Today in Iraq

War News for November 24, 2003 Bring ‘em on: US convoy attacked by RPG fire in central Baghdad. Bring ‘em on: One US soldier wounded in bomb ambush in Mosul. Bring ‘em on: RPGs fired at offices of Care Australia in Baghdad. CENTCOM reports two US soldiers died and one was injured in a traffic accident near Baghdad. US officials warn of more anti-US attacks in Iraq. Lawlessness increases in Baghdad. Tampa VA hospital treats soldiers from Iraq with brain injuries. Report from Samarra. PUK says coalition troops raided its office in Mosul. Korean businesses withdraw from Baghdad. "An official at KOTRA's head office in Seoul said that the staff members at KOTRA's Baghdad office were withdrawn because the city has become too dangerous. He also said that diplomats and businesses from other countries, along with many rich Iraqi citizens, have been reportedly fleeing the city, jamming the roads to the border." Concrete production soars in Iraq. "Power shortages and lack of security have kept the brakes on Iraq's reconstruction, but concrete producers are finding consolation in the demand for blocks used as fortification against bomb attacks." Reservists sound off about poor equipment. Bush to meet a few carefully selected families of Americans killed in Iraq. Rummy wants to transform the entire US Army into an occupation force dedicated to Bush's War. "The US has begun to look seriously at creating military forces that would be dedicated to peacekeeping and reconstruction after future conflicts, defence officials say. It would involve new brigades or whole divisions made up of engineers, military police, civil affairs officers and other specialists critical to postwar operations." US launches media blitz to put a positive spin on Iraq occupation. It's kinda hard to tell if this is a "hearts and minds" campaign directed toward the Iraqi people or "prop up Lieutenant AWOL" political propaganda aimed at the American electorate. Iraqi police shut down Arab TV offices in Baghdad. Life gets tougher for Iraqi donkeys. Bush proclaims Iraqi donkeys as members of the Asses of Evil. Commentary Editorial: Bush’s campaign against Al Qaeda is a miserable failure. “Bush probably doesn't want to admit any strategic failures as he prepares for next year's presidential election. Nevertheless, it was the United States that misjudged the difficulties of managing postwar Iraq, and that provided an excuse for a holy war to remnants of Saddam Hussein's regime and other extremists in Iraq and elsewhere.” Opinion: Jolly bad show for Bush in London. "The spectacle of the American president in tails wining and dining at Buckingham Palace, when he apparently has little time to attend the funerals of American servicemen killed in the war he started, only compounded the folly of his London rescue operation for Mr. Blair." Operation Cut and Run Bush and Blair work out “exit” strategy. As the administration develops a new "strategy," the neo-con fantasy world lives on. “One official who was involved in the post-war planning argued that many of the administration's key assumptions have come to pass in Iraq, including the prediction by Vice President Dick Cheney that U.S. forces would be ‘greeted as liberators.’ ‘How dare anyone say that we were not?’ said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. ‘I've been to the north [of Iraq]. They threw flowers on us. Let's be fair, we were greeted as liberators and we still are. That is a bum rap.’” Just remember that whatever the Bushies do about Iraq, nut jobs like this are still in charge. Fisher House. On some other boards, I’ve seen posts from people who want to know how they can help wounded troops. Here’s one option. Fisher House is a kind of Ronald McDonald House for the families of sick, wounded and injured soldiers who are recovering in military hospitals. There are Fisher Houses at Walter Reed, Landstuhl, Brooke Army Medical Center and about 25 other military and VA hospitals. You can help sponsor a family, buy some groceries, or help build another house at Walter Reed. For more information, click here.