We haven’t been talking much about Iraq lately… but the craziness continues. People in the media have long ago become desensitized to events there. Big bangs and movie-worthy stories draw headlines, but otherwise we hear very little. The leading story now is the ongoing negotiations on a Status of Forces Agreement. Clearly the situation is still bad even if it has calmed significantly. In addition to ongoing military activities and unreported crime, at least 95 Iraqis have died in various attacks over the past week…
Nov 7: No major incidents reported. Fridays used to witness some of the most vicious attacks between Shia and Sunni. So it’s not all bad… In their Friday sermons, clerics preached against any Status of Forces Agreement that is not put before them (and the people).
Nov 8: A double suicide bombing near the city of Ramadi killed at least 8 Iraqis including several policemen. In other news, an off-duty police officer was killed in a drive-by, an Iraqi soldier and a civilian were killed in separate roadside bombings, and a former Baathist was gunned down. Meanwhile, political unity and reconciliation continued to make big strides.
Nov 9: A female suicide bomber killed three people in a hospital and injured several others. Various other incidents around the country killed a US soldier, four Iraqi soldiers, and at least two civilians. Iraqi security forces were also injured in a handful of other explosions and shootings.
Nov 10: A day of celebration for US Marines… At least 30 people were killed in a triple bombing during morning rush hour in Baghdad. The calculated attack on civilians reminded some people of their most feared nemesis. Elsewhere in Iraq, a 13 year old girl killed herself and at least four others.
Nov 11: At least three people were killed in another morning rush hour attack. One person was killed in a mortar attack on a police station in Baghdad. There were a bunch of other explosions around the country that wounded several innocent civilians and policemen. Meanwhile, as the UN announced a reduction in the number of Iraqis lacking decent food, a wounded neighbor blocked a shipment of rice headed for starving refugees.
Nov 12: An Iraqi soldier shot dead two US servicemen near Mosul and wounded several others before being put down. It seems that he was slapped before letting loose. Suffice to say that it’s not cool for an occupying soldier to slap one of the countrymen he is tasked with defending… Of course, rather than admit there is something inherently wrong in the relationship of US and Iraqi troops, a military spokesman suggested the assailant was infiltrated by Al Qaeda.
That same day two Christian sisters were killed in the troubled city of Mosul, and there were a spate of bombings around the country that killed at least 26 people.
Nov 13: Several incidents around the country have left at least six people dead and dozens more wounded.
NOTE:
I don’t usually seek out attention, but if you’d like to see more of these, please let me know. It would motivate me to overcome my laziness… and make sure we all remember Iraq.
Related posts:
- SIGN AGAINST THE PARTITION OF IRAQ
- Iraq’s Tragic Deaths in the New Year
- Iraq’s Low-Budget FBI
- Whitest Man in America Compares Detroit to Iraq
- Iraq’s deadliest month in 2 years
Great writeup. Impartial, timely, important.
Posted by Joe | November 13, 2008, 4:24 pmThanks, Kalash.
Posted by Emily | November 13, 2008, 5:39 pmJazakAllah khair.
That story of the slapping really got to me… wonder how old the guy was…
I was talking to someone in the military the other day who was on his way to Iraq. Kid’s only like 19 years old and has a wife and baby on the way. Right before he was about to leave he was all pissed of at me about it, like it was my fault he was going…..
I don’t know how old the Iraqi was… what must it be like to be slapped by some young arrogant frightened american boy… after all you have been through…
Posted by American Muslim Girl | November 13, 2008, 6:26 pm