Iraq.
(Reuters) Security Developments in Iraq, August 22. (Always a partial list, but it offers snapshots.)
The BBC has a "voices" piece quoting people living in Fallujah and Samarra. It's eyeopening.
The Marines' call up of 2,500 soldiers from the IRR is being called evidence the military is stretched too far. My favorite bit of the story is the spin that these callups are only for certain "specialties." 3 of those specialties being "combat arms," "engineers," and "military police," all front line, on the ground, troops.
This USAToday piece starts out saying how great and independent a particular unit of the Iraqi forces have become, but later mentions their "reluctance to engage the enemy" and the fact that many of them moonlight for the militias. This is the Iraqi unit held up as one of the top successes.
On top of the already huge pressure of gas shortages throughout the country, Iraqi oil workers have gone on strike. (and the Gulf Daily News says Iraq faces stagflation.)
(From the AP blog) "One of the final rules is that if you're handing out candy or toys, make sure there's enough for everyone. These kids aren't sharing. It's easy to see why the children are so desperate for handouts. Most of them appear to be exceedingly poor, running through the sewage-filled streets with no shoes on and wearing old, tattered clothes. Employment in this area is about 40 percent, so their parents obviously can't buy them many special gifts."
The BBC has a "voices" piece quoting people living in Fallujah and Samarra. It's eyeopening.
The Marines' call up of 2,500 soldiers from the IRR is being called evidence the military is stretched too far. My favorite bit of the story is the spin that these callups are only for certain "specialties." 3 of those specialties being "combat arms," "engineers," and "military police," all front line, on the ground, troops.
This USAToday piece starts out saying how great and independent a particular unit of the Iraqi forces have become, but later mentions their "reluctance to engage the enemy" and the fact that many of them moonlight for the militias. This is the Iraqi unit held up as one of the top successes.
On top of the already huge pressure of gas shortages throughout the country, Iraqi oil workers have gone on strike. (and the Gulf Daily News says Iraq faces stagflation.)
(From the AP blog) "One of the final rules is that if you're handing out candy or toys, make sure there's enough for everyone. These kids aren't sharing. It's easy to see why the children are so desperate for handouts. Most of them appear to be exceedingly poor, running through the sewage-filled streets with no shoes on and wearing old, tattered clothes. Employment in this area is about 40 percent, so their parents obviously can't buy them many special gifts."
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