently, "You stay in your home, and that's it. You only go out when you must. So many are being killed daily, and you only hope that your day to die is not today."
Continue reading "Lebanon Bleeds, Iraq Burns, People Flee"
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 05:59 PM
July 09, 2006
"Packing It In"
By Dahr Jamail
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Sunday 09 July 2006
Surprise, surprise. In an interview with John King from CNN last Thursday, Dick Cheney said that withdrawing US forces from Iraq would be the "worst possible thing we could do."
Doing his best to stoke the always simmering fears of so many US residents (let us be careful how we use the word "citizen"), Cheney said of the terrorist groups in Iraq, "If we pull out, they'll follow us."
Continue reading ""Packing It In""
Posted by Dahr_Jamail at 05:47 PM
Warning: include() [function.include]: URL file-access is disabled in the server configuration in /home/dahr/public_html/hard_news/archives/newscommentary.php on line 703
Warning: include(http://dahrjamailiraq.com/includes/footer.php) [function.include]: failed to open stream: no suitable wrapper could be found in /home/dahr/public_html/hard_news/archives/newscommentary.php on line 703
Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening 'http://dahrjamailiraq.com/includes/footer.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/dahr/public_html/hard_news/archives/newscommentary.php on line 703