News: "Take them out, dude: pilots toast hit on Iraqi 'civilians' | By Andrew Buncombe in Washington | 06 October 2004
The Pentagon said yesterday it was investigating cockpit video footage that shows American pilots attacking and killing a group of apparently unarmed Iraqi civilians.
The 30-second clip shows the pilot targeting the group of people in a street in the city of Fallujah and asking his mission controllers whether he should 'take them out'. He is told to do so and, shortly afterwards, the footage shows a huge explosion where the people were. A second voice can be heard on the clip saying: 'Oh, dude.'
The existence of the video, taken last April inside the cockpit of a US F-16 fighter has been known for some time, though last night's broadcast by Channel 4 News is believed to be the first time a mainstream broadcaster has shown the footage.
At no point during the exchange between the pilot and controllers does anyone ask whether the Iraqis are armed or posing a threat. Critics say it proves war crimes are being committed. "
Friday, October 08, 2004
Falluja: US precision strike: 11 Iraqi dead, 17 wounde [... 2nd precsision strike against a wedding party]
Reuters AlertNet - U.S. strike kills 11 at wedding in Iraq's Falluja: "08 Oct 2004 04:47:20 GMT | Reuters | By Fadel al-Badrani
FALLUJA, Iraq, Oct 8 (Reuters) - A U.S. air strike on the rebel-held city of Falluja in western Iraq killed 11 people and wounded 17 at a wedding party, with women and children among the casualties, a hospital doctor said on Friday.
Rafah al-Hayat said the U.S. raid, the latest of several which the U.S. military has staged against targets it says are used by foreign militants in Falluja, occurred at about midnight (2100 GMT) on Thursday.
The U.S. military said the 'precision strike' had hit a safe-house being used by the network of Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi at 1:15 a.m. on Friday."
FALLUJA, Iraq, Oct 8 (Reuters) - A U.S. air strike on the rebel-held city of Falluja in western Iraq killed 11 people and wounded 17 at a wedding party, with women and children among the casualties, a hospital doctor said on Friday.
Rafah al-Hayat said the U.S. raid, the latest of several which the U.S. military has staged against targets it says are used by foreign militants in Falluja, occurred at about midnight (2100 GMT) on Thursday.
The U.S. military said the 'precision strike' had hit a safe-house being used by the network of Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi at 1:15 a.m. on Friday."
Monday, October 04, 2004
This is a Massacre, Not a War in Iraq
This is a Massacre, Not a War in Iraq: "Sam Hamod
10/04/04 'ICH' -- This is a massacre, not a war in Iraq. The U.S. bombing Samarra, Fallujah, Baghdad and other cities, killing hundreds of civilians and calling them terrorists is like the massacres of the Native Americans during America's push westward.
In this case, it has to do with America's push eastward.
What is also troubling is that no major media outlet, no major politician--none are callig this what it is, an immoral, unmitigated killing of hundreds of Iraqi civilians every week, a massacre.
Also, those who are experts in Arabic have claimed for months that the man alleged to be Zarqawi is not really Zarqawi because he does not have the real Zarqawi's Jordanian accent. But, the American military, we are positive by now, has created this mythical Zarqawi to allow it to mercilessly attack Fallujah ... but our country, America, is immoral and cowardly, every day attacking Fallujah by F16, Apache and long range cannon fire. In the process, killing hundreds of civilians, but as in the Viet Nam war, saying, "It's just collateral damage and we are not responsible for that."
...
America may win some battles, but it losing the larger war.
The entire world is condemning our behavior in Iraq as illegal and immoral. What is coming is the long term hatred of America by the majority of Muslims in the world, and some will become combatants in time--not necessarily in Iraq, but in their own countries. Bush and his massacre of Muslims is sowing anger, hatred, desire for revenge--in time, America will reap a whirlwind that the ignorant GW Bush has sown.
Make no mistake about it.
America has played its last cards as a moral world leader.
Our moral arguments now are laughable to the rest of the world.
...
Let's call it what it is in Iraq and Palestine, massacres, not wars. Somehow, it is as if Bush and Sharon are joined together at the hip and in their immoral hearts and minds.
Both are guilty of war crimes. We knew this about Sharon by recalling his infamous invasion of Lebanon in the 1980s; but we didn't know how much Bush would follow his lead and take America down with him.
Just remember this one line, "This is a massacre, not a war."
The Iraqis have no planes, helicopters or tanks; the Palestinians have no planes, helicopters or tanks; but America does and uses them indiscriminately, as does Israel. America should take a cue from the resistance to Israel, some day it will come here, when the people in the Muslim and Arab worlds have had enough and decide to strike back.
Woe unto us for allowing the madman Bush to kill people in Iraq, Afghanistan and by proxy, in Palestine. Some day, as Malcolm X prophesied, "The chickens will come home to roost."
10/04/04 'ICH' -- This is a massacre, not a war in Iraq. The U.S. bombing Samarra, Fallujah, Baghdad and other cities, killing hundreds of civilians and calling them terrorists is like the massacres of the Native Americans during America's push westward.
In this case, it has to do with America's push eastward.
What is also troubling is that no major media outlet, no major politician--none are callig this what it is, an immoral, unmitigated killing of hundreds of Iraqi civilians every week, a massacre.
Also, those who are experts in Arabic have claimed for months that the man alleged to be Zarqawi is not really Zarqawi because he does not have the real Zarqawi's Jordanian accent. But, the American military, we are positive by now, has created this mythical Zarqawi to allow it to mercilessly attack Fallujah ... but our country, America, is immoral and cowardly, every day attacking Fallujah by F16, Apache and long range cannon fire. In the process, killing hundreds of civilians, but as in the Viet Nam war, saying, "It's just collateral damage and we are not responsible for that."
...
America may win some battles, but it losing the larger war.
The entire world is condemning our behavior in Iraq as illegal and immoral. What is coming is the long term hatred of America by the majority of Muslims in the world, and some will become combatants in time--not necessarily in Iraq, but in their own countries. Bush and his massacre of Muslims is sowing anger, hatred, desire for revenge--in time, America will reap a whirlwind that the ignorant GW Bush has sown.
Make no mistake about it.
America has played its last cards as a moral world leader.
Our moral arguments now are laughable to the rest of the world.
...
Let's call it what it is in Iraq and Palestine, massacres, not wars. Somehow, it is as if Bush and Sharon are joined together at the hip and in their immoral hearts and minds.
Both are guilty of war crimes. We knew this about Sharon by recalling his infamous invasion of Lebanon in the 1980s; but we didn't know how much Bush would follow his lead and take America down with him.
Just remember this one line, "This is a massacre, not a war."
The Iraqis have no planes, helicopters or tanks; the Palestinians have no planes, helicopters or tanks; but America does and uses them indiscriminately, as does Israel. America should take a cue from the resistance to Israel, some day it will come here, when the people in the Muslim and Arab worlds have had enough and decide to strike back.
Woe unto us for allowing the madman Bush to kill people in Iraq, Afghanistan and by proxy, in Palestine. Some day, as Malcolm X prophesied, "The chickens will come home to roost."
Israeli offensive, code-named 'Days of Reckoning,' : 2 Israeli children dead, 83 Pal, incl 20 children, 350 wounded
International News Article | Reuters.com: "Arab Nations at UN Demand Israel Stop Gaza Attacks | Mon Oct 4, 2004 06:40 PM ET | By Evelyn Leopold
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Arab nations want the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution demanding Israel stop a major offensive in the Gaza Strip, but the United States raised objections at an emergency meeting on Monday.
Algerian U.N. Ambassador Abdalla Baali, the only Arab member of the council, said 'taking into account the urgency of the situation' that resulted in at least 63 Palestinian deaths, he would like a vote on Tuesday.
'The Palestinian people are exposed to a virtual war of extermination,' Baali, who called the meeting, told the council. 'The unfettered use of brutal force is terrifying.'
Israel launched the offensive, code-named 'Days of Reckoning,' after a Palestinian rocket strike killed two children in the southern town of Sderot on Wednesday.
...
Palestinian U.N. observer Nasser al-Kidwa said his leadership condemned the "rudimentary" Qassam rocket attacks by Palestinians and especially the killing of Israeli children.
But he contended Israel over the last week had killed 83 people, including 20 children, wounded more than 350 others and demolished homes, using 2,000 soldiers, 100 tanks and a "massive use of helicopter gunships."
"Israel persists in committing war crimes and acts of state terrorism against the Palestinian people," al-Kidwa said. "There is no justification for this Israeli hysteria, for this widespread killings and deliberate destruction."
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Arab nations want the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution demanding Israel stop a major offensive in the Gaza Strip, but the United States raised objections at an emergency meeting on Monday.
Algerian U.N. Ambassador Abdalla Baali, the only Arab member of the council, said 'taking into account the urgency of the situation' that resulted in at least 63 Palestinian deaths, he would like a vote on Tuesday.
'The Palestinian people are exposed to a virtual war of extermination,' Baali, who called the meeting, told the council. 'The unfettered use of brutal force is terrifying.'
Israel launched the offensive, code-named 'Days of Reckoning,' after a Palestinian rocket strike killed two children in the southern town of Sderot on Wednesday.
...
Palestinian U.N. observer Nasser al-Kidwa said his leadership condemned the "rudimentary" Qassam rocket attacks by Palestinians and especially the killing of Israeli children.
But he contended Israel over the last week had killed 83 people, including 20 children, wounded more than 350 others and demolished homes, using 2,000 soldiers, 100 tanks and a "massive use of helicopter gunships."
"Israel persists in committing war crimes and acts of state terrorism against the Palestinian people," al-Kidwa said. "There is no justification for this Israeli hysteria, for this widespread killings and deliberate destruction."
Translating Iraq Statistics: Austin Tx would have 25 explosions in one month!
The Human Toll Behind the Iraq Statistics: " October 4, 2004 by the Austin American-Statesman (Texas) | by Thomas G. Palaima
What do war statistics mean to us?
Imagine how Americans would feel if they were exposed to the same rate of insurgent attacks that are now occurring in Iraq. Six of the Iraqi provinces that have been declared safe have had four or more attacks per 100,000 people in the last month.
Let's say that here in Austin during the month of September, 25 explosions and killings and maimings took place in our neighborhoods. Imagine you knew that in larger cities such as Houston and Dallas the number of attacks had reached upward of 300 all the way to a 1,000, and that authorities showed no signs of being able to stop them. "
What do war statistics mean to us?
Imagine how Americans would feel if they were exposed to the same rate of insurgent attacks that are now occurring in Iraq. Six of the Iraqi provinces that have been declared safe have had four or more attacks per 100,000 people in the last month.
Let's say that here in Austin during the month of September, 25 explosions and killings and maimings took place in our neighborhoods. Imagine you knew that in larger cities such as Houston and Dallas the number of attacks had reached upward of 300 all the way to a 1,000, and that authorities showed no signs of being able to stop them. "
U.S. Policies Stir More Fear Than Confidence
U.S. Policies Stir More Fear Than Confidence: "October 3, 2004 | By Jeffrey Fleishman, Times Staff Writer
...
One of the sharpest differences between the U.S. and its longtime allies is over the issue of when to use force. A June poll conducted in part by the German Marshall Fund of the United States found that 54% of the Americans surveyed, compared with 28% of the Europeans, believed that military strength would ensure peace. Among Europeans, 73% said the war in Iraq had increased the threat of terrorism.
The disparity represents two dynamics: The world has yet to understand how Sept. 11, 2001, jolted America's sense of security, and the U.S. has underestimated how much international credibility it sacrificed in the Iraq war.
Analysts suggest that America's foreign policy wouldn't significantly change if Sen. John F. Kerry defeats President Bush in November. The division between the men, as seen by much of the world, comes down to style and personality.
...
... The survey also found that on average, 58% of respondents in those countries said the Bush administration made them feel worse about the U.S. versus 19% who said the president's policies made them feel better.
...
"I believe the U.S. poses a greater risk to Egypt and the Islamic world than terrorism," said Tarek Refaat, a software engineer from Cairo. "If we have to have a global policeman, it should be the United Nations, not the U.S. What good does America do for me as a global policeman? I might need this global policeman to protect me if Egypt is attacked by Israel. And you think America will rush to protect Egypt from the Israelis, their strongest allies?"
Galina Babayan, a Moscow mathematics professor, offered this assessment: "It would be more appropriate to compare the U.S. not with a global policeman, but with an ill-natured teenager sent back to the first grade. He is bigger and stronger than anybody else. He bullies everyone around him. But he is slow on the uptake."
...
Wang Jisi, a high-ranking Chinese Communist Party official, said the American people don't comprehend the world. "They don't travel, and they don't talk to foreigners…. And they don't read any foreign-language materials, so it is not very difficult for people to deceive them, to give them some propaganda [to] inflame ideological and nationalist feelings."
...
"The U.S. can't be the world policeman anymore," said Erika Thiel, standing with her son, Juergen, remembering when U.S. boots echoed through the streets. "Muslims don't want to be watched over, and sovereign nations want to be independent from the U.S. shadow."
...
One of the sharpest differences between the U.S. and its longtime allies is over the issue of when to use force. A June poll conducted in part by the German Marshall Fund of the United States found that 54% of the Americans surveyed, compared with 28% of the Europeans, believed that military strength would ensure peace. Among Europeans, 73% said the war in Iraq had increased the threat of terrorism.
The disparity represents two dynamics: The world has yet to understand how Sept. 11, 2001, jolted America's sense of security, and the U.S. has underestimated how much international credibility it sacrificed in the Iraq war.
Analysts suggest that America's foreign policy wouldn't significantly change if Sen. John F. Kerry defeats President Bush in November. The division between the men, as seen by much of the world, comes down to style and personality.
...
... The survey also found that on average, 58% of respondents in those countries said the Bush administration made them feel worse about the U.S. versus 19% who said the president's policies made them feel better.
...
"I believe the U.S. poses a greater risk to Egypt and the Islamic world than terrorism," said Tarek Refaat, a software engineer from Cairo. "If we have to have a global policeman, it should be the United Nations, not the U.S. What good does America do for me as a global policeman? I might need this global policeman to protect me if Egypt is attacked by Israel. And you think America will rush to protect Egypt from the Israelis, their strongest allies?"
Galina Babayan, a Moscow mathematics professor, offered this assessment: "It would be more appropriate to compare the U.S. not with a global policeman, but with an ill-natured teenager sent back to the first grade. He is bigger and stronger than anybody else. He bullies everyone around him. But he is slow on the uptake."
...
Wang Jisi, a high-ranking Chinese Communist Party official, said the American people don't comprehend the world. "They don't travel, and they don't talk to foreigners…. And they don't read any foreign-language materials, so it is not very difficult for people to deceive them, to give them some propaganda [to] inflame ideological and nationalist feelings."
...
"The U.S. can't be the world policeman anymore," said Erika Thiel, standing with her son, Juergen, remembering when U.S. boots echoed through the streets. "Muslims don't want to be watched over, and sovereign nations want to be independent from the U.S. shadow."
Pat Robertson Sunday praised Israel as part of God's plan : include Israeli-controlled land in a Palestinian state are part of "Satan's plan."
Haaretz - Israel News: "04/10/2004 22:44 | Robertson: If Bush 'touches' Jerusalem, we'll form 3rd party | By Daphna Berman, Haaretz correspondent, and agencies
Influential American evangelist Pat Robertson said Monday that Evangelical Christians feel so deeply about Jerusalem, that if President George W. Bush were to 'touch' Jerusalem, Evangelicals would abandon their traditional Republican leanings and form a third party.
Evangelical Christians - estimated at tens of millions of Americans - overwhelmingly support Bush for his pro-Israel policies, Robertson told a Jerusalem news conference Monday.
But if Bush shifted his position toward support for Jerusalem as a capital for both Israel and a Palestinian state, his Evangelical backing would disappear, Robertson indicated.
"The President has backed away from [the road map], but if he were to touch Jerusalem, he'd lose all Evangelical support," Robertson said. "Evangelicals would form a third party" because, though people "don't know about" Gaza, Jerusalem is an entirely different matter.
...
Robertson urged that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) be abolished, given what he called the organization's active role in the "perpetuation" of the Palestinian refugee problem. He warned that a Palestinian state would become "a constant source of irritation" that would "endanger the territorial integrity" of Israel.
"A Palestinian state with full sovereignty would be a launching ground for various types of weapons, including weapons of mass destruction," the former presidential candidate said.
...
"I see the rise of Islam to destroy Israel and take the land from the Jews and give East Jerusalem to [Palestinian Authority Chairman] Yasser Arafat. I see that as Satan's plan to prevent the return of Jesus Christ the Lord," said Robertson, a Christian broadcaster.
In two Jerusalem appearances, Robertson Sunday praised Israel as part of God's plan and criticized Arab countries and some Muslims, saying their hopes to include Israeli-controlled land in a Palestinian state are part of "Satan's plan."
Influential American evangelist Pat Robertson said Monday that Evangelical Christians feel so deeply about Jerusalem, that if President George W. Bush were to 'touch' Jerusalem, Evangelicals would abandon their traditional Republican leanings and form a third party.
Evangelical Christians - estimated at tens of millions of Americans - overwhelmingly support Bush for his pro-Israel policies, Robertson told a Jerusalem news conference Monday.
But if Bush shifted his position toward support for Jerusalem as a capital for both Israel and a Palestinian state, his Evangelical backing would disappear, Robertson indicated.
"The President has backed away from [the road map], but if he were to touch Jerusalem, he'd lose all Evangelical support," Robertson said. "Evangelicals would form a third party" because, though people "don't know about" Gaza, Jerusalem is an entirely different matter.
...
Robertson urged that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) be abolished, given what he called the organization's active role in the "perpetuation" of the Palestinian refugee problem. He warned that a Palestinian state would become "a constant source of irritation" that would "endanger the territorial integrity" of Israel.
"A Palestinian state with full sovereignty would be a launching ground for various types of weapons, including weapons of mass destruction," the former presidential candidate said.
...
"I see the rise of Islam to destroy Israel and take the land from the Jews and give East Jerusalem to [Palestinian Authority Chairman] Yasser Arafat. I see that as Satan's plan to prevent the return of Jesus Christ the Lord," said Robertson, a Christian broadcaster.
In two Jerusalem appearances, Robertson Sunday praised Israel as part of God's plan and criticized Arab countries and some Muslims, saying their hopes to include Israeli-controlled land in a Palestinian state are part of "Satan's plan."
September: 80 US dead, 2nd-Deadliest 2004 Month in Iraq
Yahoo! News - Sept. Is 2nd-Deadliest 2004 Month in Iraq: "Mon Oct 4, 1:15 PM ET Middle East - AP | By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer
WASHINGTON - September was the second-deadliest month of the year for U.S. forces in Iraq (news - web sites) and brought to nearly 500 the number who have died since the insurgency escalated in late March.
The Pentagon (news - web sites) announced Sunday evening that two soldiers died late last week of injuries suffered earlier in the month, and another was killed Sept. 30 by a roadside bomb. That brought the month's death toll to 80, up from 65 in August and equal to the 80 who died in May.
The worst month of the year for U.S. troops in Iraq was April when 135 died in a wave of insurgent attacks. Some had hoped the violence would decrease after an interim Iraqi government was given sovereignty June 28, but the death toll has risen steadily since then.
Forty-two U.S. military deaths were recorded in June and 54 in July. ...
WASHINGTON - September was the second-deadliest month of the year for U.S. forces in Iraq (news - web sites) and brought to nearly 500 the number who have died since the insurgency escalated in late March.
The Pentagon (news - web sites) announced Sunday evening that two soldiers died late last week of injuries suffered earlier in the month, and another was killed Sept. 30 by a roadside bomb. That brought the month's death toll to 80, up from 65 in August and equal to the 80 who died in May.
The worst month of the year for U.S. troops in Iraq was April when 135 died in a wave of insurgent attacks. Some had hoped the violence would decrease after an interim Iraqi government was given sovereignty June 28, but the death toll has risen steadily since then.
Forty-two U.S. military deaths were recorded in June and 54 in July. ...
Monday, September 27, 2004
Body Count: Killings Surge in Iraq: 25 per day, 3,000 gunshot deaths in 8 months [vs. almost none before the war]
The New York Times > International > Middle East > Body Count: Killings Surge in Iraq, and Doctors See a Procession of Misery: "By ALEX BERENSON | Published: September 26, 2004
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Business is booming at the Baghdad morgue.
Before the war, before the fall of Saddam Hussein's government, seven or eight bodies arrived each day at this nondescript building in northeastern Baghdad for autopsies. Most deaths resulted from car crashes or other accidents. Killings were rare, and gun violence rarer still, a testament to the monopoly that Mr. Hussein held on the use of force.
Now the paper-and-cardboard ledgers where the autopsies are logged are torn from overuse. On an average day, the morgue receives 20 to 25 bodies, the human cost of the post-war wave of crime and insurgency engulfing the city.
The unexpected change is an increase in bullet injuries," said Dr. Abdul Razzaq al-Obeidi, one of the morgue's chief doctors. "Mostly vengeance." In the first eight months of this year nearly 3,000 people in municipal Baghdad, which has about five million residents, have died from gunshot wounds - nearly all homicides, Dr. Obeidi said. A surge of killings in September has only increased the pressure.
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Business is booming at the Baghdad morgue.
Before the war, before the fall of Saddam Hussein's government, seven or eight bodies arrived each day at this nondescript building in northeastern Baghdad for autopsies. Most deaths resulted from car crashes or other accidents. Killings were rare, and gun violence rarer still, a testament to the monopoly that Mr. Hussein held on the use of force.
Now the paper-and-cardboard ledgers where the autopsies are logged are torn from overuse. On an average day, the morgue receives 20 to 25 bodies, the human cost of the post-war wave of crime and insurgency engulfing the city.
The unexpected change is an increase in bullet injuries," said Dr. Abdul Razzaq al-Obeidi, one of the morgue's chief doctors. "Mostly vengeance." In the first eight months of this year nearly 3,000 people in municipal Baghdad, which has about five million residents, have died from gunshot wounds - nearly all homicides, Dr. Obeidi said. A surge of killings in September has only increased the pressure.
Saturday, September 25, 2004
Many [Christians] oppose abortion on religious grounds ... but favor U.S. serial war with equal passion: rarely object to the 'collateral' killing
AxisofLogic/ Religion/World View: "In the Realm of Judeo-Christianity, Some Lives are More Precious than Others | By Charles E. Carlson | Aug 13, 2004, 10:23
A strange paradox is predominant among the Judeo-Christian celebrities. It is found in mega-churches and bible study groups, and even in pro-life organizations. Many of these oppose abortion on religious grounds, but most favor U.S. serial war with equal passion. Oddly, pro-life leaders and spokesmen rarely object to the 'collateral' killing of thousands, perhaps millions, of children who are virtually undefended. Many of those killed are pregnant women, especially in Iraq, where a modest estimate is now up to 9,000 Iraqi civilians killed in 2003. With the death of each pregnant woman, an unnamed unborn child also dies. We will explore why this ambivalence exists and its effect on the so-called 'Judeo-Christian' culture.
...
... The Southern Baptist Convention, which boasts some 16 million members and 45,000 churches and is the largest Judeo-Christian faction. Here is its official policy on the sanctity of human life:
“Procreation is a gift from God, a precious trust reserved for marriage. At the moment of conception, a new being enters the universe, a human being, a being created in God's image. This human being deserves our protection, whatever the circumstances of conception.”
So far so good! Now for the war policy of the SBC. Only one formal resolution on war has been recorded in its 165 year history, and that concerned Iraq in July 2003, after the bombing was declared ended and the casualty rate of civilians was known to be high. Here, in part, are the SBC’s words taken from its website:
“RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, June 17–18, 2003, affirm President George W. Bush, the United States Congress, and our armed forces for their leadership in the successful execution of Operation Iraqi Freedom.”
Note the Southern Baptist policy on life specifically states that the circumstances of the individual are irrelevant to its right to protection. In other words, a child’s life is sacred regardless of race, parentage, or nationality; yet the War resolution declares the bombing of Iraq to be “successful.” What about those lives?
A strange paradox is predominant among the Judeo-Christian celebrities. It is found in mega-churches and bible study groups, and even in pro-life organizations. Many of these oppose abortion on religious grounds, but most favor U.S. serial war with equal passion. Oddly, pro-life leaders and spokesmen rarely object to the 'collateral' killing of thousands, perhaps millions, of children who are virtually undefended. Many of those killed are pregnant women, especially in Iraq, where a modest estimate is now up to 9,000 Iraqi civilians killed in 2003. With the death of each pregnant woman, an unnamed unborn child also dies. We will explore why this ambivalence exists and its effect on the so-called 'Judeo-Christian' culture.
...
... The Southern Baptist Convention, which boasts some 16 million members and 45,000 churches and is the largest Judeo-Christian faction. Here is its official policy on the sanctity of human life:
“Procreation is a gift from God, a precious trust reserved for marriage. At the moment of conception, a new being enters the universe, a human being, a being created in God's image. This human being deserves our protection, whatever the circumstances of conception.”
So far so good! Now for the war policy of the SBC. Only one formal resolution on war has been recorded in its 165 year history, and that concerned Iraq in July 2003, after the bombing was declared ended and the casualty rate of civilians was known to be high. Here, in part, are the SBC’s words taken from its website:
“RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, June 17–18, 2003, affirm President George W. Bush, the United States Congress, and our armed forces for their leadership in the successful execution of Operation Iraqi Freedom.”
Note the Southern Baptist policy on life specifically states that the circumstances of the individual are irrelevant to its right to protection. In other words, a child’s life is sacred regardless of race, parentage, or nationality; yet the War resolution declares the bombing of Iraq to be “successful.” What about those lives?
"two state solution": The solution is not to establish another ethnic state but to disestablish the ones that exist now
AxisofLogic/ Palestine: "Should There Be A Jewish State? | By John Spritzler | Sep 21, 2004, 02:58
Editor's Note: This is a reprint from our first publication of John Spritzler's article on April 13, 2004. - Eds.
'I would much rather see reasonable agreement with the Arabs on the basis of living together in peace than the creation of a Jewish state.'
- Albert Einstein, in Ideas and Opinions, [Crown Publishers, New York, 1954], p. 190
'A state cannot be Jewish, just as a chair or a bus cannot be Jewish...The state is no more than a tool, a tool that is efficient or a tool that is defective, a tool that is suitable or a tool that is undesirable. And this tool must belong to all its citizens -- Jews, Moslems, Christians...The concept of a 'Jewish State' is nothing other than a snare.'
- Amos Oz, Israel's preeminent writer of fiction, in 'A Laden Wagon and an Empty Wagon?
Reflections on the Culture of Israel,' Free Judaism, October 1997, p. 5 [Hebrew]"
The idea of a Jewish state (whose Jewish proponents call themselves "Zionists") is sacrosanct in the mainstream U.S. media, which does not give voice to the troublesome questions raised by the issue, in particular that many Jews have historically opposed the idea of a Jewish state. The establishment of Israel has been far more controversial among Jews than most Americans are aware. Jewish opponents of a Jewish state believed in democracy with equal rights for Jews and non-Jews, and thought a purely Jewish sovereignty would be disastrous for ordinary Jews.
...
... The Holocaust is no more a reason for Jews to have a state of their own than slavery is a reason for African-Americans to have a pure "Black state" of their own.
Most Jews who survived the Holocaust, when given a choice between going to Palestine to create a Jewish state or going to the United States, chose the United States because it seemed to offer what they really wanted — a society where people are equal before the law and Jews are treated the same as everybody else.
WHAT NOW?
The very concept of ethnically pure states is divisive and destined to stoke conflict. The so-called "two state solution" in the Middle East — establishing a Palestinian state to counter the Jewish state — is a conceptual and political trap that prevents Arab and Jewish working people from uniting around their common interests and values. The situation in the Middle East cannot be solved within this framework; it leads nowhere except to more destruction and hate and more elite control.
The solution is not to establish another ethnic state but to disestablish the ones that exist now. Israel, as well as states that are just for Muslims or any other ethnic group, must cease to exist as states based on apartheid and ethnic domination. They must be replaced by secular democracies with equal rights for all, regardless of their ethnic background, and with equal tolerance for all religions.
Editor's Note: This is a reprint from our first publication of John Spritzler's article on April 13, 2004. - Eds.
'I would much rather see reasonable agreement with the Arabs on the basis of living together in peace than the creation of a Jewish state.'
- Albert Einstein, in Ideas and Opinions, [Crown Publishers, New York, 1954], p. 190
'A state cannot be Jewish, just as a chair or a bus cannot be Jewish...The state is no more than a tool, a tool that is efficient or a tool that is defective, a tool that is suitable or a tool that is undesirable. And this tool must belong to all its citizens -- Jews, Moslems, Christians...The concept of a 'Jewish State' is nothing other than a snare.'
- Amos Oz, Israel's preeminent writer of fiction, in 'A Laden Wagon and an Empty Wagon?
Reflections on the Culture of Israel,' Free Judaism, October 1997, p. 5 [Hebrew]"
The idea of a Jewish state (whose Jewish proponents call themselves "Zionists") is sacrosanct in the mainstream U.S. media, which does not give voice to the troublesome questions raised by the issue, in particular that many Jews have historically opposed the idea of a Jewish state. The establishment of Israel has been far more controversial among Jews than most Americans are aware. Jewish opponents of a Jewish state believed in democracy with equal rights for Jews and non-Jews, and thought a purely Jewish sovereignty would be disastrous for ordinary Jews.
...
... The Holocaust is no more a reason for Jews to have a state of their own than slavery is a reason for African-Americans to have a pure "Black state" of their own.
Most Jews who survived the Holocaust, when given a choice between going to Palestine to create a Jewish state or going to the United States, chose the United States because it seemed to offer what they really wanted — a society where people are equal before the law and Jews are treated the same as everybody else.
WHAT NOW?
The very concept of ethnically pure states is divisive and destined to stoke conflict. The so-called "two state solution" in the Middle East — establishing a Palestinian state to counter the Jewish state — is a conceptual and political trap that prevents Arab and Jewish working people from uniting around their common interests and values. The situation in the Middle East cannot be solved within this framework; it leads nowhere except to more destruction and hate and more elite control.
The solution is not to establish another ethnic state but to disestablish the ones that exist now. Israel, as well as states that are just for Muslims or any other ethnic group, must cease to exist as states based on apartheid and ethnic domination. They must be replaced by secular democracies with equal rights for all, regardless of their ethnic background, and with equal tolerance for all religions.
Thursday, September 23, 2004
European Press Criticizes Bush Address to U.N. as a Denial of a Worsening Situation in Iraq
The New York Times > International > Europe > Diplomacy: European Press Criticizes Bush Address to U.N. as a Denial of a Worsening Situation in Iraq: "By PATRICK E. TYLER | Published: September 23, 2004
LONDON, Sept. 22 - The editorial cartoon in The Times of London on Wednesday was derisive: the first panel showed President Bush telling the United Nations General Assembly, 'Friends, our policy in Iraq is directed solely towards a successful election.'
The second panel had him saying which election: 'Mine.'
European newspapers, including some that supported the American military campaign in Iraq, were largely critical of Mr. Bush's address on Tuesday to the United Nations, accusing him of being unrealistic about the worsening situation in Iraq.
...
The Polish newspaper Nasz Dziennik, however, argued in an editorial that Mr. Bush, having "attacked Iraq in defiance" of those nations that called for United Nations authorization for invasion, Mr. Bush was now trying to convince the international community that it should pay for the "chaos'' caused by "reckless policy."
...
In Le Figaro, which reflects the thinking of France's conservative establishment, the correspondent Philippe Gélie wrote that Mr. Bush was "impervious to criticism'' in the conduct of American foreign policy, and characterized his speech as that of a "campaigning American president'' who "lectured the rest of the world.''
...
An editorial in the German daily Tagesspiegel was blunt. Its headline: "U.S., U.N., Iraq: The truth counts for nothing.''
LONDON, Sept. 22 - The editorial cartoon in The Times of London on Wednesday was derisive: the first panel showed President Bush telling the United Nations General Assembly, 'Friends, our policy in Iraq is directed solely towards a successful election.'
The second panel had him saying which election: 'Mine.'
European newspapers, including some that supported the American military campaign in Iraq, were largely critical of Mr. Bush's address on Tuesday to the United Nations, accusing him of being unrealistic about the worsening situation in Iraq.
...
The Polish newspaper Nasz Dziennik, however, argued in an editorial that Mr. Bush, having "attacked Iraq in defiance" of those nations that called for United Nations authorization for invasion, Mr. Bush was now trying to convince the international community that it should pay for the "chaos'' caused by "reckless policy."
...
In Le Figaro, which reflects the thinking of France's conservative establishment, the correspondent Philippe Gélie wrote that Mr. Bush was "impervious to criticism'' in the conduct of American foreign policy, and characterized his speech as that of a "campaigning American president'' who "lectured the rest of the world.''
...
An editorial in the German daily Tagesspiegel was blunt. Its headline: "U.S., U.N., Iraq: The truth counts for nothing.''
The War's Toll on Iraqi Civilians: 30,000 or 13,000 civilians? [and the non-civilians killed during the first assault?]
The War's Toll on Iraqi Civilians (washingtonpost.com): "By Jefferson Morley | washingtonpost.com Staff Writer | Tuesday, September 21, 2004; 9:01 AM
When the 1,000th U.S. soldier was killed in Iraq earlier this month, more than a few commentators in the international online media took note of another death toll: Iraqi civilians.
...
"While so much is made of the 1,000 US military fatalities," said a columnist for Gulf News in the United Arab Emirates, "an eerie silence surrounds the tally of Iraqi casualties since the invasion."
...
Since then, other figures have been floated. Commentators for the Jordan Times and the Daily Star in Beirut, Lebanon, have cited an estimate of 30,000 deaths. That is the figure disseminated by the Iraqi Human Rights Organization, an independent group in Baghdad.
A more conservative figure comes from Iraqbodycount.net, a British Web site that compiles media reports on Iraqi civilian deaths. Based on such reporting, the site says there have been a minimum of 12,778 civilian deaths in Iraq and a maximum of 14,820. ...
When the 1,000th U.S. soldier was killed in Iraq earlier this month, more than a few commentators in the international online media took note of another death toll: Iraqi civilians.
...
"While so much is made of the 1,000 US military fatalities," said a columnist for Gulf News in the United Arab Emirates, "an eerie silence surrounds the tally of Iraqi casualties since the invasion."
...
Since then, other figures have been floated. Commentators for the Jordan Times and the Daily Star in Beirut, Lebanon, have cited an estimate of 30,000 deaths. That is the figure disseminated by the Iraqi Human Rights Organization, an independent group in Baghdad.
A more conservative figure comes from Iraqbodycount.net, a British Web site that compiles media reports on Iraqi civilian deaths. Based on such reporting, the site says there have been a minimum of 12,778 civilian deaths in Iraq and a maximum of 14,820. ...
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Fallujah: US warplanes: 16 dead, 12 wounded incl women, children, ambulance ... 'The American army has no morals.'
Patrick Cockburn: The Punishment of Fallujah: "September 14, 2004 | US Precision Strikes...on Ambulances | By PATRICK COCKBURN | Baghdad
A plume of grey smoke billowed above Fallujah yesterday as the US military claimed they were making precision air strikes against insurgents in the city and local doctors said that civilians were being killed and wounded.
The US army said its warplanes had bombed houses because it had intelligence about the presence of fighters loyal to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, whom the US sees as the guiding hand behind many attacks on its forces.
Dr Adel Khamis of the Fallujah General Hospital said at least 16 people were killed, including women and children, and 12 others were wounded. Video film showed a Red Crescent ambulance torn apart by an explosion. A hospital official said the driver, a paramedic and five patients had been killed by the blast.
'The conditions here are miserable - an ambulance was bombed, three houses destroyed and men and women killed,' said Rafayi Hayad al-Esawi, the director of the hospital. 'The American army has no morals.'"
A plume of grey smoke billowed above Fallujah yesterday as the US military claimed they were making precision air strikes against insurgents in the city and local doctors said that civilians were being killed and wounded.
The US army said its warplanes had bombed houses because it had intelligence about the presence of fighters loyal to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, whom the US sees as the guiding hand behind many attacks on its forces.
Dr Adel Khamis of the Fallujah General Hospital said at least 16 people were killed, including women and children, and 12 others were wounded. Video film showed a Red Crescent ambulance torn apart by an explosion. A hospital official said the driver, a paramedic and five patients had been killed by the blast.
'The conditions here are miserable - an ambulance was bombed, three houses destroyed and men and women killed,' said Rafayi Hayad al-Esawi, the director of the hospital. 'The American army has no morals.'"
Thursday, September 02, 2004
|TheStar.com - 17 killed in U.S. air strike
TheStar.com - 17 killed in U.S. air strike: "17 killed in U.S. air strike | 3 children among dead as U.S. hits militant safehouse | 7 hostages freed in Iraq after boss pays $500,000
FALLUJA, Iraq�A U.S. air strike on the city of Falluja late yesterday killed 17 civilians, including three children, and wounded six others, hospital officials said.
Also yesterday, Iraqi militants released seven foreign hostages after their employer paid $500,000 (U.S.) ransom.
Witnesses said the strike hit a residence in the southern neighbourhood of al-Jubail. People struggled to pull bodies from the rubble, while ambulances and cars took the dead and wounded to the hospital.
The U.S. military said they hit a suspected safehouse used by followers of Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. "
FALLUJA, Iraq�A U.S. air strike on the city of Falluja late yesterday killed 17 civilians, including three children, and wounded six others, hospital officials said.
Also yesterday, Iraqi militants released seven foreign hostages after their employer paid $500,000 (U.S.) ransom.
Witnesses said the strike hit a residence in the southern neighbourhood of al-Jubail. People struggled to pull bodies from the rubble, while ambulances and cars took the dead and wounded to the hospital.
The U.S. military said they hit a suspected safehouse used by followers of Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. "
Monday, June 14, 2004
Israelis to Extend Barrier Deeper Into West Bank: Sharon advisor: "exactly what we agreed with the Americans"
The New York Times > International > Middle East > Israelis to Extend Barrier Deeper Into West Bank: "By GREG MYRE | Published: June 15, 2004
JERUSALEM, June 14 - Israel is preparing to build new segments of its separation barrier around Jewish settlements that would mark the deepest penetration yet into the West Bank, a move that drew sharp criticism from Palestinians on Monday.
President Bush has called the fence's route a "problem," and American officials have raised objections in continuing talks with the Israelis. But Israel has insisted that Washington has not opposed the first phase of construction around Ariel and nearby settlements that are more than 10 miles inside the West Bank.
The Israeli plan, approved by the government last fall, calls for building a barrier around three sides of Ariel, which is about 20 miles north of Jerusalem and is one of the largest Jewish settlements, with close to 20,000 residents. This same building pattern would be carried out around several other settlements in the same area.
After this work is completed, Israel would consult with the United States about joining these sections together and linking them with the main barrier, which runs closer to the West Bank boundary, said Asaf Shariv, an adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
"This is exactly what we agreed to with the Americans," he said.
JERUSALEM, June 14 - Israel is preparing to build new segments of its separation barrier around Jewish settlements that would mark the deepest penetration yet into the West Bank, a move that drew sharp criticism from Palestinians on Monday.
President Bush has called the fence's route a "problem," and American officials have raised objections in continuing talks with the Israelis. But Israel has insisted that Washington has not opposed the first phase of construction around Ariel and nearby settlements that are more than 10 miles inside the West Bank.
The Israeli plan, approved by the government last fall, calls for building a barrier around three sides of Ariel, which is about 20 miles north of Jerusalem and is one of the largest Jewish settlements, with close to 20,000 residents. This same building pattern would be carried out around several other settlements in the same area.
After this work is completed, Israel would consult with the United States about joining these sections together and linking them with the main barrier, which runs closer to the West Bank boundary, said Asaf Shariv, an adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
"This is exactly what we agreed to with the Americans," he said.
Baghdad: car bomb: 13 dead, incl 5 US workers
Excite News: "Crowds Celebrate 13 Deaths in Iraq Blast | Jun 14, 9:00 PM (ET) | By ROBERT H. REID
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A car bomb shattered a convoy of Westerners in Baghdad Monday, killing at least 13 people, including three General Electric workers and two bodyguards. Crowds rejoiced over the attack, dancing around a charred body and shouting 'Down with the USA!'"
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A car bomb shattered a convoy of Westerners in Baghdad Monday, killing at least 13 people, including three General Electric workers and two bodyguards. Crowds rejoiced over the attack, dancing around a charred body and shouting 'Down with the USA!'"
Friday, May 21, 2004
Ramadi: US air attack: [wedding party] 40 dead, many mothers and children: US General "videos ...inconsistent" with US reports
Excite News: "Iraq Desert Bombing Video Shows Carnage | May 21, 8:29 PM (ET) | By SCHEHEREZADE FARAMARZI
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Fragments of musical instruments, tufts of women's hair, and a large blood stain are among the scenes in Associated Press Television News film of a destroyed house that survivors say U.S. planes bombed during a wedding party.
It is the first known footage from the site of Wednesday's attack, which killed up to 45 people, mostly women and children from the Bou Fahad tribe in Mogr el-Deeb, a desert village on the Syrian border.
The U.S. military has said the target was a suspected safehouse for foreign fighters from Syria and denied Friday that children were killed in the airstrikes.
Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt told reporters in Baghdad that U.S. troops who reported back from the operation "told us they did not shoot women and children."
...
But an Associated Press reporter in the Ramadi area, at least 275 miles east of Mogr el-Deeb, was able to identify at least 10 of the bodies as those of children.
At the Bou Fahad cemetery outside Ramadi, where the tribe is based, each of the 28 fresh graves contain one to three corpses, mostly of mothers and their young children.
Relatives said they include those of 2-year-old Kholood and 1-year-old Anoud, daughters of Amal Rikad, who was killed; of 2-year-old Raad and 1-year-old Ra'ed - whose headless body was found near his house - sons of Fatima Madhi, who was killed; of Saad, 10, Faisal, 7, Anoud, 6, Fasila, 5, Kholood, 4, and Inad, 3 - children of Mohammed and Morifa Rikad, who were killed.
There also are photo images of dead children, but it was not possible to determine if those victims were already accounted for by relatives.
In Washington, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Richard Myers told Congress that "we feel at this point very confident that this was a legitimate target, probably foreign fighters" who may have ties to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian wanted for allegedly organizing attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq on behalf of al-Qaida.
...
Smuggling livestock into Syria is also part of a herdsman's life, although no one in the tribe acknowledged that.
Weddings are often marked in Iraq with celebratory gunfire, but survivors insisted no weapons were fired Wednesday - despite speculation by Iraqi officials that this drew a mistaken American attack.
...
"What we saw in those APTN videos were substantially inconsistent with the reports we received from the unit that conducted the operation," Kimmitt said. "We're now trying to figure out why there's an inconsistency.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Fragments of musical instruments, tufts of women's hair, and a large blood stain are among the scenes in Associated Press Television News film of a destroyed house that survivors say U.S. planes bombed during a wedding party.
It is the first known footage from the site of Wednesday's attack, which killed up to 45 people, mostly women and children from the Bou Fahad tribe in Mogr el-Deeb, a desert village on the Syrian border.
The U.S. military has said the target was a suspected safehouse for foreign fighters from Syria and denied Friday that children were killed in the airstrikes.
Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt told reporters in Baghdad that U.S. troops who reported back from the operation "told us they did not shoot women and children."
...
But an Associated Press reporter in the Ramadi area, at least 275 miles east of Mogr el-Deeb, was able to identify at least 10 of the bodies as those of children.
At the Bou Fahad cemetery outside Ramadi, where the tribe is based, each of the 28 fresh graves contain one to three corpses, mostly of mothers and their young children.
Relatives said they include those of 2-year-old Kholood and 1-year-old Anoud, daughters of Amal Rikad, who was killed; of 2-year-old Raad and 1-year-old Ra'ed - whose headless body was found near his house - sons of Fatima Madhi, who was killed; of Saad, 10, Faisal, 7, Anoud, 6, Fasila, 5, Kholood, 4, and Inad, 3 - children of Mohammed and Morifa Rikad, who were killed.
There also are photo images of dead children, but it was not possible to determine if those victims were already accounted for by relatives.
In Washington, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Richard Myers told Congress that "we feel at this point very confident that this was a legitimate target, probably foreign fighters" who may have ties to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian wanted for allegedly organizing attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq on behalf of al-Qaida.
...
Smuggling livestock into Syria is also part of a herdsman's life, although no one in the tribe acknowledged that.
Weddings are often marked in Iraq with celebratory gunfire, but survivors insisted no weapons were fired Wednesday - despite speculation by Iraqi officials that this drew a mistaken American attack.
...
"What we saw in those APTN videos were substantially inconsistent with the reports we received from the unit that conducted the operation," Kimmitt said. "We're now trying to figure out why there's an inconsistency.
Karbala: AC-130 Gunships: 18 Iraqi dead, [incl 2 pilgrims?], 13 wounded
Excite News: "18 Killed in Heavy Fighting in Karbala | May 21, 8:28 AM (ET) | By FISNIK ABRASHI
KARBALA, Iraq (AP) - American AC-130 gunships and tanks pounded militia positions early Friday near two shrines in the center of the holy city of Karbala, and the U.S. military said it killed 18 fighters loyal to a rebel cleric. Hospital officials said the dead included two Iranian pilgrims.
KARBALA, Iraq (AP) - American AC-130 gunships and tanks pounded militia positions early Friday near two shrines in the center of the holy city of Karbala, and the U.S. military said it killed 18 fighters loyal to a rebel cleric. Hospital officials said the dead included two Iranian pilgrims.
Monday, May 17, 2004
Coalition casualties to date: 783 U.S., 58 British, Italy-18; Spain-8; Bulgaria-6; Ukraine-4; Poland-3, Thailand-2, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia Ne
Modbee.com | The Modesto Bee: "List of coalition casualties | Five G.I.s fall as U.S. battles Shiites in Iraq | The Associated Press | Last Updated: May 17, 2004, 08:15:27 PM PDT
(AP) - The names of coalition casualties, provided by relatives or military officials. As of Monday, May 17, 783 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq, according to the Department of Defense.
The British military has reported 58 deaths; Italy, 18; Spain, eight; Bulgaria, six; Ukraine, four; Poland, three;
Thailand, two; Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia and the Netherlands have reported one each.
The list will be updated as information becomes available from the Associated Press."
(AP) - The names of coalition casualties, provided by relatives or military officials. As of Monday, May 17, 783 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq, according to the Department of Defense.
The British military has reported 58 deaths; Italy, 18; Spain, eight; Bulgaria, six; Ukraine, four; Poland, three;
Thailand, two; Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia and the Netherlands have reported one each.
The list will be updated as information becomes available from the Associated Press."
Baghdad, near Green Zone: suicide car bomb: HEAD of GOVERNING COUNCIL killed 3-6 more
News: "Head of Governing Council killed in Baghdad bombing | By Christopher Torchia, AP | 17 May 2004
The head of Iraq's Governing Council was killed today in a suicide car bombing near a US checkpoint in central Baghdad - a major blow to coalition efforts to stabilize Iraq ahead of a handover of sovereignty on 30 June.
Abdel-Zahraa Othman, also known as Izzadine Saleem, was the second and highest-ranking member of the US-appointed council assassinated so far. He was among four Iraqis killed in the blast, according to Redha Jawad Taki, a member of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, a Shiite Muslim organization. "
The head of Iraq's Governing Council was killed today in a suicide car bombing near a US checkpoint in central Baghdad - a major blow to coalition efforts to stabilize Iraq ahead of a handover of sovereignty on 30 June.
Abdel-Zahraa Othman, also known as Izzadine Saleem, was the second and highest-ranking member of the US-appointed council assassinated so far. He was among four Iraqis killed in the blast, according to Redha Jawad Taki, a member of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, a Shiite Muslim organization. "
Green Zone: suicide car bomb 6 Iraqi dead including Head of GOVERNING COUNCIL
Excite - News: "Suicide Car Bomb Kills Iraq Governing Council Chief | May 17, 5:33 am ET | By Joseph Logan and Khaled Yacoub Oweis
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A suicide car bomb killed the head of Iraq's Governing Council Monday, dealing a major blow to the U.S. coalition battling a Shi'ite insurgency and a growing prisoner abuse scandal.
Abdul Zahra Othman Mohammad, a Shi'ite Muslim also known as Izzedin Salim, was in the last car of a Governing Council convoy waiting at a checkpoint to enter the 'Green Zone' coalition headquarters in central Baghdad when the car bomb exploded.
The attack underlined the vulnerability of the Baghdad administration just six weeks before the U.S.-led occupiers are set to hand over sovereignty to Iraqis, though officials insisted violence would not derail the political process.
At least six people were killed as the blast tore through the crush of cars and pedestrians waiting to get into the heavily guarded compound of Saddam Hussein's former palaces, blowing bodies apart and melting the asphalt.
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A suicide car bomb killed the head of Iraq's Governing Council Monday, dealing a major blow to the U.S. coalition battling a Shi'ite insurgency and a growing prisoner abuse scandal.
Abdul Zahra Othman Mohammad, a Shi'ite Muslim also known as Izzedin Salim, was in the last car of a Governing Council convoy waiting at a checkpoint to enter the 'Green Zone' coalition headquarters in central Baghdad when the car bomb exploded.
The attack underlined the vulnerability of the Baghdad administration just six weeks before the U.S.-led occupiers are set to hand over sovereignty to Iraqis, though officials insisted violence would not derail the political process.
At least six people were killed as the blast tore through the crush of cars and pedestrians waiting to get into the heavily guarded compound of Saddam Hussein's former palaces, blowing bodies apart and melting the asphalt.
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Iraq: American civilian beheaded: vowed more killings in revenge for the 'Satanic degradation' of Iraqi prisoners buy US
Excite - News: "Qaeda Leader Beheads U.S. Civilian in Iraq -Web Site | May 11, 6:09 pm ET | By Ghaida Ghantous
DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's leader in Iraq beheaded an American civilian and vowed more killings in revenge for the 'Satanic degradation' of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers, an Islamist Web site said on Tuesday.
A poor quality videotape on the site showed a man dressed in orange overalls sitting bound on a white plastic chair in a bare room, then knelt on the floor with five masked men behind him.
DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's leader in Iraq beheaded an American civilian and vowed more killings in revenge for the 'Satanic degradation' of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers, an Islamist Web site said on Tuesday.
A poor quality videotape on the site showed a man dressed in orange overalls sitting bound on a white plastic chair in a bare room, then knelt on the floor with five masked men behind him.
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Baghdad : car bomb: 6 US dead, 2 US Dead
Excite News: "Military: 8 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq | Apr 29, 7:13 AM (ET)
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Eight U.S. soldiers were killed Thursday in the Baghdad area, a U.S. military spokesman said. Media reports said the troops were killed in a car bomb attack, but the spokesman had no details.
The Arab television network Al-Arabiya reported that the troops were killed in a car bomb explosion in the town of Mahmoudiyah, south of Baghdad. The spokesman could not confirm the report.
The deaths came after another U.S. soldier was killed Thursday by a rocket-propelled grenade attack on his patrol in eastern Baghdad, the military said.
Another soldier was killed and another wounded Thursday when a roadside bomb exploded near their convoy outside the city of Baqouba, 24 miles north of the capital, the military said."
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Eight U.S. soldiers were killed Thursday in the Baghdad area, a U.S. military spokesman said. Media reports said the troops were killed in a car bomb attack, but the spokesman had no details.
The Arab television network Al-Arabiya reported that the troops were killed in a car bomb explosion in the town of Mahmoudiyah, south of Baghdad. The spokesman could not confirm the report.
The deaths came after another U.S. soldier was killed Thursday by a rocket-propelled grenade attack on his patrol in eastern Baghdad, the military said.
Another soldier was killed and another wounded Thursday when a roadside bomb exploded near their convoy outside the city of Baqouba, 24 miles north of the capital, the military said."
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
U.S. Forces Blast Falluja Targets After Deadline
Excite - News: "U.S. Forces Blast Falluja Targets After Deadline | Apr 27, 8:06 pm ET | By Fadel Badran
FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. aircraft and tanks pounded targets in the besieged Iraqi city of Falluja on Tuesday, just hours after an American deadline expired for rebels to hand over their heavy weapons, witnesses said.
'I can hear more than 10 explosions a minute. Fires are lighting the night sky,' one witness told Reuters as U.S. forces blasted sections of the Golan district of the city, scene of heavy fighting between Marines and rebels on Monday.
'The earth is shaking under my feet,' he said. Television pictures showed two large fires some 150 meters (yards) apart."
FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. aircraft and tanks pounded targets in the besieged Iraqi city of Falluja on Tuesday, just hours after an American deadline expired for rebels to hand over their heavy weapons, witnesses said.
'I can hear more than 10 explosions a minute. Fires are lighting the night sky,' one witness told Reuters as U.S. forces blasted sections of the Golan district of the city, scene of heavy fighting between Marines and rebels on Monday.
'The earth is shaking under my feet,' he said. Television pictures showed two large fires some 150 meters (yards) apart."
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