Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The first recorded world-historical pandemic took place (541–750 CE) in the Roman Empire and Sasanian Iran, as well as neighboring […]
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Petraeus, Iraq and the Lebanon Analogy
Gen. Petraeus is clearly convinced that Iraq needs US troops to shore up the government and security. He has done the most responsible job yet […]
Sadr Calls off Demonstration; Threatens to End Cease-Fire; McCain confuses al-Qaeda with Shiites (Again)
Iraq Hearing follies. John McCain just can’t keep the branches of Islam straight. He said to Gen. David Petraeus: ‘ SEN. MCCAIN: There are numerous […]
4 US Troops Killed; Hundreds Flee Baghdad Clashes; Ayatollahs Decline to Ban Militia
I am always astounded at the combination of unrealistic optimism and foolish gullibility that marks political discourse on the Right in Washington. We were being […]
5 US Troops Die in Iraq; Heavy Fighting in Sadr City Kills 22, Wounds 78; Blockade Threatens Humanitarian Crisis
The US military attacked the Mahdi Army militia in Sadr City on Sunday, alongside Iraqi Army troops. The fighting left 22 dead and 78 wounded, […]
McCain: Iraqi Troops Performed ‘Pretty Well’ at Basra; Engelhardt: Not so Much
Senator John McCain on the failed Basra campaign: ‘ Republican presidential hopeful John McCain said Sunday that Iraq’s military performed “pretty well” in its recent […]
Rich, McCain, and the Coming Heartbreak Ridge
Frank Rich’s “Tet Happened . . . and No One Cared” is an elegantly written and argued examination of the current situation in Iraq that […]
Al-Maliki: Militias must Disarm; 25,000 Tribesmen Join Iraqi Army in Basra; Seek to Fight Sadrist Tribes
Al-Hayat reports in Arabic that the Iraqi National Security Council met on Saturday. The heads of the major blocks in parliament attended, including Nassar al-Rubaie, […]
Al-Maliki Freezes anti-Militia Operations; Al-Sadr Calls Million Man March
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki suddenly reversed himself on Friday, pledging a freeze on attacks on militias. Just a day before he had been saying that […]
Clashes Continue in Basra: Badr Militia Strengthened
Al-Hayat reports in Arabic that clashes continued to be fought in Basra on Thursday between Iraqi government troops and the Mahdi Army militia. It also […]
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