Does this mean that anyone who wants to report, speak, pray or just have a non-violent political get-together must be allowed to do so at the White House, on demand?
Well, maybe so. In Thomas Jefferson’s time, Americans could stroll the White House grounds at will and even visit with the president and first lady at lunchtime or after each day. Of course, things have changed since then, but I have no problem with the principle of the thing. The White House supposedly belongs to “the public.” Why shouldn’t we drop in any time we please?
That, however, is not what CNN contends. They’re not upset that you and I can’t plop ourselves down in White House press room chairs and start firing off questions at the president any time the spirit moves. Their lawsuit argues, rather, that because CNN is a popular cable channel and its White House correspondent is very special and important, Jim Acosta is entitled to a chair, a desk, and face time with Donald Trump.
I suspect a lawsuit on similar supposed First Amendment claims from, say, Caitlin Johnstone, Alex Jones, Chris Hedges, or the “White House Correspondent” of a small-town Kentucky newspaper would get laughed right out of court (and out of the “mainstream press”), even if they all agreed to hand the microphones back over when their time ran out.
Now this Tweet:
If you're more concerned about defending Jim Acosta than you are the people of Yemen, you should not offer any commentary on politics because your opinion is useless.
Exactly.
It's amazing how the people who need defending the least soak up all the attention. F**k Jim Acosta and his overpaid ass. There are real issues out there.
Here's C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:
Wednesday, November 14, 2018. A UN official prepares to leave Iraq and issues a string of lies on his way out.
The United Nations notes:
In his last briefing as the top United Nations official in Iraq, Ján Kubiš updated the Security Council on the country’s post-election political settlement, commending the “exemplary peaceful transfer of power” between Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and his successor, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, who was sworn in at the end of October.
“The new Government intends to start immediately, particularly on the delivery of services and jobs, on reforming and energizing the economy, fighting corruption and administrative red-tape,” he said, calling on the international community for its continued support. “We must not let them down.”
He noted that during the government formation process, competition and differences had been “largely political and not sectarian,” calling it, “a break from the past.”
Pointing out that the main negotiations had been carried out by political factions including the influential cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr and Hadi al-Ameri on behalf of their respective Islah and Binaa blocks, Mr. Kubiš said it signified “that all of these primary partners and political forces now share a responsibility for creating an enabling environment for the new government to deliver on its programme, and for its stability.”
Well he had to praise something, right?
Peaceful transition?
Iraq held elections May 12th for a new government. It's November 14th and the prime minister still doesn't have a full Cabinet -- despite forming a Cabinet being the only requirement to move from prime minister-designate to prime minister.
Six months after the elections and Iraq still doesn't have a full Cabinet. 22 posts and only 14 are filled. Empty? Empty includes Minister of Defense and Minister of the Interior -- the two security posts.
Six months after the elections.
The United Nations notes:
In his last briefing as the top United Nations official in Iraq, Ján Kubiš updated the Security Council on the country’s post-election political settlement, commending the “exemplary peaceful transfer of power” between Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and his successor, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, who was sworn in at the end of October.
“The new Government intends to start immediately, particularly on the delivery of services and jobs, on reforming and energizing the economy, fighting corruption and administrative red-tape,” he said, calling on the international community for its continued support. “We must not let them down.”
He noted that during the government formation process, competition and differences had been “largely political and not sectarian,” calling it, “a break from the past.”
Pointing out that the main negotiations had been carried out by political factions including the influential cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr and Hadi al-Ameri on behalf of their respective Islah and Binaa blocks, Mr. Kubiš said it signified “that all of these primary partners and political forces now share a responsibility for creating an enabling environment for the new government to deliver on its programme, and for its stability.”
Well he had to praise something, right?
Peaceful transition?
Iraq held elections May 12th for a new government. It's November 14th and the prime minister still doesn't have a full Cabinet -- despite forming a Cabinet being the only requirement to move from prime minister-designate to prime minister.
Six months after the elections and Iraq still doesn't have a full Cabinet. 22 posts and only 14 are filled. Empty? Empty includes Minister of Defense and Minister of the Interior -- the two security posts.
Six months after the elections.
PM @AdilAbdAlMahdi: We have formed a strong @IraqiGovt, and we will submit the names of the nominees for the remaining Cabinet posts to parliament soon
"Soon."
Soon?
When Nouri al-Maliki failed/refused to have a Minister of Defense and Minister of Interior in his second term, what happened? Oh, that's right, the rise of ISIS. ISIS ended up seizing Mosul and other lands, seizing and controlling.
By all means, let's allow this pattern to be the one to follow.
At least there's no violence in Iraq right now, right?
Oh.
Wait.
Qatar expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the attack in Anbar province western Iraq, which led to the death of 9 people, reiterating its firm stance on rejecting violence and terrorism, regardless of motives and reasons. #QNA
Margaret Griffis (ANTIWAR.COM) counts 25 dead in Tuesday's violence.
But, by all means, Jan Kubis, pull your Pebbles.
I'm out the door, babe.
There's other fish in the sea.
And Kunis is out the door but as for those fish in the sea . . .
This month thousands of fish turned up dead in Iraq. Is it pollution? No one knows. But that didn't stop Kunis from insisting to the United Nations that Iraq is "a success, a positive story, in a region marked by many negative trends and developments."
A success? A positive story?
Kunnis loves to lie.
إستمرار تسجيل حالات التسمم بالماء الملوث في قضاء "أبي الخصيب" في محافظة #البصرة؛ حيث تسجل المراكز الطبية من 100-200 حالة يومياً، وسط تجاهل من قبل حكومة #بغداد للمشكلة.
t.me/iraqispringmc
That's IRAQI SPRING MC noting that the people drinking the water in Basra continue to be hospitalized.
Kubis attempts to lie as he has one foot out the door, trying to justify his failed term (Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert will be replacing him).
In #Basra local #hospitals are continuing to see 100 to 200 new cases of contaminated water #poisoning daily in Abul Khasib district, whilst the Iraqi government is completely ignoring the problem #failedstate
And, Kubis, why are they protesting in Basra? Over the water, yes. Also over the lack of jobs, the corruption, the poverty . . . Who but Kubis would try to sell that as progress and success?
#Basra residents, who have been protesting to demand services and jobs, are disappointed with the new #government for not appointing any minister from Basra and call for the establishment of a Basra #federal #region.
Amnesty International's Donatella Rovera responds to a recent FOREIGN POLICY article:
True that South #Iraq has long been neglected & is in a mess. But not true that “the whole world” is focussed on rebuilding North #Iraq . Ask the thousands of families in #Mosul etc whose homes were bombed to dust & have received zero help. #corruption
Meanwhile the weather remains an issue in Iraq. Right now, it's the rain.
Main streets in Baghdad and cities in the southern and central provinces in Iraq ;are drowned due to rainwater which shows the corruption on the infrastructure projects.
.
facebook.com/iraqispringmc/… facebook.com/IraqiSMCEn/pos…
The infrastructure has been allowed to decay (and it's been harmed by US bombings as well). This despite the fact that the rainy season in Iraq means flooding and deaths. In Sadr City (a section of Baghdad), for example, heavy rains mean standing water at least knee level.
In Basra, a young girl died because of the rains.
Iraqi girl falls into a street drain and dies because it had no cover. This is what happens when Western governments give foreign aid to a corrupt government. This is Basrah, the oil rich and wealthy city in Southern Iraq. No ISIS here, just corruption.
Killed by rain -- and corruption. Don't forget the corruption.
But Kunis sees only success as he completes his term. Which leaves the rest of us to wonder, how bad would it have to be for him to see failure?
Failure is what most will see, if they're honest. Kunis is apparently unwilling or unable to be honest.
Bashdar Ismaeel (NEW ARAB) offers:
More than 15 years have gone by since the highly contentious invasion of Iraq.
After the war, many had hoped to
usher a new chapter, based on ethno-sectarian inclusion, democracy and
prosperity, that could serve as a beacon of light for the greater Middle
East. But the country quickly became bogged down by sectarian
bloodshed, animosity, ubiquitous political wrangling and
marginalisation.
During this period, Iraq has
witnessed many false dawns and a range of excuses for the lack of
stability, nation-building or improvement in standards of living. These
have included the need to eradicate the imprint of Saddam Hussein and
Baathism, navigating the rocky transition to Iraq's new democratic path,
the US withdrawal in Iraq, foreign meddling, and most recently, the
costly and deadly fight against the Islamic State (IS).
In the meantime, Iraq continually tops the charts as one of the most corrupt states in the world.
As new Iraqi prime minister Adel
Abdul Mahdi works overtime to finalise a cabinet that can appease Iraq's
fractured political divide and the many parties vying for power and
influence, it is time for Iraqi politicians to take a long look at
themselves, take accountability and finally deliver, instead of
continuing to seek out excuses for Iraq's failures.
Iraq's recent parliamentary vote and
historically low voter turnout sent a clear message from the public,
one of fatigue and frustration with years of broken promises, sectarian
policies and dwindling standards of living.
Ironically, while Iraq sits on
one of the largest oil reserves in the world, and is the second largest
OPEC producer, many places such as Basra have seen basic services and
the standard of living decline, culminating in mass protests in recent years.
While the battle against IS took
centre stage from 2014, a factor often overlooked is the sectarian
policies and the continuous disenfranchisement of the Sunni population
that helped fuel their eventual rise.
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