Wednesday, October 16, 2013

The continued violence, Nouri's continued failures

Yesterday came news of a study determining that a half-million Iraqis have died in the Iraq War.  Alsumaria notes the study today.  BBC does as well, "The toll includes not only violent deaths from the invasion and subsequent insurgency, but avoidable fatalities linked to infrastructure collapse.  It exceeds the 112,000 violent civilian deaths reported by Iraq Body Count."  Stephen Hui (Straight) quotes the study's summary, "The risk of death at the peak of the conflict in 2006 almost tripled for men and rose by 70% for women. Respondents attributed 20% of household deaths to war-related violence. Violent deaths were attributed primarily to coalition forces (35%) and militia (32%). The majority (63%) of violent deaths were from gunshots. Twelve percent were attributed to car bombs."  RT covers it here.


Turning to today's violence, National Iraqi News Agency reports a Tikrit roadside bombing claimed the life of 1 police officer and left another injured, 1 police officer was shot dead in Falluja as he left his home, a Ramadi bombing has left four members of the police injured, and a Hadeethah roadside bombing left the Police Chief of Hadeethah "and one of his bodyguards injured.  All Iraq News adds an Iskandariya bombing injured one person, and armed clashes left 4 militants dead in Tikrit.  Alsumaria reports that a bombing north east of Baquba has claimed the life of 1 farmer and left five more injured.  Through yesterday, Iraq Body Count counts 520 violent deaths so far this month.


In other news, NINA reports, "The Board of Commissioners of the Electoral Commission endorsed the timetable for the 2014 election of the House of Representatives."  This comes as Alsumaria reports the leader of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, Ammar al-Hakim, declared today that there must not be a postponing of the elections for any reason.  As everyone should be aware by now, with elections in Iraq nothing can be taken for granted.


AFP reports that Iraqis are still having to rely on private generators for electricity.  Yesterday, they offered a photo essay of "electricity-starved Iraq."  All that oil and all that oil money and Nouri's still not managed to provide basic, reliable electricity for the people of Iraq (though there are no electricity shortages in the fortified Green Zone).   This as 6.4 million Iraqis live below the poverty line (that's the official number, the real number is probably higher).  That's a fifth of the country's population.  Nouri's failed them as well.


The following community sites -- plus the Guardian, Antiwar.com, KPFK and Black Agenda Report -- updated last night and this morning:



  • Cedric's Big Mix
    Sit down, tired Medea
    15 minutes ago
  • The Daily Jot
    THIS JUST IN! WEAK ASS MEDEA BENJAMIN!
    15 minutes ago 




    • Trina's Kitchen
    The latest on the illegal spying
    58 seconds ago

  • Ruth's Report
    Bob Filner
    4 minutes ago
  • Oh Boy It Never Ends
    Carrie
    14 minutes ago
  • SICKOFITRADLZ
    I'm not going to applaud weak ass Margaret Flowers
    28 minutes ago
  • Ann's Mega Dub
    Christine Lahti's a moron
    28 minutes ago
  • Like Maria Said Paz
    Syria
    29 minutes ago
  • Mikey Likes It!
    Olive Stone puts Mia Farrow to shame
    29 minutes ago
  • Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude
    revenge (the good)
    29 minutes ago
  • Thomas Friedman is a Great Man
    The power of no
    29 minutes ago
  • Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills)
    Greenwald leaving Guardian
    29 minutes ago



  •  Black Agenda Report
    Freedom Rider: Food Stamp Corporate Welfare
    10 hours ago
  • KPFK 90.7 FM
    Request for Proposal LMA for WBAI, New York
    11 hours ago
  • World news: Iraq | guardian.co.uk
    Shot on their way home from church: theatre to shine a light in dark corners
    11 hours ago
  • News From Antiwar.com
    East Afghan Governor Assassinated in Microphone Bombing
    11 hours ago 





    • On last night's community posts?  The time there?  I copied and pasted them into this last night in case Blogger/Blogspot started posting some of the many posts they didn't earlier.  As of now, only Elaine's had a 2-week-old post pop up to replace what she wrote last night.





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