Violence in Iraq falls to lowest level in 4 years

[Barrett808]

Source: Reuters

Violence in Iraq falls to lowest level in 4 years
By Ross Colvin

BAGHDAD, May 24 (Reuters) - Violence in Iraq has fallen to its lowest level in more than four years, figures released by the U.S. military showed on Saturday, but officials said progress was still fragile and reversible.

Iraqi security officials said an offensive against al Qaeda in the northern city of Mosul, which the U.S. military says is the Sunni Islamist group's last major urban stronghold, had wiped out most of the insurgent network.

...

The U.S. military released slides showing that incidents of violence, including roadside bombs, shootings and mortar and rocket attacks, had fallen to their lowest level since the week of March 26, 2004.

The drop follows a surge in violence that threatened to unravel the security gains made over the past year. A government offensive against Shi'ite militias in the southern city of Basra in March sparked widespread violence in other towns and cities.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/COL462053.htm

[buckrogers1965]

1. Hire the insurgents, still let them kill, but the numbers look great.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/08/AR2007060802879.html?hpid=topnews

"The American soldiers in Amiriyah have allied themselves with dozens of Sunni militiamen who call themselves the Baghdad Patriots -- a group that American soldiers believe includes insurgents who have attacked them in the past -- in an attempt to drive out al-Qaeda in Iraq. The Americans have granted these gunmen the power of arrest, allowed the Iraqi army to supply them with ammunition, and fought alongside them in chaotic street battles."

Of course the numbers look good, we are hiring the enemy to help us and letting them freely subjugate their enemies.

[ohio2007]

2. Iraqi's taking back their country

They know who and how to spot outsiders faster and better then any US GI. Let the Iraqi's patrol Iraq and deal with foreigners per al Sistani latest quoted article



Al-Sistani's new edicts — which did not specifically mention Americans but refer to foreign occupiers — were in response to the question of whether it's permitted to "wage armed resistance," according to the two Shiites who received them.

Al-Sistani's affirmative response also carried a stern warning that "public interest" should not be harmed and every effort must be made to ensure that no harm comes to Iraqis or their property during "acts of resistance," they said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080522/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_sistani_s_edicts&printer=1;_ylt=AhXHvTWgkRVPXUpo1RoDuxQUewgF

It's their country,let them push away the crutch and step up
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080524/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_al_maliki_s_boost_1;_ylt=AmxR5J2OgBCo5yzuL5rwKHNX6GMA

[Unvanguard]

3. Weekly figures, not necessarily indicative of a larger trend.

We've heard this line before.

Edit: I noticed little mention of casualty numbers. Telling--how are they defining "incidents" again?

[raystorm7]

7. Yep...I've heard this story so many times I've lost count =/

[Narkos]

4. Excellent, another good reason to leave!

Although the level of violence has nothing to do with the LACK of political reconciliation on the part of the Shia and Sunni. These guys are rearming and there will be a civil war there regardless of what we do. When Sistani is issuing fatwas for Shias to blow up Americans, you know that that it's time to go.

[happydreams]

9. Faaack yea....

Mission accomplished, let's get oughta there!

[eagertolearn]

5. Violence is down. OMG we're not falling for that anymore...

Every death creates so much sadness (whether it is Iraqi or American). We need to get out now! Our soldier's are fighting for a fake cause. I can't handle these losses and I don't think I know anyone that is over there. A beautiful young woman just died there whose parents live an hour away. She sounds like an unbelievable person (there has been lots of article's about her). Now she is gone and her brother and sister and parents and everyone who has ever known her and those who were with her when she died will never be the same again. I am crying for all of them and I don't even know them. Is anyone else feeling this war. We need to get out now!!!!!! It is all soooooo depressing.

[Flagg]

6. That's supposed to be reassuring ?

How many american soldiers have been killed since 2004 ?

[saigon68]

16. They are paying off the resistance to behave

I hear its $500.00 US a month per head

[IsItJustMe]

8. We hear this once a month anyway. More Republican/msm/McCain propaganda, sounds like to me.

[Bigmack]

10. OMG! I was soooo wrong!

Iraq hasn't really been a clusterfuck after all. All that money and blood wasn't just pissed away in the hopeless pipe-dream of an evil moron after all.

It's gonna be a wonderful new day in Iraq, and all the boys and girls will get puppies, and the people will be happy and get Visa cards and the Shiia and Sunni will love one another, and ......

And monkeys might fly out of my ass, too.

[Nekomuffin]

11. We should still bring our troops home

Now.

[Bigmack]

13. I have posted this before a couple of times....

Blow the equipment and installations in place and load the troops on the planes.... today.

[struggle4progress]

12. Really? When did we suddenly start tracking civilian casualities?

[StarryNite]

14. Maybe after we quit

bombing the hell out of them. :shrug:

[ohio2007]

15. Iraq alcohol sellers pray bombers won't return

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - After living in fear for months, liquor store owners in Baghdad are proudly displaying everything from Iraqi Asriya Arak to Johnnie Walker Blue Label whiskey, a sign that peace and stability may return.

We are not that worried now because security has improved," said Samir Khaled, an employee of a shop that was shaken by a car bomb in December which killed three people in one of the capital's most heavily protected areas. It reopened a month ago.

Islam forbids the consumption of alcohol.

Violence has fallen to its lowest level in more than four years, according to figures released by the U.S. military at the weekend. Iraqi and U.S. officials say they have al Qaeda in Iraq, blamed for the worst bombings in Baghdad, on the run.




snip

Before fundamentalists came along, alcohol merchants faced the whims of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

After attracting international condemnation for invading Kuwait, he began portraying himself as a pious Muslim to improve his image at home as economic sanctions ravaged Iraq.

In the mid 1990s he banned alcohol sales in hotels, bars and restaurants.

Even though the risks are higher these days, Khaled believes customers will brave the wrath of militants and take their time choosing from the spirits arrayed at his shop.

"We are making money. We are happy," he said. The December car bomb attack outside his shop sent body parts flying onto the sidewalk, just a few meters (feet) from where he is standing.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080527/lf_nm/iraq_alcohol_dc_1;_ylt=Am7CjxDCEwy4OjZveaXAQY5X6GMA

Wonder if it will be proclaimed "forbidden" to sell cheap alcohol to occupiers if somebody goes to the al Sistani web site and posts such a question ? ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT32fJzJ1zU&feature=related