Thursday, July 18, 2013

18 dead, 19 wounded in Iraq as Iranian President visits

Through yesterday, Iraq Body Count counts 480 violent deaths in Iraq so far this month. Monday, AKE's John Drake noted the increase in violence:



  2. 15 Jul
    The last time I recorded so many weekly deaths was August 2007. My figures are not definitive or final but this needs investigation.
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  3. 15 Jul
    By my count at least 290 people were killed and 499 injured in violence last week. I'd like to know what figures other people have.
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Last night, Elaine noted the lack of coverage on the violence from the US press, "The US press helped the US government unleash all the hell that has followed in Iraq.  How dare they think they can walk away."


The violence continues today.  All Iraq News reports a battle in Anbar Province left 2 Iraqi soldiers and 3 rebels dead, 4 police officers were killed and twelve people injured when "police patrols in Aitha village" (near Tikrit) were attacked, 1 Ministry of Oil employee was shot dead in Mosul and his nephew was left injured, and a Mosul bombing claimed the life of 1 Iraqi soldier while leaving another injured. Alsumaria adds that, south of Tikrit, a farmer was shot dead and when police arrived to investigate a bomb went off  and they were shot at resulting in four of them being injured.  AFP reports it was 2 farmers (husband and wife) killed in the attack (by a bomb, not gunfire) and they note a Wajihiyah bombing claimed the lives of 3 "young men." Alsumaria notes a Tuz Khurmatu bombing claimed the life of 1 police officer, that gunmen stormed a Kirkuk home and killed 1 woman, and a Kirkuk bombing injured one civilian.  That's 18 reported deaths and 19 reported injured.


Meanwhile Defense Industry Daily notes the remarks of Lt Gen Robert Calsen (formerly in charge of the Office of Security Cooperation - Iraq -- as of Wednesday, he's now in charge of West Point) to the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction:
“We have 479 separate FMS [DID: Foreign Military Sale, where a branch of the US armed forces acts as Iraq's project and contracting agent] cases valued at $14.8 billion: 166 are pending cases valued at $2.3 billion, 152 are active Iraqi-funded cases valued at $11 billion, and 161 are closed cases valued at $1.5 billion. Of the closed cases, 85 were funded with $750 million from the Iraq Security Forces Fund (U.S. money) and 76 were Iraqi-funded cases valued at $750 million. We currently have 73 cases in development. OSC-I continues to push the total-package approach, which is equipment, training, maintenance, and sustainment for each case. We have FMF [US-funded Foreign Military Financing]… at $850 million, with $566 million obligated and $284 million still available.”
DID has covered ongoing and planned requests for F-16 fighters, C-130J medium aerial transports, and M1 tanks, among others. These American buys have been accompanied by multi-billion deals for Ukrainian transport aircraft and armored personnel carriers, and for Russian attack helicopters and point defense anti-aircraft units. According to Lt.-Gen. Caslen, There’s more to come for the Americans [. . .]


Where others see misfortune and mourning, the defense industry sees potential profit.  Al Mada reports that the Iraqi Ministry of Defense has put out a request for members of Saddam Hussein's Iraqi army to help them in locating lost weapons and lost weapons contracts. Nouri's government has spent the last 7 years demonizing these people but now they want their help.  Why?  Again, the profit motive.  Iraq, out of Chapter VII (but now in Chapter VI), is eager to see that contracts were enforced fairly and that any monies owed the former government be quickly paid to the current one.


In other news, Iraq prepares for a high profile visitor today.  Fu Peng (Xinhua) reports, "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad left for Iraqi capital of Baghdad on Thursday for talks on subject of mutual interest, semi-official ISNA news agency reported."  It is expected to be a two-day visit.  AFP's Ammar Karim Tweets:


  1. 1h
    We met four inspections dogs before reach to press conference of outgoing President Ahmedinejad who visit today
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  2. 1h
    Four times the journalists who invited to cover the visit of Iranian Ahmadinejad under hot sun which passed over 50 degrees
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The following community sites -- plus Antiwar.com, Dissident Voice, Jody Watley, Black Agenda Report, the ACLU, Ms. magazine's blog, Susan's On the Edge, Adam Kokesh and Pacifica Evening News -- updated last night and this morning:

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AMERICAN DREAM
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Chuck Gregory in Fort Lauderdale
&
Mike Palecek in Duluth

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If you are interested, please contact Chuck Gregory:

Thursday, JULY 18 — 6:30 p.m. Central Time

This Week
PHIL ROCKSTROH
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Phil Rockstroh  is a poet, lyricist and philosopher bard living in New York City.
Anthony Rayson is a retired Chicago freeway toll-booth operator, having spent 30 - plus years in heavy traffic.
Anthony Rayson is also a publisher, an activist, an anarchist.
One of the things he does is stay in touch with writers who happen to be prisoners.
And he publishes those writings and distributes those writings and in so doing he gets out the real heart and soul of America, which is the heart and soul of the American prisoner. The American worker is no more, but the American prisoner is more ubiquitous than ever.
The American prisoner represents the real heart and soul of America.
We are so glad to be able to say that Anthony Rayson joins us each month as a regular columnist and helping us to hear from the American prisoner.

THURSDAY, JULY 18 — 6:30 p.m. Central Time

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