The Common Ills: 53 reported dead in Iraq as Nouri's War Crimes continue

Tuesday, April 08, 2014

53 reported dead in Iraq as Nouri's War Crimes continue

NINA reports, "23 civilians killed and wounded due to the resumption of indiscriminate shelling by army forces of the residential neighborhoods of Fallujah city today." Five dead -- including one child -- and eighteen injured. And when does the world call out Nouri's assault on the civilians of Anbar? Every day brings news of more people in Falluja killed and wounded by Nouri's bombing of residential neighborhoods. This is a War Crime. Sometimes, as over the weekend, it also includes bombing of hospitals in Falluja. War Crimes as well. But the same White House that wants to convince you that Putin is 'evil' but they really, really care about human rights? That same White House is arming Nouri al-Maliki and looking the other way as he terrorizes the people.

Anadolu Agency quotes Falluja General Hospital spokesperson calling today's shelling "the most violent." But there's silence from world leaders. No one will condemn it and the White House keeps providing thug Nouri more weapons.

Through yesterday, Iraq Body Count counts 176 violent deaths for the month so far -- that's only the first seven days. For those who've forgotten, the violence has been increasing. December 30th, Nouri started his assault on Anbar Province. It was supposed to be quick and it was supposed to end the violence. It failed on both counts and yet it continues.

Where are the international figures who will step forward and call on Nouri to stop terrorizing the people of Anbar?

Who's going to broker that peace?

The violence continues today. National Iraqi News Agency reports 1 person was shot dead in Nairiyah, Diyala Province Police Chief Jamil al-Shammari announced they killed 7 suspects, 6 people were shot dead in Emsherfa, Baghdad Operations Command announced they killed 25 suspects south of Baghdad, 2 police members were shot dead in southern Mosul, a Ramadi battle left 2 Iraqi soldiers dead and four more injured, 1 Iraqi soldier was shot dead in Mahmudiya, 1 person was shot dead in Sadr City, and the Ministry of the Interior announced they killed 1 suspect in Falluja. Alsumaria reports that 1 Sahwa leader was shot dead in a village south of Tikrit, a Tuz Khurmato suicide bomber took his own life, the life of 1 police member and eleven people injured, a home invasion south of Mosul left the sister of a police officer dead, and 1 corpse was discovered dumped in eastern Baghdad (stabbed to death). All Iraq News adds Colonel Zuhair al-Jawari and his driver were shot dead in Beji and 1 police member was kidnapped in Beji.

That's 53 reported dead today alone.

Supposedly, Iraq's going to hold elections April 30th. It may be the last chance for peace, provided Nouri can be ousted.

Hamza Mustafa (Asharq Al-Awsat) reports:

Opponents of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki broadened the coalition of groups seeking to prevent him winning a third term in office on Monday, as the campaign for the parliamentary elections at the end of this month reaches its peak.
Moqtada Al-Sadr, the leader of the Shi’ite Sadrist Movement who announced his retirement from politics in February, returned to the political scene on Saturday in a meeting with the leader of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), Ammar Al-Hakim, aimed at coordinating the positions of the ISCI and Sadr’s Al-Ahrar bloc in the run up to the elections on April 30.
Analysts say Al-Ahrar is likely to win the backing of voters and politicians who have previously backed Maliki’s State of Law Coalition, the other leading Shi’ite bloc, partly because the founder of Maliki’s Al-Da’wah Party was Moqtada’s uncle, the revered Shi’ite cleric Mohammad Baqir Al-Sadr.

The following community sites -- plus Black Agenda Report, Dissident Voice, Pacifica Evening News, Antiwar.com, the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Jake Tapper and the ACLU -- updated last night and today: