DID NEWSWEEK JUMP THE GUN WITH THEIR COVER STORY SAYING IRAQ STANDS ON THE BRINK OF A DEMOCRACY?

NEWSWEEK magazine ran a cover story this week http://www.newsweek.com/id/234281 saying IRAQ stands on the brink of becoming a democracy.

The IRAQ elections are scheduled for next week, March 8, and there are still major differences between the various factions hoping to be elected.

Security has been tightened all over IRAQ as a series of suicide bombings have taken place in the past couple of weeks.

However, according to IRAQ Today, http://warnewstoday.blogspot.com/ the following incidents of violence were reported yesterday in IRAQ:

Reported security incidents

Diyala Prv:#1: Three Iraqi soldiers were wounded on Monday in a bomb explosion targeting their patrol in eastern Baaquba, a security source said.

Kirkuk:#1: In Kirkuk, a missile landed on Monday night in a popular neighborhood in central Kirkuk but did not explode, police sources told Alsumaria News.

#2: A police director in Kirkuk has survived an assassination attempt when an explosive device hit his motorcade in southwestern Kirkuk, a local police chief said on Tuesday. “This morning, Col. Hussein Nemat Hawas, the director of the Dabas police station, Kirkuk, escaped an attempt on his life when an explosive device hit his motorcade near al-Rabe Bridge, southern Kirkuk,” Brig. Sarhad Qader told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. The blast caused damage to one of the vehicles and knocked down an electricity pole, but no casualties were reported, the official explained.

Mosul:#1: One civilian on Tuesday was killed in an armed attack in Mosul City, according to a local security source. “This morning, unknown gunmen driving a vehicle opened fire on a civilian in eastern Mosul, killing him on the spot,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

#2: Two Iraqi servicemen have been injured in an attack on a voting center in eastern Mosul, a local security source said on Tuesday. “Two Iraqi soldiers assigned to protect an electoral center in Zahrat al-Madaen School, al-Tameem neighborhood (eastern Mosul) were wounded when a gunman threw a hand grenade at the center,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

AMAZING VIDEO: "DUST OFF"---MEDEVAC CHOPPER RESCUES WOUNDED U.S. TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN

This is an amazing video because it takes you right on board a "Dust Off" Medevac UH-60 chopper as it is guided to an area in Afghanistan were American soldiers have been wounded.
Listen and watch as ground control directs the "Dust Off" chopper to its destination in the remote area of Afghanistan.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/cVYgsYiE2yU&hl=en_US&fs=1

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RIVETING VIDEO OF MEDEVAC TEAM, KNOWN AS "DUST OFF," EVACUATE WOUNDED FROM AFGHANISTAN BATTLEFIELD

The helicopter Medevac teams in Afghanistan are known as "Dust Off" and this team of well-trained medics are shown at work evacuating U.S. wounded from the battlefield in Afghanistan.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/LiUOsmxcwD8&hl=en_US&fs=1

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MASSIVE TALIBAN ATTACK ON FOB SHARANA AFGHANISTAN (LIVE VIDEO)

Video shows a massive attack by the Taliban on FOB Sharana in Afghanistan.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/bzMtePLxB50&hl=en_US&fs=1

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INCOMING MORTAR ATTACK ON U.S. BASE (LIVE VIDEO)

You can see and hear our troops scrambling for cover as they come under a mortar attack in this video.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/OHFduA_n0rg&hl=en_US&fs=1

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FOLLOWING A U.S. ARMY PATROL THROUGH THE "KILLING FIELDS" OF AFGHANISTAN (RAW VIDEO)

This video shows a U.S. Army platoon on patrol through the dangerous "killing fields" of Afghanistan as they search out the Taliban.

Great music with this excellently filmed video.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/tv5OW1oiVVc&hl=en_US&fs=1

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RISING FEARS AFGHAN POLICE WON'T BE ABLE TO CONTROL MARJAH (LIVE VIDEO)

The goal of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan is to train the Afghan police to take control of security after U.S. and NATO forces have cleared a city like Marjah of all Taliban.

Residents and shop owners in Marjah are happy now, but they worry the Afghan police will start to shake them down like they have done in the past.

Watch video to learn more from this CBS News report by Mandy Clark.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/3riOjJnDOMw&hl=en_US&fs=1

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FRIGHTENING VIDEO SHOWS WHO THE U.S. IS REALLY FIGHTING IN AFGHANISTAN

Most people think the U.S. and its NATO allies are fighting the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, but as this video points out that is not true. The U.S. and NATO are at war with various Islamic groups who all have one goal. That goal is to drive the U.S. and NATO troops out of Afghanistan.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/fWT1kqoeszI&hl=en_US&fs=1

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AFGHAN AND PAKISTAN PROTEST U.S. DRONE ATTACKS THAT ARE KILLING CIVILIANS (RAW VIDEO)

Video shows Afghan and Pakistan civilians protesting the U.S. unmanned Drone attacks that have been killing citizens in greater numbers recently.

The video reports on the death of two U.S. soldiers by roadside bombs in Afghanistan.

This report come out of the Middle East and is uncensored.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/cHFq9jShrgA&hl=en_US&fs=1

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BREATHTAKING VIDEO OF U.S. IED HUNTERS IN AFGHANISTAN

This fascinating video shows a well-trained unit of IED hunters as they go out on a patrol in search of IEDs. They are hit by an IED before they can dismantle it.

The Oscar-nominated movie "The Hurt Locker" was made about units like these IED hunters.

The IED control hunters are hit by one after another IEDs before they can dismantle them, but they continue up the road very slowly and very carefully.

This is a riveting video.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/4mXoIfwXzl8&hl=en_US&fs=1

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FIRST TIME EVER VIDEO FROM INSIDE DRONE CONTROL ROOM IN NEVADA

The unmanned Drone aircraft is one of the most potent bombers the U.S. has in its arsenal, but few people know the Drone is controlled from a command center in Nevada over 8,000 miles from the intended targets in Afghanistan.

In this video, you are taken right inside the Drone control room and you get to see and listen as a Drone is guided to a target in Afghanistan.

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WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/wlGPnbjbtLU&hl=en_US&fs=1

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FOR ALL THE POT LOVERS: U.S.TROOPS PROTECT AFGHANISTAN OPIUM FIELDS (VIDEO)

One of the under reported jobs of our troops in Afghanistan is to protect the "poppy fields," or Opium fields, that are the main source of income for the citizens and government of Afghanistan.

In this video, you will see U.S. troops on patrol through a "poppy field" not with "bushwhackers" but with M16s to insure nobody attempts to destroy the "poppy field."

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/AZPql5bvasg&hl=en_US&fs=1

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FIRST LOOK AT AV-8B HARRIER JET SUPPORTING U.S. TROOPS ON THE GROUND IN AFGHANISTAN (LIVE VIDEO)

This video gives you an inside look at the unique capabilities of the AV-8B Harrier jet during combat operations in "Operation Moshtarak" against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/hVecCKNhmKQ&hl=en_US&fs=1

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NAIL-BITING PATROL SHOWS U.S. TROOPS IN SEARCH OF TALIBAN (LIVE VIDEO)

This video shows a patrol of U.S. troops going through the Helmand Valley in Afghanistan in search of the Taliban. Every inch of the way is fraught with danger.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/qDIujiBaTIU&hl=en_US&fs=1

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U.S. TROOPS GET CAUGHT IN A FIREFIGHT THAT LEAVES ONE TALIBAN DEAD (RAW VIDEO)

Video shows a platoon of U.S. troops in a battle with Taliban that leaves one Taliban soldier dead.

Listen to the chatter between the troops as they prepare for the fight and during the fight.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/-5QP2guJLoY&hl=en_US&fs=1

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101st AIRBORNE CONDUCT AIR ASSAULT ON TALIBAN POSITIONS IN AFGHANISTAN (LIVE VIDEO)

Video shows the 101st Airborne conducting an air assault on Taliban positions in Afghanistan.

Plenty of action in this footage.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/JE5vohS0mGU&hl=en_US&fs=1

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AFTER FIREFIGHT APACHE CHOPPERS CLEAN UP THE LIVING (LIVE VIDEO)

Once the U.S. ground forces in Afghanistan have wiped out as many Taliban as possible, they call in the Apache choppers who finish the job by killing all the living Taliban in the mountains of Afghanistan.

Listen to ground control give directions to Apache choppers on where to find Taliban targets.

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WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/Y4eKuScpOmQ&hl=en_US&fs=1

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NEWS ALERT: HUGE BLAST ROCKS KABUL AFGHANISTAN

Another blast has ripped through the Afghanistan capital of Kabul.

Read more here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/25/kabul-explosion-huge-blas_n_477590.html

NOT ALL THE GIRLS IN AFGHANISTAN ARE TERRORISTS. CHECKOUT THESE AFGHAN BEAUTIES (VIDEO)

Who says all the women in Afghanistan belong to the Taliban? Checkout these Afghan beauties.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/MzWTY-yb15w&hl=en_US&fs=1

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AMAZING LIVE COMBAT FOOTAGE (RAW VIDEO)

This video is a compilation of our troops in combat action in Afghanistan and Iraq. Plenty of intense combat in this footage.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/QA0k5KJZ_-M&hl=en_US&fs=1

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U.S. ARMY SGT TELLS IT LIKE IT IS TO IRAQI POLICE (WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE)

In this video you see and hear a U.S. Army Sgt. telling it like it is to a group of Iraqi Police.

The Sgt. doesn't spare any language in making sure the Iraqi police know they are going to have to fight for their country or the U.S. Army isn't going to do dirt to protect them.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/C5LxaFAxIYU&hl=en_US&fs=1

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CHARLIE COMPANY, 1ST INF. DIV. IN VIOLENT FIGHT WITH TALIBAN IN PECH RIVER VALLEY AFGHANISTAN (LIVE VIDEO)

Video shows Charlie Company of the 1st Infantry Division in a violent firefight with the Taliban in the Pech River Valley of Kunar Province Afghanistan.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/V5u-DspBgo8&hl=en_US&fs=1

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NAVY TO LIFT BAN ON WOMEN SERVING ON SUBMARINES

The U.S. Navy is going to allow women to serve on submarines.

Read story here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20100223/us-women-submarines/

CBS NEWS REPORT: WOUNDED VETERANS NEW WAR: THE VA

CBS Evening News is doing an expose on the Vocational Rehabilitation branch of the Veterans administration and how they are failing in their attempt to help our wounded veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Read more here:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/26/eveningnews/main6248105.shtml?tag=mncol;lst;1

VIDEO: VIETNAM REDUX: IRAQ WAR

The song is "Surfin' Bird" and this video is a Vietnam redux only this time it is the endless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/VBmhA6z6ieY&hl=en_US&fs=1

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WARNING: GORY VIDEO: 60 CIVILIANS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN

The war in Afghanistan is taking its toll on the civilian population of the country. In this video, you see the results of a U.S. bombing attack in Afghanistan that leaves Afghan civilians dead.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/NxDlS3jJ8x0&hl=en_US&fs=1

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REP WAXMAN: $12 BILLION IN CASH LOST IN IRAQ

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif) revealed before a Congressional committee that during the Bush administration $12 BILLION in cash was sent to IRAQ and cannot be accounted for.

It seems odd, if not hypocritical, the Republicans would be putting a stop to funding health care for 30 to 50 MILLION Americans without health insurance, but find nothing wrong with sending $12 BILLION dollars in cash to IRAQ.

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http://www.youtube.com/v/b_kskdHCOiI&hl=en_US&fs=1

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FIRST VIDEO OF BOMB ATTACK THAT KILLED 17 IN KABUL AFGHANISTAN

This is the first video of the bomb and gun attack yesterday in Kabul, Afghanistan that killed 17 and wounded upwards of 50 Afghan civilians.

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WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/kqL1y0g5REY&hl=en_US&fs=1

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HOOAH! LIMA COMPANY, 4TH MARINES, IN FIERCE FIREFIGHT WITH TALIBAN

You will have to turn your sound way up to hear this video when you watch it.

Video shows Lima Company, 4th Marines, in a fierce firefight with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

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WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/Wzab2uj-NTg&hl=en_US&fs=1

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INCREDIBLE TALIBAN VIDEO SHOWS ATTACK ON U.S. BASE IN AFGHANISTAN

This video was made by the Taliban and shows them attacking a U.S. base in Afghanistan.

The action is intense and shows the power the Taliban have in their arsenal.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/pD0c5rAB53g&hl=en_US&fs=1

CLICK ON LINK ABOVE AND THEN DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO