Archives for 2006

20 Killed in Guerrilla Violence Al-Enzy Warns US on Interference Mariam Karouny of Reuters reports that Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani of Najaf played a central role in keeping the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance together during the recent Kurdish/Arab/US attempt to fracture its unity and unseat its candidate for prime minister, Ibrahim Jaafari. Steve Negus of […]

Quran Quote of the Day on Peace Speaking of the revealed scripture, the Quran, that book says: [5:16] With it, God guides those who follow his good-pleasure to the paths of peace, and he delivers them out of darkness into the light, with his permission. He guides them unto the straight path.

11 Killed in Blasts Talabani Forced to Delay Opening of Parliament Aljazeera reports, One of the deadly blasts on Thursday targeted an Iraqi army patrol in al-Amariyah, a middle-class neighbourhood in west Baghdad, killing nine civilians and wounding six, according to Major Falah al-Mohammedawi of the Interior Ministry. At Yarmouk hospital in west Baghdad, a […]

Quran Quote of the Day on Peace The fourth chapter of the Quran, “Women,” addressed the early Muslim community in Medina during the 620s, at a time when they were being attacked by the powerful pagan Meccans, who were trying to wipe them out. The Quran repeatedly commands the Muslims to defend themselves from these […]

Bigotry toward Muslims and Anti-Arab Racism Grow in US; Dubai and the Quran The constant drumbeat of hatred toward Muslims and Arabs on the American Right, on television and radio and in the press, has gradually had its effect. This according to a Washington Post poll. Even in the year after September 11, a majority […]

24 Found Dead Interior Minister Escapes Assassination The transcript of my appearance on the Lehrer News Hour is now online. Police patrols discovered 24 dead bodies in Baghdad on Wednesday, which had been strangled or shot. They were probably victims of sectarian reprisal killings. Another six were killed in bombings and other violence. Iraqi special […]

Kurdistan Islamic Party Will Vote Against Jaafari The USG-funded Open Source Center (formerly the Foreign Broadcast Information Service or FBIS) translates a Kurdish news article indicating that the Kurdistan Islamic Party will vote against Jaafari and generally will vote with the Kurdistan Alliance. (The latter announcement contradicts an earlier statement from the party.) ‘ Kurdish […]

Khalilzad meets al-Hakim Reuters reports several bombs and attacks in Baghdad, as well as in Baqubah, Khalis, Kirkuk and elsewhere, leaving over a dozen dead. Significant items include the assassination of 3 members of Muqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Militia in Baqubah; the blowing up of a Sunni shrine in Tikrit; and a mortar attack on the […]

Over 20 Dead in Guerrilla Violence Talabani’s Bid to call Parliament Fails The Iraqi general in charge of Baghdad security was killed by a sniper on Monday. I suppose it doesn’t need underlining that this is very bad news for Baghdad security. The assassinated commander, himself a Sunni Arab who led men during the Iran-Iraq […]