Ali al-Fadhily

BAGHDAD – Now that the smoke has cleared and the rubble settled, residents of a group of bombed Iraqi villages see the raid as really a US loss. Many Iraqis view the attack Jan. 10 by bombers and F-16 jets on a cluster of villages in the Latifiya district south of Baghdad as overkill. "The … Continue reading “More Bombing Creates New Enemies”

BAQUBA – New military operations in Diyala province north of Baghdad have exacerbated a growing conflict between U.S.-backed Sunni fighters on the one hand and Iraqi army and police forces on the other. The U.S. military commenced a large military operation Jan. 8 in the volatile Diyala province. Seven U.S. battalions led an offensive to … Continue reading “Iraqi Police and Army Sidelined by Sunni Fighters”

BAGHDAD – The newly formed "Awakening" forces set up by the U.S. military are bringing new conflict. For months now the U.S. military has been actively building what it calls Awakening forces and "concerned local citizens" in an effort to reduce attacks on occupation forces. Members of the forces, which comprise primarily former resistance fighters … Continue reading “Iraqis ‘Awake’ to a New Danger”

FALLUJAH – US and Iraqi officials claim that security is improving across al-Anbar province and much of Iraq. Security during the last half of 2007 was indeed better than in the period between February 2006 and mid-2007. But this has brought little solace to many Iraqis, because violence is still worse than in 2005 and … Continue reading “Iraq Less Violent and Hellish Only in Numbers”

BAGHDAD – The recent killing of two U.S. soldiers by their Iraqi colleague has raised disturbing questions about U.S. military relations with Iraqi forces. On Dec. 26, an Iraqi soldier opened fire on U.S. soldiers accompanying him during a joint military patrol in the northern Iraqi city Mosul. He killed the U.S. captain and another … Continue reading “Killer of US Soldiers Becomes Hero for Iraqis”

FALLUJAH – The controversial move of the US military to back Sunni "Awakening" forces has created another wedge between Sunni and Shi’ite political groups. Following disputes between the tribal groups assembled into Awakening forces and the Iraqi government, the creation of these forces has become also a political issue. US-backed Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, … Continue reading “US-Backed ‘Awakening’ Forces Arouse New Conflicts”

BAGHDAD – In a country with no security and no jobs, just about anyone can work as a policeman. "To survive in Iraq under US occupation, there are only two jobs; police and garbage collection," Baghdad journalist Mohammad al-Dulaymi told IPS. "Unemployment is leading many Iraqis to join the security forces despite the risk involved." … Continue reading “Looking to Security from Paper Police”

BAGHDAD – Women are being killed by militia groups in southern Iraq for not conforming to strict Islamic ways, the police say. And increased threats from militia groups are driving many women away from their homes. Basra police chief Gen. Jalil Hannoon has told reporters and Arab TV channels that at least 40 women have … Continue reading “‘Bad’ Women Raped and Killed in Southern Iraq”

RAMADI – Many Iraqis are angry that the government seems to be picking favorites for the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims are obliged to carry out the pilgrimage, as long as they are able-bodied and can afford to, at least once in their lifetime. Saudi Arabia, where the holy site of Mecca is … Continue reading “In Iraq, Not Even the Hajj is Free of Corruption”

BAGHDAD – Hundreds of thousands of widows are becoming the silent tragedy of a country sliding deeper into chaos by the day. Widows are the flip side of violence that has meant more than a million men dead, detained or disabled, Iraqi NGOs estimate. These men’s wives or mothers now carry the burden of running … Continue reading “Iraqi Widows Become the Silent Tragedy”