[theknife]

Originally posted by Sinner
If fox and cnn started running stories or lies accusing innocent people of being child molesters or a certain race starting random violence against another race to cause a rif between them then yes they should be shut down. Are you really comparing this newspaper with fox and cnn? You really think they are in the same league? When did this paper become a “Free Press” anyhow? While Saddam was in power? When a terrorist was running it? When ???? Are you one of these people who run around saying I should be able to do what ever I want because this is a free country? Well time for a wake up call, you have many freedoms, some rights and some privileges, which can be taken away from you. Everything has limitations…

from everything i have read, Sadr's newspaper al-Hawza was shut down for printing what the US alleges to be phony stories about US-inflicted Iraqi casualties. several reports hint that Bremer was personally pissed off and ordered the shutdown. i can't find any stories that accuse al-Hawza of calling for acts of violence; only the allegations that their stories were inciting violence. this is a pretty grey area, imo, and it would be hard to argue that shutting down this newspaper has had a postive impact on the situation.

ironically, i understand that Sadr's family is revered in Iraq because of their long and active stance against the Husssein and the Baathist regime. Rumsfeld's "deadenders" characterization doesn't seem too accurate either.

it seems that anger, as much as anything else, is driving this latest insurgency - crushing these people might solve the short-term miltary problem, but will only aggravate the long term political situation.

In a speech in El Dorado, Ark., Bush said, "We've got tough work there because, you see, there are terrorists there who would rather kill innocent people than allow for the advance of freedom. That's what you're seeing going on. These people hate freedom. And we love freedom. And that's where the clash occurs."

i can't figure out if Bush really believes this inane simplistic bullshit or he still thinks he's giving us all a giant civics lesson. i also can't figure why some still buy his silly rationalizations for this mess, but it seems apparent not as many people are buying it as they used to:

Bush's poll numbers hit new low on job rating and Iraq war
Tuesday, April 06, 2004

WASHINGTON -- Public approval of President Bush's handling of Iraq has slipped to a new low -- alongside his overall job rating -- after last week's grisly deaths of four contractors in Fallujah, a poll says.

Still, a majority supports his decision to use military force in Iraq, says the poll released yesterday.

Four in 10, or 40 percent, approve of the way Bush is handling Iraq, while 53 percent disapprove. That's down from six in 10 who approved in mid-January, according to the poll by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.

Bush's overall job approval is at 43 percent, a low point for his presidency, down from 56 percent in mid-January. In the new poll, 47 percent disapproved of Bush's job performance. Bush's job approval soared to 90 percent after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and remained in the 70s for almost a year after that.

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index....3945047420.xml