Editorial
How the citizens in Iraq are not BLOODY disgusted at all the killing that is going on in their country is beyond me. Do they truly believe the words of Mr. Bush, that everything will be fine and dandy once they have a constitution? Do they believe the words of Mr. Bush that everything will be fine and dandy once they have their elections for the new permanent Parliment members on Decemeber 15th? Do the Iraqis believe they will be safer when there are possible negotiations/ammendments to the new constitution within the first three months of the implimentation of the new parliment? HA. Don't believe it.
One thing I think we do know, is if, returning to the idea that if this slaughter were occuring here in the US, that there would be a huge revolt. One thing for sure, that just as has happened in the US, the Bush regime has created a divided not united society. Congratulations Mr. Bush on doing a great job of creating pain, havoc, broken families, and death and destruction where there once was, yes, a dictatorship by an evil Saddam, was not nearly as bad as it is now with and entire country living in a horrific state. And by the way MR. Bush, you did a great job of convincing and scaring our congress women and men that we had to blow Iraq to smitherines to rid them of that horrendous dictator Saddam, so you could protect US from THEIR non-existant weapons of mass destruction, just so you, Mr. Bush could take down the man who threatened your father's life. What makes your daddy's life more important than the lives of all the innocent Iraqi's lives who just happen to be living in the wrong place at the wrong time? You and your daddy both put yourselves in a political position which makes you both targets. You just have to live with it.
The only thing that the people in the US seem to really care about are US troop deaths. If this slaughter of innocent civilians were happening on our turf, you can be SURE that all the US citizens would rally together and do a whole heck of a lot more than VOTE.
More reports later, as the death continues. Have a lovely evening.
20 Iraqi Civilians Killed, 40 Injured
Good afternoon,
While celebrating the end of their fast for Ramadan, celebratory Iraqi citizens packed in popular local Basra restaurants had a devistating main course. Swallow this. A martyr car bomber blew himself up right in the middle of the shops/restaurant area at the height of the celebrations.
Horrified and shaken survivors, their clothing stained with blood, stumbled in the darkness or wept in despair. Witnesses said body parts were strewn on the street.
Have a nice evening.
7 US Troops Killed, 90 Troops Killed in October
Good morning,
Today 7 more US troops were killed in two separate bombings in Baghdad.
A total of 90 US troops, died in the month of October, the highest death toll in a one month period since January when 107 US Troops died.
Have a nice day.
7 Iraqi Civilians Killed and 11 Bodies Found
Good Morning.
Today nsurgents killed seven Iraqi civilians in scattered attacks Sunday, one day after more than two dozen people died in a truck bombing in a Shiite farming village north of Baghdad.
One of those killed today was a brother to one of Iraq's two vice presidents, officials said. Ghalib Abdul-Mahdi, brother of Vice President Adil Abdul-Mahdi, was shot to death along with his driver while going to work at the office of Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari.
Later in the day (Sunday) , police found the bodies of 11 unidentified men blindfolded, hands bound and with gunshots in the head in a village near Baghdad where Sunnis and Shiites clashed three days ago. Fourteen Shiite militiamen and one policeman were killed.
Have a nice day.
30 Killed 41 Injured
Good morning.
Today another 30 Iraqi's were killed and 41 injured when a martyr truck bomber blew himself in the center of a Shiite billage in a small town small town near Baghdad.
The killing took place in the village of Huweder, about 45 miles northeast of Baghdad as villagers were heading to the mosque for prayers or outdoors in the cool evening breeze to break daylong fast they observe during the holy month of Ramadan.
An additional 3 US troops were killed when they were killed by separate roadside bombs, brining the new toll of American troops that have died to 2015.
More news at 11.
US Attacks Iraq under FALSE Pretenses of WMD
Good afternoon,
This is a copy of a summary I received from a well respected organization, moveon.org.
It accurately summarizes the lead up to the Indictment of "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Cheney's right hand man. You want to know why so many thousand of innocent Iraqi's had to be killed. Here is the reason:
The 2003 Bush State of the Union: President Lies About Iraq Nuclear Capability
In his January 2003 State Of The Union, President Bush made his case for war in Iraq. He included this now-infamous 16-word deception about Iraq's nuclear capability: "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa."2
But the White House had known for nearly a year that this claim was false. In February 2002, the CIA sent former Ambassador Joseph Wilson to Niger to investigate the unsubstantiated claim that Saddam Hussein tried to buy uranium from Niger for use in nuclear weapons.3
Wilson had discovered that the claims were bogus and documents used to support the claims had been forgeries. He reported this to the CIA, and the CIA told the White House.3
Why Did The President Ignore Wilson's Findings And Lie? It's About Iraq
Why did President Bush use the discredited nuclear claims in his January 2003 State of the Union Address to make the case that Iraq was a nuclear threat? They wanted to invade Iraq.
A CBS News polling report in late 2002 made clear, "there is no consensus on adopting a pre-emptive strike policy in general—except where a nuclear attack against the United States is contemplated..."4
Only well after the war had begun would the Washington Post report on "a pattern in which President Bush, Vice President Cheney and their subordinates...made allegations depicting Iraq's nuclear weapons program as more active, more certain and more imminent in its threat than the data they had would support. On occasion administration advocates withheld evidence that did not conform to their views."5
Wilson Strikes Back—Exposes Bush's Lie In Lead-Up To War
Six months after the President's 2003 State of the Union Address, as Bush's WMD and nuclear claims began to unravel, Wilson went public and exposed the Bush Administration's false nuclear claims in a New York Times op-ed.6
The full July 6, 2003 op-ed, "What I Didn't Find In Africa," can be read here:
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1070The White House saw Wilson as a major threat. According to the Los Angeles Times, "Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff was so angry about the public statements of former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, a Bush administration critic married to an undercover CIA officer, that he monitored all of Wilson's television appearances and urged the White House to mount an aggressive public campaign against him, former aides say."7
White House Retaliates—Outs Valerie Plame Wilson As CIA Agent
The week after Wilson's op-ed in the New York Times, "two senior administration officials" were cited by conservative columnist Robert Novak in his column outing CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson.8
The White House Iraq Group (WHIG), originally formed to sell the war to the public, "morphed into a virtual hit squad that took aim at critics who questioned its claims."9 WHIG was run out of Vice President Cheney's office, and included Cheney's Chief of Staff "Scooter" Libby, top Bush strategist Karl Rove, and other top Bush administration officials.
Not only did this leak end Valerie Plame Wilson's 20-year career as a CIA covert agent, but it also exposed a longstanding CIA front company, Brewster Jennings & Associates, where Plame worked and put at risk many of the undercover agents who had worked with Wilson in the past.10
Today's Indictment—White House Official Obstructed Investigation Into The Lie
Today's indictment says Libby illegally obstructed the investigation into the White House outing of an undercover CIA agent, Valerie Plame Wilson. He also was charged with perjury and making false statements to FBI agents. The ongoing investigation of Karl Rove revolves around the same issues, among possible others.
Former President George H. W. Bush was right in 1999 when he said, "I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the trust by exposing the name of our sources. They are, in my view, the most insidious, of traitors."11
Former Republican National Committee Chair Ed Gillespie was right when he said, "I think if the allegation is true, to reveal the identity of an undercover CIA operative—it's abhorrent, and it should be a crime, and it is a crime."12
The American people must know this important truth: Today's indictment is about a cover-up of the lies that led our nation to war in Iraq.
Please write a letter to the editor to remind people that this was crime against our entire nation, and could not be more serious. This letter tool makes it easy.
http://political.moveon.org/lte/lte_t.html?zip=94602
Thanks for all you do.
–Tom, Jennifer, Adam, Carrie and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team Friday, October 28th, 2005
1 "Republicans Testing Ways to Blunt Leak Charges," New York Times, October 24, 2005
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1071
2 "Rice: 16 words dispute 'enormously overblown,'" CNN, July 14, 2003
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1072
3 "Cast of Characters Grows in CIA Leak Drama," Associated Press, October 24, 2005
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1073
4 "Poll: Don't Go It Alone On Iraq," CBS News, September 7, 2002
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1074
5 "Depiction of Threat Outgrew Supporting Evidence," The Washington Post, August 10, 2003
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1075
6 "What I Didn't Find In Africa," New York Times, July 7, 2003
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1070
7 "Bush Critic Became Target of Libby, Former Aides Say," Los Angeles Times, October 21, 2005
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1076
8 "Mission To Niger," syndicated column, July 14, 2003
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1077
9 "Prez Iraq team fought to squelch war critics," New York Daily News, October 19, 2005
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1015
10 "Leak of Agent's Name Causes Exposure of CIA Front Firm," October 4, 2003
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1079
11 Remarks By George Bush, 41st President of the United States, At the Dedication Ceremony for the George Bush Center for Intelligence, April 26, 1999
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1080
12 Hardball With Chris Matthews, September 30, 2003
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1078
2,000 US Military Dead, 15,220 Injured - So Far
Good afternoon.
As you know, this is not a US Military death count blog. It is however, noteworthy, that as of today, a total of 2,000 US Military have died, and 15,220 US Military have been injured as a result of the US attack in Iraq.
Iraq Body Count, a British research group that compiles figures from reports by major news agencies and British and U.S. newspapers, has said that as many as 30,051 Iraqis have been killed since the war began. Other estimates range as high as 100,000.
12 Killed By Martyr Car Bombers
Good morning.
Two martyr car bombs blasted today in what is normally a peaceful Kurdish province of Sulaimaniyah, killing 12 people.
The Iraqi Constitution was declared passed today after 10 days of audits. The audits claimed there was no "Significant" fraud.
Two Marines were killed by a roadside bomb during fighting with insurgents on Friday near Amiriyah, a village in western Baghdad. That raised to 1,999 the number of members of the U.S. military who have died since the US attacked Iraq in March 2003. This is according to an AP count.
Have a nice day.
17 killed, 10 Injured at Palestine Hotel
In further violence today,
Three massive car bombs exploded at the Palestine hotel. The Palestine hotel houses many international press.
Dramatic television video showed one of the bombers driving a cement truck through the concrete blast walls that guard the hotel, then blowing up his vehicle.
Iraq's national security adviser, Mouwafak al-Rubaie, said the attack _ which appeared to be well-planned _ was "very clear" effort to take over the hotel and take foreign and Arab journalists as hostages.
The Palestine hotel has been the target for many attacks in the past. It is a symbolic hotel. It is a great place to target for instant news coverage. The blast was captured with exceptional clarity by a news camera. A huge flash occured and plumes of black and grey smoke spewed above. The visual impact made from this blast is great. It elminates the normal sterilazation of the attacks. Normally we just see a cleaned up version of the aftermath of an attack. Charred cars, blown apart buildings, people crying. This video allows us to finally see the magnitude of a large scale attack.
It is believed that 4 -5 Iraqi security forces were killed. A total of 17 were killed and 10 were injured.
In other violence:
_ The military said the Marine who was killed had been assigned to the 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) and was hit by small arms fire in Ramadi. The death raised to at least 1,997 the number of members of the U.S. military who have died since the Iraq war started in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.
_ A suicide car bomber killed two Iraqis and wounded five Monday in an attack on a police patrol in the northeastern Baghdad neighborhood of Shaab, where insurgents had kidnapped and murdered a defense lawyer in Saddam's trial last week, said police Lt. Malik Sultan.
_ Insurgents also opened fire on an Iraqi army checkpoint in western Baghdad, killing a soldier and a girl who was standing in front of her nearby house, said police 1st. Lt. Thaeir Mahmod.
_ A drive-by shooting killed one policeman and two others were wounded by a roadside bomb, authorities said.
_ Another roadside bomb exploded near a car carrying Ibrahim Zangana, a senior member of Iraq's Kurdish Democratic Party, seriously wounding him and killing one of his bodyguards, in Kirkuk, said Brig. Gen. Sarhat Qadir.
_ A drive-by shooting in Mosul, 225 miles northwest of Baghdad, killed a policeman.
_ The corpses of the eight Iraqis _ five men and three women _ also were found in three different areas of Baghdad on Monday, police said. All of them apparently had been kidnapped, tied up or handcuffed, and shot to death.
I will continue to report as more news comes in.
44 Killed Since Constitution Vote
Good Morning.
As we continue to wait for the results from the vote on the Constitution, be assured that the insurgency is still hard at work killing people.
Today suspected insurgents opened fire at two civilian cars Monday in Baghdad, killing three municipal workers and a passer-by as police said stepped up attacks over the last two days have killed at least 44 Iraqis.
Have a nice day.
5 Iraqis Killed, 6 Mangled Bodies Found + Deputy Gov. of Anbar Province Killed
Good morning,
Insurgents resumed attacks that had fallen sharply during Saturday's vote at heavily protected polling stations across the country.
Militants killed five Iraqis on Tuesday, including an adviser to one of the country's top Sunni Arab officials who was shot while driving to work in Baghdad, police said. The handcuffed and mutilated bodies of six Iraqis who had been kidnapped and killed in captivity also were found in three locations of the capital, police said.
Gunmen killed the deputy governor of Anbar province, Talib Ibrahim, spraying his car with automatic weapons fire in Ramadi and wounding two of his bodyguards, police said
Have a nice day.
2 Cops, 2 Civilians Killed
Today, in addition to the civilians killed by US military, a drive-by shooting killed two policemen in Kirkuk, 180 miles north of Baghdad, and a suicide bomber attacked a funeral for a sheik in Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad, killing two civilians and wounding one, police said.
In the last three weeks 535 the number of people who have died in insurgent attacks across Iraq.
US Fights Back, Kills 70 Militants and 39 Iraqi Civilians
Good morning,
U.S. warplanes and helicopters bombed two western villages near Ramadi, killing an estimated 70 militants near a site where five American soldiers died in a weekend roadside blast, the military said Monday. Residents said at least 39 of the dead were civilians.
In the meantime, ballot counting has been stalled due to a sand storm which has prevented some of the ballots from around Iraq from being flown into the capital, green zone, where they are to be re counted.
5 US Soldiers, 1 Marine Killed On Referendum Day
Good morning.
The U.S. military announced that five American soldiers were killed by a bomb blast on referendum day. One US Marine was also killed by a bomb Saturday in the town of Saqlawiyah, about 40 miles west of Baghdad, according to the military.
10/15/05 Vote Day, 7 Voters Injured, 3 Iraqi Soldiers Die
Good Morning.
The extraordinairly heavily guarded voting areas, curfew, and the basic shutting down of Iraq has helped to ensure that the vote would go off, relatively speaking with low attacks on voters.
Five of the 1,200 polling stations were attacked by insurgents, wounding a total of 7 voters. No voter deaths.
Outside the voting area a roadside bomb blew up 3 Iraqi soldiers.
A high voter turnout was expected, and indeed from preliminary reports, it looks as though turnout was high. Ballot counting has begun, and should be finished in about 48 hours.
Most expect an increase of killings once the streets of Baghdad re-open irregardless of the passage of the referendum.
More news later. Have a nice day.
Blackout In Baghdad
Good afternoon.
The lastest insurgent strike today caused a major blackout in Baghdad. Sunni insurgents
sabotaged power lines, knocking out electricity across Baghdad area Friday and plunging the capital into darkness on the eve of a landmark vote on a constitution aimed at defining democracy in a nation once ruled by Saddam Hussein.
That's the latest from AP news. Can't kill the people, kill the electricity.
More news at 11 I'm sure.
The "In Fighting" Begins: Sunnis attack Sunnis
Good morning,
The predictable script continues. The subset of Sunnis who are vehemently against the referendum are exceptionally pissed at the subset of the Sunnis who now want to vote "Yes" on the referrendum. Sunni insurgents launched five attacks against the largest Sunni Arab political party on the eve of Iraq's crucial referendum Friday, bombing and burning offices and the home of one of its leaders in retaliation after the group dropped its opposition to the draft constitution. There are no deaths to report, just a lot of bombed out buildings.
In another insurgent attack in Baghdad on Friday, the Muslim day of worship in Iraq, a roadside bomb wounded four Iraqi civilians when it exploded near one of the many schools in the capital that U.S. soldiers are fortifying with concrete barriers and barbed wire so they can be used as polling stations in Saturday's vote, said police 1st Lt. Mua'taz Saladin.
Have a nice day.
More Deaths
Good Evening,
The American military said today that a soldier was killed in a roadside bomb explosion in northern Iraq in the afternoon. In the oil city of Kirkuk, two policemen were killed and two injured by a suicide car bomber who detonated next to a police patrol. South of the city, two senior Turkmen politicians were kidnapped by armed men while driving.
IBC Press Release
Here is what Iraqi Body Count has released: IRAQ BODY COUNT Press Release
A Dossier of Civilian Casualties in Iraq2003–2005
Click to download the dossier (pdf format)New analysis of civilian casualties in Iraq: Report unveils comprehensive details
"A Dossier on Civilian Casualties in Iraq, 2003-2005" is the first detailed account of all non-combatants reported killed or wounded during the first two years of the continuing conflict. The report, published by Iraq Body Count in association with Oxford Research Group, is based on comprehensive analysis of over 10,000 media reports published between March 2003 and March 2005.
Findings include:Who was killed?
24,865 civilians were reported killed in the first two years.
Women and children accounted for almost 20% of all civilian deaths.
Baghdad alone recorded almost half of all deaths. When did they die?
30% of civilian deaths occurred during the invasion phase before 1 May 2003.
Post-invasion, the number of civilians killed was almost twice as high in year two (11,351) as in year one (6,215). Who did the killing?
US-led forces killed 37% of civilian victims.
Anti-occupation forces/insurgents killed 9% of civilian victims.
Post-invasion criminal violence accounted for 36% of all deaths.
Killings by anti-occupation forces, crime and unknown agents have shown a steady rise over the entire period. What was the most lethal weaponry?
Over half (53%) of all civilian deaths involved explosive devices.
Air strikes caused most (64%) of the explosives deaths.
Children were disproportionately affected by all explosive devices but most severely by air strikes and unexploded ordnance (including cluster bomblets). How many were injured?
At least 42,500 civilians were reported wounded.
The invasion phase caused 41% of all reported injuries.
Explosive weaponry caused a higher ratio of injuries to deaths than small arms.
The highest wounded-to-death ratio incidents occurred during the invasion phase. Who provided the information?
Mortuary officials and medics were the most frequently cited witnesses.
Three press agencies provided over one third of the reports used.
Iraqi journalists are increasingly central to the reporting work.
Speaking today at the launch of the report in London, Professor John Sloboda, FBA, one of the report's authors said: "The ever-mounting Iraqi death toll is the forgotten cost of the decision to go to war in Iraq. On average, 34 ordinary Iraqis have met violent deaths every day since the invasion of March 2003. Our data show that no sector of Iraqi society has escaped. We sincerely hope that this research will help to inform decision-makers around the world about the real needs of the Iraqi people as they struggle to rebuild their country. It remains a matter of the gravest concern that, nearly two and half years on, neither the US nor the UK governments have begun to systematically measure the impact of their actions in terms of human lives destroyed."
Click to download the Dossier (pdf)Press and media enquiries:UK and world excluding USA:John Sloboda (author) john@iraqbodycount.org or press@iraqbodycount.orgUSA only:Scott Lipscomb (Iraq Body Count US Spokesperson)lipscomb@northwestern.edu.
Electronic copies of the report are available for download from the Iraq Body Count website (www.iraqbodycount.org)
To see archived press releases click
here.
Iraqi Body Count Website Link
Good morning.
Here is a webiste that is dedicated to raw info on Iraqi civilian deaths:
http://www.iraqbodycount.net/They report that a minimum of 26,521 to a max of 29,873 Iraqi civilian deaths have occured since the US attack on Iraq.
This count includes the following information:
Incident CodeDateTimeLocationTargetWeapons usedReported minimum and maximum casualties2 independent sources of reportingHave a good day.
Death Count Update: 442 Killed in last 18 days
In the last 18 days, at least 442 people have been killed as the insurgents try to scare voters away from the polls. Most of the deaths have been caused by suicide car bombs, roadside bombs and drive-by shootings. In addition to this figure, several dead bodies over the same time period were found dumped in and around Bagdhad.
The official 10 pm - 6am, 4 day cerfew/national 4-day holiday is now in effect in Iraq. Schools and Government offices were closed in front of the Saturday vote for the new national referendum. As of Friday, Iraqi's borders will also be closed. Car travel between provinces will also be stopped during this time.
This cerfew is designed to "Protect the voters". As we learned from the last election, these extraordinary security steps will likely protect the voters somewhat during the vote. The last vote aprox 40 people were killed when a man detonated himself in a sgroup of people going by bus to vote.
As we have learned, however, this "Security" is only temporary for voters. Several thousand Iraqi citizens have been killed since the April vote (I unfortunately do not have the total but will try to find it). Just look over my blog and you will see most of death highlights between that vote and this vote. I will do my best to try to find the death statistics and report them here.
It is likely, at this point that the vote for the referendum will pass due to a last minute deal made which will give Sunnis the possibility of a chance to add an ammendment to the constitution once the new Parliment is installed. This last minute negotiation was a clever move by Shiites, Kurds and Americans to in effect split the vote among Sunnis to avoid a "NO" vote and thus a trip back to the drawing board. This last minute negotiation deal was sealed by the National Assembly
without a vote. Only 157 parliamentarians were present, and parliament had earlier announced a recess of several weeks. Was it that they could not muster a convincing number of votes for the constitution under these circumstances?
It will be interesting to me what might occur, should a split become a reality. Sunnis who vote "No", or don't vote will be extremely angry towards Sunnis who vote "Yes". Sunnis who vote "Yes", are not guaranteed anything, except a "Chance" in the future to get what they want. We'll see what kind of in-fighting might occur. This vote will likely inflame the anger, and that anger is extremely likely to ignite the most hard-core and determined killers. I would expect the death numbers to be very high between October 15th and the December Parliment election.
I have to say this was a brilliant move by the majority to split the vote. Bravo. Since the parliment didn't get their way and decided to actually allow non-registered voters to vote (See Oct. 5th Blog), they had to come up with something that would get them the result they wanted. Feed the Sunni minority a muffin of hope, get your result, and all will be good. Too funny. We'll see what happens in the months following the new Parliment as to whether or not the divided Iraq's will be able to work together to ammend the constitution into something that will make Iraq a united nation. (Laffing to myself).
Have a nice day.
33 Iraqis Killed, 8 Corpses Found , 63 Wounded
Good morning.
Today thirty Iraqi's were killed by a martyr bomber at a checkpoint just outside an army recruiting center in Tal Afar. This is the second time in as many days major insurgent attacks have occured in that town located next to Syria. The martyr attacker wore explosives under his clothing and detonated himself among a group of men who were waiting to sign up for army jobs. Thirty-five were also wounded in that attack.
In other killings, 3 martyr car bombers blew themselves up, and two roadside blasts killed 3 and wounded 28 others in Baghdad and Baquoba.
An apparent "Breakthrough" was reached yesterday among Sunni, Shiite, and Kurdish powerbrokers which revived hope that would win over the Sunni approval of the upcoming vote on the national referendum. The ammendment to the referendum includes a provision which would allow the *possibility* of the addition of other ammendments to the constitution after the installment of a new parliment (Which will occur whether or not there is an approved constitution). There is no guarantee, however, that Sunnis will be able to make the changes they seek. They are likely to have a stronger representation in the next parliament but still would face a strong Shiite and Kurdish majority that likely would oppose major changes. Instead the changes will likely split the Sunni vote enough to prevent them from defeating the draft constitution.
In the last 17 days attacks have raised the death toll to 431 Iraqis.
Beginning Thursday, a 4 day national security curfew begins. We'll see how secure things are during this time. I will continue to report the deaths as they are reported by AP news.
Have a nice day.
54 + Iraqis Killed, 74+ Wounded
Good Morning.
Insurgents determined to undermine Iraq's Consititutional Referendum have continued their killing spree. Today a total of at least 54 Iraqis were killed in a series of attacks which included a martyr car bomber which ripped apart a crowd at an open air market stuffed with citizens shopping in a town (Talafar) near the Syrian border. Thirty people at the market were killed, and 45 were wounded.
Insurgents also used two suicide car bombs, three roadside bombs and four drive-by shootings in the capital on Tuesday to kill a total of 14 Iraqis; 29 were wounded, police said.
More updates as they come in.
New Killings on Monday 18 Iraqis and 1 US Soldier Dead
Good afternoon.
Today has been another day of drive by shootings and car and roadside bombs that have left at least 18 Iraqi's dead as well as one US soldier.
The attacks came as Shiite and Kurdish officials continued to negotiate with Sunni Arab leaders over last-minute additions to the constitution, trying to win Sunni support ahead of Saturday's referendum.
Shiites, Kurds as well as Americans are trying to negotiate with Shiites for last minute ammendments to the new referendum which has been published and distributed to voters. So far, there has been no meeting of the minds. No placations.
At this point Shiites feel disenfranchised from a United Iraq, that the new constitution would divide the country into two oil rich, nearly autonomous regions: The northern Kurdish controlled state and the Southern Shiite controlled state. This would leave most Sunnis isolated in central and western Iraq.
Different voices from the Sunni party are creating confusion among the Sunni population as to what would be the best way to handle the vote. One voice/side of the Sunni camp says that Sunnis should boycott the vote, as the vote is deemed to be invalid anyway. The other voice from the other side of the Sunni camp says that that Sunnis should go out and vote and vote "NO", to the new referrendum. What actually will occur on Saturday remains to be seen. Some people say that between the no-shows and the "no" votes that one will cancel out the other and that there will be no unification of the Sunni voice. Should that occur, the referendum will pass and as a consequence very deeply divide the nation and tick off the Sunnis even more. A ticked off Sunni is not a pretty thing, so if this happens, it is certain that the violence will continue for a long time to come. At this point the only way the Sunnis can do anything about the referendum (Short of an 11th hour negotiation which will risk the validity of the vote anyway since voters will be voting on an outdated version), is to vote NO. Sunnis can defeat the charter if they get a two-thirds "no" vote in any three of Iraq's 18 provinces and they have the potential to make that threshold in four provinces. Defeating the charter will mean that it goes back to the drawing board and the process starts from a new.
I'll be counting down the days until the vote. I'll be counting down the deaths until the vote. As with the last vote, I will be counting the deaths after the vote.
In the last 15 days, at least 338 people have been killed across Iraq, including nine American soldiers.
That's it for now, and until later.....
Sunday Killings
Thirteen people were killed on Sunday by insurgents. Among the dead inclucing a Shiite teacher who was dragged out of his classroom and shot to death at a college in the town of Samarra, north of Baghdad.
7 More Dead, 16 Injured
Good afternoon,
Today seve people were killed and 16 injured by a martyr car bomber in Baghdad. More details as it comes in.
Deaths in Iraq will be overshadowed, undoubtly, by the horrific outcome of a 7.7 earthquake which devistated the people of Pakistan yesterday. So far, about 30,000 people have been killed there.
I will continue my updates as they come in, again, focusing primairly on the death toll of the Iraqi people.
7 Iraqi Civilians Killed, 6 US Marines killed
Good morning,
Todays killings include the shooting and killing of 7 Iraqi civilians in various parts of Baghdad. At least two corpses were found dumped in the capitol as well.
Six US marines were killed today by bomb blasts in Western Iraq.
In the meantime aprox 71 "Insurgents" have been killed in operation Iron Fist.
So far a total of over 290 people have been killed in the last 2 weeks. 1,950 US Troops have been killed since the US attacked Iraq in 2003.
Officials have been trying to distribute copies of the new consitution which Iraqi's are supposed to give a ye or nay to in 8 days. However, many shop owners, or other sub distributors have refused to touch the documents saying that participating in the distribution of this material puts themselves at great risk for being attacked.
I will continue reporting as more information comes in regarding the killings that proceed the October 15th vote, as well as the post vote killings.
21 Killed
Good morning,
As expected, the slaughter and bloodshed continues in Iraq. Insurgents and martyrs continue to kill people aimed to wreck havoc on a new constitutional referendum next week. A total of 21 people were killed, including one American soilder today (so far). A man wearing an explosives belt hopped up on a mini bus carrying 14 people including students, workers and policemen who were headed to the police academy. He pulled the switch on himself just as the bus passed a police patrol, leaving nothing but a burned out bus hull. The other attack came in the form of a martyr car bomber who drove his car near a convoy of private security contractors. He managed to kill 3 bystanders and wound 6 others. In northern Baghdad a roadside bomb blew up an American patrolman.
What will prevent the new referendum from passing will be a "No" vote from the minority Sunni constituency which represents aprox. 20% of the Iraq population. Should they achieve a 2/3's majority "no" vote in any three of Iraq's 18 provences, the constitution will go back to the drawing board, and only an interum council will be voted on. Should the referendum pass with a yes vote, a new full term parliment will be voted on in December.
While we are waiting for the vote, I'll continue to report the deaths. So far a total of 292 people have been killed by insurgents in the past 11 days.
American deaths have risen to 1,945 since the US first attacked Iraq.
Have a nice day.
25+ Killed in Shiite Mosque, 87+ Wounded
Good morning,
Hundreds of men had gathered at the mosque, located in the center of Hillah, for prayers before returning home to eat the meal that ends the day's sunrise to sunset fast, when a blast went off at 6 p.m. At least 25 were killed and more than 87 wounded.
The martyr car bomber exploded himself at the front of the mosque, where worshippers gathered for prayers on this first day of Ramadan. The blast ripped through the facade of the mosque which was obliterated. Worshippers experienced the roof crumble down around them. Others were there for the funeral of a restaurant owner who was killed earlier when his restaurant was bombed just days before.
Al Quieda in Iraq has called for an all out war on Iraq's majority Shiite population during the holy month. No doubt this blog will be extra busy in the days to come to record the human devistation ignited by the US attack on Iraq.
Until sooner......
Rules changed back, All Sunnis Now Can Vote
After a brief debate Wednesday, the National Assembly voted 119 to 28 to restore the original voting rules for the referendum. Only about half of the 275-member legislative body turned up for the vote. The text approved by parliament Wednesday confirmed that the word "voters" throughout the election rules in the interim constitution has a single meaning: those who cast votes. Now, even if a voter is not registered, she/he can vote. After the reversal in the rules yesterday, Sunnis were going to boycott the vote for the new referendum.
Under the restored election rules, Sunnis can defeat the document if they get a two-thirds "no" vote in any three provinces, even if a nationwide majority approves the charter. Sunnis have a chance of doing so in four of 18 provinces.
Will the Sunnis come out in numbers and defeat the referendum? Your guess is as good as mine. If they do, it will be back to the drawing board to re-write the constitution. Chapter open.
Have a nice day.
9 day update
Good afternoon.
Insurgent violence has killed at least 237 people, including 21 U.S. service members, in the past nine days ahead of the Oct. 15th referendum for the new Iraq Consititution.
A deep divide remains between Sunnis and Shiites regarding this issue. Sunnis threaten to boycott the vote at this point as it has become clear that they do not have a chance to even make their NO vote count due to a change in voting rules, which now counts only votes from registered voters. A Sunni Arab boycott of the referrendum would undermine the validity of the New Consititution. Washington had hoped that a new constitution would mend the different factions, but instead it is likely to create deeper divides and perpetuate ongoing insurgent violence/civil war.
Have a nice day.
1,343 Iraqis Killed Since April 28th
Good morning,
A total of aprox 1,343 Iraqis have been killed since since the shift of power went to the Shiites on April 28, 2005.
1,935 US service people have died since the US attack in March 2003.
At this time I do not have a count on total Iraqis killed since March 2003. When I find the figure, I will post it.
Sunni insurgents have vowed to derail the constitutional referendum and have launched a wave of violence that has killed at least 202 people including 15 U.S. service members in Iraq in the past seven days.
What will be the consequences of the new constitution? Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
Have a nice day.
