August Is 2nd Deadliest Month For Iraqis

Recent Suicide Attacks Cause Civilian Deaths To Rise Slightly Since July; Over 1,800 Killed

(AP)  Civilian deaths rose slightly in August from July's figure as a huge suicide attack in the north two weeks ago offset security gains elsewhere, according to figures compiled Saturday by The Associated Press.

U.S. deaths remained well below figures from last winter when the U.S began dispatching 30,000 additional troops to Iraq.

At least 1,809 civilians were killed in the month, compared to 1,760 in July, based on figures compiled by the AP from official Iraqi reports. That brings to 27,564 the number of Iraqi civilians killed since AP began collecting data on April 28, 2005.

The August total included 520 people killed in quadruple suicide bombings on Yazidi communities near the Syrian border. The horrific attacks made Aug. 14 was the single deadliest day since the war began in March 2003.

Eighty-five coalition troops - 81 American and four British - died in August, down from 88 the month before, including 79 Americans. The average rate of 2.74 coalition deaths per day was the second lowest since the surge began, and down from a peak of 4.23 per day in May.

U.S. officials have maintained that violence is declining in Iraq in the run-up to a series of reports to Congress this month that will decide the course of the U.S. military presence here.

The top U.S. commander, Gen. David Petraeus, was quoted Friday as saying the troop increase has sharply reduced sectarian killings in Baghdad. Petraeus is expected to make the same point when he reports to Congress in about two weeks.

"If you look at Baghdad, which is hugely important because it is the center of everything in Iraq, you can see the density plot on ethno-sectarian deaths," the Australian newspaper quoted him as saying during an interview in the Iraqi capital.

"It's a bit macabre but some areas were literally on fire with hundreds of bodies every week and a total of 2,100 in the month of December '06, Iraq-wide. It is still much too high but we think in August in Baghdad it will be as little as one quarter of what it was," the newspaper quoted Petraeus, who gave no specific figures.

American hopes brightened this week when the most powerful Shiite militia leader, Muqtada al-Sadr, ordered a halt to attacks by his Mahdi Army for up to six months to reorganize and purge it of unruly factions that the U.S. maintains are armed and trained by Iran.

"If implemented, Sadr's order holds the prospect of allowing coalition and Iraqi security forces to intensify their focus on al Qaeda-Iraq and on protecting the Iraqi population," the U.S. military said in a statement Saturday.

The statement said an end to Mahdi Army violence "would also be an important step in helping Iraqi authorities focus greater attention on achieving the political and economic solutions necessary for progress and less on dealing with criminal activity, sectarian violence, kidnappings, assassinations, and attacks on Iraqi and coalition forces."

The government-run newspaper Sabah published a front-page editorial Saturday praising al-Sadr's declaration as "a correct decision" and urged other militia leaders to follow suit.

Despite those comments, U.S. and Iraqi forces have not let up on raids against extremists in Shiite areas.

Before daybreak Saturday, Iraqi and American forces raided Sadr City, the Baghdad stronghold of the Mahdi Army, detaining eight people and demolishing several cars with tanks, according to a police officer speaking on condition of anonymity. Associated Press Television News video from the scene showed several crushed cars on the street.

The U.S. military did not respond to a request for information on the raid. American commanders routinely refer to extremists targeted in raids as "rogue elements," implying they may be beyond al-Sadr's control.

Leaflets scattered around Sadr City urged people to report on Shiite militants who are cooperating with the Iranians, providing a cell phone number and a yahoo.com e-mail address.

"The criminal Iraqis who work with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards are toys under Persian control," read one of the leaflets, which pictured a puppet dancing on strings. "Iranian Revolutionary Guards are interfering in Iraq's affairs while Iraqis are dying."

Armed Shiite groups are locked in a struggle for power in Shiite areas of the capital and in the Shiite heartland of the south, which includes major religious shrines and vast oil wealth. Control of the shrines offers not only prestige but access to huge sums of money donated by Shiites from around the world.

As part of that power struggle, gunmen on a motorcycle assassinated Muslim al-Batat, an aide to the country's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, police said. The attack occurred in Basra, where numerous militias are competing for power.

[mcvet]

I wonder how the Gestapo will spin THIS???

[radiob-2009]

Armed Shiite groups are locked in a struggle for power in Shiite areas of the capital and in the Shiite heartland of the south, which includes major religious shrines and vast oil wealth. Control of the shrines offers not only prestige but access to huge sums of money donated by Shiites from around the world.



The key words in this is the "wealth" and "money" . There are multiple civil wars raging Shiite on Shiite, Sunni on Sunni and neither of those wars are about "religion" they are about "power and wealth" . Religion hijacked once again over "power and wealth" .

[drummer94]

Way to go shrub! You are really showing that region what democracy is all about. Dem folks are just lovin ya. Fool.

[radiob-2009]

Drummer "they are dancing in the streets" to avoid the suicide bombers, and are bringing "dead flowers" for their losses. Bush said the Iraqis would be "dancing in the streets and bestowing flowers" he just left out the WHY.

[drummer94]

radiob: Man, I just don''t see an out for us anymore. Do you? America has tired of this shiit, but when we leave, how do we redeem ourselves, and can we? Will the Iraqi''s thank us, or will they hate us even more? I think even if we do split, we will be hauled in to an even bigger struggle. Friggin'' loony-toon and his band of morons obviously did not think this through. I have a 20 year-old son who, when we do talk, thinks our "leader" is an idiot. Even he can''t see any good coming out of this. I''ll drive him to canuck-land myself before the draft comes.

[hungry1968]

If those maniac murderous jihadists would understand that they are worshipping the devil, not God, then these types of things would not happen.

Jihadists are totally demon possessed.
Posted by singinrick at 06:43 AM : Sep 01, 2007


You''re right as usual. Your flavor of religion is the right one and everyone else''s religion is wrong.

Who urged Bush to attack Iraq? God or the devil? It seems to me that if there really was a god, which there isn''t, he would have prevented the needless murder of 700,000 Iraqi''s and 3700 American troops. Unless of course your god likes death, war, and destruction. And looking back at Christians history, I think he really does like it. Why else would Pope Pius II join Hitler and Mussolini?

[drummer94]

hungry: no offense intended and I don''t like debating religious issues on this forum, but are you SURE there is no God? I like to keep my options open, just in case. I think it makes me a better human to my fellow humans. Please don''t get ricky goin, like lars, he never knows when to stop.

[radiob-2009]

Posted by drummer94

I have not really seen a "exit" strategy by anyone that factors in all of the variables. There are non violent, non military options to lessen the violence not being employed. These would have to come from the Iraqi "govenrment" and not from the US. The majority of "suicide attacks" require the usage of a "vehicle" which is dependent upon "gas" . Gas rationing ID cards that are assign to a owner and a vehicle along with Odometer readings along with actual "rationing" of gas should reduce some of the attacks.Border security has to be strengthen, every "vehicle or individual" coming into or leaving Iraq needs to be completely searched.I do not see any "quick" solutions.

[drummer94]

Send that suggestion to Patraeus radio. Good one. Don''t send it to George, he wouldn''t understand.

[hungry1968]

hungry: no offense intended and I don''''t like debating religious issues on this forum, but are you SURE there is no God? I like to keep my options open, just in case. I think it makes me a better human to my fellow humans. Please don''''t get ricky goin, like lars, he never knows when to stop.
Posted by drummer94 at 08:31 AM : Sep 01, 2007



If there truly was an all knowing, all seeing, all powerful being that loved us, cared for us, and wanted us to prosper, would he let us go on like we have warring, killing, raping, and plundering?

I believe that there is no god. And if there is a god, he has to be a pretty bad entity to let the world go down it''s current path without intervening. Certainly not a "god" that I want to follow, no matter what flavor of religion you''re talking about. One flavor of religion is just as bad as the other guys flavor of religion.

[pastdue1]

On Sept. 15th, it would seem that besides Bush, Cheney, Davis, Petraeus and Pace that Congress should hear a direct report from some Iraqis ~ not only the puppet, Maliki, but at least one delegate from each faction, are we not strong enough to hear from a group that differs with us. After all, the Iraqis are also dying each month, they have been most affected by the war and the surge, they certainly have first hand knowledge. It would do some good to hear reports directly from the horse''s mouth in a controlled setting rather than what someone says they say or think. Besides, if they are, as Bush claims, a sovereign nation and a democracy, they certainly have the right to have some input.

[drummer94]

Ok hungry. I have learned not to question why good people in our lives die, and bad people keep on truckin. Da God I believe (not "follow") has a plan. This, to me, just can''t be random acts of nuttiness. This war. Other wars. People doing stuuuuupid things to other people. We sometimes forget our mortality. You, me, the people close and far away from us, hey! we''re gone. A coupla blips on lifes radar. I garner a small dose of serenity just by thinking that life, as cruel as it can be sometimes, will get better, someway somehow. And what is wrong with that?

[radiob-2009]

Nothing drummer and as much as some people doubt the existence of a "God" they cannot prove his non existence 100% no more than a believer can prove his existence 100%.I, like you try to stay away from a religious discussion on these boards. Seems the greater threat to the world is the twisting of "beliefs and the "religion" of ones politics than actual beleif in a "God". All going back to a quest for "power" over others. Our nation has become a nation of "political religious" fanatics. You are either a "democrat or a republican worshipper" drinking from either the "golden elephant or the golden donkey". Where are the statesmen?

[mcvet]

If those maniac murderous jihadists would understand that they are worshipping the devil, not God, then these types of things would not happen.

Jihadists are totally demon possessed.
Posted by singinrick at 06:43 AM : Sep 01, 2007

Ricky?? What ARE you babbling about here? The ISSUE is the competence of OUR leader not other people. You haven''t been Toe Tappin have you sparky? You sure sound like someone who has swallowed all that snake oil sold by the Toe Tappin Association, to keep you simple minded bigots in line. These people NEVER asked for all this death and did NOTHING to deserve it but you "Good Christian Conservatives" never EVER discuss that FACT.. YOU know the FACT that there were NO weapons nor ANY threat to justify this invasion and occupation. May you suffer greatly by your idols of clay Rick... Can you say "HYPOCRIT" Ricky? Sieg Heil and Amen.

[formrusmcsgt]

Dubya will find a way to use this data as evidence of "progress" once it''s taken through the spin process......

[formrusmcsgt]

I garner a small dose of serenity just by thinking that life, as cruel as it can be sometimes, will get better, someway somehow. And what is wrong with that?
Posted by drummer94 at 09:51 AM : Sep 01, 2007

Religion is all about a "warm fuzzy".

[lars008-2009]

it is fascist nazi terrorislam stupid%u2026.

non muslims of the world unite... fight against the tyranny of the fascist nazi terrorslam imperialist empire of the darkside...

I was a fanatic...I know their thinking, says former radical Islamist
By blaming the Government for our actions, those who pushed this "Blair''s bombs" line did our propaganda work for us.
More important, they also helped to draw away any critical examination from the real engine of our violence: Islamic theology.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=465570&in_page_id=1770
Bless the Beasts and Children
Fascist nazi terrorslam kills every man woman and child in the village again%u2026 typical mo for terrorslam%u2026
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/bless-the-beasts-and-children.htm

Our Prophet commanded us to fight the kaafirs when we are able and to attack them in their homelands and to give them three choices before we enter their lands: either they become Muslim and be like us, sharing our rights and duties; or they pay the jizyah (poll tax) and feel themselves subdued; or they fight, in which case their wealth, women, children and homes become permissible as booty for the Muslims.
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=13759&ln=eng&txt=before%20islam%20arabia%20pagan

the truth about fascist nazi terrorislam...
http://www.terrorismawareness.org/what-really-happened/

[drummer94]

mcsgt" I like the "warm fuzzy" feeling. I, personally, experienced some nasty shiit that left me reeling. The comfort came, I don''t know how, but it came. And yeah, it felt warm and fuzzy. I was out of tears, so there just HAD to be more. If that is some kind of religion, so be it.

[j-whitman]

Hey Bush you lying SOB --- How much progress in security ???????

[ubrew12]

formrusmcsgt said: "Religion is all about a "warm fuzzy". " Even if there is no God, the butteryfly effect guarantees that our actions have consequences for the universe, and the further out the timeline you travel, the greater those consequences are. That''s some kind of immortality, for sure. That''s why morality ''matters''. I don''t accept (as a general rule, not as a religious absolute) that forcing people to respect freedom and democracy at the point of a gun teaches them anything but the value of guns. And that lesson reverberates through history the further out you go. So, God or no, ''doing the right thing'' matters.

[dissidentman]

The Iraqi people have an opportunity to grasp freedom from the claws of the radical jihadsadists. Yeah I know...I know... Bush is the real radical and he is to blame for all the worlds woes. But the truth is that the insurjents have no problem blowing up Muslim women & children so the world press can spin it to blame Bush and the U.S. military. Isn''t it strange how the "free" thinkers of the world will not condem the jihadsadists for murdering the the humanity of Iraq?

[radiob-2009]

During the past decade we have witnessed dramatic changes in the nature of the terrorist threat. In the 1990s, right-wing extremism overtook left-wing terrorism as the most dangerous domestic terrorist threat to the country.


You are partially correct we created the power vacumm in Iraq and therefore bear some "moral" responsibiltys to the Iraqis. I know this thought does not sit well with many of the anti-war crowd which I am one of but it is the truth.The Iraqis also have a "moral" repsonsiblity to their fellow Iraqis, the concept of a "democracy" is lost upon a great deal of the Iraqis not understanding that in order to have a "democracy" one must have some unity.

[ubrew12]

radiob said: "You are partially correct we created the power vacumm in Iraq and therefore bear some "moral" responsibiltys to the Iraqis."
The movie ''No End in Sight'', now in theaters, is a blow-by-blow accounting of how that power vacuum was created in 2003-2004. It''s very matter-of-fact, which makes the arrogance displayed by the coalition provisional authority all the more criminal in its conduct. I would guess 2000 of the American soldiers who''ve died so far owe their deaths to the CPA, which single-handedly extended the focus of the war from disenfranchising Saddam Hussein to disenfranchising one-third of the Iraqi population. Must-see viewing.

[pastdue1]

"If implemented, Sadr''s order holds the prospect of allowing coalition and Iraqi security forces to intensify their focus on al Qaeda-Iraq and on protecting the Iraqi population," the U.S. military said in a statement Saturday.

I''m still terribly confused about the coalition security forces that the military talks about. Can anyone clarify WHO and HOW MANY they are? Or is this just a propaganda catch word?

[drummer94]

Hi ya j-whit. Terable, terrible,terriible, that we have to call our president a liar...... and worse. Our nation is in peril.

[j-whitman]

pastue,,,, They are there, but as in our own situation,, The numbers are only fractional compaired with what''s needed ---- That goes to the question of barely able to maintain security in a few areas & the lack of security progress..
.. The countries police are corrupt & mostly consist of Saddam Loyalists, ex-Saddam policemen, Sunni & Shiite insurgents & sectarian divisions... THERE IS NO PROGRESS IN SECURITY

[j-whitman]

drummer94,,, It is a shame indeed ---- Just listen to him talk about how he is going to help home owners,, He brags about more people owning homes & his so-called ownership is the result of his administration ----- They created the problem in the 1st place.
.. I''m still getting mailers from the FHA trying to scam my father into into selling his house to them, under the guise of relieving him of a house payment ---
-- Bush lies today,,, He won''t even tell you the truth on how little control he has,,, Our mortgages are funded by a totally un-regulated fund industry that sells thier investments to foreign banks & to the highest bidder...

[drummer94]

Fer cryin out loud, j, sounds like the carpet-baggers of old! Someone said Bush lies, troops die. Thanks to the Hubbard family. We will try to do better, regardless of shrub''s "policies". And da prik still has that stupid smirk on his face.

[j-whitman]

I''m listening to Ron Paul in Las Vegas --- That dude is calling it right..... Terrorism as we define it was created by us by our foreign policies of creating artificial borders & disposing of elected leaders in foregn countries for representing thier own people.... It goes back to WW 1 ---
--- Our good intentions of westernizing, nation or democracy building created the blow back we see today in the form of terrorism

[radiob-2009]

Are you going to defect from the democrats J and vote for Ron Paul regardless of who gets the nomination?

[j-whitman]

radio,,,, Nope, another republican will result in more calimity & loss of the Supreme Court, our Constitution & less government accountability among other things.
.. I''m not sure I agree with his idea of the USA withdrawing from the UN,, & I certainly don''t agree with republicans on trade, security, economy or much else.

[j-whitman]

Radio,,, CSPAN 2 has on the Freedom Fair in Vegas,, intresting arguments from all sides of the issue -
--- Republicans admit not nowing the long history of the issue they are more concerned with 9/11, & still trying to interpret what lack of freedoms is,, the same old rhetorical "We are fignthing for thier freedoms" & is misconscrewed to incourage thier policies...
.... Sun Tzu, Chinese General 500 BC said --- "Know your enemy & know yourself & you can fight a hundred battles without desaster." ---- He was right ------- Bush failed on both

[j-whitman]

Getting back to the Big Question --- What progress ???

[seven-pesos]

southerners hope to elect another faith professing, conservative republican.

the south hopes to win the all time loser''s award.

jefferson davis lost his war...
johnson lost his war...
bush will lose his war...

if the south can lose just one more war,

they will beat the french for most wars lost, ever!

ha,ha,ha.


those idiot southern republican christian creeps ought to stay in church and out of politics

the south can''t be depended upon to do the right thing for america.

[iceman_1960]

"...are you SURE there is no God? I like to keep my options open, just in case..."
- Posted by drummer94 at 08:31 AM : Sep 01, 2007

Are you sure there''s only one ? What if there are 15 billion other gods angry that you devoted all your worship to the god of the Bible.

According to Paul, in Athens there was an altar to "an unknown god" -- just in case there was a deity they missed. (I bet singinrick has one of those in his backyard.)

I don''t think even that "covers all bases."

["Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD." - Acts 17:22-23]

[mcvet]

But the truth is that the insurjents have no problem blowing up Muslim women & children so the world press can spin it to blame Bush and the U.S. military. Isn''''t it strange how the "free" thinkers of the world will not condem the jihadsadists for murdering the the humanity of Iraq?
Posted by dissidentman at 01:17 PM : Sep 01, 2007

Maybe the TRUTH is what YOU have NOT been told there sparky. the "Jihadsadist" are not killing these folks, it''s a CIVIL War with a small percentage of Al Qaeda mixed in thanks to Bush! Al Qaeda was NEVER there before we arrived. You have bought the tangled lies of this Administration and fail to understand that WE disbanded the Army in Iraq and thus assumed responisbility for the nations security. No Weapons, No Threat, NO reason for WAR! Sieg Heil Bush

[iceman_1960]

Bush...still conflating Iraq and 9/11, as recently as 5 days ago.

Bush is dancing on the graves of the victims of 9/11, just to keep this lousy war going to save his lousy face.

"It''s in our interests that we help the Iraqi people succeed. Success in Iraq will be a major blow to the extremists and radicals who would like to attack America again. And that''s why the United States will continue to support Iraq''s leaders and all the Iraqi people in their efforts to overcome the forces of terror that seek to overthrow a nascent democracy." - George W. Bush, August 27, 2007

[cbville72]

those idiot southern republican christian creeps ought to stay in church and out of politics

the south can''''t be depended upon to do the right thing for america.

Posted by seven-pesos at 07:52 PM : Sep 01, 2007

Hey 7 pesos!
I guess you found your green card.
Was it under the seat of your low rider?

[cbville72]

Getting back to the Big Question --- What progress ???
Posted by j-whitman at 07:10 PM : Sep 01, 2007

UMM I guess you missed reading 101? If you would have actually read the article before you rolled out your continual liberal politics on every topic under the sun, perhaps you would leran something.

American hopes brightened this week when the most powerful Shiite militia leader, Muqtada al-Sadr, ordered a halt to attacks by his Mahdi Army for up to six months to reorganize and purge it of unruly factions that the U.S. maintains are armed and trained by Iran.

"If implemented, Sadr''s order holds the prospect of allowing coalition and Iraqi security forces to intensify their focus on al Qaeda-Iraq and on protecting the Iraqi population," the U.S. military said in a statement Saturday

[radiob-2009]

Cynical me, I figure Sadr is waiting things out and regrouping his power base and look for a "tet offensive" from his group.

[j-whitman]

cbville72,,,, The British Generals will tell you something completly different, they are turning over Basra at all cost.. As they are Iraqi''s Militia''s are killing them..
.. Secretary of State Condi Rice can''t get 1 lick of help from the Saudi''s, they are sick of our failures.
.. Iraq''s government is further away from reconcelation than ever before.
... Looting is so out of control In Baghdad because of the lack of Security Bush boasts about progress the Baghdad Museum is countineously ransacked.
...

[j-whitman]

cbville72 ---- Iraq civilian casualties well exceed 1,800 deaths & is excellerating ------ THERE IS NO SECURITY IN IRAQ.

[j-whitman]

cbville72 --- The only thing you read is the space between the lines. ----- And you blame Liberal Politics,,,, Enlist & Serve Your Country

[j-whitman]

Getting back to the Big Q --- What progress ???

[radiob-2009]

Armed Shiite groups are locked in a struggle for power in Shiite areas of the capital and in the Shiite heartland of the south, which includes major religious shrines and vast oil wealth. Control of the shrines offers not only prestige but access to huge sums of money donated by Shiites from around the world.


Sounds like what the Chathman House called it, multiple civil wars raging in Iraq. Shiite on Shiite and Sunni on Sunni and the other civil wars Sunnis on Shiites and all about power.

[toolmangler-2009]

Sounds like a prelude to another "Tet Offensive"

I know of several Old Soldiers that post here that should agree with me on this. Pardon me while I seek cover.
Posted by ToolMangler at 05:42 PM : Aug 31, 2007

Thought I''d repost this incase you missed it.

[stevex47]

cbville,

You aren''t attacking the Clintons enough in your arguments.

[toolmangler-2009]

HiYa'' radio, j'', I think we might be on the same track here.

[j-whitman]

Radio,,, In that Tet Offensive we had around 500,000 troops including coalition members over 4,000 KIA --- We don''t even have half those numbers in Iraq.

[radiob-2009]

Tool I never missed it, I commented on it. If anyone thinks Sadr is lying down for the good of "Iraq" then they must be smoking some heavy duty opium or taking LSD. He is going to wait, consolidate his base and then attack again.

I made this comment a few mths back and received alot of critism for it. How much of this so called sectrain violence is sectarian? How much of it is the other sect blaming the other side with actions that they are carrying out? This is about POWER more than religion.