Lugar Warns NATO Its Reputation at Stake in Iraq: "U.S. Senator Richard Lugar warned NATOSaturday that its reputation would stand or fall on itscommitment to act in Iraq, after bickering erupted among alliesover an offer to help Baghdad train its security forces. (Reuters)"
In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
PM asks Bush to return detainees: "Prime Minister Tony Blair has personally asked US President George Bush to send home the four remaining British detainees in Guantanamo Bay."
In Ananova: War In Iraq
Bush seeks Iraq help...Security tight in Turkey...Rapper arrested in Katu.com: Iraq & Terror
Car bombing, rocket attack targets Kurds, Shiites...Soldier killed in Katu.com: Iraq & Terror
Iraq Insurgency Showing Signs of Momentum: "BAGHDAD - As this week's coordinated violence demonstrates, Iraq's insurgent movement is increasingly potent, riding a wave of anti-U.S. nationalism and religious extremism. Just days before an Iraqi government takes control of the country, experts and some commanders fear it may be too late to turn back the militant tide. (Los Angeles Times)"
In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
Six Die in Iraq Violence Ahead of Handover: "A car bomb explosion killed a manand wounded 40 people in the Kurdish city of Arbil on Saturdayas insurgents kept up a bloody drive to derail Iraq'stransition to an interim government in four days' time. (Reuters)"
In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
Three killed in attack on Iraq offices: "Insurgents launched a spate of attacks in the strife-ridden northern city of Baqouba, killing three people and wounding two, hospital officials and witnesses said. Six guerrillas were also killed."
In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq
Iraqi PM's party office blown up, rebels storm second political party base: "Rebels blew up the local headquarters of Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi's political party in Baquba and staged a deadly attack on the offices of a major Shiite political party in the city Saturday, witnesses said. (AFP)"
In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
Anti-Bush protest march: "A protest march against the arrival of US President George Bush at Ireland's Shannon airport has passed off peacefully."
In Ananova: War In Iraq
Iraqi Military Won't Get Tanks: "The lightly armed military taking shape in Iraq is far different from Saddam Hussein's massive force, and the United States appears to want it that way - at least for the time being. (AP)"
In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
Mehdi Army Ready to Fight Terrorists: "A day late, as I've been down with the Dreaded Lurgy, but here we have from the AFP via the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) the latest from Al Sadr :
Radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army has declared a truce by loud speaker in the Baghdad slum of Sadr City, saying it is ready to help protect important sites from terror attacks.
" Considering the exceptional circumstances that our people face, we have decided to stop from tonight the military operations in Sadr City until we receive new orders ," the militia's central committee said.
" All the Mehdi Army will respect this decision or face expulsion ."
The Mehdi Army is offering to protect Government buildings, hospitals, power stations, water stations, service stations and oil refineries.
Fighting has rocked the Shiite Muslim slum of Sadr City almost nightly since Sadr rose up against US forces in the first week of April.
The statement says the Mehdi Army is ready to protect " all those who might be targeted by terrorists notably in the coming two weeks ," referring to the June 30 handover of power in Iraq.
" The Mehdi Army proves day after day it cares for the greater interests of the oppressed people of Iraq ," it said.
Note that this announcement of ?protection' came before the latest round of attacks which have killed nearly 100 Iraqis."
In Command Post: Irak
Foreign Fighters in Fallujah?: "Accounts vary.
From the AFP via the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) :
A leading sheikh, Abdallah Janabi, condemns the attacks as launched " under the pretext that Zarqawi is based in Fallujah ".
" There are no foreign fighters here ", he said.
Then there's an account published on Hammorabi , an Iraqi Blog :
The names of the (so called)"mujahdin" (i call them killers)Arab nationalities died in the last American attack on Fallujah on 19-06-2004
1.Muhamed bin Salem Al-asmari Saudi
2.Abdullah bin Baz Al-utaibi Saudi
3.Muhamed Al-zahrani Saudi
4.Sa'ad bin Khaled Al-shahri Saudi
5.Abu Muhamed Al-Kusaimi Saudi
6.Muftaah saed Abu-dajana Emirates
7.Sultaan Mutaseem Al-ashmuri Yemen
8.Zakaria Abu-alabaas Morroco
9.Saed Muhamed Abu-zaaker Algeria
10.Mahmud uthman Al-shaikh Syria
11.Abu-attah Lybia
12.Abu Abdullah Somalia
13.Kaari Handalh Somalia
14.Omaar Hamid Khlil Iraq (Kurdistan)
15.Saif Al-Turkstani China
16.Abu Al-waleed Mauritania
Original source for this is ?quoted as one of the Islamic (wahabi) web sites', but I have been unable to find which one. Can any readers help verify or debunk this?"
In Command Post: Irak
Protesting Bush...Dead man walking...Schwarzenegger in the dog house in Katu.com: Iraq & Terror
Terror-mastermind targeted...Bush faces protests...Ryan drops out in Katu.com: Iraq & Terror
