Iraq Mines Nightmare
Afif Sarhan, IOL Correspondent Uruknet
Children easily mistake small bombs for toys or step over unexploded ordinances. (Photo coutesy UN) Read the rest of this entry »
Archive for the ‘Iraq’ Category
Iraq Mines Nightmare
Posted by smeddum on August 6, 2008
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Stalemate in U.S.-Iraq talks hard to unlock
Posted by smeddum on August 4, 2008
Peoples Daily
July 31, or last Thursday, was the deadline put forward last November by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and US President George W. Bush, but the United States and Iraq have failed to meet the long-term agreement deadline as scheduled. The U.S.-Iraq accord negotiations, nevertheless, reached an impasse because of their serious disparities over the status of American forces stationed in Iraq, the withdrawal timetable and numerous other related issues.
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‘Air Surge’ for Iraq?
Posted by seumasach on August 2, 2008
It can’t be stressed too much that, unable to win hearts and minds in Iraq, or indeed, anywhere, the projection of Anglo-American power consists, in the last analysis, of bombing and nothing but bombing. So its not just a question of “Troops out of Iraq” but “Stop the Bombing of Iraq”, a campaign of destruction and genocide which has been going on for not far short of 20 years.
David Axe
31st July, 2008
The U.S. Air Force’s Iraq boss has drawn up plans to boost air power even as ground troops withdraw from the country, according to The New York Times:
The commander, Lt. Gen. Gary North, described a future approach that would rely on jet fighters and bombers to help ensure the safety of American troops who remain behind to train Iraqis as the number of allied ground combat troops decreased.
It’s not a new strategy. As the British gradually reduce their ground forces in southern Iraq, their aviation forces in the region have held the line.
But there’s a downside to the air-power approach. A recent “aviation surge” in Afghanistan has caused a spike in civilian casualties and sparked a major row between Kabul and Washington. Might a similar surge in Iraq do the same?
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Former “Bush Puppet” Iraqi PM Calls for US Withdrawal
Posted by seumasach on July 25, 2008
Maya Shenwar
24th July, 2008
Dr. Ayad Allawi, the former interim Iraqi prime minister previously referred to even by US Congress members as a “Bush puppet,” voiced his strong support for a US withdrawal timeline during a Wednesday Congressional hearing.
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You need Uncle Sam, Iraq told
Posted by seumasach on July 25, 2008
“Both the Bush administration and the US military appear to harbor the illusion that the US troop presence in Iraq still confers effective political control over its clients in Baghdad.
However, the change in the Maliki regime’s behavior over the past six months, starting with the prime minister’s abrupt refusal to go along with General David Petraeus’ plan for a joint operation in the southern city of Basra in mid-March, strongly suggests that the era of Iraqi dependence on the US has ended.”
By Gareth Porter
Asia Times
26th July, 2008
WASHINGTON – Instead of moving toward accommodating the demand of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki for a timetable for United States military withdrawal, the George W Bush administration and the US military leadership are continuing to pressure their erstwhile client regime to bow to the US demand for a long-term military presence in the country.
Posted in Iraq | Tagged: iraq withdrawal | 1 Comment »
Another high-profile butchery
Posted by seumasach on July 22, 2008
21st July, 2008
Iraqi police said American forces broke into a home in Baiji district north of Tikrit in Salahaddin province, opened direct fire on the residents, shooting dead the 17-year-old son of the governor of the province and another relative, and wounding three other people who were sleeping. The official spokesperson for the province described this as a “criminal operation by any standard” and demanded an investigation and punishment of the killers. The governor told his office to suspend its administrative activities and any cooperation with the American forces.
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Izzat Ibrahim on resistance strategy
Posted by seumasach on July 22, 2008
20th July
Baathist website al-moharer.net published the text of a lengthy speech by Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, described as “leader of Resistance and Liberation, general secretary of the Socialist Baath Party,” dated July 17, and an English rendition dated today July 20. Their English is getting better; however, what follows is my own rendition of a few paragraphs toward the end of the address in which Douri mentions other groups, and resistance strategy generally:
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For first time, Bush agrees to ‘time horizon’ for Iraq pullout
Posted by smeddum on July 19, 2008
By Warren P. Strobel | McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON — The United States and Iraq have agreed to a “general time horizon” for further reductions of U.S. combat troops in Iraq, the White House said Friday, the first time the Bush administration has agreed to set any kind of timeline for troop withdrawals. Read the rest of this entry »
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Justice for Iraq Conference
Posted by seumasach on July 18, 2008
| A day conference Saturday 19 July, London United Reformed Church Programme 10:30–11:00: Registration 11:00–13:00: Why we need justice for Iraq
13:00–13:45: Lunch 13:45–15:15: Workshops Workshop 1: Stopping the corporate carve-up
Workshop 2: The humanitarian crisis
Workshop 3: War crimes: ending impunity
15:15–15:30: Break 15:30–17:00: The way forward: Iraq solidarity for the long-term
17:00: Ends Entry by donation (suggested amount: £7/£5 unwaged) For more information download the event leaflet or visit the Justice for Iraq blog at: www.justiceforiraq.net. Justice for Iraq Facebook group >> Justice for Iraq will pressure Iraq’s occupiers to:
These demands do not represent a complete or final list. This campaign is in the process of emerging and we are reaching out to build a network of organisations and individuals who share a similar goal. Join us on 19th July to be a part of debating, building and launching this campaign. |
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Newfound Iraqi confidence pleases, worries US
Posted by seumasach on July 14, 2008
As long as the Iraqi army is engaged in conflict with the resistance, the US presence can, conceivably, be justified as a back-up. But what if the army and the resistance start to reach an understanding? This, it seems, is precisely what happened when army was sent into Basra to deal with Sadr’s men and ended up fraternising with them. That this was the moment that broke the back of the US/UK occupation, is confirmed by the US hopes, expressed below, that hostilities between Sadr and the army will recommence. Contrary to the hopes of Western imperialists and their stooges, the Iraq nation, rather than fragmenting, is cohering in opposition to the occupation.It is the structures of power in the US/UK which will be fragmenting!
A double-edged sword: US generals welcome Iraqi military’s new confidence, but also worry
Robert Burns(AP news)
13th July, 2008
Wajih Hameed is an Iraqi general with an attitude.
With a satisfied look, he listened as a subordinate officer explained to the deputy commander of U.S. forces in Baghdad how he plans to reposition his troops in the coming weeks.
“Before, they would have asked us to propose a plan” in such a circumstance and then would have accepted it with little argument, said Brig. Gen. Will Grimsley, who led a group of American officers to Hameed’s office on Thursday. “Now they are telling us how they will do it,” he said in an interview afterward.
Posted in Iraq | Tagged: iraq withdrawal | 1 Comment »
Maliki continues to press for a “withdrawal-schedule” despite the talks having been “scaled back”
Posted by seumasach on July 14, 2008
“The American soldiers should be based in agreed camps outside the cities and population areas.”
It sounds more like hostages than occupiers: but, anyway, anything’s better then them coming home where they might start venting their anger on the chicken hawks
Sunday,13th July, 2008(Missing Links)
WaPo this morning (Sunday July 13) says the Bush administration has scaled back to trying to negotiate an “interim” agreement insofar as its military presence and operations in Iraq are concerned, having finally realized the solidity of Iraqi opposition to the idea of open-ended American presence, and the difficulty of negotiating a withdrawal schedule.
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In These New Times 