Drop in Violence in Baghdad
'We Get a Lot of Smiles and Waves'
"Military Stryker vehicles saturating Baghdad's most dangerous neighborhoods have been credited with what Iraqi authorities say is a 30 percent drop in violence in the city since the deployment of 5,000 additional U.S. troops to the region," ABC News reports from the Iraqi capital:
While U.S. figures show a 22 percent drop in violence, either way, its good news for the troops.
"It's been great. We get a lot of smiles and waves," said Lt. Patrick Paterson of the 114th Cavalry.
One of the most dramatic changes has occurred in the Dora neighborhood. In July up to 20 people were killed in the area every day. As part of this new military effort, U.S. and Iraqi troops have been searching thousands of buildings in an effort to stop car bombs. . . .
And there are signs it's working. During 14 days of patrols in Dora, there has been just one killing.
We look forward to hearing Rep. John Murtha, the Democrats' leading military strategist, explain how this could be better done from Okinawa
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Okinawa? And occupy poor Japan? NEVER!
Seriously, Murtha is such a tool. His dementia must be getting worse.
As for Iraq... Fantastic news! The folks there don't want the terrorists, and are elated when we kill the bastards off.
Comment by Brooke— 2006/08/24 @ 08:49 AM — (Reply)
Incident report for 8-23-2006
Tough freakin' day in the neighborhood
Baghdad:
A car bomb in the neighborhood of al-Mashtal in eastern Baghdad killed two civilians and injured five others. The explosion occurred about 100 yards from a police station.
A car bomb targeting a police patrol in the neighborhood of Azamiyah - killed two civilians and wounded four people, included two policemen.
Two civilians were killed and four were wounded, including two policemen, when a parked car exploded in the district of Adhamiyah.
Five day laborers were wounded when a bomb hidden in trash exploded outside a paint shop in downtown Tayaran Square, while a roadside bomb exploded next to an Iraqi police patrol, wounding two policemen.
Gunmen opened fire on a police patrol, killing one policeman and wounding another, in the Azamiyah neighborhood.
Gunmen killed at least three people, two of them in the area Amariyah that has been part of the new security strategy.
Two policemen were wounded when a roadside bomb went off near their patrol in central Baghdad.
A parked car went off against the convoy of a senior police officer as he passed through central Baghdad's Zayuna neighbourhood. Five policemen were wounded.
Two civilians were killed and nine wounded when a parked car full of explosives blew up in the neighbourhood of Baghdad Jadida, near Sadr City.
The head of police patrols in eastern Baghdad escaped an assassination attempt when a car bomb exploded near his motorcade in the eastern district of Zayouna. He was unharmed but five of his bodyguards were wounded.
Four civilians were wounded when a roadside bomb exploded in central Baghdad. The target of the bomb was not clear.
Karbala:
Gunmen killed four people, three of them from Saddam Hussein's ousted Baath party, in different attacks in Kerbala, 110 km (68 miles) southwest of Baghdad.
Baqubah:
A bomb in a minivan killed three policemen and wounded a minivan driver in Baqouba, about 35 miles northeast of Baghdad.
A roadside bomb struck an Iraqi army convoy, killing three soldiers and destroying their armored vehicle, on the outskirts of Baqouba.
A civilian was wounded when a roadside bomb went off near a shop selling alcohol in Baquba.
Baiji:
Police found the body of an Iraqi near the town of Baiji, 180 km (112 miles) north of Baghdad, after earlier finding its severed head in the same town on Wednesday.
Tikrit:
Police retrieved a body from the Tigris river in the city of Tikrit, 175 km (110 miles) north of Baghdad.
Balad:
Gunmen killed three policemen on Wednesday at a checkpoint in Balad, 80 km (50 miles) north of Baghdad.
Latifiya:
Police retrieved a body, handcuffed, blindfolded and with gunshot wounds, from a river near Latifiya, 40 km (25 miles) south of Baghdad.
Suwayra:
Police found a body, handcuffed and with gunshot wounds, in the town of Suwayra, 40 km (25 miles) south of Baghdad.
Kut:
Police found four handcuffed bodies dumped separately in the streets of Kut, a city 100 miles southeast of the capital. All had been shot.
Gunmen in army uniforms kidnapped two truck drivers in the Amara-Kut highway.
Mosul:
A hospital in Mosul received the bodies of seven people with gunshot wounds, including five from the same family.
Police found a body with gunshot wounds in the city of Mosul.
Two policemen were wounded when a roadside bomb went off near their patrol in Mosul.
Kanimasi and Snaht regions:
Turkish jet fighters have commenced air strikes against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PPK) bases in northern Iraq. F-16 jets carried out air strikes against targets in the Kanimasi and Snaht regions in northern Iraq. Army officials stated that the F-16 jets which took off during the night had inflicted serious casualties on the PKK.
Comment by Mr. Ducky— 2006/08/24 @ 09:18 AM — (Reply)
1 in 200 chance of becoming the victim of a violent crime (just during those 365 days, mind you) That's 586.7 violent crimes per 100,000 inhabitants. And they aren't even at war.
Tough day in a lot of neighborhoods, mr. Ducky.
May I reccommend this website?
Comment by Cate— 2006/08/24 @ 10:33 AM — (Reply)
Cate, you should head on over to Always On Watch's site... Ducky is the 'troll' there, and I'd loooove to see you give him what for on occasion!
Comment by Brooke— 2006/08/24 @ 11:06 AM — (Reply)
According to Rep. Steve King of Iowa, the following are the FBI statistics for violent deaths per 100,000 people in various countries and U.S. cities from 2004-2005:
Columbia ----------------------- 61.7
New Orleans (before Katrina) -- 53.1
South Africa -------------------- 49.6
Washington, DC ---------------- 45.9
Baltimore ---------------------- 37.7
Atlanta ------------------------- 34.9
Jamiaca ------------------------ 32.4
Venezuela ---------------------- 31.6
Iraq --------------------------- 25.71
Comment by Elmers Brother— 2006/08/24 @ 02:04 PM — (Reply)
You had to know that D.C. had a higher homicide rate than downtown Baghdad. Must be because the 2nd amendment was exported there and in D.C. it's against the law.
Comment by Florian Guerrero— 2006/08/24 @ 02:15 PM — (Reply)
Comment by aza spade— 2006/08/24 @ 04:13 PM — (Reply)
It all depends how you doctor your pics to make an ever lasting impression (a bit of drama makes the bodies look alive again).
BTW Muslim terrorists in Bangladesh and Kashmir dispatch between 30-50 souls a day to meet their creator.
Oh but this is just not a hot topic.
How could we pin it on Dubya to make it more spicy?
Comment by MissingLink— 2006/08/24 @ 08:21 PM — (Reply)
It's called great progress.
Too bad this doesn't make cable/network news.
Comment by Joe Gringo— 2006/08/25 @ 06:12 AM — (Reply)
Comment by Elmers Brother— 2006/08/25 @ 03:24 PM — (Reply)
Hello you idiots in the main stream media. The madman in Iran is defying the United Nation and planning to nuke Israel for starters. Do you have a clue?
Comment by Barry G.— 2006/08/26 @ 12:42 PM — (Reply)