Jessica Lynch Tells The Truth

If you have read and followed the events of Iraq War you'd probably came across this news about the heroic Jessica Lynch an American Soldier who said to have fought bravely in gun battle when her convoy was ambush and all of her 11 comrades died. She was the only one who survived the ambush and was captured by insurgents. They even made a movie on it and I watched it on HBO, where Elite US Soldier were dispatched which lead to her dramatic rescue from enemy hands. I must say it was a great movie based on a true story, but is it so? I was fooled! and the truth was finally out. What a Joke on Americans, like to drama drama only.

CNN NEWS
POSTED: 6:54 p.m. EDT, April 24, 2007

Lynch's testimony began with a recollection of the March 23, 2003, attack and her purported rescue nine days later.

As she and her fellow 11 soldiers drove through Nassiriya, Iraq, they noticed armed men standing in the streets and on rooftops. Three soldiers were quickly killed when a rocket-propelled grenade slammed into their vehicle, Lynch said.

The other eight died in the ensuing fighting or from injuries suffered during the fighting, she said. Lynch later woke up at Saddam Hussein General Hospital.

"When I awoke, I did not know where I was. I could not move. I could not call for help. I could not fight," she said, explaining she had a six-inch gash in her head and numerous broken bones. "The nurses at the hospital tried to soothe me, and they even tried unsuccessfully at one point to return me to Americans."

On April 1, U.S. troops came for her.

"A soldier came into the room. He tore the American flag from his uniform, and he handed it to me in my hand and he told me, 'We're American soldiers, and we're here to take you home.' And I looked at him and I said, 'Yes, I'm an American soldier, too,' " she recalled.

She was distraught to come home and find herself billed as a hero when two of her fellow soldiers had fought bravely until the firefight's end and another had died after picking up soldiers and removing them from harm's way.

"The American people are capable of determining their own ideals for heroes, and they don't need to be told elaborate lies," she said. "I had the good fortune to come home and to tell the truth. Many soldiers, like Pat Tillman, did not have that opportunity.

"The truth of war is not always easy. The truth is always more heroic than the hype," she said.

Lynch became a celebrity after U.S. troops filmed what they said was a daring raid on the hospital. Hospital staffers, however, said there were no Iraqi troops at the hospital when the purported rescue took place.

In the March 23, 2003, attack, Lynch, the Army claimed, was shot and stabbed during a fierce gun battle with Iraqi troops that left 11 of her comrades dead. It was later learned that Lynch never fired a shot during the firefight because her gun was jammed with sand.

Give Bloggers The Rights

I have been blogging for 3 years in Blogspot now in fact during college days I have developed my own website ranting on my personal life. I can't help it but to express my disappointment on how many governments around the world is forbidding or trying to prevent the freedom of expression online. Is it not a privilege to write whatever they want to write on their personal space? I belief it’s a right that needs defending not just on bloggers but online forums and portals as well. Bloggers worldwide and even in our own country where they can face jail just for criticising the government. What rights do we have now, how can it be measured? Where is the liberal and democratic approach to such issues?

In our country I have read about the Internal Security Ministry issued warning to all local bloggers and media not to quote of publish "anti-government articles". The Ministry needs to know that the online community is bothered about free expression online and willing to stand up for it.

As quote by Lim Kit Siang (DAP) int he TheSun "Was the ministry really concerned whether the truth of falsehood are published in mainstream media, or is it only concerned about the growing, influence of blogs and Internet portals?" This is really true? What are we afraid of if we, our government is on the right track and right mind set? Like what our PM said last few weeks "If we have done nothing wrong, why should we be afraid?"

I do know in US and in UK they have policies that ensure human rights, particularly the rights to freedom of expression, association and the right to privacy are respected and protected. I guess it doesn't happen here.

If you look at the history of human kind. The Internet is a powerful force for human rights, enabling the free flow of ideas and information around the world. But some governments have sought to reduce this freedom. People have been locked up just for expressing their views in an email or a website. Sites and blogs have been shut down and firewalls built to prevent access to information. Companies have restricted Internet searches to stop people accessing information that repressive governments don’t want them to see.

I belief we have failed to respect, protect and promote the rights to freedom of expression, association and privacy, and the rights of human rights defenders.

If i have lost all my memories the next day you will know what happened to me, some ministry brain wash me. :P Last but not the least you should check this local blogger out. extremely popular blog that takes an independent approach to Malaysian politics and society. Its editor, Jeff Ooi, was threatened with imprisonment, at the beginning of October 2004.

Malaysian TOL Collection Increase Argh!! Again?

Me being political this few days…

AAAAARRRRGGH WTF?!

I'm not shouting about the toll rise, I'm just not satisfied about what they've done. Of course everyone would not satisfied for any new changes. Ok let me ask you, when you know about this toll fee increase, are you very happy? Like "Hurray, my toll fee increase, my income doesn't increase?" No offence, but it’s true. If there is a balance in between our income and expenditure, our dissatisfaction would be reduce. Comparison about other country is not very appropriate in our case cause if they really want to increase the price they should at the very beginning, fixed a higher price. Why should the citizen bare the cost when government can no longer subsidize the Tol concessionaires? If they don’t have money to build a highway, don’t build la! Why build a “5km” highway with 2 Tols and collect from one end to the other and now they tell us they want to increase Tol rates?

This would give a big impact to many people, especially transportation, traveling, courier service, bus fare, food and a lot more while some unethical people would take this opportunity to gain from it again! And what government is doing in dealing with inflations? My bowl of wantan mee now cost RM3.50 and with my favorite chicken feet it cost RM4.00, so when the tol increase my mee become what? RM 4.60??? How Lin Kin Yau!!

If they really want to revise, revised it according to their budget and our budget since recent news had said that the vehicle on the road has increased. I don’t know how many million compared to pass few years. The Concessionaires should have more revenue now and should pay back what the government is subsidizing which is RM0.50 per every car not us citizens. On the other hand if there is more vehicle on the road, it should mean the highway concessionaires may required more fund for the maintenance and road repair expenses. OK now, government subsidies and we citizen pay the extra TOL fee so what highway concessionaires do? They should have all the budgeted expenditure before setting for the Tol price. They should for seen all this.

Housewives Contribution to EPF

A lot of people have been asking on how I am coping with my new occupation as a full time husband. Yeah! Good! That's what I am right now.

In this post I wanna touch a little bit on political and econimics. EPF (Employees Provident Fund) recent announcement to allow husbands to make contributions for housewives. I guess the position House Manager, Supervisor, Home maker does have an economics to it. I totally agree to that. My mum is a good housewife and i think she deserves a better tomorrow in the near future.

But I also have second thoughts about this. Husband is contributing EPF for their housewives yet I pity those husband's wife who burn money away doing "frivoulous" stuffs like buying tonnes of tupperwares, enlarge breasts, tighten down there, plastic surgery, buy diamonds like buying chocolate, etc etc...