Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills)

Friday, March 26, 2021

Beatles

I've got eleven e-mails asking if I'm going to do a music review this weekend?

I just did two -- "Kat's Korner: Judy's good -- but not great -- album" and "Kat's Korner: Hail The Conqueror Nick Jonas" -- two weeks ago.

I'd like to do one but if I don't, I'll do it the following weekend.

I'm tired and still haven't made time to add those two reviews to my links on the side.

Okay trivia. Dylan Parker (THE THING) notes the Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps:"

The truth is, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" went through some very notable changes over the course of recording the song. The song we know and love is one of The Beatles' heaviest rock songs. It doesn't have the drug-addled whimsy or folk-nature of some of their other work. This is a rock song in the truest sense. But the original versions of George Harrison's song were far more 'tender', according to UDiscoverMusic. In these versions from July 1968, George Harrison was singing to his own guitar placing with only Paul McCartney in the background for harmony. While some have claimed that this version is the purest, it was not at all what George was after. It took two more vastly different recordings to get what he wanted, which is the song we all know.

Not only was the style of music changed over the course of these re-recordings, but the lyrics were altered as well. The song was originally inspired by the "I Ching", a book on ancient Chinese divination. In an interview, George Harrison said, "'While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ was just a simple study based on the theory that everything has some purpose for being there at that given moment. I was thinking that anything I see when I open a book, I’m going to write a song about. So I opened this book and I saw ‘gently weeps.’ I shut the book and then I started the tune."

Three's Prince, Joni Mitchell, the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, etc -- a select group of artists who have a back catalogue that you could live on if you were on a desert island because it's just that solid and good.

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is a great song, an outstanding song. It's a sign of how great the Beatles were that I wouldn't even put it in their top ten songs. They're that great.

"Strawberry Fields Forever" will always be my favorite Beatles' song.

Closing with C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"

Thursday, March 25, 2021. A look at the media.

Starting with the media.

That's RISING and that's RISING proving just what a waste they are. It's not like they filed anything important on Iraq -- the Iraq War hit the 18 year mark over the weekend. But here they want to file on how US Vice President Kamala Harris will be joining former president and forever womanizer Bill Clinton for an event about empowering women and girls. Bill is credibly accused of having raped Juanita Broaddrick and he did have a highly inappropriate relationship with Monica Lewinsky which was, honestly, harassment after he's needing her to be silent about that affair.

There is no reason in the world that a sitting vice president should be taking part in this nonsense. The optic are wrong, just for starters.

But where does RISING get off criticizing anything about this event for women and girls? They bring on two guests and nither are experts in empowering women and girls nor are they women.

This is not why media is supposed to exist. This is lazy and it's sexist.

Of and when Krystal leaves RISING (and her podcast with Kyle as well), let's hope she's not planning to guest on other shows because the pattern she's set is that women don't make up half the world and they certainly shouldn't make up half the guest list.

Is it really too much to think that, in 2021, half of RISING's guests could be women? Is it really reaching to expect that a segment like this would feature women?

They are the problem. RISING is the problem.

Right now, some are slamming Senator Tammy Duckworth for her declaration that she wouldn't vote for anymore Biden cabinet nominees unless they were minorities until Joe nominates an Asian American cabinet official.

"Race quotas!" And other nonsense many hissed.

First off, it wasn't Tammy alone. Senator Senator Mazie Hirono also joined her in that stance. They have both backed off.

They shouldn't have. Tammy and Mazie were not asking for a full cabinet, they were asking for one official. And all Joe's offered in terms of diversity has been officials -- meaning he's got no iversity in thought, no diversity in programs. His administration is run of the ill generic with the exception of skin tone, sexual orientation, etc. The individual is the diversity -- not the programs, not the experience, not the outlook. So if that's all he's offering, that's all he's offering.

And Mazie and Tammy are well within their rights to make demands. Sadly, they didn't stick to those demands.

The Krystal Balls of the world go merrily along the way reinforcing every double standard and every barrier that has existed for years. As a co-host of RISING, she should be inviting women on air. But she barely does. And that's why people have to make demands. It's 2021 and Krystal Ball has the power to invite on her show whomever she wants. She misuses that power on a daily basis.

Krystal, if women aren't good enough to make up half the guests on RISISNG, maybe they shouldn't make up half the hosts? How would you like that if it were your ass on the line?

I don't like women who refuse to help other women. I don't like women who climb their way to the top over the bodies of other women.

This really needs to end, I'm damn tired of it.

Let's also remember that we're nearing the end of what's supposed to be Women's History Month. Did you see any outlets up the number of women that featured this month? No, of course not. They keep doing their 1/3 of the guests female and we're all supposed to look the other way.

It's disgusting.

Staying with media, let's move to HARD LENS MEDIA.

That's a hard hitting commentary from both hosts in the video above. US House Rep Pramila Jayapal has introduced a bill for Medicare For All and she states "that means that we now have a bill number. Medicare For All is officially HR 1976 "

And?

The hosts are correct that she and others refused to Force The Vote back in January. More to the point, does Pramila Jayapal think she's the first person to introduce this bill?

Has she never heard of Dennis Kucinich? Here's then-US House Rep Dennis Kuccinich doing just that in 2008. And here's Dennis two years prior to that talking about another bill that he introduced for Medicare For All that session. We could go on and on with this. If Jayapal wants credit for doing something then she needs to do something unique. Introducing a bill? She's not the first on the Moon with that action.

Staying with the media, MEMO offers:

The United States is to resume strategic talks with Iraqi officials next month regarding the status of combat troops, a senior Biden administration official said.

The talks will be the first set of US-Iraq meetings under President Joe Biden and are expected to set the tone for the relationship between the two countries during the next few years, the Associated Press reported.

Is that the language now? If it is, I'm fine with it. But I do want to know if this is now the official language? For years and years, they've not been called combat troops -- they were just there to advise and train, remember that?

They're combat troops, they've always been combat troops. But the press has played language games and pretend. Now MEMO (and AP before) are saying combat troops.

MEHR NEWS AGENCY reports:

Logistics convoys affiliated with US terrorist forces were once again targeted in Iraq, Al-Mayadeen reported.

According to the report, a roadside bomb exploded near a convoy of American terrorists in Diwaniyah province in Iraq. Ashab l-Kahf group claimed responsibility for the blast.

Another roadside bomb targeted a convoy of US troops in Dhi Qar province in Iraq. Oliya al-Dam group claimed responsibility for the blast.

Again, they are combat troops.

We're going to again note IAVA is hosting a FACEBOOK Live event:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 23, 2021
CONTACT: press@iava.org

New York, NY – On Thursday, March 25th, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) CEO Jeremy Butler will be joined by House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mike Bost (R-IL) and IAVA Member Advocates Sarah Letts and Corey Foster for a Facebook Live event focused on women veterans and burn pits and toxic exposures. The event will conclude IAVA’s virtual fly-in advocacy week.

“As veterans, we know the importance of working together for the greater good,” said Ranking Member Bost. “That’s exactly how we’re going to get veterans back to work and fully recovered from COVID-19, improve services for women, support those suffering from toxic exposure, and more. I’m ready to listen and learn from these leaders on Thursday about the challenges post 9/11 veterans are facing and the solutions IAVA is bringing to the table.”

Throughout the week, IAVA’s Member advocates are meeting with lawmakers from both parties to discuss the crucial issues facing the veteran community, including impacts from burn pits and toxic exposures, the veteran suicide crisis, the needs of women veterans, equitable access to VA healthcare, and more. Videos of the event will be recorded and available on IAVA’s website and social media channels.

“IAVA is laser focused on raising awareness and enacting real change for veterans and their families,” said IAVA CEO, Jeremy Butler. “And what a fitting way to end our advocacy event – with fellow veterans and Ranking Member Mike Bost, rallying for the betterment of our veteran community.”

This Facebook Live event will provide an overview on IAVA’s history of advocacy across legislative issues, including women veterans and toxic exposure. The event will also highlight personal stories from IAVA Member Advocates. There will be time allotted for viewers to ask questions throughout the event.

“I am so appreciative of the opportunity to represent IAVA members and veterans in general in discussing my experiences of combat toxic exposure, from burn pits to poorly treated water in degrading plastic bottles,” said Sarah Letts. “And I am encouraged by the focus on the treatment of and services for women veterans. Please join us in this important discussion.”

“I look forward to having a candid conversation about the needs of female veterans and the impact of burn pits and toxic exposures,” said Corey Foster. “It’s critical that as a collective group we raise awareness about these important issues so we can facilitate positive change for veterans and their families.”

Biographies of the Member Advocates for this week are available here. IAVA’s CEO Jeremy Butler and Member Advocates are available to meet with the media upon request through press@iava.org.

WHO:

Jeremy Butler, CEO, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

Representative Mike Bost (R-IL), Ranking Member of House Veterans’ Affairs Committee

Corey Foster, Member Advocate

Sarah Letts, Member Advocate

WHAT:

IAVA Announces Facebook Live Event with Ranking Member Bost During Virtual Fly-in

WHEN: Thursday, March 25th at 5:00pm EST/ 2:00pm PST

WHERE: Join the Facebook Live event here. The event is open to the press.

Jeremy Butler serves as IAVA’s Chief Executive Officer. Jeremy joined IAVA with 15+ years of experience providing substantive and strategic counsel to leaders in high-profile government and private sector offices, including the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security. He graduated from Knox College with a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and received a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. He is a Surface Warfare Officer in the Navy Reserve. Butler regularly contributes to national media outlets across the country.

IAVA is the voice for the post-9/11 veteran generation. With over 400,000 veterans and allies nationwide, IAVA is the leader in non-partisan veteran advocacy and public awareness. We drive historic impacts for veterans and IAVA’s programs are second to none. Any veteran or family member in need can reach out to IAVA’s Quick Reaction Force at quickreactionforce.org or 855-91RAPID (855-917-2743) to be connected promptly with a veteran care manager who will assist. IAVA’s The Vote Hub is a free tool to register to vote and find polling information. IAVA’s membership is always growing. Join the movement at iava.org/membership.

###

That's later today.

Mike's "They were all better than Joe " isn't showing up on the links but it did post as did the following:

Thursday, March 25, 2021

WTF>

That's the late Cass Elliot performing "Dream A Little Dream Of Me" on IT'S LULU (BBC, 1970). I'd never seen that performance before. According to IMDB, she was on two episodes of IT'S LULU In 1970.

Her TV appearances also included Scooby Doo. And I bring that up because Axl Rose is doing an episode of a Scooby Doo show. WTF?

"One In A Million" uses the n-word and is homophobic. Many of the other songs Rose's band had years ago when they had hits were sexist. I don't get how he ends up on a children's cartoon in 2021. Can someone explain that thinking?

"Hey, let's introduce kids to Axl Rose so they can go hear a song of his where he's spitting on immigrants, gay people and African-Americans! Let's teach them to use the n-word!"

Seriously, WTF?

Closing with C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"

Wednesday, March 24, 2021. Iraq and the US set to hold talks regarding the US' continued presence in Iraq, IAVA gears up for a FACEBOOK Live event, and more.

Qassim Abdul-Zahra (AP) reports:

The Biden administration is set to resume strategic talks with Iraqi officials next month on the withdrawal of remaining U.S. combat forces in the country and other matters related to the bilateral relationship.

The talks, which began in June under the Trump administration, would be the first under Biden, who assumed office in January. The discussions are meant to shape the future of the U.S.-Iraq relationship and will touch security, trade, climate and more, according to a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Yesterday afternoon on Air Force One, White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked about the above.

Q I have a question about Iraq. We’re reporting that Iraq has asked for the start of talks about withdrawing the remaining U.S. troops. Can you confirm that you’ve received that request? And do you know when those talks will be starting?

MS. PSAKI: I’d have to check with our national security team on an update on that, and DOD as well. I can venture to do that when I — when we finish our gaggle.

Later, Psaki would issue a statement. ASHARQ AL-AWSAT quotes her stating:

This will be an important opportunity to discuss our mutual interests across a range of fields from security to culture, trade, and climate. The meetings will further clarify that coalition forces are in Iraq solely for the purpose of training and advising Iraqi forces to ensure that ISIS cannot reconstitute,

No, Joe's not pushing for troops to leave. The president of the United States was Senator Joe Biden when the push for war on Iraq started and he voted for it. He's issued 'apologies' that were meaningless because he never did anything but offer words on the spot and then quickly move on to another topic. He has no desire to atone and he certainly won't cop to what he did. Instead, he blames Bully Boy Bush. In most cases, when a politician claims that they were outfoxed by Bully Boy Bush, the village idiot of the world, I tend to roll my eyes but I guess Joe is just about dumb enough for it to be true. Regardless, Joe is responsible for his actions and his votes. He has refused to take responsibility. Which might go a long way towards explaining why even the threat of court action wasn't enough to make Hunter Biden pay child support for his child? Only when Hunter's finances risked exposure in court in the midst off a presidential election did Hunter finally agree to make child support payments. Dead beat dad. Again, maybe Joe's refusal to take responsibility sets that example?

Jen Pskai's words, by the way, are also quoted by Akanksha Arora (India's REPUBLIC WORLD) but credited to an unnamed "senior administration official." That report was filed before the official statement so either the coordination was already in place or Jen was the anonymous source. Sura Ali (RUDAW) notes, "Three government officials said Iraq sent a formal request to the US, reportedly via US Ambassador to Iraq Matthew Tueller, requesting a new round of talks on bilateral issues, specifically on the withdrawal of the some 2,500 troops left in the country." DEUTSCHE WELLE adds, "Former president Donald Trump pursued a policy of bringing US troops home from what he termed 'endless wars,' in a bid to fulfill a 2016 presidential campaign promise." Ellen Mitchell (THE HILL) explains:

Washington and Baghdad in June began negotiating the U.S. troop presence in the country under the Trump administration, and in September it was announced that more than 2,000 of the 5,200 troops there would withdraw.

Then in November, the-President Trump ordered another 500 forces to be pulled from Iraq by mid-January, going against the recommendations of military and national security leaders.

At THE LAS VEGAS REVIEW- JOURNAL, Gabrielle Olya wonders, "How Much is President Biden Worth?" I'd say a grown adult who helps start an illegal war -- one that goes against his won faith and one that the head of his Church spoke out against -- is pretty worthless. Even more so, I'd argue, when 18 years later, US forces are still in Iraq and instead of pulling them home the same worthless man wants to keep them there longer.

But Olya isn't writing about one's soul or core, she's focused on the money -- just like Joe Biden. (How much will his loyalty to financial institutions cost him in the mid-terms -- we're already hearing about it in Zoom chats?) Olya writes:

President Joe Biden’s net worth is $9 million.

Biden once described himself as “the poorest man in Congress.”

His salary as vice president was $230,700.

Joe's a private dancer, a dancer for money and any old music will do.

Reminder, TINA!, the documentary on Tina Turner, starts airing this weekend on HBO MAX. Tina also released a new book at the end of last year, HAPPINESS BECOMES YOU: A GUIDE TO CHANGING YOUR LIFE FOR GOOD.

Water is a big issues in the Middle East and it's a big issue for Iraq. Their neighbors Turkey and Iran keep building dams that threaten Iraq's rivers. In addition to that, there is the heat. RUDAW reports:

Drought has wreaked havoc on farming in the plains near the city of Kalha in Iraq’s southern province of Maysan.

Local farmer Abu Nzar, 52, is desperate for water to irrigate his dried out fields.

Maysan is hardly the only Iraqi province to suffer from a water crisis. Experts blame climate change, as well as the blocking of water flowing into Iraq from dams in neighbouring Turkey and Iran.

“We had created a stream from the Euphrates, but it no longer reaches here,” said the farmer, who notes that many nearby farmers have abandoned their fields and moved to the city. “If this water scarcity is not resolved, we too will be forced to leave because farming these lands without a local water source costs too much.”

According to a 2020 report by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and a number of other non-governmental organizations, water shortages have triggered almost 15,000 new displacements in Dhi-Qar, Maysan and Basra provinces as of January 2019.

Back in 2018, Suadad al-Salhy (ARAB NEWS) reported:

Iraq has been negotiating with Turkey and Iran to minimize the effects of the two countries’ water policies on its territories, Iraqi Deputy Minister of Water Resources Mahdi Rasheed told Arab News on Wednesday.
Rasheed said that the talks were aimed at finding common solutions to an expected water crisis in the summer.
Iraq mainly relies on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and rainwater to provide its fresh water needs. Both rivers originate from outside Iraq, and Turkey, Iran and Syria have controlled the release of water into Iraq for decades.
A decline in rainfall during the past two months, increasing rates of evaporation caused by high temperatures and a lack of water imports from Turkey and Iran, mean Iraq’s southern provinces have been suffering a serious shortage of water.
The crisis is expected to worsen after the completion of the Alesso dam and Turkey’s announcement of its intention to fill the dam’s reservoirs in March.
Iraq last week filed a formal request to Turkey to postpone the filling of the Alesso dam from March to June to help Iraq “overcome the period of water scarcity.”

A myriad of problems face Iraq. This includes the legal system. Earlier this week, Sura Ali (RUDAW) reported on the arrest of Ibrahim al-Sumaidai. She now provides an update:

An Iraqi lawyer and activist has spoken of his detention on allegations of “insulting public authorities” after his release on Monday.

Ibrahim al-Sumaida'i was taken to an unknown location and placed in solitary confinement after a raid on his house in Baghdad on Friday, he said in a statement on Tuesday. His phone was searched and he was unable to leave the room to use the bathroom, he said.

Iraqi security forces arrested Sumaida'i late on Friday, acting on an arrest warrant on the charge of "publicly insulting public authorities" issued by the Al-Karkh Investigation Court in Baghdad, after a representative from the Supreme Judicial Council filed a lawsuit against him.

The warrant was issued following "his attack on official institutions, describing them with bad words that go beyond the limits of the freedom of expression," according to a statement from the Supreme Judicial Council on Saturday, who said he had made “indecent comments” in a WhatsApp group chat with group MPs and journalists.

"The court asked me to apologize for what I said, and I repeat my apology in this statement," said Sumaida'i, adding that he is "astonished” that authorities have lodged lawsuits against people “for having opinions.”

He was released on bail on Monday.

CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq also reported on the arrest Sunday.

In veterans news, Sara Wilson (PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN) reports:

A bill to establish a veteran suicide prevention pilot program passed unanimously through committee in the Colorado State Senate last Thursday, laying the groundwork to further empower local organizations that serve veteran communities.

Senate President Leroy Garcia, D-Pueblo, a Marine Corps veteran, introduced the bill in late February as one way to address veteran suicide and suicidal ideation. It calls for the Colorado Department of Human Services to establish a five-year pilot program in El Paso County, the home of the Air Force Academy and the region in the state with the highest population of veterans.

The program would partner with local nonprofits to offer “no-cost, stigma-free, confidential and effective” behavioral health care for post-9/11 veterans and their families, according to the bill text.

Staying with the topic of veterans issues, IAVA is hosting a FACEBOOK Live event this Thursday:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 23, 2021
CONTACT: press@iava.org

Biographies of the Member Advocates for this week are available here. IAVA’s CEO Jeremy Butler and Member Advocates are available to meet with the media upon request through press@iava.org.

WHO:

Jeremy Butler, CEO, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

Representative Mike Bost (R-IL), Ranking Member of House Veterans’ Affairs Committee

Corey Foster, Member Advocate

Sarah Letts, Member Advocate

WHAT:

IAVA Announces Facebook Live Event with Ranking Member Bost During Virtual Fly-in

WHEN: Thursday, March 25th at 5:00pm EST/ 2:00pm PST

WHERE: Join the Facebook Live event here. The event is open to the press.

###

And we'll winddown with this from Disabled American Veterans' Tom Jenkins:

Twelve years ago, Donna Joyner had to make a difficult decision when her husband, Dennis, needed rotator cuff surgery on his shoulder. When his arm was put out of commission, Dennis—a triple amputee who was injured during his Army service in Vietnam—temporarily lost the use of his last remaining limb along with his ability to push his wheelchair.

Donna, who worked for the DAV Department of Florida, chose to resign from her full-time position to take on the full-time role as her husband’s caregiver—a role she had already been performing throughout their 40 years of marriage.

“It was really tough because that decision was made in about a day and there was no choice,” said Donna. “We just dealt with it. And, you know, at first I was furious. I had two years until I actually would get a pension, and everything went out the window. At first I was like, ‘Gee, what else?’ Then I thought of my husband whom I would do anything for. It’s just what you do.”

For the next 12 years, the Joyners kept moving forward with no formal medical training and no means of compensation for Donna’s role as a caregiver, including her lost wages and retirement income. Dennis, a member of Chapter 16 in Orlando who served as DAV national commander from 1983 to 1984, not only personally knew the importance of having a family caregiver but also knew the struggle that thousands of others like them faced.

The Joyners finally found relief last year. After years of helping DAV’s push for disabled veterans of all eras to be made eligible for the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers—the program that provides training for caregivers, along with a modest stipend and respite care, among other resources—the expansion of which began Oct. 1. On that date, in accordance with the VA MISSION Act of 2018, the VA began accepting program applications from Phase 1 veterans, those whose injuries or illness was incurred on or before May 7, 1975.

For Dennis and Donna, the timeline from submitting their application to receipt of support services was a matter of weeks—and the program has already made a world of difference.

“It provides a lot of different resources,” said Dennis. “It provides contact with the caregiver’s office in your area. You can call and talk with someone if you need advice, assistance, or they can help you figure out certain things.”

In addition to an extensive training program, caregivers like Donna have answers and support for issues that have loomed over them for decades.

“It was quite scary, not knowing what would happen to Dennis should something happen to me,” said Donna. “Thankfully, I did have family backing me up. However, I think of all the people that don’t have that, and where do they go? Now they have a resource to go to. Now, I can turn to the caregiver program and say, OK, we need some help in this direction.”

“The expansion of the comprehensive caregiver program for families like Dennis and Donna Joyner has made a world of difference in their day-to-day lives and provided more peace of mind about the future,” said DAV National Legislative Director Joy Ilem. “This program provides needed training, support from VA staff, and tips that remind caregivers it is important to take care of themselves so they can provide the best care for their veteran or loved one. Dennis can rest assured that if Donna is no longer able to care for him at some point, there are now other options. For Donna, just the acknowledgment and support this benefit brings helps her continue on in this critical role and feel like she is not alone anymore.”

Along with the changes to the caregiver program, the Campaign for Inclusive Care, created to actively include caregivers in veterans’ medical care, will now begin to filter across the VA. The campaign, in partnership with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, aims to equip medical professionals with training to better support both veterans—specifically those receiving geriatric, polytrauma and traumatic brain injury care—and their caregivers.

Veterans with a 70% or higher single or combined service-connected disability rating are considered eligible within the Campaign for Inclusive Care.

For the Joyners, changes like these have been a long time coming, and despite the decades of financial difficulty and emotional strain, the support comes at a crucial time for them and for many veterans of Vietnam, Korea and World War II.

“You take on a lot when you’re a caregiver,” said Donna. “I might be getting older, but I’m doing probably more than ever.”

Learn more

Learn more about the VA’s Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers at dav.la/2ls and the Campaign for Inclusive Care at dav.la/2lt.

The following sites updated:

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Kamala and Joe

So we were speaking to a group of students via Zoom today and there was this one young woman who stated that Kamala Harris and Joe Biden are putting the country in trouble by traveling on the same plane. If it crashes, or is attacked, then Kevin McCarthy becomes president. Huh? I'm flipping through my head asking myself, "How did it go on DESIGNATED SURVIVOR?" But C.I. always knows this stuff. She explained first that McCarthy would not become president in that situation. Nancy Pelosi is Speaker of the House and she would become the president if that happened. She also stated that to avoid something like that happening, the president and the vice president do not travel on the same airplane even if they are going to the same destination. AIR FORCE ONE is the president's plane, AIR FORCE TWO is the vice president's plane. When I got home and saw Robert Bridges' column at INFORMATION CLEARING HOUSE, I thought of that:

With Biden barely aware of his surroundings, it is mere child’s play to foist Harris into the leadership role
In what may become the most unexpected and, perhaps, unwanted political comebacks in American political history, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who never inspired much confidence on the 2020 presidential campaign trail, may soon find herself, through default, the next president of the United States. Should the world start praying for Joe Biden’s continued good health?
As U.S. President Joe Biden enters the ninth week of his ‘shadow presidency’ without a single press conference under his belt, while uttering absolute nonsense when forced to speak, the possibility of Vice President Kamala Harris assuming the reins of power – exactly as many predicted would happen – is looking more likely with each passing day.
A shocking 47 percent of U.S. voters believe that “others” are making decisions for Biden behind the scenes, according to a Rasmussen poll. Could it be that Vice President Harris is the brains behind the duo, making the tough calls? That seems highly unlikely. As witnessed on the campaign trail that failed to excite the American imagination, Kamala Harris conspicuously lacks charisma, leadership qualities, and the diplomatic experience needed to navigate the White House through this time of crisis just weeks into Biden’s banana regime. Nevertheless, Harris is exactly the sort of ‘leader’ the powers behind the throne desperately want following four years of Donald Trump’s very hands-on presidency, which clipped the wings of the hawks, closed down the U.S. border to illegals and reinvested in U.S. manufacturing – the very pro-American developments that the globalists fear most.

I wouldn't be surprised if others were making decisions but if I can provide some perspective, the same thing was said about Dan Quayle. When he was added to the 1988 ticket, it was a poorly kept secret that he had been a heavy pot user. His dealer was in prison and wanting to talk to the press. Anyway, we heard whispers that they wanted him to be the next president and this was all set up and blah blah blah. Turns out, he didn't even get a second term as vice president. People always talks and, if the talk feeds into our own fears, we can sometimes take it seriously when maybe we shouldn't.

Closing with C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"

Tuesday, March 23, 2021. The war continues, the struggles continue, veterans continue to suffer. The president of the US may have changed but nothing else did.

MEMO reports:

An Iraqi MP has said that the federal government in Baghdad and the northern Kurdistan Region have been unable to resolve their disagreements over the country's federal budget for 2021, local media have reported.

Mazen Al-Faisaly MP said that the Kurdistan Region delegation has refused to include clear and explicit details of the amount of oil delivered from the regional oil fields to the federal government. He added that the parliament and the government are not obliged to pay for the contracts concluded by the Kurdistan Regional Government with foreign oil companies because they violate the constitution.

The Iraqi federal government insists on receiving oil produced from the region and selling it through the state-owned oil company, SOMO.

Now might be a good time to point out that Article 140 of Iraq's constitution was never implemented. It's ten years since Brookings labeled it as one of the biggest barriers -- Kirkuk, as one of the biggest barriers. Kirkuk is oil-rich. It is claimed by the Baghdad-based government and by the KRG. That issue was supposed to be resolved. Article 140 of the Constitution called for the steps outlined to be completed by December 2007. Completed? They were never even started.

And all this time later, with oil still an issue that results -- over and over -- in clashes between the Baghdad-based government and the KRG, it's obvious that Kirkuk should have been resolved some time ago. Kick the can -- that's how the refusal to implement Article 140 was repeatedly characterized.

Meanwhile ANADOLUA AGENCY reports a Baghdad motor cyle bombing has left 1 person dead and three more people injured. Margaret Griffis (ANTIWAR.COM) notes of yesterday, "In Baghdad, gunmen killed an Iraqi colonel who worked in the intelligence directorate. A lawyer was reported missing and is believed to have been kidnapped." And Brian W. Everstine (AIRFORCE MAGAZINE) reports:

U.S.-led coalition aircraft recently conducted a major offensive against the Islamic State group in northern Iraq, conducting 133 airstrikes over 10 days targeting a cave complex that served as a safe haven for terrorists. That’s more than any monthly airstrike total in Iraq and Syria since 2019.

The offensive, in support of Iraqi ground forces, destroyed 61 hideouts, 24 caves, and eliminated “a number of terrorists,” said Col. Wayne Marotto, spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve.

Iraqi Ministry of Defense spokesman Yehia Rasool said the mission was aimed at drying up the sources of terrorism. The Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service led the ground effort.

The strikes focused on an area called Qarachogh Mountain, about 50 kilometers southwest of Erbil. Video of the strikes posted by Kurdistan 24 shows large plumes of smoke rising from a mountainous area.

But let's all pretend the Iraq War is over?

While faux peace leaders in the US like Medea Benjamin focus on other things, the US Chamber of Commerce is more than ready to make a buck in/off Iraq:

4_big_ideas_-_u.s.-iraq_final.pdf

4_big_ideas_-_u.s.-iraq_final.pdf (496.6 KB)

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and its U.S.-Iraq Business Council stand ready to work with the Biden Administration as it considers the future of the U.S.-Iraq relationship. In February, President Joe Biden spoke with Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, affirming U.S. support for Iraq’s sovereignty and independence while highlighting the importance of advancing the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Dialogue and expanding bilateral cooperation. Encouragingly, we understand that both countries plan to resume their strategic dialogue in April.

In support of this collaborative sentiment, the U.S.-Iraq Business Council (USIBC) aspires to work with the Biden Administration, as well as leaders in the Government of Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Government, to drive private sector development and diversification, economic and energy independence, and bring about inclusive economic growth for the Iraqi people in order to realize a more stable, sovereign and secure Iraq.

Click the link above to read the Chamber's 4 Big Ideas for U.S.-Iraq Ties.

March 23rd, yes, Medea did turn up on RT. And? We've always known Medea would do anything to appear on camera. It's why her nickname remains I NEED ATTENTION Benjamin. We'll instead note this letter to the editors of THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE:

Can you be wrong but still be right? Explain how President Joe Biden can for years say he was wrong to have supported the Iraq war but now he authorizes strikes upon Iran-backed militias in Syria because the militias were attacking U.S. forces in Iraq.

If Biden says the war was wrong, how then can the resulting occupation from the war be right? If you are illegally in your neighbor's house, and then admit your break-in was wrong, do you in any way have the right to use violence against those trying to get you out?

Here's how the game is played in Washington and the media simply goes along with it — the "enemy" is evil for attacking U.S. troops, regardless of the awful corrupt predicaments those in Washington put the U.S. troops in.

Biden says he was wrong for supporting the war but keeps the occupation in place and then those who attack U.S. troops in Iraq are more evil than the false war Biden helped start. It makes no sense, but the media and the public buy it.

The war created American "interests" in Iraq and Biden will now justify more military violence by saying American "interests" in Iraq need to be protected.

Kind of a clever plan — but easily exposed.

Frank Erickson, Minneapolis

The war has not improved the lives of the Iraqi people. It's not helped the people sent to fight there. Michael McAuliff (KAISER HEALTH NEWS) reports:

The lungs Bill Thompson was born with told a gruesome, harrowing and unmistakable tale to Dr. Anthony Szema, when he analyzed them and found the black spots, scarring, partially combusted jet fuel and metal inside.

The retired Army staff sergeant had suffered catastrophic lung damage from breathing incinerated waste burned in massive open-air pits and probably other irritants during his tour of duty in Iraq.

“There are black spots that are burns, particles all over; there’s metal. It was all scarred,” said Szema, a pulmonologist and professor who studies toxic exposures and examined Thompson’s preserved lung tissue. “There was no gas exchange anywhere in that lung.”

Thompson is still alive, surviving on his second transplanted set of lungs. Yet the story burned into the veteran’s internal organs is not one that has been entirely convincing to the US government. The military has not linked the burn pits to illness. That means many who were exposed to burn pits and are sick do not qualify for benefits under any existing program.

Retirement and health benefits for members of the military depend on factors like length of service, active or reserve status, deployments to combat zones and whether the military considers specific injuries or illnesses to be service-related. Thompson has been able to get care through the Department of Veterans Affairs for his lung disease but has not been able to secure other benefits, like early retirement pay.

“I was denied my Army retirement because if it was not a combat action, then I don’t receive that retirement,” Thompson said at a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing last week on service members’ exposures to toxic substances.

Thompson is one of at least 3.5 million veterans since 2001 who have served in war zones where the US military decided to dispose of its trash by burning it, according to VA estimates. It’s not clear how many people within that population have gotten sick from exposure. Only a small fraction — 234,000 — have enrolled in the VA’s online burn pit registry. Veterans’ advocacy groups have said the majority of claims to the agency stemming from toxic exposures are denied, even as most former service members report contacts with toxins in their deployments.

Soldiers returning from tours in the global war on terror have reported debilitating illnesses almost from its beginning, but got little traction with the military. This year, though, the likelihood of congressional action is high, with Democrats expressing interest and a president who suspects burn pits are to blame for his son’s death.

Paula Reed Ward (TRIBUNE-REVIEW) reports on another veteran

A retired member of the Pennsylvania National Guard is suing his employer, alleging that being forced to wear a mask to prevent the spread of covid-19 prompted PTSD and flashbacks from his time serving in Iraq.

Andrew Voigt, 52, of Penn Hills, filed the complaint in U.S. District Court on Monday, claiming discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

He works as an engineer with Fluor Marine Propulsion LLC, of West Mifflin, at the Bettis Worksite.

The company's 'answer' is for Voight to go on disability.

Iraq War veteran Vincent Emanuele writes:

By the time we came home, most of the platoon was full-blown alcoholics, drug addicts, sex fiends, or some mixture of the three. Divorces, assault charges, DUIs, and stints in rehab facilities commenced, including suicides, drug overdoses, and cancer diagnoses. You know, the sort of shit they don’t show you on the commercials or talk about at the recruitment centre.

But that’s only half the story. The aftereffects of combat are often more devastating than the action itself, which, to be honest, was quite fun at times. Nothing beats the adrenaline dump of a firefight. Nothing. That’s why so many guys miss it. That’s why so many seek adventure in civilian life, sometimes to the detriment of themselves and others. Fast cars and motorcycles leave mangled corpses. The needle can only bring so much comfort: the bottle, the same. It’s true: civilian life is boring. Everyone who has experienced combat understands that much. On a very personal level, at the cellular level, war permanently changes you.

At the geopolitical level, we are yet to fully understand the long-term impacts of the Iraq War. Perhaps we never will. The human toll is staggering: anywhere from 250,000–1,000,000+ dead, with millions displaced externally and internally. Hundreds of thousands endure lifelong illnesses due to chemically-laced munitions such as depleted uranium or maimed bodies due to bombing raids, drone strikes, a stray bullet, or some garden variety shrapnel. The Iraq War caused the greatest refugee crisis since World War II. It unleashed forces across Libya, Syria, and beyond that resemble the most reactionary and murderous forces of the Middle Ages.

Thousands of US troops died because of lies and hubris. Their families are forever emotionally, socially, and spiritually scarred. The same is true of the families of the nameless Iraqis who perished on the dusty battlefields of Mesopotamia. Tens of thousands of veterans have killed themselves, leaving behind broken families and generations of emotional trauma. Picking up your dead friend or his shredded and bloody limbs is terrible enough, but it’s much worse when you finally realise it was all for nothing, otherwise known as ‘moral injury.’ Well, not exactly nothing — we made many people a hell of a lot of money and stoked the egos of insecure men who thought they controlled the world.

In the future, I can imagine young people talking about the ‘great oil wars of the 21st century.’ Fighting wars for oil, the very commodity that might cause the end of civilisation. Oh, the irony. Within a few months, a young man or woman who wasn’t even born when the Iraq War started will step onto the sands of Iraq as a contractor, DoD official, or military personnel. Can you imagine?

Back home, the war helped destroy what was left of an already undemocratic and antiquated political and legal system. Americans have less trust in the media due mainly to the lies journalists and news outlets told during the lead-up to the war. The Iraq War ushered in a period of cynical distrust in liberal institutions. Without question, a trend growing long before 2003, but one accelerated by lies justifying costly imperial adventures ($2 trillion and counting).

Regarding yesterday's snapshot on fake assery -- most e-mails cite John Nichols as someone who should have been mentioned. John certainly staked out his position early on -- Barbra Streisand was responsbile for the Iraq War. Sadly, that's not really a misreading of his 'major' Iraq column. Equally true, when John Conyers wanted Bully Boy Bush impeached for the Iraq War, John was on board and was even promoting a book on impeachment -- a book he stoppred promoting the moment Nancy Pelosi announced impeachment was "off the table." John's a whore from long, long ago. It is sad, yes, when you see him on BAD FAITH as a trusted voice. It goes to why we don't really advance in the US. We keep putting known liars in front of microphones to speak for us. Hey, John, when you whored for Barack -- which time! -- when you whored for Barack after he was telling Canada not to take his anti-NAFTA talk seriously, remember how you lied that it was really Hillary Clinton and not Barack's campaign Remember how you said on air that you had proof? Where did that proof ever go? AP was right, it was Barack. You're just a whore John Nichols and, honestly, shame on BAD FAITH and anyone else who brings that known liar on as a guest.

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