BBC: World: "The Iraqi parliament approves PM Nouri Maliki's nominees for the key posts of defence and interior ministers."
Reuters: Top News: "BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Al Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, blamed for the beheading of foreign captives and the death of hundreds in suicide bombings, has been killed in a raid north of Baghdad, Iraq's prime minister said on Thursday.
Other than a morale boost for our troops, this doesn't change much. Bush will act as if he bombed the guy himself, and the civil war in Iraq will continue to worsen. Doesn't change much at all. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Christian Science Monitor: All Stories: "Before things get worse in Iraq, the US needs to find a rapid way to withdraw.
It sure took the CSM long enough to come to this obvious conclusion. Talk about waiting for the polls before shifting one's stand. No leadership on this one. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CBS News: "1st Lt. Ehren Watada early this year submitted a request to resign, stating that he has serious reservations about the war in Iraq and feels he cannot participate in it. That request was denied but Watada's fight is not over yet."
CNN: World: "Iraq on Wednesday started releasing 592 detainees under an initiative by Iraq's prime minister to foster national reconciliation."
Sounds like a move of desperation, to me. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Reuters: Top News: "BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's new prime minister said on Tuesday he would release 2,500 prisoners in an apparent bid to shore up his own authority amid signs of tension in his ruling Shi'ite Alliance.
Wow! This really is a puppet government of the U.S. isn't it? I mean, dismissing the laws in order to acquire political strength, is straight out of George W. Bush's play book. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Reuters: Top News: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior State Department official on Tuesday played down tough criticism by Iraq's prime minister over the Haditha incident, saying "I wouldn't make too much out of" the remarks.
Of course they wouldn't make to much of it, the Iraqi people will do that for them. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
BBC: World: "Baghdad's main mortuary receives 6,000 bodies after violent deaths this year - and the toll is rising, officials say."
CNN: World: "Nearly 1,400 Iraqi civilians died in a wave of targeted killings in Baghdad last month, according to a high-ranking Iraqi Health Ministry official."
But, don't you see, this is progress, says the White House, they are becoming desperate in the face of our overwhelming good deeds, and this is a sign that we are winning. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
The Washington Times: World: "Masked gunmen methodically separated two busloads of passengers into Sunnis and Shi'ites before fatally shooting 21 Shi'ites yesterday, the latest attack in an ethnically driven campaign of violence that is systematically dividing the capital, one neighborhood at a time."
Bush supporters continue to exhort the "progress in Iraq" rhetoric, however, for the true believers and party faithful. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Washington Post: Today's Highlights: "In a swift operation that took only 15 minutes, attackers sweep people off the street and into convoy of 12 pickup trucks."
If these same events took place in the U.S., we would call it a Civil War. If suicide bombers were coming over our borders, we would seal them. If the insurgency were growing in America beyond our military's ability to stem, we would instate the draft. So, tell me, how committed to winning are we in Iraq given we are NOT taking any of these steps in Iraq? And if we aren't taking the steps to win, why do we continue to sacrifice billions of tax dollars and thousands of American lives, to remain there? Doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result is insane. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Washington Post: Today's Highlights: "Inconsistencies in official Marine version of the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians has given rise to one of the potentially most damaging events of Iraq war."
This event is forcing the Iraqi government to side with disillusioned Iraqis calling for Yanks to go home, or lose the respect of the Iraqi people and even more control over the country. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CNN: World: "At least another 24 people -- many of them high school students -- were killed in attacks Sunday in Iraq during a weekend of violence across the country."
Reuters: Top News: "BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - Violence raged across Iraq on Sunday amid signs its leaders remained deadlocked on naming new interior and defense ministers critical to restoring stability in the strife-torn country.
Even by Iraqi standards it was a grisly find: the heads of seven cousins and an imam left severed by the side of a road 30 miles from Baghdad yesterday.
"Reuters: Top News: "A senior Marine officer told the Times that commanders informed investigators they had not viewed the early discrepancies in accounts about how the two dozen Iraqis died as unusual, and that they had no information at the time suggesting that any civilians had been killed deliberately.
BBC: World: "The Iraqi government rejects the findings of a US investigation into the deaths of 11 civilians in Ishaqi."
It has no choice. To side with the Americans now in light of Haditha, would turn the people against the new government and guarantee open civil war. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
BBC: World: "A number of Russian diplomats are abducted in Baghdad, an Iraqi interior ministry official says."
With no one safe in Iraq, I am forced to conclude that Iraq has fallen into anarchy, not democracy. Which of course means, the Bush-Blair domino theory of democracy in the Middle East was an abject failure. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
The Washington Times: World: "The leader of al Qaeda in Iraq railed against Shi'ite Muslims in a four-hour audiotape posted on the Internet yesterday, saying their militias are raping women and killing Sunnis and the community must fight back."
The growing evidence of US war crimes in Iraq means the country faces weeks and months of distressing revelations and shaming court cases that could turn public opinion more decisively against a conflict in which 2,500 American servicemen have died and which has no end in sight.
"The big worry here is this: If the Iraqi people turn overwhelmingly against the U.S. occupation, and the Iraqi Government sides with the U.S. staying, the people will turn against their own fledgling government. This cannot be allowed to happen or the flicker of hope for American success in Iraq will be snuffed out as quickly as the life of an IED victim. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
BBC: World: "The BBC obtains new video evidence that US troops may have deliberately killed 11 Iraqi civilians in March."
New York Times: International News: "Once seemingly immune to the violence that has plagued the rest of the country, Basra Province has sunk into chaos."
New York Times: International News: "Iraq's top leaders said today they would demand that America turn over its files on the deaths in Haditha and vowed to conduct their own inquiry."
Washington Post: Today's Highlights: "Military will deploy 3,500-member brigade as emergency support for embattled Anbar province."
Reuters: Top News: "They said the attack occurred near a car dealership in Hilla, 100 km (60 miles) south of Baghdad.
BBC: World: "At least 30 people are killed in a series of bomb attacks in an around the Iraqi capital, Baghdad."
ABC News: Politics: "Scandal Over Iraq Civilian Killings May Be More Harmful to U.S. Than Abu Ghraib, Lawmaker Says"
He may well be right. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
New York Times: International News: "Dozens of people were killed in Iraq today, including two British men working for CBS News, in a string of gunfire and bomb attacks."
Independent: World News: " British forces in Iraq have been attacked by insurgents nearly 60 times amonth this year, up 26 per cent increase on 2005.
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "The U.S. military is bracing for a major scandal over the alleged slaying of Iraqi civilians by Marines in Haditha charges so ...
Some on the far right might say, "We have been killing Iraqis for years now, why should 30 or so more matter?" It matters. And it will matter most to those Iraqis who have been straddling the fence as to whether or not they were better off under Saddam Hussein. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Reuters: Top News: "The sources said at least 17 people were also wounded. One bomb exploded and then another was detonated as a crowd gathered to inspect the damage, a tactic that has often been used by insurgents in a campaign designed to topple the government.
We have a similar effect here in the U.S. when there is a traffic accident. Everyone slows down to gawk and some inattentive driver slams into the line of braking vehicles ahead of it, injuring and sometimes killing even more on our highways. Humans are sadly predictable that way. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
New York Times: International News: "The new foreign minister staked out a position at odds with that of the U.S."
In what will be the first of many positions taken against U.S. policy. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Reuters: Top News: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair appealed on Friday for more international support for Iraq and urged quick reform of world bodies such as the United Nations, World Bank and IMF to tackle future crises like Iraq."
As long as Iraq continues to cost us, and our children of the future, with enormous debts and opportunity costs like education and health care, the convenient tactic of asking everyone to forget the eggregious errors that got us here, is one that will not succeed.
As long as those who made those eggregious errors remain in office, the people will not forget the past. The best thing that could happen for Iraqi support is for Blair and Bush/Cheney to resign from office. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
BBC: World: "Iraq's tennis coach and two players are killed in Baghdad - witnesses say because they were wearing shorts."
Welcome to the new Democratic Iraq where civil war is an equal opportunity employer. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Independent: World News: " A car bomb exploded in an outdoor market today in eastern Baghdad, killingat least eight people and wounding 31, police said.
CNN: World: "UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, fresh from his visit to Iraq, flies to Washington on Thursday for talks with U.S. President George W. Bush."
Topic: "Well here's another fine we got ourselves into." -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
New York Times: International News: "There are 145,000 government police officers and commandos in Iraq and thousands more armed guards and militia gunmen."
Reuters: Top News: "BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A car bomb targeting Iraqi police commandos in Baghdad killed at least five people on Tuesday, police said.
It appears there is an unending supply of materials for making these explosive devices. Raises some important questions. If the U.S. nor the Iraqi government can halt the supply, how can either ever hope to halt the escalating civil war? -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
New York Times: International News: "Confidential reports by trainers display a startling mix of heroics and incompetence, dedication and criminality."
Reuters: Top News: "BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The new Iraqi prime minister said on Monday his forces could be in charge in most of Iraq by December and officials with visiting British Prime Minister Tony Blair said all foreign troops may be gone within four years.
Four more years? Oh, hell no! -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
New York Times: International News: "The Iraqi police are a battered and dysfunctional force that has helped bring the country to the brink of civil war."
CNN: World: "At least two people were killed and 15 wounded in a roadside bomb in Baghdad on Sunday, a day after the formation of a national unity government that pledged to combat such violence."
Reuters: Top News: "BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki vowed to use "maximum force against terrorism" on Sunday, as bombs killed at least 19 people in Baghdad during the first meeting of his national unity cabinet.
I guess this means up to this point, mimimum force has been used. Hmmm, sounds like we haven't been giving it our all up to this point. Wonder why? -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Independent: World News: " The Sunni Arabs of Iraq feel they are fighting for their very existence. Some 5 million strong, they see themselves as fighting against a foreign occupation and impending Shia and Kurdish domination.
CBS News: "Parliament approved Iraq's new national unity government, achieving a goal the U.S. hopes will reduce widespread violence so that U.S. forces can eventually go home. But as the legislators met, at least 27 people were killed in a series of attacks."
BBC: World: "Sectarian violence and criminality are dividing society in Iraq, writes the BBC's Jim Muir."
Reuters: Top News: "BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi leaders have agreed on a unity government to be presented to parliament on Saturday, negotiators said on Friday, adding that the key interior and defense ministry portfolios would be filled later. Which of course means, another few rounds of delays before establishing a civilian government. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Reuters: Top News: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military is considering sending hundreds of soldiers from a force held in reserve in Kuwait into Iraq to provide extra security as Iraq prepares to seat a new government, a defense official said on Friday."
Wrong direction there guys. Aren't we supposed to be drawing down troops, instead sending more in? -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CNN: World: "A decorated U.S. Marine colonel turned anti-war congressman says that Marines killed at least 30 innocent Iraqi civilians "in cold blood" in Haditha in November. John Murtha, who was decorated for his service in Vietnam, said the death toll may be more than twice as high as first thought."
The Washington Times: World: "The recent killings of six Iraqi journalists have rattled the country's fledgling press corps, a battle-worn crew that has persisted in covering the nation's turmoil while suffering dozens of dead at the hands of insurgents, government troops and even American forces."
What's this. Positive praise for foreign media. Everyone in America knows media is liberal, corrupt, gives comfort and aid to the enemy, and are a bunch of lilly-livered cowards. So, what's this? More media propaganda? Can't trust any of them. Now they want to make their own into heroes. (This is how I view critics of the media!) -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
The Washington Times: World: "Iraqi officials said yesterday that a new government to be announced as early as tomorrow will include a new Ministry of National Dialogue, in an effort to stop the sectarian killings and violence that has spread through most of the country."
What are the odds that it quickly morphs into a Ministry of Propaganda? -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CNN: World: "A slew of fresh violence was reported Thursday in Iraq, leaving a U.S. sailor, Iraqi police, civilians and insurgents dead, and a shrine used by both Sunnis and Shiites severely damaged."
This violence goes well beyond and past having a government. If the coalition's militarization of Iraq is not able to quell the violence, why would anyone believe that a civilian government will be able to. Iraq is in civil war. And our presence is only delaying its full escalation. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "As Iraqis awaited the final formation of their new national unity government, at least 18 people were killed and a police chief ...
Rights campaigners were claiming a moral victory after Iraq's Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani appeared to renounce a fatwa calling for the killing of homosexuals "in the most severe way".
"Yeah, let's show the world we can be humane, and just kill them in the normal way! -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Independent: World News: " Shell craters and dead branches torn off the trees by explosions mark the places in the mountains of northern Iraq targeted by Iranian artillery firing across the border in a serious escalation of the confrontation between Iran and the US.
Reuters: Top News: "The sequence of explosions at dawn in the Karrada shopping district wrecked the stores' frontages and, in one case, an advertising display for beer.
Independent: World News: " Four soldiers were wounded in a mortar attack on a British military base inIraq today, the Ministry of Defence said.
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "Insurgents shot down a U.S. helicopter south of Baghdad and killed two soldiers, bringing the weekend death toll of American ...
Where are the insurgents munitions coming from? They should have run out 2 years ago. Are they being rearmed from American supplies stolen in Iraq? This question needs to be asked and answered. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Washington Post: Today's Highlights: "The same forces trained by U.S. troops to protect the public are often suspected in street killings."
I can hear President Bush mumbling: "This is another fine unintended consequence you have gotten me into." :-) It's always someone else's faulty, isn't it Mr. President? -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "Twin suicide car bombs exploded on the Baghdad airport road Sunday, killing 14 people on a route U.S. and coalition forces have struggled to secure.
Independent: World News: " Two British soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb as they patrolled intheir armored vehicle near the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Saturdaynight, the Ministry of Defense said. A third soldier was injured.
A gun battle between two units of the Iraqi army has left one soldier and a civilian dead, underlining how ethnic and sectarian divisions are crippling the US-trained force.
"The White House assures us this nothing more than a disagreement among fellow citizens. No civil war exists in Iraq because Pres. Bush says so. Yeah, Right! We have failed in Iraq every mission we set before us save one, deposing Saddam Hussein. It's time to enact plans to redeploy and remove our own contribution to the violence in Iraq. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "Gunmen killed the son of Iraq's top judge Saturday as the country's prime minister-designate struggled to form a national unity ...
For a very long time, officials of the new Iraqi government were not safe. They still aren't. But, this new trend toward attacking and killing officials family members has got to have an intimidating effect on quality leaders willing to put their families in danger for the sake of the new government which is a crap shoot at best. Civil disorder is what many want to continue to call it. But, with more 90% of the attacks coming from Iraqis, Civil War is the only term that accurately fits. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
ABC News: Politics: "Armed Militias Are Biggest Obstacle to Functioning Government in Iraq, President Bush Says"
The biggest obstacle to a functioning government in Iraq was Bush's invasion of the country. Let's get these facts straight Mr. President. There was a functioning government, now there isn't. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CNN: World: "Four U.S. Marines died Friday in Iraq when their tank rolled off a bridge into a canal, the U.S. military said."
The Washington Times: World: "Iraq's prime minister-designate has proposed to take over temporarily the powerful ministries of interior and defense in order to end a crippling political stalemate and move ahead with the formation of a new government."
Doesn't sound very constitutional to me. Sounds like a move Saddam Hussein would have taken. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Reuters: Top News: "BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A small but influential Shi'ite Islamist party said it was pulling out of talks on forming a new Iraqi government on Friday, complaining of U.S. interference."
Reuters: Top News: "BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Wrangling over the oil ministry portfolio and other top jobs held up on Wednesday the formation of a unity government the United States hopes can end rampant bloodshed and allow it to start withdrawing troops from Iraq.
People don't realize, Iraq is just at the very beginning of the conflicts and wrangling and delays they will cause in putting together all of the different cabinet and agency heads of government. Just the beginning. But, time is not on their side as the civil war escalates. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
New York Times: International News: "Sunni Arab neighborhoods in Baghdad have begun forming citizen groups to keep Shiite police forces out of their areas."
But the White House refuses to acknowledge these signs as either negative or of civil war. The people fear their own government forces. Isn't that exactly the situation that existed under Saddam Hussein. What a horrendous debacle we have created there in the name of bad intelligence. I would say it was an utter lack of IQ in the White House that is responsible. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
