Iraq Update
It got pretty messy there last month. So we have to send more troops? The planned date for elections seems to be a problem as well. Oh well, just read the stories below and Juan Cole and you'll be caught up.

Imagine this is your town, your home and your son
Falluja 'a horror' after U.S.-led offensive

Mahmoud Zubari and his family fled their home in Falluja after it was bombed and his 13-year-old son was killed.

[and]

"All the wealth will not bring back my son, but now I have to think of the future for the rest of my children," said Zubari's wife, Selma. "What will become of us?"

That is now a family of ten, was eleven. Do you think anyone in that household is still sympathetic to the resistance? What would you do if this was happening in your neighborhood?

Escalation!
U.S. Troop Level In Iraq To Grow

The Pentagon said yesterday that it will boost the number of U.S. troops in Iraq to about 150,000, the highest level since the U.S. occupation began 19 months ago.

Here's one for the reality based community
Insurgency broken? Far from it

A senior American commander made the mistake of telling reporters that the military offensive that eventually captured a largely depopulated and destroyed Fallujah had "broken the back of the insurgency" across Iraq.

It did not, of course. It could not.

Someone's feeling left out
Sunnis warn of civil war over timing of election

THE largest Sunni party in Iraq gave warning yesterday of civil war unless the January 30 elections are delayed to allow it to compete on equal terms.

- posted by Mom/Dad @ 6:45 AM