Richard Engel is not speaking MARTIAN, for God's sake!

[annabanana]

When a talking head cuts to him for information about Kobani, that Syrian town right on the Turkish border, he spouts "confusing words" like, oh,

Kurd, Peshmani, PKK, Sunni, Shia.. and the talking head hadn't mentioned ANY of those in the lead-up to his segment.

Until the US gets it's collective head out of it's ass and starts to deal with what is actually going on over there, sadly, Engels invaluable insight will wash over Americans like so much word salad...

[amandabeech]

1. Engels is terrific.

Bill Richardson was on, too, and didn't refer at all to the complex situation that Engels described. Richardson was making soothing words about how we would be able to persuade the Turks to enter the war and help their sworn enemy, the PKK. The contrast between the two men was just incredible.

[liberal_at_heart]

2. the talking heads don't want an educated and informed public. They're much harder to

control and manipulate.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. I don't know much about the factions,

but I do know that there are two artists in Duhok in northern Iraq who are on a hunger strike in support of Kobane and demonstrations in the street. I have an online photojournalist friend who has been posting photos. I only wish I knew Arabic so I could read the comments. (He and I communicate in English.)

The situation is undoubtedly "complicated."

[Zen Democrat]

4. Richard Engel is a little too "rah-rah-war" for me.

[liberal_at_heart]

5. yeah I don't really watch Engel. Of course I don't really watch tv news much at all anymore.

[Ampersand Unicode]

6. I heard somewhere that his wife dumped him.

If that's true, it kind of makes me POed because here's this guy trying to inform the public about a dangerous situation from the worst hellhole in the world.... and you go and break his heart and kick him to the curb because you're lonely for snuggle time at night.

Get a dog, lady.

[rustydog]

7. Whaaattttt?

really?

[dsc]

8. we if he decides to try men instead

I am more than willing to be his starter gay.