by Gareth Porter
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
crossposted at IPS
14 July, 2011
WASHINGTON, Jul 14, 2011 (IPS) – The big question looming over U.S.-Iraqi negotiations on a U.S. military presence after 2011 is what game Shi’a leader Moqtada al-Sadr is playing on the issue.
U.S. officials regard Sadr as still resisting the U.S. military presence illegally and are demanding that Sadr call off his Promised Day Brigades completely.
Ihe battle for control of southern Iraq is continuing for a fifth day.
In one of the latest offensives, eight people died, including two women and a child, in an air raid.
Meanwhile a witness in Baghdad has told Al Jazeera he saw up to 40 Iraqi army and police surrendering their weapons to supporters of the Mahdi Army.
Its leader, Muqtada Al-Sadr, is calling on Arab nations to support his fight against US forces in Iraq.
James Bays reports from Baghdad.
by Rich
Featured writer
Dandelion Salad
Rich’s blog
October 10, 2007
Red Zone Blues: A Snapshot of Baghdad During the Surge by Pepe Escobar
Self-deception is one of the necessary features of life during wartime. The smoke-and-mirrors charade of faultless good vs. bottomless evil becomes a tautology and all humanizing nuances of the enemy are discarded to maintain the gruesome volley. When somebody speaks truth to power it’s akin to a surprise gut-punch. Nobody wants to see the receipt to the Emperor’s new clothes – not even the Emperor. However, Pepe Escobar’s pitch perfect “Red Zone Blues” is a sucker-punch we need to our collective, doughy mid-sections. Continue reading
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