Media Mouse has posted this week's Iraq Watch news update. This week's update looks at the following topics:
- Iraq Election Commentary - Earlier this week, something sort of resembling an election (with 175 attacks that killed 44 people) took place in Iraq. While there has been plenty of mainstream coverage of this supposed "turning point" in the occupation of Iraq, much of it has reported Washington's official position on the election, unlike the alternative press which has provided considerably more realistic information about the election.
- Iraq Elections and Media Coverage - Several media critics have looked at the mainstream media coverage of the Iraq election. As could be guessed, corporate news coverage was less than critical, glossing over any problems and discrepancies.
- New Iraq Report from FPIF - With the media focus on the success or failure of election in Iraq, their has been little focus on what sort of government the election might actually produce. Professor of Politics and chair of the Peace & Justice Studies Program at the University of San Francisco Stephen Zunes has just released a new study asking "How Much Power Will the New Iraqi Government Really Have?"
- Marine General Says "it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them (Afghan Men)" - Lt-Gen James Mattis, the man responsible for Camp Pendleton's 1st Marine Division in Iraq, said to an audience at a conference that he had fun shooting Afghan men. "You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So, it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them," he said to applause. Mattis is quoted as saying: "Actually, its a lot of fun to fight. You know, it's a hell of a hoot. I like brawling."
Read More: Iraq Watch.
