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http://www.iraqbodycount.org (this is a very low estimate, several reports had suggests over one million Iraqis had died since the U.S. invasion)
Top Ten Myths about Iraq, 2008
Iraqis are safer because of Bush's War (anyne still believe this lie?) >> Read More
Latest U.S.+ U.K. + "Coalition" Fatalities (December 24, 2008)
U.S. Confirmed Deaths
Reported Deaths: 4217
U.K. + "Coalition" Deaths: 316
Total: 4533
Sucide (A.K.A. Died of Self-Inflicted wounds): 167
U.S. Wounded: 36,035+
DoD Confirmation List
Top Ten Myths about Iraq, 2008
Iraqis are safer because of Bush's War (anyne still believe this lie?) >> Read More
Latest U.S.+ U.K. + "Coalition" Fatalities (December 24, 2008)
U.S. Confirmed Deaths
Reported Deaths: 4217
U.K. + "Coalition" Deaths: 316
Total: 4533
Sucide (A.K.A. Died of Self-Inflicted wounds): 167
U.S. Wounded: 36,035+
DoD Confirmation List
12/26/08 DoD Identifies Army CasualtyMaj. John P. Pryor, 42, of Moorestown, N.J. died Dec. 25 in Mosul of wounds suffered when a mortar round impacted near his living quarters. He was assigned to the 1st Medical Detachment, Forward Surgical Team, Fort Totten, N.Y. |
12/26/08 DoD Identifies Army Casualties (3 of 3)Spc. Stephen G. Zapasnik, 19, of Broken Arrow, Okla...assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division...died Dec. 24 in Baghdad, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over... |
12/26/08 DoD Identifies Army Casualties (2 of 3)Spc. Stephen M. Okray, 21, of St. Clair Shores, Mich...assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division...died Dec. 24 in Baghdad, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over... |
12/26/08 DoD Identifies Army Casualties (1 of 3)Staff Sgt. Christopher G. Smith, 28, of Grand Rapids, Mich...assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division...died Dec. 24 in Baghdad, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over... |
12/26/08 DoD Identifies Army Casualties (1 of 3)Staff Sgt. Christopher G. Smith, 28, of Grand Rapids, Mich...assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division...died Dec. 24 in Baghdad, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over... |
12/25/08 MNF: Soldier killed by indirect fireA U.S. Soldier died of wounds as a result of an indirect fire attack near Mosul, Iraq Dec. 25. The name of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin and release by the Department of Defense |
URL: http://icasualties.org/oif/
12/24: Obama wants Bush war team to stay
12/24: Obama wants Bush war team to stay Obama wants Bush war team to stay [Yeah, that's so the wars can stay, too.] 23 Dec 2008 Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has asked most Bush administration political appointees except those targeted for dismissal to stay on in the Pentagon until replaced by the Obama administration in the coming months. Geoff Morrell, Pentagon press secretary, confirmed that Mr. Gates wants to retain most political appointees. He said the policy of keeping so many holdover officials is unusual for a transition from a Republican to Democratic administration >> Read More
12/15 Iraq Watch: Journalist throw shoes at Bush on Iraq trip (video and commentary)
Watch the Video (at Activist Video Service): http://www.activistvideo.org/views.asp?id=510
[BBC] A surprise visit by US President George Bush to Iraq has been overshadowed by an incident in which two shoes were thrown at him during a news conference. An Iraqi journalist was wrestled to the floor by security guards after he called Mr Bush "a dog" and threw his footwear, just missing the president.
Action: Send Bush Your Shoes! 16 Dec 2008 America: We were unable to give President [sic] Bush the boot, but we *can* give him the shoe!
Please spread this action far and wide.
http://www.legitgov.org/price_send_bush_shoes_161208.html
Bush shoe-thrower in hospital after beating: brother 16 Dec 2008 The Iraqi journalist who hurled shoes at US President [sic] George W. Bush is in hospital after being beaten up by security guards, his brother charged on Tuesday, as judicial authorities launched a probe into the incident. "He has been taken to Ibn Sina hospital because he has a broken arm and ribs and is also suffering injuries to his eye and leg," Durgham al-Zaidi said of his brother Muntazer.
[BBC] A surprise visit by US President George Bush to Iraq has been overshadowed by an incident in which two shoes were thrown at him during a news conference. An Iraqi journalist was wrestled to the floor by security guards after he called Mr Bush "a dog" and threw his footwear, just missing the president.
Action: Send Bush Your Shoes! 16 Dec 2008 America: We were unable to give President [sic] Bush the boot, but we *can* give him the shoe!
Please spread this action far and wide.
http://www.legitgov.org/price_send_bush_shoes_161208.html
Bush shoe-thrower in hospital after beating: brother 16 Dec 2008 The Iraqi journalist who hurled shoes at US President [sic] George W. Bush is in hospital after being beaten up by security guards, his brother charged on Tuesday, as judicial authorities launched a probe into the incident. "He has been taken to Ibn Sina hospital because he has a broken arm and ribs and is also suffering injuries to his eye and leg," Durgham al-Zaidi said of his brother Muntazer.
Action: Send Bush Your Shoes! 16 Dec 2008 America: We were unable to give President [sic] Bush the boot, but we *can* give him the shoe!
Please spread this action far and wide.
http://www.legitgov.org/price_send_bush_shoes_161208.html
Bush shoe-thrower in hospital after beating: brother 16 Dec 2008 The Iraqi journalist who hurled shoes at US President [sic] George W. Bush is in hospital after being beaten up by security guards, his brother charged on Tuesday, as judicial authorities launched a probe into the incident. "He has been taken to Ibn Sina hospital because he has a broken arm and ribs and is also suffering injuries to his eye and leg," Durgham al-Zaidi said of his brother Muntazer.
3/19 What is the Real Costs of Invading Iraq?
[Citizens For Legitimate Government] Bush's war, five years and counting: 1,220,580 deaths and 4 trillion dollars. By Lori Price 19 Mar 2008 Remember when Ralph Nader said there was no difference between Bush and Gore? Yup. A million-plus dead Iraqis might disagree. Nader's running - once again - to the delight of Bush's corpora-terrorists. Already, the GOP-owned media polls declare that Nader has five or six percent of the vote (Yeah, right!). Wake up and smell the French Roast! Ralph Nader - as well as the phony race issue and super delegate 'outrage' - is going to provide the media cover for Coup 2008. As to Iraq under Nader's begotten McCain: we'll just be replacing the q with an n.
What is the real death toll in Iraq? The Americans learned one lesson from Vietnam: don't count the civilian dead. As a result, no one knows how many Iraqis have been killed in the five years since the invasion. Estimates put the toll at between 100,000 and one million. 19 Mar 2008 The British polling firm Opinion Research Business (ORB) asked 1,720 Iraqi adults last summer if they had lost family members by violence since 2003; 16% had lost one, and 5% two. Using the 2005 census total of 4,050,597 households in Iraq, this suggests 1,220,580 deaths since the invasion.
Estimates of Iraq War Cost Were Not Close to Ballpark 19 Mar 2008 At the outset of the Iraq war, the Bush administration predicted that it would cost $50 billion to $60 billion... Five years in, the Pentagon tags the cost of the Iraq war at roughly $600 billion and counting. Joseph E. Stiglitz, a Nobel Prize-winning economist and critic of the war, pegs the long-term cost at more than $4 trillion.
After five years of U.S. occupation, Iraq is destroyed as a country By Patrick Cockburn 18 Mar 2008 Five years of occupation have destroyed Iraq as a country. Baghdad is today a collection of hostile Sunni and Shiite ghettoes divided by high concrete walls. Different districts even have different national flags... The Iraqi government tries to give the impression that normality is returning. Iraqi journalists are told not to mention the continuing violence. When a bomb exploded in Karada district near my hotel, killing 70 people, the police beat and drove away a television cameraman trying to take pictures of the devastation.
Our legacy is a dark and forbidding place of militias By Kim Sengupta 19 Mar 2008 The siren for an impending attack went off three times in three hours yesterday, with anti-missile guns roaring in response while soldiers dived for cover... Five years after the start of the war, the beginning of the end comes with little fanfare. The legacy Britain leaves behind however, will long remain a matter of dispute. British officials claim their tenure has seen nothing like the bloodshed seen under US control. But for many Iraqis, Basra is now a dark and forbidding place of militias.
Bush rejects Iraq troop pullout 19 Mar 2008 Five years after launching the invasion of Iraq, President [sic] George Bush has strongly signalled that he will not order US troop withdrawals beyond those already planned. Bush said he refuses to "jeopardise the hard-fought [oil, opium smuggling] gains" of the past year.
Gordon Brown accused of breaking Iraq promise 19 Mar 2008 Gordon Brown has been accused of breaking his promises on Iraq as troops were told a force of 4,000 would need to stay in the country until the end of the year. The disclosure came on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the invasion.
British Govt. to Delay Withdrawal of Military Troops From Iraq 19 Mar 2008 The British government revealed on Wednesday that it's delaying earlier plans to withdraw thousands of military troops from Iraq. The decision came following the non-stop attacks on the military camp in Basra airport, where British troops are based.
Five years on, Bush still chasing victory 20 Mar 2008 US President [sic] George Bush has defended his decision to go to war against Iraq five years ago, vowing no retreat as he promised the battle would end in victory. But as he spoke scores of protesters gathered just a few blocks away in Washington to call for an end to the war in which nearly 4000 US soldiers have died along with tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians.
After five years in Iraq, Bush hails 'strategic victory' 19 Mar 2008 President [sic] George Bush showed no sign of regret today when he marked the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq by declaring that the costs in terms of lives and upheaval had been worth it and that retreat would threaten both security and the world economy. He claimed his strategy adopted last year of increasing the number of US troops in Iraq had been a triumph. [See: US Nears 4,000 Dead in Iraq 16 Mar 2008.]
Cheney again links Iraq invasion to 9/11 attacks 18 Mar 2008 Amid tears and wails, mourners in the southern city of Najaf on Tuesday began burying victims from a suicide bombing that killed nearly 50 worshipers and injured dozens of others just before evening prayers Monday in nearby Karbala... But Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney gave an upbeat view of conditions in Iraq. Cheney also defended the toppling of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as part of the struggle against terrorism following the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
AP president: US arrests journalist in Iraq to 'control' information 19 Mar 2008 Associated Press president Tom Curley says his news organization does not buy the government's argument that one of its photographers arrested in Iraq was working on behalf of the enemy, and he alleged the US is rounding up journalists in an attempt to control information.
9/10/06: Iraq -- The People's Report
What is the real death toll in Iraq? The Americans learned one lesson from Vietnam: don't count the civilian dead. As a result, no one knows how many Iraqis have been killed in the five years since the invasion. Estimates put the toll at between 100,000 and one million. 19 Mar 2008 The British polling firm Opinion Research Business (ORB) asked 1,720 Iraqi adults last summer if they had lost family members by violence since 2003; 16% had lost one, and 5% two. Using the 2005 census total of 4,050,597 households in Iraq, this suggests 1,220,580 deaths since the invasion.
Estimates of Iraq War Cost Were Not Close to Ballpark 19 Mar 2008 At the outset of the Iraq war, the Bush administration predicted that it would cost $50 billion to $60 billion... Five years in, the Pentagon tags the cost of the Iraq war at roughly $600 billion and counting. Joseph E. Stiglitz, a Nobel Prize-winning economist and critic of the war, pegs the long-term cost at more than $4 trillion.
After five years of U.S. occupation, Iraq is destroyed as a country By Patrick Cockburn 18 Mar 2008 Five years of occupation have destroyed Iraq as a country. Baghdad is today a collection of hostile Sunni and Shiite ghettoes divided by high concrete walls. Different districts even have different national flags... The Iraqi government tries to give the impression that normality is returning. Iraqi journalists are told not to mention the continuing violence. When a bomb exploded in Karada district near my hotel, killing 70 people, the police beat and drove away a television cameraman trying to take pictures of the devastation.
Our legacy is a dark and forbidding place of militias By Kim Sengupta 19 Mar 2008 The siren for an impending attack went off three times in three hours yesterday, with anti-missile guns roaring in response while soldiers dived for cover... Five years after the start of the war, the beginning of the end comes with little fanfare. The legacy Britain leaves behind however, will long remain a matter of dispute. British officials claim their tenure has seen nothing like the bloodshed seen under US control. But for many Iraqis, Basra is now a dark and forbidding place of militias.
Bush rejects Iraq troop pullout 19 Mar 2008 Five years after launching the invasion of Iraq, President [sic] George Bush has strongly signalled that he will not order US troop withdrawals beyond those already planned. Bush said he refuses to "jeopardise the hard-fought [oil, opium smuggling] gains" of the past year.
Gordon Brown accused of breaking Iraq promise 19 Mar 2008 Gordon Brown has been accused of breaking his promises on Iraq as troops were told a force of 4,000 would need to stay in the country until the end of the year. The disclosure came on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the invasion.
British Govt. to Delay Withdrawal of Military Troops From Iraq 19 Mar 2008 The British government revealed on Wednesday that it's delaying earlier plans to withdraw thousands of military troops from Iraq. The decision came following the non-stop attacks on the military camp in Basra airport, where British troops are based.
Five years on, Bush still chasing victory 20 Mar 2008 US President [sic] George Bush has defended his decision to go to war against Iraq five years ago, vowing no retreat as he promised the battle would end in victory. But as he spoke scores of protesters gathered just a few blocks away in Washington to call for an end to the war in which nearly 4000 US soldiers have died along with tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians.
After five years in Iraq, Bush hails 'strategic victory' 19 Mar 2008 President [sic] George Bush showed no sign of regret today when he marked the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq by declaring that the costs in terms of lives and upheaval had been worth it and that retreat would threaten both security and the world economy. He claimed his strategy adopted last year of increasing the number of US troops in Iraq had been a triumph. [See: US Nears 4,000 Dead in Iraq 16 Mar 2008.]
Cheney again links Iraq invasion to 9/11 attacks 18 Mar 2008 Amid tears and wails, mourners in the southern city of Najaf on Tuesday began burying victims from a suicide bombing that killed nearly 50 worshipers and injured dozens of others just before evening prayers Monday in nearby Karbala... But Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney gave an upbeat view of conditions in Iraq. Cheney also defended the toppling of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as part of the struggle against terrorism following the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
AP president: US arrests journalist in Iraq to 'control' information 19 Mar 2008 Associated Press president Tom Curley says his news organization does not buy the government's argument that one of its photographers arrested in Iraq was working on behalf of the enemy, and he alleged the US is rounding up journalists in an attempt to control information.
9/10/06: Iraq -- The People's Report
Leslie Cagan
National Coordinator, UFPJ
Guess what? General Petraeus thinks the surge is working! At least that's what he said when he gave his testimony today at the House Armed Services Committee. It sure sounded like a lot of blah, blah, blah.
We hope in the next day or two to offer a more thorough critique of what the President's general had to say, as well as the comments from Ryan Crocker, the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq. In the meantime, we are happy to announce our own report - Iraq: The People's Report. Prepared with the help of folks at the Institute for Policy Studies and Veterans for Peace (both member groups of UFPJ), this brief document offers an update on the impact of the U.S. war and occupation on the lives of the Iraqi people, as well as the impact here at home. >> Read More
8/30: Upbeat Bush hints at more troops for Iraq
THE US President, George Bush, has given his strongest indication yet that he intends to continue with plans to increase troop numbers in Iraq after the September 15 report to Congress, when he delivered an upbeat assessment of military progress and a more positive view of the political outlook >> Read More
8/30: Upbeat Bush hints at more troops for Iraq
THE US President, George Bush, has given his strongest indication yet that he intends to continue with plans to increase troop numbers in Iraq after the September 15 report to Congress, when he delivered an upbeat assessment of military progress and a more positive view of the political outlook >> Read More
8/26: Cancer in Iraq Vets Raises Possibility of Toxic Exposure
The number of these cancers remains undisclosed, with military officials citing patient privacy issues, as well as lack of evidence the cases are linked to conditions in the war zone. The U.S. Congress has ordered a probe of suspect toxins and may soon begin widespread testing of our armed forces >> Read More
8/9: New Report Suggest One Million Iraqis Killed Since U.S. Invasion!
An online counter is available at: http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/iraq/iraqdeaths.html
The number is shocking and sobering.
It is at least 10 times greater than most estimates cited in the US media, yet it is based on the only scientifically valid study of violent Iraqi deaths caused by the U.S.-led invasion of March 2003. >> Read More
8/8: Latest Analysis on Iraq Oil Law and U.S. privatizing Iraqi Oil
[UFPJ] Antonia Juhasz of Oil Change International provided a breakdown and update of the Iraq Oil Law.
Her latest piece on the oil law written for Alternet.org that provides a short synopsis of the law, its status in the Bush administration, the U.S. Congress and the Iraqi government. Her piece is called "Benchmark Boogie: A Guide to the Struggle over Iraq's Oil," and it can be found at: http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/56672/
Here's some new developments:
On August 6th a poll of Iraqis on the issues of oil privatization and the Iraq Oil Law was released. The poll found that Iraqis oppose plans to open the country's oil fields to foreign investment by a factor of two to one. Iraqis are united in this view: there are no ethnic, sectarian or geographical groups that prefer foreign companies. The poll also finds that most Iraqis feel they have been kept in the dark about the oil plans – with fewer than a quarter feeling adequately informed about a proposed new law to govern Iraq's oil sector. See the poll and the findings at: http://priceofoil.org/2007/08/06/poll-iraqis-oppose-oil-privatization/
The oil companies are already moving ahead in expectation that the Iraq Oil Law will become law. Today, August 8, we learned that ChevronTexaco and Total oil corporations have signed oil contracts to work on Iraq's Majnoon oil field. According to Dow Jones News Service, the companies signed an agreement that would lead to the two jointly exploring and developing oil from one of Iraq's biggest oil fields "once the country gets an oil law in place." http://www.thebushagenda.net/article.php?id=430
At the same time, Iraq's oil minister, Hussein Shahrastani, has recently banned Iraq's unions from participating in any official discussions about the Oil Law, "since these unions have no legal status to work within the state sector". Saddam Hussein refused to allow public sector workers to form unions. The U.S. Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) headed by L. Paul Bremer left this prohibition in place, as has the new Iraqi government. >> Read More
Her latest piece on the oil law written for Alternet.org that provides a short synopsis of the law, its status in the Bush administration, the U.S. Congress and the Iraqi government. Her piece is called "Benchmark Boogie: A Guide to the Struggle over Iraq's Oil," and it can be found at: http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/56672/
Here's some new developments:
On August 6th a poll of Iraqis on the issues of oil privatization and the Iraq Oil Law was released. The poll found that Iraqis oppose plans to open the country's oil fields to foreign investment by a factor of two to one. Iraqis are united in this view: there are no ethnic, sectarian or geographical groups that prefer foreign companies. The poll also finds that most Iraqis feel they have been kept in the dark about the oil plans – with fewer than a quarter feeling adequately informed about a proposed new law to govern Iraq's oil sector. See the poll and the findings at: http://priceofoil.org/2007/08/06/poll-iraqis-oppose-oil-privatization/
The oil companies are already moving ahead in expectation that the Iraq Oil Law will become law. Today, August 8, we learned that ChevronTexaco and Total oil corporations have signed oil contracts to work on Iraq's Majnoon oil field. According to Dow Jones News Service, the companies signed an agreement that would lead to the two jointly exploring and developing oil from one of Iraq's biggest oil fields "once the country gets an oil law in place." http://www.thebushagenda.net/article.php?id=430
At the same time, Iraq's oil minister, Hussein Shahrastani, has recently banned Iraq's unions from participating in any official discussions about the Oil Law, "since these unions have no legal status to work within the state sector". Saddam Hussein refused to allow public sector workers to form unions. The U.S. Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) headed by L. Paul Bremer left this prohibition in place, as has the new Iraqi government. >> Read More
Senate Democratic leaders are planning a rare all-night session tonight, employing theatrics and scheduling votes that they hope will chip away at Republican resolve to back President Bush's Iraq war strategy >> Read More
7/16: Iraqis Protest Oil Law!
Hundreds of Iraqis, led by the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions (IFOU), took to the streets of Basra to demand that the Iraqi Parliament reject the proposed Oil Law.
>> Read More
Senate Democratic leaders are planning a rare all-night session tonight, employing theatrics and scheduling votes that they hope will chip away at Republican resolve to back President Bush's Iraq war strategy >> Read More
7/16: Iraqis Protest Oil Law!
>> Read More
3/29: Fate of Five U.S. Detained Iranians in Iraq Unknown
3/29: Fate of Five U.S. Detained Iranians in Iraq Unknown
As the Western media turns its attention to the fate of 15 Britons detained for allegedly trespassing into Iranian waters over the weekend, the status of five Iranian officials captured in a U.S. military raid on a liaison office in northern Iraq on Jan. 11 remains a mystery >> Read More
3/29: U.S. General admitts U.S. Military in Iraq 'In Peril'
The Iraq war has left the U.S. military “in a position of strategic peril,” retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey has warned in the wake of a recent trip to Iraq. >> Read More
3/6: Rice Picks Neo-Con Champion of Iraq War as Counselor
In a move that has surprised many foreign policy analysts here, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has appointed a prominent neo-conservative hawk and leading champion of the Iraq war to the post of State Department Counselor. >> Read More
3/6: Dems blast U.S. officials for wasting billions in Iraqi money
In a partisan session that likened pre-invasion Iraq to the regimes of Adolf Hitler, the Khmer Rouge and Josef Stalin, and prompted comparisons between an embattled President Bush and wartime setbacks that Abraham Lincoln and George Washington experienced, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Tuesday launched a weeklong look into government waste, fraud and abuse. >> Read More
2/23: New Study Shows Iraq War increased deadly terrorism by 607%
According from the latest investigative research, The rate of fatal terrorist attacks around the world by jihadist groups, and the number of people killed in those attacks, increased dramatically after the invasion of Iraq. Globally there was a 607 percent rise in the average yearly incidence of attacks (28.3 attacks per year before and 199.8 after) and a 237 percent rise in the fatality rate (from 501 to 1,689 deaths per year). A large part of this rise occurred in Iraq, the scene of almost half the global total of jihadist terrorist attacks. But even excluding Iraq and Afghanistan—the other current jihadist hot spot—there has been a 35 percent rise in the number of attacks, with a 12 percent rise in fatalities. >> Read More
2/24: Iraq War Had Killed Nearly 800 Civilian Contractors / Mercenaries
In a largely invisible cost of the war in Iraq, nearly 800 civilians working under contract to the Pentagon have been killed and more than 3,300 hurt doing jobs normally handled by the U.S. military, according to figures gathered by The Associated Press >> Read More
2/23: U.K.'s Iraq troop cuts - it’s all about spin
U.K. Prime Minister Blair’s announcement that 3000 British troops will leave Iraq by the summer was big news for the media this week, but what did it actually reveal that we didn’t know already? Very little indeed. This was all about whipping up favourable media coverage as local elections loom, and before this weekend’s Stop the War demo - leave it until after the demo and Blair would look weak >> Read More
1/15: Saddam Half Brother, Ex-Official Hanged
Saddam Hussein's half brother and the former head of Iraq's Revolutionary Court were both hanged before dawn Monday, Prosecutor Munqith al-Faroon said, two weeks and two days after the former Iraqi dictator was executed in a chaotic scene that has drawn worldwide criticism. >> Read More
1/12: Why the US Is Not Leaving Iraq-The Booming Business of War Profiteers
While the Bush administration’s wars of choice have brought unnecessary death, destruction, and disaster to millions, including many from the Unites States, they have also brought fortunes and prosperity to war profiteers. At the heart of the reluctance to withdraw from Iraq lies the profiteers’ unwillingness to give up further fortunes and spoils of war. >> Read More
1/11:Bush Formula - More Troops and More Spending for Iraq War
US President George W. Bush announced Wednesday (1/10) that more than 20,000 additional troops would be sent to Iraq as part of a plan -highly criticized at home and abroad- that politicians and experts believe will only increase violence and insecurity that has brought the occupied country into a virtual civil war. >> Read More
1/7 Iraq Watch: U.S. Set to Control Iraq's Oil for the Next 30 Years!
The 'IoS' today reveals a draft for a new law that would give Western oil companies a massive share in the third largest reserves in the world. To the victors, the oil? That is how some experts view this unprecedented arrangement with a major Middle East oil producer that guarantees investors huge profits for the next 30 years. So was this what the Iraq war was fought for, after all? >> Read More
12/26: More Troops but Less Control in Iraq
More U.S. troops are expected to be deployed in Iraq in the New Year. Despite obvious rethinking, there is no decision on withdrawal of occupation forces. >> Read More
12/30: The misguided execution of Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein has been put to death. The execution of a head of state, even if a toppled one, is an unusual event and is bound to provoke a strong reaction.
The trial of the Iraqi dictator became an important signal to all heads of state, a warning that sooner or later they will be called to account for their actions. Nobody will get away with crimes like the ones for which Saddam was tried. Heads of state are not immune and will have to answer for their deeds. However, extremists can now exploit his execution at a time of total chaos in Iraq to escalate the violence in the country and throughout the Middle East.
Moreover, the legitimacy of the verdict is questionable.... >> Read More
IPS - TALKING POINTS ON THE EXECUTION OF SADDAM HUSSEIN
[Phyllis Bennis, Institute for Policy Studies] The execution of Saddam Hussein
was not Nuremberg. Despite their flaws, the Nuremberg tribunals for the first time recognized that the crime of waging aggressive war lies at the root of all other war crimes. Nuremberg empowered international law in entirely new ways. The flawed U.S.-controlled trial of Saddam Hussein did not even abide by, let alone chart new ground in international law. This was victor's justice of the worst sort - just the opposite of what Justice Jackson called for. With U.S. officials still running the legal show in Baghdad, the U.S. military occupation still in control of the country, and the escalating war engulfing Iraq, no trial held under these conditions can be considered legitimate. >> Read More
National Action and Vigil the Day After 3,000 U.S. Military Deaths
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Wage Peace Campaign http://www.afsc.org/3000
More Details from AFSC
Useful Media Talking Points by: United For Peace and Justice >> More
You can download a sample media advisory to announce your group's activity marking the 3,000th U.S. soldier's death at
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/downloads/SampleAdvisory_3000th_UFPJ.rtf
You'll notice there are several places where you will need to add
information specific to your group and plans. Feel free to adapt it to fit
your local needs.
Other resources are available at http://afsc.org/3000/resources.htm
12/15: Welcome to The $2 Trillion Dollar Iraq War
[Rollingstone] When America invaded Iraq in 2003, the Bush administration predicted that the war would turn a profit, paying for itself with increased oil revenues. So far, though, Congress has spent more than $350 billion on the conflict, including the $50 billion appropriated for 2007.
But according to one of the world's leading economists, that is just a fraction of what Iraq will actually wind up costing American taxpayers. Joseph Stiglitz, winner of the Nobel Prize for economics, estimates the true cost of the war at$2.267 trillion. That includes the government's past and future spending for the war itself ($725 billion), health care and disability benefits for veterans ($127 billion), and hidden increases in defense spending ($160 billion). It also includes losses the economy will suffer from injured vets ($355 billion) and higher oil prices ($450 billion)..... >> Read More
10/26: Slave Labor at US Embassy in Baghdad?
[IPS] Several months before a U.S. construction foreman named John Owen quit in disgust over what he said was blatant abuse of foreign laborers hired to build the sprawling new U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Rory Mayberry witnessed similar events when he flew to Kuwait from his home in Myrtle Creek, Ore. >> Read More
6/2 Iraq:'We Have a Haditha Every Day' -- TAKE ACTION!
As horrible as the November 2005 massacre in Haditha was, it appears to be the tip of the iceberg. Today's news brings reports of another alleged mass killing of civilians by U.S. troops in Iraq, including a 6-month-old baby, last March.
TAKE ACTION
We need to keep the public dialogue going about Haditha, the war, and political accountability. We encourage you to call into the talk shows on your local radio stations and to write letters to the editors of your local newspapers. (Click here to find contact information for your local media outlets.) See our talking points for more detailed ideas about how to frame the issue.
We must also bring the truth of this tragedy home to our communities. The Iraqi victims of this war have too often been faceless, nameless, invisible. With the Haditha massacre, we know the names and ages of the 24 victims, and we know how they died: Presenting this publicly is a powerful way to dramatize the horrors of this war.
We have posted a list of the names, ages, and genders of the Haditha victims, as well as individual posters you can download representing each of the 24, on our website. We encourage you to hold public events in your community using this information. >> Read More
3/10 CPT Release to Mourn the Loss of Tom Fox in Iraq
By: CPT http://www.cpt.org
In grief we tremble before God who wraps us with compassion. The death of our beloved colleague and friend pierces us with pain. Tom Fox’s body was found in Baghdad yesterday.
Christian Peacemaker Teams extends our deep and heartfelt condolences to the family and community of Tom Fox, with whom we have traveled so closely in these days of crisis.
We mourn the loss of Tom Fox who combined a lightness of spirit, a firm opposition to all oppression, and the recognition of God in everyone....
Read the Complete Statement: English Arabic
Slain CPT member Tom Fox
UFPJ Mourns the Death of Tom FoxUnited for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) mourns the death of Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) member Tom Fox, and renews its call for the immediate and safe release of his three colleagues still believed to be held hostage.
Fox's body was found on March 10 in a plastic bag on a garbage dump in west Baghdad. He had been handcuffed and shot.
In a video released on March 6, the 100th day of their captivity, three of the hostages -- Harmeet Sooden, Jim Loney, and Norman Kember -- appealed to Gulf leaders and their own governments to help bring about their release. American Tom Fox did not appear on the tape.
We strongly encourage all supporters of an end to the occupation of Iraq to sign a petition calling for the release of the four captive CPT members. To do so and to find ideas for further actions to take, visit:
http://electroniciraq.net/news/2210.shtml
http://www.freethecaptivesnow.org
Read More »
December 2005: Appeal to Release Peace Activists in Iraq by UFPJ
Above: One of the hostages, Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, is affiliated with Christian Peacemaking Team (CPT)
United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) calls for the immediate release of the four members of the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) being held in Iraq.
We encourage all supporters of an end to the occupation of Iraq to sign a petition calling for the release of the four captive CPT members. To do so, visit
http://electroniciraq.net/news/2210.shtml
http://www.freethecaptivesnow.org
Updates Number of Iraqi Civilian Had been Killed
http://www.iraqbodycount.net/
The US War in Iraq Costs:
$247,031,000,000 (As of: March 13, 2006)From Cost of War URL: http://www.costofwar.com
Total U.S. Death: 2307
Total U.K. Deat: 103
"Coalition" Forces: 103
Total U.S.-U.K.-"Coalition Forces" Death: 2513 (as of March 11, 2006)
Total Wounded: 16,653 (As of February 7, 2006)
URL: http://icasualties.org/oif/
2/24: Who Benefits (from 2/22 Iraqi Mosque Attack)? An Analysis
The most important question to ask regarding the bombings of the Golden Mosque in Samarra on the 22nd is: who benefits?
Prior to asking this question, let us note the timing of the bombing. The last weeks in Iraq have been a PR disaster for the occupiers. >> Read More
2/23: Newly Released Abu Ghraib Torture Photos and Videos Confirm Need for Independent Counsel, And Criminal Charges Against U.S. Officials!
Last week, the world shock to see more photos and video release by Australian TV show "Dateline" about the torture in the Abu Ghraib prison. >> Read More
To see the complete photo album, click here
"Dateline" show about the Abu Ghraib
(Window Media Format: High Low)
The American Civil Liberty Union ACLU and Human Rights First have charged that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld bears direct responsibility for the torture and abuse of detainees, and filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of eight men subjected to torture and abuse under Secretary Rumsfeld's command.
U.S. military, top ranking Pentagon officials/generals and U.S. government officials has a undeniable reasonability about the crimes against humanity in the prison, and the brutal U.S. invasion and occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Take Actions now, support ACLU actions Demand An Outside Special Counsel for Investigation and Prosecution of Torture Abuses
2/16: Outrage Over New footage of British soldiers beating up young Iraqis
See the video (Windows Media Player)
New footage of British soldiers beating up young Iraqi men in Amarah city in 2003, and the release of more photographs of atrocities by U.S. soldiers against Iraqi detainees in Abu Ghraib prison has spread outrage across Iraq. >> Read More
1/29 Audit: U.S.-Led Occupation Squandered Aid
A U.S. government audit found American-led occupation authorities squandered tens of millions of dollars that were supposed to be used to rebuild Iraq through undocumented spending and outright fraud. In some cases, auditors recommend criminal charges be filed against the perpetrators. >> Read More
Read the reports from the Inspector General Office:
Challenges Faced in Carrying Out Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund Activites
Other reports: http://www.sigir.mil/audit_reports.html
1/23: Halliburton Cited in Iraq Contamination
Water supplied to a U.S. base in Iraq was contaminated and the contractor in charge, Halliburton, failed to tell troops and civilians at the facility, according to internal documents from the company and interviews with former Halliburton officials. >> Read More
1/29: Two Soldiers, One Marine Killed in Iraq
Two soldiers were killed yesterday and one Marine was killed Jan. 27 in three separate incidents in Iraq. >> Read More
1/29: U.S. expands 'targeted killing'
Predator airstrikes on suspected terrorists are widening despite international criticism
Despite protests from other countries, the United States is expanding a top-secret effort to kill suspected 'terrorists' with drone-fired missiles as it pursues an increasingly decentralized 'al-Qaida,' U.S. officials say. The CIA's failed attempt to assassinate al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri in Pakistan on Jan. 13 was the latest strike in the government's "targeted killing" program, a highly classified initiative that officials say has broadened... >> Read More
1/29: CIA unlikely to back off al Qaeda attacks in Pakistan
The Bush regime is unlikely to shy away from using Predator missile attacks on 'al Qaeda' leaders in Pakistan, despite the risk of political backlash for U.S. ally, President Pervez Musharraf, officials and intelligence experts say. >> Read More
1/14: 'Wrong information' blamed for Pakistan deaths
AN AMERICAN airstrike targeting Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Al-Qaeda mastermind, was prompted by “wrong information” and killed Pakistani villagers including five women and five children, according to senior Pakistani officials.
The attack took place in the early hours of Friday, when CIA-operated Predator drones circled the village of Damadola in the Bajaur area in northwest Pakistan before launching four Hellfire missiles at a mud-walled compound. Three houses were razed to the ground and 22 people died.
US officials said the raid was based on “good reporting” of Zawahiri’s presence in the village at a dinner celebrating the Muslim Eid holiday. Intelligence officials took away four bodies for identification. >> Read More
Protest Against Rep. Nancy Pelosi's Continuous Funding of the War in Iraq
Saturday January 14, 2006 9:30am
Marina Middle School Auditorium
3500 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA
Nancy Pelosi consistently votes to spend billions of dollars per year on the war in Iraq while vital public services are being cut at home! Stand with us as we say, "Nancy, Stop Funding War!"
1/7: Nationwide Out of Iraq Events
1/9: National Call-In Day on Accountability
1/9: International Commission Taking "Indictments" to White House
Out of Iraq Events Planned in Over 70 Cities
Web: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/event
Stand Up! Get Up! Fight for Peace and Justice!
12/20: U.S. Air Power Strikes Iraq Targets Daily
The Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps have flown thousands of missions in support of U.S. ground troops in Iraq this fall with little attention back home, including attacks by unmanned Predator aircraft armed with Hellfire missiles, military records show...>> Read More
Oct 24, 2005: 2,000 Deaths Too Many!
Community actions at the Day After U.S. 2,000 Deaths in Iraq!
Please post your local protest/vigil information at http://www.afsc.org/2,000/
Called by: Peace No War Network, United for Peace & Justice, American Friends Service Committee, Gold Star Families for Peace, Military Families Speak Out
Called by: Peace No War Network, United for Peace & Justice, American Friends Service Committee, Gold Star Families for Peace, Military Families Speak Out
We are calling a nation-wide actions to mark the 2,000th U.S. soldier's death in Iraq by organizing actions that make visible their deaths and those of Iraqis who have died in this senseless war. We're supporting the call made by UFPJ member groups -- American Friends Service Committee http://www.afsc.org/2,000/ , Gold Star Families for Peace http://www.gsfp.org and Military Families Speak Out http://www.mfso.org -- for actions on the day after the U.S. government announces the 2000th death.
2000 Too Many leaflet now available at UFPJ!
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/downloads/2000toomany.pdf
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/downloads/2000toomany_blank.pdf
Past News From Iraq and Useful Information
Looking Back March - April 2003: U.S. Invasions Against Iraq
Great Political Animation by Eric Blumrich
$80 Billion More for War?
No Way! Bring the Troops Home Now
(by United for Peace & Justice)
George W. Bush is asking Congress for $80 billion more for the failed Iraq war, on top of the more than $151 billion already appropriated. Congress is gearing up to pour more money to "stay the course" of the past two tragic years. The U.S. presence on the streets of Iraq is fueling animosity, motivating the armed resistance, and sealing the fate for failed democracy in Iraq. Every extra day and dime the U.S. spends on its reckless course in Iraq deepens the suffering in Iraq and at home. Tell your Member of Congress that not one more dime should go to waging war in Iraq. Instead, the U.S. must end the occupation, bring our troops home, and support Iraqi sovereignty.
• Contact your members of Congress at 202-224-3121 (9-5 EST) and demand no new war spending
• Download and distribute UFPJ leaflet on the real costs of the war.
• Post any protest or educational activities on UFPJ calendar | More »
March 20: 2 Million People Around the World Still Says No To
War and Occupations!
• GENERAL INFORMATION • UPDATES • OUTREACH MATERIALS • ENDORSERS
• CALENDAR OF MARCH 20 EVENTS • NEW YORK CITY PROTEST
United For Peace http://www.unitedforpeace.org International ANSWER http://www.internationalanswer.org
Looking Back March - April 2003: U.S. Invasions Against Iraq
December 23, 2003
The Axis of Incoherence
Analysis by Jim Lobe (Inter Press Service: Dec 11, 2003)
http://www.ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=21505
They are the hated ones, the despised face of U.S.. occupation in Iraq. But the men and women who make up the U.S. forces are living in a hell of their own.
Not many of the U.S. soldiers in Iraq are quite troops either. Some are "regular army" mobilised from Germany, but many are reservists called to duty early this year.
Without uniforms, they would be the Joe or Jane you see on the streets of the United States. Before they were called to duty, many were students or government workers.
With the death toll rising, and public support for the occupation of Iraq waning, the military is making sure no pictures of soldiers' bodies are shown on television. Most soldiers say they just want to go home.....
April 9, 2003: Good Talking Points on Iraq
War, Weapons and Money in Iraq
3/25: Bush requested $74.7B for war in Iraq, that's they are stealing $287 per American to kill Iraqi people,
or average $3290.5 to bomb each Iraqi with new and expensive weapons.
April 4: Latest Information on Iraqi Civilian Casualties
March 24, 2003: Information on Iraqi Civilian Casualties!!!
Hundreds Iraqi had Killed/Injured by US Bombing
US Censored TV Footage on Captured US POWs By Iraqis
3/21/03: Emergency Protests Across the World,
White House and War $$$$
3/21/03: Urgent Situtation in Palestine
3/21/03: Iraqi American Under FBI questioning
Reference, Information About Iraq
Report from Baghdad: Interview and Interoduction
The six-part series "Report form Baghdad" by Pacifica Radio KPFK Los Angeles Reporter Lee Siu Hin's July 2003 trip to U.S. occupied Iraq, provides American peace activists and family the first hand information what happened in Iraq under U.S. occupations.
"Report From Baghdad" CD-ROM on Sale!
Useful Article, Web Links
Federations of American Scientists Background Info in Iraq
17 Reasons Not To Invade Iraq
Maps of Iraq (large files, will take long time)
For latest media coverage, please check the following non-corporate independent
US media:
Democracy Now!
http://www.democracynow.org/ Independent Media Center
http://www.indymedia.org Inter Press Service
http://www.ips.org
2/23: New Study Shows Iraq War increased deadly terrorism by 607%
According from the latest investigative research, The rate of fatal terrorist attacks around the world by jihadist groups, and the number of people killed in those attacks, increased dramatically after the invasion of Iraq. Globally there was a 607 percent rise in the average yearly incidence of attacks (28.3 attacks per year before and 199.8 after) and a 237 percent rise in the fatality rate (from 501 to 1,689 deaths per year). A large part of this rise occurred in Iraq, the scene of almost half the global total of jihadist terrorist attacks. But even excluding Iraq and Afghanistan—the other current jihadist hot spot—there has been a 35 percent rise in the number of attacks, with a 12 percent rise in fatalities. >> Read More
2/24: Iraq War Had Killed Nearly 800 Civilian Contractors / Mercenaries
In a largely invisible cost of the war in Iraq, nearly 800 civilians working under contract to the Pentagon have been killed and more than 3,300 hurt doing jobs normally handled by the U.S. military, according to figures gathered by The Associated Press >> Read More
2/23: U.K.'s Iraq troop cuts - it’s all about spin
U.K. Prime Minister Blair’s announcement that 3000 British troops will leave Iraq by the summer was big news for the media this week, but what did it actually reveal that we didn’t know already? Very little indeed. This was all about whipping up favourable media coverage as local elections loom, and before this weekend’s Stop the War demo - leave it until after the demo and Blair would look weak >> Read More
1/15: Saddam Half Brother, Ex-Official Hanged
2/23: New Study Shows Iraq War increased deadly terrorism by 607%
Saddam Hussein's half brother and the former head of Iraq's Revolutionary Court were both hanged before dawn Monday, Prosecutor Munqith al-Faroon said, two weeks and two days after the former Iraqi dictator was executed in a chaotic scene that has drawn worldwide criticism. >> Read More
1/12: Why the US Is Not Leaving Iraq-The Booming Business of War Profiteers
While the Bush administration’s wars of choice have brought unnecessary death, destruction, and disaster to millions, including many from the Unites States, they have also brought fortunes and prosperity to war profiteers. At the heart of the reluctance to withdraw from Iraq lies the profiteers’ unwillingness to give up further fortunes and spoils of war. >> Read More
1/11:Bush Formula - More Troops and More Spending for Iraq War
US President George W. Bush announced Wednesday (1/10) that more than 20,000 additional troops would be sent to Iraq as part of a plan -highly criticized at home and abroad- that politicians and experts believe will only increase violence and insecurity that has brought the occupied country into a virtual civil war. >> Read More
1/7 Iraq Watch: U.S. Set to Control Iraq's Oil for the Next 30 Years!
The 'IoS' today reveals a draft for a new law that would give Western oil companies a massive share in the third largest reserves in the world. To the victors, the oil? That is how some experts view this unprecedented arrangement with a major Middle East oil producer that guarantees investors huge profits for the next 30 years. So was this what the Iraq war was fought for, after all? >> Read More
12/26: More Troops but Less Control in Iraq
More U.S. troops are expected to be deployed in Iraq in the New Year. Despite obvious rethinking, there is no decision on withdrawal of occupation forces. >> Read More
12/30: The misguided execution of Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein has been put to death. The execution of a head of state, even if a toppled one, is an unusual event and is bound to provoke a strong reaction.
The trial of the Iraqi dictator became an important signal to all heads of state, a warning that sooner or later they will be called to account for their actions. Nobody will get away with crimes like the ones for which Saddam was tried. Heads of state are not immune and will have to answer for their deeds. However, extremists can now exploit his execution at a time of total chaos in Iraq to escalate the violence in the country and throughout the Middle East.
Moreover, the legitimacy of the verdict is questionable.... >> Read More
IPS - TALKING POINTS ON THE EXECUTION OF SADDAM HUSSEIN
[Phyllis Bennis, Institute for Policy Studies] The execution of Saddam Hussein
was not Nuremberg. Despite their flaws, the Nuremberg tribunals for the first time recognized that the crime of waging aggressive war lies at the root of all other war crimes. Nuremberg empowered international law in entirely new ways. The flawed U.S.-controlled trial of Saddam Hussein did not even abide by, let alone chart new ground in international law. This was victor's justice of the worst sort - just the opposite of what Justice Jackson called for. With U.S. officials still running the legal show in Baghdad, the U.S. military occupation still in control of the country, and the escalating war engulfing Iraq, no trial held under these conditions can be considered legitimate. >> Read More
National Action and Vigil the Day After 3,000 U.S. Military Deaths
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Wage Peace Campaign http://www.afsc.org/3000
More Details from AFSC
Useful Media Talking Points by: United For Peace and Justice >> More
You can download a sample media advisory to announce your group's activity marking the 3,000th U.S. soldier's death at
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/downloads/SampleAdvisory_3000th_UFPJ.rtf
You'll notice there are several places where you will need to add
information specific to your group and plans. Feel free to adapt it to fit
your local needs.
Other resources are available at http://afsc.org/3000/resources.htm
12/15: Welcome to The $2 Trillion Dollar Iraq War
[Rollingstone] When America invaded Iraq in 2003, the Bush administration predicted that the war would turn a profit, paying for itself with increased oil revenues. So far, though, Congress has spent more than $350 billion on the conflict, including the $50 billion appropriated for 2007.
But according to one of the world's leading economists, that is just a fraction of what Iraq will actually wind up costing American taxpayers. Joseph Stiglitz, winner of the Nobel Prize for economics, estimates the true cost of the war at$2.267 trillion. That includes the government's past and future spending for the war itself ($725 billion), health care and disability benefits for veterans ($127 billion), and hidden increases in defense spending ($160 billion). It also includes losses the economy will suffer from injured vets ($355 billion) and higher oil prices ($450 billion)..... >> Read More
10/26: Slave Labor at US Embassy in Baghdad?
[IPS] Several months before a U.S. construction foreman named John Owen quit in disgust over what he said was blatant abuse of foreign laborers hired to build the sprawling new U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Rory Mayberry witnessed similar events when he flew to Kuwait from his home in Myrtle Creek, Ore. >> Read More
6/2 Iraq:'We Have a Haditha Every Day' -- TAKE ACTION!
As horrible as the November 2005 massacre in Haditha was, it appears to be the tip of the iceberg. Today's news brings reports of another alleged mass killing of civilians by U.S. troops in Iraq, including a 6-month-old baby, last March.
TAKE ACTION
We need to keep the public dialogue going about Haditha, the war, and political accountability. We encourage you to call into the talk shows on your local radio stations and to write letters to the editors of your local newspapers. (Click here to find contact information for your local media outlets.) See our talking points for more detailed ideas about how to frame the issue.
We must also bring the truth of this tragedy home to our communities. The Iraqi victims of this war have too often been faceless, nameless, invisible. With the Haditha massacre, we know the names and ages of the 24 victims, and we know how they died: Presenting this publicly is a powerful way to dramatize the horrors of this war.
We have posted a list of the names, ages, and genders of the Haditha victims, as well as individual posters you can download representing each of the 24, on our website. We encourage you to hold public events in your community using this information. >> Read More
We need to keep the public dialogue going about Haditha, the war, and political accountability. We encourage you to call into the talk shows on your local radio stations and to write letters to the editors of your local newspapers. (Click here to find contact information for your local media outlets.) See our talking points for more detailed ideas about how to frame the issue.
3/10 CPT Release to Mourn the Loss of Tom Fox in Iraq
By: CPT http://www.cpt.org
In grief we tremble before God who wraps us with compassion. The death of our beloved colleague and friend pierces us with pain. Tom Fox’s body was found in Baghdad yesterday.
Christian Peacemaker Teams extends our deep and heartfelt condolences to the family and community of Tom Fox, with whom we have traveled so closely in these days of crisis.
We mourn the loss of Tom Fox who combined a lightness of spirit, a firm opposition to all oppression, and the recognition of God in everyone....
Read the Complete Statement: English Arabic
|
| Slain CPT member Tom Fox |
United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) mourns the death of Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) member Tom Fox, and renews its call for the immediate and safe release of his three colleagues still believed to be held hostage.
Fox's body was found on March 10 in a plastic bag on a garbage dump in west Baghdad. He had been handcuffed and shot.
In a video released on March 6, the 100th day of their captivity, three of the hostages -- Harmeet Sooden, Jim Loney, and Norman Kember -- appealed to Gulf leaders and their own governments to help bring about their release. American Tom Fox did not appear on the tape.
We strongly encourage all supporters of an end to the occupation of Iraq to sign a petition calling for the release of the four captive CPT members. To do so and to find ideas for further actions to take, visit:
http://electroniciraq.net/news/2210.shtml
http://www.freethecaptivesnow.org
Read More »
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Updates Number of Iraqi Civilian Had been Killed
http://www.iraqbodycount.net/
The US War in Iraq Costs:
$247,031,000,000 (As of: March 13, 2006)
From Cost of War URL: http://www.costofwar.com
Total U.S. Death: 2307
Total U.K. Deat: 103
"Coalition" Forces: 103
Total U.S.-U.K.-"Coalition Forces" Death: 2513 (as of March 11, 2006)
Total Wounded: 16,653 (As of February 7, 2006)
URL: http://icasualties.org/oif/
2/24: Who Benefits (from 2/22 Iraqi Mosque Attack)? An Analysis
The most important question to ask regarding the bombings of the Golden Mosque in Samarra on the 22nd is: who benefits?
Prior to asking this question, let us note the timing of the bombing. The last weeks in Iraq have been a PR disaster for the occupiers. >> Read More
2/23: Newly Released Abu Ghraib Torture Photos and Videos Confirm Need for Independent Counsel, And Criminal Charges Against U.S. Officials!
Last week, the world shock to see more photos and video release by Australian TV show "Dateline" about the torture in the Abu Ghraib prison. >> Read More
To see the complete photo album, click here
"Dateline" show about the Abu Ghraib
(Window Media Format: High Low)
The American Civil Liberty Union ACLU and Human Rights First have charged that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld bears direct responsibility for the torture and abuse of detainees, and filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of eight men subjected to torture and abuse under Secretary Rumsfeld's command.
U.S. military, top ranking Pentagon officials/generals and U.S. government officials has a undeniable reasonability about the crimes against humanity in the prison, and the brutal U.S. invasion and occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Take Actions now, support ACLU actions Demand An Outside Special Counsel for Investigation and Prosecution of Torture Abuses
2/16: Outrage Over New footage of British soldiers beating up young Iraqis
See the video (Windows Media Player)
New footage of British soldiers beating up young Iraqi men in Amarah city in 2003, and the release of more photographs of atrocities by U.S. soldiers against Iraqi detainees in Abu Ghraib prison has spread outrage across Iraq. >> Read More
1/29 Audit: U.S.-Led Occupation Squandered Aid
A U.S. government audit found American-led occupation authorities squandered tens of millions of dollars that were supposed to be used to rebuild Iraq through undocumented spending and outright fraud. In some cases, auditors recommend criminal charges be filed against the perpetrators. >> Read More
Read the reports from the Inspector General Office:
Challenges Faced in Carrying Out Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund Activites
Other reports: http://www.sigir.mil/audit_reports.html
1/23: Halliburton Cited in Iraq Contamination
Water supplied to a U.S. base in Iraq was contaminated and the contractor in charge, Halliburton, failed to tell troops and civilians at the facility, according to internal documents from the company and interviews with former Halliburton officials. >> Read More
1/29: Two Soldiers, One Marine Killed in Iraq
Two soldiers were killed yesterday and one Marine was killed Jan. 27 in three separate incidents in Iraq. >> Read More
1/29: U.S. expands 'targeted killing'
Predator airstrikes on suspected terrorists are widening despite international criticism
Despite protests from other countries, the United States is expanding a top-secret effort to kill suspected 'terrorists' with drone-fired missiles as it pursues an increasingly decentralized 'al-Qaida,' U.S. officials say. The CIA's failed attempt to assassinate al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri in Pakistan on Jan. 13 was the latest strike in the government's "targeted killing" program, a highly classified initiative that officials say has broadened... >> Read More
1/29: CIA unlikely to back off al Qaeda attacks in Pakistan
The Bush regime is unlikely to shy away from using Predator missile attacks on 'al Qaeda' leaders in Pakistan, despite the risk of political backlash for U.S. ally, President Pervez Musharraf, officials and intelligence experts say. >> Read More
1/14: 'Wrong information' blamed for Pakistan deaths
AN AMERICAN airstrike targeting Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Al-Qaeda mastermind, was prompted by “wrong information” and killed Pakistani villagers including five women and five children, according to senior Pakistani officials.
The attack took place in the early hours of Friday, when CIA-operated Predator drones circled the village of Damadola in the Bajaur area in northwest Pakistan before launching four Hellfire missiles at a mud-walled compound. Three houses were razed to the ground and 22 people died.
US officials said the raid was based on “good reporting” of Zawahiri’s presence in the village at a dinner celebrating the Muslim Eid holiday. Intelligence officials took away four bodies for identification. >> Read More
Protest Against Rep. Nancy Pelosi's Continuous Funding of the War in Iraq
Saturday January 14, 2006 9:30am
Marina Middle School Auditorium
3500 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA
Nancy Pelosi consistently votes to spend billions of dollars per year on the war in Iraq while vital public services are being cut at home! Stand with us as we say, "Nancy, Stop Funding War!"
1/7: Nationwide Out of Iraq Events
1/9: National Call-In Day on Accountability
1/9: International Commission Taking "Indictments" to White House
Out of Iraq Events Planned in Over 70 Cities
Web: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/event
Stand Up! Get Up! Fight for Peace and Justice!
Protest Against Rep. Nancy Pelosi's Continuous Funding of the War in Iraq
Saturday January 14, 2006 9:30am
Marina Middle School Auditorium
3500 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA
Nancy Pelosi consistently votes to spend billions of dollars per year on the war in Iraq while vital public services are being cut at home! Stand with us as we say, "Nancy, Stop Funding War!"
1/7: Nationwide Out of Iraq Events
1/9: National Call-In Day on Accountability
1/9: International Commission Taking "Indictments" to White House
Out of Iraq Events Planned in Over 70 Cities
Web: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/event
12/20: U.S. Air Power Strikes Iraq Targets Daily
The Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps have flown thousands of missions in support of U.S. ground troops in Iraq this fall with little attention back home, including attacks by unmanned Predator aircraft armed with Hellfire missiles, military records show...>> Read More
Oct 24, 2005: 2,000 Deaths Too Many!
Community actions at the Day After U.S. 2,000 Deaths in Iraq!
Please post your local protest/vigil information at http://www.afsc.org/2,000/
Called by: Peace No War Network, United for Peace & Justice, American Friends Service Committee, Gold Star Families for Peace, Military Families Speak Out
Called by: Peace No War Network, United for Peace & Justice, American Friends Service Committee, Gold Star Families for Peace, Military Families Speak Out
We are calling a nation-wide actions to mark the 2,000th U.S. soldier's death in Iraq by organizing actions that make visible their deaths and those of Iraqis who have died in this senseless war. We're supporting the call made by UFPJ member groups -- American Friends Service Committee http://www.afsc.org/2,000/ , Gold Star Families for Peace http://www.gsfp.org and Military Families Speak Out http://www.mfso.org -- for actions on the day after the U.S. government announces the 2000th death.
2000 Too Many leaflet now available at UFPJ! http://www.unitedforpeace.org/downloads/2000toomany.pdf |
Past News From Iraq and Useful Information
Looking Back March - April 2003: U.S. Invasions Against Iraq
Great Political Animation by Eric Blumrich
$80 Billion More for War?
No Way! Bring the Troops Home Now
(by United for Peace & Justice)
George W. Bush is asking Congress for $80 billion more for the failed Iraq war, on top of the more than $151 billion already appropriated. Congress is gearing up to pour more money to "stay the course" of the past two tragic years. The U.S. presence on the streets of Iraq is fueling animosity, motivating the armed resistance, and sealing the fate for failed democracy in Iraq. Every extra day and dime the U.S. spends on its reckless course in Iraq deepens the suffering in Iraq and at home. Tell your Member of Congress that not one more dime should go to waging war in Iraq. Instead, the U.S. must end the occupation, bring our troops home, and support Iraqi sovereignty.
• Contact your members of Congress at 202-224-3121 (9-5 EST) and demand no new war spending
• Download and distribute UFPJ leaflet on the real costs of the war.
• Post any protest or educational activities on UFPJ calendar | More »
March 20: 2 Million People Around the World Still Says No To War and Occupations! • GENERAL INFORMATION • UPDATES • OUTREACH MATERIALS • ENDORSERS • CALENDAR OF MARCH 20 EVENTS • NEW YORK CITY PROTEST United For Peace http://www.unitedforpeace.org International ANSWER http://www.internationalanswer.org Looking Back March - April 2003: U.S. Invasions Against Iraq December 23, 2003 The Axis of Incoherence Analysis by Jim Lobe (Inter Press Service: Dec 11, 2003) http://www.ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=21505
April 9, 2003: Good Talking Points on Iraq War, Weapons and Money in Iraq 3/25: Bush requested $74.7B for war in Iraq, that's they are stealing $287 per American to kill Iraqi people, or average $3290.5 to bomb each Iraqi with new and expensive weapons. April 4: Latest Information on Iraqi Civilian Casualties March 24, 2003: Information on Iraqi Civilian Casualties!!! Hundreds Iraqi had Killed/Injured by US Bombing US Censored TV Footage on Captured US POWs By Iraqis
Reference, Information About Iraq
Useful Article, Web LinksFederations of American Scientists Background Info in Iraq17 Reasons Not To Invade IraqMaps of Iraq (large files, will take long time) |
For latest media coverage, please check the following non-corporate independent US media:
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