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2005-10-10 Iraq
Basra police obeying militias' orders
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Posted by .com 2005-10-10 04:28|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 While a very interesting article, I get tired of the typically overstated NYT doom and gloom.

The most powerful and feared institution here in southern Iraq's largest city is a shadowy force

Once a relaxed riverside getaway

The diplomat, unidentified because her government permits only senior foreign service officers to speak for the record, said the Jameat had "the power to intimidate everybody" and "their crimes are the most serious crimes."

strip away all of the unnamed sources, blather about how they are "the most feared", "shadowy" and "myths", etc and you are left with the real story. There is some corruption and sectarian killing going on. We are all shocked!! Shocked! In other news, somebody captured some British Spec op guys, who were rescued, but a mob was incited by agitators after the British sacked the Jameat building.

It's your basic NYT story line: we've already lost the war, we all might as well go home now - these little brown folk will never be able to control their animalistic tendencies.
Posted by 2b 2005-10-10 06:41||   2005-10-10 06:41|| Front Page Top

#2 Sounds like more of a condemnation of soft hat techniques used to former NYT acclaim.
Posted by Clirt Slinerong7183 2005-10-10 08:00||   2005-10-10 08:00|| Front Page Top

#3 But 2b, everyone knows NYT writers were the very bestest students in their journalism classes -- a simple who, what, where, when, how, why would be beneath them.
Posted by trailing wife 2005-10-10 12:04||   2005-10-10 12:04|| Front Page Top

#4 Can you say:

T.o.p ... t.o ... b.o.t.t.o.m ... p.u.r.g.e ?

Very good, I knew you could!
Posted by Mister Rogers 2005-10-10 17:32||   2005-10-10 17:32|| Front Page Top

#5 tw - that's right. They can't just report (sniff) that's for bloggers. They are so important because they are writers. Must take a story and make it into a gothic novel of suspense and mystery. Their favorite story line is that "underneath the happy surface lurks a dark and sinister plot".
Posted by 2b 2005-10-10 20:09||   2005-10-10 20:09|| Front Page Top

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