1.  Remember what the main character in 1984 did for work?

2.  Michael Moore hears from the troops

3.  Brutalization on both sides

4.  Progress report on reconstruction in Iraq

5.  Soldiers becoming lifers...

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1.  Somewhere in Washington there are new Winston Smiths at work. 

 http://www.misleader.org/daily_mislead/Read.asp?fn=df12182003.html

 

2. Michael has been receiving letters and e-mails from our troops in Iraq, and they tell a different story from the party line.  Read some excerpts at this link http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?messageDate=2003-12-19

 

3.  Very disturbing article by Kathy Kelly about the experiences of two Palestinian students who were in Iraq and subsequently detained by US forces for two months.  It illustrates so clearly how the brutalization of the military experience affects the soldiers as well as the prisoners.

 http://www.antiwar.com/orig/kelly7.html

 

4.  Still lots of problems vis-a-vis infrastructure. plus the military has taken over popular recreation areas - fueling further resentment by ordinary Iraqis

 http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/dec2003/iraq-d29.shtml

 

5.  Due to the activation of what they call "stop-loss", soldiers are not able to retire on schedule.  Basically, they are in until they are let out - this can't go on forever, which some folks think make the reviving of the draft more likely.

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A36979-2003Dec28?language=printer