20 November 2007
I’m happy to hear that attacks are down in Iraq according to the U.S. military. Attacks being down is not enough for me. Sunday, while giving out candy and gifts, 3 soldiers and 3 children were killed by an explosion in Baquba. This is not acceptable. The Iraqi government has done nothing to stop sectarian violence and our military is stressed beyond reason. Of the million plus Iraqis who have been displaced about 20,000 have returned to their old neighborhoods in Baghdad. It’s a step in the right direction but a drop in the bucket. The people returning are
ignoring risks and overriding fears to reclaim their lives while uncertain abut their future.
The American military is paying local Sunni volunteers to help them in Southern Ghazaliya but the Shiites in the northern part see that as arming one side. The military calls the volunteers heroes who are part of a nationwide campaign known as the Sunni Awakening. Shiites say that some of the Awakening members are Al Qaeda who have joined them. It will be interesting to see what happens with the use of these “paid” volunteers.
I hope that the reduction of violence in Baghdad continues but I think that the whole situation is pretty iffy.
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