Fighting the Shiite Militias (At Last)
by Doug Grindle
April 12, 2008

Years of sweeping one of Iraq's biggest problems under the rug has finally come home to roost.

Since Sunday, reports indicate 19 Americans have died in Iraq. That’s the worst week in Iraq this year. It is up significantly from the average of casualties over the past few months, which have been running at just under 40 per month.

Conventional wisdom holds that violence in Iraq is bad. But in this case, perhaps that's not as true as usual.

Much of the fighting is centered on delivering a major blow to the Shia militia known as the Mahdi Army, run by renegade cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. This is no rag-tag militia of no account.

Estimates have held steady for years that the militia has between 70,000 and 80,000 members. Al Sadr is supported by Iran politically and almost certainly financially. And Iran almost certainly gives the Mahdi Army and other militias the worst type of roadside bombs, called "explosively formed projectiles", or EFPs, which are highly effective in killing Americans.

The Mahdi Army is bad. It is out of control. Last year, for several months in mid-year, half of the American casualties in Baghdad were caused by Shia militias; of them, the Mahdi Army is the biggest and most dangerous one.

In this context, a reckoning is long overdue. Reports indicate that reckoning was originally scheduled for June by American and Iraqi forces, but was precipitously brought forward by the Maliki government more than two weeks ago, when Iraqi soldiers launched an assault on Shia militias in Basra.

That rush was not without cost. Any assault in Basra was almost bound to fail without meticulous and extensive preparation, given that the British moved out of the center of Basra last year and retreated to the city's airport, allowing Shia militias and organized criminals to assume creeping control of the place.

In Iraq there have only ever been two main opponents. The biggest, most urgent security threat came from the Sunni insurgents and their al Qaeda allies. That threat has fallen away as tens of thousands of Sunnis switched to the side of the government, which has put their erstwhile al Qaeda allies in a real bind, as they have been pushed farther from Baghdad into Diyala Province and Mosul in the north.

The other main opposition was always going to be the Shia militias, of which al Sadr is by far the most notorious and violence-prone leader. America and its Iraqi allies either would not or could not address this problem - until now - the thinking being that it was too difficult to fight both Shiites and Sunnis at the same time, and the Sunnis took precedence.

Instead the Shia problem was put on hold. Policy makers seemed to assume either the Shiite militias would fade away, as the legitimate Shia government co-opted them into the political process, or would eventually require a military solution when spare troops became available.

It appears that with the Sunni insurgency on the wane, the Maliki government feels those extra forces are now available.

As the casualty figures flow in, one hopes the cost of the recent fighting will not be too high. But one hopes even more fervently that this spasm of violence will bring about the true denouement of the al Sadr problem, and that his ultimate reckoning will not just fizzle out. The problem cannot be allowed to fester, to appear again another day. If it is not solved now, when will it be?

I was somewhat disappointed to read about the Fight posted on Internet fast, in yesterdays T&G.

I wish the T&G would consider writing about all the great and amazing things Worcester youth are posting and streaming on line and presenting on cable at WCCA TV.

They produce educational video, teen news, conduct and present discussions on youth concerns, discuss music sports, and local issues. They also produce music and culturally nurturing videos as well. Search WCCA's website for Teen Central, Young Views Real News, Community Vision News, KidsNet/Youth Channel. This is what Worcester youth are producing on line every day and every week. Participatory and inclusive media is alive and well in Worcester.

Accentuate the positive.

Mauro

Blog/NewsNote March 16
re: Political Strategy

As the war in Afghanistan grinds on, the US Army continues to try to figure out how best to win it.
It’s been seven and a half years since the Americans went in and the Taliban was thrown out.
Since then, America has changed its strategy several times to deal with the ongoing insurgency.
Officers say in the early years, the army simply tried to win by fighting - essentially, win by killing enough Taliban and other insurgents that the problem would go away. They report that strategy was unsuccessful.
The strategy for 2007 centered on economic development. Essentially, build enough roads, schools and water points and the villagers most at risk will love the Americans and the central government enough to turn against "strangers" (insurgents) when they appear in the far-flung villages and throw them out or inform on them. That takes time to work, since roads can take 2, 3 or even 4 years to build in this mountainous country.
For 2008 the buzz-phrase is "political development".
Almost all villagers, the thinking goes, reject the Taliban and their authoritarian, regressive, oppressive and extremist rule. By something like a 94% to 6% margin, according to polls.
In practice, "political development" means that the magic ingredient will now be the government itself.
The thinking goes, inject the elected (or appointed) officials who represent President Hamid Karzai in Kabul into far-flung districts, and show the rural villagers the government "cares" about their plight and is interested in their participation in government (and in their economic development).
This will cause the villagers to side with the government and, again, kick out strangers and insurgents who come wandering through villages brandishing arms and demanding food and supplies.
Time will tell if this calculation is in fact correct.
This year the corollary buzzword to political development is "corruption," which is universally recognized as being very bad and getting, if anything, worse. American officers in eastern Afghanistan say corruption is their number one headache, ahead of the war-fight itself, because "political development" is dramatically weakened when villagers are forced to pay for building permits, vehicle passage, and anything to do with the government. Villagers resent the unlawful demands for payment, and their desire to back the Kabul government is undermined.
One reason corruption has become imbued in the fabric of society is not because Karzai is corrupt (though his cronies are considered almost uniformly to be). It is that he is too fearful to rein it in, and fears a backlash from powerful armed men with something to lose, which could lead to his early assassination.
Another reason corruption is rife is because the police agencies were allowed for 6 years, until fall of 2007, to be paid less than half a living wage for a family of five - about $60 or $80 per month instead of the $160 or so it actually takes to live. For many of the Afghan police forces, corruption was necessary to survive and is now ingrained.
So it is with hope, optimism and a feeling of deja vu that we head into the 2008 fighting season.
Of course, this strategy ignores the massive sanctuaries in the Pakistani tribal areas that serve as recruiting and training grounds for an enemy that will literally be out of a job if he lays down his arms. Those areas are untouchable.
All in all, this year should be an interesting one.

Other reasons why WCCA TV, "The People's Channel" matters to you: Freedom of speech, to provide a means for the free flow of information, to help keep an informed citizenry, to provide a platform where everyone can participate, because it is a station that YOU own. TV BY FOR and OF the People. WCCA is your vision television(R)

On a very related note Bill Coleman asks us to consider
Red Skelton's Pledge of allegiance:

Thanks Bill

Love146 works towards the abolition of child sex slavery and exlpoitation through prevention and aftercare. Recently, Love146 presented a lecture at Holy Cross college and WCCA TV will cablecast the hour long program Mondays, March 17 at 3:00pm, Thursday, March 20 at 4:00pm, Fridays, March 21 at 6:00pm, Monday, March 24 at 3:00pm, and Friday, March 28 at 6:00pm. Love146 is a 501c3 non profit organization.

Video Jam, WCCA TV 's local originated music video show, created by Mauro DePasquale and hosted by Tracy Foley, has been asked to present their show on the Residence Life Channel 7 at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa! Video Jam has produced over 500 shows since 1992 and it is seen not only in Massachusetts, but New Hampshire, California, North Dakota, and now Iowa!

Soapbox, hosted by WCCA TV Executive Director, Mauro DePasquale, has brand new episodes in March begining with Mayor Konnie Lukes the week of March 3rd. The week of March 10th, Mauro's guest is City Manager Michael O'Brien. One of the topics discussed will be the issue of foreclosures in the City. Foster care and adoption are the topics discussed the week of March 17th with the Department of Social Services. Kim Kates of the Samaritans joins Mauro DePasquale the week of March 24th. Soapbox can be seen on Wednesdays at 8:30pm, Thursdays at 1:00pm, Saturdays at 10:30pm and Sundays at 6:30pm. If you would like to be a guest on Soapbox please call Tracy Foley at 508-755-1880 x 10 or email tracy@wccatv.org.

Hey everyone, the 2008 International Documentary Challenge to filmmakers in your area? The Doc Challenge is a timed filmmaking competition where filmmaking teams from around the world have just 5 days to make a short non-fiction film (4-7 min.) Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival, the Presenting Partner, will host the theatrical premiere of the finalists and an awards ceremony in April.

You can read more about the event at: IDC link

Lights, Camera, FUN

The following listing of public access centers on myspace was prepared by Rob MacCausland and distributed on the ACM list serve (Another good reason to join the ACM alliancecm.org ):

CA: Davis - http://www.myspace.com/davismediaaccess CA: Long Beach = LBC TV - http://www.myspace.com/lbctelevision CA: Santa Barbara 17 - http://www.myspace.com/sbchannel17
CA: Santa Barbara 21 - http://www.myspace.com/sbtv21 DC: DCTV - http://www.myspace.com/dctvonline
GA: Atlanta - People TV - http://www.myspace.com/peopletv
HI - Maui - Akaku - http://www.myspace.com/akaku
IA: Iowa City - PATV 18 - http://www.myspace.com/patviowacity
ID: Boise - Treasure Valley - http://www.myspace.com/tvctvch11get98
IL: Chicago - CAN TV - http://www.myspace.com/cantvchicago
IL: Chicago - Northwestern - http://www.myspace.com/nwctv
MA: Cambridge - CCTV - http://www.myspace.com/cctvcambridge
MA: Foxboro - http://www.myspace.com/foxborocableaccess
MA: Medford - http://www.myspace.com/medfordaccess MA: Peabody - http://www.myspace.com/peabodytv
MA: Wilmington - http://www.myspace.com/wctvwilmington
MA: Winthrop - http://www.myspace.com/winthroptv
MA: Worcester - WCCA-TV - http://myspace.com/wccatv13
MI: Flint - Public Development - http://www.myspace.com/publicdevelopment
MI: Lansing LNN 4 - http://www.myspace.com/lnnchannel4
MI: Troy - Community Media Network - http://www.myspace.com/communitymedianetwork
MO: St. Louis - KDKX - http://www.myspace.com/kdhxtv
MN: Duluth - PACTV - http://www.myspace.com/pacttvduluth
MN: Roseville - North Suburban Access Corp - http://www.myspace.com/ctv15
MN: White Bear Lake - Suburban Community Channels - http://www.myspace.com/scctv
NC: Chapel Hill - The People's Channel - http://www.myspace.com/thepeopleschannel
NY: New York - Downtown Community TV - http://www.myspace.com/dctv
NY: Queens - QPTV - http://www.myspace.com/qptvorg
OH: Cincinnati - Media Bridges - http://www.myspace.com/mediabridges
OR: Ashland - Rogue Valley TV - http://www.myspace.com/friendsofrvtv
OR: Ashland - KSKQ - http://www.myspace.com/kskq
TN: Nashville - http://www.myspace.com/musiccityarts9
TX: Austin - Access Austin - http://www.myspace.com/accesstv
VA: Arlington Independent Media -http://www.myspace.com/arlingtonmedia
VT: Burlington - RETN - http://www.myspace.com/retn
VT: Burlington - VCAM - http://www.myspace.com/vermontcam
WA: Kent - Puget Sound Access - http://www.myspace.com/pugetsoundaccess
WA: Olympia - KAOS - http://www.myspace.com/kaosolympia
WA: Olympia - Thurston Community Television - http://www.myspace.com/tctvolympia
WA Rehobeth TV: http://www.myspace.com/rehobothtv
WA: Seattle - SCAN - http://www.myspace.com/scantv

http://www.myspace.com/musiccityarts9

Be their "friend" its a nice way to show support.

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SEEKING BANDS/MUSICANS interested in performing one of two programs.
VENUE 1: in Worcester. Location: TBA. Date: May 2007 Time: Early evening
LOCAL_MOTION: Worcester Celebrates R&B/Motown
Seeking bands/Vocalist to perform 30-45 minutes covering classic R&B +or Motown Hits. We are looking for bands of diverse genres that can cover these tunes in their own special style (i.e jazz or punk or blues or hip hop or whatever version of a Supremes tune, etc.)
This is set for May 2008

VENUE 2: in Worcester. Location:Mt Carmel Community Center ( tentative location). Date: September 2008. Time: Early evening.
Notte D’Amore
Seeking performers covering period music ranging from renaissance, opera, classic big band hits of the 40’s . Dinner concert fund raiser.
This is set for September 2008

Interested parties, including agents may send promo kits to Mauro c/o WCCA TV 13, 415 Main St, Worcester, MA
Electronic kits will also will be accepted , contact Mauro at 508-755-1880 ext.11 for details.