Bitey the Shark |
|
|
Not all who wander are lost...
Send comments to: biteytheshark@hotmail.com
Required Reading:
Winning Badly Archives Links:
International Herald Tribune
|
Monday, March 31, 2003
THE TRUTH HURTS... So Peter Arnett goes on Iraqi TV, doesn't call Saddam Hitler, fails to call Bush a savior, and now he gets fired. People are jumping all over Arnett and calling him a traitor, but have these people even read what he said? What exactly did he say that wasn't either absolutely true, or at worst, his own objective opinion? Let's play a little game here. Below is the transcript of Arnett's much-maligned comments. Let's take a close look at each passage and see if what he said is really all that off the mark. In italics are my questions or comments. IRAQI TV HOST: Welcome in Baghdad, and our people know you, know your reports to CNN in 1991. Let us start with a question about the general image that you look now in Iraq. ARNETT: Well, I'd like to say from the beginning that the 12 years I've been coming here, I've met unfailing courtesy and cooperation. Courtesy from your people, and cooperation from the Ministry of Information, which has allowed me and many other reporters to cover 12 whole years since the Gulf War with a degree of freedom which we appreciate. And that is continuing today. (This is clearly something that only Arnett can speak to. Only Arnett can attest to how he has been treated over the past 12 years. Certainly the Iraqi Ministry of Information has played petty politics with who is has allowed to remain in Baghdad over the years and who it ejected from the country. Does this make them evil? If so, didn't the NYSE just deny admittance to al Jazeera staffers? Doesn't that make Wall Street evil?) HOST: (Translates into Arabic) ARNETT: In answer to your question, it is clear that within the United States there is growing challenge to President Bush about the conduct of the war and also opposition to the war. So our reports about civilian casualties here, about the resistance of the Iraqi forces, are going back to the United States. It helps those who oppose the war when you challenge the policy to develop their arguments. (If you've watched most American media coverage the past few days, you would see that Arnett is right. Americans thought this was going to be a cakewalk. Americans are now questioning what out leaders have gotten us into. This not only gives protesters and doves ammunition, it gives the mainstream media fuel to throw on the fire. You don't believe me? Pick up the Newsweek Special Report that hit newsstands today... on the cover..."How Bloody?") HOST: (in Arabic) ARNETT: One other point. I've been mainly in Baghdad in the past few weeks. But, clearly this is a city that is disciplined, the population is responsive to the government's requirements of discipline and my Iraqi friends tell me there is a growing sense of nationalism and resistance to what the United States and Britain are doing. (Arguable. Surely some of the population is "responsive to the governments requirements of discipline" because the fear for their lives, but that doesn't explain away all levels of Iraqi resistance. Take the suicide bombers as an example. You can't tell me that Iraqis are agreeing to become suicide bombers because they fear that if they don't, Saddam and his henchmen will kill them!) HOST: (In Arabic first) What have you seen until now, have you been to some of these places where civilian casualties have been seen during these two days? ARNETT: Yeah, I think American policy and strategy is the weakest when it comes to the Iraqi people. The U.S. administration is concerned with the possibility of killing civilians, because the international community is very concerned about the Iraqi people. President Bush says he is concerned about the Iraqi people, but if Iraqi people are dying in numbers, then American policy will be challenged very strongly. (Again arguable: U.S. policy might not be the weakest when it comes to what to do about Iraqi civilians (either during the conflict or after), but it is also not the strongest. Have we taken great care to reduce civilian casualties? Yes, absolutely and Bush and the military should be commended for that. But do we really have any cohesive plan as to what to do with all those same civilians once the conflict ends?) HOST: (In Arabic) ARNETT: For that reason, the Pentagon keeps saying that the civilian casualties, particularly in Baghdad in the last three or four days, at the market places -- the Pentagon says -- well they are Iraqi missiles that land amongst the people. They keep saying that, but of course the Iraqi government says they are clearly cruise missiles that hit the population. (Arguable: I can't say for certain who launched the ordinance that hit those Iraqi markets, but as of right now neither can Rumsfeld or Franks.) HOST: (In Arabic) ARNETT: For that reason the Pentagon keeps saying that maybe it is an Iraqi missile that hit the population and not a U.S. Whenever I gave a report on civilian casualties on CNN (in the first Gulf War) the Pentagon and the Bush administration got very angry and called me a traitor. (True: And judging from its treatment of Arnett over the past 24 hours, this Bush administration reacts to reports of civilian casualties with similar disdain.) HOST: (In Arabic) ARNETT: However, when missiles hit the Al-Maria shelter in early February of 1991, killing nearly 400 women and children, the Bush administration had to admit that they were responsible. And when that happened, there was a different attitude to the war. They had to try and complete the war fast, because the world criticized that bombing very severely. (True.) HOST: (In Arabic) ARNETT: Clearly, the American war planners misjudged the determination of the Iraqi forces. (Absolute fact: If my comments in an earlier post about not planning to enter Basra til we were invited aren't enough to sway you, simply read the comments of Army Lieut. General William Wallace). HOST: (In Arabic) ARNETT: And I personally do not understand how that happened, because I've been here many times and in my commentaries on television I would tell the Americans about the determination of the Iraqi forces, the determination of the government, and the willingness to fight for their country. But me, and others who felt the same way were not listened to by the Bush administration. (True: Arnett has reported from Baghdad for quite some time. He has always been rather cautionary in his tone when reporting on the mindset of the Iraqi people. Does anyone really question whether or not this Bush administration listened to him?) HOST: (In Arabic) ARNETT: That is why now America is re-appraising the battlefield, delaying the war, maybe a week, and re-writing the war plan. The first war plan has failed because of Iraqi resistance now they are trying to write another war plan. (Arguable: It may be too early to use such a word as failure, but Arnett is not the only one making these statements. Rumsfeld is on the hot seat for using a reduced force. Cheney is being ridiculed for his "the Iraqi people will welcome us as liberators" prediction.) HOST: Yeah. (Speaks in Arabic) Mr. Arnett Thank you very much. (Speaks in Arabic) So, all in all, what exactly did Arnett say that wasn't true, or at the very worst arguable? Did he tell any lies and state them as fact? Someone once said that "the truth shall set you free". Peter Arnett wasn't the first and won't be the last to learn that when America is in a fight "the truth may get you fired". Thursday, March 27, 2003
GO CATS!!! I'm not a Kentucky basketball fan. I've never been a Kentucky basketball fan. Heck, I've never even been to Kentucky! But as far as I'm concerned, I hope Kentucky goes all the way (... or maybe loses to Butler in the final), because the longer they last in the tournament, the more I get of this. YOU MEAN THERE'S SAND IN THE IRAQI DESERT? I read this article about U.S. troops wearing green camouflage instead of desert brown and just about hit the floor laughing. Apparently "the Pentagon simply goofed by not anticipating the demand for sand-colored desert fatigues." Did the outbreak of this war sneak up on the Department of Defense? Billions and billions on bombs, but not enough foresight to buy the right dresses for the ball? Giving BiteyTheShark and extra "huh?", was this pathetic attempt at spin... "Military leaders insist that the shortage of desert BDUs will not affect the safety of American soldiers. They point out that Iraq's terrain is not entirely Sahara-like, and that green camouflage may actually work better near the banks of the Euphrates River, where vegetation and mud are present." SSSSSure!!! Wednesday, March 26, 2003
ANOTHER GLORIOUS MOMENT FOR U.S. MILITARY INTELLIGENCE??? So let me get this straight... The U.S. war plan was to invade Iraq, but not send any soldiers into Basra (Iraq's second-largest city) until they were invited in by the locals to provide humanitarian relief? Unbelievable! If these military and intelligence gurus were planning an invasion of the U.S., would they not enter Los Angeles until some silicone-endowed babe invited them to help her spread her suntan oil? ENOUGH ABOUT LAST WEEKEND... So yes, last weekend's hoops madness was awesome, but who can help but be salivating over the action the next four days are gonna bring. Lotsa, lotsa classic matchups. So without any further discussion... BiteyTheShark's predictions! Appointment television... Arizona over Notre Dame (Though it breaks my heart) Duke over Kansas (Though my head says this game is really a pick 'em) Connecticut over Texas (Okafor over Ford) Michigan State over Maryland (Izzo is just a classier coach) Butler over Oklahoma (I love Hollis Price, but I gotta pull for the 'Rella) Yawn... Kentucky over Wisconsin (Lotsa speed in blue) Pitt over Marquette (Pitt's bulk opened my eyes) Syracuse over Auburn (Wake me when it's over) FINAL FOUR Kentucky, Arizona, Connecticut and Butler (Let's go little man!!!) Tuesday, March 25, 2003
THESE BOMBS, NOT THOSE BOMBS... I'm not afraid to say that I am ecstatic about the NCAA going ahead with the March Madness hoops tourney. If anything, it provides me with an escape from 24/7 Iraq coverage. On top of that, this tournament has been amazing. I can't remember a tournament with so many close games and thrilling endings. The highlight so far has to be the double-overtime instant classic between Arizona and Gonzaga. I was watching the game with this crazy crew of buddies I hang out with sometimes. We were pre-funking at my apartment, before heading out to $12 all-you-can-drink at this tiny D.C. bar called My Brother's Place (...what a great name for a hole in the wall bar!). We were at least an hour late for the beer-drinking festivities. I didn't think anything could keep or delay these guys from $12 all-you-can-drink night. Zona vs. Zaga did! The only thing bad about the Zona-Zaga game, is that it has overshadowed the Butler-Louisville shoot out that took place less than 24 hours later. I can honsetly say that I have not seen such clutch shooting since the Duke vs. Kentucky game in 1992. Early on, Louisville looked ready to blow the Bulldogs out, but Todd Lickliter and his squad stayed calm and climbed back into it. Then the second half started. While Reese Gaines and Francisco Garcia put on highlight reel performances, the whole Butler squad played the best 20 minutes of team basketball I have ever seen. You would think that with Louisville shooting 44% from three-point land, they would have cruised. Not when Butler shot 64%. That's right, 64%... from three-point land. Almost as impressive was the turnover numbers... Butler 12, Louisville 14. Point guard Brandon Miller put on a ball-handling clinic. Joel Cornette was a force inside. But the story of the night was Darnell Archey, who finished with 26 points, including 8 of 9 from three-point land. At one point, I'm pretty sure I saw Rick Pitino putting two guys on Archey to deny him the ball. I'm not talking two guys to defend him and stop him from shooting, I'm talking two guys to stop him from getting the ball. Then when they did that, Mike Monserez stepped up and tossed in 4 of 7 rally-killers from behind the arch. To see all five guys in the zone like that left me "shocked and awed". Was it a hair less special than the Zona vs. Zaga game... maybe. But the more time I spend trying to decide that, the less I spend thinking about bombs over Baghdad. WHAT A SHOCKER... News like this used to anger me, but now it just makes me sad. It saddens me because it just makes me want to give up on the whole American political system. Dirty politicians are everywhere. We all know that. Whether it was an obscure piece of pork, or a friendly tax loop-hole, at least past Administrations (both Reps and Dems) tried to hide the filth and corruption. These guys are so in-your-face about the good ol' boys network it's insulting. Monday, March 24, 2003
OSCAR NIGHT... BiteyTheShark caught a bit of the Oscars last night... A lot of people are hammering Michael Moore on the speech he made when accepting his Oscar. It didn't really bother me. Whether he is pro-war or anti-war, that time up on stage is his moment. He can spend it however he chooses. Those people that have a problem with him utilizing his right to free speech should simply hurry up and win an Oscar. Then they can speak from the same podium. For BiteyTheShark, the moment of the night was Adrien Brody's acceptance of the Best Actor award. Talk about must see T.V. He hit all the right notes. Sexy kiss, witty self-deprecation, a somber thank you, firm disregard for time limits, and sober prayers for a friend and the world. Having seen The Pianist, I shouldn't have been surprised to see all that from Brody. The first 45 minutes of the film seem cliched, but the last two hours are what historical movie-making is all about. It is a testament to Brody's skills that this improvement takes place only after the supporting cast disappears and focus shifts solely to his character. Not only does Brody have it, but he showed last night that he gets it. SHE HAS ME AT GOOD BYE...... Am I the only person who can see Renee Zellweger getting uglier by the second? Jesus honey... mix in a Big Mac every once in a while! Sunday, March 23, 2003
PROPAGANDA??? I'm very troubled by the decision being made by western "news" organization not to air the footage of American solidiers killed and captured in Iraq. To me, that decision costitutes western propaganda. These same organizations (CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, etc) like to poke fun at the propaganda efforts of Iraqi television, but by not airing the controversial footage, they are actively glossing over the ugly price soldiers have to pay in this police action. Show Americans the truth. Show them images like these of the soldiers and this of civilians. What are they afraid of? Afraid those approval ratings for this whole thing might take a nose dive? Battle is bitter and battle is gory. That's exactly why these agencies should show the video footage. Show the people that military action is not just bombs and high-tech annihilation of a distant enemy. It has very real and has very human consequences. Disturb people into not wanting to go to war. Friday, March 21, 2003
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE??? Seems to me that way too many people are giving credence to the whole "now that the war has started, the time for speaking against it is over" line of thinking. What the hell is this all about? Does the commencement of hostilities mean a cessation of free speech. NBA star David Robinson is no politician, but he is a respected Navy guy. Here is what he had to say... "I get a little bit upset. The time for debate is really beforehand. Obviously history will speak on whether this was the right thing or the wrong thing, but right now (the soldiers) are out there. Support 'em. There's plenty of time for commentary later." So does that mean that no matter how long the violence continues, no one should question it until it is over. By that measure, were all Vietnam protests improper? Better yet, is talk about the Israel-Palestine struggle uncouth? Those soldiers are out there fighting. Support them and don't ask any questions? Thursday, March 20, 2003
HOPING FOR MORE TIMOTHY MCVEIGH'S... (Note: Though I wrote this post Monday night, problems with blogger prevented me from posting it until now. Sorry for the delay.) September 11th, 2001. 1:00pm Eastern Standard Time. Most Americans sat huddled around television trying to come to grips with the horror that had befallen their great nation. It was too early to think about the future. Who could blame them. Dealing with the present was a mighty task. I stood slack-jawed at Cafe Le Paris in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, trying to make sense of looped footage of the second airliner barreling into the World Trade Center. I had wandered into Cafe Le Paris in an attempt to make sense of the confusing bits of broken information Parisians had shared with me on the metro and at the Montparnesse train station. "The World Trade Center blew up". "A plane flew into the towers and blew them up". "No, no, no... it wasn't the World Trade Center. It was the Pentagon." "Kaput!" I was thinking Cessnas, or maybe a rogue fighter jet. One plane blew up two towers? How could that be? Cafe Le Paris wasn't my first stop on my quest for answers. I tried a supermarket that had internet.... no service. A corner market... nothing useful. What drew me to Cafe Le Paris was a sign in the window advertising an internet kiosk within. No sooner had I asked the bartender where the kiosk was, did I realize I wouldn't be needing it. Frozen right in the center of the bar, my eyes locked on the tiny television in the upper corner of the bar. I said not a word, and moved not a muscle. Over and over, the footage was repeated. Real-time, slow-motion, it made no difference. I was at a loss. I was awaken from my personal, yet distant nightmare by a young woman who was sitting at a table near the television with a vibrant young couple. "Are you an American?" "Yes, I am." "Can you understand what is going on?" Not even realizing the television announcers were speaking French, I replied, "No, but I can pretty much figure it out." "Would you like me to translate it for you?" "Sure." And with that, I joined Magdalena from Finland and Morgan and Annette from Sweden. Immediately they asked if I had loved ones in the towers. No, but I had family in the Washington, D.C. area. "Have you been able to reach them," Morgan asked. "No, I came here to try e-mail.." "Please, use my cell phone," Morgan offered. "Try to reach your family." After initially declining, I reconsidered and decided to dial for home. My tearful mother answered. "Mom, is our family okay?" "We've heard from your brother Dan and he is fine. But we haven't heard from your cousin Matt." Matt was a consultant who worked with the Department of Defense, but he only actually worked on-site at the Pentagon two days a week. I could only hope Tuesday was not one of those days. I kept my conversation with Mom brief. Afterall, there wasn't much to say. I was in Paris. Would be on a train to Madrid at midnight. And would eventually end up in Sevilla by the next evening. If more attacks were to follow, she would know that unless they occurred in those cities, I was safe. I hung up the phone, thanked Morgan profusely, and asked Magdalena to begin explaining some of the scattered details the French newsperson was dispersing. Four planes; two in the towers, one in the Pentagon, and one near Pittsburgh. At first I was confused. The only television angle I had seen, was one where the second tower was hidden behind the first. This gave the illusion that the second plane had crashed into a tower that was already burning. Soon I saw a new angle and absorbed a clearer truth. My new friends had finished eating before Magdalena initially approached me. When I noticed this, I told them they didn't have to remain in the Cafe on account of me. They would have none of it. Morgan recognized that I was reeling and stressed that they would stay with me as long as I was at the Cafe. The fact that I would be there for three or four more hours while awaiting a night train only emboldened them. "We can not leave you alone on a night like this," Morgan declared. "We will stay here and talk with you". Our conversation explored the farthest reaches of our collective minds. They inquired about how Americans would be feeling. What we would be thinking. Morgan likened the pain to what he felt when his grandfather had died in a ferry accident crossing from Sweden to Latvia. His anguish over that experience was only tempered by the fact that his grandfather was a very old man. Morgan reasoned that he had lived a long and happy life. Though hundreds went to a watery grave that day, Morgan knew this day of terror was different. The death toll in America was not yet tallied, but this was a tragic day for the globe. One that was producing a pain none of us had experienced before. It wasn't long before an image of Osama bin Laden flashed on the screen. I recognized him and Magdalena explained that he was a suspect, but it was too early to be sure. This forced our conversation to turn to what we thought America would do next. I expressed hope that bin Laden had nothing to do with the day’s horror. I was hoping no Arab or foreign organization was behind the suicide hijackings. I was hoping that it was a militia group from within the U.S. I was hoping for a whole team of Timothy McVeigh’s! "Why do you hope this was done by your own people?" Morgan inquired. "Because I’m against thousands of people dying, no matter where they come from or what their religion. Someone is going to pay for this. As un-American as it may sound, I’d rather this be the work of a violent group from within the States. If that is the case, then the massive bloodshed is likely over. The FBI will hunt them down. But if another nation or terrorist group is behind this, a slaughter will commence. Innocent people will die." "But wouldn’t America be ashamed if an American did this to his own people?" Morgan countered. "Perhaps, but shame never killed thousands of innocent people." March 17, 2003 8:25pm Eastern Standard Time Bush just finished delivering his ultimatum for Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq within 48 hours. So the clock is ticking, and I’m no longer in Paris. I’m in Washington, D.C. Over the past year and a half, I’ve probably been among the strongest in terms of mentally keeping events in perspective and my fears in check. That all stopped yesterday. Now, I am living in a target city. It’s no longer if, but when and how. Many believe that "hoping for a team of Timothy McVeigh's" is blasphemous. I ask those poeple this one simple question. When you go to bed tonight, what would you be thinking about if September 11th had been the work of domestic terrorists. The guilty would likely be incarcerated. Sure, we’d probably be suffering through a presidential scandal involving Enron, but at least Americans would feel safe. Global attention might be focused on improving the planet, rather than how to slow the demise of it. I shared the above story of my September 11th in Paris, because having been there that night has provided me with a sense of clarity about the terrorism that people who spent that night in the States can not fully comprehend. Killing is terror, and only breeds more of the same. Comforted by strangers from Finland and Sweden, I realized that patriotism is a load of bullocks. We are all citizens of this planet. Crystalized was the notion that the sooner we all realize that, the better off we will be. I recall that night in Paris for one more reason. With regard to hope, that evening was such a contrast to the way I feel tonight. Despite all the atrocious events of that day, I look back fondly on my hours spent at Café Le Paris that evening. When Magdalena, Morgan, Annette and I bid our farewells, we did so with smiles of newfound friendship and hope on our faces. Hope that a team of Timothy McVeigh’s might rescue us from the future we all so feared. Wednesday, March 19, 2003
DID ABC NEWS MISS THE MEMO??? You would think that tonight, of all nights, the major news outfits would have their best staff ready to go on the air at a moment's notice. Apparently ABC News didn't think so. When the first cruise missiles slammed into Baghdad, CNN had their A-Team rolling. Dan Rather was at the ready on CBS. ABC News sure brought their heavyweight... Katy Textor. Yes, Ms. Textor was the face ABC News used to greet hostilities. This is not intended to be a knock on her, but obviously Ms. Textor is merely a White House producer who must have been the only ABC staffer anywhere near the briefing room. After she and Chris Wallace stumbled unprepared through 10 minutes of erroneous graphics and guessful banter, Wallace mercifully through it to Peter Jennings in New York. Adding insult to injury, Jennings wasn't on the air for 5 seconds before he lied to the American public. "I've been here all along Chris, just monitoring events to see if this was, in fact, the beginning of an attack." Sure you were there Peter. I believe you. How was dinner? I WONDER IF OTHER PEOPLE THINK… … I’ve mentioned in this space before how all the construction cranes around Washington, D.C. seemingly make it the District of Cranes. How secure are these cranes? Seems to me they would represent a veritable sprinkler system for chemical weapons. … If CBS decided to stick with its coverage of the NCAA basketball tournament, instead of going with wall-to-wall Iraq coverage, they would dominate the ratings war. I know the credibility of their news division would suffer, but CBS lost the news war a long time ago. People who want Iraq coverage 24/7 are going to CNN anyway. Why not show the games and just have Dan Rather do Iraq updates at the top and bottom of every hour. They won’t admit it, but I’m sure some CBS executives are quietly wishing political correctness would let them go with the games. …Subways and bridges people… subways and bridges. … Why is it that if I screw up terribly at my job, I get fired, but if national security people screw up, they get more money? This question was born out of September 11th. Clearly, national security folks screwed the pooch on many, many levels. Yet, to my knowledge, no one was fired. Incredibly, Congress saw fit to give these people MORE money! More money wouldn’t have prevented September 11th, logical thinking would have. Case in point: the attack on the Pentagon. That plane struck 45 minutes after the first airliner hit the first World Trade Tower. In that time, no one thought it would have been a good idea to launch some fighters in the air over Washington? People excuse this and say it is “post-9/11 thinking”. Wrong! I would have thought that somewhere among the billions we already had spent on defense, it would have been someone’s job to plan for a defense of our nation’s capital. To put it simply, if someone would have asked me on September 10th if there were a pair of F-16’s on standby at Andrews Air Force Base ready to defend Washington at a moment’s notice, I would have thought there certainly was. It’s just common sense! BIG DANCE... So the NCAA's Big Dance is about to get rolling, and I couldn't be more excited. Anything to get my attention away from the police action madness. Here's what I'm gonna do. I'll give you the teams I think will make it out of each region, along with a sleeper team from each region. The sleeper isn't necessarily a team I believe will go to New Orleans, just a team I think could surprise some people and win some games. MIDWEST Champ: Kentucky Sleeper: Weber State WEST Champ: Arizona Sleeper: Arizona State SOUTH Champ: Xavier Sleeper: Connecticut EAST Champ: Oklahoma Sleeper: Manhattan FINAL FOUR Arizona over Kentucky Oklahoma over Xavier CHAMPIONSHIP Oklahoma over Arizona UPSET OF THE TOURNAMENT #15 Wagner over #2 Pittsburgh in the First Round. You heard it here first! TEXAS FOLD 'EM... Will someone please tell George Bush Jr. to stop using his little Texas euphamisms! His Administration is alledegly full of smart people. One of them should put him in check. Every time he goes all Texas with his speech, he ends up looking the fool... "We want him dead or alive... doesn't matter." That one has worked out real well hasn't it. "Show us your cards." Tries to go the route of the tough poker player, but ends up folding before the final cards are even dealt! And it's not like a great amount of time went by before he was made to eat his "show their cards" words. Four days. Four days from calling everyone's bluff to folding in hopes of having enough chips to stay in the game. FARMER'S LAST STAND... So a guy drives a John Deere tractor down Constitution Avenue at high noon, cruises into the pond at Constitution Gardens, and law enforcement does nothing to stop him? This raises two questions in my mind. 1. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Money isn't the key to security, intelligent thinking is. I jog the National Mall every day, so I know that area is crawling with Park Police 24 hours a day. Not one of them thought this guy was suspicious until he went swimming? 2. While I'm happy to see law enforcement trying to end the standoff peacefully, I suspect with disgust that the only reason Mr. Watson still has a pulse is because he is a white guy. Do you really think law enforcement would deal with an al Qaeda suspect with the same impotent patience? Darken his skin, or put an Arab head-dress on him, and Mr. Watson would have been ventilated by a police sniper within minutes. Tuesday, March 18, 2003
CHECK ME IF I'M WRONG HERE... ...but if Iraq were to follow the Bush Doctrine, wouldn't they be justified in attacking us today? Wouldn't they just be pre-empting a pre-emptive strike by us? Monday, March 17, 2003
Friday, March 14, 2003
SURPRISED??? No one should be surprised by this latest revelation. In fact, your favorite Shark wrote the following back on February 5th! ...Most reasonable people would agree that the intelligence gathering ability of our nation is questionable at best. Afterall, if it were so good and reliable, wouldn't the attacks have been prevented? Wouldn't we have apprehended Osama what'shisname? This article by the Washington Post's Joby Wright drives this point home... In short, I'm not too comfortable with the entire notion that anyone should have to be "convinced" that military action is neccessary. Nor am I comfortable that an all too untrustworthy entity such as the U.S. intelligence community is the only one doling out the "evidence". The bombing and brutal slaughter of human life is tragic, no matter who the victims or the craziness of their leader. I just think that if such action is prudent, it should be so obvious and apparent that it needs no explaining. There should be a "smoking gun". I'M NOT AFRAID TO SAY IT... Loyal readers know that BiteyTheShark's college sports loyalties lie with Notre Dame and Oregon. That's why what I am about to write may come as such a shock... I want UCLA to make the Big Dance! Yes, that means they would have to defeat the Ducks tonight... and yes, Bitey has even used this space before to belittle the coaching skills of Steve Lavin... but I don't care! Oregon is already dancing, so how great of a storyline would it be for Lavin to take his team all the way to New Orleans? I will always remember him as being a bit on the oily side, but who can criticize the way he has handled himself in this, his final season in Westwood? Not once, has Lavin lashed out at the everlastingly fair-weather Bruin faithful and administration. Most teams from major conferences that found themselves in the "play-in" game Tuesday would feel disrespected and embarassed. But not these Bruins. Imagine UCLA - UNC-Ashville? The drama of Lavin trying to extend his season wouldn't get lost in the chaos of 15 other games on the opening day of the tourney. Lavin and his boys would be out there defying the UCLA administration playing in the only show in town. The entire nation would see it, and I, for one, would love it! Thursday, March 13, 2003
CHECK ME IF I'M WRONG HERE, BUT... Why is 9 the magic number Bush needs to have a majority on the Security Council? I'm no expert, and maybe it's written in the U.N. charter somewhere, but aren't their 15 member nations on the Council? Doesn't that mean that 8 is a majority? Someone please explain? THE KIDNAPPING THAT WASN'T... While I'm happy Elizabeth Smart was reunited with her family out in Utah, I'm very skeptical about the authenticity of this alleged "kidnapping". I'll bet a pint that when all the truth comes out, we'll find that she wasn't exactly being forcibly held against her will. Wednesday, March 12, 2003
WWW.ORIOLES.COM... I have a good buddy coming to town in a few weeks. He's coming from Cali, so he will spend a bunch of time checking out all the museums and monuments D.C. has to offer. In an effort to find some other cool stuff to do, I thought I would go to the Baltimore Orioles team web site and look into getting some tickets for a game at Camden Yards. Talk about stumbling onto a gem of a web site!!! http://www.orioles.com SPLITTING HAIRS ON SUPPORTING THE TROOPS... With the police action in Iraq now imminent, many people have suggested that once the bombs start falling, those who oppose the police action should shut up and support the troops. No surprise if this was coming from the left, but I've heard it come from people like Paul Begala on the left. Someone explain this to me? So you argue against and protest against police action, but once this thing starts, you should shut up and support it? This thinking originates from the Vietnam era where people at home cast out soldiers both during the war and after. However, isn't anyone else capable of drawing a distinction between supporting the foot soldiers and questioning the leaders who put them in harm's way. If everyone who is against the police action now, agrees to stop speaking out once the fighting starts, don't you think that gives George W. Bush and his boys even more motivation to start the killing? "Let's just start the war and the doves will shut up." I'm all for supporting the troops. If anything, I promise to increase my vocal disgust for the police action. In essence, tell Bush that as far as protests go, he ain't seen nothing yet. The problem is, when the police action starts and some protesters still take to the streets, undoubtedly, hawkish leaders will take to the airwaves and call these people cowards and "unpatriotic". If anything, fighting against the hawks and giving up once their policies win out is cowardly and self-serving... "If I can't beat 'em, I might as well join 'em". I will take bets that protesters will not be out there calling U.S. soldiers baby-killers or Butchers of Baghdad. That's wrong and that lesson has been learned. They will, however, continue to target Bush. They understand that even if Baghdad falls without a single U.S. casualty, Bush's leadership will have irrevocably damaged global relations. The global war will be lost. And if questioning leadership, even in times of crisis, is unpatriotic, then maybe the definition of "patriotic" needs to be changed. Tuesday, March 11, 2003
WHAT'S WRONG WITH COLLEGE HOOPS... I try not to be so down on college hoops, but I was a bit disturbed this morning as I opened the Men's College Basketball page on ESPN.com. For those of you unfamiliar with the site, the page usually has a photo for one story in the center of the page, and headlines for about 10 stories in the margin. Today's main story with photos: Jim Harrick's corruption at Georgia The 10 other stories in the margin: 8 out of 10 were about scandals, coaches being fired, or teams getting fined for playing weak schedules. Only 2 of 10, the Knight story and the fall of Florida in the polls following the Kentucky loss, seemed to be related to events taking place on the court. What's worse is that this is supposed to be the week when the little guys, like Creighton, Manhattan, and San Diego start making headlines for all the right reasons. Instead, those headlines are stolen by negativity. Careful NCAA... you're approaching NBA status... THE GENERAL... Kudos to the much-maligned Bob Knight for giving back his salary. And to think that his team actually had a winnning record! TALKING MORE TURKEY... This piece by Hakan Altinay on IHT really kind of opened my eyes to something. I'm not an expert on the subject, but if one of the eventual goals of the police action in Iraq is to spread democracy (though I don't think that it is), wouldn't supporting Turkey, whether they house our troops or not, be the wise move? Letting the Arab world see home-grown progress taking place with one of its neighbors would likley be more compelling and more fruitful for the spread of democracy than the insertion of puppet governments. WHAT DO YOU SMELL??? I smell bullshit!!! Sounds a bit too convenient for me. "Let's see hear... Support for our police action in Iraq is waning... We're getting butchered by the U.N. Security Council... We're not even sure what our real reason for invading is... It's a new week, so aren't we due for fabricating another reason to knock out Saddam... I know!! We'll tell the world he threatened our spy planes!!!.. Sure we were never engaged... Sure the North Koreans engaged us and we didn't care... But who cares, maybe this will convince people Saddam is a bad guy and we need to have the green light to rock his world!!" This is the kind of thing I am talking about when I say the most annoying thing about the Administration's spin on Iraq is how insulting it is. Seriously people. Doesn't the timing of this make you just a bit suspicious? And how about some more solid facts? How close were the planes to the U-2's? Does Iraq even have planes that can fly as high as the U-2? And why is this supposed to be so upsetting when the Iraqi's posed nothing near the danger the North Korean MIG's did a few days ago? Yet Pyongyang gets a free pass? WHAT DO YOU SMELL??? I smell bullshit!!! Sounds a bit too convenient for me. "Let's see hear... Support for our police action in Iraq is waning... We're getting butchered by the U.N. Security Council... We're not even sure what our real reason for invading is... It's a new week, so aren't we due for fabricating another reason to knock out Saddam... I know!! We'll tell the world he threatened our spy planes!!!.. Sure we were never engaged... Sure the North Koreans engaged us and we didn't care... But who cares, maybe this will convince people Saddam is a bad guy and we need to have the green light to rock his world!!" But seriously people. Doesn't the timing of this make you wonder? And why is this supposed to be so upsetting when the Iraqi's posed nothing near the danger the North Korean MIG's did a few days ago? Yet Pyongyang gets a free pass? Monday, March 10, 2003
IN BARNEY... BARNEY RUBBLE... TROUBLE!!! I had a good chuckle this morning while reading this article by Gregg Easterbrook. Much of what he explores is interesting, but this passage had me wondering if life has truly come to imitate art... "What of "e-bombs"? Expected to debut if Iraq is attacked, these new devices may become a fixation of TV commentators, à la the Predator drone of the Afghan campaign. E-bombs emit high-energy electromagnetic waves, simulating over a small area the electromagnetic pulse of a nuclear explosion: In theory, they can fry out electronic circuitry. Futurists have been predicting electronic war, and if e-bombs succeed, perhaps that age will arrive. In the futurist vision, pulses from e-bombs cause anything that contains computer chips to wheeze to a halt, winning without widespread devastation and allowing low-cost reconstruction—just replace the chips! In tests, however, e-bombs have been underwhelming." Check me if I'm wrong here, but this sure sounds a lot like the "pinch" Robbie Gee's character used to knock out all the power on the Las Vegas Strip in "Oceans Eleven". To think that we will be assaulting Baghdad with the same device that provided "Oceans" with one of its funniest scenes (Gee frightfully covering his package as he "detonates" the device) is simply hilarious. KEEP SELLING... Because I ain't buying it! Now I am supposed to believe that intelligent people in positions of grave power actually think that invading Iraq will promote democracy and perhaps make it spread throughout the Middle East? Wanna know how laughable this latest Bush reason for war is? The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (while giggling inside) isn't even bothered by it. They know its pathetic B.S. If democracy is a goal of the coalition of the bribed, don't you think the Saudis would have a bit of a problem with that? The folks in the Royal family are the last people who want democracy taking root in the Gulf. You think they want folks electing leaders? How could Bush's latest rhetoric not send red flags up throughout the Saudi Royal family? Because they know that's just what it is... rhetoric by a desperate man hoping a few buzz words like "democracy" and "freedom" will illicite support from anyone feeble-minded enough to believe it. D.C. = THE DISTRICT OF CRANES... I'm serious. I know D.C. stands for District of Columbia, but have you seen it lately. Roll across the Potomac and into Virgina, then turn around and take a look at the skyline of our nation's capital. One of my favorite things about Washington is the city ordinance that forbids any skyscrapers taller than the Washington Monument. That little stroke of local government genuis keeps Washington from becoming another New York, and keeps the streets of D.C. from becoming canyons in a concrete jungle. Think about it... if buildings can only be 10 or 20 stories high, instead of 100, you can actually see the sun. That being said, it's funny that what we are left with is a peculiar skyline consisting of the Capitol, the Washington Monument, the majestic National Cathedral.... and a dozen construction cranes. Saturday, March 08, 2003
ANOTHER REASON WHY A PLAYOFF WOULD BE BAD FOR NCAA FOOTBALL... Today!!! Last weekend of the regular season and on the schedule today in college basketball... #2 Kentucky vs. #3 Florida and #4 Texas vs. #5 Oklahoma. Can you imagine the hype and excitement that would surround this day if there were no March Madness? These clashes would be legendary and must see sports programming. With a playoff (March Madness), these games mean nothing. I'm going shopping. Friday, March 07, 2003
THE MASTERMIND... Even I am surprised at how rapidly the Administration is playing up the importance of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed in the al Qaeda food chain. Last night, Bush miraculously described Mohammed as "the mastermind" of the September 11th attacks on the U.S. Check me if I'm wrong here, but wasn't that Osama WhatsHisName who notched that victory on his bedpost? W. SPEAKS!!! So George W. Bush rolled the dice and actually took questions from reporters last night. But he didn't really say anything. Though the order of questioners was clearly scripted, most seemed free to ask any question they wanted. But Bush told us nothing new. He wants Iraq to disarm... he wants the U.N. Security Council to play a role... yadda yadda yadda. The question I most wanted to see asked was in relation to the location of the WMD that Iraq supposedly possesses. Bush mentioned how some weapons are being moved "every 12 to 24 hours" and that others were "being hidden in residential neighborhoods". Now this goes back to Colin Powell's initial presentation before the U.N. We knew the weapons were in a particular warehouse, or in some ravine, but we didn't track where they went when they were moved? We have satellites and spy planes monitoring Iraq 24/7. We know where that stuff went. So here is my question... Why don't we relay the information to Hans Blix and let him and his SUV's roll in and find it? Many have argued that Bush and Co don't want the inspectors to find anything, because then the French, Germans, and other could pull the whole "See... the inspections are working" bit. I was on the fence on such a theory... until last night. The Bush Administration seems to be disingenuous in its intelligence-sharing. Clearly, we know where the weapons are, and we do not want the inspectors to find them. SOUNDS LIKE A PERSONNEL PROBLEM... What a joke!!! This just blows my mind. How can St. Bonavanture just quit. It's one thing if 8 or 9 players were ruled ineligible and the team no longer had enough bodies to field a team (even then... promote some J.V. players to finish out the year!). But to quit because one player is gonged is pathetic! I agree with Jay Bilas, but I'd go one step further and call out Head Coach Jan Van Breda Kolff. Where was his honor when all of this was happening? Who floated the idea of quitting on the season in the first place? If it was Van Breda Kolff, he should be fired. If it was a player, that player should have been running stairs until he puked. Losing happens... cheating is now a part of the college game... but quitting? We hear so much about schools being concerned about the image athletes and athletic programs portray for their school. In this case, the players, coaches, and administrators of the university should be ashamed! Wednesday, March 05, 2003
THE "RELIGIOUS" RIGHT... So let me get this straight... Much of the support George W. Bush enjoys comes from the so-called "Religious Right". Folks of various faith who are tickled to have a like-minded gentlemen living in the White House. Understandably, they support him on a variety issues, from abortion to community service. But how can they offer such blind support for the "Bush Doctrine" and the ensuing police action in Iraq. Check me if I'm wrong here, but in many of these faiths, it is NEVER permissible to kill. Never! Others apply the "eye for an eye" theory. But now these people find Bush and his "eye before you ever get a chance to get one of my eyes" equation. How can so many of these people that preach about peace and understanding march so eagerly into a police action that provide no room for either? I write about this because an envoy from the Vatican arrived in Washington today to meet with the White House and try to talk them out of their hard-line Iraq stance. Let me repeat that... "an envoy from the freakin' Vatican!!" What is more sacred to people of Catholic faith than the Pope? Obviously, W. Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised. I admit that I gave up on organized religion a long time ago... probably right about the moment I became a confirmed Catholic. In fact, that is why I gave up on it. Was it Charlie Chaplin that said, "I would never want to be a member of any club that would have me as a member". It is an institution wrought with hypocrisy. I showed up for "church group" occasionally, never attended a single mass (NOT ONE!!), and wham, bam... I'm in. I looked around me and felt so dirty because clearly the people in my parish thought no one knew them or saw how they acted in the outside world. Some of the most outspoken members were the shadiest people I knew. Step outside the walls of the church and they would lie, cheat, and steal to get ahead. Some of the elders were the parents of some of the biggest losers, druggies, and sluts that I went to school with. Sure, tell me how to run my life, but you can't run a tight ship in your own house? With the exception of weddings and funerals (and a voyage to see my grandmother confirmed), I haven't set foot in a Catholic mass since the day I was confirmed. When this hypocrisy extends to world affairs, I look at the "Religious" Right and I see a group of people who seem to think, "Peace on Earth... Unless it's our guy doing the ass kicking!" Somebody... Anybody... explain to me how the "Religious" Right justifies the Bush Doctrine? HOOPS AND THE FLAG... I know I'm a bit late on this, but hey, I was on vacation! You've probably heard the story of Manhattanville College's Toni Smith, the women's college hoopster who protests American police action in Iraq by turning 90 degrees away from the flag during the Star Spangled Banner. In a display of what this country is all about, she is greeted with boos and cheers whenever her team takes the court. Say what you want about her stance. Call her "Un-American". I don't care. I happen to think that what she does is fine, but that's not what I want to question. I want to question Jerry Kiley. Jerry Kiley is the 56 year-old Vietnam Vet from Rockland County, N.Y. who was ejected from an arena after he walked onto the court during the first break in play to shove a flag in Smith's face and demand that she respect it. I want to ask Jerry Kiley why he disgraced the flag. Take a close look at the videotape of Kiley approaching Smith. Clear as day, there are many points where Kiley drags the flag along the ground. To drag the flag is to disgrace the flag. Surely a Vietnam Vet should have known better! Tuesday, March 04, 2003
BACK FROM SOCAL... Just got back from 10 days in sunny San Diego(but not as sunny as I had hoped). No sun meant no tan camp, so my pale skin remains just as pasty as when I departed. A few quick thoughts on being away... So nice to be in a place where people do more than just talk and worry about Iraq all day. My brother once told me that the difference between people on the west coast and people on the east coast is that people on the west coast try to act dumber than they are, and people on the east coast try to act smarter than they are. He was definitely right... I'm just not sure which is more annoying? Santa Barbara is what all of SoCal is supposed to be like. San Diego might have better Mexican food than Mexico. |
