by Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

8:18 PM PDT, April 17, 2005

BAGHDAD, Iraq — She hugged and laughed her way through war zones with an effervescence belying her seriousness of purpose.

No pass to get through a checkpoint? She leaned across her Iraqi driver to show the stern American guard the shock of blond hair beneath her flowing black robes. "Please, please, please, please, please," she said, and then, "Where are you from?" She waved aside tough-looking guards from all corners of the world, never looking back to see if they had raised an AK-47 in her direction. In her one-woman mission to make the United States take responsibility for the innocent victims of its wars, 28-year-old Marla Ruzicka bubbled with a passion that seemed to lift her beyond danger. [...] Read more about her and her death at http://tinyurl.com/7ceo7

© Virginia Metze

04/20/05

Currently we're getting used to revelations that the Iraq War (Act II) was started on the basis of completely false intelligence; in other words, a total screw-up, a massive blunder. However, this is nothing new. Most other wars also started as a result of government incompetence and/or government malevolence in some mix, and the exception usually perceived, World War Two, is no exception at all...

http://www.strike-the-root.com/51/davies/davies10.html

from Strike the Root, by Jim Davies


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

In Iraq, allegations range from petty bribery to large-scale embezzlement, expropriation, profiteering and nepotism. The TI report says it could become "the biggest corruption scandal in history."

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0317/p06s01-wogi.htm


From Information Clearing Housel

House Bill 2575 would automatically register young men for Selective Service when they sign up for licenses or state identification cards.

http://rncwatch.typepad.com/counterrecruiter/2005/04/oregon_bill_wou.html


From Information Clearing House

With the military’s enlistment numbers dropping and a “counter-recruitment” movement becoming increasingly active in college towns and major urban centers, the battle for the hearts and minds of possible enlistees is spreading to the more conservative parts of the country, where the military draws a substantial amount of recruits.

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article8588.htm

I wish someone would help me understand how killing innocent people in Iraq (and Afganistan) is keeping us free.

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article8583.htm

To justify its continuing occupation of Iraq, Washington has endeavored to portray itself as the selfless protector of the Iraqi people who are menaced by ruthless terrorists. The corporate media has obliged.

http://montages.blogspot.com/2005/04/casualties-of-colonial-wars-kenya-and.html


From Information Clearing House

"What happened to me represents an insult to the whole National Assembly that was elected by the Iraqi people. This shows that the democracy we are enjoying is fake."

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article8591.htm

Bait and Switch: Republican Senators Vote Against Healthcare for Iraq War Veterans

Every U.S. media outlet should publicize how the Republican-led Senate voted against providing desperately needed money to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for healthcare services for our wounded combat veterans. The essay exposes the "bait and switch" tactics used by the Bush Administration and their supporters in Congress.

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/?Page=Article&ID=3061