The Flashlight, June 29 - July 6, 2007
THE FLASHLIGHT, June 29 – July 6, 2007
Iraq
Az-Zaman 6-29. There are now only three major Iraqi power groups: the Mahdi Army, Shia, led by Moqtada as-Sadr; the Supreme Islamic Council, Shia together with its Badr Brigade; and al-Qaida, Sunni. [but there are also hundreds of kin-based, ethnic based, and religion-based small groups].
Az-Zaman. 7-3. An Iraqi general said that in Baghdad attacks against US and its allied forces had increased, while attacks on civilians had declined. The fifteen Sadrist deputies returned to Parliament.
Az-Zaman, 7-4. Major General John Batiste, in testimony to the Foreign Relations Committee of the US House of Representatives, said that the Iraqi Army is still weak, unreliable, and ill-equipped. He said:
“Historically the army in the Middle East is permanently ineffective because of social factors rooted in Arab culture: the secrecy, megalomania, showing off, the gap between social classes, the inability to coordinate, and the lack of individual freedom and security….Our experience in the last four years is that most Iraqi units will not show up to fight and will not stand up to face a rebellion – for thousands of reasons.”
CNN 7-5. CNN predicts that in September the American military commanders will ask for more time to operate in Iraq.
United Kingdom
7-2 and 7-3 CNN. Three botched car bombings in Britain led to the arrest of seven male physicians and a woman lab technician married to one of them. They had Islamic sounding names. They were in their mid to late twenties. This was the first terrorist case involving physicians. Previously they had been considered above suspicion.
US Politics
Mic
NYTimes 7-4. The second quarter presidential fund raising results are in and overall the Republicans raised a lot less than the Democrats. Obama led with $32.5 million, Clinton with $27 million; Romney dropped from $20.5 million in the first quarter to $14 million in the second. McCain raised only $11 million and had to lay of most of his staff; Giuliani declined from 17 in the first quarter to 15 in the second. Fred Thompson is about to announce his candidacy as a Republican. Michael Bloomberg hovers.
CNN 7-5. Senator Pete Dominici, R., broke with Bush on Iraq policy, joining Republican Senators Lugar and Voinovich.
Iraq
Az-Zaman 6-29. There are now only three major Iraqi power groups: the Mahdi Army, Shia, led by Moqtada as-Sadr; the Supreme Islamic Council, Shia together with its Badr Brigade; and al-Qaida, Sunni. [but there are also hundreds of kin-based, ethnic based, and religion-based small groups].
Az-Zaman. 7-3. An Iraqi general said that in Baghdad attacks against US and its allied forces had increased, while attacks on civilians had declined. The fifteen Sadrist deputies returned to Parliament.
Az-Zaman, 7-4. Major General John Batiste, in testimony to the Foreign Relations Committee of the US House of Representatives, said that the Iraqi Army is still weak, unreliable, and ill-equipped. He said:
“Historically the army in the Middle East is permanently ineffective because of social factors rooted in Arab culture: the secrecy, megalomania, showing off, the gap between social classes, the inability to coordinate, and the lack of individual freedom and security….Our experience in the last four years is that most Iraqi units will not show up to fight and will not stand up to face a rebellion – for thousands of reasons.”
CNN 7-5. CNN predicts that in September the American military commanders will ask for more time to operate in Iraq.
United Kingdom
7-2 and 7-3 CNN. Three botched car bombings in Britain led to the arrest of seven male physicians and a woman lab technician married to one of them. They had Islamic sounding names. They were in their mid to late twenties. This was the first terrorist case involving physicians. Previously they had been considered above suspicion.
US Politics
Mic
NYTimes 7-4. The second quarter presidential fund raising results are in and overall the Republicans raised a lot less than the Democrats. Obama led with $32.5 million, Clinton with $27 million; Romney dropped from $20.5 million in the first quarter to $14 million in the second. McCain raised only $11 million and had to lay of most of his staff; Giuliani declined from 17 in the first quarter to 15 in the second. Fred Thompson is about to announce his candidacy as a Republican. Michael Bloomberg hovers.
CNN 7-5. Senator Pete Dominici, R., broke with Bush on Iraq policy, joining Republican Senators Lugar and Voinovich.
posted by THE FLASHLIGHT at 9:03 AM
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