At Least Sadam Kept the Lights On....

Well, the Seattle Times hit us with a one-two punch today. On the front page, above the fold, there is a story about Iraqi basic services being worse now than before Sadam, and then on the Op/Ed page we have a piece by E.J. Dionne about how conservatives are frustrated with our policy in Iraq and have had it with Bush. He bases this assesment on very scientific methodology including seeing a truck with a "I support the NRA" sticker as well as a "Kerry for President" sticker. Well, that does it for me! Heck, I might as well give up. It's over.

Now, I'm not saying that the fact that power is not on for a full 24 hours a day in all provinces of Iraq is not news worthy, but is this really more important than the execution of a US Marine? That story was on page A10 of yesterday's paper. It appears that as the US economy recovers, liberals see turmoil in Iraq as the key to defeating Bush in Novemeber. The Seattle Times is doing it's part by beating the drum and hoping that by repeating the message enough times, it will become true in the minds of it's readers.

It goes without saying that the Seattle Times has done virtually nothing in the way of talking about how conditions have improved in Iraq. I guess we are meant to believe that the average Iraqi pines away for the good old days when the lights were on and family memebers were arbitrarily taken away, raped and executed.

We all have our own stand-out memory of the war in Iraq. For me, it was images from a CNN report shown (only once, as far as I know) near the end of the war of an Iraqi jail. There was evidence of mass graves and filthy living conditions inside the prison cells. But what really stood out in my mind, and still haunts me even today, is the room where the executions were performed. It was like a cross between a live-stock slaughterhouse and an operating room. It was brightly lit and the floors and walls were covered with white tiles (for easy cleaning, I presume). There were two sets, side-by-side, of hanging gallows. That's what really struck me, two sets! Apparently, they needed two to handle the volume of executions performed there. It's haunting to think that the very last thing countless human beings saw were cold, brightly lit white tile walls. Like a slaughterhouse, Sadam had murder down to a science.

Iraq Sovereignty Handover; Marine Executed

It is obvious what today's liberal "talking points" are going to be: the US handover of Iraqi soverignty is in name only, the US remains in real control. This is the theme running through many news organizations including the Seattle Times, who in their first paragraph of today's front-page story states "it remained to be seen how much power has shifted to the government of Prime Minister Iyad Allawi".

This openly skeptical statement does not belong in a hard-news story. Clearly, liberals are looking for new ways to attack Bush's Iraq policy as the old stand-by's like "No Blood for Oil" and "Get Out Now" are no longer applicable. Besides trying to argue that the US is still "really" in control, liberal media sources have also been suggesting that the US has left Iraq too quickly. This was the argument put forth in an Op/Ed piece by a University of Washington professor in Sunday's Seattle Times. TOO QUICKLY!?!?!? Clearly, nothing Bush can do will satisfy the liberal media.

As far as the execution of Keith Maupin, it's interesting to note that while his being threatened by terrorists was a front page story yesterday, his death was reported on page A10 of the Seattle Times today. Wouldn't one think his execution would be a bigger story than his being threatened?

Well, not if you understand the mentality of the Seattle Times. Clearly, the Times' staff believe his being held hostage shows how chaotic the situation is over there. This would tend to hurt Bush. His death, on the other hand, might inflame people and increase support for Bush's war on terrorism, which the Times is passionately against.

Insurgents Threaten to Kill Marine; How About "Terrorists"

Dear Seattle Times:

Every time I see these terrorists referred to as "Insurgents" or "freedom fighters", I am always reminded of Nick Berg. I imagine Berg, a big time liberal, pleading with his captors, trying to explain he believed in what they were doing, that he hated Bush and was sympathetic to their cause. Of course, this meant absolutely NOTHING to the terrorists because he was white, an American, and an infidel. And then these peace-loving freedom fighters went ahead and cut off his head.

I fear greatly for the survival of the United States (I really do) if the same minds who publish the Seattle Times were ever in control of the defense of this country. Like Berg, you would believe compasion and understanding could bring peace; until, of course, you took that last breath.

Sincerely,

Nicholas Tanner

Who Am I and What this Page is About

My name is Nicholas Tanner, I am 36 years old and I live on Camano Island, Washington State. I was born in Seattle and have lived in the Pacific Northwest my entire life. I have a BA in Business from the University of Washington and an MBA from the University of Portland. I have worked for many years as an executive at one of the nation's largest corporations, I have taught college (at the University of Portland)and have taught science to children (at the Pacific Science Center). I have traveled extensively and have spent much time in Africa as well as all parts of Asia. I am married and am the parent of an 11 year old girl.

As a college student, I considered myself very liberal. Though it was 10 years later, the cloud of Vietnam still seemed to linger in the air at the University of Washington and this seminal event initially helped shape my views on foreign policy. I was pro-choice, believed apartheid was very wrong, had some concerns about Reagan's support for the Contras and I really didn't think that Communists were all that evil. The funny thing is that I still believe all those things but today I consider myself a conservative. I used to vote Democrat (I voted for Clinton twice)and now I vote Republican. I sincerely believe neither I nor my core values have changed (OK, I'm a little less idealistic), as much as the Democratic Party has changed in the last few years. The face of today's liberalism is filled with hate for Bush, hate for our country (just look at Michael Moore), and a win-at-all-costs attitude about politics that would make my Grandma sick (a lifelong Democrat) if she were alive today.

Now, this takes us to the Seattle Times. I have been reading the Seattle Times my entire life. It is VERY influential in Seattle. What I have noticed in the last few years is the tendency for a liberal bias to enter the hard-news. In particular, in the last few months the Seattle Times seems to be doing all it can to discredit Bush and the war on terrorism. This takes the shape of absurd numbers of Abu Ghraib stories, minimal stories on those Americans beheaded, virtually ignoring domestic terrorists threats, and presenting as fact any story that might discredit Bush no matter how flimsy the evidence. This type of bias is well documented in papers like the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, but when I looked for info about bias in the Seattle Times, I found very little. I want to help change this by documenting instances of liberal bias in the Seattle Times, which I have actually already been doing for months through countless letters to the paper.

I will do this by pointing out these biases as well as including letters-to-the-editor I have written directly to the Times. I welcome feedback and you can write me at mosfet_8@hotmail.com. Please keep in mind I am new to this blogger business so if my page seems simple and low-tech, forgive me as I get up to speed. Thank you very much.