ANOTHER "PEACEFUL" SUNDAY IN IRAQ: 75 KILLED, 58 WOUNDED

It was just another typical "peaceful" Sunday in Iraq. The "surge" was working like a charm because ONLY 75 Iraqis were KILLED, and ONLY 58 wounded. Condi Rice slipped into Baghdad in the cover of the night with all but the landing lights off on her plane, and then was rushed to the Green Zone while wearing a flak-jacket because "the surge" has been such a roaring success.

While Rice and Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki discussed the fate of Iraq inside the Green Zone, mortar shells and rockets slammed into the Green Zone and at one point Rice and al-Maliki had to be taken to a safer place to continue their talks about how "safte" Iraq has become since the "surge" was introduced by President Bush and General Petraeus.

Also while Rice and al-Maliki were patting each other on the back about how well the "surge" has worked, the rebel cleric Muqtada al-Sadr was preparing his Mehdi Army and suicide bombers for an allout attack on US forces in Baghdad. (see my post below for more details of the upcoming attack by al-Sadr and the Mehdi Army).

While rockets and mortars were screaming into the Green Zone and death was everywhere in Baghdad and across Iraq, Bush and his parrot FOX NEWS were once again LYING to the American public about how well the "surge" is working in Iraq.

Is it that Bush and FOX NEWS can't read, or is it that Bush and FOX NEWS are living in some horrible state of denial and can't face reality?

Probably both!.

Editorial comment by BILL CORCORAN, editor of CORKSPHERE.


Sunday: 75 Iraqis Killed, 58 Wounded

Updated at 6:30 p.m. EDT, April 20, 2008
http://www.antiwar.com/updates/?articleid=12715

Early reports from Sadr City and Baghdad suggest that fighting between the Mahdi army and security forces has increased. Meanwhile, a mass grave has been found near Muqdadiyah. At least 75 Iraqis were killed and another 58 were wounded in violence across Iraq. No Coalition deaths were reported.

A mass grave has been discovered near Muqdadiyah in a Hambes village orchard. This one contained at least 30 decomposed bodies. A second source reported 100 bodies. A third source reported a second grave was found as well.

A day after Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr warned the Iraqi government that he would end his unilateral cease-fire if the government does not stop harassing his followers, fighting in Sadr City and Baghdad has reportedly increased. Clashes continued in Sadr City, but also broke out in New Baghdad and Kubra al Ghizlan.

In Sadr City, nine gunmen were killed at a U.S. checkpoint during retaliatory gunfire. Three gunmen were killed when they were found planting a bomb. Eight more were killed in separate events. Hospital officials said four civilians and two boys were killed in overnight clashes. Another 22 people were wounded.

In Baghdad, a katyusha rocket wounded seven people in Abu Dsheer. Mortars landed on Qanat St. and Husseiniyah, but no casualties were reported. Mortars in Kadhimiya left two dead and 14 wounded. In New Baghdad, five people were injured during a roadside bombing. A bicycle bomb explosion in Abu Ghraib killed two people and wounded four more. Six dumped bodies were found.

Two people were killed and five were wounded during an IED explosion near Diwaniya.
Two contractors were found dead in Rashad.

In Muqdadiyah, an off-duty police officer and his driver were killed during a drive-by shooting. The officer's pregnant wife was wounded.

The Sinjar council official and his brother were found dead just hours after they were kidnapped from their home. Also, gunmen blew up a power plant.

Three minibuses carrying university students near Baquba were stopped and their drivers were kidnapped. In other report, nine students and a driver were kidnapped. A third report noted that Iraqi security forces freed some of the students
.
A weapons cache was found in Mosul.

Gunmen killed a police officer in Suleiman Beg.