Iraq's new leader was a terrorist. And we paid him to kill.

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See the Bush in 30 Seconds Ad produced by Mike Cuenca.

Iraq's new leader was a terrorist. And we paid him to kill.

By Mike Cuenca | June 28, 2004

Even as we're having to accept that our government has perhaps authorized torture, now we have to face more evidence of the possibility that our government has also knowingly sponsored terrorism.

When the U.S. handed over "sovereignty" to the Iraqi Governing Council on June 28, they gave the reins to Iyad Allawi, who early in June, the Bush administration had appointed as the new prime minister of Iraq. According to a recent article in the New York Times, "several former intelligence officials" say that during the 1990s Allawi was head of an anti-Saddam terrorism group that was sponsored by the CIA. The article in the Times was published June 8, 2004 and was titled "THE REACH OF WAR: NEW PREMIER; Ex-C.I.A. Aides Say Iraq Leader Helped Agency in 90's Attacks."

According to the article, the group detonated "car bombs and other explosive devices" in Baghdad. During that time period, according to the article, the Iraqi government claimed that one bomb exploded in a movie theater, killing civilians.

My favorite quote in the article is attributed to "an American intelligence officer who worked with Dr. Allawi in the early 1990's." The intelligence officer is quoted as saying that "no one had any problem with sabotage in Baghdad back then." I don't think that's true. I'm sure that many Americans, if asked, would have objected. I know I would have.

According to the article, Allawi was a former Baath Party member who founded an anti-Saddam group in 1990 with Salih Omar Ali al-Tikriti, a man who was so reprehensible even to the CIA that they refused to work with Allawi unless he "severed his relationship with Tikriti." Considering that the article said Allawi has a history of espionage, sabotage, and deception, one must wonder how they could trust that he truly did "sever" the relationship with Tikriti.

So now we can say we deposed a dictator and imposed a known terrorist in Iraq. Allawi's terrorist attacks may have been against Saddam Hussein, but it was still terrorism. And if we paid for it, we're all responsible. If we remain silent, we're duplicitous.

On some days, it's hard to be proud of our country.

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Media Analysis
We need more journalists like Moore When mainstream journalists condemn Michael Moore for only telling one side of the story, they're forgetting they've only told one side of the story. Oops, they did it again By inflating the importance of Kerry's supposed flip-flops and dismissing Cheney's drag on the GOP ticket, Paula Zahn and Joe Klein show us just how easy it is for mainstream journalists to slant their coverage for the President. No copyright Bradbury is upset, but titles aren't protected by copyright. Hard reality Americans should look at those pictures from Fallujah Oppressive labeling Maureen Dowd proves that even professional women often diss other professional women.

Media Analysis

We need more journalists like Moore

When mainstream journalists condemn Michael Moore for only telling one side of the story, they're forgetting they've only told one side of the story.

Oops, they did it again

By inflating the importance of Kerry's supposed flip-flops and dismissing Cheney's drag on the GOP ticket, Paula Zahn and Joe Klein show us just how easy it is for mainstream journalists to slant their coverage for the President.

No copyright

Bradbury is upset, but titles aren't protected by copyright.

Hard reality

Americans should look at those pictures from Fallujah

Oppressive labeling

Maureen Dowd proves that even professional women often diss other professional women.

Culture and Identity
Geraldine the dinosaur Shamefully, Ms. Ferraro is also helping perpetuate the bigoted idea that minority men and women don't get ahead unless we make an exception and give them a job for which they're not qualified. Silent complicity Remaining silent in the face of crimes against humanity and the U.S. Constitution is just the same as stating approval. Silent assent Now arguing that we must protect Fred Phelps' right to express "offensive" speech, when the rights of so many have been violated for so long, merely sounds like support for Phelps' hateful message. Yellow journalism Other teachers and professors in Kansas teach courses that place intelligent design in a religious or mythological context. Why did one Kansas University professor get singled out for ridicule? Best intentions gone bad A Lawrence, Kansas, educational group is using a puppet to teach children to avoid potential sexual abuse. It's a great idea, but why is the puppet obviously Hispanic?

Culture and Identity

Geraldine the dinosaur

Shamefully, Ms. Ferraro is also helping perpetuate the bigoted idea that minority men and women don't get ahead unless we make an exception and give them a job for which they're not qualified.

Silent complicity

Remaining silent in the face of crimes against humanity and the U.S. Constitution is just the same as stating approval.

Silent assent

Now arguing that we must protect Fred Phelps' right to express "offensive" speech, when the rights of so many have been violated for so long, merely sounds like support for Phelps' hateful message.

Yellow journalism

Other teachers and professors in Kansas teach courses that place intelligent design in a religious or mythological context. Why did one Kansas University professor get singled out for ridicule?

Best intentions gone bad

A Lawrence, Kansas, educational group is using a puppet to teach children to avoid potential sexual abuse. It's a great idea, but why is the puppet obviously Hispanic?

Human Rights
Silent complicity Remaining silent in the face of crimes against humanity and the U.S. Constitution is just the same as stating approval. Allawi the murderer? New Iraqi prime minister reported to have summarily executed several suspected insurgents. U.S. sponsoring terrorism? According to the New York Times, Iraq's new prime minister was a CIA-paid terrorist in the 1990s. Explaining 'Democracy' The war crimes and other abuses in Iraq make for a hard time convincing people we're an honorable country. Buck can't stop at Rumsfeld The President has reminded us time and again that he's Commander in Chief of the military.

Human Rights

Silent complicity

Remaining silent in the face of crimes against humanity and the U.S. Constitution is just the same as stating approval.

Allawi the murderer?

New Iraqi prime minister reported to have summarily executed several suspected insurgents.

U.S. sponsoring terrorism?

According to the New York Times, Iraq's new prime minister was a CIA-paid terrorist in the 1990s.

Explaining 'Democracy'

The war crimes and other abuses in Iraq make for a hard time convincing people we're an honorable country.

Buck can't stop at Rumsfeld

The President has reminded us time and again that he's Commander in Chief of the military.

US Politics
Geraldine the dinosaur Shamefully, Ms. Ferraro is also helping perpetuate the bigoted idea that minority men and women don't get ahead unless we make an exception and give them a job for which they're not qualified. Bring 'Em On My "He Lied" TV commercial for MoveOn's Bush in 30 Seconds contest was too controversial in the climate of the time, but now the message in it is becoming more widely accepted. Power balance Don't let anyone convince you that the Kansas Supreme Court overstepped its authority when it ruled the school funding plan unconstitutional. Don't count your chickens, GW. You may think you know who won the presidential election, but you may be wrong. Who's your president? UC statistical study proves increase in Bush support in Florida was 99.9% likely the result of the deliberate manipulation of the totals from electronic voting machines.

US Politics

Geraldine the dinosaur

Shamefully, Ms. Ferraro is also helping perpetuate the bigoted idea that minority men and women don't get ahead unless we make an exception and give them a job for which they're not qualified.

Bring 'Em On

My "He Lied" TV commercial for MoveOn's Bush in 30 Seconds contest was too controversial in the climate of the time, but now the message in it is becoming more widely accepted.

Power balance

Don't let anyone convince you that the Kansas Supreme Court overstepped its authority when it ruled the school funding plan unconstitutional.

Don't count your chickens, GW.

You may think you know who won the presidential election, but you may be wrong.

Who's your president?

UC statistical study proves increase in Bush support in Florida was 99.9% likely the result of the deliberate manipulation of the totals from electronic voting machines.

Civil Rights
Silent assent Now arguing that we must protect Fred Phelps' right to express "offensive" speech, when the rights of so many have been violated for so long, merely sounds like support for Phelps' hateful message. Yellow journalism Other teachers and professors in Kansas teach courses that place intelligent design in a religious or mythological context. Why did one Kansas University professor get singled out for ridicule? Best intentions gone bad A Lawrence, Kansas, educational group is using a puppet to teach children to avoid potential sexual abuse. It's a great idea, but why is the puppet obviously Hispanic? Nothing new Who could possibly be surprised that Kansas is overpopulated with bigots? Who started it? Bush has a lot of nerve blaming the NAACP for his decision to ignore them and their convention.

Civil Rights

Silent assent

Now arguing that we must protect Fred Phelps' right to express "offensive" speech, when the rights of so many have been violated for so long, merely sounds like support for Phelps' hateful message.

Yellow journalism

Other teachers and professors in Kansas teach courses that place intelligent design in a religious or mythological context. Why did one Kansas University professor get singled out for ridicule?

Best intentions gone bad

A Lawrence, Kansas, educational group is using a puppet to teach children to avoid potential sexual abuse. It's a great idea, but why is the puppet obviously Hispanic?

Nothing new

Who could possibly be surprised that Kansas is overpopulated with bigots?

Who started it?

Bush has a lot of nerve blaming the NAACP for his decision to ignore them and their convention.

Anti-War
Bad analogies The administration must articulate policies that will put us in a leadership position in the 21st century, not a muddled ideology that threatens to plunge us back into the early 20th century. Heroes Pat Tillman could have been so much more than the empty symbol they are turning him into. He could have been a genuine hero, not simply a dead one. Double standards, doublespeak Rice says we didn't have solid enough evidence to respond to 9/11. But we didn't wait for solid evidence to attack Iraq. Dissing our troops Right-wingers love to proclaim their "support for the troops," but they fail to put their money where their rhetoric is. Where's the outrage? How dare those Army Reserve wives want their husbands home.

Anti-War

Bad analogies

The administration must articulate policies that will put us in a leadership position in the 21st century, not a muddled ideology that threatens to plunge us back into the early 20th century.

Heroes

Pat Tillman could have been so much more than the empty symbol they are turning him into. He could have been a genuine hero, not simply a dead one.

Double standards, doublespeak

Rice says we didn't have solid enough evidence to respond to 9/11. But we didn't wait for solid evidence to attack Iraq.

Dissing our troops

Right-wingers love to proclaim their "support for the troops," but they fail to put their money where their rhetoric is.

Where's the outrage?

How dare those Army Reserve wives want their husbands home.

Economic Justice
Greed ain't good. I don't understand how people can believe that the wealthy should be allowed to continue to hoard even more than they already have. Carrying the wealthy The disclosure of the tax returns of the President and Vice President reveals what the American public should remember Getting rich takes money Wealth is obtained through profit, not hard work. Too many people around the world can attest to that. Capitalists and higher ed Somebody gets rich when social programs are privatized. It's not society. Women are not worth less than men Women are making 34% less than men in the same jobs. Why don't more men care?

Economic Justice

Greed ain't good.

I don't understand how people can believe that the wealthy should be allowed to continue to hoard even more than they already have.

Carrying the wealthy

The disclosure of the tax returns of the President and Vice President reveals what the American public should remember

Getting rich takes money

Wealth is obtained through profit, not hard work. Too many people around the world can attest to that.

Capitalists and higher ed

Somebody gets rich when social programs are privatized. It's not society.

Women are not worth less than men

Women are making 34% less than men in the same jobs. Why don't more men care?

Environmental Justice
Yes, for a tree Some people just don't understand the value of the natural world.