Another one bites the dust. World politics is littered with the political corpses of rightwing leaders who bucked their own public to join in George W. Bush’s wars and misadventures. Spain, Italy, Poland, and in a way the UK are all object lessons in this regard. Now John Howard of Australia has joined their number […]
Iraq Clerics Call for Stronger Security Forces, National Reconciliation
The USG Open Source Center rounds up Friday prayers sermons shown on Iraqi television this week: ‘Round-up of Iraqi Friday Sermons 23 NovIraq — OSC SummarySaturday, November 24, 2007 Major Iraqi television channels – Baghdad Al-Iraqiyah, Baghdad Baghdad Satellite Channel, Baghdad Al-Sharqiyah, Baghdad Al-Furat, Cairo Al-Baghdadiyah, and Baghdad Al-Diyar – are observed on 23 November […]
20,000 Brain-injured Troops Not Counted as War Casualties by Pentagon Sectarian Shiite Tribes denounce Iran Chretien Proud of Bucking Bush
Whoever is responsible for this disgusting travesty is an automatic candidate for Keith Olbermann’s “Worst Person in the World.” My guess is that the trail will lead back to Donald “its not a guerrilla war” Rumsfeld and Richard Bruce “most prominent traitor in American history” Cheney. Gregg Zoroya of USA Today reports that 20,000 US […]
Sadrists: Will Purge Mahdi Army Reject Iranian Troops for Iraq Demand Election Law Reform
The USG Open Source Center translates an article from the Iraqi newspaper “Ilaf,” on planned housekeeping inside the Sadr Movement, in which leaders plan to purge hundreds of alleged rogue elements from the paramilitary Mahdi Army. Sadrist leader Baha’ al-A’raji also called for electoral reform and rejected an Iranian plan to have Iranian troops replace […]
Dozens Killed in Bombings, Clashes 3 Mn. Iranian Pilgrims Expected 41% of Jihadis are Saudis
Guerrillas detonated a bomb in a Baghdad pet market on Friday morning at 9 am, killing at least 13 persons and wounding others. Two important gunbattles were fought in Iraq on Thursday, one southwest of Baghdad and one in the volatile Diyala Province east of Baghdad. CNN alleges that Salafi Jihadis of the “Islamic State […]
Pink: Dear Mr. President
Pink – Dear Mr. President Dear Mr. PresidentCome take a walk with meLet’s pretend we’re just two people andYou’re not better than meI’d like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the streetWho do you pray for at night before you […]
Abu Abd and Baghdad Security US Soldier Killed, dozens of Iraqis Killed or Wounded
Al-Hayat writing in Arabic profiles Sa’d Uraibi al-Ubaidi, known as “Abu Abd”, the ‘tribal awakening’ leader who, it claims, now controls most of the Sunni Arab neighborhoods of Baghdad. Al-Ubaidi, 35, had served as an officer in the Baath Army. He joined the guerrilla movement against the Americans, being active in the “Islamic Army.” He […]
Pakistani Newspapers Critical of Bush Policy
The USG Open Source Center translates excerpts from Pakistani newspaper editorials concerning the visit over the weekend of US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte to Islamabad. The visit has generated controversy in the United States, as well, since Negroponte declined publicly to condemn Musharraf’s dismissal of the Supreme Court. ‘Pakistan: Urdu Press Roundup on […]
Congress Digs in its Heels over Iraq Funding; Iran-US Talks on Iraq Security
My analysis of this NYT piece is that Bush and the Republicans are betting that they can portray as irresponsible and unpatriotic the Democrats in Congress who decline to give Bush all the war funding he wants. The Democrats are betting that the public desperately wants them to stop the Iraq War, which is hemorrhaging […]