Iraq snapshot.
Chaos and violence continue.
Reuters estimates that Saturday bombings claimed the lives of at least 43. This in the midst of the "clampdown." As Reuters notes of the "clampdown": "But the sweep, mounted one day after U.S. President George W. Bush made a surprise visit to Baghdad to bolster Maliki's month -- old government, has failed to stop attacks." Someone tell Bully Boy he needs to build a better photo-op. For photos as opposed to photo-ops, Polly suggests the BBC's photo essay on some of Saturday's violence and chaos.
So let's note three now common occurrences of the illegal occupation -- corpses, kidnappings and bombings.
Corpses? Reuters notes that ten corpses were discovered in Baghdad. AP notes "showed signs of torture."
Kidnappings? Witnesses are reporting that the two American soldiers missing Friday (these were the two that divers were attempting to find on Saturday) were kidnapped by"masked gunmen" (AP). The two currently missing have not been identified and they bring the MIA count of American troops to three. Batavia, Ohio's Keith M. Maupin has been missing since April of 2004 and declared captured by the US Defense Department April 16, 2004. Maupin's status has remained missing in action for over two years. The Associated Press reports that ten workers at a bakery were kidnapped Sunday.
Bombings? Reuters reports that four of Saturday's bombings have been claimed by the Mujahideen Shura Council which vowed in a press release to continue until "doomsday."On Sunday, KUNA reports, a bomb thrown into a Kirkuk "wine store" injured at least four people. Reuters notes that six were killed by morters in Baghdad.
Reporting on a series of shootings in Baquba, the AFP notes that the following died on Sunday:a truck driver, teacher and three brothers. In Basra, Reuters reports that, in response to Friday's mosque bombing, all but one Sunni mosque would be closed "until futher notice." Meanwhile, KUNA is reporting that a water shortage in Kuwait has led the cabinet to call on all residents to conserve water and is blaming the shortage on "obstacles" to "the implementation of the ministry's plans and programs."
The seige on Ramadi continues with mainstream sources relying on official statements from the US military. The AP notes that, on Saturday, "[t]wo long columns of U.S. and Iraqi armored vehicles . . . encircled the southern side of Ramadi". The BBC goes with "extra checkpoints" being set up this weekend and notes that Ramadi has a population of around 400,000. As Dahr Jamail has noted in numerous reports (and discussed with Amy Goodman last week on Democracy Now!), the city is under seige, US forces have set up snipers, cut off power, etc. in what strikes many as a replay of the leadup to the slaughter in Falluja in 2004. Though in multiple wire releases US military spokesperson maintain that people will be able to enter and exit, those who remember the assault on Falluja in November of 2004 where innocent civilians were killed after they'd been prevented from leaving the city (with males of all ages, including children denied exit by the US military) will remain skeptical of the official statements. As Kathy Kelly recently noted: "If the 2004 Battle of Fallujah is a precursor for an attack against Ramadi, the U.S. military may cordon off an escape route for women and children, but forbid the men and older boys to leave. It's also possible that the U.S. military will launch an offensive attack even if civilians remain trapped and have nowhere to flee and no means of getting food, medicine and water into the city."
Reuters estimates that approximately 10,000 people (around 1,500 families) have left the city and quotes resident Thair Saad stating: "We're living in a war zone. What's more, we have no electricity, potable water or even telephones."
In Canada, United States peace activist Cindy Sheehan attended a rally Saturday for American troops who have elected to leave the military, the Associated Press reports, with at least twenty, of the estimated 200 who have elected to move to Canada and go AWOL from the US military, attending the rally including Darrell Anderson and Chris Magaoay. Sheehan spoke of her son Casey Sheehan who was killed while serving in Iraq: "And I wish he was standing up here with these people because he didn't want to go" [to Iraq].
Reuters reports that in the United States Senate, Democrats will offer a plan for phased withdrawal of troops from Iraq. This is not the plan proposed last week by Mass. Senator John F. Kerry which, as Democracy Now! noted, found only five other supporters: "Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Barbara Boxer of California, Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Tom Harkin of Iowa and Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts joined Kerry in voting for withdrawal." The plan to be proposed Tuesday is, again, a "phased withdrawal." Those with longer memories (Vietnam) will likely be unimpressed and the resolution, if backed by Republican members, would put the Senate in conflict with the House after the House passed their laughable "We Shall Win!" resolution last week.
Reuters estimates the number of Americans currently serving in the military in Iraq at 129,000. In 2004 and 2005, you may remember, the military had trouble meeting their recruitment targets (so they lowered the target). The drop from 150,000 to 129,000 might have something to do with the fact that the military continues to have difficulty meeting their targets and that 2004 and 2005 left them behind by about 20,000 recruits.
Finally, in a move seen by some as confirming press reports on Friday, the AFP reports that Junichiro Koizumi (prime minister of Japan) is considering announcing, prior to his June 29th meeting with the Bully Boy, that Japan will be withdrawing all troops from Iraq.