Iraq, the unraveling (XIX): Friends like these

Posted By Thomas E. Ricks Monday, July 27, 2009 - 12:22 PM Share

Over the weekend an Iraqi commander tried to detain U.S. troops after they chased into a neighborhood some people who shot at their convoy, The Washington Post reported. They reportedly killed three Iraqis and wounded another four in doing so. Prime Minister Maliki says the Iraq commander was "out of line." But then Saturday is probably one of his days to be nice to the evil American occupiers who protect him.

Maliki also is shocked -- shocked -- that the U.S. government talked secretly to insurgent leaders. Everyone, don't tell the prime minister about the Sons of Iraq program, either!

Also, more bad news in al Anbar -- a big bomb went off in Fallujah, as well as a smaller one near the headquarters of the Iraqi Islamic Party, and one at a funeral between Ramadi and Fallujah. And a bunch of police were shot up in Abu Ghraib. Is the Anbar Sawha going off the reservation? I still don't understand what is happening out there, and have been surprised by the lack of news coverage of it. It makes me wonder if in budget cutbacks, news bureaus let go their stringers in Anbar. If so, what a sad turn for the news business. Suppose they gave a war and nobody covered it.

SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

EXPLORE:MIDDLE EAST, IRAQ, MEDIA, MILITARY, U.S. FOREIGN POLICY
 

JJH722

12:29 PM ET

July 27, 2009

hey tom, didn't the heritage

hey tom, didn't the heritage foundation send you the memo yet? we won this war like two years ago. it's so convenient that we already declared victory, because now if we lose it happens on a Democrat's watch!

 

JWING

4:10 PM ET

July 27, 2009

Anbar

Anbar seems to be having about the same number of attacks and deaths this month but a lot more wounded. There was a big dip in May, but April, June and July so far seem to be about the same with the one difference noted above.

July 1-27 09
Attacks/Incidents: 19
Deaths: 28
Wounded: 116

June 09
Attacks/Incidents: 24
Deaths: 29
Wounded: 53+

May 09
Attacks/Incidents: 9
Deaths: 12
Wounded: 11

April 09
Attacks/Incidents: 11
Deaths: 31
Wounded: 64

 

MSNOW0201

5:16 PM ET

July 27, 2009

How many war questions at last weeks news conference?

Zero!
I'm astounded that a president that based his campaign on changing our foreign policies, yet who since taking office has made only 1 substantial change to his predecessor's policies (closing Guantanamo), held a news conference and got zero questions on foreign policy, much less on the two wars we are fighting.

The Teflon has officially passed from Reagan to Obama.

 

OLD SSGT

8:51 AM ET

July 28, 2009

Iraq

I think that we should take Maliki at his word and accelerate the withdrawal. If, as he says, we are no longer needed, then there is no need for us to be there.

 

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military for the Washington Post from 2000 through 2008.

Read More