Carly

Carly Simon was honored with the prestigious ASCAP award tonight.  Carly is the legend in her own time, singer-songwriter, glamorous and stylish artist.  Sue Zeidler (Reuters) speaks with her in a pretty beyond-rote conversation.  Make sure to check it out.  Here's an excerpt:


Q: Did having cancer affect your career, your creativity and writing?

A: "There's a bigger story about the breast cancer than the cancer. It's about relationships."

Q: How did your relationships change?

A: "I wasn't treated well. I think I was let go of certain jobs and affiliations. It was very confusing but everything was smoothed over because people are smart and don't want you to be hurt. People were saying it's got nothing to do with that. It is hard to disregard.

And she's writing a book. It should be a really incredible book.   And why not, she's made many incredible albums, written several children's books (my favorite is Amy The Dancing Bear) and written short stories.  So I am sure this will be a great book.

And unlike Judy Collins and Carole King, Carly won't forget women.  Both of those books were grossly disappointing.  And I like Carole.  But that book was just awful.  It was captured perfectly in "Carole King's Conditioned Role and Desire (Ava and.C.I.)."

I can't believe all the garbage some reviewers have offered.

Ava and C.I. broke that book down.

1) They noted Carole refused to credit other songwriters.  Whether it was Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann or Carole Bayer Sager or whomever, Carole forgot to tell you a hit they wrote.

2) If you're going to write about your being physically abused, great.  But if, years before, you glamorized violence against women by co-writing the song "He Hit Me And It Felt Like A Kiss," you need to get honest and discuss that as well.  Carole ignores that song.  And she can claim, "Gerry wrote the lyrics!"  So what.  She co-wrote a song, put her name to a song, that glamorized (and hoped to popularize) violence against women.  She needs to include that in her discussion.

3) If you want to write a book, try offering more than a single sentence on your albums.  I had hoped I would hear something of Time Gone By, learn something.  Forget it.  She wasn't interested and probably didn't remember when it came to discussing the albums.  All of them.

4) She doesn't mention Carly in the book because she's such a ditz for James Taylor.  I'm so sick of James Taylor and his b.s.

5) She can't shut up about the males in music but can't offer a damn thing on the women.

6)  She's lost in her own book.

And I could go on.  And on.

I wanted to love this book.

Anyway.

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

Wednesday, April 18, 2012.  Chaos and violence continue, US officials visit the region, a US official may have engaged in sex in a public place in Iraq, that US official may have been someone Barack Obama's currently nominating for a major appointment, the political crisis continues, suicides and 'suicides' plague Iraq, and more.     Three US officials are visiting troops stationed in/near war zones this week.  Steve Klamkin (WPRO) reports on an overseas trip Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and South Dakota Govenor Dennis Daugaard.    Steve Klamkin:  Governor Chafee met with Rhode Island troops on a trip to Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan.   Governor Lincoln Chafee:  They're doing well.  The Rhode Islanders are doing well.  And, for the families, hang in there, they'll be home soon.   Steve Klamkin:  With the governors of Michigan and South Dakota, Chafee visited a forward operating base in Iraq   There's been a series of Taliban attacks in Afghanistan even before the group arrived.   Governor Lincoln Chafee:  That's really the frustration they voiced with us.  Just who is setting the IEDs?  Where are the Tablian?  How do they mix in the local population which are right outside the walls, they're right their surrounding where all these Rhode Islanders are?   Steve Klamkin:  Chafee, who opposed the war in Iraq, thinks the Afghans will be able to control their own destiny when US troops pull out next year.  Steve Klamkin, WPRO News.   Major Matthew Davis (Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System) reports on their visit in Kuwait yesterday where they met with "National Guard and Reserve service members"  "from Michigan and other states who supported U.S. operations during the drawdown of forces from Iraq, and ongoing logistic operations in connection with Operating Enduring Freedom in Kuwait.   On the topic of US officials in Iraq, Huffington Post, Daily Mail and others are noting Peter Van Buren -- author of We Meant Well: How I helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People and State Dept Foreign Service Officer -- has posted about alleged sexual misconduct in Iraq.  At his website, Van Buren asks:     What if a video existed that showed a prominent State Department VIP on the roof of the Republican Palace in Baghdad receiving, um, pleasure of an oral nature from another State Department officer not his wife, or even his journalist mistress of the time? What if that video has been passed around among Marine Security Guards at the Embassy to the point where it is considered "viral" with many copies made? What if the Deputy Chief of Mission, hand in hand with the Diplomatic Security chief (RSO) at the time, decided that the whole thing needed to be swept under the rug and made to go away, at least until some blogger got a hold of it. Would that count as poor judgement? What if it was published during his oft-delayed Congressional hearings? Funny that State aggressively punishes some extramarital fooling around while ignoring other, er, well-documented cases. Or would the State Department once again excuse the act itself and instead punish the person who made the act public, claiming THAT was the example of poor judgement, the crime of not hiding State's dirty laundry at a sensitive time?   Of the rumor Van Buren's floating, Michael Hastings (BuzzFeed) observes, "His description, however, contains clues: The location in the Republican Palace, and the delayed confirmation hearings in particular. That could only refer to a small handful of officials, and among those who fit that description is the high-profile nominee to be the next ambassador to Iraq, Brett McGurk."   Author and journalist Michael Hastings has reported from Afghanistan and from Iraq and if he's seeing clues to Brett McGurk being the  star of the rumor, he's got the background to suss out the rumor.   McGurk is US President Barack Obama's controversial nominee for US Ambassador to Iraq.  No, after Chris Hill, it didn't seem likely we'd be again be referring to a controversial or questionable nominee for this post; however, here we are.  McGurk has won some praise and backing since the nomination was announced.  For example, Peter Feaver (Foreign Policy) feels his friend McGurk is qualified.  Jake Cusak (Forbes) also endorsed McGurk who he hailed as "an old acquaintance."   However, outside of roll dogs, Brett McGurk hasn't had a lot of people singing his praises.  As we've noted before, he's got no background in administrative supervision but Barack wants to put him over the State Dept's largest project -- most employees, biggest budget.  He's held no supervisory post, he's held no financial post either.  On the latter, he'd be responsible for the yearly $6 billion budget the State Dept gets for Iraq  And that's before you get into the tensions and violence that continue in Iraq.    McGurk has headed NO mission in a foreign country before.  But he's supposed to start -- and get on-the-job training? -- with Iraq?   He doesn't speak Arabic.  What traits does he have that makes him worthy of this important post? Americans need to be asking that because over $6 billion US tax dollars will be wasted each year on Iraq for the foreseeable future unless something changes.  Wasted?  The State Dept sent someone a notch above intern to testify at a hearing they wanted to avoid.  The young woman noted that the primary purpose of the mission -- besides a lot of airty talk -- was to train the Iraqi police.  Dropping back to the October 4, 2006 snapshot:   CNN reports that it's time for retraining. As though deciding to let 'death squads' pass your security check point is akin to not knowing how to use the office copier.  AFP reports they're on a US military base being retrained.  BBC reports: "A programme has been under way for more than a month for comprehensive assessment and re-training of all national police unites -- a process called by the Americans 'transofrmational training.'"  James Hider (Times of London) reports that since 2004, "US forces have been re-training the Iraqi police, but the programme has had little impact" and that a "survivor of Monday's mass kidnapping . . . described how half a dozen vehicles, with official security forces markings on them, pulled up and men in military fatigues rounded up all the Sunnis in the shops."       And dropping back to the February 8, 2012 snapshot:     We covered the November 30th House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the MiddleEast and South Asia in the December 1st snapshot and noted that Ranking Member Gary Ackerman had several questions. He declared, "Number one, does the government of Iraq -- whose personnel we intend to train -- support the [police training] program?  Interviews with senior Iaqi officials by the Special Inspector General show utter didain for the program.  When the Iraqis sugest that we take our money and do things instead that are good for the United States. I think that might be a clue."  The State Dept's Brooke Darby faced that Subcommittee. Ranking Member Gary Ackerman noted that the US had already spent 8 years training the Iraq police force and wanted Darby to answer as to whether it would take another 8 years before that training was complete?  Her reply was, "I'm not prepared to put a time limit on it."  She could and did talk up Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Interior Adnan al-Asadi as a great friend to the US government.  But Ackerman and Subcommittee Chair Steve Chabot had already noted Adnan al-Asadi, but not by name.  That's the Iraqi official, for example, Ackerman was referring to who made the suggestion "that we take our money and do things instead that are good for the United States."  He made that remark to SIGIR Stuart Bowen. Brooke Darby noted that he didn't deny that comment or retract it; however, she had spoken with him and he felt US trainers and training from the US was needed.  The big question was never asked in the hearing: If the US government wants to know about this $500 million it is about to spend covering the 2012 training of the Ministry of the Interior's police, why are they talking to the Deputy Minister?     The US State Dept is not ready to put a time limit on it, by their own words.  How long does the 'training' continue?  How many years and how many billions?  If it's really not clear to you, let's drop back to the House Foreign Relations Committee hearing of December 1st for this exchange.     Ranking Member Gary Ackerman: When will they be willing to stand up without us?   Brooke Darby: I wish I could answer that question.   Ranking Member Gary Ackerman: Then why are we spending money if we don't have the answer?   [long pause]   Ranking Member Gary Ackerman: You know, this is turning into what happens after a bar mitzvah or a Jewish wedding. It's called "a Jewish goodbye."  Everybody keeps saying goodbye but nobody leaves.     The State Dept already can't answer basic questions regarding Iraq.  And the White House wants to put the questionable McGurk in charge?  Liz Sly (Washington Post) noted objection to the nomination in Iraq:     Sunni concerns have crystallized in recent weeks around Obama's nomination of Brett McGurk, 38, a lawyer who has frequently advised the U.S. Embassy but is not a diplomat to be the new ambassador to Iraq.  As the chief adviser to Ambassador James F. Jeffrey and former ambassador Christopher R. Hill, McGurk is closely associated with the United States' controversial 2010 decision to support Maliki's candidacy as the better hope for future stability over that of Ayad Allawi, the head of the Iraqiya bloc, which narrowly won the most seats in parliament.   Should the Van Buren rumor be true and should it be about Brett McGurk, would that manage to sink the nomination?   Iraq's already struggling, it's really not the place where the US should send someone on a glorified travel-study.      In Iraq, though there's hope for recent (small) success with strawberries, the reality is that even the date palm industry in Iraq hasn't proved profitable yet ("yet" meaning post-invasion, Iraq's date industry is historically signficant and profitable).  So despite years and years of calls by Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi to diversify the economy, Iraq remains dependent on their sole money maker: Oil.  Reuters reports, "Exxon Mobil has told Baghdad it will not break ground on its oil blocs in the semi-autonomous Kurdish north until the centeral government approves the contracts, Iraq's top energy official said on Wednesday."  The official is Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Hussain al-Shahristani.  That alone makes the claim questionable -- remember, April 3rd, he was in the news for insisting the Kurds were secretly selling oil to Iran.  He's not seen as someone impartial or particularly honest.   But the reality is that it doesn't matter if he's telling the truth this time or not.  Yet again, the world watches, the markets watch as Iraq's rulers can't get their act together.  It does not put confidence in either the government or in the ability to do business with Iraq.  Contracts were signed by ExxonMobil back in October with the KRG.  Either those contracts will be honored or they won't.   But you're an energy company -- oil and gas -- and you can spend a year developing a relationship with another country rich in oil or you can spend that time on Iraq -- and know that a signed contract may mean nothing.  Are you really going to make Iraq your focus after you know their history with ExxonMobil?    What Nouri and the idiots he's appointed don't grasp is that their petty fights and bickering make them look unreliable and unprofessional.  And that goes beyond the oil industry.  You're on an Australian committee exploring opening a Quay Hotel in the Middle East.  In the discussions, someone tosses out Iraq.  You point out that besides the continued daily violence, there's also all the problems ExxonMobil's faced in getting a signed contract honored. You'll be much more likely to recommend that Quay consider Kuwait or Jordan where a signed contract appears to actually mean something other than months and months of officials bickering in the press.   On a very limited scale, strawberries are doing well in Iraq (as a result of a lot of help -- money and technology -- from USAID).   2012 is an important year for that industry.  At the end of it, figures will indicate whether or not this is a stand-alone industry that can successfully supports itself or whether the limited success resulted from USAID.  Right now, the only money making story is oil and with no real leader to lead, the bickering and the non-stop 'updates' on the ExxonMobil deal ensure that Iraq looks like it's not ready for the world stage.  In Nouri were any kind of a leader, he would have ended this nonsense a long time ago -- even if that meant going along with the KRG contracts that he didn't want to go through.    Instead, it looks like a circus and this as James Herron (Dow Jones) announces, "Iraq has revised its medium-term oil field redevelopment plan, meaning that production will peak slightly lower than the previous 12 million barrel a day target, but, said the country's Deputy Prime Minister for Energy, Hussein al-Shahristani, Wednesday."  And Dow Jones reports, "Iraq wants to follow the current expansion of its oil production capacity with an expansion of its domestic refining industry, but won't be able to do so without the cooperation of international companies, said the country's Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Hussein al-Shahristani Wednesday."     In bad news for Nouri, Al Mada reports that Speaker of Parliament Osama Najafi states that the National Alliance has confirmed that they support the full implementation of the Erbil Agreement. April 5th, KRG President Massoud Barzani noted the Erbil Agreement while speaking at an event sponsored by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. KRG President Massoud Barzani: We have been waiting for the last six years for promises that were not delivered, for agreements that were not honored. We have waited and everytime they give us an excuse. Once they say that there are elections in Baghdad, another time, elections in the region. Once there is election in the United States. Then there is the Arab Summit, etc., etc. We have found out that we have passed six years waiting for these promises to be delivered. We cannot anymore wait for unfulfilled promises and undelivered promises. There has to be a specific and determined timeline for this to be delivered. We got tired of this and we are fed up with that. Therefore, what we will do is that we will work on the preferred option to work with the other Iraqi groups to find a solution. If not, then we go back to our people and to put all of these realities inf ront of our people for the people to be free to make their own decision. As far as the issue of the oil is concerned, in 2007, when we were working and we reached an agreement on a draft oil hydrocarbons law, we both agreed that if that law did not pass in the Parliament until May that same year that both sides -- the KRG and the federal government -- are free to continuing signing contracts with international oil companies. Therefore, whatever we have done in the region, we have not violated the Constitution. We have acted legally and Constitutionally within the framework of the Constitution. Political Stalemate I is the eight month period which followed the March 2010 elections. Nouri refused to step aside despite the fact that his State of Law had come in second in the elections to Iraqiya. He wanted to remain prime minister. And the US government and the Iranian government were backing him -- backing him over the Iraqi people and the will they expressed at the ballot box. In November 2010, the US-brokered Erbil Agreement was signed off on by all major political blocs. Nouri got to be prime minister for a second term and, in exchange, he made certain concessions. Among them, he would agree to an independent national security commission to be headed by Ayad Allawi (leader of Iraqiya) and he would finally abide by the Constitution (Article 140) and allow the census and referendum on Kirkuk. Nouri got his second term and promptly refused to follow the Erbil Agreement throwing Iraq into Political Stalemate II which has now lasted 16 months (December 2010 to the present). Since the summer, the Kurds have been calling on Nouri to return to the Erbil Agreement. Iraqiya has joined the call as has Moqtada al-Sadr. Moqtada is part of the National Alliance as is State of Law. Amir al-Hakim's Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq is also part of the National Alliance (ISCI, State of Law and Moqtada's bloc are the three largest components of the National Alliance). Al Sabaah reports that the National Alliance is meeting today and the meeting has been labeled as "important." Among the items to be discussed are the relationship between Baghdad and the KRG. Hiwa Osman (Rudaw) reports on the tensions including: Speaking to Rudaw, Shwan Muhammad, a Kurdish member of Iraqi Parliament, said, "In Iraq, no component has a major role. Nouri Maliki alone has monopolized all the powers in the ranks of the army and internal security forces." Muhammad believes that although a Kurd, Babakr Zebari, Iraq's military chief of staff, must still answer to the prime minister. "All the powers are concentrated in the hands of the commander in chief (Maliki)," says Muhammad. Muhammad admits that a Kurd is in charge of the air force, but Maliki has created a special unit called "military aviation" that is run by people very close to him. This unit is said to have full control of 500 helicopters. "The air force whose commander is a Kurd does not even have an aircraft," said Muhammad, who is also a member of the defense and security committee in Iraq's parliament. Barzani and some of Iraq's Sunni leaders believe PM Maliki has brought most of Iraq's major institutions, such as the Ministry of Defense, national intelligence and the central bank, under his direct control, which they argue is unconstitutional. As part of his continued power grab, last Thursday Nouri had the Independent High Electoral Commission's chair Farah al-Haidari and commission member Karim al-Tamimi arrested. Al Mada notes that as a result of these arrests, the United Nation's Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Iraq Martin Kobler states that it is unlikely the Parliament will now vote on the new commissioners for the Independent High Electoral Commission. As explained yesterday, State of Law is throwing up roadblocks to prevent the vote in Parliament. Meanwhile Aswat al-Iraq notes, "Sadrist leader Muqtada al-Sadr called his followers to unify ranks if they desire to form their own government."  In addition to targeting the Independent High Electoral Commission, Nouri's also insisted that Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq be stripped of his post and that Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi be arrested for 'terrorism.'    al-Hashemi is currently in Turkey.  The Turkish Weekly notes:   Replying to questions of AA correspondent, Hashemi claimed that the lawsuit filed against him was a political one and he would not stand trial in Iraqi capital of Baghdad. Hashemi said he believed that a fair trial would not be held in the capital. Witnesses' statements against him have been obtained by means of torture, he said and adding that one of his bodyguards was tortured and killed. Hashemi said that he could not receive a fair trial in Baghdad, because the courts have been controlled by Maliki, he said. He said he has offered to stand trial in Kirkuk, but the government refused it. "The case filed against me was a political one since the beginning. Thus its solution had to be political. President, prime minister and parliament speaker should come together and find a political solution to it," he said.     And for any who are new to this argument, it's similar to what the President of Iraq told Al Jazeera at the start of the week.    Jane Arraf (Al Jazeera -- link is video and text) interviewed.  Excerpt.   JA: One of the problems has been that one of your deputies, Tariq al-Hashemi, who was given refuge here in the Kurdish region and allowed to leave in spite of an arrest warrant. Will you allow him to come back to Kurdistan?'     Talabani: I would like to explain to you - Mr Hashemi is the first vice-president - I appointed him first. He came to a meeting with another vice-president, Dr Kuzai. When he came here, the court asked him to go to court. He didn't prefer to go to court - he said: "I am afraid in Baghdad to go to court." We asked them to change [the venue] and they refused. I don't know if he will come back here, or stay outside. This issue - my opinion was [to] solve it through dialogue with the leaders of Iraq. Because if he goes to court, he will be sentenced - we don't want him to be sentenced. We also need a kind of consensus about his problem. Maybe some of his bodyguards committed some crimes, but Tariq Hashemi is still vice-president. He was not sentenced, and any man until he is sentenced is considered to be innocent. He's not convicted.     Trend News Agency reports KRG President Massoud Barzani will visit Turkey Turkey and "meet with Turkish Preisdent Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu" and "Sources say that during his visit to Turkey Barzani will also meet with al-Hashemi, for whom the Shiite-led central government issued an arrest warrant in late 2011."  Press TV maintains of Tareq al-Hashemi, "He has recently met with Erdogan to discuss the developments in Iraq and asked for Ankara's political support. Hashemi has also asked for Ankara's protection since he has received death threats and is said to be guarded by more than a dozen security forces.  The Turkish government has settled Hashemi, his family, and those accompanying him in two houses in Basak, Istanbul, while Jordan has not responded to the Iraqi official's asylum appeal."   Iraq and its neighbors.  The Arab League Summit met in Baghdad March 29th.  Less than half of the heads of state bothered to show.  A number of Arab countries chose to send a message by not attending.  The one thing Nouri was able to flaunt was his new closeness with Kuwait.  But it's a kind-of-push, kind-of-pull relationship.  An Iraqi correspondent for McClatchy Newspapers points out:   The first Kuwaiti flight to Iraq in more than twenty years landed in Najaf Airport today. But why in the southern, holy city of Najaf and not in Baghdad? Officials said that trips to Baghdad will be the next step, withought mentioning details. After the significant role Kuwait played in the occupation of Iraq in 2003, one would have thought that its relations with the new Iraqi leaders would have been "chummy" - At least that's what many Iraqis thought. But the truth of the matter is that relations between Iraq and Kuwait are still "strained".     Yesterday, a man apparently hanged himself in Basra. Al Rafidayn reports the man was 38-years-old, had a wife and four children. He is thought to be the seventh man in the area who has taken their own life due to poverty in the last six months. Although Basra is well known for its fishing industry, lack of government support and conflict with Iran and Kuwait fishing industries have left Basra's industry reeling. Basra is in southern Iraq. Another province in southern Iraq is Dhi Qar Province which is also experiencing suicides. Al Sabaah reports there's a suicide or 'suicide' epidemic taking place. Those allegedly taking their own lives? Young girls under the age of 18. There are accusations that the police are in partnership with families to cover up the fact that these girls are not suicides but have been killed -- possibly so-called 'honor' killings. There are also allegations that the girls are taking their own lives but doing so because they are being denied their basic freedoms and pushed into forced marriages by their families. Local citizen Ahmed Saidi maintains that most are not suicides and "90 percent are murders." The province saw 13 suicides in 2011 of young girls between the ages of 15 and 18 while, already this month, there have been 2 young females who have died and are said to have taken their own lives. Feminist Shada Qaisi states that the society lacks the communication skills to deal openly with these deaths and she also states that the police are more than willing to see a killing as suicide and not open an investigation into the death of a young girl. The police department refused to comment to the paper.     In the United States, Senator Patty Murray is the Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.  Her office notes:   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, April 18, 2012 CONTACT: Murray Press Office (202) 224-2834   Chairman Murray Introduces Legislation to Better Protect Veterans, Servicemembers from Unemployment and Foreclosure Legislation would strengthen U.S. Department of Justice's ability to enforce current laws   (Washington, D.C.) -- Today, with high unemployment and foreclosure rates continuing to affect our nation's veterans and servicemembers, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, introduced the Servicemembers Rights Enforcement Improvement Act of 2012.  Currently, many of the protections put in place to help shield our nation's heroes -- specifically the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) -- have been violated in a disturbing number of cases within the past several years.  Co-sponsoring Chairman Murray's legislation are Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Mark Begich (D-AK), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). The Servicemembers Rights Enforcement Improvement Act, which includes a significant number of proposals provided to the Congress by the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ), would strengthen DoJ's ability to enforce these laws on behalf of servicemembers and veterans. "Our men and women in uniform serve with tremendous dignity on the battlefield," said Chairman Murray.  "Our nation owes it to them to guarantee protection under the law wh when they return home.  The Servicemembers Rights Enforcement Act will help force the hand of those who have failed to follow the law when it comes to providing our nation's heroes with the basic safeguards they deserve." '"Our nation's growing reliance on the National Guard and Reserves for operational duties here and overseas means that our warrior-citizens must have airtight reemployment rights and financial protections when they are called to the colors, "said VADM Norb Ryan, President, Military Officers Assocication of America (MOAA).  "The Military Officers Association of America strongly supports the 'Servicemembers Rights Enforcement Improvement Act of 2012' and urges quick passage of the bill to strengthen enforcement of the rights of those who defend the rest of America." "Millions of service members depend on USERRA and SCRA protections when called to serve their country," said Commander Fang Won, American Legion.  "USERRA and SCRA were created to prohibit discrimination and eliminate disadvantages faced by deployed service members.  This legislation will strengthen the enforcement on USERRA and SCRA.  This bill confirms a tremendous need for transparency and effective consequences for non-compliance of USERRA and SCRA regulations and ensure that veterans are not disadvantaged or unable to return to their previous jobs due to their honorable service to our Nation." "IAVA strongly supports Senator Murray's efforts to bolster the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act (USERRA)," said Paul Rieckhoff, Founder and Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).  "Servicemembers who currentlys eek relief under these acts often face significant roadblocks.  Even if a violation exists, it can be difficult and expensive for vets to challenge employers armed with greater legal and financial resources.  This bill will empower the Attorney General to investigate and compel employers to respond to USERRA complaints.  More importantly, it will allow the Attoreny General to better represent service members who have a case.  Both steps are absolutely critical to open doors for new veterans and ensure they come home to the job security they deserve after serving our country."   USERRA secures servicemembers' employment rights during periods of military service and prohibits employer discrimination based upon military service or obligation.   To ensure that those protections are fully enforced this bill:   * Enables the Attorney General to investigate and file suit against a patter or practice of USERRA violatiosn by a state or private employer.   * Allows the United States to serve as named plaintiff in USERRA suits and to issue civil investigative demands for relevant documentary material; and   * Provides the Special Counsel with authority to subpoena relevant testimony and documents from Federal employees and agencies to carry out investigations.   Over the past year, it has come to light that several banks improperly overcharged and foreclosed upon deployed servicemembers in violation of the SCRA.  Failure to comply with SCRA protections is unacceptable.   This bill strengthens the statutory protections of SCRA as well as the mechanisms used to enforce them by:   * Strengthening the protections that prevent judgments againt a servicemember when they cannot appear in court because of military service.   * Broadening the authority of the Attorney General to investigate allegations of SCRA violations; and   * Clarifying the right of servicemembers to bring a private law suit to assert their SCRA rights.   ###   Meghan Roh Deputy Press Secretary | Social Media Director Office of U.S. Senator Patty Murray @PattyMurray 202-224-2834 Get Updates from Senator Murray             iraq james hider al mada aswat al-iraq al sabaah rudaw hiwa osman al rafidayn al sabaah the washington post liz sly forbes trend news agency al jazeera jane arraf press tv

ASCAP honors Carly Simon

I'm not a good TV watcher on the road.  On the road, I'll flip if I'm in a hotel room or if I'm at C.I.'s DC home.  I'll stop on whatever grabs me.  If I'm at home, I'd watch a show religiously if I loved it.  There haven't been a great many I loved.  One of the first shows I loved as an adult was McMillan & Wife. I had nothing against Rock Hudson but I watched it for Sally.  Susan Saint James played Sally ("Wife") and she had been on The Name of the Game, among other things.  And she was a hippie-flower child.  There were a few on TV.  Peggy Lipton (Mod Squad) was another.

Sally was always so funny and so I'd be really happy every third week on Sundays.  (The show started on another night, I always remember it on Sundays but you know my memory.)  It was a mystery movie.  One week was Sally and Mac, one week was Detective Columbo and one week was McCloud who I never really figured out.  I didn't care for his show.

With Columbo, we'd get stoned and watch Peter Falk act stoned.  Pot was at play when it was a Sally episode but usually we paid more attention -- in part because we knew there was no Columbo to tie it all together.  Also because we'd do snacks.

Back then I don't know if you even had nacho cheese as a chip flavor.  It was pretty much plain Doritos, Cheetoes, plain Lays, BBQ Lays and Funyons.  Oh and pretzels.  You'd have generic versions of those as well.

But we'd get Doritos at the store and some California avocados and a couple of tomatoes and a white onion and some peppers (hot peppers, not bell peppers).  We'd go back to my place, I'd make my famous guacamole dip.  Along with a squeeze of lemon, I also added (my secret!) a teaspoon of pure cane sugar.  People would always wonder what that special ingrediant was.

It's too sweet for me today.  Or was in 1994, the last time I tried making it that way.  (I've made it many times since without the sugar.)

So a boyfriend would bring over a bag (of oregano -- if you're in the dark, just tell yourself I'm writing about a bag of oregano) and we'd roll some up and eat the guacamole dip and chips and drink iced tea and beer if anyone brought beer.

I was taking photos and doing more jobs that I didn't get paid for than I did.  They'd tell you -- this was pre-net -- magazines would tell you, after they sent you on assignment, "Oh, look, we can't really pay but we'll give you a credit."  No offense, music rags, but "a credit" didn't pay my bills.

So I always served iced tea.  If people brought anything else, great.  Drink it.  But I would buy a box of Lipton tea bags every Sunday at the grocery store and make tea all week.

TV, even now, for me is something you do with people.  I will have it on as background noise at home.  And on the road.  But in terms of watching, I really want someone to watch with.


Rebecca's got a favorite show: ABC's  Revenge which returns with new episodes tomorrow night.


I actually like the show and, were I not on the road, I'd be hosting Revenge watching parties at my house.

Okay, you know I love Carly Simon.  She's one of my favorites.  And tomorrow she gets a really big honor.  This is a press release from ASCAP:

Carly Simon to be Honored with the Prestigious Founders Award at the 29th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards on April 18th in Los Angeles

Carly Simon

Los Angeles / New York, February 16 2012:ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) will honor Carly Simon with the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award during its 29th Annual Pop Music Awards, it was announced today by ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams. The invitation-only gala will take place on April 18th, 2012 at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, California, and will also honor the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP's most performed pop songs of 2011.

The ASCAP Founders Award honors pioneering songwriters who have made exceptional contributions to music, inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators. Past recipients include Ashford & Simpson, Burt Bacharach & Hal David, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, Melissa Etheridge, Billy Joel, Annie Lennox, Sir Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Smokey Robinson, Patti Smith, Steely Dan, Rod Stewart, James Taylor, Tom Waits, Ann and Nancy Wilson (Heart), Stevie Wonder and Neil Young.

Williams commented: "Carly Simon has always poured her heart and soul into her songwriting, and in the process she has helped re-write the rule book on what popular music can achieve and how it can profoundly change people’s lives. She is a true musical pioneer and ASCAP is extremely proud to honor her with the Founders Award."

Simon, whose unparalleled career spans four decades of storytelling in both song and print, has made an indelible mark on popular music. She was part of a new vanguard of confessional singer-songwriters that emerged in the late 60's and early 70’s that helped elevate the pop song to a new level of lyrical honesty and sophistication.

Simon achieved early success with singles such as “Anticipation” and “Coming Around Again,” but her biggest hit came with 1972’s No Secrets album and the song “You’re So Vain.” The album sold millions of copies, occupied the #1 spot on the charts for six consecutive weeks and earned Grammy nominations in six categories. The single still captivates fans not only with its distinctive hook and self-empowering theme, but also with the ongoing mystery of its inspiration – a secret that Simon continues to keep close.

Simon has earned multiple Grammys. “Let The River Run” (from Working Girl) earned her a Grammy, Golden Globe and Oscar. She scored (Marvin’s Room, Postcards from the Edge) and authored children’s books (Amy the Dancing Bear, Midnight Farm).

ASCAP will also honor the songwriters and publishers of the most performed songs of 2011 at the ceremony. Top awards will be given out for Songwriter of the Year, Song of the Year and Publisher of the Year.  

The 29th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards is part of ASCAP “I Create Music” Week -- an entire week of events being held in Los Angeles to celebrate the voice of the music creator. Simon will give a featured interview the first day of the ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO on April 19th.  Visit www.ascap.com/expo for more information.

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

Tuesday, April 17, 2012. Chaos and violence continue, Nouri gets a press 'award' of sorts, we look at his long history of attacking the press since he became prime minister in 2006, the White House realizes (at least somewhat) that keeping Nouri happy won't hold Iraq together, corpses and bombings and shooting make it appear 2006 is stating a comeback, and more. In Nouri al-Maliki's Iraq, everyone's targeted and that includes journalists. Nouri has long been anti-press. As we noted yesterday, Jane Arraf (Al Jazeera -- link has video and text) has asked Iraqi President Jalal Talabani about charges that Prime Minister and thug Nouri al-"Maliki is on the road to becoming a dictator" and Talabani denied the charge and stated, "There are some shortages -- it is not only him responsible. I am also responsible. I am responsible for looking after everything to guard the constitution. I must also speak, so we are all responsible for the shortages in the government." Yesterday's snapshot didn't have a working link to Jane Arraf's interview, my apologies. If Talabani agrees Iraq is his responsibility as well, he's going to have to learn to support and advocate on behalf of the press -- something he's never done, even before the Iraq War. But let's focus on Nouri and his loathing of the press. At the start of the year, Canada's Centre For Law And Democracy released a report [PDF format warning] entitled "Freedoms in Iraq: An Increasingly Repressive Legal Net." In recent years, the government has introduced a barrage of legislation relating to the fundamental freedoms of expression and assembly. In some cases, this legislation appears to be well intentioned, while in other cases positive interntions are less apparent. Regardless, all of these new laws, most of which have not yet been adopted, are problematical from the perspective of constitutional and international human rights guarantees. This Report reviews five pieces of legislation affecting the freedoms of assembly and expression that have been introduced in recent years in Iraq. Of these, only one, the Journalistic Rights Law (Journalist Law), has actually been passed into law, in August 2011. The other four -- the draft Commission of Media and Communication Law (draft CMC Law), the draft Informatics Crimes Law (draft Internet Law), the draft Political Parties Law (draft Parties Law) and the draft Law of Expression, Assembly, and Peaceful Protest (draft Assembly Law) -- have not yet been formally adopted as laws. [. . .] One of the most problematical features of the five laws is that, taken together, they impose wide-ranging restrictions on the content of what may be published or broadcast through the media, during demonstrations, over the Internet and by political parties. These are in addition to the many content restrictions which are still found int he old 1969 Penal Code. A few issues receive particular attention in the new laws, such as public morals and more issues, incitement, in particular to religious hatred or criticism, and perhaps not surprisingly, public order and terrorism. Many of these fail to meet the standards of international law regarding restrictions on freedom of expression. If a country really needed strong laws to provide a free press, it would be Iraq. Since becoming prime minister in 2006, Nouri's done nothing but attack the press. His disregard and hatred for it is well known and has influenced many incidents, most infamously a New York Times reporter had a gun aimed at them 'for fun' in the latter half of 2006, a gun aimed a pretend shot taken by one of Nouri's security forces who found the whole incident hilarious. Therefore the proposals aren't really that surprising. Frightening, but not surprising. Of the proposed CMC Law, the Centre For Law And Democracy notes it is obsessed with "public morals" while the proposed Internet Law dictates that "moral, family or social values" must not be offended and similar dictates apply with the proposed Assembly Law. The Centre For Law And Democracy notes that speech that offends due to ideas can't be legitimately banned, the speech needs to do "harm to society" -- even so, the paper should be very clear -- and isn't -- because Nouri calls many things harmful to society including Iraqi politicians who criticize him. Furthermore, the prohibited acts in these laws go well beyond public order and terrorism as normally understood. They also include undermining the constitution, jeopardising national interests, sending threatening or insulting messages or fabricated news, promoting terrorist ideologies (as opposed to terrorism per se) and publishing information about the manufacture of tools or materials usedd in terrorists acts. These broad prohibitions simply cannot be justified. It is perfectly legitimate to 'undermine' (or criticise or seek to change) the constitution, as long as this is done through peaceful means. Otherwise, it would be a crime to seek to achiever any amendments to the constitution. The concept of 'national interests' is impossibly flexible. In many countries, it is a crime to make threats, but sending insulting messages is often perfectly legitimate or at worst may warrant a civil defamation suit. Similarly, promoting terrorism ideologies, whatever they may be, is not the same thing as inciting terrorism, and the narrower offence should be preferred. Page 27 of the report notes the Journalists Rights bill. (PDF format warning, click here for that proposed law.) It was proposed in 2009 and modified in 2011. The modified version defines a journalist as "Every individual practicing a full time journalism job." This would leave out stringers, part-timers, freelancers and many other media workers. That's not an accident. The report doesn't point it out but Nouri's always attacked the press, always wanted them monitored as well. Let's drop back to the October 3, 2006 snapshot: Operation Happy Talkers are on the move and telling you that Nouri al-Maliki offers a 'four-point' peace plan. You may have trouble reading of the 'four-point' plan because the third point isn't about "peace" or "democracy" so reports tend to ignore it. The first step has already been (rightly) dismissed by Andrew North (BBC) of the "local security committees": "In fact, most neighourhoods of Baghdad set up their own local security bodies some time ago to protect themselves -- because they do not trust the authorities to look after them." AP reports that the Iraqi parliament voted in favor of the 'peace' plan (reality title: "continued carnage plan"). Step three? Let's drop back to the September 7th snapshot: ["]Switching to the issue of broadcasting, were they showing episodes of Barney Miller or NYPD Blue? Who knows but police pulled the plug on the satellite network al-Arabiya in Baghdad. CNN was told by a company official (Najib Ben Cherif) that the offices "is being shut for a month." AP is iffy on who gave the order but notes that Nouri al-Malike started making warnings/threats to television stations back in July. CNN reports: "A news alert on Iraqi State TV said the office of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered the office closed for a month."["] Ah, yes, the puppet's war with the press. The so-called peace plan is more of the same. The third 'plank' is about the media. Which is why the "brave" US media repeatedly cites the first two and stays silent while a free media (something a democracy is dependent upon) walks the plank. It's disgusting and shameful, the third 'plank.' The whole 'plan' is a joke. Reuters is one of the few to go beyond the first two 'steps' but even it does a really poor job and those over coverage of Iraq in the mainstream (producers to suits) are very concerned about this. (So why don't they report it?) The "plan" isn't a plan for peace, it's a plan for the puppet to attempt to save his own ass for a few more months. Lee Keath (AP) is only one of many ignoring the third step (possibly AP thinks readers are unable to count to four?) but does note that al-Maliki took office last May with a 24-point plan that, to this day, "has done little to stem the daily killings." Nor will this so-called 'peace plan.' The US military and the American "ambassador" have announced that Nouri al-Maliki better show some results ('after all we've paid' going unspoken). So al-Maliki pulls a page from Paul Bremer's book and decides to go after the media. For those who've forgotten, on March 28, 2004, al-Hawza was closed down as a result of running a cartoon of Bremer leading to the violence in Falluja in April 2004. Nouri's attacks on the press are as lengthy as his time in office as prime minister. It includes bring a lawsuit against the Guardian -- among others. January 12, 2011, Josh Halliday (Guardian) reported: The Guardian has won its appeal against an Iraqi court ruling which judged that the paper had defamed the country's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki. The Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) brought the libel action after the Guardian reported criticism of al-Maliki and the INIS in an article published in April 2009. The Al-Karakh primary court judged in November 2009 that the report was defamatory and ordered the Guardian to pay a fine of 100m dinar (£52,000). However, the Iraqi appeal court ruled on 28 December that the article did not cause any defamation or harm to al-Maliki or the INIS, overturning the earlier court ruling. With the above and so much more, these measures, largely drafted by Nouri and his inner circle, are anti-press isn't surprising. The Centre For Law And Democracy notes "we see in the collective approach of the five laws a dramatic lack of respect for the fundamental human rights to freedom of assembly and expression. In most cases, these rules seek to impose unwarranted restrictions on the exercise of these rights. Taken together with the broad content restrictions, as well as the undue degree of government control over the exercise of these rights, the five laws would impose very severe constraints indeed on basic human rights." The findings are disturbing. What's even more disturbing is that the findings really aren't new. They've very similar to what the United Nations Assistance Mission For Iraq (UNAMI) found in the second half of 2009 [PDF format warning] Human Rights Report. For example: Some of the law's provisions, however, give rise to concern. For example, the law gives broad discretionary power to govenrment, which could be used to restrict the right to freedom of expression. Several porvisions of the law clearly inhibit the realization of the rights of media workers; the prohibition of publishing materials which "compromise the security and stability of the country" is open to broad interpretation and may be abused by authorities. The draft law does not provide a guarantee for the protection of sources: rather, provisions state that the law requires the source to be revealed. The draft law's narrow definition of a journalist as "one who works for press . . . and who is affiliated with the Iraqi Journalists' Syndicate" raises concerns about the ability of other media workers, such as editors, commentators, blogger, and freelancers to exercise their right to express their views publicly and in effect imposes a de facto obligation to register journalists. According to the law, media organizations operating in Iraq must issue contracts to journalists that have been prepared and authorized by the Iraqi Journalists' Syndicate. Not only contradicting article 39 of the Constitution which stipulates that no one shall be compelled to join any party. It's nearly three years later and the proposed laws still have the same exact problems. There's been no improvement. In fact, it has worsened. In January of this year, the Society for Defending Press Freedom's Oday Hattem told Al Jazeera, "There is no freedom to workin journalism here -- if we compare the jounalism in Iraq with the West. [. . .] The political and freedom of speech situations are both descending. Maliki launched an attack on freedom of speech in February 2010, when he arrested tens of journalists and human rights activsts after the beginning of demonstrations in Baghdad." I believe he's referring to February 2011. February 25, 2011 saw major protests in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq. It also saw Nouri crackdown on the press and activists. From February 26, 2011: Yesterday Iraqis made their voices heard in multiple demonstrations. Wael Grace and Adam Youssef (Al Mada) report the disturbing news that after the demonstrations, four journalists who had been reporting on the protests were eating lunch when Iraqi security forces rushed into the restaurant and arrested them with eye witnesses noting that they brutal attacked the journalists inside the restaurant, cursing the journalists as they beat them with their rifle handles. One of the journalists was Hossam Serail who says that they left Tahrir Square with colleagues including journalists, writers intellectuals, filmmakers. They went into the restaurant where the Iraqi military barged in, beat and kicked them, hit them in the face and head with the handles of their rifles, cursed the press and journalists, put him the trunk of a Hummer. This is Nouri al-Maliki's Iraq -- the Iraq the US forces prop up at the command of the Barack Obama. Stephanie McCrummen (Washington Post) adds: {}Four journalists who had been released described being rounded up well after they had left a protest at Baghdad's Tahrir Square. They said they were handcuffed, blindfolded, beaten and threatened with execution by soldiers from an army intelligence unit. "It was like they were dealing with a bunch of al-Qaeda operatives, not a group of journalists," said Hussam al-Ssairi, a journalist and poet, who was among a group and described seeing hundreds of protesters in black hoods at the detention facility. "Yesterday was like a test, like a picture of the new democracy in Iraq." {} Among those arrested and tortured were journalist and activist Hadi al-Mahdi. NPR's Kelly McEvers interviewed Hadi for Morning Edition after he had been released and she noted he had been "beaten in the leg, eyes, and head." He explained that he was accused of attempting to "topple" Nouri al-Maliki's government -- accused by the soldiers under Nouri al-Maliki, the soldiers who beat him. Excerpt: Hadi al-Mahdi: I replied, I told the guy who was investigating me, I'm pretty sure that your brother is unemployed and the street in your area is unpaved and you know that this political regime is a very corrupt one. Kelly McEvers: Mahdi was later put in a room with what he says were about 200 detainees, some of them journalists and intellectuals, many of them young protesters. Hadi al-Mahdi: I started hearing voices of other people. So, for instance, one guy was crying, another was saying, "Where's my brother?" And a third one was saying, "For the sake of God, help me." Kelly McEvers: Mahdi was shown lists of names and asked to reveal people's addresses. He was forced to sign documents while blindfolded. Eventually he was released. Mahdi says the experience was worse than the times he was detained under Saddam Hussein. He says the regime that's taken Sadam's place is no improvement on the past. This, he says, should serve as a cautionary tale for other Arab countries trying to oust dictators. Hadi al-Mahdi: They toppled the regime, but they brought the worst -- they brought a bunch of thieves, thugs, killers and corrupt people, stealers. September 8, 2011, Hadi al-Mahdi was assassinated in his home. Madhi had filed a complaint with the courts against the Iraqi security forces for their actions. Mohamed Tawfeeq (CNN) explains, "Hadi al-Mehdi was inside his apartment on Abu Nawas street in central Baghdad when gunmen shot him twice with silencer-equipped pistols, said the ministry official, who did not want to be identified because he is not authorized to speak to media." Democracy and liberation haven't taken hold in Iraq but targeting the press certainly did. And today Nouri al-Maliki's Iraq can boast of one 'accomplishment' under his six years of leadership: Number one on the Committee to Protect Journalists' Impunity Index. Rachel McAthy (CPJ) explains: Iraq remains at the top of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Impunity Index for the fifth year in a row, with the press freedom group reporting that the cases of 93 journalists killed in the past 10 years remain unsolved. The latest index, published annually by the group, lists the 12 countries that have seen at least five reporters killed with no resulting convictions from 2002 to 2011. The CPJ reports that Iraq's rating for impunity "dwarfs that of every other nation" with a rating of 2.906 unsolved cases per million inhabitants. Nouri was first named prime minister-designate April 22, 2006. It's been six years of stalling ever since. And it took a lot of stalling to ensure that 93 murders would go unsolved. That's the sort of 'leadership' Nouri's provided. What a proud day for him. What a sad day for Iraq and the press. Staying with the topic of violence, Xinhua counts 13 dead in yesterday's violence and nine injured. Alsumaria reports a Kirkuk roadside bombing injured two people. And they note 1 police officer was shot dead outisde Mosul and a small child was left injured, 1 corpse was discovered in Dohak Province, 1 suspect was shot dead outside of Tikrit and 1 man apparently hanged himself in Basra. Sameer N. Yacoub (AP) reports Iraqiya MP Falah al-Naqeeb reports he escaped an assassination attempt last night in Taji. Iraqiya is headed by Ayad Allawi and is the political slate that came in first in the March 7, 2010 parliamentary elections. Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law came in second. Since December, Nouri's been demanding Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq be stripped of his post and that Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi be arrested for 'terrorism.' Both al-Mutlaq and al-Hashemi are members of Iraqiya and Sunni. al-Hashmi tells Ipek Yezdani (Hurriyet Daily News), "We are facing a highly sensitive political crisis for the first time in nine years. If we cannot solve this crisis through the constitution and by sitting around a table, the future of my country will be gloomy and really worrying, and all options will be on the table. I hope none of them splits Iraq.' Sevil Kucukkosum (Hurriyet) adds, "Meanwhile, al-Hashemi has said he will stay in Istanbul for 'however long is necessary' and that Iraq needs Turkey's help in solving its political crisis. Al-Hashemi is currently residing with his family and guards at an apartment in Istanbul's Başakşehir district. In his temporary residence, al-Hashemi told Turkish daily Milliyet that his country needed him and that he would not allow his opponents to push him aside." Nouri stomped his feet over the 2010 election results and demanded a recount and then wasn't happy with the recount. Ben Van Heuvelen (Washington Post) reminds today, "As the head of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), Haidari clashed with Maliki after the contested elections of March 2010, in which the prime minister's coalition placed a close second to the rival Iraqiya bloc, led by former prime minister Ayad Allawi. In one of the most significant disputes, Haidari rejected Maliki's petition to throw out thousands of votes for Iraqiya." Thursday he had the Independent High Electoral Commission's chair Farah al-Haidari and commission member Karim al-Tamimi arrested (they were released Sunday). Aswat al-Iraq reports: A political analyst described the arrest of head of Election Commission Faraj al-Haidari as "a price for objecting the desires of Premier Nouri al-Maliki to control it". Sarmad al-Ta'I told Aswat al-Iraq that "the arrest is a matter of vendetta and accounts settlements". He added that "the case is grave with greater sensitivity due to the nearness of provincial elections that Maliki hopes to get a majority". Ta'I added that Haidari was one of three who objected Maliki's policies. The other two were the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq Sinan al-Shibibi and ex-Chairman of Integrity Commission Raheem Ikaili. Ayad al-Tamimi (Al Mada) reports plans to vote for the Electoral Commission to continue their work. But there appears to be some confusion over whether or not Faraj al-Haidari and Karim al-Tamimi could continue serving according to MP Mahmoud Hassan. Parliament needs to look at the files agains them to determine that issue and Hassan is calling for the formation of a parliamentary committee to examine the files and reach a conclusion so that the matter can be resolved quickly. If that seems helpful, remember it's a State of Law MP that brought the charges against the two men and remember that Hassan is State of Law. Alsumaria reports the Kurdish Alliance is calling out Nouri's attempts to split them and rebuking his claim that they are dissatisfied with KRG President Massoud Barzani. (See yesterday's "Continued violence and chaos and Nouri gets catty.") As Mohammad Akef Jamal (Gulf News) observed yesterday of the ongoing political crisis, "The disagreements between the Al Iraqiya List and the State of Law Coalition has taken a back seat lately. The escalating differences between the central government and Arbil signal a breakdown of the biggest strategic alliance that was built outside Iraq prior to 2003, and one that worked on toppling Saddam Hussain's regime and has led the political process in the country ever since. The tension surrounding the Iraqi political process indicates it could be pushed towards the point of no return." KRG President Massoud Barzani visited DC two weeks ago and met with US President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. He made it very clear that the KRG needs friends and that the KRG isn't interested in one-way streets. He noted the history between the KRG and the US and how that history had built a relationship of trust which had been put into jeopardy with requests from the US repeatedly to back off this or compromise on this -- requests that come with promises from the US about what Nouri will do in exchange but the promises never emerge. He pointed to the US-brokered Erbil Agreement which ended the eight month Political Stalemate I which followed the 2010 elections. The US wanted Nouri to have a second term as prime minister. The Kurds ended up backing that but they were supposed to get -- and this is written into the agreement -- certain things in exchange. Nouri gladly grabbed a second term as prime minister and then refused to honor the Erbil Agreement. Not only that but the KRG considers Kirkuk to be their province. The 2005 Constitution explains how the issue will be resolved: Census and referendum And, per the Constitution, Article 140, this is supposed to be taken care of by the end of 2007. Nouri's ignored it since 2006. And the Kurds were asked to make nice. April 5th, in DC, KRG President Massoud Barzani gave a speech and took questions. In reply to a question, he declared: We have been waiting for the last six years for promises that were not delivered, for agreements that were not honored. We have waited and everytime they give us an excuse. Once they say that there are elections in Baghdad, another time, elections in the region. Once there is election in the United States. Then there is the Arab Summit, etc., etc. We have found out that we have passed six years waiting for these promises to be delivered. We cannot anymore wait for unfulfilled promises and undelivered promises. There has to be a specific and determined timeline for this to be delivered. We got tired of this and we are fed up with that. Therefore, what we will do is that we will work on the preferred option to work with the other Iraqi groups to find a solution. If not, then we go back to our people and to put all of these realities inf ront of our people for the people to be free to make their own decision. As far as the issue of the oil is concerned, in 2007, when we were working and we reached an agreement on a draft oil hydrocarbons law, we both agreed that if that law did not pass in the Parliament until May that same year that both sides -- the KRG and the federal government -- are free to continuing signing contracts with international oil companies. Therefore, whatever we have done in the region, we have not violated the Constitution. We have acted legally and Constitutionally within the framework of the Constitution. As we noted then, "This speech was a declaration of independence on the part of the Kurds. The basic premise Massoud Barzani has outlined is: We will not be bound by empty words no matter who speaks them." In what is probably today's most important report, Alister Bull (Reuters) explains: President Barack Obama, facing a damaging election-year problem if Iraq's political crisis worsens, has launched an urgent behind-the-scenes push to ease tensions between the Baghdad central government and the Kurds. [. . .] Reuters has learned that to demonstrate U.S. support, the White House and Congress agreed to lift a designation that treats Kurdistan's two main political parties as if they were terrorist groups, complicating members' travel to the United States. In addition, the U.S. consulate in Arbil will begin issuing U.S. visas before the end of 2012. Meanwhile Al Rafidayn reports that the Ministry of the Interior (which still has no legal minister to run it so Nouri runs it -- and wants to, that's why he's refused to nominate a head for it all this time) is stating the cause of continued violence ("terrorism") in Iraq is due to the duplication of security -- there are too many security forces! Yes, that is illogical. But carry it out, as Nouri no doubt will, and you've got Nouri eliminating or restricting all forces he doesn't control throughout Iraq. Throughout -- even in the three provinces that make up the KRG. iraq al jazeera jane arraf the guardian the committee to protect journalists rachel mcathy alsumaria gulf news mohammad akef jamal the associated press sameer n. yacoub xinhua aswat al-iraq al mada ayad al-tamimi al rafidayn the washington post stephanie mccrummen npr morning edition kelly mcevers cnn mohammed tawfeeq