Selected Fictions

The Jessica Lynch Story: Despite eyewitness accounts stating its falsehood, NBC will air the US government's version of the rescue of Private Jessica Lynch. Calling the Pentagon's story "one of the most stunning pieces of news management ever conceived," the BBC reported that, contrary to Pentagon assertions, there were no Iraqi soldiers present, no shots were fired, Lynch sustained no gunshot or stab wounds, and that Iraqi doctors had arranged two days earlier for Lynch to be picked up by an American ambulance. While Lynch can't recall any details of the "rescue," her father commented, "We're really not supposed to talk about that subject."

Vanishing WMDs:There's still no trace of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, 73 days into the search, and it's beginning to get a bit embarassing for George Bush and Tony Blair. With accusations piling up that Blair "sexed up" intelligence briefings to justify war, he announced that he stands "absolutely 100%" behind the evidence of WMDs the US and UK presented prior to the war. US News writes that Colin Powell wasn't so glowing in his assessment; he was reportedly so frustrated with poor evidence he was given to convince the UN of Iraq's WMDs that he declared: "I'm not reading this. This is bullshit." Malcolm Savidge, one of 73 MPs calling for the publication of the government's evidence on WMD, said: "I cannot conceive, in fact, of a more serious accusation than that parliament and the people could have been misled into being brought into a war on false pretences - that to me is more serious than Watergate."

Liberate Iraq! For some time now I've wanted to, under cover of darkness, alter those "Liberate Iraq!" signs to include the subhead "End the occupation!" While the pro-war folks might feel we liberated the country, the opposite is apparently true. Thousands of Iraqi soldiers are threatening suicide attacks against US troops if they don't leave soon. With US soldiers still taking fire, and some dying, it's not hard to imagine a return to all-out war. When US soldiers are no longer dying in Iraq (or killing Iraqis), then I'll take down my "No War with Iraq" sign and stop seeing the bitter irony in the signs that are now inadvertently calling for the end to American occupation.