MAINSTREAM MEDIA IGNORES HOW ANBAR PROVINCE IN IRAQ IS HEATING UP

The mainstream media continues to "spike" any story reflecting on the deteriorating conditions in Iraq. The mainstream media in the United States can no longer be trusted to give Americans information on the spiraling out of control violence in Anbar and now other provinces in Iraq.

It was only a few months ago, President Bush, General Petraeus and FOX NEWS were shouting from the rooftops about how "the surge" had brought peace and quiet to Anbar Province.

That has all gone down the drain now and Anbar is falling apart. The violence is spreading to other provinces as Iraq heads into the blistering summer months with one province after another feeling "the surge," only this time "the surge" is the "the surge" of violence by insurgents, Al Qaeda and the Mehdi Army all who HATE the United States.

Editorial comment by BILL CORCORAN, editor of CORKSPHERE.

Is Diyala Heating Up, or is This Business as Usual?

by: Chris LeJeune
Wed May 28, 2008 at 12:36:22 PM EDT
http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1351

A number of different stories over the past few days suggest that Anbar might not be the only province starting to heat up.

Security authorities released 160 detainees from Iraqi detention centers through the Diala police department after proving that they were not involved in any criminal acts, the chief of local police said on Wednesday morning.

"The Diala police freed 160 detainees from the Bucca detention center in Basra and Karkoush jail in Baladruz after they had been proven not guilty of involvement in any crime," General Ghanem al-Qureshi told Aswat al-Iraq - Voices of Iraq - (VOI). "The total number of detainees released as of January 2008 until now reached 1,435," the general explained.

Detainee release has been happening across Iraq for several years now, and by itself does not seem to point to any increase in violence. However, that story was from today, and was followed by a number of other stories also released in the last 72 hours.

"An explosive charge detonated, this morning, in al-Khwelis village near Ba'aquba, killing a civilian and wounding another,"

Two civilians were killed and a third was wounded on Wednesday as a roadside bomb exploded in Diala province, central Iraq, a local official source said.

Both of those attacks were from today, this was from yesterday:
At least an Iraqi soldier was killed and another wounded on Tuesday morning as gunmen attacked a checkpoint in Diala, central Iraq, a police source said. "Gunmen, believed to be from Qaeda Organization, launched an attack on a checkpoint manned by Iraqi troops in Hibhib district, killing a soldier and wounding another,"

Even the livestock isn't safe:
Four shepherds disappeared along with their livestock on Monday in the desert areas in southwest Baaquba, an official security source said. "Four herdsmen disappeared today in the desert area in Baladruz, southwest of Baaquba," "Their families informed security authorities of their disappearance along with scores of livestock," Ba'aquba, the capital of Diyala, lies 57 km northeast of Baghdad.

So, is this normal for Diyala province, or a sign of change? Could this be related to the detainee releases, or AQI moving from one area into another?