BAGHDAD -- Sorry for the lack of posts. I've been on deadline working on a project and haven't had time. There's much going on here in Baghdad, both politically and in the streets (where the real politics take place.) I hope to have some more analysis and reporting up soon. My apologies.
In the meantime, more than 70 85 bodies have been found around Baghdad in the last 24 hours, most of them bearing signs of torture. One of the victims still had his identity papers on him, which identified him as a 22-year-old Sunni student. However, Iraqi authorities are refusing to identify the other victims found around the capital because they fear fueling (more) sectarian violence. Based on my experience here, it's likely most of these bodies are of Sunni men, killed in reprisal for Sunday's car bomb attacks in Sadr City that killed 58 and wounded more than 200. The culprits are probably members of the Shi'ite-led security forces or members of the Mahdi Militia, based in Sadr City.
Or, heck, there's no reason the killers couldn't be both, considering how deeply the Iraqi security forces have been integrated into the Shi'ite militias.
No civil war here, though. Nope. Just a slaughter.
Elsewhere, in Palestine, militants rioted across Gaza after the Israelis stormed a prison holding Ahmad Saadat, one of the leaders of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. In Lebanon, today is the first anniversary of the massive March 14 demonstrations that many hoped would establish a new Lebanese politics.
Like the new look. The rotating pix in the header are a nice touch.
What geoduck said re: the New Look.
The curly quotes in your first paragraph got converted to ugly machine code in the email:
I would like to know what sort of normal, day-to-day interactions a Westerner in Baghdad has with Iraqi locals. Can you walk to your favorite cafe and sit and read and drink tea for the afternoon? Can you stop by your favorite shop on the way home from work for some smokes and a pastry?Great read.
Lawk Salih www.lawksalih.com
Finally. I needed my Accurate infomation fix, really bad. I check for you words consistantly. By the way great reporting!
Ralph Peters takes a parting shot at war journalism.
It’s all a hoax. There is no way that over 70 people could be killed and Ralph Peters didn’t even notice it.