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Torturegate, G8, and the Greater Middle East The Wall Street Journal’s revelation of White House counsels’ memoranda permitting what most people would consider torture– on the basis of the president’s position as commander in chief in wartime– is among the most chilling things we have seen from a Bush administration not lacking in chills for […]

UN Resolution Passes Unanimously Sistani the Big Winner; Kurds Furious The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a new resolution on Iraq granting legitimacy to the caretaker government of Iyad Allawi. The resolution gives the new Iraqi government substantially more sovereignty than had been envisaged by the US in the initial draft, and […]

16 Killed, 144 Wounded in Iraq Violence az-Zaman estimates that 16 persons died in bombings and attacks on Tuesday, and 144 were wounded. Among the dead was a US soldier in Baquba and another in Anbar province. The bombings and attacks took place in Baquba (reported here yesterday), Mosul and Kirkuk. AP’s estimates were somewhat […]

Muqtada Emerges Strengthened; Allawi calls for Dialogue Tom Lasseter of Knight Ridder argues from anecdotal evidence in Iraq that Muqtada al-Sadr has emerged from his battle with the Americans stronger than ever, despite the military defeat inflicted on his Mahdi Army. According to ash-Sharq al-Awsat, Allawi called on Muqtada al-Sadr to resort to “the language […]

Black Humor A friend in Baghdad sent me this. It is to laugh, it is to weep. Why Did the Chicken cross the Road? Coalition Provisional Authority: The fact that the Iraqi chicken crossed the road affirmatively demonstrates that decision-making authority has been transferred to the chicken well in advance of the scheduled June 30th […]

Cole on the Lehrer News Hour For those who like advanced warning, I will be on the Lehrer News Hour this evening discussion the new UN Resolution on Iraq.

Blast in Baquba Kills at least 5, Wounds 11; US troops among the wounded A suspected car bomb detonated at the gates of a US military base near the eastern city of Baquba early Tuesday. It killed one US soldier and four Iraqis, wounded at least 11, and also inflicted wounds on some US troops. […]

Bremer Bars Muqtada from Holding Office The Guardian reports that US civil administrator Paul Bremer signed an order Monday banning Muqtada al-Sadr and his lieutenants from running for elective office for 3 years because of their membership in an illegal militia. Muqtada and his lieutenants rejected this decree and said that the CPA and the […]

UN Security Council Vote expected Tuesday; Sistani Weighs in Against Interim Constitution The final details of the UN Security Council resolution, on the caretaker government to which the Bush administration maintains it will surrender sovereignty on June 30, have been worked out. The final draft will include a provision for a joint committee of high […]