26 U.S. Troops Killed In 1 Week In Iraq

Military Announces 4 More Deaths Around Baghdad

(CBS/AP)  Meanwhile Iraq's political crisis worsened Monday as five more ministers announced a boycott of Cabinet meetings — leaving the embattled prime minister's unity government with no members affiliated with Sunni political factions.

Also Monday, a suicide bomber killed at least 28 people in a northern city, including 19 children, some playing hopscotch and marbles in front of their homes.

The new cracks in Prime Minister al-Maliki's government appeared even as U.S. military officials sounded cautious notes of progress on security, citing strides against insurgents linked to al Qaeda in Iraq but also new threats from Iranian-backed Shiite militias.

Despite the new U.S. accusations of Iranian meddling, the U.S. and Iranian ambassadors met Monday for their third round of talks in just over two months. A U.S. embassy spokesman called the talks between U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker and his counterpart, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, "frank and serious."

But it was al-Maliki's troubles that seized the most attention.

The Cabinet boycott of five ministers loyal to former Iraqi leader Ayad Allawi left the government, at least temporarily, without participants who were members of the Sunni political apparatus — a deep blow to the prime minister's attempt to craft reconciliation among the country's majority Shiites and minority Sunnis and Kurds.

The defense minister is from a Sunni background but has no political ties and was chosen by al-Maliki.

The Allawi bloc, a mixture of Sunnis and Shiites, cited al-Maliki's failure to respond to its demands for political reform. The top Sunni political bloc already had pulled its six ministers from the 40-member Cabinet of al-Maliki, a Shiite, last week.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, who has been trying to broker the Sunni bloc's return in a bid to hold the government together, met Monday with Crocker and a White House envoy.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States was working well with the al-Maliki government, but he did not give the kind of enthusiastic endorsement that President George W. Bush and his aides once did.

"There's a very healthy political debate that is going on in Iraq, and that is good," McCormack said. "It's going to be for them (the Iraqi people) to make the judgments about whether or not that government is performing."

Lawmaker Hussam al-Azawi, of the bloc loyal to Allawi, said the boycott began with Monday's Cabinet meeting. The ministers intend to continue overseeing their ministries.

"We demanded broader political participation by all Iraqis to achieve real national reconciliation ... and an end to sectarian favoritism," al-Azawi said.

[gunnerv1]

The mandate for freedom is written in the blood of our Military. Thats's the way it is, and always will be. When I joined the military, I wrote a "blank check" to the Commander-in-Chief to be filled in with the promise of up to and including my life.I only pray that it would have been spent wisely. Get the job done.

[gunnerv1]

The mandate for freedom is written in the blood of our Military. Thats's the way it is, and always will be. When I joined the military, I wrote a "blank check" to the Commander-in-Chief to be filled in with the promise of up to and including my life.I only pray that it would have been spent wisely. Get the job done.

[starleo146]

Bush's polls up 5%, but not so fast 8 days into the war and 26 died, and Maliki whose suppose to be on vacation, instead he is over in Iran holding hands with the guy that is supplying ammunition that is killing our troops. What is wrong with this picture I ask you? If anyone thinks this Iraq situation is under control I got a bridge I want to sell you in Minnisota.This is not over and it is going to get a lot worse.If Maliki accepts ammunition from Iran that is used against our troops we should either show Iran or get out of Iraq.

[twylacrat]

WHAT are they dying for? Freedom? The more soldiers die, the less freedom WE have. I don't hear the Iraquiis bragging about their freedom either. Who's freedom are they dying for? I guess Scooter, Gonzo and Junior.

[wfbdem]

Maybe another 30000+ killed or wounded, and the 18% that approve of their deaths will be satisified.

[momsboys4-2009]

This story just proves that President Bush is a liar. He keeps telling the american people that the voilence in the Middle East is decreasing adn things are improving. I say if they don't want our soldiers over there then bring them home. My condolances to the families of the service men and women who have died in this senseless war. I continue to pray for our soldiers safe return every day. I can't believe are goverment allows this to continue since it was started on a lie by the President. There were no weapons of mass destruction and still he continues to put are service men and women in harms way.

[gunnerv1]

The mandate for Freedom is written in the blood of our Servicemen, as it has been, as it will ever be.

[formrusmcsgt]

Bush has taken the definition of "incompetence" to an entirely new level.

US casualties continue to climb.

$2 billion American dollars a week flow from our treasury into Iraq.

Maliki's government is in a shambles.

60,000 new Iraqi refugees are created each month.

Our own 16 intelligence agencies determined that the occupation causes more terrorism rather than diminish it.

And yet, Bush calls all this "progress".......

[crater7]

STAY THE COURSE AND SURGE ON.

[radiob-2009]

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Defense Department sold more than hundreds of aircraft parts that could be used on F-14 fighter jets - a plane flown only by Iran - after announcing it had halted sales of such surplus, government investigators say.

In a report issued Wednesday, the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, said the Defense Department had improved security in its surplus program to prevent improper sales of sensitive items.

But investigators found that roughly 1,400 parts that could be used on F-14 Tomcat fighter jets were sold in February. That came after the Pentagon announced it had suspended sales of all parts that could be used on the Tomcat while it reviewed the security situation.

[drinuk]

A thought for all those grieving families this morning. Far too much Blood and Tears spilt over this so-called war on terror. Lives gone forever, thousands maimed both physically and mentally and enough weapons missing to equip another army. This administration could not run a P i s s Up in a brewery, they are a disgrace.

Come on Ron Paul, get your backside on that Oval office chair and bring these people home.

[missingamerica]

But July was better...

[mikekleber]

My father spent two years in Korea in an Army tank. He was in combat every month there. He never talks about Korea. He has said combat is complete ghore. My father has also said "no one should be able to vote or decide to send troops into combat unless they themselves were in combat.Dick Cheney is the one who nauseates me the most. He glorifies the war and says that every life lost is worth the sacrifice. Cheney received deferments, Bush ducked thanks to his dad. My prayers to the families of those killed. Some day the clowns in the Bush regime will have to answer to a higher authority. They will probably lie, their usual response. To them, good luck in hell.

[jetranger7]

Ya hear that CHENEY, ya, their gonna welcome us with roses and open arms, you just forgot to tell everybody, what kinds of arms "FIRE ARMS" ! Ol' CHENEY & RUMSFIELD sure blew a bunch of smoke up everybodys Azz, when they told that one, thats a history moment of outright Stupidity ! Give Cheney and the others a helmet, and 1 bottle of tainted drinking water and send them to the Front Lines !!! :):) !

[nyckate]

LOL -- those nasty perverted hypocritical republicans are at it again!!!

Glenn Murphy, President of Yopung Republicans Club has resigned - cause he's been charged with sexuallt assaulting a young (sleeping) man in his sister's house - seems the guy woke up and was the unhappy and unwilling recipient of a BJ from Murphy!!

[nyckate]

LOL -- those nasty perverted hypocritical republicans are at it again!!!

Glenn Murphy, President of Yopung Republicans Club has resigned - cause he's been charged with sexuallt assaulting a young (sleeping) man in his sister's house - seems the guy woke up and was the unhappy and unwilling recipient of a BJ from Murphy!!

[j-whitman]

SNAFU -- BIG TIME

[emtak1]

I don't see how those numbers add up. Was there a chopper lost or something?

26 is a lot of soldiers down.

[iceman_1960]

"Lars and the Real Girl" (2007 film)

"A delusional young guy strikes up an unconventional relationship with a doll he finds on the Internet."

(Ryan Gosling played the title role after Sean Penn turned it down.)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805564/

[iceman_1960]

More from imdb (Internet Movie DataBase)

"Lars and the Real Girl" (2007 film)

"A delusional young guy strikes up an unconventional relationship with a doll he finds on the Internet."

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805564/