News & Views 07/18/07

.Photo: A young Iraqi boy grieves for relatives killed by a car bomb as their bodies are taken away to be buried in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of Baghdad, Iraq Wednesday, July 18, 2007. The attack in Baghdad on Monday followed the release of a man who was kidnapped on Sunday night, police said. The man drove home and parked his car, which exploded and killed his daughters, 18 and 21, and injured his 11-year-old son. (AP Photo/Alaa al-Marjani)

REPORTS – LIFE IN IRAQ

Mass Graves Dug to Deal With Death Toll

The largest morgue in Diyala province is overflowing daily. Officials told IPS they have had to dig mass graves to dispose of bodies. More and more bodies of victims of the ongoing violence are being found every day in Baquba, capital city of the province, 50km northeast of Baghdad. "The morgue receives an average of four or five bodies everyday," Nima Jima'a, a morgue official, told IPS. "Many more are dropped in rivers and farms -- or it is sometimes the case they are buried by their killers for other reasons. The number we record here is only a fraction of those killed." Ambulances, now able to move again after weeks of restrictions, have been removing bodies of victims from the current fighting. But they have also found skulls and bones, evidence of other killings long ago. Dealing with these remains is becoming difficult. Like the rest of the city, the morgue suffers from continuing lack of electricity. Over the last two weeks, two of its refrigerators have been shut down. The smell of decomposing bodies hits visitors 100 metres away. Morgue officials told IPS that a local U.S. military commander recently ordered them to bury all bodies within three days.

Women Face Increased Violence in Kurdistan

Shawbo Rauf Ali, 19, clearly did not know that the picnic she was headed for would become a death trap. When she got there, her husband and several other men beat her to death on suspicion of extra-marital relations. The suspicion arose because of an unknown number that appeared on Shawbo's cell phone. The men fled after the murder. Two who had British citizenship left for the UK. Kurdish officials have said the British police will now extradite them to Iraq. The other two have been arrested and are awaiting trial. The murder of Shawbo is among numerous 'honour killings' in the Kurdish region every year. A Kurdistan parliament report has warned of an "increasing rate of violence against women." In Sulaimaniya province south of Erbil, 24 women have been killed in the first half of this year, says the parliament report. Arrests have been made in only five of these cases. In 2005, four women were reported killed in the Kurdish region's three provinces Erbil, Sulaimaniya and Dohuk. In 2006 that figure rose to 17. Most of the victims were married women, says a report from the human rights ministry. These figures do not tell all. Many women are reported to have committed suicide under pressure from male members of the family. In 2005, 22 women committed suicide; in 2006 that number rose to 64, according to police records.

One Question

Two days ago, I was going back home. I took a taxi. I almost need 30 or 40 minutes to reach home which is a long time. The usual conversation about the daily suffering of Iraqis, we talked about electricity, water and above all, the security situation. Then the man started talking about things I heard for the first time. his suffering was that kind of suffering we see only in the Indian movies. His 4 years old sweet daughter cannot neither talk not hear because of an explosion happened during Baghdad invasion operations. He said that an Iraqi missile exploded near his house when his daughter was only two or three months old. The explosion caused this sickness. the doctors in Iraq told him that they didn't have the needed equipments for such conditions and he must take her to one of the neighbor countries which would cost him more than 2000 $ which is a fortune for the poor taxi driver. That was not the end. During the sectarian violence, the man lost his three brothers. he said that they were killed one night when the militia attacked their neighborhood south east Baghdad. He said "I was defending our neighborhood with other young men in another street. I wasn't at home. I saw big light and I heard the voice of huge explosion near my house. I tried to call my brothers but they didn't answer. I called my wife but she didn't say a word, I run quickly with some men to my house and I saw found out that some terrorists are about to break my family house. we killed them all and I entered my house, I found my wife, my mother and my father in a small room. they were really afraid. My wife said that she couldn't say a word because she was scared to death because the terrorists were shouting and swearing at them. After the fight and loosing my three sons, my parents got seriously sick and this is another suffering added to my continuous one. Now I live in a rented house because we had to leave our house after the insurgents dominated our neighborhood. A week ago I was about to loose my life because I took a body from the morgue to another neighborhood that is also controlled by insurgents. When I reached the area and the family took the body, I left quickly. I found out that I was chased by some gunmen. They stopped me and one of them pointed his gun to my head and asked me to lay down. I knew he wants to kill me. The only thing came to my mind is my poor family, my wife and my two kids, my parents, my dead brothers' wives and their kids. I'm the only sponsor of this big family. Suddenly a mini bus stopped, a man got down with a gun and talked to the man who was trying to kill me. The first guy said "sir this is the man" and the other guy asked me why I was in their area. I said I'm here because I helped one of your families to get the body of their men to the house. then the man who got down from the minibus told the other gun man to let me go saying " release him, he is just a dog, release him for the sake of GOD" but the man insisted on killing me. the other guy shouted " I told you leave him" and he addressed me "hey you go now go go" the man who tried to killed me threw the keys and the papers of the car away and told me to pick them. I realized that he still insisting on killing me. I held his hand and i kept my eye on him while searching the land with my hand to find my stuff. I could do it and I'm still alive."

This is a short story I heard and I was unable to say anything. I'm sure there are stories which are even worse. But only one question came to my mind - We have more than 100000 US soldiers in Baghdad and about 300000 Iraqi security forces. What are they doing? Can Mr. Bush or our Prime Minister Mr. Nouri Al Maliki answer my question? Thanks Allah (GOD) for everything. Im sure he is the one who protects us not the MNF nor the Iraqi troops. [It sounds like his daughter is deaf from noise exposure. I work as a pediatric audiologist, sure wish I could help. If help does not come soon to her, she will never have spoken language. – dancewater]

Look of Fear

Few days ago I was walking in the main market of Fallujah people passed in the crowded area, one of the faces was so familiar… an old man, about 70 years old. He looked tired, shaking and in rough clothes. I watched him trying to shop, he couldn’t afford to buy many things. i tried to remember who is he? He turned his face and looked towards me and I remembered the face.. he was my teacher in the primary school (20 years ago)… I used to see him with a suit and carrying his umbrella and driving his good car back then… now in poor old clothes, shaking hand and torn slipper. I had some doubts about he was... I passed him and I decided to go back to him… I greeted him he did the same and asked him if he was a teacher of the second year in the primary school… The man out of sudden started shaking more and his face turned to red and barely spoke the word: Why? He looked so afraid… As fast as i could I tried to explain to him that I was one of his pupils 20 years ago and I just want to show him my gratitude… The look of fear disappeared and a smile covered his face… he said: I hope you made it in your education… I told him yes I did when I told him I graduated from one of the prestigious Iraqi colleges… a smile of achievement took over his old face… I wanted to give him money or what ever he needs but it would look like an insult... he crossed to the other side of the street as I left the place…

Armored- Car Repair Business is Booming in Baghdad

The war in Iraq has created its own set of economic opportunities, from forged visas and food-ration cards to arms smuggling and militia-run neighborhood power stations. In a country where unemployment hovers around 60 percent, according to the Iraqi Planning Ministry, the mechanically inclined are finding legitimate jobs. A decent armored-car mechanic easily can earn $12,000 a year, enough to support a family of four. Fiafi, based in Baghdad, has a contract with the Iraqi Ministry of Interior to repair Iraqi police vehicles. ''The typical damage is to the suspension, steering, engine, tires, electrical wiring,'' the manager said. ''Really, the whole vehicle. And normal wear and tear is multiplied due to the conditions that we're in.'' Although no exact number of the armored cars operating in the Green Zone exists, it's easily several hundred, according to informal tallies. Likewise, the precise number of armored-car repair shops is unavailable. Technically, the Interior Ministry regulates all businesses in the 3.5-square-mile fortress. No government official would comment for this story.

…..Newer advances in composites and antiballistic ceramics help drop the added weight by some 600 pounds, he said. An armored Land Cruiser costs about $100,000, compared with about $56,000 for a standard model. An armored Suburban costs about $110,000, compared with about $40,000 for a conventional version. Worldwide Armor sells armored vehicles across the globe, but it's doing its biggest business in Iraq. ''There's a lot of opportunity for sales out there,'' Griffin said.

The Hell of Baghdad

"The only sure thing here is that we have lost our trust. Can you believe that we are terrorized in our own homes?" Ali, 32, chose to remain in Baghdad while the majority of his friends and relatives joined the hoards of refugees in Syria and Jordan (for the less fortunate) or Sweden (for the others). "I am Shiite," Ali said. "My uncles and cousins were murdered by Saddam's regime. I wanted desperately to get rid of him. But today, if Saddam's feet appeared in front of me, I would fall to my knees and kiss them!" The temperature outside is nearly 130 degrees, but the capital has no electricity most of the time. Those who own private generators have become the most powerful people in every district. They sell the precious energy eight hours a day.

On the eastern bank of the Tigris River, where I stayed, the government could provide electricity only between 6 and 7 a.m. All the appliances would burst into action, waking up the household. For those who can afford it, a small generator fills in the gaps in power. But a generator consumes up to 20 gallons of gasoline a day, an enormous amount in a time of shortages. Under Saddam Hussein, 40 gallons of gasoline cost half a dollar. Today, you'd have to pay $75 for the same quantity on the black market - or you could stand in line for four to five days at a gas station and pay about $35. "You spend all your time preoccupied with either getting gasoline or getting electricity - not to mention worrying about violence," says Ali. "If they go out, my sisters could be kidnapped or killed by a bomb. I travel by car only if it is absolutely necessary." Day after day, morning till night, residents of Baghdad are confined in an oppressive state of waiting. Because there is nothing else to do and no one to trust, everyone hunkers down. Sometimes they race out on foot to buy food or other necessities, but mostly they sit and watch television.

Continued violence causing gender role swap

Until 2003, Salwa Khatab Omar, had been driven around by two drivers and accompanied by at least three guards who lived in a caravan next to her house in Baghdad. She lived in some style and without many responsibilities. Since the 2003 US-led invasion, however, Salwa, the wife of a former senior army officer, has found herself responsible for virtually everything. "My husband can't leave the house at all for fear of being targeted like other former regime officials," said Khatab, a 51-year-old mother of four. "Unlike before, I have to accompany my sons and daughters to their schools and colleges in addition to dealing with other household stuff," said Khatab. She said they had to leave their home and rent a house where nobody knows her husband and his background.

Iraqis demonstrate, denounce govt's performance

Civil society organizations demonstrated in Baghdad on Wednesday protesting against the performance of the Iraqi government. Demonstrators lifted signs with logos denouncing the government and services and demanding justice, the protection of resources, and the combat of administrative corruption. Secretary General of Himam institution for the development of civil society and head of the demonstration's organizing committee Dr. Saad Al-Khazaali told KUNA people from different social segments participated in the rally, namely widows, orphans, displaced, and victims of terrorism. Students, tribe leaders, religious figures, and representatives of different syndicates also participated, he added. A release issued by the demonstration's organizing committee called on the government to provide sufficient health services, water, electricity, and fuel.

REPORTS – US/UK/OTHERS IN IRAQ

Silent surge in contractor 'armies'

There are two coalition armies in Iraq: the official one, which fights the war, and the private one, which supports it. This latter group of civilians drives dangerous truck convoys, cooks soldiers' meals, and guards facilities and important officials. They rival in size the US military force there, and thousands have become casualties of the conflict. If this experience is any indication, they may change the makeup of US military forces in future wars. Having civilians working in war zones is as old as war itself. But starting with US military action in the Balkans and Colombia in the mid-1990s and accelerating rapidly in Afghanistan and Iraq, the number and activity of contractors has greatly increased. Coming from dozens of countries, hired by hundreds of companies, contractors have seen their numbers rise faster than the Pentagon's ability to track them. Now, the challenges of this privatization strategy are becoming clear.

Full circle

Iraqi news-site AlMelaf.com reports: Our correspondent in Baghdad learned from an official in the Interior Ministry that that ministry has obtained information on the existence of an American plan to send recruits from Sunni tribes to certain Baghdad areas. Our correspondent said there are four brigades being trained and equipped in preparation for assignment to Baghdad. He added that these bridages will be under the direct supervision and leadership of the American army, and they will be participating in military operations together with the American forces. And there is information to the effect the initial assignments will be to [the district of] Palestine Street, Waziriya, and two other districts not yet known.

Iraqslogger correctly notes that this would represent an escalation in tensions between the Iraqi government and the Americans, on the question of who controls military/security operations.

The implicit point is that this would represent US alliance with Sunni forces in areas where the main issues tend to be Sunni versus Shiia (and not Sunni versus AlQaeda). And in that way the coming full circle of what Iraqi nationalists have always said is essence of the American strategy: First, alliance with Shiite militias to persecute Sunnis (and Baathists in particular) in the post 2003 period; and now switching to alliance with Sunni fighters to persecute Shiites (and Sadrists in particular) to finish the job of reducing Iraq to a collection of walled-off cantons.

We Came to Kick Their Ass and Steal Their Gas

COMMENTARY

Study cites seeds of terror in Iraq

New investigations by the Saudi Arabian government and an Israeli think tank -- both of which painstakingly analyzed the backgrounds and motivations of hundreds of foreigners entering Iraq to fight the United States -- have found that the vast majority of these foreign fighters are not former terrorists and became radicalized by the war itself.

…..However, interrogations of nearly 300 Saudis captured while trying to sneak into Iraq and case studies of more than three dozen others who blew themselves up in suicide attacks show that most were heeding the calls from clerics and activists to drive infidels out of Arab land, according to a study by Saudi investigator Nawaf Obaid, a US-trained analyst who was commissioned by the Saudi government and given access to Saudi officials and intelligence. A separate Israeli analysis of 154 foreign fighters compiled by a leading terrorism researcher found that despite the presence of some senior Al Qaeda operatives who are organizing the volunteers, ''the vast majority of [non-Iraqi] Arabs killed in Iraq have never taken part in any terrorist activity prior to their arrival in Iraq." [Wait until they arrive here in the US of A. – dancewater]

Opinion: When a 'friend' of the U.S. also comforts our enemies

For years, the Bush administration has portrayed Saudi Arabia as a close ally of the United States, and while it is true that the monarchy has made laudable strides in the battle against international Islamic terrorism, there remains far more to be done. Concrete numbers from a U.S. military officer and Iraqi lawmakers reported Sunday in the Los Angeles Times now reveal what has been known since the beginning of the Iraqi civil war: the vast majority of foreign insurgents, around 45 percent, are from Saudi Arabia. This percentage dwarfs that of the next highest exporter of insurgents, Syria, who stands at a modest 15 percent. Given the close proximity of Saudi Arabia to Iraq, it can be expected that a large number of Saudi jihadists are flocking to the war-torn country, but the great discrepancy between Saudi and Syrian insurgents demonstrates that location alone cannot account for the Saudi role in Iraq's civil war. When the Bush administration openly talks of state-sponsored terrorism on the part of Syria and Iran, it conveniently overlooks the many key officials of the Saudi government who have played an active role in unsettling Iraq.

IRAQI REFUGEES

Donor Governments Must Provide Bilateral Assistance to Host Countries

Iraqis are now the third largest displaced population in the world, after Palestinians and Sudanese. Their number will likely continue to grow as violence in Iraq shows no signs of diminishing. Estimates identify 2.4 million refugees, with Syria and Jordan, two countries with sizeable Palestinian populations as well, hosting the vast majority. Lebanon, Egypt, Iran, and Turkey have also received significant flows of Iraqi refugees. In host countries, school systems, medical services, water supplies, sanitation infrastructure, and housing stock are now stretched to the limit. Despite the increased international awareness of the Iraqi displacement crisis, adequate resources to address the true scope of refugees’ needs have yet to materialize.

Syria is now host to between one and one and a half million Iraqi refugees. It has shown interest in working with the international community to address the needs of this population. Iraqi children are encouraged to attend Syrian schools, and the government hopes to enroll up to 100,000 Iraqi children in time for fall classes. Iraqis are also being provided primary medical services, and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society has expanded the number of clinics it operates solely for Iraqis to ten to meet increased demand.

How to Help Iraqi Refugees

RESISTANCE

Iraq Moratorium Day – September 21 and every third Friday thereafter ~ "I hereby make a commitment that on Friday, September 21, 2007, and the third Friday of every subsequent month I will break my daily routine and take some action, by myself or with others, to end the War in Iraq."

Quote of the day: Even though we have used terrorists to promote a genocidal foreign policy, the terms have been narrowly defined to preclude them from being applied to American or NATO actions. - Peter Chamberlin