Archive for the 'Iraq' Category

After Wikileaks: Dahr Jamail re-post

Published on October 26, 2010 in Iraq, Podcasts and Torture. Closed Tags: , , , , , .

This past Friday, Wikileaks released the Iraq War Logs. This voluminous collection of reports from the field by U.S. occupation troops tells a grisly story of destruction, torture, and death normally shrouded from the public behind the wall of Pentagon lies and propaganda.

Long before Wikileaks sources provided the confirming documents, independent journalist Dahr Jamail was reporting on the horror of the U.S. war on Iraq, telling the truth about the terror and carnage to anyone who would listen. On September 28, 2006 at 12:30 pm, Dahr Jamail spoke in a crowded room at the Memorial Union on the University of Maine Orono campus. It is this four-year-old podcast I am re-posting here. You should be able to recognize from Dahr’s talk exactly the picture of U.S.-occupation-generated human tragedy and death squad killing now detailed from within by the newly-released material.

An editorial today in the Guardian of London reads,

Many attempts were made to justify the invasion of Iraq, but one of the most frequently and cynically used was that, irrespective of the absence of weapons of mass destruction, putting an end to the barbarities of Saddam Hussein’s regime was a moral imperative. Well, now there is chapter and verse, from ringside seats, on the systematic use of torture by the Iraqi government that the US installed in Saddam’s place. The worst practices of Saddam’s regime did not apparently die with him, and whereas numerous logs show members of the coalition making genuine attempts to stop torture in Iraqi custody, it is clear their efforts were both patchy and half-hearted. In the worst incidents, one can only reasonably conclude that one set of torturers and thugs has been replaced by another.

From the original post:

Dahr Jamail is a rare human being. When he saw that there was a colossal tradgedy unfolding in Iraq, the extent of which barely being reported, he decided to go to work and take on the job of reporting from Iraq himself. Local artist Robert Shetterly has included Dahr Jamail in his stunning exhibit on Americans Who Tell the Truth.

It was a pleasure to meet Dahr Jamail. Please keep his website, http://dahrjamailiraq.com/, on your list of regular reads. It has essential information you will be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. Please download and listen to this extraordinary podcast.

 
icon for podpress  Dahr Jamail 9-28-2006 [74:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Sinan Antoon at UMaine (7pm talk)

Published on April 9, 2008 in Featured, Iraq and Podcasts. Closed

Sinan Antoon gave two talks at the University of Maine on Thursday April 3, 2008

12:30 “The Destruction of the Modern State of Iraq” (audio only HERE)

19:00 “Debris and Diaspora: Iraqi Culture Today” (this post contains 67-minute audio-only version)

I am pleased to make these available at peacecast.us and as a BitTorrent download. DIVX-encoded video of “Debris and Diaspora: Iraqi Culture Today”, packed along with the audio from the noon talk is available in a BitTorrent version. (What’s a torrent? See HERE for information. You must install client software in order to download files shared as torrents.)

This post contains downloadable audio for the 7pm talk only. Downloadable audio for the noon talk is HERE.

The programs both were produced by peacecast.us.

These are gripping talks that paint a devastating picture of what has happened to Iraq and its people. The tragedy of Iraq hits home for Sinan. It once was a country with great potential that has been eviscerated by America and its “student,” Saddam Hussein. It is rare in America to see Iraq from an Iraqi point of view. Sinan Antoon helps us do that. Highly recommended.

SINAN ANTOON is an Iraqi-born poet, novelist, and translator. He studied English literature at Baghdad University before moving to the United States after the 1991 Gulf War. He did his graduate studies at Georgetown and Harvard where he earned a doctorate in Arabic literature.

His poems and essays (in Arabic and English) have appeared in various journals and publications around the world, including as-Safir, an-Nahar, al-Adab, and Masharef, as well as The Nation, Middle East Report, al-Ahram Weekly, Banipal and the Journal of Palestine Studies. He has published a collection of poems, (A Prism; Wet with Wars, Cairo 2003). A translation of his poems appeared in English in May 2007 by Harbor Mountain Press entitled “The Baghdad Blues.”

His debut novel I`jam: An Iraqi Rhapsody (published in Arabic in Beirut in 2003) was translated and published in English in May, 2007 by City Lights Books. It was chosen by Kirkus Reviews for its special edition on debut fiction “2007: New and Important Voices.” His poetry was anthologized in Iraqi Poetry Today. He has also contributed numerous translations of Arabic poetry into English. His co-translation of Mahmud Darwish’s poetry was nominated for the PEN Prize for translation in 2004.

Antoon returned to his native Baghdad in 2003 as a member of InCounter Productions to co-direct/produce a documentary About Baghdad about the lives of Iraqis in a post-Saddam occupied Iraq. He is a senior editor with the Arab Studies Journal, a member of Pen America, a contributing editor to Banipal and a member of the editorial committee of Middle East Report. Antoon is currently an Assistant Professor at New York University.

Sinan Antoon spoke in 140 Little Hall on the University of Maine Orono campus Thursday, April 3, 2008. The program was sponsored by the Maine Peace Action Committe with support from Student Government at the University of Maine and the Dean of Students Programming Funding Board.

The brief music excerpt you hear in the background is from a performance by Iraqi musician Amer Tafiq recorded for the film, About Baghdad.

 
icon for podpress  S.Antoon [66:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Sinan Antoon at UMaine (noon talk)

Published on April 6, 2008 in Featured, Iraq and Podcasts. Closed

Sinan Antoon gave two talks at the University of Maine on Thursday April 3, 2008

12:30 “The Destruction of the Modern State of Iraq” (audio only, 72 minutes, THIS POST)

19:00 “Debris and Diaspora: Iraqi Culture Today” (audio & w/video in torrent version)

I am pleased to make these available at peacecast.us and as a BitTorrent download. (What’s a torrent? See HERE for information. You must install client software in order to download files shared as torrents.)

This post contains downloadable audio for the noon talk only. Downloadable audio for the 7pm talk will appear in the next post.

Produced by peacecast.us.

These are gripping talks that paint a devastating picture of what has happened to Iraq and its people. The tragedy of Iraq hits home for Sinan. It once was a country with great potential that has been eviscerated by America and its “student,” Saddam Hussein. It is rare in America to see Iraq from an Iraqi point of view. Sinan Antoon helps us do that. Highly recommended.

SINAN ANTOON is an Iraqi-born poet, novelist, and translator. He studied English literature at Baghdad University before moving to the United States after the 1991 Gulf War. He did his graduate studies at Georgetown and Harvard where he earned a doctorate in Arabic literature.

His poems and essays (in Arabic and English) have appeared in various journals and publications around the world, including as-Safir, an-Nahar, al-Adab, and Masharef, as well as The Nation, Middle East Report, al-Ahram Weekly, Banipal and the Journal of Palestine Studies. He has published a collection of poems, (A Prism; Wet with Wars, Cairo 2003). A translation of his poems appeared in English in May 2007 by Harbor Mountain Press entitled “The Baghdad Blues.”

His debut novel I`jam: An Iraqi Rhapsody (published in Arabic in Beirut in 2003) was translated and published in English in May, 2007 by City Lights Books. It was chosen by Kirkus Reviews for its special edition on debut fiction “2007: New and Important Voices.” His poetry was anthologized in Iraqi Poetry Today. He has also contributed numerous translations of Arabic poetry into English. His co-translation of Mahmud Darwish’s poetry was nominated for the PEN Prize for translation in 2004.

Antoon returned to his native Baghdad in 2003 as a member of InCounter Productions to co-direct/produce a documentary About Baghdad about the lives of Iraqis in a post-Saddam occupied Iraq. He is a senior editor with the Arab Studies Journal, a member of Pen America, a contributing editor to Banipal and a member of the editorial committee of Middle East Report. Antoon is currently an Assistant Professor at New York University.

 
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U Maine Iraq teach-in: Alex Grab

Published on March 31, 2008 in Iraq, Podcasts and Video. Closed

Professor Alex Grab, History, on Iraq March 20, 2008

5 Years After the Invasion And Occupation of Iraq:
What Is To Be Done?

Thursday, March 20th, 2008 7:00 PM
140 Little Hall, University of Maine, Orono

Sponsored by the Maine Peace Action Committee

This podcast is presentation 1 of 4 in the main program. The downloadable audio file (below) is identical to the audio in the video viewable above.

1. “Iraq: Some Historical Background and Analysis and Some Relations with Iran”, Alex Grab, Professor of History, who teaches courses on the Middle East.

2. “My Military Experiences in Iraq”, Brian Clement, UMaine student who served in the U.S. military in Iraq.

3. “The People of Iraq Under Occupation and War: Where Do We Go From Here?”, Rick McDowell, who moved to Baghdad in 2003 working for the American Friends Service Committee, returned to the U.S. in 2005, and has maintained close relations with Iraq over the years.

4. “The Larger Lessons of the Iraq War: Militarism, Imperialism, and Empire”, Doug Allen, Professor of Philosophy, MPAC, and Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine

 
icon for podpress  Alex Grab [10:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

U Maine Iraq teach-in: Brian Clement

Published on March 31, 2008 in Iraq, Podcasts and Video. Closed

Brian Clement, U Maine student and Iraq veteran, March 20, 2008

5 Years After the Invasion And Occupation of Iraq:
What Is To Be Done?

Thursday, March 20th, 2008 7:00 PM
140 Little Hall, University of Maine, Orono

Sponsored by the Maine Peace Action Committee

This podcast is presentation 2 of 4 in the main program. The downloadable audio file (below) is identical to the audio in the video viewable above.

1. “Iraq: Some Historical Background and Analysis and Some Relations with Iran”, Alex Grab, Professor of History, who teaches courses on the Middle East.

2. “My Military Experiences in Iraq”, Brian Clement, UMaine student who served in the U.S. military in Iraq.

3. “The People of Iraq Under Occupation and War: Where Do We Go From Here?”, Rick McDowell, who moved to Baghdad in 2003 working for the American Friends Service Committee, returned to the U.S. in 2005, and has maintained close relations with Iraq over the years.

4. “The Larger Lessons of the Iraq War: Militarism, Imperialism, and Empire”, Doug Allen, Professor of Philosophy, MPAC, and Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine.

 
icon for podpress  B. Clement [7:19m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

U Maine Iraq teach-in: Rick McDowell

Published on March 31, 2008 in Iraq, Podcasts and Video. Closed

Rick McDowell, AFSC, on Iraq March 20, 2008

5 Years After the Invasion And Occupation of Iraq:
What Is To Be Done?

Thursday, March 20th, 2008 7:00 PM
140 Little Hall, University of Maine, Orono

Sponsored by the Maine Peace Action Committee

This podcast is presentation 3 of 4 in the main program. The downloadable audio file (below) is identical to the audio in the video viewable above.

1. “Iraq: Some Historical Background and Analysis and Some Relations with Iran”, Alex Grab, Professor of History, who teaches courses on the Middle East.

2. “My Military Experiences in Iraq”, Brian Clement, UMaine student who served in the U.S. military in Iraq.

3. “The People of Iraq Under Occupation and War: Where Do We Go From Here?”, Rick McDowell, who moved to Baghdad in 2003 working for the American Friends Service Committee, returned to the U.S. in 2005, and has maintained close relations with Iraq over the years.

4. “The Larger Lessons of the Iraq War: Militarism, Imperialism, and Empire”, Doug Allen, Professor of Philosophy, MPAC, and Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine

 
icon for podpress  R. McDowell [18:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

U Maine Iraq teach-in: Doug Allen

Published on March 31, 2008 in Iraq, Podcasts and Video. Closed

Professor Doug Allen, Philosophy, on Iraq March 20, 2008

5 Years After the Invasion And Occupation of Iraq:
What Is To Be Done?

Thursday, March 20th, 2008 7:00 PM
140 Little Hall, University of Maine, Orono

Sponsored by the Maine Peace Action Committee

This podcast is presentation 4 of 4 in the main program. The downloadable audio file (below) is identical to the audio in the video viewable above.

1. Iraq: Some Historical Background and Analysis and Some Relations with Iran, Alex Grab, Professor of History, who teaches courses on the Middle East.

2. My Military Experiences in Iraq, Brian Clement, UMaine student who served in the U.S. military in Iraq.

3. The People of Iraq Under Occupation and War: Where Do We Go From Here?, Rick McDowell, who moved to Baghdad in 2003 working for the American Friends Service Committee, returned to the U.S. in 2005, and has maintained close relations with Iraq over the years.

4. The Larger Lessons of the Iraq War: Militarism, Imperialism, and Empire, Doug Allen, Professor of Philosophy, MPAC, and Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine

 
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DAHR JAMAIL March 20 interview on WERU

Published on March 21, 2008 in Featured, Iraq and Podcasts. 1 Comment

Beyond the Green Zone by Dahr Jamail available now

I spoke with independent journalist DAHR JAMAIL last week and the interview aired Thursday March 20 on Community Radio WERU. You may download or play the 28-minute audio program using the links below.

Dahr will be in Maine March 22 & 23 for TWO appearances:

“Beyond the Green Zone”
Book reading/Iraq Lecture

Saturday March 22, 7:00PM CANCELLED
Curtis Memorial Library
23 Pleasant Street, Brunswick (MAP)

and

Sunday March 23, 4–6PM
Belfast Free Library
106 High Street, Belfast (MAP)

 
icon for podpress  WERU [28:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Bangor peace rally on Sept. 29

Published on October 1, 2007 in Featured, Iraq, Local event reporting and Podcasts. 4 Comments

“It is because of us that the Euphrates River runs thick with red blood” –Mary Alice Horrigan

Incredible coverage in the October 1, 2007 edition of The Bangor Daily News, please click image for newspaper’s website

Rally in Bangor 9-29-2007
Re-raising Lady Liberty

Below is the order of events at the rally with the beginning time of each segment in the 53-minute-long mp3 file. Audio of the eight-minute speech by Gold Star mother Mary Alice Horrigan (discussed in the incredible Bangor Daily News article linked to above) begins at 23:12 with her introduction by Doug Allen.

End the War – Build the Peace

Rally & demonstration, Saturday September 29, 2007 at the “Paul Bunyan” park on Main Street in Bangor

Drumming — Peter Baldwin and Friends Tolling of Bells by area churches (audio not included here)

0:00 Introduction—Doug Allen, Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine, Maine Peace Action Committee (MPAC)

10:12 The Economic Costs of War—U Maine Students of Maine Peace Action Committee

17:46 “The Circle is Broken”—David McLean, singer, song-writer with Maria Irrera

23:12 Mourning the Iraq War Dead—Mary Alice Horrigan, Gold Star Mother

31:02 Reading of Names of Iraq War Dead—Members of Military Families Speak Out and Veterans for Peace (participants lie down to represent war dead or stand silently as mourners).

Bagpipe tribute—Peter Beckford, Simon Beckford and Ursa Beckford (audio not included here)

37:23 Mourning the loss of civil liberties—Lady Liberty in State—Peter Baldwin Responsive reading of parts of the Declaration of Independence

42:05 Rise up with signs and symbols of alternatives to war and sing along “Women’s Peace Prayer,” “We are One” “Peace, Salaam, Shalom” Voices for Peace and Women with Wings (end of audio file)

Chain of Concern—line up along Main Street with signs and symbols

 
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Doug Allen on lessons after four years in Iraq

Published on March 22, 2007 in Iraq and Podcasts. Closed

This podcast features Professor Doug Allen of the University of Maine discussing Lessons Four Years After the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq. The program was given at the University of Maine on March 22, 2007.

On February 10, 2003, Doug published an oped entitled Going to War in the Bangor Daily News. It has been available HERE at the original Deep Blade Journal website ever since.

As it turns out, the salient points in Doug’s 2003 piece have become all too real as the US invasion, conquest, occupation, and pacification program in Iraq has dragged on for now over four years. Doug wrote in 2003:

The long-range consequences of war for the people of Maine and the U.S., as well as for Iraqis and people of the region, are unpredictable and very threatening: the likely destabilization and possible overthrow of many governments in the region; the likely increase in terrorism at home and abroad; the likely escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; the volatile destabilization of Iraq with Shia uprisings in the South (possibly linked with Islamic militants in Iran), Kurdish uprisings in the North (possibly linked with Kurds in Turkey and demands for a separate Kurdistan), and the permanent stationing of many thousands of U.S. troops in Iraq and the expenditure of many billions of dollars trying to impose foreign order on the chaos; and the devastating economic consequences for our already fragile local, state, and national economies.

For all of these reasons, it makes sense to oppose preemptive and largely U.S. unilateral moves toward war. We must work with others to explore alternatives for resolving the serious crisis with Iraq.

The audio program here runs just over one hour. It delves into the history of the conflict and analyzes aspects of policy that have driven the US into a corner in Iraq, making it very difficult for it to get its military out of the country. The war thus continues despite daily death and destruction following the utter failure of the application of US military might to solve anything. Every day the US stays in Iraq, the conflicts and humanitarian disasters only grow worse.

 
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