Saturday, May 10, 2008

Other Items

Today the US military announced: "A Multi-National Division -- Center soldier died of non-combat related injuries May 9." Meanwhile, from Leila Fadel's "In big concession, militia agrees to let Iraqi troops into Sadr City" (McClatchy Newspapers):

Followers of rebel cleric Muqtada al Sadr agreed late Friday to allow Iraqi security forces to enter all of Baghdad's Sadr City and to arrest anyone found with heavy weapons in a surprising capitulation that seemed likely to be hailed as a major victory for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki.
In return, Sadr's Mahdi Army supporters won the Iraqi government's agreement not to arrest Mahdi Army members without warrants, unless they were in possession of "medium and heavy weaponry."
The agreement would end six weeks of fighting in the vast Shiite Muslim area that's home to more than 2 million residents and would mark the first time that the area would be under government control since Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003. On Friday, 15 people were killed and 112 were injured in fighting, officials at the neighborhoods two major hospitals said.

A huge tactical error for Sadr City and for the Mahdi Army and if you doubt it, from Hala Jaber's "Parading of fighters' bodies taunts Mahdi Army" (Sunday Times of London):

A humvee military vehicle idles on a broad avenue as an Iraqi army soldier walks nonchalantly past without so much as a glance at the body slung across the bonnet.
The dead man’s trousers have been pulled down to his ankles, exposing white underwear below a torn T-shirt drenched in blood from wounds to his chest and side.
Behind is a second Humvee with another body sprawled over the front, arms and legs outstretched. On his white shirt, a large bloodstain indicates the wound that may have killed him. A soldier sitting on the roof dangles his legs over the windscreen and seems to prod the corpse’s stomach with his boot.

What the US government couldn't achieve, Moqtada al-Sadr may have just done to himself. He may not have but his physical distance from the area combined with the waiving in of the Iraqi and US military may result in a new leader of Sadr City emerging. If you missed it, Sadr City residents were crying for help, noting the silence from Najaf and the question now will be whether they blame al-Sadr for what happened or continue to embrace their leader in exile?


Since yesterday morning, the following community websites have updated.

Rebecca's Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude;
Cedric's Cedric's Big Mix;
Kat's Kat's Korner;
Betty's Thomas Friedman is a Great Man;
Mike's Mikey Likes It!;
Elaine's Like Maria Said Paz;
Wally's The Daily Jot;
Trina's Trina's Kitchen;
Ruth's Ruth's Report;
and Marcia's SICKOFITRADLZ

Two things. Betty's chapter is either up or about to be. Thank you to Mike for typing up the previous entry. I did two entries this morning and Mike held them (as he always does, thank you, Mike) for everyone to post. Betty didn't care for her chapter and had other issues as well. So they didn't go up. When we landed, Mike called to say that and took the dictated entry so something could go up. (Posting either about news in the morning would have been ridiculous.)

This is Howard Wolfson's "HUBdate: Strongest at the Top of the Ticket" (HillaryClinton.com):

Strongest at the Top of the Ticket: Several members of Congress released a letter yesterday to other Democrats touting their support for Hillary, saying she is the strongest candidate to have at the top of the ticket in the fall: “[W]e are convinced that Hillary Clinton has the vision, skills and commitment to make the changes our country needs. As Democrats who have run and won in competitive Congressional districts and battleground states, we believe that Hillary is best positioned to successfully lead the Democratic ticket in districts and states like ours around the country.” Read more and more. Click here to view the Power Point presentation.
Automatic Delegate Watch: Yesterday, Texas Congressman Ciro Rodriguez and Pennsylvania Congressman Chris Carney endorsed Hillary. Said Rodriguez, “I believe Hillary Clinton has the experience, vision, and toughness to win a general election and can help expand our Democratic majority in Congress. Not only can she win, I am convinced that she will be a truly great President.”
A Mother’s Day Wish: In a new video, Chelsea shares some of her fondest memories of her mother, and asks mothers across the country to share their mother’s day wishes with her. Watch here.
Fourth Quarter: Ellen Malcolm writes in a Washington Post op-ed today: “Here we are in the fourth quarter of the nominating process and the game is too close to call…Why on earth should one candidate quit before the contest is finished? Democrats need not be so fainthearted…So why are some Democrats so afraid? We simply need to count every vote, let the remaining states have their say and see the process through to its conclusion.” Read more.
WV Endorsement Watch: Former West Virginia Governor Hulett Smith and the State Senate Majority Leader Truman Chafin endorsed Hillary yesterday.
On the Air in OR and WV: In a new Oregon ad, U.S. Ambassador Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame Wilson tell voters why they support Hillary. A West Virginia ad demonstrates Hillary’s commitment to leveling the playing field against special interests and strengthening America’s middle class. Watch here and here.
Touting Health Care in OR: “Sen. Hillary Clinton used an hourlong visit with Doernbecher Children’s Hospital patients and their families Friday morning to push for her universal health care plan, which she called the ‘unfinished business’ of the nation.” Read more.
Previewing Today: Hillary attends a Mother’s Day celebration with Chelsea in New York.

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