"Morer seriously, the American occupation of Iraq has now stands exposed as one of the most brutal and dehumanising occupations in the modern world."

I know from following your blog how intelligent and well-read you are, and I have no doubt that you, yourself, could *destroy* that assertion with ease. As for the "new" images, they are from the same batch from the first big scandal. It's 'unfortunate' because the releasing of this doesn't add anything new, it simply opens the wound again for propaganda value. If fundamentalist Muslims want to be played with like puppets, though, fine.

As for the assault on Fallujah, I consider it in the same light I consider other Muslim atrocities. If the people of Fallujah rejected the killers and terrorists among them, there would have been no need to root them out. As in Palestine, when you are comfortable living beside bomb factories, you should be comfortable with bombs.

Those in the Middle East who cry for an end to war should do their best to stop it from being perpetuated. Instead, when they saw US soldiers under fire, people in Fallujah ran to their homes to get their guns and join the slaughter. If you are a father, and you care about your children, do you do that? If you don't like war and suffering, do you soil your nest by inviting it to your doorstep?

If US soldiers were lashing out at communities that rejected violence, I could see your point. You would just make new rules of war that anyone that hides behind a child can shoot at people with impunity. You'd be better served to address "freedom fighters" that care so little for their communities that they turn them into demilitarized zones.

Also, I wonder why you don't address the policies of repression and torture throughout the Middle East? Have I ever, once seen you blog about the horrors of religious persecution in China, where people are rubber hosed to death because of their faith? You would rate the US occupation of Iraq on the same list as the Japanese occupation of asian nations, or Husseins occupation of Kuwait?

You aren't served by emulating the likes of Col Gene, Bahu. If you are truly speaking as one who abhors these acts, the you will know that the US is only a small slice in the pie. When the government of Syria, or Saudi Arabia, or almost any other nation in the Middle East steps up and condemns torture, you know how dishonest that is.

Otherwise, it isn't the acts you abhor, it is simply arguments against a government you dislike. I just wanted to let you know I think more of you than that, and frankly I don't think you are expressing yourself in such a way that other people might.

Also, I wonder why you don't address the policies of repression and torture throughout the Middle East? Have I ever, once seen you blog about the horrors of religious persecution in China, where people are rubber hosed to death because of their faith? You would rate the US occupation of Iraq on the same list as the Japanese occupation of asian nations, or Husseins occupation of Kuwait?

No one can make out acase that the repressive Muslim sultanates of the Middle East are anything but oppressive and display scant respect for anything half decent. I have always made it clear that criticism of US policies do not imply endorsement of the rouge regimes of thwe Middle East. Having said that, we must concede that the regimes of Middle East have never prtended to be shining cities on a hill, a beacon of hope to a benighted world. That is why we have to hold state actors like USA accountable to a higher standard of conduct.

As for the assault on Fallujah, I consider it in the same light I consider other Muslim atrocities. If the people of Fallujah rejected the killers and terrorists among them, there would have been no need to root them out

The people of the city of Fallujah had no choice in the matter. Insurgents and militnts follow the logic of the great helmsman: Be like fish ion the water. This being the case the people had no real choice. Now the USA which is a state actor, operating within the limits of civilised notions of warfare cannot destroy a city with bunker busting bombs and the like to get rid of afew terrorist. We call that unacceptable force. You just dont burn down the barn to get rid of a few vermin. To speak up for the devastated city is not to endorse the stand of terrorists. We must get beyond these simple manichean categories.

I have always made it clear that criticism of US policies do not imply endorsement of the rouge regimes of thwe Middle East. Having said that, we must concede that the regimes of Middle East have never prtended to be shining cities on a hill, a beacon of hope to a benighted world. That is why we have to hold state actors like USA accountable to a higher standard of conduct.

A rather tepid non-response, Bahu. Giving a pass on brutality to anyone who says, "I never said I wasn't brutal," is nonsense.

I happen to agree with your point on freedom of the press - if publishing the cartoons is to be defended, then so should publishing the videos.

However, it is a leap of monumental proportions to go from that to "the American occupation of Iraq has now stands exposed as one of the most brutal and dehumanising occupations in the modern world" - making such a claim does great harm to your credibility.

Now the USA which is a state actor, operating within the limits of civilised notions of warfare cannot destroy a city with bunker busting bombs and the like to get rid of afew terrorist. We call that unacceptable force.

Soon as those terrorists you insist you're not endorsing decide to abide by those "limits of civilised notions of warfare," I'll consider that unacceptable force. Until then, you should spend a little more time being critical of the absolute moral abhorence of using innocent women and children as shields, needlessly exposing them to the consequences of their actions, not to mention flying planeloads of innocents into tall buildings. Your moral relativism is glaring.

I happen to agree with your point on freedom of the press - if publishing the cartoons is to be defended, then so should publishing the videos.

I should also say that it's OK to NOT publish either, as well.

"No one can make out acase that the repressive Muslim sultanates of the Middle East are anything but oppressive and display scant respect for anything half decent. I have always made it clear that criticism of US policies do not imply endorsement of the rouge regimes of thwe Middle East."

But I think you'd agree if those governments were less oppressive and more respectful, there probably wouldn't be nearly as many issues for the US to get tangled up in. The abused people of these nations look for ways to vent their anger and dejection, and often turn their hate toward the US and Israel, when their true misery comes from their own leaders.

"The people of the city of Fallujah had no choice in the matter. Insurgents and militnts follow the logic of the great helmsman: Be like fish ion the water. "

I beg to differ. The accounts I have seen of US solidiers fighting in these holdout cities reported civilians observing, and once they found that the US troops were losing, going and coming back with guns of their own. In the holdout baathist towns you can't differentiate. It is a horrific shame that women and children die, but when a father fires upon US troops from his own house, or his own neighborhood, HE is the one who turned his town into a battle zone.

However, it is a leap of monumental proportions to go from that to "the American occupation of Iraq has now stands exposed as one of the most brutal and dehumanising occupations in the modern world" - making such a claim does great harm to your credibility

I happen to know the situation in Iraq quite well and I can say with confidence that the occupation has turned the country into a giant killing field. Now the American supported Iraqi government is organising Contra tyle death squads to hunt and kill Sunnis opposed to the war. In Bagdad alone last week 40 bodies were discovered killed gangland style with a bullet in the head. The Interior Minister of the Quisling government has promised a review.

As much of a misadventure as the Iraq war may be, the hype surrounding these photos endangers the life of my husband, and for that reason I resent all the media buzz over these photos (of events that have already been accounted for).

My husband is not a brutal man. He is a medic. His job is to patch people up and save lives. During the last deployment he provided medical care for US and other coalition Soldiers, local contracted workers, local civilians (including children), as well as detainees. He provided appropriate and compassionate care to people who would have liked to see him dead.

He doesn't deserve to suffer because of the reprehensible actions of sadistic assholes who don't belong in the military. But he will. The media will make sure that he does.

The media will make sure that he does.

I hope not.

I hope not.

Me, too, Bahu.

It's a dangerous world these days, though, and the crazies over there are more than willing to punish an innocent for the actions of the guilty.

All this does is further expose the total hatred the MSM has for our troops and the United States of America.

The MSM fell over themselves trying to prove how understanding and enlightened they were by refusing to publish the cartoons that many Muslims acted like murderous babies over. However, they are so vile and venomous agaisnt the U.S. that they would knowingly lie through their teeth about "new" footage or information about Abu Grahib.

Why do they protect the sensibilities of rioting thugs, but have no problems spitting in the faces of every family member or friend of a U.S. troop? Why? Because the riotous thugs are the allies of the MSM. The MSM engorge their overstuffed bellies on the blood of U.S. troops, begging for more and inventing lies when there is nothing left to report.

At the same time they knowingly COVERUP any and all good news or successes going on in Iraq.

Yes, there are a few reporters who have gone outside of the MSM with documentaries and other outlets to get the word out about successes, but the fact they have to go outside the MSM is a sad reminder of what side it has taken.

Why you continue to but your faith and trust in those leaching vampires in the MSM is beyond me.

I happen to know the situation in Iraq quite well

That's a very empty claim, Bahu. Even giving you the benefit of the doubt, you have no reference experience, so the "most brutal" allegation rings rather hollow. Attempts at making our "occupation" of Iraq the equivalent of something like Pol Pot's regime are simply insane political demagoguery.

Attempts at making our "occupation" of Iraq the equivalent of something like Pol Pot's regime are simply insane political demagoguery.

Really. First I did not compare Iraq with the Pol Pot regime. This attempt, Daiwa, is only shadow boxing. Make a claim that I have not made and then atteck it. Second, all over the world there is a feeling of revulsion at what is currently happening in Ia