The Good News From Iraq thread

[USN_Squid]

From Michael Yon:
"I photographed men and women, both Christians and Muslims, placing a cross atop the St. John's Church in Baghdad. They had taken the cross from storage and a man washed it before carrying it up to the dome. A Muslim man had invited the American soldiers from 'Chosen' Company 2-12 Cavalry to the church, where I videotaped as Muslims and Christians worked and rejoiced at the reopening of St John's, an occasion all viewed as a sign of hope. The Iraqis asked me to convey a message of thanks to the American people. 'Thank you, thank you,' the people were saying. One man said, 'Thank you for peace.' Another man, a Muslim, said 'All the people, all the people in Iraq, Muslim and Christian, is brother.' The men and women were holding bells, and for the first time in memory freedom rang over the ravaged land between two rivers. (Videotape to follow.)"

Any bets that MSM won't take Michael up on this offer?:
Michael Yon is making this photograph available to media outlets, such as print publications and cable and television news broadcasts, at no cost for a limited period of time.

[leejo]

From A19 of today's NYT:

Militant Group Is Out of Baghdad, U.S. Says

And! From today's London Times:

First Sunni-Shia 'fatwa against violence' to be signed in Iraq

[Gillespie]

As good a place as any.

I'm the one doing the filming.


"La" means "no", for reference.

[MagnaCentipede]

"at no cost for a limited period of time."

It's a trap. He can't Public Domain, or even Commons-Attribution a single photograph in the name of showing the world that Iraq is becomming a better place? No, this is a trap. He wants the photo to spread around, and then unleash lawyers demanding royalties after Limited Period Of Time expires.

[USN_Squid]

Originally Posted by MagnaCentipede

"at no cost for a limited period of time."

It's a trap. He can't Public Domain, or even Commons-Attribution a single photograph in the name of showing the world that Iraq is becomming a better place? No, this is a trap. He wants the photo to spread around, and then unleash lawyers demanding royalties after Limited Period Of Time expires.

Take a look around his site and educate yourself with the history of why he is doing this before you make a judgement.

[leejo]

Reuters is talking about improvements in Iraq!

http://www.reuters.com/article/lates.../idUSL18093319

I love the URL ...latestCrisis... nice to know how they file their stories.

Anyway,

Iraqi and U.S. officials have reported sharp falls in Iraqi and U.S. military casualties in the past two months after a "surge" of 30,000 extra U.S. troops was completed in mid-June.

Improving Iraqi security forces and the spread of neighbourhood police units, mainly organised by Sunni Arab tribal sheikhs to drive out al Qaeda fighters, have also made significant contributions to a more stable Iraq, officials say.

[USN_Squid]

A new poll of Iraqi's shows vast improvements in security, confidence in the future and economic outlook.

"Fifty-five percent of Iraqis say things in their own lives are going well, well up from 39 percent as recently as August. More, 62 percent, rate local security positively, up 19 points. And the number who expect conditions nationally to improve in the year ahead has doubled, to 46 percent in this new national poll by ABC News, the BBC, ARD German TV and the Japanese broadcaster NHK.

Even the hostility to the US has begun to fade. A large plurality, 49%, now believe the US was right to invade, up 15 points since last August and the highest such result since 2004. The number who believe attacks on American troops are acceptable dropped 15 points, but remains at 42%. While a large majority dislike having foreign troops in their country, only 38% want an immediate withdrawal of American forces — maybe less than what one might find in the US. As many as 80% want the US to remain engaged in Iraq for other purposes, such as fighting terrorists, especially al-Qaeda, military training, and keeping Iran and Turkey at bay."

[ScratchMonkey]

Any idea how those 18% (38 - (100-80)) want a withdrawal and engagement at the same time?

[Kerostasis]

I don't know exactly, but several US Congressmen have made the same request, so it seems to be a fairly common line of thought.

[USN_Squid]

Originally Posted by ScratchMonkey

Any idea how those 18% (38 - (100-80)) want a withdrawal and engagement at the same time?

I believe that was question #34 here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/h...lmarch2008.pdf The question asks what the US should be involved in while they're in the country, which is not mutually exclusive with the "should they stay or go" question.

[USN_Squid]

Another benevolent CAIR member indicted. This is actually good news from the US, but related to Iraq:


Former worker for Muslim charity in Southfield accused of being Hussein spy

An Iraqi-American from Michigan who worked for a Southfield charity has been accused of working as a spy for the Iraqi government under Saddam Hussein, according to a federal indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Detroit.

The indictment also alleges that Iraqi intelligence officials used an intermediary in Michigan to help fund a trip to Iraq taken by U.S. members of Congress in 2002.

[El_Gringo_Grande]

This could, and I stress could, be very good news

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle...C36F25F44.html

The Iraq government looks to be pulling it's thumb out of it's butt a bit and taking the lead without overwhelming US help. They are trying to bring some stability to Al-Basrah. You know, the place the Brits pulled out of.

Of course if it fails then my worst fears are confirmed. Lets hope they succeed.

[AMosely]

Originally Posted by El_Gringo_Grande

This could, and I stress could, be very good news. The Iraq government looks to be pulling it's thumb out of it's butt a bit and taking the lead without overwhelming US help. They are trying to bring some stability to Al-Basrah. You know, the place the Brits pulled out of.

Of course if it fails then my worst fears are confirmed. Lets hope they succeed.

I was wondering why nobody had mentioned this yet - there has been heavy fighting between Al-Sadr's militia and the Iraqi military for a couple of days now. Lots of media coverage. US and Brits are apparently providing support but are not front-line fighting.

There is quite a bit riding on this, including any hope of US troop withdrawal in the near future.

[USN_Squid]

BAGHDAD (AFP) — The US military is to hand over security control of the former Sunni insurgent bastion of Anbar province to Iraqi forces in the next 10 days, a US military spokesman announced on Monday.

"The handover of Anbar is expected to take place in the next 10 days," Lieutenant David Russell told AFP, declining to provide an exact date.

Anbar would be the tenth of Iraq's 18 provinces to be handed back to Iraqi forces by the US-led coalition amid a push to transfer security control of the entire country back to Baghdad.

[Kerostasis]

Casualties from IED attacks in Iraq are down almost 90% from last year, say Military Commanders.