From the Editor of Axis of Logic:  Since we launched Axis of Logic only 10 months ago, we have never appealed to our readers for any financial support and we do are not doing so now.  However, we are passing on to our readers this appeal for support for the work of Dahr Jamail, an independent journalist operating in Iraq for more than two years. We have published Mr. Jamail's work in the past and will continue to do so (see our reprints of Mr. Jamail's reports below). We received the letter below from Brian Dominick, the editor of New Standard News, requesting assistance, both, financial and otherwise for Mr. Jamail's work. 

We believe that Mr. Jamail's work is important and that the request for support is reasonable.  We have no confidence whatsoever in the news and information being brought to us via the Government/Corporate Media outlets of major ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox News, AP, Reuters, NYT, WP, Boston Globe, et. al.  Therefore, in solidarity with Mr. Jamail and New Standard News, we ask our readers to consider supporting Mr. Jamail's effort to bring us reliable news and information directly from Iraq. For details on how you can help, please read Mr. Dominick's letter below.

Dear Fellow Editor at Axis of Logic,

Last December/January, your website ran stories by reporter Dahr Jamail, an independent journalist operating in Iraq for more than two months. On your site and many others, Dahr's important work reached tens of thousands of people who were desperate to hear real stories about people living under occupation in Iraq. Dahr's uniquely human style of reporting reached people in ways mainstream coverage rarely bothers to: it exposed the effects of warfare and military occupation on everyday Iraqis.

We at The NewStandard (http://newstandardnews.net) appreciated Dahr's work so much, we contracted him and began paying for news articles in mid-January. The NewStandard was created in order to support and publish the work of independent journalists such as Dahr.

And now that he wishes to return to Iraq, we've decided to do everything in our power to enable him to return in April, 2004, to continue his much-needed coverage of the "other side" of the US-led occupation.

Unfortunately, our budget is meager, as yours probably is as well. For this reason, we have devised several ways to raise funds to support Dahr's important efforts, which will cost at least $5,000. It is our sincere hope that you will join us in these endeavors so that Dahr can return to Iraq, especially if you appreciate the work he did last time, or if you intend to publish his writings this Spring/Summer.

The NewStandard will publish Dahr’s future writings from Iraq, sometimes edited and sometimes in raw form. They will be available on our site for all nonprofit outlets to republish freely. Instead of asking you to pay for reprint rights, we and Dahr would prefer you help in our fundraising efforts now and while Dahr is in Iraq. Helping to promote those efforts, and perhaps engaging in them directly, is a great way for you to do this.

Here are several important ways you can support Dahr's return to Iraq:

1. Check Dahr out during his presentation tour.
This speaking tour is organized by PeoplesNetWorks (the nonprofit publisher of The NewStandard), and between March 17 and 30 will visit 10 cities, including Washington, DC; Philadelphia; New York City; Boston; Buffalo, NY; Cleveland; Columbus, OH; Pittsburgh; Syracuse, NY; and Oneonta, NY.

For more information about the tour and for a schedule, please visit this website: http://newstandardnews.net/tour. If Dahr is coming to your town, be sure not to miss it -- and tell all your friends and neighbors!

2. Donate directly to Dahr’s fundraising campaign. P
eoplesNetWorks is accepting donations earmarked for Dahr's efforts in Iraq. You may use their secure online donation form, located at https://secure.peoplesnetworks.net/estore/?action=show_donation_registration&donationEarmarked=1 or send a check or money order to PeoplesNetWorks / 203 Bassett Street / Syracuse, NY 13210 USA (U.S. funds only, please write "Dahr Jamail" in memo line).

3. Order copies of Dahr's printed collection of journal entries from his last trip.

PeoplesNetWorks has published a beautiful, 68-page (7 x 8.5 inches) "zine" compiling more than 30 of Dahr's journal entries from November 2003 through January 2004. It also includes dozens of his original photographs -- some shocking, some beautiful, all of them moving. "Iraq Dispatches" was professionally edited, designed and printed by the PeoplesNetWorks staff. They are asking $5/copy for it plus $1.50 shipping and handling per order. To learn more about the zine click here:

http://newstandardnews.net/dahr/?action=show_zine.

4. Send an email out to all your contacts.
Word of mouth is the best way to drum up support for just about anything. Send a message to friends, family and co-workers about Dahr's work and his need for help getting back to Iraq to carry it on. Hearing it from you will mean 10 times as much as hearing it from us would.

5. If you have a website or weblog, post an ad or link directing visitors to the webpage about Dahr’s writings and fundraising campaign.

PeoplesNetWorks has created an attractive Flash banner ad, and are working on other ads, which could be used to catch visitors' attention. Alternatively, you could devise your own or just use a text message and a standard hyperlink to http://newstandardnews.net/dahr
 
Click here for sample links and ads: http://newstandardnews.net/dahr/?action=show_ads:

$10 pays for Dahr's food for a day $25 pays for room and board for a day $50 pays for travel expenses and an interpreter for an entire day of field research $200 pays for secure, round trip ground travel from Amman to Baghdad, getting Dahr into and out of Iraq safely $500 pays for an entire article, including photographs, interviews, background research, etc $1200 pays for Dahr's roundtrip air fair to Amman, Jordan

Our secure donation form is at: https://secure.peoplesnetworks.net/estore/?action=show_donation_registration&donationearmarked=1  

We welcome all comments, ideas and questions regarding this fundraising campaign. We also encourage you to let us know how you have chosen to support the campaign, so we can gauge its progress. At the latest, we will be in touch again once Dahr reaches Baghdad and begins reporting again, to instruct you how to find his writings for linking and reprinting purposes.

On behalf of Dahr and everyone at PeoplesNetWorks / The NewStandard, I thank you for your support and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely, Brian Dominick The NewStandard (Co-Editor)PeoplesNetWorks (Co-Founder) brian<at>peoplesnetworks<dot>net

http://newstandardnews.net315.422.1103

Past Reprints of Mr. Jamail's reports on Axis of Logic

Iraq
Dispatch From The Provinces: Continuing Slaughter of Iraqi Civilians, Police, and US Soldiers, January 14, 2004
By: Dahr Jamail
Jan 15, 2004, 12:12

Iraq
Daily Life in Iraq without the spin and propaganda, Continuing Slaughter of Iraqi Civilians, Police, and US Soldiers, January 14, 2004
By:Dahr Jamail
Jan 14, 2004, 12:21

Iraq
Ex-US Marine and Gulf War Veteran burns his US passport in Baghdad, Electronic Iraq, January 7, 2004
By:Dahr Jamail
Jan 9, 2004, 09:18

Iraq
Is the US military torturing Iraqis with electricity?, Electronic Iraq, January 8, 2004
By:
Jan 9, 2004, 08:40

Iraq
Iraq Diaries: Conflicting numbers and a surreal press conference, Electronic Iraq, January 4, 2004
By: Dahr Jamail
Jan 7, 2004, 11:30

Iraq
Dispatch From The Provinces: US Coalition forces Above the Law, According to the CPA, January 5, 2004
By:Dahr Jamail
Jan 6, 2004, 11:57

Iraq
First-hand news vs. CNN, Electronic Iraq, December 31,2003
By:Dahr Jamail
Jan 3, 2004, 15:36

Iraq
Another day of grinding occupation, December 30, 2003
By:Dahr Jamail
Dec 30, 2003, 21:54