The Colossus of Baghdad: Wonders of the Imperial World29 May 2007Of the seven wonders of the ancient Mediterranean world, only the Great Pyramid of Giza today remains. We no longer know who built those fabled monuments to the grandiosity of kings, pharaohs, and gods; of more modern architectural wonders, we have a clearer idea. Our vast $592 million ‘embassy’ – 20-odd buildings on 104 acres in Baghdad’s Green Zone – turns out to have a builder.
UN report highlights plight of over 800,000 Internally Displaced29 May 2007Escalating fighting and sectarian violence are forcing hundreds of families in Iraq to flee their homes on a daily basis, aid agencies say. According to a report released on Sunday by the United Nations Refugee Agency, an estimated 822,810 Iraqis are now displaced within their country.
Video Diary: Tickets and Popcorn24 May 2007“I’m living my life through the TV,” Adel says at the start of this Hometown Baghdad episode. Looking for a break, he travels to Syria for a night at the cinema. Hometown Baghdad was shot by an all-Iraqi crew and tells the stories of three young people trying to survive in Baghdad.
The Shape of a Shadowy Air War in Iraq24 May 2007Did the US use cluster bombs in Iraq in 2006 and then lie about it? Does the US keep the numbers of rockets and cannon rounds fired from its planes and helicopters secret because more Iraqi civilians have died due to their use than any other type of weaponry? These are just two of the many unanswered questions related to the largely uncovered air war the US military has been waging in Iraq.
Public, Republicans Disown Iraq War24 May 2007Even as Congress moved to approve President Bush’s request for continued funding of the Iraq war through the end of this fiscal 2007, a major new poll released Thursday found that public disillusionment with the war has reached record highs. The poll came as Congress prepared to vote on a controversial bill.
Video Diary: Tickets and Popcorn24 May 2007“I’m living my life through the TV,” Adel says at the start of this Hometown Baghdad episode. Looking for a break, he travels to Syria for a night at the cinema. Hometown Baghdad was shot by an all-Iraqi crew and tells the stories of three young people trying to survive in Baghdad.
The Shape of a Shadowy Air War in Iraq24 May 2007Did the US use cluster bombs in Iraq in 2006 and then lie about it? Does the US keep the numbers of rockets and cannon rounds fired from its planes and helicopters secret because more Iraqi civilians have died due to their use than any other type of weaponry? These are just two of the many unanswered questions related to the largely uncovered air war the US military has been waging in Iraq.
Public, Republicans Disown Iraq War24 May 2007Even as Congress moved to approve President Bush’s request for continued funding of the Iraq war through the end of this fiscal 2007, a major new poll released Thursday found that public disillusionment with the war has reached record highs. The poll came as Congress prepared to vote on a controversial bill.
Democrats Concede Deadline on Iraq Pullout23 May 2007Congress gave in this week to the Bush administration and finalized an emergency supplemental war spending bill that does not include a timeline for withdrawal of. The legislation that the House of Representative is expected to vote on Today is the culmination of a battle between President Bush and the Democratically-controlled Congress since January.
Domestic violence against children on the rise23 May 2007Mental health specialists say there has been an increase in domestic violence against children – largely a result of the violence that has gripped Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003. They say the violence has affected people’s behavior. Before the invasion, there were about 90 psychiatrists in Iraq and some 45 psychologists but today there are fewer than 40 total.
Sunni Resistance Receptive to Sadr Alliance23 May 2007Nationalist Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s bid to unite Sunnis and Shiites on the basis of a common demand for withdrawal of US occupation forces, reported last weekend by the Washington Post’s Sudarsan Raghavan, seems likely to get a positive response from Sunni armed resistance.
Democrats Concede Deadline on Iraq Pullout23 May 2007Congress gave in this week to the Bush administration and finalized an emergency supplemental war spending bill that does not include a timeline for withdrawal of. The legislation that the House of Representative is expected to vote on Today is the culmination of a battle between President Bush and the Democratically-controlled Congress since January.
Sunni Resistance Receptive to Sadr Alliance23 May 2007Nationalist Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s bid to unite Sunnis and Shiites on the basis of a common demand for withdrawal of US occupation forces, reported last weekend by the Washington Post’s Sudarsan Raghavan, seems likely to get a positive response from Sunni armed resistance.
Video Diary: Market Boom22 May 2007In this episode of Hometown Baghdad, Adel goes to a Baghdad market in search of a suitcase for a trip. Before he leaves, he is informed by a friend of a sniper firing at people on the road to the market. Adel picks a different road. At the market, he talks to a luggage seller about his booming business.
Curfew Begins to Choke Samarra22 May 2007The Iraqi government and the US military imposed a strict curfew on the city that day after a suicide car bomb killed a dozen police officers, including police chief Abd al-Jalil al-Dulaimi. Samarra has been a hotspot of resistance to the US occupation of Iraq since close to the beginning of the occupation in March 2003. The main bridge in the city has been closed, ambulances have not been allowed to reach people, and residents are facing an increasingly dire situation.
Bureaucracy, security situation to blame for poor distribution of medical supplies22 May 2007The centralized distribution of medicines in Iraq has meant hospitals have not been able to stock sufficient quantities, some doctors and analysts say. Every drug entering Iraq has to be tested by Kimadia, the government department responsible for quality control of medicines. All drugs go through the same procedure, regardless of their origin, or even if they have already been tested by the World Health Organization.
Surge Strategy Shows Weaknesses22 May 2007More than three months into the implementation of the ‘surge’ strategy, skepticism is still running high. Except among neo-conservatives, who have been the strategy’s most enthusiastic champions, most analysts believe it is doomed to failure in the absence of major moves – of which there have so far been virtually none – by the Iraqi government to promote national reconciliation with the Sunni minority.
Departing Wolfowitz Names New Iraq Director22 May 2007The World Bank has just appointed a new country head for Iraq despite security and corruption concerns, according to a leaked document. The news emerged just days after outgoing World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz promised not make any major new appointments at the institution.
Latino Soldiers Who Refused Iraq Speak Out22 May 2007A U.S. Army medic who refused to load his gun in Iraq and then escaped through a base window in Germany rather than be deployed a second time returned home to Los Angeles this week after serving six months in a U.S. military prison.
Journalists Face Repression on All Sides22 May 2007The working environment for Iraq’s journalists is becoming increasingly dangerous and difficult, with 31 killed just since the start of this year, according to the International Federation of Journalists.
Video Diary: Market Boom22 May 2007In this episode of Hometown Baghdad, Adel goes to a Baghdad market in search of a suitcase for a trip. Before he leaves, he is informed by a friend of a sniper firing at people on the road to the market. Adel picks a different road. At the market, he talks to a luggage seller about his booming business.
Curfew Begins to Choke Samarra22 May 2007The Iraqi government and the US military imposed a strict curfew on the city that day after a suicide car bomb killed a dozen police officers, including police chief Abd al-Jalil al-Dulaimi. Samarra has been a hotspot of resistance to the US occupation of Iraq since close to the beginning of the occupation in March 2003. The main bridge in the city has been closed, ambulances have not been allowed to reach people, and residents are facing an increasingly dire situation.
Electronic Iraq