BAGHDAD — Many Iraqis believe the dramatic escalation in U.S. military use of air power is a sign of defeat for the occupation forces on the ground. U.S. Air Force and Navy aircraft dropped five times as many bombs in Iraq during the first six months of this year as over the first half of
National Radio Project: The Growing Iraqi Refugee Crisis
Since 9/11, the U.S. Congress has appropriated $610 billion dollars in war-related money. With inflation figured in, that’s roughly the same amount spent over the full 16 years of the Vietnam War. The Iraq War alone has cost the U.S. $450 billion dollars. And what about the cost to the Iraqi people? In addition to
Football Succeeds Where Politics Fails
BAGHDAD — An Iraqi football victory seems to have united Iraqis across the country where politicians only divide it. The Iraqi football team defeated South Korea 4-3 in Malaysia Wednesday to gain entrance into the finals of the Asian Cup. That set off a wave of celebrations across the capital and most of the country.
Baquba Denied the Healing Touch
BAQUBA — Diyala General Hospital in the provincial capital Baquba has been hit by severe lack of supplies amid ongoing attacks by militants. Located 50km northeast of Baghdad, the city of Baquba has become known now for both the huge U.S. military operations and the presence of al-Qaeda.
NY Times Responds Again on Fallujah
Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR) http://www.fair.org NY Times Responds Again on Fallujah Public editor’s second response contains factual errors To paraphrase Clark Hoyt, if you’re going to defend the performance of a news organization, you at a minimum need to get your facts right. In his second response to FAIR regarding the New York
Living Becomes Hard in a Dead City
BAQUBA — Life in the violence-plagued capital city of Iraq’s Diyala province has become a struggle for day-to-day survival. Heavy U.S military operations, sectarian death squads and al-Qaeda militants have combined to make normal life in Baquba, 50 km northeast of Baghdad, all but impossible.
FAIR: NY Times Responds on Fallujah Weapons
Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting: Update NY Times Public editor sides with reporter’s dismissal On July 18, New York Times public editor Clark Hoyt responded to FAIR’s June 11 Action Alert “Incendiary Weapons are No Allegation.” FAIR’s action alert took issue with a New York Times review (5/29/07) of the British play Fallujah, in which
Mass Graves Dug to Deal With Death Toll
BAQUBA — 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.
Partition Fears Begin to Rise
BAGHDAD — Many Iraqis are now beginning to see the rising sectarian violence as part of a larger plan to partition the country. “Americans want to alter the shape of our cities, dividing Iraqis into ethnic and sectarian groups living separately from each other,” Khali Sadiq, a researcher in statistics at Baghdad University told IPS.
Al-Qaeda Escapes U.S. Assault
BAQUBA — Air strikes have destroyed civilian homes rather than al-Qaeda targets under the U.S. military operation in Baquba, residents say. But signs have emerged of an al-Qaeda presence here earlier, and some residents speak of relief that al-Qaeda has been driven out of the city by U.S. forces.