Archives for December 2006

Bush Hints that he Will send More Troops Dozens Killed in Continued Violence Bush seems likely to try the “surge” tactic in Iraq of putting in substantially more troops, perhaps 20,000, in an attempt to take Baghdad and clear it of ‘terrorists.’ Hope springs eternal in the human breast, which is the only explanation for […]

The New Middle East Cold War: Saudi/Israel/Lebanon versus Iran/Syria/Iraq/Hizbullah Helene Cooper with Hassan Fattah of the NYT has the scoop that Saudi King Abdullah told US VP Dick Cheney two weeks ago that if the US withdrew precipitately from Iraq, the kingdom would have little choice but to support the Sunni Arab guerrillas. The Saudi […]

Kucinich-Paul Congressional Hearing on Civilian Casualties in Iraq Here is the transcript of Monday’s hearing on Capitol Hill on the Lancet study, at which I spoke along with two co-authors of the study. The video can be seen at the C-Span archive page (scroll down to the bottom). Thanks to Representatives Dennis Kucinich and Ron […]

Bombings Kill 54 Downtown Baghdad Saudi Clerics Mobilize against Shiites Guerrillas detonated two enormous bombs at Tayaran Square in central Baghdad, killing 54 persons and wounding 106. The bombers targeted day laborers who had gathered looking for work. Those at the Pentagon who want to tackle unemployment and the bad economy have it backwards. First […]

Congressional Hearing on Civilian Casualties in Iraq Stephen Soldz blogs the Paul-Kucinich hearings on civilian casualties in Iraq, at which I testified. Dennis Kucinich has been calling for a US withdrawal from Iraq for some time. His home page is down this morning but should be back up after noon. He is now calling for […]

Ross Guest Editorial on Pinochet ‘ Gone But Not Forgotten by Amy Ross (The writer is an assistant professor of geography and human rights at the University of Georgia.) The dictator is dead. At 91, after nearly a decade fighting desperately to avoid prison, Chile’s General Augusto Pinochet suffered a heart attack while under house […]

Congressional Briefing on Iraq Casualties The authors of the Lancet report on Iraq casualties, along with this ephemeral servant, will be testifying before a bipartisan group in Congress on Monday, December 11 from 10-12 am. My understanding is that it will be carried by C-Span.

Talabani rejects ISG Report Sunni Gunmen Kill Shiite family in Baghdad My editorial in Sunday’s Mercury News treated the issue of the US talking to Syria and Iran about the crisis in Iraq, as the Iraq Study Group urged. Excerpt: ‘ Baker said of Syria, “There is a strong indication they would be in a […]

8 Killed, 44 wounded in Karbala Bombing Sunni Guerrillas break off Talks with US First-rate Iraq historian Sarah Shields argues that Iraq is not having a civil war so much as it is living through the consequences of the US having destroyed its functioning state. I agree with her that the framework for the fighting […]