Guest blogged by David Edwards of Veredictum.com
Video in Streaming Flash format…
Video in Windows Media format…
The number of Iraqis forced from their homes due to organized campaigns of ethnic cleansing has increased from 30,000 to 100,000 in the month of April.
Only a month ago, we posted a video from ABC News which reported that 30,000 Iraqi had been forced from their homes due to sectarian threats. Some have described the situation that has created thousands of Iraq refugees as an organized effort of ethnic cleansing.
Just 20 days after our initial report, the Iraqi Red Crescent estimates that over 100,000 Iraqis have become refugees in their own country. Some suggest that the number of displaced people might be much higher but the current security situation in Iraq prevents even a cursory audit of more than 1000 refugee camps.
This video combines a report from BBC with an Arab news report from Baghdad. The BBC’s James Reynolds reports from one of the ‘tent cities’. Reynolds is told by the Iraqi Red Crescent that “somebody is behind this war. It is highly organized.”…
An Arab news channel, reports on protests in Baghdad where refugees demand that the Iraqi government immediately facilitate a secure return to their homes. Iraqi and Coalition forces have not been able to slow the trend of a growing refugee population. Of course, the combined forces can not begin to ensure protection for over 100,000 displaced Iraqis who wish to return to their homes.
Hard-liners of both Shi’ias and Sunnis are violently “cleansing” their respective regional areas of the other’s people. Under Saddam’s rule, mixed neighborhoods of Shi’ias and Sunnis became commonplace. As the so-called “low level civil war” rages, Sectarian interests have sharply divided the country.
This is not the first time that mass numbers of refugees have been forced from their homes since the American occupation of Iraq. A UN report has found that during the initial invasion and occupation, 140,000 Iraqi refugees fled to Syria. That same report concluded that conditions had become worse for Iraqi than under Saddam’s rule. During the November 2004 destruction of Fallujah by American forces, thousands of families were forced to flee to tent cities. These refugees were forced to struggle through the harsh Winter months without heat, food or humanitarian assistance.
Now all we need is for Barbara Bush to visit and tell the kids what a good time they are having …
Dredd
Kinda like going camping don’t you think?
"more than 1000 refugee camps."
I doubt that 50 or 60 people at one location would be defined as a refugee camp. Probably more like hundreds to thousands. With that in mind the total number surely must be well over 100,000.
This is what Paul and Ricky call progress and improved conditions for the Iraqi people.
I believe the Kurds in the north are also "ethnic cleansing"–expelling the Arabs who settled there during Saddam’s reign.
No matter what Bushco says about the Iraqis making progress in forming a new government, there is no way to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. The Kurds are not ever going to accept being part of a unified Iraq. And the Sunnis are not going to accept a partition that leaves them with no oil revenues.
We’ve known for a very long time that the people of Iraq did not want to be one nation, that the only way to unify the people of the region under one political heading is tyranny. True democracy in the Middle East would mean many, many mini-states, each with a leader whose word is law. The Western need for nations is about ease of conducting diplomacy, of cartography, of seating arrangements at the UN. We don’t seem to be able to wrap our heads around the fact that not all humans want to organize themselves into geopolitical units convenient to us.
And, hey, let’s ask Rummy if it’s civil war yet, shall we?
No Blood for oil!
Right on Ricky!
Plasma & hemoglobin for EXXXon,…
let’s have an oil drive.
Xylene,.. Benzine,… Toluene,……………… bank.
……."Fuck these lame used car salesmen who got some ho at the Watergate Jack Abramoff bed!"
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……"To act as if we are morally superior to anyone else as a political platform plank is sicko politics."
…….."In general it is an illusion to think that any race, creed, ideology, or political party is ipso facto worse than another. It is illogical."
We could stay in Iraq forever, or we could get behind a solid plan to get out that has been put on the table. Tom Hayden asked journalist Goerge Packer the other day on Huff Po is he favors "the war forever?"
I for one am tired of this war. How about the rest of the liberal blogosphere? Maybe we should listen to this guy:
"Our challenge today is to speak out so loudly that Washington has no choice but to make choices worthy of the sacrifice of our neighbors here at home and our troops all around the world.
When we protested the war in Vietnam some would weigh in against us saying: “My country right or wrong.” Our response was simple: “Yes, my country right or wrong. When right, keep it right and when wrong, make it right.” That’s our mission – to get off our rear ends – go out – and make it right today." –
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2891
Other areas of Iraq are now in danger of going the way of Falluja (Raw Story link here).
Agent99 has a refreshing viewpoint there.
Move up here from Rummy thread,….
(Video of DREDD link,.. Basra explodes/violence)
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Rummy,… how’s it going in Iraq,…
that insurgency well under control ?
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Helicopter shot down,..
shoulder fired ground to air missile,…
6 Blackwater contractors killed.
(clink link,.. then click BBC News Video-top right)
Heli hit by missile : 6 Blackwater dead
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British helicopter shotdown in Basra,.. by an
ground to air missile,.. Basra an area where British
troop were once welcome,.. not so friendly any
more.
(click link,.. then video link below picture of soldier)
British heli shotdown by missile : Basra explodes in violence
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BBC News changed the video,…
video of violence to British troops
after helicopter shotdown by missile,…
(again click link,.. then click video link below
photo of soldier)
Basra violence after helicopter shotdown by missile : Link
Monday, May 15, 2006
US Army helicopter shot-down in Iraq by insurgents,.. two US Soldiers killed, limited details.
Link : US helicopter shot-down in Iraq
Rummy’s Pentagon,….
US Military violates own rules,..
USA Troops with mental health issues
are given a "happy pill"
and sent right back into combat.
Recruitment difficulties,.. not enough boots
on the ground.
Link : "Happy Pills"/USA Troops/mental health issues/return to combat