Tag: Iraq

Chance of a Breakthrough With the Kurds?

A recent meeting between Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Kurdish President Massoud Barzani appears to be a crucial step in lowering tensions in the country, but it has also prompted questions as to whether the two leaders can put an end to their differences. The meeting came as the fever of presidential and parliamentary … Continue reading “Chance of a Breakthrough With the Kurds?”

The Silence of the Sheep

In early July, U.S. Army Col. Timothy Reese committed truth. According to a story by Michael Gordon in the New York Times (reprinted in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, where I saw it), Col. Reese wrote "an unusually blunt memo [concluding] that Iraqi forces suffer from entrenched deficiencies but are now able to protect the Iraqi … Continue reading “The Silence of the Sheep”

Blackwater Founder Implicated in Murder

A former Blackwater employee and an ex-U.S. Marine who has worked as a security operative for the company have made a series of explosive allegations in sworn statements filed on August 3 in federal court in Virginia. The two men claim that the company’s owner, Erik Prince, may have murdered or facilitated the murder of … Continue reading “Blackwater Founder Implicated in Murder”

Monday: 20 Iraqis Killed, 65 Wounded

Updated at 7:15 p.m. EDT, Aug. 3, 2009 At least 20 Iraqis were killed and 65 more were wounded across Iraq, but Babil province took the hardest the hit with three fatal bombings. Another significant attack took place in Anbar. The DoD reported that one American soldier died on July 25 from wounds suffered two days earlier in an anti-tank grenade attack. Meanwhile, the Shi’ite group Asa’ib al-Haq renounced violence after meeting with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki over the weekend; the extremist group has previously taken credit for killing Americans and kidnapping Britons.

Sunday: 18 Iraqis Killed, 49 Wounded

Updated at 6:08 p.m. EDT, Aug. 2, 2009 At least 18 Iraqis were killed and 49 more were wounded mostly in two separate bombings. No Coalition deaths were reported; however, the remains of a Navy pilot, missing since the Persian Gulf War, were recovered from a burial site in Anbar province. Also, Prime Minister Maliki made his first trip to Kurdistan since taking office three years ago, perhaps hoping to stave off another war. Separately, former Saddam aide Tariq Aziz received a seven-year sentence for the forced relocation of Kurds.

Saturday: 3 Iraqis Killed; 7 Iraqis, 5 Iranians Wounded

Updated at 11:23 p.m. EST, Aug. 1, 2009 At least three Iraqis were killed and seven were wounded in light violence that came a day after a horrific spate of attacks on Baghdad mosques. One of the bombings today occurred at a mosque just south of the capital. Also, five more Iranian refugees were injured during renewed unrest at Camp Ashraf.

Time to Get Out of Iraq

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has suggested that he might speed up our withdrawal from Iraq by pulling out an additional brigade combat team by year’s end. Good idea! How about pulling out FIVE more brigades by then? It is an idea whose time clearly has arrived, as evidenced by the remarkable memo from a senior … Continue reading “Time to Get Out of Iraq”

As US Winds Down, Iraq Tilts Toward Iran

A raid by Iraqi security forces on a camp of Iranian dissidents is widely seen as a sign that Iraqi authorities are establishing their independence as the U.S. occupation winds down – and tilting instead towards Iran. There are unconfirmed reports of injuries and abuses coming from Camp Ashraf, the enclave populated by members of … Continue reading “As US Winds Down, Iraq Tilts Toward Iran”