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Did Oprah Pick Another Fibber? Truth and Fiction in Elie Wiesel's Night In his special report Alexander Cockburn interviews former Wiesel colleague and Holocaust survivor Eli Pfefferkorn. What Raul Hilberg, the Holocaust's greatest historian, really thinks about Wiesel's "Night". Also in this special issue: Is Hugo Chavez Hitler or Father Christmas? Larry Lack tells the full story of Venezuela's hand-outs to Uncle Sam's Shivering Poor. Plus, Jeffrey St Clair profiles the Endangered Visigoth and traces the rise and possible fall of Rick Pombo, destroyer of nature. CounterPunch Online is read by millions of viewers each month! But remember, we are funded solely by the subscribers to the print edition of CounterPunch. Please support this website by buying a subscription to our newsletter, which contains fresh material you won't find anywhere else, or by making a donation for the online edition. Remember contributions are tax-deductible. Click here to make a donation. If you find our site useful please: Subscribe Now! |
Today's Stories March 18 / 19, 2006 Cockburn
/ St. Clair March 17, 2006 Eduardo
Galeano Greg
Moses Richard
Falk / David Krieger Cindy
and Craig Corrie Amira
Hass Mike
Marqusee James
Petas and Robin Eastman-Abaya Website
of the Day
March 16, 2006 Norman
Solomon Tom
Philpott Heather
Gray Amira
Hass Missy
Comley Beattie Sen.
Russell Feingold Lucinda
Marshall Andrew
Bosworth Clancy
Sigal Website
of the Day
Jonathan
Cook Winslow
Wheeler Diane
Christian Ron
Jacobs Missy
Comley Beattie Jared
Bernstein Noam
Chomsky Website
of the Day
March 14, 2006 Earl
Ofari Hutchinson Dave
Lindorff Kevin
Zeese Todd
Chretien Jason
Kunin Thomas
Palley Cockburn
/ St. Clair Website
of the Day
March 13, 2006 Uri
Avnery Dave
Lindorff Mike
Whitney David
Green Jeremy
Scahill Mike
Ferner Corey
Harris Paul
Craig Roberts Website
of the Day
Alexander
Cockburn Ralph
Nader Paul
Craig Roberts Ben
Tripp John
Strausbaugh Landau
/ Hassen Robert
Bryce Gary
Leupp Fred
Gardner Ron
Jacobs Jonathan
Scott Ramzy
Baroud Jordan
Flaherty John
Chuckman Joe
Allen Julia
Kendlbacher St.
Clair / Walker / Pollack / Vest Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
March 10, 2006 Ben
Rosenfeld Lila
Rajiva Saree
Makdisi Elena
Shore Joshua
Frank Dave
Zirin Aura
Bogado
March 9, 2006 John
Walsh Annie
Zirin Brian
McKenna Chris
Floyd Rachard
Itani Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Wylie
Harris Alexander
Cockburn Website
of the Day
March 8, 2006 Patrick
Bond Brian
Concannon, Jr. Pat
Williams Lance
Selfa Mokhiber
/ Weissman Walter
Brasch Vijay
Prashad Website
of the Day
March 7, 2006 Werther John
Blair Dave
Lindorff Mike
Whitney Warren
Guykema Sen.
Russell Feingold Robert
Jensen Norman
Solomon Bernie
Dwyer Website
of the Day
Ralph
Nader Dave
Zirin Vanessa
Redgrave Walter
A. Davis Joshua
Frank Nate
Mezmer Paul
Craig Roberts Website
of the Day
Alexander
Cockburn Jennifer
Van Bergen Steven
Higgs Winslow
T. Wheeler Ron
Jacobs Rev.
William E. Alberts Colin
Asher Fred
Gardner "Pariah" John
Scagliotti Seth
Sandronsky Joan
Roelofs Arjun
Makhijani Ardeshr
Ommani Diana
Barahona Ben
Tripp St.
Clair / Socialist Worker Staff Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend March 3, 2006 Laura
Carlsen John
V. Whitbeck Chris
Floyd Mohamed
Hakki Pratyush
Chandra John
Scagliotti Website
of the Day
March 2, 2006 Paul
Craig Roberts Dave
Lindorff Ramzy
Baroud Saul
Landau Joe
Allen Steve
Shore Denise
Boggs Norman
Finkelstein Website
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March 1, 2006 Mairead
Corrigan Maguire Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Faheem
Hussain Antony
Loewenstein Elizabeth
Schulte Mike
Whitney John
Ryan Michael
Donnelly Tom
Reeves Website
of the Day
February 28, 2006 Sen.
Russ Feingold Ralph
Nader Joshua
Frank Aziz
Haniffa Benjamin Dangl Norman Solomon Mike
Ferner Sharon
Smith Website
of the Day
February 27, 2006 Buncombe
/ Cockburn Paul
Craig Roberts Ingmar
Lee Ron
Jacobs Dave
Lindorff Pat
Wolff Lila
Rajiva Website
of the Day
February 25 / 26, 2006 Alexander
Cockburn Lila
Rajiva Lee
Sustar Jennifer
Van Bergen / Madis Senner Justin
E.H. Smith Paul
Craig Roberts Jason
Leopold Gilad
Atzmon Zahid
Shariff Fred
Gardner Dick
J. Reavis David
Stocker John
Bomar Mike
Marqusee Pratyush
Chandra Ben
Tripp Dr.
Susan Block Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
February 24, 2006 Alan
Maass William
S. Lind Dave
Lindorff Pierre
Tristam Meg
Bannerji Robert
Jensen Mark
Engler Jennifer
Loewenstein Website
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February 23, 2006 Chet
Richards Jonathan
Feldman Joshua
Frank Ron
Jacobs Amira
Hass Samah
Sabawi Norman
Solomon Christopher
Reed Website
of the Day
February 22, 2006 Robert
Pollin Phil
Doe Pirouz
Azadi Saul
Landau Brian
McKinlay Sam
Smith Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Diane
Farsetta Website
of the Day
February 21, 2006 Paul
Craig Roberts Franklin
Spinney Dave
Lindorff Alevtina
Rea Bruce
K. Gagnon Dave
Zirin Bill
Quigley Website
of the Day
February 20, 2006 Jennifer
Van Bergen Rachard
Itani Gideon
Levy Joshua
Frank Newton
Garver Pratyush
Chandra Seth
Sandronsky Cockburn
/ St. Clair Website
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February 18 / 19, 2006 Werther Uzma
Aslam Khan Joe
DeRaymond Edward
F. Mooney Paul
Craig Roberts Elaine
Cassel P.
Sainath Thomas
P. Healy Brian
Concannon, Jr. Fred
Gardner Rep.
Cynthia McKinney Brian
Tokar Chan
Chee Khoon Andrew
Freedman St.
Clair / Walker Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
February 17, 2006 Floyd
Rudmin Gervasio
Rodríguez Gary
Leupp Ramzy
Baroud Amira
Hass Matthew
Koehler Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Debbie
Nathan Website
of the Day
Febrauary 16, 2006 Lila
Rajiva Norman
Solomon Ron
Jacobs Paul
Craig Roberts Website
of the Day
February 15, 2006 Brian
Conacnnon, Jr. Dave
Lindorff Saree
Makdisi Joshua
Frank Amira
Hass CounterPunch
Wire Robert
Bryce Website
of the Day February 14, 2006 John
Sugg Don
Santina William
A. Cook Ray
McGovern John
Ross Website
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Lila
Rajiva Christopher
Brauchli Dave
Lindorff Ron
Jacobs Mike
Whitney Michael
Neumann Website
of the Day
February 11 / 12, 2006 Alexander
Cockburn Ralph
Nader Paul Craig
Roberts Pat Williams Fred Gardner Saul Landau John Chuckman Roger Burbach Seth Sandronsky Website of
the Weekend
February 10, 2006 Carl
G. Estabrook Sen.
Russell Feingold Roxanne
Dunbar----Ortiz Saree Makdisi Website of
the Day
February 9, 2006 Dave Lindorff Mike Marqusee Paul Craig Roberts Peter Phillips William S. Lind Christine Tomlinson Innocent Targets in the "Long War": False Positives and Bush's Eavesdropping Program Will Youmans Robert Robideau Richard Neville Peter Rost Website of the Day
February 8, 2006 Ron Jacobs Stan Cox Sen. Russ Feingold Robert Jensen Rep. Cynthia McKinney Niranjan Ramakrishnan Don Monkerud David Swanson C.L. Cook Christopher
Fons Jeffrey Ballinger Website of
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February 7, 2006 Edward Lucie-Smith Robert Fisk Paul Craig Roberts Neve Gordon Joshua Frank Peter Montague Jackie Corr Jeffrey St.
Clair Website of the Day
February 6, 2006 Christopher
Brauchli Robert Fisk John Chuckman Jenna Orkin Paul Craig
Roberts
February 4 / 5, 2006 Alexander Cockburn Mike Ferner James Petras Alan Maass Fred Gardner Ralph Nader Bill Glahn Saul Landau Laura Carlsen James Brooks Mike Roselle John Holt Sarah Ferguson William S.
Lind Niranjan Ramakrishnan Seth Sandronsky Derrick O'Keefe Michael Donnelly Ron Jacobs Elisa Salasin St. Clair / Vest Stew Albert Poets' Basement Website of
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Reed Website of the Day
February 1, 2006 Sharon Smith Jason Leopold Cindy Sheehan Joseph Grosso Earl Ofari Hutchinson Steven Higgs Robert Robideau R. Siddharth Jim Retherford Rep. Cynthia
McKinney Paul Craig
Roberts Website of
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Weekend
Edition The Prevarications of Gen. Peter Pace General Insanity By BRIAN CLOUGHLEY
Here, recorded by Reuters, are some of the incidents that happened in Iraq the day before the idiot Pace uttered his inanities:
Next day there were twenty people killed, including a US soldier. As I write, on March 16, reports are coming in about more US casualties. (So far this month the US military death rate in Iraq is running at only one a day.) But from "everything you look at", according to Pace, things in Iraq are "going very, very well". Where is this man coming from? It must be obvious, even to a US general, that if dozens of Iraqis are being killed every day, then there is something just a little going wrong in the country that is occupied by the US military, which continues to tell lie after lie at the bidding of its political masters. On March 16 it was reported by Associated Press that 11 people had been killed in a US air strike on a village north of Baghdad : "AP photographs showed the bodies of two men, five children and four other covered figures arriving at the hospital accompanied by grief-stricken relatives." Clear enough? No. Not for the military who, in a sad, cruel and disgusting attempt at justification for their air strikes claimed that "only four" people were killed--including two women and a child--by their bombs which, no doubt, were of the "precision" variety. The gallant warriors then "captured the target of the raid, a man suspected of supporting al-Qaida fighters." In the weird and fantastic world in which Bush Washington lives, inhabited by Pentagon whiz kiddies and uniformed robots, it is perfectly acceptable to bomb a house to bits and kill some children if a magnificent victory can be claimed by capturing a suspect. Not, mind you, a man who had actually committed a crime ; not a man who had without doubt blown up a house killing US soldiers ; not a man proved without doubt to have manufactured bombs for the purpose of extinguishing Iraqi or American lives. Far from it: this man's crime was in the eye of the beholders, and it was to have been "suspected of supporting al-Qaida fighters." Does not the great General Pace find this just a bit bizarre? Does he approve the destruction of a house and the killing of women and children in order that a suspect can be arrested by his robots?
We can assume he does not consider it bizarre and that he certainly does not consider it evil or illegal to destroy children if by so doing his merry men can trumpet the arrest of someone suspected of "supporting" insurgents. By any definition, and in spite of the unbelievably callous military claiming that "only" one child was killed (the terrible photographs show without a shadow of doubt the bodies of several children), this was a war crime. And those who committed it will be treated as heroes by their commander-in-chief and his sleazy, lying cohorts.
It is taken for granted by vast numbers of Americans that all Iraqis fighting against the occupation or against each other or involved in any way with violence are by definition "supporters" of al-Qaida. The insurgents have to be in some manner linked with al-Qaida because it is essential to prolong and emphasize the brazen lie that in some manner Iraq was responsible for 9/11. This complete and utter fabrication cannot be believed by anyone with any analytical capability. But it is believed by millions of Americans including many hundreds of thousands of US troops. The February 2006 Le Moyne College/Zogby International Poll showed that "85% [of US troops in Iraq] said the U.S. mission is 'to retaliate for Saddam's role in the 9-11 attacks,' while 77% said they believe the main or a major reason for the war was 'to stop Saddam from protecting al Qaeda in Iraq'."
The Bush administration and its dishonorable lackeys in uniform are helped greatly in spreading their lies by some sections of the media. Killing children in a random air strike is not regarded as a war crime by CNN, for example. Its correspondent Arwa Damon covered the matter of a few dead kids without even hinting that there had actually been a US air strike. The comment was that the murdered children were "innocent civilians caught in the middle". Yes, they were innocent enough--and they were caught in the middle, all right : in the middle of a conspiracy of lies and hatred, emanating from the White House, whose main resident has lost touch with reality.
Here is Bush of a few days ago in a typical speech : "Since the morning of September the 11th, we have known that the war on terror would require great sacrifice -- and in this war we have said farewell to some very good men and women. One of those courageous Americans was Sergeant William Scott Kinzer, Jr., who was killed last year by the terrorists while securing polling sites for the Iraqi elections."
This is what we old psyops hands call persuasion by dislocated truth. Nothing the man said is in itself a lie. But the linking of 9/11 with Iraq and "terrorists", and the outrageous humbug of enforced "democracy" together with the heart-tugging personalization of Sgt Kinzer's death is simply cheap propaganda. And it's very clever stuff, if you have a moral rating of zero.
The latest news is that US air strikes against Iraq have increased enormously, now that it is obvious the US occupation force cannot cope with the insurgents (who, of course, have no aircraft, any more than did Saddam Hussein's military when they were overwhelmed by US air power during the illegal invasion of their country). In a tacit admission that US ground forces are being defeated by insurgents, so far this year US aircraft have bombed 18 cities. There are no official figures about this sort of thing, of course. The US voters/taxpayers are not told how many expensive bombs and rockets have obliterated women and children in their name and in the cause of democracy. But Knight Ridder, unlike CNN and other followers of the Bush/military line on Iraq, tracked the blitzkrieg numbers and had them "confirmed by American Air Force officials in the region." The only reason the "Air Force officials" are forbidden to themselves declare the truth is that the truth is so vile. As I write there is an unprecedented series of aerial attacks taking place near the city of Samarra, which region is full (but of course) of al-Qaida members or supporters of Elvis or whoever. There will be no admission of civilians being killed, naturally, unless undeniable evidence is produced to the contrary. But even if children die from US bombs it will, in the usual US military doom-speak, be "only" a child or two. Or "only" three. Or "only" a dozen. Who the hell cares? According to the Chicago Tribune on March 16 the military said "Initial reports from the objective area indicate that a number of enemy weapons caches have been captured, containing artillery shells, explosives, IED-making materials, and military uniforms." Oh yes, it takes air strikes to capture military uniforms, although, mind you, "More than 1,500 Iraqi and coalition troops, over 200 tactical vehicles, and more than 50 aircraft participated in the operation". So 1500 troops were involved (and forget this massaged propaganda crap about "coalition" troops--they are American, with some 400 Iraqi stooges). At most three battalions. But they were supposed to have "surrounded four villages" and I say this is utter crap. There is no way a mere 1500 troops could possibly "surround" four villages. And the media simply reported that "A modest force of 1,500 was deployed along with 50 aircraft, and judging from US military photographs sent to the media, many were transport helicopters." The Reuters' reporter looked at US military-supplied photographs of aircraft and solemnly stated that "many were transport helicopters". Of course they were, you dolt : because that's what the military want you to believe. That is why the cretinous General Pace gets away with stating that "I would say [things in Iraq are] going very, very well from everything you look at." Iraq is in bloody and terminal chaos, and its anarchic state is entirely the responsibility of Bush Washington. The US military is now a clone of what it was in Vietnam when I served there in 1970-71. The lies are the same, and the only difference is that the names have changed. The honor of the US military has been destroyed by such as Pace and other heel-clicking, gimlet-eyed, brush-haired, square-headed, lame-brained caricatures of the military ethos. The fat-headed, pompous and incompetent General Westmoreland still has his being in his latter-day clones. The genes have come down to roost. In Iraq it is now downhill all the way, just as it was when Westy was head boy in Vietnam. The names of these generals, and that of Bush, will be reviled for decades to come, simply because they have defiled the honor of a great nation. Brian Cloughley writes on military and political affairs.
He can be reached through his website www.briancloughley.com
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