The Common Ills: Violence up, trade (with US) down (except for weapons)

Wednesday, August 07, 2013

Violence up, trade (with US) down (except for weapons)

Rudy Ruitenberg (Bloomberg News) reports, "Wheat fell in Chicago after Iraq and Egypt shunned U.S. grain in tenders yesterday, indicating prices may need to decline to be competitive in Middle East markets. Egypt, the world’s largest wheat buyer, bought 60,000 metric tons of wheat each from Romania and Ukraine yesterday, while Iraq purchased 150,000 tons of Australian and Canadian wheat." Barack can't even get Iraq to buy wheat from the US as the State Dept spends billions each year in Iraq, as the Pentagon makes one weapon deal after another with Iraq. What a loser. AFP informs today, "The Pentagon has notified the US Congress of USD 2.7 billion in possible new sales to Iraq of air defense and communications systems. The latest contracts would raise to nearly USD 5 billion the value of a series of US arms sales to Iraq that have been sent to Congress over the past two weeks."

And yet Barack's not even able to nail down a market for US farmers?

Meanwhile AFP reports 47 people were killed in Iraq yesterday. Through yesterday, August 6th, Iraq Body Count counts 156 violent deaths so far this month. Today? National Iraqi News Agency reports a Falluja roadside bombing left two people injured, Nouri's forces killed 2 suspects in Mosul, 1 person was shot dead in Baquba, 1 corpse was discovered dumped in Diyala River, a Mosul car bombing has claimed the lives of 4 police officers and left two more people injured, and a Musayyib car bombing claimed 1 life and left two people injured.

In the last 14 days, all the US government can point to is a phone call to Nouri from Joe Biden. The death toll for July was the worst since 2008 and that's all they can offer.

Canada is working overtime to land business in Iraq. Not only does their Ambassador Stephanie Duhaime work like crazy on these issues but Foreign Minister John Baird visits for the same reason. When's John Kerry going to Iraq?

And let's note that the US State Dept has a billion dollar annual mission in Iraq. It's not one they convey very well to the American people, but they sure do spend the money, don't they?

The violence is appalling and it's 'treated' with a phone call. And the call comes as Nouri has his forces beat up protesters and arrest them.

The whole thing's a nightmare and it's one the US government created and fuels.

The following community sites -- plus the Guardian, Antiwar.com, Pacifica Evening News, Jody Watley, Susan's On the Edge, and The NewsHour -- updated last night and this morning: