Dahr Jamail

The end of 2007 produced a telltale indication of what the New Year seems likely to bring to Iraq. "We the Iraqi members of parliament signing below demand a timetable for withdrawal of the occupation forces (MNF) from our beloved Iraq," 144 members of the 275-member parliament, a clear majority, wrote in a declaration April … Continue reading “New Year Begins Unhappily In Iraq”

Despite all the claims of improvements, 2007 has been the worst year yet in Iraq. One of the first big moves this year was the launch of a troop “surge” by the U.S. government in mid-February. The goal was to improve security in Baghdad and the western al-Anbar province, the two most violent areas. By … Continue reading “2007 Worst Year Yet in Iraq”

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”

BAGHDAD – Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis driven out of their country by violence are now faced with detention abroad, or a homecoming to death threats. More than two million Iraqis, in a population of about 25 million, have taken refuge in many countries. Only a few have won official status as refugees. Most refugees … Continue reading “Refugees Caught Between Deportation and Death Threats”

RAMADI, Iraq – A semblance of calm belies an undercurrent of violence, detentions and fear across Iraq’s volatile Anbar province. The province – which occupies one-third of Iraq’s geographic area – has been a bane to authorities since the beginning of the occupation. "The Americans talked about our province as the deadliest enemy, and suddenly … Continue reading “A Tenuous ‘Peace’ in Anbar”

DIWANIYAH, Iraq – Detentions have become commonplace in Iraq, but now more than ever before people are being detained after being accused of membership in "militias supported by Iran." "Hundreds of our men were detained and accused of being militiamen supported by Iran," Mahmood Allawi, a 50-year-old lawyer from Diwaniyah, 160 km south of Baghdad, … Continue reading “Detentions Escalate in Diwaniyah”