The debate on who will lead our party and our country continues down a path of mindless trivialities.
We have had advanced discussions on handshakes, on whether the word "hysteria" is inherently sexist, on whether a friend can help suggest words for a speech on . . . well you all get the idea.
Shame on those of us who still refuse to admit that the IWR was a terrible mistake and shame on all of us for being so easily diverted from the more substantive issues in the campaign. Sen. McCain envisions a 100 year occupation of Iraq. He will use force to take out nuclear facilities in Iran. These are the issues that compel us to be Democrats. On this day this is what we should be talking about.
(all news items from today only
http://icasualties.org/oif/- Baghdad - A suicide bomber in a wheelchair killed a senior police officer and his two aides and wounded eight soldiers at a police centre in Samarra, northern Iraq Monday, according to security officials.
-Moreover, the source said a mortar shell fell over a house in Tel Al-Rumman, eastern Mosul, killing three civilians, including a child, and wounding four women -- all belonging to the same family.
-The Turkish General Staff said in a statement posted on its website that 33 PKK militants and eight Turkish soldiers were killed during a ground offensive into northern Iraq on Sunday.
-The latest deaths bring the killed rebels and soldiers to 112 and 15 since Turkey launched a ground incursion into Iraq late Thursday.
-The death toll from Sunday's suicide bomb attack on Iraqi pilgrims heading to a Shi'ite festival south of Baghdad has risen to 63, a health official said on Monday.
-The bomber exploded a suicide vest packed with metal ball bearings in a refreshment tent full of pilgrims heading to the annual Arbain festival, one of Shi'ie Islam's holiest events, in the southern city of Kerbala.
-* BAQUBA - Five Iraqi soldiers, including their commanding officer, were killed when al Qaeda militants ambushed their patrol south of Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) north of Baghdad, said Major-General Abdul Kareem al-Rubaie, leader of Iraqi security forces in Diyala province.
* MOSUL - A boy was killed when insurgents opened fire on a U.S. patrol in Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said. The boy, who was playing with children in the street, was hit by a stray bullet fired by the insurgents.
BAQUBA - Police found the decomposing bodies of eight women who had been blindfolded, handcuffed and shot in the head, in a grave in a town just north of Baquba, police said.
HERE BELOW LIST OF AMERICAN CASUALTIES IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY. I AM SURE THEIR LOVED ONES WILL BE GRATIFIED TO KNOW THAT THE SURGE IS A TACTICAL SUCCESS AND THAT VIOLENCE IS DOWN AND THAT THE IRAQI PARLIMENT HAS DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO RECONCILE AND FORMULATE A DIVISION OF OIL REVENUES AMONGST THE IRAQIS (Which after all was the only real reason to have the surge in the first place).
-24-Feb-2008 2 | US: 2 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET Baghdad Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET Baghdad Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
21-Feb-2008 2 | US: 2 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET Baghdad Non-hostile - illness
US NAME NOT RELEASED YET Anbar Province Hostile - hostile fire
20-Feb-2008 5 | US: 5 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Captain Nathan R. Raudenbush Busayefi - Baghdad Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
US Staff Sergeant Bryant W. Mackey Mosul - Ninawa Hostile - hostile fire - RPG attack
US Sergeant Conrad Alvarez Baghdad Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
US Corporal Albert Bitton Baghdad Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
US Specialist Jr., Micheal B. Matlock Baghdad Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
17-Feb-2008 2 | US: 2 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Specialist Luke S. Runyan Diyala Province Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire
US Specialist Chad D. Groepper Diyala Province Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire
14-Feb-2008 1 | US: 1 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Staff Sergeant Javares J. Washington Kuwait City (Camp Buehring) - NA Non-hostile - vehicle accident
10-Feb-2008 1 | US: 1 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Sergeant Corey E. Spates Diyala Province Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
08-Feb-2008 5 | US: 5 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Private 1st Class Jack T. Sweet Jalawlah - Diyala Hostile - hostile fire - explosion
US Specialist Michael T. Manibog Taji - Baghdad Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
US Sergeant Timothy P. Martin Taji - Baghdad Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
US Staff Sergeant Jerald A. Whisenhunt Taji - Baghdad Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
US Sergeant Gary D. Willett Taji - Baghdad Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
07-Feb-2008 1 | US: 1 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Petty Officer 1st Class Luis A. Souffront Iraq Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
06-Feb-2008 1 | US: 1 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Sergeant Bradley J. Skelton Baghdad (western part) Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
05-Feb-2008 4 | US: 4 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Sergeant Timothy R. Van Orman Muqdadiyah (died in Balad) - Babil Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
US Sergeant John C. Osmolski Muqdadiyah (died in Balad) - Babil Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
US Specialist Miguel A. Baez Muqdadiyah (died in Balad) - Babil Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
US Sergeant Rafael Alicearivera Tallil - Dhi Qar Non-hostile - drowning
04-Feb-2008 3 | US: 3 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Specialist Christopher J. West Muqdadiyah (Died in Balad) - Diyala Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
US Chief Petty Officer Nathan H. Hardy Not reported yet Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire
US Chief Petty Officer Michael E. Koch Not reported yet Hostile - hostile fire - small arms fire
02-Feb-2008 1 | US: 1 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
US Staff Sergeant Chad A. Barrett Mosul - Ninawa Non-hostile
Total 28 | US: 28 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
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