The Common Ills: Iraq: Over 376 killed so far this month

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Iraq: Over 376 killed so far this month

The Iraq War is a series of War Crimes which continue to this day and which started with the lies that sold the war and the refusal to abide by the just war framework. Ian Cobain (Guardian) reports:

Allegations that British troops were responsible for a series of war crimes following the invasion of Iraq are to be examined by the international criminal court (ICC) at the Hague, officials have announced.
The court is to conduct a preliminary examination of around 60 alleged cases of unlawful killing and claims that more than 170 Iraqis were mistreated while in British military custody.

Mike Corder (AP) adds, "War crimes cases at the ICC are not considered admissible at the Hague-based court if a country can prove it is prosecuting them itself."

It would be great if the issue of War Crimes could aim a little bit higher than boots on the grounds and zoom in on the master criminals who plan and carry out illegal wars.

Nouri's War Crimes continue. Maybe he'll be next at the Hague? As he continues the shelling of residential neighborhoods in Falluja, NINA reports 1 civilian was killed by this and five more injured.

Through yesterday, Iraq Body Count counts 376 violent deaths in Iraq so far this month.

Along with Nouri's killing of civilians, National Iraqi News Agency reports an Albo-Nimir battle left 4 Sahwa dead and four more injured, a Mosul roadside bombing left 1 Iraqi military officer dead, 1 person was shot dead in Doura, Joint Operations Command announced they killed 5 suspects in Falluja, 1 man was shot dead in an attack on a Mosul barbershop, an al-Yarmouk roadside bombing left two people injured, an al-Ghufran roadside bombing left four college students injured, an attack on a Mosul elementary school left 1 student dead, a Balad car bombing left 11 people dead and sixteen injured, 1 man was shot dead in Latifiya, a southern Baghdad shooting left one attorney injured, and 1 corpse was discovered dumped in Baghdad ("handcuffed and blindfolded").

Wednesday, April 30th, Iraqis voted in parliamentary elections. Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission has named May 25th as the date the tally of the votes will be released. All Iraq News notes that the Independent High Electoral Commission stated today they are investigating complaints about the election process.

Ned Parker and Isabel Coles (Reuters) report, "The president of Iraqi Kurdistan, Masoud Barzani, said Iraq had been led in an authoritarian direction by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and threatened to end the oil-rich autonomous region's participation in the federal government." National Iraqi News Agency notes Barzani met with the US State Dept's Brett McGurk today to discuss "the political situation and the general election and the formation of the next Iraqi government." Rudaw speaks with Kurd Muhsin Abd al-Hamid about the elections. al-Hamid was "head of the Iraqi Governing Council after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003." Exceprt.

Rudaw: How do you see the situation in Iraq after the elections? Will a coalition be easily formed this time if they choose Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister?

Muhsin Abd al-Hamid: The situation in Iraq is an incentive to make some changes after the elections and creating new alliances, because many of the political groups have realized that the old sectarian alliances have pushed Iraq backward. The old alliances have harmed Iraq a great deal by disintegrating the social fabric, causing bloody crimes, causing failure of economic projects and spreading sectarianism. Now is the chance for Maliki and the other groups to form a broad-based national alliance. This will include the entire political process and the constitution as its source.

Rudaw: Is the Kurdish and Sunni concern about a third term for Maliki justified?

Muhsin Abd al-Hamid: The Kurds have been through many issues with Baghdad. They are worried about a third term for Maliki as the Iraqi PM because they do not believe that the issues can be solved with Maliki. Therefore, they insist on their positions.

Saad Jawad (The Conversation) offers his take on the election here. All Iraq News notes Ammar al-Hakim, head of the Islamic Supreme Council in Iraq -- and the new Citizen Coaliton -- declared that the Citizen Coalition is the best way to end the ongoing crises and to be a path to change.

The following community sites -- plus Jake Tapper, Cindy Sheehan, Jody Watley, the Guardian, Susan's On the Edge, the ACLU, Dissident Voice, Z on TV, Antiwar.com and Black Agenda Report -- updated: