[Pen-l] meanwhile, back in Iraq...

[Jim Devine <jdevine03@xxxxxxxxx>]

from SLATE:
>The New York Times leads with a look at how Iraq's government is celebrating the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from its cities by June 30, which, contrary to what many expected, appears to be moving along right on schedule. ...

> To the surprise of many, American commanders have closed outposts even in cities such as Baghdad and Mosul, where they had tried to maintain some presence but were rejected by Iraqi officials. Prime Minister Nouri Kamal al-Maliki calls it a "great victory," and Tuesday has been declared a national holiday. American officials have largely fulfilled Maliki's demands, and Iraqis are starting to realize they're not seeing as many U.S. troops as they once did patrolling the streets. Far from celebrating though, many Iraqis are worried about the potential of increasing violence, which could end up deteriorating Maliki's power base. Yesterday, at least seven bombs exploded around the country, a day after at least 76 people were killed by a bomb that exploded in Baghdad's Sadr City. "When the Americans get out of city centers, a big war will start," one woman said. (Early-morning wire stories report that a bomb exploded in Baghdad today, killing at least 13 people.)<
-- 
Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own
way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante.
_______________________________________________
pen-l mailing list
pen-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l