The Common Ills: Over 1,000 violent deaths in Iraq for the month so far

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Over 1,000 violent deaths in Iraq for the month so far

November 1st, US President Barack Obama hosts Iraqi Prime Minister and thug Nouri al-Maliki at the White House. Ahmed Rasheed (Reuters) notes that, prior to that, Nouri "will meet Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel with senior U.S. generals on Thursday." The editorial board of Gulf News notes:

It is a disaster that Al Maliki’s answer to all this is to use more force. He is heading to Washington in two days, and he is wrong to say that he hopes to prioritise getting more US military help to fight Al Qaida affiliates. Unfortunately, this is supported by the US ambassador in Baghdad, who has said that the US needs to “highlight the urgent need for the approval and quick delivery of military sales”.

Force is not the answer. A minimum of security is required, but Iraq’s widespread tribal and sectarian violence has to be tackled in a much more wide-ranging manner.

Nouri departed for the US earlier today. Tova Dvorin (Israel National News) reports, "At an airport news conference before his departure, Maliki urged US leaders to 'supply Iraq as quickly as possible with weapons of an offensive nature to combat terrorism and chase the armed groups'."

Nouri's visit comes as the death toll in Iraq for October passes the 1,000 mark. Iraq Body Count notes that, through yesterday, there have been 1007 violent deaths.

And today? National Iraqi News Agency reports a Baghdad sticky bombing injured one military colonel, a Baghdad roadside bombing left 1 military officer dead and four soldiers injured, 1 Christian woman was shot dead in Mosul, 2 people were killed in a Latifya bombing, a Mosul roadside bombing left 3 soldiers dead in Mosul (two more left injured) and a Tuz Khurmatu bombing left six people injured.

The following community sites -- plus Antiwar.com, Pacifica Evening News, Cindy Sheehan, Jane Fonda, Dissident Voice and Ms. magazine's blog -- updated last night and today: