President Obama’s troop withdrawal deadlines continue to vanish like a blind dowager’s silverware. At his June 15 testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, “King David” Petraeus fainted like Blanche DuBois when inquisitors from both sides of the aisle tried to wedge him into saying that he thought President Obama’s July 2011 withdrawal date for …
Continue reading “‘Til the Fat General Sings”
“What, Me McWorry?” noted that by replacing Stan McChrystal with David Petraeus, Barack Obama has bought the Pentagon’s Long War agenda lock, stock, and pork barrel. “Helmand in a Handbag” discusses why it seems that our national security team is losing its woebegone wars on purpose. Gen. Stanley McChrystal had ample reasons for wanting to …
Continue reading “Helmand in a Handbag”
Four Iraqis were killed and three more were wounded in light violence, but battles between Turkish troops and PKK rebels based in northern Iraq heated up.
Today’s attacks unsurprisingly targeted Awakening Council (Sahwa), security personnel and even a gold merchant as gunmen continue to stalk Iraq’s politically valuable targets. At least five Iraqis were killed and 29 more were wounded across the country. Meanwhile, the Justice Ministry released 198 inmates, mostly in Baghdad and Basra, over a lack of evidence against them.
At least 21 Iraqis were killed and 36 more were wounded in a string of attacks that targeted police and other officials. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Maliki met with his rival in talks that could break the political impasse that is fueling some of the violence.
At least nine Iraqis were killed and eight more were wounded in the latest violence. Hundreds of Kurds, however, have been forced to leave their homes because of shelling from Iranian troops. Also, dozens of people were accidentally poisoned in Baghdad.
Updated at 8:06 p.m. EDT, June 14, 2010
The new Iraqi parliament met today just long enough to swear in its new members as at least seven Iraqis were killed and 38 more were wounded in attacks around the country. Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department wants its own “mini-army” to provide security for its diplomatic staff after the U.S. military withdraws. The U.S. military announced it is removing all hazardous waste it produced during the occupation.
Updated at 7:54 p.m. EDT, June 9, 2010
At least 16 Iraqis were killed and 36 more were wounded in a string of attacks across the country. Also, the D.O.D. reported that an American soldier was killed in a vehicle rollower near Kuwait City. Meanwhile, a study from the Walter Reed Institute has revealed that mental health problems are common in soldiers returning to Iraq, with as many as 10 percent displaying the effects of war.
Updated at 9:09 p.m. EDT, June 6, 2010
A spate of attacks focused on Baghdad and surrounding communities. Overall, at least 12 Iraqis were killed and 46 more were wounded in those and other attacks across the country. Meanwhile, a lack of water could fuel Iraq’s next insurgency. Also, cross-border attacks between Turkish forces and the PKK continue in the north.
Sunday’s New York Times, gearing up for Memorial Day, carries a leading front-page story direct from the Afghan front, complete with photos. Does it tell of the 1,000 Americans who have perished there in America’s longest war, or the unknown number of innocent Afghans to fall, or the many more on both sides gruesomely injured, …
Continue reading “Servile Journalism for Memorial Day” 
