In run-up to local elections, Baghdad residents disillusioned despite security improvements
Zaineb Naji, Institute for War and Peace Reporting (Oct 13, 2008)
During the 2005 elections, Abdullah and his brothers hung posters supporting the Shia-led United Iraqi Alliance in his grocery store in Baghdad's al-Mansur district. This year, as Iraq prepares for its provincial council elections - which are expected to be held by early next year - Abdullah's dream of a better life has crumbled and he has little interest in voting or politics. Abdullah once thought that politicians could bolster security and improve living conditions in Iraq. Now he said he remains sorely disappointed and feels unprotected.
Attacks drive thousands of Christians out of Mosul
Report, IRIN (Oct 13, 2008)
Nearly 750 Christian families, about 3,750 individuals, have fled their
homes in Mosul, a city about 400km north of Baghdad, as Sunni Muslim
extremists have increased attacks against this religious minority since
October 4, a local official said on October 11.
Move to allow doctors to carry guns provokes mixed reaction
Report, IRIN (Oct 6, 2008)
On 29 September, the Iraqi government decided to allow every doctor to
carry a gun for personal protection, and approved the construction of
secure residential compounds inside and around hospitals to ensure
security for doctors and their families. Dozens of doctors have been killed and thousands of others have fled the country since the US-led invasion in 2003.
Mixed Marriages Survive Conflict
Hazim al-Shara, Institute for War and Peace Reporting (Sep 24, 2008)
After five years of waiting, Sunni Turkman Mohammed Ali was very happy
to finally marry his fiance and college friend Ahmed Ahmed, a Shia.The marriage, which took place on August 21, had been postponed due to
resistance from the groom's father, who for some time was opposed to
their union as he thought their different religious backgrounds might
come between them. The two - who finally became engaged three months ago - were also
unable to meet for a year during their courtship because the sectarian
violence in the country was so intense. Dressed in a new suit, Ali, 30, looked to his bride sitting next to him in her white gown.
On Anniversary of Civilian Shootings by Blackwater in Iraq, Amnesty International Calls on U.S. Government to Hold Military Contractors Accountable
Report, Amnesty International (Sep 22, 2008)
The deaths of 17 civilians on Sept. 16, 2007, occurred when
Blackwater personnel fired into the streets in Baghdad as the contractors were providing security protection for a U.S.
diplomatic convoy. Both Iraqi and FBI investigations concluded that the shootings represented unjustifiable use of force against civilians. In April, despite Blackwater's history of reports of attacks against
civilians, the State Department renewed its contract with the company
for another term.
Women Officers Hired to Thwart Female Bombers
Emad Al-Sharaa, Zaineb Naji and Tiare Rath , Institute for War and Peace Reporting (Sep 16, 2008)
n all-female civilian security force has been created to try to stem
the threat of women suicide bombers following a summer of bloody
attacks. In addition to the unarmed special unit, the authorities are to gather more
intelligence on the trend. But women activists feel the strategy is
flawed, believing it should be aimed at alleviated poverty. The number of female suicide bombers this year has risen dramatically,
with ten of the estimated 30 attacks in 2008 occurring since June. The
United States military estimates that the figure for 2008 is greater
than the total for the period between 2003 and 2007.
Slow Sunni Integration Could Derail Iraq Successes
Zainab Mineeia and Ali Gharib, Inter Press Service (Sep 10, 2008)
Amid reports that the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri
al-Maliki has launched a campaign to disband the so-called Awakening
Movement, or Sahwa, concerns among analysts and policy makers here is
growing that such an effort could result in a resumption of sectarian
violence, if not civil war. Only a fraction of the estimated 100,000 members of the mainly Sunni
Sahwa, or "Sons of Iraq", has been absorbed into the Iraqi security
forces. The slow pace fans fears that many of the fighters
may resume their fight against the Shi'a-led central government.
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