How dare she accuse Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) of being a war criminal?
What does she know about war?!
Does she have any idea what it means to serve your country?!
Does she have any idea what it means to stand up for American values?!
Who does she think she is, The Second Coming of Cindy Sheehan?
Turns out Ann Wright is one of only three State Department employees who had the integrity to tell Colin Powell "take this job and shove it" after watching the Bush administration embark on a radical departure with its criminal enterprise known politely as "pre-emptive war."
What gave Wright the right to question Bush? She served in the Foreign Service in the State Department for over a decade. Oh... cozy job that... riding a desk while real men died in the dirt so she could exercise her freedom of speech... Talk is cheap. What real world experience does she have?
Wright served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. embassies in Afghanistan (which she helped open following the 2001 U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, an assignment she volunteered for), Sierra Leone (an embassy which she helped close and then reopen again), Micronesia and Mongolia, and also served at U.S. embassies in Uzbekistan (which she helped open), Kyrgyzstan, Grenada, and Nicaragua
Oh. Well what the hell does she know about war planning? It's tough work, not polite diplomatic chit chat over tea and crumpets, lady...
In addition to serving 13 years active duty in the US Army and 16 years in the Army Reserves, Col. Wright was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, from 1982 to 1984. One of her duties during that time was to draw up contingency plans for invading several countries, one of which was Iraq. She would later express dismay over what she considered the dismissal of such carefully laid plans in the actual invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Wait a second.... didn't Rumsfeld take a lot of heat for ignoring the carefully laid plans of the State Department? You bet he did. But that was just from those libruls who hated Bush. People who had no idea how the fog of war can wreak havoc with the best laid plans. Monday morning quarterbacks and armchair generals. Oh... yeah.... and this guy, Tim Cross.
Actually, that would be Major General Tim Cross to you. What did he say, again?
Maj Gen Tim Cross, who was the most senior UK officer involved in post-war planning, told the Sunday Mirror US policy was "fatally flawed".
Maj Gen Cross said: "We were all very concerned about the lack of detail that had gone into the post-war plan."
His comments came after Gen Sir Mike Jackson, head of the Army during the invasion, told the Daily Telegraph US policy was "intellectually bankrupt".
Oh... Limey Bastards. Who cares about them? Apparently public servants like Col. Ann Wright (ret), a woman who risked her life representing the United States in some of the most dangerous diplomatic missions on the planet.
One thing is clear. Compared to Ann Wright, Brad Sherman couldn't care less about how the world sees the US. That's why he is stupid enough to suggest the Americans like Ann Wright and former American ambassador Edward Peck, both of whom were involved in the Gaza flotilla, should be prosecuted as terrorist sympathizers. What exactly is it they did that deserves being prosecuted?
"The Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996" makes it absolutely illegal for any American to give food, money, school supplies, paper clips, concrete or weapons to Hamas or any of its officials," Sherman said on the Israel Project call, conflating Hamas and Gaza’s civilian population. "And so I will be asking the Attorney General to prosecute any American involved in what was clearly an effort to give items of value to a terrorist organization."
Let me get this straight. Sherman is supporting the collective punishment of over a million people and he's going to seek the death penalty for Americans who try to bring them aid? Seriously?
NB: according to burrow owl in the comments, Effective Death Penalty is just in the name of the bill. It's got nothing to do with the Anti-Terrorism part. That's reassuring. Speaking of death and penalties, how come Sherman isn't concerned the Israelis shot an unarmed American to death? I didn't hear a word about that from him or the folks at "The Israel Project" in this "Conference Call with Israel" showcasing Ambassador Oren, congressman Brad Sherman and congressman Trent Franks.
Wait a second. Ambassador Oren? I thought the American ambassador to Israel was James Cunningham. Oh... he is. So who the hell is Ambassador Oren? Oh.... he's ISRAEL'S Ambassador to the US! Niiiiiice.
Sounds like Brad Sherman and Trent Franks are representing the interests of a foreign government and making foreign policy pronouncements they have no authority to make while simultaneously putting pressure on our Department of Justice to prosecute Americans on behalf of a foreign government for actions taken in international waters. That doesn't sound kosher to me. I guess that's why Ann Wright is calling Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) a war criminal.
And who the hell is "The Israel Project" anyway?
The Israel Project (TIP) is an international non-profit organization devoted to educating the press and the public about Israel while promoting security, freedom and peace. The Israel Project provides journalists, leaders and opinion-makers accurate information about Israel. The Israel Project is not related to any government or government agency.
Our team of trusted Middle East experts and former reporters provides journalists with fact sheets, backgrounders and sources. TIP regularly hosts press briefings featuring leading Israeli spokespeople and analysts that give journalists an opportunity to get information and answers to their questions face-to-face. By providing journalists with the facts, context and visuals they need, TIP causes hundreds of millions of people around the world to see a more positive public face of Israel. This helps protect Israel, reduce anti-Semitism and increase pride in Israel.
I wonder how they got congressmen to act as pitchmen to the media. Here's a few of the people who have been on their "board of advisors" recently:
Senators
Chambliss (R-GA),
Coleman, (R-MN),
Nelson (D-FL),
Santorum (R-PA),
Spector (R-PA),
Wyden (D-OR), and
Representatives
Andrews (D-NJ),
Berkley (D-NV),
Davis (R-VA),
Engel (D-NY),
Pallone (D-NJ),
Porter (R-NV),
Saxton (R-NJ),
Sherman (D-CA),
Wilson (R-SC).
Good thing they aren't associated with any government. Otherwise people might think they were biased. Who's running this show? Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi. Who's she? According to "The Jewish Week", a New York publication, she is A Messenger for Israel. That's what they called her when they wrote this:
Public opinion in the United States is an important area of concern for Israel, especially considering Israel has not always been great with its own public relations. Fortunately, there are a number of American-based groups that help make the case for Israel, and one of the best is The Israel Project (TIP). For that reason we are recognizing Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, the founder and president of The Israel Project, for her exceptional efforts on behalf of the Jewish state.
Ok...so much for "international"... basically we are looking at a PR campaign that has offices in Jerusalem and New York that have one goal:
The Israel Project works to strengthen Israel’s image — and educate reporters about Israel’s enemies — in order to help protect Israel, reduce anti-Semitism caused by negative images of Israel in the media and to increase pride in Israel. We are on the front lines of the media war to protect Israel and our global Jewish family.
That's nice. So what did they have to say about the killing of an American by Israeli commandos?
Flotilla Fallout
Because nine Turks died in the flotilla incident this past weekend, Israel has to deal with the major problem of relations with Turkey. In the future we cannot let a small group of extremists hijack a peace process or interrupt planned meetings between the president of the United States and the prime minister of Israel. On the press coverage, I am thrilled that CNN and MSNBC are using the footage of what really happened. The key is to get out the facts and footage.
Oh... in other words... not a word about the American killed. What American? He's a Turk. (wink, wink)
Sherman pimping for a foreign government while collecting a paycheck as a sitting congressman is bad enough. But threatening people for exercising their rights strikes me as un-American in every sense of the word. Speaking of un-American. This Orwellian efforts to retroactively strip Furkan Dogan of his American citizenship really pisses me off. It's insult to injury. That is what prompts me to create this image in support of Col. Wright, Ambassador Peck, Furkan Dogan, and any other American who wants to take a stand in opposition to injustice.