So, what I’d be wondering is, how much manpower and money is being spent on recruitment now, with the low yield results, vs the money and manpower used typically? My guess is that the’re expending increasingly more and yielding increasingly less. Hometown poverity looks a lot less lethal than the merry-go-round-ad-infintum rotation currently being offered, which adds up sooner or later to a broken army.
Posted by: anna missed | Mar 8 2005 10:50 utc | 1
In order for the pendulum to swing, the US has to be hurting. Right now, the problem is, it’s not hurting enough.
Posted by: Lupin | Mar 8 2005 11:35 utc | 2
OT but not
Two Articles that, rightly, belong together.
From the second article: (regarding the soldier shooting the wounded Iraqi)
The dialogue about faking it came from a CBS tape of a US soldier killing an Iraqi prisoner. The whole thing was recorded. It is undeniable that the crime was committed. The clips of the murder were played worldwide on television – except for the actual killing, because that was thought too vile, even for a television audience accustomed to the most explicitly horrible murder scenes. And nobody has dared take a poll as to how many Americans approve of the murder. Most TV reports called it “an incident”, and it has dropped out of sight because, to put it bluntly, an American life is considered to be worth more than an Iraqi life. To many millions of Americans, the marine who murdered the helpless man is a hero. If you doubt this, please read on.
Think about another ‘incident’, when a squad of US soldiers opened fire on a car travelling along the Baghdad-Airport road on March 4, killing an Italian official. The lies began at once, and there is no point in describing what happened because the truth as told by eyewitnesses has already been denied by the military, and the official version will be accepted by much of the US media. It is not surprising that the media will toe the official line, as most of their readers and viewers automatically doubt what they are told by foreign or independent US sources (not that there are many of the latter, these days), and are uncomfortable with anything that smacks of criticism of US soldiers. This is because such criticism is considered unpatriotic and unforgivable, even if it is justified by first-hand evidence of brutality or murder. And if audiences are unhappy about what appears in the media, advertisers will be even more unhappy and will withdraw their business. In short: mainstream news cover in the US is directed by two major factors: advertising revenue and its precursor, audience prejudice. And advertisers get their financial messages from some very unpleasant bigots.
These are people like the beauty who commented on the killing of the Italian official and the wounding of the Italian journalist he was escorting to freedom (that’s Bush freedom: it comes with free shrapnel wounds) as follows:
“Too bad the US troops didn’t shoot her in the head and been done with trouble making people like her . . . Posted by bpb901 March 5.”
From the first article:
• “The International Adult Literacy Survey … found that Americans with less than nine years of education ‘score worse than virtually all of the other countries'” (Jeremy Rifkin’s superbly documented book The European Dream
: How Europe’s Vision of the Future Is Quietly Eclipsing the American Dream, p.78).
• Our workers are so ignorant, and lack so many basic skills, that American businesses spend $30 billion a year on remedial training (NYT, Dec. 12, 2004). No wonder they relocate elsewhere!
• “The European Union leads the U.S. in … the number of science and engineering graduates; public research and development (R&D) expenditures; and new capital raised” (The European Dream, p.70).
• “Europe surpassed the United States in the mid-1990s as the largest producer of scientific literature” (The European Dream, p.70).
• Nevertheless, Congress cut funds to the National Science Foundation. The agency will issue 1,000 fewer research grants this year (NYT, Dec. 21, 2004).
• Foreign applications to U.S. grad schools declined 28% last year. Foreign student enrollment on all levels fell for the first time in three decades, but increased greatly in Europe and China. Last year Chinese grad-school graduates in the U.S. dropped 56%, Indians 51%, South Koreans 28% (NYT, Dec. 21, 2004). We’re not the place to be anymore.
Posted by: fauxreal | Mar 8 2005 13:11 utc | 3
Why was Ms Sgrena being moved to Baghdad Airport by car in the first place?
That road is particularly dangerous. As noted recently by Patrick Coburn, all roads in and out of Baghdad are, including those from the supposedly more peaceful south – the UK’s Channel 4 News international correspondent, Lindsey Hilsum, reported to camera hitching a ride by plane up from Basra a couple of months back. Only really foolhardy foreign journalists travel by road – and it has to be now not just in order to avoid IEDs, but also to keep the fuck away from twitchy US infantry.
Coupled with the information coming to light that the soldiers at the “checkpoint” in the Sgrena case were from a brigade under investigation in 2004 for sex assaults on Iraqi women, and that Sgrena speaks Arabic and had covered events in Fallujah, this whole thing stinks.
The dopey majority of the US public, however, will swallow what the spin machine churns out because it has been so heavily innoculated over the years against “communism”, even though Sgrena apparently wrote for publications other than Il Manifesto.
Posted by: Ineluctable | Mar 8 2005 14:10 utc | 4
By the time they reinstate the draft I have hopes that contingents of high school & college students will be ready to plaster the “Leave No Child Behind!” poster everywhere.
Posted by: Juannie | Mar 8 2005 14:16 utc | 5
Pentagon memo blames Italians for Iraq shooting – memo leaked to the Moonie Times, where else?
How to add insult to injury (and death):
“There is no indication that the Italian security forces made prior arrangements to facilitate the transition to the airport,” the memo said.
“Robert Maginnis, a retired Army officer and military analyst consulted by The Washington Times, said the Italians should have given serious attention to their moves about Iraq.
” ‘It seems to me that the Italian secret service considers this a James Bond movie in Baghdad,’ Mr Maginnis said.
” ‘They’re driving around at night picking up a journalist who has been kidnapped and pretending they can get through a phalanx of checkpoints along the deadliest road in all of Iraq without being detected, much less shot up.’ ”
Posted by: Ineluctable | Mar 8 2005 15:18 utc | 8
*phone rings*
[hello, could I speak with, bushwick bill? ]
Hello, this is bushwick, motherfucking bill
[yes sir, I’m calling to inform you that you have been drafted
Into
The united states military]
The unites states wants me for what? hahahaha
[excuse me sir]
Hahaha
[bushwick? ]
Hahaha, yeah yeah yeah, hey what’s up?
[you need to contact your nearest recruiting office immeadiatly
Please]
I see your not hip to what’s happenin’
I don’t give a fuck about you and all that bullshit you stressin’
Fuck a war
To explain, let me kick it to you a little something like this:
(bushwick bill)
Motherfuck a war, that’s how I feel
Sendin’ a nigga to a dentist to get killed
Cause two suckas can’t agree on something
A thousand motherfuckers died for nothing
You can’t pay me to join an army camp
Or any other motherfuckin’ military branch
Of this united goddman states of this bitch america
Be a soldier, what for?
They puttin’ niggas on the front line
But when it comes to gettin’ ahead, they put us way behind
I ain’t gettin’ my leg shot off
While bush old ass on t.v. playin’ golf
But when you come to my house with that draft shit
I’ma shoot your funky ass bitch
A nigga’ll die for a broil
But I ain’t fightin’ behind no gaddamn oil
Against motherfuckas I don’t know
Yo bush! I ain’t your damn hoe
The enemy is right here g, them foreigners never did shit me
All of those wasted lives
And only one or two get recognized
But what good is a medal when your dead? tell uncle sam I said
Chorus x2 (willie d)
I ain’t goin’ to war for a shit talkin’ president
[fuck fuck fuck a war]
(bushwick bill)
In vietnam a lot of niggas died young
P.o.w.’s got hung
What the fuck do I know about a grenade
All I know is the (? ? ? ? ) in my 12 gauge
And what if that pin gets stuck?
Several more casualties show up
This shit remind me of a drive-by
More motherfuckers die by accident than on purpose, why?
Cause they don’t know what they doin’
They see if the coast is clear and they start persuin’
And that’s when that booby trap springs, boom!
Blow a motherfucker to smithereens
They send a sucker to your folks, lookin’ stupid
Tellin’ them you died in the line of duty
Or your ass is missing in action bro
Tryin’ to be a damn hero
They bring your folks that duffle bag
The only shit they wanna see is that doggy tag
Hopin’ that the worryin’ will cease
And your ass will be home in one damn piece
But my mom ain’t gotta worry about that there
Cause I ain’t dyin’ in the middle of nowhere
Another statistic, a body in a drawer
Man! mother fuck a war!
Chorus x2
Your lucky that I ain’t the president
Cause I’ll push the fuckin’ button and get it over wit
Fuck all that waitin’ and procrastinatin’
And all that goddamn negotiatin’
Flyin’ back and fourth overseas
And havin’ lunch and brunch with the motherfuckin’ enemy
I’ll aim one missle at iraq
And blow that little piece of shit off the map
Yeah, I wouldn’t give a fuck (? ? ? ? )
Cause I’m tired of payin’ these high ass gas prices
Only the rich benefit, it’ll be a cold day in hell before I enlist
To eat shit out a can like a worm
And everyday wear the same damn uniform
(? ? ? ? ) breakin’ on my funky ass feet
Skin crawlin’ cause I ain’t took baths in weeks
Not knowin’ if I’m comin’ home or not
And if I do, I’ll probably be shell shocked
I couldn’t get a job just a free burial
You know how uncle sam treat it’s veterans
Absolutely no respect
Get a plate in your head, lose a leg, you might get a check
Or a gaddamn star, you can have that shit
Mother fuck a war!
(chorus)x2
Posted by: Uncle $cam | Mar 8 2005 16:13 utc | 9
Fini today, Berlusconi tomorrow. The Italians certainly know how to get their act together! The Americans cleary fired on the car from a position staked out in advance–elevated and stationary. They gave no warning, made no attempt to slow down a car already moving slowly and illuminated from the inside. This has been reconstructed (a.) from eyewitness accounts, and (b.) from the logs and transcripts of Calipari’s phone calls. It was an ambush, therefore–set up, if not to target the Italians in particular, then to target a car whose approach had been signalled in advance. Culpability’s the thing here, and since Bush never admits to making mistakes–remember that famous interview with Russert last year?–he’s about to break off with one of his two major allies. If Berlusconi hopes to prosper in Italy, he’ll have to sue Bush for divorce–or maybe seek an anullment (and the Pope will surely oblige). Given the speed with which Berlusconi typically operates, he may have done so already.
Posted by: alabama | Mar 8 2005 16:34 utc | 10
On Tuesday, the Multi-National Force-Iraq said a team led by U.S. Brig. Gen. Peter Vangjel will carry out an investigation into the March 4 incident.
“The follow-on investigation to the Multi-National Division-Baghdad commander’s initial inquiry into the incident is expected to take approximately three to four weeks to complete,” the statement said.
“The command is working closely with the U.S. Embassy and Italian officials have been invited to participate.”
(AP, Tuesday AM)
The Americans don’t seem to understand that the Italians own the clock on this one. The Italian clock, as it were–there being no other clock to own.
Posted by: alabama | Mar 8 2005 17:10 utc | 11
expecting a big news event timed for distraction from this whole affair…. the u.s. machine will pull out whatever defense mechanisms it can to control the information, which likely to be the main reason why this unembedded journalist posed such a threat. but you can’t kill everyone who doesn’t go along w/ the plan, and truth & reality will eventually rise to the surface. will the culprits be held accountable though? not at this rate. remember, there was no justice back in the late 90’s when that us military jet sliced that ski-lift cable, sending a couple dozen italian skiers plummeting to their deaths.
Posted by: b real | Mar 8 2005 17:51 utc | 12
@ b real:
Sooooo, what is the rest of the Jackson family doing these days? They’re always willing to get US out of a jam.
Posted by: beq | Mar 8 2005 19:30 utc | 13
b real, Gen. Casey has just announced (a.) the coalition investigation into the shooting of Calipari, and (b.) the surprising news that 140,000 Iraqi troops are fully trained and ready to defend the country. Therefore we shouldn’t be surprised to hear Berlusconi announce a phased withdrawal of the Italian contingent in Iraq during his address to the Italian parliament tomorrow.
Posted by: alabama | Mar 8 2005 19:54 utc | 14
Why was Ms Sgrena being moved to Baghdad Airport by car in the first place?
Because that is the way things go. Because the deal was done. (An American colonel was waiting for them at the airport, along with some Italians.) Because anyone who has to go in dire circumstances just leaves, pronto, ask Wolfie, and they do so by the only means of transport available, car.
What? They could take the bus, a coach, a donkey, or walk? A cab? A limo with TV and martinis?
Posted by: Blackie | Mar 8 2005 20:22 utc | 15
America’s spy services fear that they may have been infiltrated by spies
Posted by: Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? | Mar 8 2005 22:29 utc | 16
@ Quis – “unleashed a bunch of untutored little jerks out there” [g.h.w. bush]
Could probably use Valerie Plame about now.
Posted by: beq | Mar 8 2005 22:45 utc | 17
I would have thought that spies were more likely to have the interests of the US at heart than the current administration.
According to this Reuters report (dated Tue 8 Mar, 2005) of Fini’s speech yesterday:
“On the drive back to the airport, the Italians left the lights on in the car to help identify them to US checkpoints.”
I find it odd to say the least that these “James Bond” tactics are now being criticised by the Pentagon after the event. Maybe it was a SNAFU, but the road to Baghdad airport is notoriously bad, perhaps the worst.
Couldn’t SIMSI have found an Iraqi, US, UK or other plane or helicopter to take them to the airport?
Posted by: Ineluctable | Mar 9 2005 13:07 utc | 19