Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki said Thursday night that he had agreed to relinquish power, a move that came after days of crisis in which his deployment of extra security forces around the capital had raised worries of a military coup.
Mr. Maliki’s decision held out the prospect of a peaceful transition of power, based on democratic elections and without the guiding hand of American military forces, which would be a first in modern Iraq’s troubled history of kings, coups and dictatorships.
His decision to step aside came after heavy pressure from the United States, which has deployed warplanes in Iraq to target Sunni Islamist militants and suggested that more military support would be forthcoming if Mr. Maliki was removed from power. Iran also played a decisive role in convincing Mr. Maliki that he could not stay in power.
Mr. Maliki, 64, agreed to end his legal challenge to the nomination of his replacement, Haider al-Abadi, 62, a member of Mr. Maliki’s own Dawa Party, who was chosen Monday by Iraq’s president.
Friday Reads: The same ol’ Iron Age Tribal hostilities Edition
Posted: August 15, 2014 Filed under: morning reads 62 CommentsGood Morning!
There is so much bad news that it’s almost impossible to deal with it all. Even though the news comes from all over the world, it seems to have some really unifying threads. Unfortunately it’s still pretty much the same things we’ve been dealing with forever. Wars and hatred based on tribal identifications like religion, skin color, and machismo pretty much sums it up. Here are some updates to things we’ve been following.
The news from Iraq is that Maliki will give up his position and power. There is some hope that this will create some sense of unity in a country rapidly splintering into old religions and tribal identifications. All the nations in the region were pretty much invented by Europeans as a by product of colonialism. Much like Eastern Europe’s realignment after Soviet colonialism, the Middle Eastern nations are going back to old tribal identities. However, nations with military sponsorship of the old powers have a distinct advantage.
The Republican Party continues to be the party of white, christian, male, heterosexual primacy. It amazes me that anyone–outside the membership of right wing militias, neoconfederates, and the KKK–can vote for these morons. I certainly would not want to live in a place where they are dominant. It scares me to death that they may take back the senate.
Rep. Steve King appeared on Newsmax TV yesterday, where host J.D. Hayworth asked him about the rising tensions in Ferguson, Missouri and the call by members of the Congressional Black Caucus for the Department of Justice to conduct an independent investigation because of concerns about a history of racial profiling by the local police department.
King, of course, saw no need for such an investigation, claiming that these members of the CBC are basically “saying don’t enforce the law,” linking the issue to the sporadic looting and vandalism that has taken place by asserting that there is no need to racially profile those responsible for those actions because they are all black.
“This idea of no racial profiling,” King said, “I’ve seen the video. It looks to me like you don’t need to bother with that particular factor because they all appear to be of a single origin, I should say, a continental origin might be the way to phrase that.” “I just reject race-based politics, identity politics” King concluded. “I think we’re all God’s children. We all should be held to the same standards and the same level of behavior”:
The Internet continues to be a source of trolling and bullying. I’ve complained several times to Twitter about friends being victimized by threats of violence and rape only to be told that they don’t patrol speech. It seems the bullying of Robin William’s daughter may have finally convinced them that free speech does not include hate speech and physical threats.
Internet trolls bullied Robin Williams’ daughter off of Twitter and Instagram just days after her father’s death. A handful of Twitter users sent Zelda Williams messages on Twitter that blamed her for Robin Williams’ suicide by hanging, as well as pictures of the comedian altered to show bruises around his neck.
As my Washington Post colleague Caitlin Dewey reported, Zelda Williams, 25, said she could not bear the messages and would stay off of Twitter and Instagram for a “good long time.” She also asked her social network followers to petition the company to block two particular accounts that were responsible for the bulk of the abuse. Those accounts have since been removed by Twitter. In a statement, the company said that it will be updating its policies in light of the incident.
“We will not tolerate abuse of this nature on Twitter,” Del Harvey, Twitter’s vice president of trust and safety, said in a statement. “We have suspended a number of accounts related to this issue for violating our rules and we are in the process of evaluating how we can further improve our policies to better handle tragic situations like this one. This includes expanding our policies regarding self-harm and private information, and improving support for family members of deceased users.”
But the messages that forced Zelda Williams offline are just a sliver of the types of abuse many face on Twitter. Imani Gandy, senior legal analyst at the reproductive health publication RH Reality Check, wrote Tuesday about abuse she said she faces on the service every day — in general and from one man, in particular, whom she has been unable to stop.
And of course, guess which tribe of idiots tends to do these things? Speaking of that tribe, welcome to the new MTP,a marginally improved version of the old MTP. How many worn out Republican talking points can one handle on a Sunday Morning?
Gregory won’t get a farewell show. He won’t get to say goodbye on the air. This is all proof that the bosses at NBC have convinced that the show’s problems are all about Gregory. They are going to be in for a rude wake up call if the Chuck Todd era doesn’t bring back the viewers that the show lost after the death of Tim Russert.
In reality, David Gregory is getting what he deserved. He isn’t a political journalist, and his lack of interest in the subject matter showed. Gregory repeated partisan talking points as facts and would let anyone get away with saying any untrue statement. Instead of challenging false statements, Gregory would respond with trademark mmmmhmmm.
Replacing one conventional D.C. talking point machine (Gregory) with another (Todd) likely isn’t the answer.
The fact that NBC has rushed into the Chuck Todd era reveals how desperate the network has become to revive the sagging ratings. It will be the same roster of Republican guests and Beltway journalists on the same set. Neither David Gregory or Chuck Todd is Tim Russert, which is why the ratings for Meet The Press are likely to continue to struggle.
Same old tribe. Did you know that the Washington NFL team is still insisting the name “Redskins” isn’t insulting to any one but just traditional?
The following is a statement by the Washington Redskins on the filing of its appeal related to thedecision of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s action concerning the team name:
Today the Washington Redskins NFL team filed its appeal of the split decision of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (the “Board”) ordering cancellation of the Washington Redskins‘ long-held federal trademark registrations. The appeal is in the form of a complaint, effectively starting the litigation anew, this time in a federal court before a federal judge, and not in the administrative agency that issued the recent split decision.
“We believe that the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ignored both federal case law and the weight of the evidence, and we look forward to having a federal court review this obviously flawed decision,” said Bob Raskopf, trademark attorney for the Washington Redskins.
The Washington Redskins‘ complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, explains why the Court should reverse the Board’s order and properly find that Native Americans did not consider the team name “Washington Redskins” to be disparaging during the relevant time frame of 1967-1990. While the complaint points out the many errors in the Board’s decision, the federal judge may disregard the Board’s decision entirely in conducting its own independent evaluation of the evidence.
The complaint also asks the federal court to consider the serious Constitutional issues that the Board lacked the authority to address. Specifically, by cancelling valuable, decades-old registrations, the Board improperly penalized the Washington Redskins based on the content of the team’s speech in violation of the First Amendment. The complaint also alleges that the team has been unfairly deprived of its valuable and long-held intellectual property rights in violation of the Fifth Amendment.
“The Washington Redskins look forward to all of the issues in the case being heard in federal court under the federal rules of evidence. The team is optimistic that the court will correctly and carefully evaluate the proofs, listen to the arguments, and confirm the validity of the Washington Redskins‘ federal trademark registrations, just as another federal court has already found in a virtually identical case,” Raskopf said.
The University of Mississippi’s decision last week to further distance itself from reminders of its Confederate past prompted opponents of the move to organize a march.
Dozens of people will participate in the event organized by the Mid-South Flaggers on Saturday in Oxford, home to the 170-year-old university’s main campus. It will start at 10 a.m. in the Kroger parking lot.
“Not only are they not presenting the true history, but they’re trying to erase the history that is there,” said organizer Debbie Sidle, whose two sons graduated from Ole Miss and who said the school should preserve the past.
The university has tried to change its reputation in the decades since the deadly 1962 riot sparked by the admission of its first African-American student, James Meredith.
It first banned Confederate flags from sports games, then replaced its iconic Colonel Reb mascot with a black bear. It also erected a statute of Meredith himself, which in February was desecrated with a noose and Georgia state flag with a Confederate logo.
This month’s report recommended further actions to promote greater tolerance and diversity at the state’s largest public institute of higher learning.
Among the changes: Renaming a short street called Confederate Drive to Chapel Lane, creating the new position of vice chancellor of diversity and inclusion and restricting the use of “Ole Miss” to sports and spirit instead of academics.
“Our unique history regarding race provides not only a larger responsibility for providing leadership on race issues, but also a large opportunity — one we should and will embrace,” Chancellor Dan Jones wrote in the report.
But opponents claim the plan is misguided and will chip away at Mississippi’s proud past, which they claim celebrates states’ rights more so than slavery.
“I’m a 40-year-old man. If I don’t start standing up for my heritage, then we’re going to lose it with all this political correctness,” said Kevin Nelm, a Corinth resident who didn’t attend the university but has long supported it.
To students and others offended by Confederate symbols or the term “Ole Miss,” Nelm said, they need to read the history books. Many of the university’s own students left school to fight for the Confederacy, and they should be remembered. “You have people who are so offended by our flag and our heritage, and a lot of time it’s from people who aren’t from here, who weren’t born here or raised here,” said Shannon Hamilton, who will join the march Saturday.
So, it sure would be nice if we could quit repeating the same damned history over and over again. I’m thinking it’s not going to happen any time soon. First, because these guys don’t want to give up their privilege and power. Second, people still believe stupid thing. Third, hate still seems to be an easier emotional choice for some reason. Unfortunately, the hatred these days is backed up by more than spears and a few arrows. What’s on your reading and blogging list today?
peej
Carissa
ecocatwoman
mablue2
Mama Lopez
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
If there is a lesson in any of this, it’s that real change takes a very long time–if in fact it is really possible. Racism, sexism, and religious strife seem almost impossible to wipe out completely. The one area where there seems to be progress is homophobia; but if we wait awhile, there probably will be a backlash to these changes too.
I think tribal identities are rooted in survival. They may be genetically persistent although I’m not sure there’s research to back that up. It seems a good hypotheses however.
I think there’s an evolutionary connection. Humans tend to be driven to help those who are closest to them genetically–family first, then tribe, etc.
That’s really depressing from a societal viewpoint, but definitely true I believe.
We aren’t prisoners of our genes. The child-rearing environment interacts with them in many ways. Basically, “you have to be carefully taught” to be racist, sexist, etc.
Certainly true. Maybe this Ferguson generation will be the last racist one?
That would be nice, wouldn’t it? Not too likely, but maybe they can get a black police chief and some black officers. That would probably help.
The Feds seem to be taking the murder of Michael Brown very seriously.
Wow.
At least they know what they are dealing with in that area.
Ferguson PD releases name of officer who killed Michael Brown. From NPR
Sounds like the PD is trying to smear Brown as a robber. So, of course, he deserved to die. Troubling.
http://gregmitchellwriter.blogspot.com/2014/08/ferguson-perp-named.html
I watched Don Lemon on CNN in Ferguson very early this AM. It looked like the situation was well in hand, calm. Then he did some interviewing with the Ferguson PC prior to the ‘releasing the name’. PC not very bright. Later I missed most of the release interview but what I saw was a PC tap dancing around Don Lemon’s pertinent questions. It was gut wrenching to once again watch another fool so out of touch commit false innuendo to cover unlawful behavior. If this clearly manufactured ‘story’ is allowed to be continued – I have no words. It was good to see a reporter asking the right questions it a professional manner. It seems my country is a nation of fools, liars, haters, not just the pols. The NY protest was encouraging. Unfortunately, my long time Christian Konservative friends don’t agree with me.
Amen Boo! It’s a real mess. The Ferguson cop’s story may as well have a big red ‘LIE’ stamped on it.
There’s been no proof offered that Darren Wilson knew about the robbery tapes when he shot Brown. Not that it would have mattered. Execution for shoplifting cigars?
Oh yes. This is old style racist behavior here. Dixie in the ’50s.
Wesley Lowery live tweeted that police released many pages of info on the alleged robbery, including video stills. They released no reports on the actual shooting of Brown, no autopsy, nothing relevant to the murder.
I’m seeing headlines and column titles all over the internet about “…calls for demilitarization of police forces…” blah blah blah, but very few are talking about race. Let’s be honest, out here in the white suburbs we don’t see many riot shields or body armor. The police are militarized but they are militarized against people of color, they are not riding around in mine-resistant vehicles in my neighborhood.
We saw them in the Boston suburbs after the Boston bombing, but I get your point. White citizens in Watertown did get thrown out of their homes, their houses searched, and bullets fired into their homes though.
In the late 1960s, I saw police in body armor with riot shields and helmets in Harvard Square and Boston. It was pretty terrifying even back then before local police got military hardware.
Still I totally agree that the Ferguson story is all about race. Period.
Police in body armor, riot shields, helmets, and the whole kit were in Seattle during the WTO protests. Protestors were mainly white.
Agree that Ferguson is about young male walking while black.
The Day Ferguson Cops Were Caught in a Bloody Lie. The officers got the wrong man, but charged him anyway—with getting his blood on their uniforms. How the Ferguson PD ran the town where Michael Brown was gunned down.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/15/the-day-ferguson-cops-were-caught-in-a-bloody-lie.html
Politicians, especially those on the right but the left is not without culpability, have effectively neutralized the Sunday talks. Who watches them anymore, and why would you? They troll the talks just like they troll the blogs and hijack conversations with repeated talking points. The tame “journalists” on the talks are more interested in keeping their jobs so they can keep the kids in private schools and the house on The Vineyard, so they never challenge the lies. I forget where I just heard or read it recently about the media, “Fill it up with blather, and everyone will stop paying attention.” Worked like a charm.
Oh, yeah this crap goes back to early colonies in this country. Back then they wiped out the savages, today they wipe out the animals, so they say. Ferguson is about race, and just how bad it is when white people are in control, and how they get away with profiling blacks, and killing young black men. Something is wrong, wrong with this mornings report from the Chief. Why in the hell didn’t they release info on the day this all came down.
If they had any real negative information on Michael Brown, it would have been released immediately not several days later. That story is almost certain garbage.
I think they’ve screwed up so badly on this that anything is possible.
I still haven’t even seen a photo of Darren Wilson. I did see one person claim he is black, which would make things even worse.
He appears to be a rookie cop.
He’s a 6-year veteran, according to the chief. Is that considered a rookie? I really don’t know.
They have 4 years on NBC.
This is a great post at Digby’s blog on how readers can influence the media narrative in stories about protesters.
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2014/08/whats-media-strategy-of-ferguson.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
I just got hit in the gut, when a old friend’s kid, now an adult (mid 30’s) with children, called the protestors fucking animals, and said the journalist had no business there in the first place.
This country has fucked up big time.
Wow. I hope you game him or her a piece of your mind!
Fannie, that is unbelievable.
Hell yeah. Bring it on.
The Independent: Huge asteroid that ‘could end human life’ defying gravity as it moves towards Earth, scientists say
Oh well . . .
Maybe that would end my student loans too.
lol, mine too.
That’s four witnesses now, and they all say Brown was shot while running away.
The cop murdered the kid, unless all 4 witnesses are lying.
That would be good trick, since none of them knew each other before they told their stories. I hope the Justice Department will be made aware of this new witness.
Oh I know. I think the murder is virtually a sure thing. Convicting the guy will be something else though, I have high hopes.
This is worth reading.
ColorLines: What White St. Louis Says About Ferguson
The people in Julia Ioffe’s story sound like they are from Mississipi in about 1960.
Isn’t it terrible? I don’t think most people I know here would be like that, not around me anyway.
Southern rednecks do not change
There Is A Man In Texas Who Has Been Imprisoned 34 Years Without A Conviction
This beats anything I have ever read about the judicial system!
Young woman describes frightening encounter with Darren Wilson
http://colorlines.com/archives/2014/08/officer_darren_wilson_to_young_woman_shut_the_f_up_sit_the_f_down.html
Sign Bill’s birthday card…
Ralph, you get to the first dance………come on boy, Texas 3 steps. First time in 100 Years Texas History, Perry’s been indicted! Fuckin’ Far Out.
That’s some good news!
Raw Story: San Jose police fatally shoot woman, 19, after mistaking power drill for a gun
A cordless drill does not remotely look like an Uzi. This kind of killing happens out of unreasonable fear on the part of the police.
Did you hear that Rick Perry has been indicted for abuse of power? I’ll try to find a link.
OOPS!!!!!!
Texas Governor Rick Perry indicted by grand jury
http://kxan.com/2014/08/15/texas-governor-rick-perry-indicted-by-grand-jury/
Those are serious felony charges!
Hey! It’s Friday night and party time! Bye-bye, Perry!
Not a good sign for Georgia when people use its flag to desecrate a statue…
Even if it’s probably an older version (but only from 10-15 years ago or so)