CNN has gone "round the bend"

I watched a piece on CNN the other day that talked about this "mind reader" psychic guy that was, as CNN put it, "the most popular show on Iraqi TV." They showed images of the guy, and interviewed him and the female anchor for the local Iraqi TV program. They were very polished, the woman with makeup and very western hair, the psychic guy was dressed very well in a nice suit with short hair, no beard and a very color TV "friendly" shirt and tie. As I sat and watched this drivel I wondered how many people were fooled by this blatant propaganda stunt! For those of you who have not been paying attention, let me break it down for you; for the most part, unless you are in the green zone of Baghdad, YOU DON'T HAVE ELECTRICITY, LET ALONE A FUCKING COLOR TV! You don't have jobs (the USA took out most infrastructure [telecommunications, that's phone service, communication - that's command and control targets, so radio and TV stations, water, sewer, garbage, and power] as well as simple things like social meeting places, with the exception of the odd street corner) when you see footage of streets in Iraq it's mostly bombed-out or shell riddled buildings with huge piles of garbage in the streets, right? CNN posted this story on Wed. April 11th:

Red Cross: Iraq situation 'ever-worsening'

POSTED: 5:55 a.m. EDT, April 11, 2007

GENEVA, Switzerland (AP) -- The situation for civilians in Iraq is "ever-worsening," even though security in some places has improved as a result of stepped-up efforts by U.S.-led multinational forces, the international Red Cross said Wednesday.

It is difficult to determine the numbers of people killed in shootings, bombings and military operations, but the overall picture of what is happening the country has been steadily deteriorating, with numbers of refugees swelling, medical staff fleeing and other problems growing, a key official said.

"It is clear that the security situation has improved in certain instances," especially in southern Iraq, said Pierre Kraehenbuehl, director of operations of the International Committee of the Red Cross, or ICRC.

But the central region, including Baghdad, remains greatly affected, despite American efforts to secure the capital.

"Whatever operation that is today under way, and that may be taken tomorrow and in the weeks after, to improve the security of civilians on the ground may have an effect in the medium term," Kraehenbuehl told reporters. "We're certainly not seeing an immediate effect in terms of stabilization for civilians currently. That is not our reading."

He said it was so dangerous for Red Cross workers to move around in Baghdad, however, that "we don't have on a day-to-day basis a full picture of absolutely every situation."

Kraehenbuehl spoke in releasing a new ICRC report titled "Civilians Without Protection: The ever-worsening humanitarian crisis in Iraq."

"The conflict in Iraq is inflicting immense suffering on the entire population," said the report. "Every day dozens of people are killed and any more wounded."

The ICRC continues to operate in Iraq even though it has cut back operations since attacks on its staff and Baghdad headquarters in 2003. It has 415 Iraqis working for it in the country and has an additional 57 international staff based in Iraq and Amman, Jordan, but relies on the affiliated Iraqi Red Crescent for much of its information.

Based on the Iraqi society's count, about 600,000 Iraqis have fled their homes since the upsurge in sectarian violence in February 2006, Kraehenbuehl said. Medical professionals have been fleeing the country after cases where their colleagues were killed or abducted.

"Hospitals and other key services are desperately short of staff," Kraehenbuehl said. "According to the Iraqi Ministry of Health, more than half the doctors are said to have already left the country."

Thousands of bodies lie unclaimed in mortuaries, with family members either unaware that they are there or too afraid to go to recover them, he said.

I'm thinking that there are not that many "happy-go-lucky" folks in Baghdad that are sitting home watching big-screen plasma TV's. So, if you fell for CNN's "big-ole'-load of crap" story about Iraqi TV, Shame on you for believing such drivel.