Good news: the Associated Press has declared that the Iraq War is essentially over, and we’re victorious. Woo hoo!
From their article:
Systematic sectarian killings have all but ended in the capital, in large part because of tight security and a strategy of walling off neighborhoods purged of minorities in 2006. That has helped establish a sense of normalcy in the streets of the capital. People are expressing a new confidence in their own security forces, which in turn are exhibiting a newfound assertiveness with the insurgency largely in retreat. Statistics show violence at a four-year low.
Wow, that’s amazing. But before we break out the party poppers, let’s review a few things that happened in the last 60 hours:
- A roadside bomb planted outside the residence of Dawa Party member, Abdulrahman Mohammed Dawood in Zafaraniyah, southeastern Baghdad exploded injuring Dawood and two of his security detail at 11am
- Police found two unidentified bodies in Baghdad. The first body was found in Zafaraniyah district while the second body was found in Ur neighborhood.
- A woman was killed in a roadside bomb in Abo Saida area east of Baquba around 11:30am
- Gunmen killed a civilian in al Midan neighborhood in downtown Mosul city.
- Gunmen attacked a checkpoint in al Tahreer neighborhood in east Mosul city on Wednesday afternoon killing two Iraqi soldiers.
- Gunmen attacked a checkpoint manned by Awakening Council, a U. S backed militia, in Adhamiyah at 9am killing two members. The gunmen used silencers on their weapons, said Iraqi Police.
- One unidentified body was found by Iraqi Police in Nidhal Street, central Baghdad.
- A suicide car bomber targeted a checkpoint manned by Iraqi Army in al-Intisar neighbourhood, eastern Mosul killing two soldiers, injuring two others.
- A female suicide bomber wearing an explosive belt targeted an Awakening Council Commander in Baquba, Naeem al-Dulaimi at 3pm. The explosion, which took place in a car dealership while Dulaimi was checking a car killed him, his two security guards and four civilians, injuring at least twenty four others including women and children.
- A roadside bomb targeted an Iraqi army patrol in Ghazaliyah, western Baghdad at 3pm injuring two soldiers.
- Around 8am a roadside detonated in Jihad neighborhood (west Baghdad). One person was injured.
- Around 10am a roadside bomb targeted an army patrol in Sleikh intersection(north Baghdad). Two soldiers were injured.
- Around 2pm a roadside bomb targeted civilians in Kamb Sara in Adhamiyah neighborhood (north Baghdad). Six people were injured (including 1 policeman and two Sahwa members).
- Around 3pm gunmen attacked and injured awakening council official in Daowdi neighborhood, west Baghdad.
- Around 4pm a roadside bomb targeted awakening council member, a U.S. backed militia, in Sleikh neighborhood, injuring two militia members.
- Police found one dead body in the Baladiyat neighborhood.
- A gunman with silencer opened fire on an American patrol in downtown Kirkuk. A 14 year-old kid was killed in that incident.
- In the morning gunmen opened fire on a combined patrol from Iraqi security forces and Americans. One Iraqi policeman was killed and another was injured.
Yep, clearly things are looking up. I think Bush said it best:
“Mission Accomplished!”