The news out of Iraq is horrible. The main oil pipelines in the south have been blown up, while fighting in Basra threatens to turn into a “nightmare for the dwindling British forces based near by.” In Baghdad, the Green Zone in under sustained mortar attack and the State Department has ordered everyone into hardened facilities.
On Thursday, the State Department instructed all Embassy personnel not to leave reinforced structures. A memo sent to embassy staff and obtained by The Associated Press says employees are required to wear helmets and other protective gear if they must venture outside and strongly advises them to sleep in blast-resistant locations instead of trailers.
Things outside the Green Zone are even worse:
Police said gunmen attacked the east Baghdad home of Tahseen Sheikhly, a spokesman for the Baghdad security plan launched in February 2007 to stabilize the capital. According to officials in the Interior Ministry, which oversees police, the attackers shot and wounded at least one of Sheikhly’s guards and ransacked his home before fleeing with the spokesman.
Sheikhly has appeared frequently at news conferences alongside U.S. officials discussing what they consider progress of the security plan.
Other reports say that Sheikhly’s home was burnt to the ground. In other parts of the city, Sadrists demonstrated against the government.
The protests began around 10:00 am (0700 GMT) outide the office of the Sadr movement in its Baghdad bastion, the impoverished Sadr City district of some two million people.
“Maliki you are a coward! Maliki is an American agent! Leave the government, Maliki! How can you strike Basra?” shouted the crowd as they began gathering in the area while Iraqi and US troops sealed off the streets.
Meanwhile, our president gave an upbeat speech this morning and admonished Congress.
“Some members of Congress decided the best way to encourage progress in Baghdad was to criticize and threaten Iraq’s leaders while they’re trying to work out their differences,” Bush told a military audience at the cavernous U.S. Air Force museum.
“But hectoring was not what the Iraqi leaders needed,” Bush said. “What they needed was security and that is what the `surge’ has provided.”
Somehow this must be good news for John McCain.
