Racial Obsession?

It takes a very special kind of weasel to twist and turn a story so much that it ends up sending the exact opposite message of what any normal person would take it to mean.

Thankfully, Charles 'Poop-Scoop' Johnson is a master of the Goebbelian arts, pulling off with aplomb the astonishing conceit of portraying the first serious black contender for US President as racist.

Bravo, Charles, bravo. What next? Hilary Clinton hates women? Give it a shot. We can't wait.

Sad truth

One of our commenters points out two (1, 2) detailed debunkings of Malkin's Iraq findings concerning the "burned alive" story on Sadly No!. Well worth reading.

(hat tip: Cokane )

Fun and games in Iraq?

Remember when Michelle Malkin came back from Iraq and held up as proof that the media are evil the fact that they're not reporting the re-opening of schools there?

The idea, presumably, was that this omission is so significant that it undermines the entire American war effort and presents a completely disorted picture of what is happening over there.

So we expect, in the interest of providing her readers with comprehensive coverage of events within the Iraqi education sector, Michelle will be blogging this latest incident extensively. Anything else might be construed as a distortion of "the truth about Iraq", right?

Think! Progress!

While LGFers snipe at the anti-War rally in Washington from the safety of their California bedrooms, at least one person on the other side of the country has got the right idea about how to start taking this mess forward.

(hat tip HP)

Sunday viewing

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day

A time to think and reflect.

What is Holocaust Memorial Day?

Holocaust Memorial Day is about commemorating all of the communities who suffered as a result of the Holocaust and Nazi persecution, and demonstrating that the Holocaust is relevant to everyone in the UK today. The day provides a focus – through the national and local events and activities – for people to think about the continuing repercussions of the Holocaust and more recent genocides on our society.

The central focus for Holocaust Memorial Day remains the Holocaust, but it is also an opportunity to reflect on more recent atrocities that raise similar issues. The tragedies of Rwanda, Kosovo and other terrible events in the world show that there are still many lessons to be learnt, both in international and individual terms.

In the UK, hundreds of events and activities are held to mark the Day. A different part of the UK hosts the national commemoration each year, so far it has been held in London (2001 & 2005), Manchester (2002), Edinburgh (2003), Belfast (2004) and Cardiff (2006). Newcastle will be hosting the national event in 2007.

Every year, a different theme is announced for Holocaust Memorial Day. This provides a focus for events and education in local and national commemorations. In 2007, the theme is “The Dignity of Difference” . Previous years’ themes are available online.

When is Holocaust Memorial Day?

Holocaust Memorial Day is on 27th January. This date was chosen as it is the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration and extermination camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, seen as a powerful symbol of the horrors of the Holocaust.

What does Holocaust Memorial Day aim to achieve?

Holocaust Memorial Day’s aims are to:

Remember all victims of the Holocaust and Nazi persecution ; Jews, Roma and Sinti (Gypsies), East European civilians, Russian prisoners of war, trade unionists, communists, political opponents, disabled people, Jehovah’s Witnesses, gay men and lesbians and Black Germans.

Reflect upon those affected by more recent atrocities, in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Kosovo. Educate about the dangers of anti-Semitism, racism and all forms of discrimination.

Ultimately the day aims to restate the continuing need for vigilance and to motivate people, individually and collectively, to ensure that the horrendous crimes, racism and victimisation committed during the Holocaust are neither forgotten nor repeated, whether in Europe or elsewhere in the world.

The Day’s aims are set out in more detail in the Holocaust Memorial Day Statement of Purpose.

Why is Holocaust Memorial Day relevant to me?

The Holocaust was a defining event of the 20th century and is part of the UK’s history. Although mainland Britain and Northern Ireland were not occupied during WW2, the impact on Britons was significant and wide-ranging:

- Refugees fled here from Nazi persecution

- Britain was engaged in a war to defeat the attempt of the Nazis to occupy and oppress the European continent with its supremacist ideology

- UK soldiers liberated Bergen-Belsen concentration camp

- Survivors and refugees who rebuilt their lives here are part of our heritage

- Britain played a lead role in developing the international conventions protecting universal human rights, after WW2, the world came to terms with the impact of Nazi policies.

Nazi ideology was founded on racism, anti-Semitism and discrimination, creating a fascist state that rejected human and civil rights. The evils of prejudice, discrimination and intolerance continue to exist in Britain. We have lessons to apply today, as individuals, communities and institutions within our society. Progress has been made, which we need to protect, however, Hate crimes and attacks against people because of their race or ethnicity, because of their sexuality, because they are disabled or because of their religion continue to take place. The Day acts as a reminder to all of us of our responsibility to protect the civil and human rights of all people in our society and as part of the international community.

Holocaust Memorial Day is an issue for everyone. The lessons of the Holocaust are of universal relevance and have implications for us all. Holocaust Memorial Day offers an opportunity for people in the UK in the 21st century to reflect upon, consider and discuss how those events still have relevance for all members of today’s society without detracting from or lessening the Jewish aspect of Holocaust remembrance. Holocaust Memorial Day is distinct from Yom HaShoah, the Jewish day of remembrance for the Jewish victims of the Nazis that falls in late April.

How can I participate?

Events are held all over the country and are open to all. These range from civic ceremonies to theatre performances. Anyone can organise an activity to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day, please see our local activity section for more information.

How is Holocaust Memorial Day commemorated internationally?

In May 1998, the Swedish, UK and US Governments established the Task Force for International Co-operation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research. They were subsequently joined by Germany, Israel, Poland, the Netherlands, France and Italy, and there are now 25 member countries (www.holocausttaskforce.org)

In 2000, Prime Minister, Tony Blair announced the establishment of Holocaust Memorial Day. It was decided that the first Day would take place in 2001.

At the same time in January 2000, forty four governments from around the world sent delegations to Stockholm, Sweden, to attend the Stockholm International Forum on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research. At the end of the conference, the heads of delegation unanimously signed The Stockholm Declaration. The principles of the declaration have been adapted to form the UK’s Statement of Commitment underpinning Holocaust Memorial Day.

In October 2005, the United Nations designated 27th January as International Holocaust Memorial Day.

(...)

Light A Candle for Holocaust Memorial Day

If you want to show your support for Holocaust Memorial Day this year, why not join us in ‘lighting a candle’? On your own or with a group of people, this simple but powerful action serves as a remembrance of the millions of people who were killed in the Holocaust and other genocides, just because they were “different”. It also symbolises our commitment to learning the lessons of the past and creating an inclusive society for the future.

You could light a candle or even organise your own candle-inspired activities, such as putting together a mural of candle pictures, projecting a candle image or placing a candle image on your website.

Lighting a candle is a Jewish custom to remember people who have passed away. It is also symbolic in many other faiths including Christianity, Islam and Hinduism.
Holocaust Memorial Day is a time for us to remember those who have suffered and lost their lives during the Holocaust and other atrocities. By lighting a candle you are showing your support at embracing diversity and dispelling the darkness that racism, oppression and ignorance can lead to.

Source: HMD

Charles Johnson: fascist guitarist

Following Charles's stupendous success in almost getting into the Top 20 of the Forbes web celebs recently (lgfw passim) it was disappointing to note that the lizard surpremo didn't make it onto CityRag's 20 Guitar Solos on YouTube list! I mean, there's a Chuck, and there's a Johnson, but no Chuck Johnson!

And all this time we thought there was more to Charles than his Grumpy Old Blogger persona....

Charles, reality clash in blogosphere

OK, I'll admit it. Charles has a somewhat of a scoop with this post. The Associated Press did make a hash of this headline:




You got 'em Chuckles. Somebody in AP wrote a frankly awful headline. But hey, don't you notice something Charles? Don't you spot something sadly lacking in your coverage? While you're hyperventilating about a headline another thing continued to happen on Wednesday the 24th of January 2007 that AP and other news agencies covered. In fact they covered it in the piece with the sucky headline. That's right Charles, the Iraq War. Remember that? How is that war you supported from behind your monitor so valiantly going?

Oh.

Wait a cherry pickin' minute!

The next time Charles Johnson or any of his moronic followers claim that their madness is just being cherry-picked, that Charles is somehow being crucified for the popularity of his site and that comments on a website mean nothing point them to this post.

littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=24124_Contractors_Killed_in_Iraq_HuffPo_Celebrates&only

Charles Johnson - Hypocrite of Note

Reality vs the Lizard World

As Charles continues to quibble copy-editing mistakes and moan about how people are ignoring his bogus wingnut conspiracy theories that 'everything the media writes about Iraq is a lie', the world keeps on turning and throwing up uncomfortable facts.

For example, over the past week a senior Cheney aide has accused the administration in court of making him the fall guy to protect one of Bush's prize assets.

The Israeli president faces rape charges and the Israeli prime minister is up for corruption.

And the sheer depravity of American society was once again on show for all the world to see (1,2,3).

Of course, not a peep about any of this on LGF. Charles would much rather run racist cartoons reminiscent of Der Sturmer than reflect reality on his blog...

Charles Johnson celebrity blogger

Wooohooo! Our hero Charles 'LGF' Johnson has made it into Forbes! No, not onto the Rich List (nor PJM into the Fortune 500...), but as one of the '25 Web Celebs'. He's only 19 places behind a 19-year old girl from New Zealand and 17 ranks behind Markos 'Kos' Moulitsas. That must please Charles.

He's even provided Forbes with a publicity shot of himself, which we're going to download and treasure. It's so much better than this one which really should never have been published...

Grass greener in Green Zone?

Paul Greengrass, who according to Charles Johnson "Got It Right" when he made 'United 93', is due to direct a film adaption of Rajiv Chandrasekaran's book 'Imperial Life in the Emerald City', a first-hand account of life in Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone which describes how inept US bureaucrats mismanaged post-invasion rebuilding as the country continued to disintegrate outside the blast walls of their compound.

Let's see how that goes down in LGFistan...

When (Little Green) Footballers attack

Where could these frat boys have possibly got their racist inspiration from?

(hat tip AJB)

Charles Johnson: Too stupid for Google News

Sometimes Charles Johnson makes it too easy for his opponents (in this case us!) to show him up for the ignorant, blinkered, bullshit spouter that he is.

Witness today's assertion by the Lizard King that "The Associated Press never uses the word 'terror' without enclosing it in quotes"

Then do a search for "Associated Press Terror" on Google News. Result? 7,357 hits. And that's just their recent output...

Granted, many instances will have the word appear in quotes. But many won't. There's terrorism in Indonesia, the Philippine terror leader, and the Somali terror suspects.

As for the use of the term 'terrorist', the wingnut-o-sphere really need to get a handle on why journalists are reluctant to use the term without extreme caution. Phil Rees' "Dining with Terrorists" is a good primer on the subjet.

So, the next time Charles accuses the MSM of stupidity or blatant lying, point him to this post.

Charles sinking...?

For a short while we thought the plug had been pulled on LGF because Charles wasn't paying his bills, but it turns out he's simply been getting a lot of traffic for posting YouTube clips from the Channel 4 ("normally a little to the left of Stalin") documentary Undercover Mosque on his site. Oh well, we can dream. Interesting, though, that CJ has no problem subscribing wholeheartedly to this episode of Dispatches, but reacts like a redneck in a San Francisco sauna when he sees any of their other programs. Perhaps there's an in-built bias somewhere in that lizard brain...?

Anyhow, back to the subject: has anyone noticed that Charles has added a 'Top Tech News' feed to his left sidebar. It's rather prominent. He even posts links directly to their stories. Could it be that this is some sort of sneeky sponsorship deal he's not telling his readers about? After all, why would a website that professes itself to be about Middle East policy give so much space to geek news? What's the deal, Charles? How much are you getting? Does it plug the money hole that is Pajamas Media?

About those 'Dhimmi' media

The next time Charles complains about how the media are supporting terrorists and cowing to radical Islam, remind him that it was the UK's 'lefty' Channel 4 which sent undercover reporters into mosques to uncover the fact that some of them allow extremists to preach (http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=24017).

Remind him that it was the 'Dhimmi' London Times which revealed the rantings of Anjem Choudry (http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=24000)

And it's The Guardian, otherwise known as Moonbat Central to the Lizards, whose reporter went deep into the Iraqi insurgency to reveal the changes that have taken place there over the past few years (http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1989390,00.html).

Without the work of these journalists, Charles Johnson would be nothing. His minions would be reduced to reading about cheesy 1980s guitarists. Yet Charles continues to throw mud at the very people he relies on to provide him with the basis for his rants, the raw material that he then twists into an ugly and distorted version of reality.

It's not the ingratitude of the man that's surprising: it's the sheer hypocrisy.

Charles vs. Condi

Quoth Charles:

The latest Big Lie universally promoted by the mainstream wire services is that Palestinian Authority chairman/president/etc. Mahmoud Abbas is in some sense a “moderate.” (The word “secular” is also used often.)

[...]

And based on this ridiculous mythical “moderation,” we’re going to reward Abbas and his thuggish terrorist government with 86 million dollars in military aid.

[Source: http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=23988]

Quoth Condoleezza Rice:

"I think anything that is an American plan is bound to fail," she said ahead of her visit [to the Middle East].

"The United States is not going to succeed in this alone. This [peace plan] has to have an Arab voice - Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia.

"It certainly has to have the voice of the reasonable factions among the Palestinians, like Abu Mazen [Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas]. And it has to have an Israeli voice."

Granted, Miss Rice didn't exactly refer to Abu Mazen as a "moderate," but where are the spluttering, epithet-laden expressions of outrage in JammieLand over her statement that his Fatah faction is "reasonable"?

Poor Charles seems to be caught in a bind of his own devising, since just a short while ago he was bashing Senator Barbara Boxer for having mentioned the fact that the childless Miss Rice has no children. Any criticism of Miss Rice at this stage would undoubtedly be construed by the primitive, binary lizard mind as an endorsement of Mrs. Boxer's remarks.

A bias that wasn't there

Just how Chuckles can think he can get away with this headline is beyond belief!

"Reuters: US Troops Are Fat Drunks"

The actual headline as Charles provides below his ridiculous one is,

"Pentagon survey says troops fatter, drinking more".

See the key word in there? Yep, that's the one, "Pentagon". The Pentagon are saying that US troops (who voluntarily contributed to a government sourced survey) are fatter and drink more. Quite how Reuters are spinning this one is beyond me. Surely there were better examples of Chuckles fabled "MSM bias" today?

If Charles finds it so upsetting that Reuters are reporting that US troops are getting fatter and drinking more maybe he should have a word with the Pentagon and ask them nicely to stop funding these surveys.

Meanwhile, in Israel

The Labor goverment of Ehud Olmert has appointed an Arab Muslim as science and technology minister. This is an encouraging development, and far more significant than the election and swearing-in of one U.S.-born Muslim Congressman, which caused a complete gaga-doolally psychotic breakdown in the wingnutosphere.

This is how Amir Peretz deals with wingnuts:

Mr Majadele replaces Ophir Pines-Paz who quit last October in protest at the addition of ultra-nationalist party Yisrael Beitenu to the coalition.

Virgil Goode, call your office.

The figures that speak for themselves

But if you wanted to know these figures you'd be hard pressed to find them on LGF. You're more likely to find mocking posts about Muslim swimming costumes.

LGF: Only Muslims can be terrorists

What do you call someone who shoots dead 24 people?

That depends on who the 'someone' is: if he's black, or Muslim, and doesn't wear uniform, then according to Charles Johnson you can call him a terrorist.

If he's American and a soldier, then you can't do that (http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=23959). You can't even say he sowed 'terror' as he mowed down two dozen people. Per Johnson, that person has a right to a fair trial first, and even then probably cannot be called a terrorist because that term is reserved for darkies, foreigners, Muslims, people like that.

Just remember that!

P.S.: Is this terrorism, Charles? Or just a plain old-fashioned war crime? Your fans want to know, oh leader!

One 'big fish' or lots of little fish?

Charles is dancing on graves again this evening, thanks to reports that a 'senior Al Qaida' figure was killed in a US bombing of a camp in Somalia.

What Charles omits to mention is that the attack was completely indiscriminate, and apparently cost dozens of people their lives, include a four-year old boy. Whether or not the boy was an Al-Qaida 'big fish' or just small fry we shall never know. But Charles has the certainty of the blissfully ignorant on his side....

UPDATE:

Well, it seems those 'big fish' weren't there and a hell of a lot of little unrelated fish were bombed to smithereens.

US strikes on al-Qa'ida chiefs kill nomads

The herdsmen had gathered with their animals around large fires at night to ward off mosquitoes. But lit up by the flames, they became latest victims of America's war on terror.

It was their tragedy to be misidentified in a secret operation by special forces attempting to kill three top al-Qa'ida leaders in southern Somalia.

Oxfam yesterday confirmed at least 70 nomads in the Afmadow district near the border with Kenya had been killed. The nomads were bombed at night and during the day while searching for water sources.

Blogger 1, MSM 0

But it's not what you think.

Long story short: Conservative commentators spew violent rhetoric on a San Francisco hate-radio station owned by Disney via ABC. Local blogger contacts station's advertisers and tells them exactly what they're sponsoring -- complete with audio clips. Horrified advertisers cancel ad buys.

Score one for the blogosphere!

And please support Spocko if you can.

(Any resemblance between the kill-'em-all rhetoric spouted on KSFO and in the LGF comments section is entirely coincidental. And the fact that the conservative blog LGF and its "respectable" doppelgänger JammieCorp also happen to have a couple of big-name corporate sponsors, is utterly irrelevant.)

Calling Ali Eteraz

You wanted a word? How about sending us an email? The address is lgfwatch, and we use the fabulous Google email service.

Pot calls Kettle?

"And by the way, don't bother trying to post comments at Crooks and Liars; they routinely delete anything that doesn't toe their line of groupthink."
(Charles Johnson complaining about a Crooks and Liars post about the failure of his $3.5m nu meja venture)

Ho ho ho ho. More likely Charles doesn't want his "minions" to embarrass him further.

UPDATE:

Chuckles is a natural born comedian......"Comments are open and unmoderated..." "Comment #2-deleted".

Bingo!

As we move forward into the Pelosi Era, every wingnut in Wingnuttia -- not least the ones who inhabit the conservative blog known as "Little Green Footballs" -- is redoubling his or her efforts. Accordingly, we are pleased to present Wingnut Bingo: Democratic Majority Edition.

You know the drill: take any random wingnut blog post, or comment, or op-ed column, or White House press release, etc., and whenever you encounter one of these terms, which you inevitably will, check it off. Get four in a row, in a column, or diagonally -- and Bingo!



If you're so inclined, you can even use this grid as a handy guide for composing your very own blog comments in fluent Wingnutese. For example, using the last row across, you'd end up with something like, "Commie socialist Jon Carie is an MSM tool who looks like he's from San Francisco, a city that is the world capital of suckiness! LOL!!1!1!11" which is sure to earn you many, many kudos among your wingnut friends.

Enjoy!

("Wingnut Bingo" concept courtesy of commenter Nuclear Cop)

Political Science

At least one lizard has found a clever way to circumvent Charles' on-again, off-again ban on advocating the nuclear destruction of Mecca.

To wit:



Now, it may be that the typographical combination "open parenthesis, open parenthesis, capital omega, close parenthesis, close parenthesis" has some obscure wingnut connotation we're not aware of.

But it's hard to avoid interpreting this as "Nuke Mecca." So now the question becomes, is it now OK to say "nuke Mecca" on LGF as long as you use emoticons?

(Post title shamelessly ripped off from Randy Newman.)

The New Journalism, R.I.P.

The invaluable Glenn Greenwald has composed a comprehensive epitaph for the pathetic pretensions of the pajama-clad poobahs.

These right-wing bloggers operate at a level several beneath the National Enquirer, literally. They simply fabricate facts and recklessly and maliciously launch serious accusations against the media whenever doing so advances their political agenda.

They leap on any innuendo or gossip from the Internet swamps and tout it as fact whenever doing so bolsters their ideological view or can be enlisted to destroy the credibility of a journalist who reports unpleasant facts. They desperately seek out any basis for attacking media reports that cast doubt on their Leader and his policies. They repeat government and military claims as fact and then accuse the media of "lying" whenever their reporting contradicts Official Statements from Our Leaders.

There's much, much, much more, including some excellent linkage.

And now for a fearless prediction about where the warblogosphere will turn after all this: back to what they do best; namely, non-stop, nakedly partisan mudslinging lacking even the slightest pretense of objectivity. Already the moniker "Nazi Pelosi" is bubbling out of the fetid fever swamps of FreeRepublic et al.; it's only a matter of time until it goes "mainstream."

The American people demonstrated on November 7th that they are no longer interested in extremist right-wingerism. So, yesterday, did America's most popular Republican politician, once a cause célèbre of the right-wing élite. No less a personage than Arnold Schwarzenegger is now saying things like:

Like Paul on the road to Damascus, I had an experience that opened my eyes. And what was it that I saw? I saw that people, not just in California, but across the nation, were hungry for a new kind of politics, a politics that looks beyond the old labels, the old ways, the old arguments.

[...]

The people are disgusted with a mindset that would rather get nothing done than accomplish something through compromise. I want to thank the Legislature for taking action this past year on behalf of the people, not politics. I thank them for taking that risk.

The question is not what are the needs of Republicans or Democrats? The real question is what are the needs of our people? We don't need Republican roads or Democratic roads. We need roads. We don't need Republican health care or Democratic health care. We need health care. We don't need Republican clean air or Democratic clean air. We all breathe the same air. When California 's leaders have worked together, we have accomplished good things.

[...]

Ladies and gentlemen, we face important issues that should unite us. I believe we have the opportunity to move past partisanship . . . past bi-partisanship . . . to post-partisanship. Post-partisanship is not simply Republicans and Democrats each bringing their proposals to the table and working out differences. Post-partisanship is Republicans and Democrats actively giving birth to new ideas together. I believe it would promote a new centrism and a new trust in our political system. And I believe we have a window to do it right now.

[...]

Centrist does not mean weak. It does not mean watered down or warmed over. It means well-balanced and well-grounded. The American people are instinctively centrist . . . so should be our government. America's political parties should return to the center. They should return to the center where the people are.

"The center" also being a place recently vacated -- or, one might argue, never occupied -- by the mindless regurgitators of hard-line GOP policy over in Pajamaland. And if you think their rhetoric over the past few years has been nasty, you ain't seen nothing yet.

New LGF Watch feeds

Apart from a little redesign (you noticed!), we've now got two brand spanking new XML feeds for you.

LGF Watch feed

LGF Watch Comments feed

Charles eats crow

While staying stumm on the Jamil Hussein affair, CJ has found time to abjectly apologize for lying to his readers about a photograph of John Kerry. Charles had false claimed (based on his usual useless sources) that Kerry was being "shunned" by troops on a recent trip to Iraq. Turnes out that wasn't true.

Come on Charles, what are you waiting for? How about some mea culpa for Jamil Hussein? Or are you going to try and let this one quietly disappear under the lizard rug?

Oh please oh please oh please

From Pajamas Media's never-popular comments section comes an absolute gem showing how disconnected from reality the right-wing élite are these days.

Pamela is definitely ready for prime time. Can't we get some arms twisted at a big network? Conservatives need something to counter The Daily Show. I believe Pamela would give Colbert and stewart all the grief they could handle.

It's early days, but this is a strong contender for Brilliant Idea of the Year. For you see, if the deranged, incoherent, dipsomaniac, shrieking harpy from Long Island were ever to be granted even a nanosecond of airtime, the resulting howls of glee and incredulity and mockery would quickly consign the Republican Party and its fanatic wargasmic lunatic fringe to the obscurity they so richly deserve.

C'mon, Pammy. Your country needs you! Go on TV, go on Hannity or O'Reilly or even, G-d forbid, Stewart himself. And show America the mother's milk that nourishes the keyboard warriors of the Great Great Global War on Whatever: a fountain of florid, frothing filth fitfully flowing from the furious face of a failed floozy.

Another wingnut conspiracy theory bites the dust

Jamil Hussein. What a farce, eh? Michelle Malkin does her best to backpeddle ahead of the fiasco she will experience when traveling to Iraq, and Charles Johnson and a host of other 'nutsphere bloggers FINALLY, GRUDGINGLY take notes of something the Associated Press publishes:

That guy they've been declaring a straw man? The Iraqi policeman the wingnuts said didn't exist? Well, it looks like he might exist after all. The Iraqi government seems to have done what hundreds of keyboard-humpin' chickenhawks in Iowa weren't able to do: track down Jamil Hussein.

How inconvenient. Suddenly, the LGF - Malkin - Powerline - Iraqslogger - Flapping Heroes-Dennis Prager conspiracy theory about how the mainstream media is making up sources/stories/colluding with terrorists/lying/undermining America etc etc just falls apart.

Should we be surprised? Not really. The flimsy accusations and crazed ramblings were bound to hit the buffers sooner or later. But what any sane person might be a little stunned by is the speed with which the crazies in LGFistan have changed their tune to chime with this latest revelation.

As Bob Geiger rightly notes:

Of course, now that they've been caught for the umpteenth time writing nonsense and smearing people using "facts" that turn out to be utter rubbish, most of the conservative bloggers are either shrugging their shoulders or continuing to spin outlandish excuses for why their bizarre quest is still righteous.

Shame you still got egg on your face, Charlie. Not everyone is as ungracious as you though:

"[Michelle Malkin] and we were wrong about Jamil Hussein. Whether we're wrong about the rest of it, too, we'll see. Apologies, though, to the HA readers for having led you on a bit of a wild goose chase, however well founded and well intended our suspicions were." (link)

So there's hope yet for sanity among part of the U.S.-based commenteraty. Sadly not among the lizard crowd, though.

UPDATE:

The man who nailed the warbloggers' hypocrisy over 'fact-checking' the Iraq War has given those loons another broadside. Read Eric Boehlert's take on 'Jamilgate'

Chuckles to the front!

Now that Malkin is going to Iraq, we'd like to remind Charles that the offer to sponsor a trip there for him too still stands.

We'll pay for the flight, as well as the standard hospitality and security an ordinary Iraqi would enjoy in Baghdad for a week.

Come on, Chickenhawk. Make our day.

(image: RubiMae @ Flickr)

Diversion stations

As Charles continues to wank over the snuff video of Saddam Hussein's execution and associated news snippets, the people of Iraq are not exactly enjoying an auspicious start to the New Year:

"There were six heads in our street this morning."

So said one of my Iraqi colleagues as he arrived in the office recently.

...

Shopkeepers are limiting their opening hours, for fear they will be kidnapped or bombed.

People stay at home for days at a time, too frightened to leave. Parents stop their children going to school. If they go, they find playgrounds divided by Shia and Sunni gangs.

Each time they go to work, my brave Iraqi colleagues take their life in their hands.

They must pick their way through an ever more fractured city, making complex detours to avoid certain areas, or be ready to deal with checkpoints where the true loyalty of the gunmen running them may not be clear until it is too late.

...

"I used to think democracy came first," one Iraqi told me. "I've learnt that's not true - it's security."

More and more Iraqis are not staying around to find out if this US and British experiment is going to work.

As a friend told me recently, "Every conversation I have now starts with talk about the best way to get out." (link)

The next time CJ and the lizard gang bleat about how it was The Media/Left/Al Qaeda/Saudis/Palestinians/Kofi Annan who lost the war, remind those numbskulls that it was they who got us into this mess in the first place.

And yes, that includes the death of 3,000 American soldiers for which Charles & Co bear partial responsibility.

Congratulations!

Belated congratulations, that is, to the conservative blog Little Green Footballs for winning the 2006 Weblog Award for "Best Conservative Blog."

This helpful reminder should help resolve some "confusion" among the saurian horde about whether the conservative blog they're so passionate about is really a "conservative" blog as the NYT suggests, a characterization with which a number of lizards have inexplicably taken issue.

Surely all the people who nominated the conservative blog LGF for "Best Conservative Blog," not to mention Charles' friends at Wizbang (the conservative blog that runs the Weblog Awards) wouldn't maliciously misrepresent LGF as being a conservative blog. Would they?

Charles Johnson: Twisting and shouting

While Charles himself continues to play down the high toll the campaign in Iraq has taken on US service members' lives, he accuses 'peace groups of "celebrating" their deaths.

Now let's see...

"United for Peace and Justice, a coalition of more than 1,300 U.S. peace groups, urged demonstrators to wear black armbands or ribbons with the number 3,000 in white print and to phone radio stations and write letters to newspapers to call attention to the death toll."

Does Charles normally celebrate with a black ribbon and a silent vigil? Do his readers really believe this shit?

And in all his posts about the 3,000th soldier dying in Iraq, not once has CJ bothered to justify their sacrifice. That tells you something about the strength of his arguments.