My big question: If we were supposed to believe the AP when the AP said the MOI's Khalaf didn't know what he was talking about, why are we supposed to believe Khalaf now that the AP says he does know what he's talking about? Especially when the AP, which has stalwartly stood by Jamil Hussein's existence as a source, has backed off what Hussein told them about four mosques burning?
Just asking. Has this thing morphed from false but true to true but false?
The existence of cops with several variations of the name Jamil Hussein of varying ranks in several police stations around Baghdad was reported by bloggers several weeks ago. None quite matched. I'd suggest the jury is still out on this guy. The reliability of the AP's Baghdad bureau and its stable of local stringers remain in question.
Confederate Yankee says great, now Jamil can be questioned about all 61 AP stories he was quoted in. If, as ConfYank notes, he actually exists.
Curt at Flopping Aces also has some questions and nagging inconsistencies he'd like to point out.
Patterico doesn't care whether jamil exists or not. He just wants to know how full of it he is.
This holds, by the way, from last time someone "found" Jamil. No Crow, Thanks.
Greyhawk at Mudville isn't happy. He wants to be the first to say it. "Free Jamil Hussein." He's got a point. Provided Jamil isn't an insurgent-loving propagandizing liar. Provided he actually exists.
Editor & Publisher, home to AP/Hussein-loving Greg Mitchell, crows about the latest Jamil-spotting report. Oddly, no one is signing their name to this one this time. Will it remain up if the story goes south or disappear into the abyss as others have in the maleable past?
Kaus at Slate: "Capt. Jamil Hussein, controversial AP source, seems to exist. That's one important component of credibility! ... "
Other Jamilabilia:
Who says there's no such thing as Jamil Hussein. He's right here. Blogging:
Media Opportunities
By Capt. Jamil Hussein
I am very interested in developing new relationships with media representatives in Baghdad. I would especially be interested in on-air opportunities with Western broadcast media. I have fluency in English and can also converse in German.
As an Iraqi police captain I see many, many bad things. Just this morning I saw a Sadr City street brawl erupt into gunfire over a discussion about whether Cheetos Lip Balm is haram. Yesterday I witnessed a dog having sex with a sheep. Truly Iraq is descending into madness. I have many compelling stories to tell.
Please contact me through this website.
h/t cassandra.
Of course, we've already seen Jamil Hussein.
Ace has standup Jamil Hussein at the Ramadi Laff Factory:
Stop me if you have heard of this one before:
A Shiite, a Sunni, and a Sadrite each walk into a mosque - the mosque is destroyed by the fire of the infidel. On this point you must believe me.
I am making the funny ...
What do you call six Shias and two gallons of kerosene and a match?
A good start ....
This is funny because of its truthfulness ....
Say, I ask you: What goes clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop KABOOM?
A martyr's oxcart the moment before he experiences the joy of Allah.
Say - how many people are here from out of town?
14 comments:
KHAMENEI APPEARS TO BE DEAD ACCORDING TO M LEEDEN(FASTER PLEASE)
The Jooos poisoned him with radiation. al-Jazeera story on this conspiracy will be airing tonight ;->
your a moron.....
;->
Well, a hearty ESAD to you too Drew.
Michelle Malkin is reporting that there may indeed by a Capt. Jamil Hussein, who has heretofore hidden his existence because he wasn't supposed to talk to anybody in the media. Doesn't exonerate him from being a Baathist with a grudge, though. No doubt we'll hear the whole story eventually.
Is it that hard to just admit you were wrong, Jules?
Which is more despicable -- AP or Crittenden? This post makes it clear that Crittenden earns the award.
You were wrong, and the reason why the source was hard to confirm is because the Iraqis have begun to criminalize the act of speaking to the media about what is going on. This guy has now been subject to arrest for the act of speaking with the AP.
When you whine about media coverage in Iraq, keep in mind that the Iraqis have gone the way of any other authoritarian regime and outlawed "unauthorized" contact with the media. Why? To control the message and downplay the violence.
Stop looking for fall back angles to justify your wrong-headed condemnation.
Normal people assume that when a regime criminalizes contact with the media, its because they want to obscure the truth. Therefore, what does it mean that the US military and Iraqi officials have falsely been denying the existence of this officer? Normal people assume that it was part of a campaign to suppress bad news -- not the opposite.
Unless you are in favor of suppressing the news -- maybe you believe propoganda in support of the Iraq war and perpetuating factual myths about events there to insure support is what really matters.
Is it that hard to just admit you were wrong, Jules?
Where the proof? All I've seen is just another round of assertions.
How about a page out of an AP reporter's notebook with a Jamil Hussein contact and info for a particular story on a particular day? Reporters are meticulous about their notebooks and retain them for years.
How about a physical description of the guy? Is he a midget? Is he taller than Shaq? Does he sport an afro or is he bald?
How about showing a copy of his MOI identification?
How about showing a copy of some mundane police report about a routine burglary or vandalism that he processed at some point? All real cops produce vast waves of mundane paperwork in the course of doing their jobs.
I'd settle for his signature on a requisition form for a case of toilet paper delivered to the police station!
So far, we've seen NOTHING that a kidnap victim's ransom payers would accept as resembling "proof of life".
I added a link to your post at
CENTCOM says AP's "Iraqi police source" isn't Iraqi police -- Part 29.
Color me unconvinced: A couple of
short excerpts from my post:
Color this old dog very, very skeptical. So, the Iraqi Police may or may not arrest some dude and claim he's Jamil, then they may or may not put him in a line-up where the AP people can claim "Yes we see him but we aren't going to identify him; must protect our sources, y'know," and we're all supposed to just forget about all those sole-sourced stories that still don't check out? And our source for all this new-found knowledge is ... the AP?
***
You know where this is going, people. Check out this paragraph from the AP piece Michelle linked to:
Hussein told the AP on Wednesday that he learned the arrest warrant would be issued when he returned to work on Thursday after the Eid al-Adha holiday. His phone was turned off Thursday and he could not be reached for further comment.
What we're going to be hearing by Saturday is:
"Jamil's afraid of getting arrested so he's gone so deep underground that even his old AP contacts can't find him. But we really did talk to him last week. Really we did. Really!"
Come out of your bunker, PA.
The war is over...President Pelosi will treat you well!
Hey, alphie - if this is what you're willing to accept as "proof", can I interest you in a bridge in Brooklyn as an investment property?
I promise you I own it. I promise you it'll make you millions every year.
How's the search for Saddam's WMD coming along, PA?
My big question: If we were supposed to believe the AP when the AP said the MOI's Khalaf didn't know what he was talking about, why are we supposed to believe Khalaf now that the AP says he does know what he's talking about?
Uh, Jules? This might be a difficult concept for you to grasp, so try to pay attention. There is such a thing called reporting. Reporters pass on what they are told by their sources.
You see, in journalism...oh wait, getting ahead of myself. Journalism is a field of human activity whereby...
I was telling bloggers all along, that trusting in the word of the Ministry of Information (which is riddled with Shiite militia members) PR guy versus the Associated Press was foolish. But once again, in the idealogical fervor to attack the "liberal MSM" wishes got ahead of reality.
Skepticism is always warranted, blind belief that the other side is alway wrong, is just fanaticism.
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