At least four Iraqis were killed and eight more were wounded in the latest attacks, while 11 badly decomposed bodies were discovered in a mass grave. It is expected that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will unveil his new cabinet tomorrow. Iraqiya leader Ayad Allawi will be watching carefully, making sure Maliki sticks to his promise to fairly distribute the streets.
read moreSaturday: 8 Iraqis Wounded
Reports of violence are still scant following the Ashura observances, but at least eight Iraqis were wounded in at least three explosions in Baghdad. Meanwhile, the Electricity Ministry has opened bidding to foreign companies on four new power stations that could boost production. Last summer, the lack of electricity lead to riots in southern Iraq.
read moreBoss Snake’s Mafia State
Economic Espionage Haunts AIPAC
Gains in Kandahar Came with More Brutal US Tactics
The Barack Obama administration's claim of "progress" in its war strategy is based on the military seizure of three rural districts outside Kandahar City in October. But those tactical gains have come at the price of further exacerbating the basic U.S....
Friday: 8 Iraqis Wounded
At least eight Iraqis were wounded during the latest attacks. Although Ashuraa observances have ended, pilgrims on their way home are targets for new violence. Meanwhile, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that authorizes $160 billion towards wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also, the U.N.’s High Commission for Refugees criticized Sweden for repatriating five Iraqi Christians who failed to win asylum.
read moreWikiLeaks: The Touchstone
US Readies New Sanctions on Iran Ahead of Talks
The Barack Obama administration is preparing a new batch of sanctions against Iran to be announced next week in advance of nuclear talks in Turkey. Two Iran experts in Washington who are usually well briefed about U.S. Iran policy said more Iranian officials would be...
US Pot Assesses Chinese Kettle
It’s a common observation, to the point of triteness, that we tend to hate those traits in others that we’re prone to ourselves. But maybe there’s something to it when it comes to one country’s perception of another. Among the diplomatic cables recently released by...
Thursday: 14 Iraqis Killed, 17 Wounded
About two million Shi’ite pilgrims are in Karbala for the climax of Ashuraa rituals. Heavy security, including the arrests of three female bombers, has so far prevented any large-scale violence today, but attackers targeting pilgrims in other parts of the country were more successful. At least 14 Iraqis were killed and 17 more were wounded.
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