Al-Maliki Relating to China and Spain

Al-Maliki is seeking to develop deeper ties with China and Spain and if recent events were not going well he certainly would not be able to do so. The Prime Minister met with the Chinese Ambassador, Chen Xiao Dong, and the Spanish Ambassador, Ignacio Roberis, last Monday to mark the end of their work in the country. The all diplomatically agreed to strengthen their relations with Iraq in all areas and continue to support the political process and cooperate with the government to achieve security, stability and economic prosperity.

Bin Laden's Re-Branding as Iraq Base Fails

I've posed the question about the two latest messages believed to be from Osama Bin Laden which emphasise the importance of a struggle against Israel to the detriment of fighting in Iraq.

As recently as March, Iraq was key, Bin Laden stated: "Iraq is the perfect base to set up the jihad to liberate Palestine. Palestine will be restored to us, with God's permission, when we wake up from our slumber."

The word "slumber" (and his criticism of Arab rulers) is a clue as to Bin Laden's intention since this is term used against Arabs.

Also, this terminology shifts the emphasis away from Iraq, which has come to mean difficulties, to the "Palestinian question", which can attract support.

Nigel Inkster, Director of Transnational Threats and Political Risk at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, stated as much:

Through its now dead agent in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, it hoped to attack Israel after establishing a base in Iraq, but the hope of establishing that base has probably failed. Al Qaeda could now be preparing its followers for a strategic failure in Iraq. It therefore needs a rallying cry and Palestine is a no-brainer.

AQ is shifting terminology to reflect a loss in Iraq.

Inkster, formerly deputy head of Britain's foreign intelligence agency MI6, adds that the loss of life proved to be high since there has been numerous complaints about too many Muslims killed in Iraq and elsewhere.

"Al-Qaeda's number two, Ayman al-Zawahiri, who is like the chief executive officer to Bin Laden's chairmanship, recently held an open day of questions on the internet," he said.

In business terms, this is a rebrand.

Moreover, in the same session, al-Zawahiri defended killing Muslim bystanders, who, he said, had died because of "unintentional error" or had been used as "shields" by al-Qaeda's enemies.

Marc Sageman, a former CIA officer and now writer on international security issues, has been trumpeting the idea of what he calls "leaderless jihad" (the title of his latest book), in which the larger debate of who is in control, a central AQ structure, or local autonomous cells.

Sageman stated: "they have been unable to project their capability outside Pakistan and Afghanistan."

None of this is intended to downplay the very real threat that AQ represents and the organization has proven to be resilient in past experience.

Groups are inspired by the leadership but not necessarily controlled by "al-Qaeda Central." It gives them strength, in that they proliferate in unknown cells, but it also leaves them vulnerable to being isolated. A study of power indicates that isolation is dangerous. It seems as if isolation would make defense stronger but it actually weakens a group.

Al Qaeda Denounces Religious Dialogue

Al Qaeda leader Abu Yahya al-Libi criticized Saudi Arabia for considering a dialogue with other faiths. King Abdullah advocated inter-faith dialogue which is a condemnation of extremism.

By God, if you don't resist heroically against this wanton tyrant ... the day will come when church bells will ring in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula. And the case of Qatar is not far away from you, stated Libi.

This is in reference to Qatar's decision to allow the opening of the first church in the U.S.-allied Gulf Arab state; next door neighbour Saudi Arabia, which adhers to Wahabism, still bans other religions from building public houses of worship in the birthplace of Islam.

There is no moderation, no rapprochement, and no collaboration between us and infidel peoples. Where do light and darkness ever meet? stated Libi.

Let them (proponents of moderation) know that Islam is the religion of the sword, he added.

Iraq Is Not Vietnam

One of the most consistent false analogies that have been made about Iraq is a comparison to Vietnam. Yet, in numerical terms, the two conflicts really do not compare well.

For example, one of the vociferous criticisms of Coalition body counts is that they are useless propaganda and similar to the false impression of imminent American victory in Vietnam. The Tet Offensive ended all hopes that the U.S. had any hopes of an achievable peace, much less a victory.

In the Iraq situation a consistent argument has been advanced stating that killing only begets more killing. The recent "body counts" of Mahdi Army fighters is a case in point.

At the eminently practical Long War Journal the low ball figure of Mahdi killed has been that 600 Mahdi Army fighters were killed since fighting broke out on March 25. The U.S. military estimates the number killed at 700 but the key here is that the Mahdi themselves estimate the number at 1,000.

Now if the Coalition were guilty of inflating figures so as to provide a false hope of success, their number should be lower than the Mahdi themselves estimate. According to the Long War Journal's Bill Roggio, an interviewee stated: “What about the martyrs?” a Mahdi battalion leader recently told a reporter. “A thousand martyrs, what did they die for?”

The Iraqi government ground down the Mahdi. Sure to lose, the Sadrists capitulated and the experience with insurgent groups is the penchent for declaring victory even after a defeat. Then, they regroup, adding more assets and live to fight again. The situation in Sadr City though is a first example that the Iraqi security forces continued the fight, the Iraqi government functioned well enough to maintain pressure, and Coalition forces re-deployed to provide a well-entrenched but much needed supportive role. This is an incredible turn around and the first hope of a functioning Iraqi state.

Numbers Tally in Iraq Demonstrates Substantial Growth

Graphic source: Bill Roggio

Despite the incredible ferocity of military power that has been unleashed the violence in Iraq has not increased this year. The extension of Coalition settlement is impressive to say the least and the interim between the height of violence and now has allowed the Iraqi security forces to make substantial strides. No one will be willing to say the path is easy but it is entirely possible that the turning point has occurred and Iraq may yet transition into a functioning state.

Daily Advance on Sadr City

The US military killed a senior member of the Mahdi Army, according US and Mahdi Army sources. Arkan Hasnawi, a senior lieutenant of the Mahdi Army commander in Sadr City, was killed in a guided rocket strike in Sadr City on May 3. The news of Hasnawi's death comes as details emerge on the senior leadership of the Mahdi Army in Baghdad and the blurring of the lines between Sadr's militia and the Special Groups.

Hasnawi was among several senior Mahdi Army leaders killed or wounded in the GLMRS strike on a Mahdi Army command and control center that was placed next to the Sadr Hospital inside Sadr City.

Operations against the Mahdi Army outside Sadr City have not abated, either. Today, US forces killed 11 Mahdi Army fighters during a series of engagements in New Baghdad, which borders Sadr City to the east. The Mahdi Army fighters were killed as part of "an ongoing operation," Multinational Forces Iraq reported. US forces also captured a Special Groups commander in the Rashid district in Baghdad

.

Cf. The Long War Journal

ل [أوس] قتل جيش عضوة كبريات من مهدي جيش, يوافق [أوس] ومهدي جيش مصادر. قتلت [أركن] [هسنوي], ملازم أوّل كبريات من مهدي جيش قائد في [سدر] مدينة, كان في يرشد صاروخ إضراب في [سدر] مدينة في شهر ماي 3. يأتي الأخبار من [هسنوي] موت بما أنّ تفصيل يظهرون على القيادة كبريات من مهدي جيش في بغداد وال يغشي من الخطوط بين [سدر] ميليشيا والمجموعة خاصّة.

[هسنوي] كان بين عدّة كبريات مهدي جيش زعيمات يقتل أو يجرح في ال [غلمرس] إضراب على مهدي جيش أمر و [كنترول سنتر] أنّ كان وضعت [نإكست تو] [سدر] مستشفى في [سدر] مدينة.

لم يخفّض عمليات ضدّ مهدي جيش خارجيّ [سدر] مدينة يتلقّى, أيضا. اليوم, [أوس] قتل قوّات 11 مهدي جيش مقاتلات أثناء [سري] الإلتزامات في بغداد جديد, أيّ يجاور [سدر] مدينة إلى الشرق. مهدي جيش قتلت مقاتلات كان كجزء "عملية جار," شركة متعدّدة الجنسيّات قوّات العراق يفاد. [أوس] على قبض قوّات أيضا خاصّة مجموعة قائد في رشيد من في بغداد.

Obama & Hillary Too Busy for Oil Prices

Fellow Democrat Patrick Leahy from Vermont held hearings on high oil prices but I know two Senators who are not interested: Obama and Hillary. While America is burning they are fiddling with delegate numbers for the nomination. Leahy stated:

Today’s witnesses represent the major, vertically integrated oil companies that, collectively, made more than $36 billion in profits in just the first quarter of this year-- $36 billion in the first three months of the year.

Leahy attacked Bush and blamed him and the Iraq war for the increases but I'm not sure that the political grandstanding will help us solve the problem much.

Leahy added:

I want to hear directly from these oil companies about causes of the rising price of oil on which Congress can act. This Committee unanimously approved Senator Kohl’s NOPEC legislation, which would put an end to artificial limits on supply by ensuring that the U.S. Government has the authority to prosecute OPEC members for collusive behavior. Seventy members of the Senate have voted for this legislation, as have 345 Members of the House. Yet this President threatened to veto it.

Leahy then asked the oil executives how they would like antitrust laws applied to them. I think a better tactic might be to just inform them that he or someone else is moving on enforcement. He preferred the slap on the wrist approach.

Leah does not seem to grasp international reality. OPEC meets regularly to dish it out on consumers and he thinks this is wrong. It does not matter. If you have someone over a barrel, literally, you don't get anywhere by whining about it. The more direct question should be why Leahy and the Senate are not acting on the problem.

Leahy identities a key problem. He states:

Do they agree that we need to crack down on speculation and manipulation in the oil commodities market? Numerous experts have testified before this Committee and others that oil prices are moving higher as a result of speculators. Investors are betting up the price of oil, and consumers are paying the bill. Increasingly, this speculation takes place in over-the-counter trading, which avoids the oversight of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, thanks to the Enron loophole.

Why is he asking their opinion? Does he seriously think they will agree and voluntarily be nice boys?

Maybe he is actually acting, since the loophole kept the CFTC blind to speculation and manipulation in the oil futures market. Last week, Congress passed the Farm Bill that would close this loophole. The President threatened to veto the legislation.

Finally, he added:

last week we were able to pass legislation calling for the Government to stop artificially inflating demand by diverting fuel to the strategic petroleum reserve. The President opposed it. Filing the SPR may have made sense when oil was $25 a barrel. At $125 a barrel, it is simply hurting consumers.

Leahy makes a tepid, fawning appeal to the oil boys to play nice as if he expects them to do so. He makes his grandstanding rhetoric against Bush seem like he has some backbone. Its a pathetic waste of time but then again, that's the Senate.

Cf. Statement of Patrick Leahy
Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee
Hearing on “Exploring the Skyrocketing Price of Oil”
May 21, 2008

YouTube declines Lieberman Request to Remove Terrorist Videos

Senator Lieberman wrote to Google asking that particularly objectionable material be removed from YouTube. They declined. I agree. They should not take them down. Who should be active though are citizen activists who disagree with the repulsion that is international terrorism to flag the objectionable videos and have them removed. The government should stay out. What if young people got active and began caring about the images of American troops in harms way? What if young people set a goal to be vigilant and flag a set number of objectionable videos per day? What if young people had private competitions determined to stop the hatred expressed by terrorists? Nahh, never mind.

May 19, 2008

Dr. Eric Schmidt
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Google, Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043

Dear Dr. Schmidt:

YouTube is being used to share videos produced by al-Qaeda and other Islamist terrorist groups. The purpose of this letter is to request that Google implement its own policy against this offensive material, remove these videos from YouTube, and prevent them from reappearing.

Today, Islamist terrorist organizations rely extensively on the Internet to attract supporters and advance their cause. The framework for much of this Internet campaign is described in a bipartisan staff report released last week by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (“Committee”), which I am privileged to chair, titled Violent Islamist Extremism, the Internet, and the Homegrown Terrorist Threat. The report explains, in part, how al-Qaeda created and manages a multi-tiered online media operation that produces content intended to enlist followers in countries all over the world, including the United States. Central to this media campaign is the branding of content with an icon or logo to guarantee authenticity that the content was produced by al-Qaeda or allied organizations like al-Qaeda in Iraq, Ansar al-Islam (a.k.a Ansar al-Sunnah) or al-Qaeda in the Land of the Islamic Maghreb. All of these groups have been designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) by the Department of State.

Searches on YouTube return dozens of videos branded with an icon or logo identifying the videos as the work of one of these Islamist terrorist organizations. A great majority of these videos document horrific attacks on American soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan. Others provide weapons training, speeches by al-Qaeda leadership, and general material intended to radicalize potential recruits.

In other words, Islamist terrorist organizations use YouTube to disseminate their propaganda, enlist followers, and provide weapons training – activities that are all essential to terrorist activity. According to testimony received by our Committee, the online content produced by al-Qaeda and other Islamist terrorist organizations can play a significant role in the process of radicalization, the end point of which is the planning and execution of a terrorist attack. YouTube also, unwittingly, permits Islamist terrorist groups to maintain an active, pervasive, and amplified voice, despite military setbacks or successful operations by the law enforcement and intelligence communities.

YouTube posts “community guidelines” for users to follow, but it does not appear that the company is enforcing these guidelines to the extent they would apply to this content. For example, the community guidelines state that “[g]raphic or gratuitous violence is not allowed. If your video shows someone getting hurt, attacked, or humiliated, don’t post it.” Many of the videos produced by one of the production arms of al-Qaeda show attacks on U.S. forces in which American soldiers are injured and, in some cases, killed. Nevertheless, those videos remain available for viewing on YouTube. At the same time, the guidelines do not prohibit the posting of content that can be readily identified as produced by al-Qaeda or another FTO.

I ask you, therefore, to immediately remove content produced by Islamist terrorist organizations from YouTube. This should be a straightforward task since so many of the Islamist terrorist organizations brand their material with logos or icons identifying their provenance. In addition, please explain what changes Google plans to make to the YouTube community guidelines to address violent extremist material and how Google plans to enforce those guidelines to prevent the content from reappearing.

Protecting our citizens from terrorist attacks is a top priority for our government. The private sector can help us do that. By taking action to curtail the use of YouTube to disseminate the goals and methods of those who wish to kill innocent civilians, Google will make a singularly important contribution to this important national effort.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this critical matter and I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,



Joseph I. Lieberman (ID-CT)
Chairman, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Iraqi Troops Regain Sadr City

Iraqi troop mans a checkpoint in Sadr City.

Graphic source: Reuters

I'm wondering if the Times is coming around to presenting the war in a more realistic light. They featured a headline story, "Iraqi Troops in Push to Regain Control of Sadr City," and actually, it was mostly accurate. The journalists are Michael R. Gordon and Stephen Farrell while they received assistance from "Anwar J. Ali, Mudhafer al-Husaini and an Iraqi employee of The New York Times contributed reporting." Since the story really is showing what on-site bloggers have been saying for some time, they may be coming around. And, I wonder what the exact arrangment of journalists and writers is? In other words, do the Westeners sit at the pool eating bon-bons while the local stringers actually go out and get the news? The story at least sounds like it has first-hand elements so somebody was out there. The important aspect of an article such as this is that it emphasizes that Iraqi troops pushed deep into Sadr City and they operated without the involvement of American ground forces, which is really a major turnaround from not all that long ago. Who would have thought that the Times would run a story with the sentence: "No American ground forces accompanied the Iraqi troops, not even military advisers." This was an Iraqi operation with the Americans in the supportive but physically rearward position. I hope its the first of many, many more to come.

Bin Laden Whines Again: Yawn

Bin Laden is emphasizing Palestine and its liberation. In order to be liberated, he accuses fellow Muslims of allowing Palestinians to die. The solution, as he sees it, is to attack fellow Muslims in order to liberate Palestine. The question is why he shifting to an emphasis on Palestine, and not the liberation of the Holy Land? Is it because he knows now that he can not win in Iraq now that AQ is on the run, and traditionally, Palestine was a rallying cry amongst Muslims worldwide? I think so.

EEF Poster

Graphic source: Electronic Frontier Foundation

A few groups are stretching the boundaries of freedom and protecting the free expression of ideas. In a previous post, I noted the importance of the Electronic Frontier Foundation on behalf of Wikileaks case, an instance of a whistle-blower issue, on behalf of telephone consumers to prevent the NSA from spying on citizens, and in the case of commercial search engines which may be storing personal information about people.

Dutch Give Up Liberties to Extremists

This is a tamer example of a cartoon by the satirist.

Graphic source: Gregorius Nekschot

A Dutch cartoonist, who works under the pseudonym Gregorius Nekschot, was arrested on suspicion of violating hate speech laws, and insulting people because of their religion, according to Amsterdam public prosecutor spokeswoman Sanne van Meteren. Each is a crime punishable by up to a year in prison under Dutch hate speech laws-—or two years for multiple offenses. Both the cartoonist, and his Dutch publisher, Uitgeverij Xtra, have received death threats so apparently the cartoonist may be threatened but his right to free speech and artistic expression can be silenced. Not surprisingly, Nekschot is known primarily for cartoons mocking Muslims and leftists, but he is a satirist who targets "any strong ideology" including other religions. Nekschot has a web site but has also been featured on the Web site of Theo van Gogh, the filmmaker who was murdered by a Muslim radical in November 2004. The cartoonist's pseudonym, "Gregorius" refers to Pope Gregory IX, who instituted the Papal Inquisition, and "Nekschot" means literally "shot in the neck," a method used by "fascists and communists to get rid of their opponents." Let's hope the Dutch who opposed totalitarianism before will have the good sense to protect their liberties against Islamofascism.

Aynak Valley Attracts Chinese Mining Investment

Graphic source: Times Online

Afghanistan copper deposits worth $88 billion have attracted Chinese investors and if China moves in I would hope the U.N. or international pressure would force the Chinese to provide security in the region. In the Aynak valley, al-Qaeda trained and planned the 9/11 attacks that triggered the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

With such an infamous past, a Chinese mining company begins its foray into the Afghanistan economy. The valley’s floor contains one of the world’s largest untapped copper deposits, estimated to be worth up to $88 billion which is more than double of Afghanistan’s entire gross domestic product (GDP) in 2007. A 30-year lease was sold to the China Metallurgical Group for $3 billion, making it the biggest foreign investment and private business venture in Afghanistan’s history.

This deal is so large, the price tag equalled 20 per cent of all foreign aid to the country since 2001, and the annual royalties of $400 million represent 45 per cent of its state budget. The obstacles are huge in this insecure area and the valley is without basic infrastructure. As in the case of Chinese investment in Africa, no one knows the effect of investment in Afghanistan, according to Integrity Watch Afghanistan, a non governmental organisationwhich, is ill-equipped to absorb huge sums of money or even to consider the social and environmental costs. Afghanistan's largest product is opium so it remains to be seen what effect huge and legitimate mining operations might have on the poverty stricken region.

“Afghanistan has abundant known mineral resources,” said Stephen Peters, of the US Geological Survey, which completed a two-year survey of the country last year. The positives are intriguing to consider though, and may act as a corrective to extremism. The mining will create jobs for 5,000 people, 90% Afghans. Up to 4,000 jobs will be created to build a railway to the Pakistani border, and several thousand security guards will be recruited from surrounding villages. The Chinese are contractually obligated to build mosques, schools, hospitals, markets, and small bazaars.

The site was discovered in 1974 by the Soviets, who built the now derelict buildings, mapped the area and took thousands of rock samples.

Their plans were thwarted by Mujahidin rebels who surrounded Aynak and cut it off from the outside. General Hatiqulluh Luddin, who led the rebels around Aynak and still commands 30,000 men in the area.

The Afghan civil war thwarted any development in the area.

When the Taleban took over in 1996 they showed no interest in Aynak and allowed al-Qaeda to turn it into its main training camp.

Only after the Taleban’s overthrow did Aynak arise again when a team from the British Geological Survey arrived to start recovering and organising the 78 reports and 1,300 maps on Aynak, which were mostly in Russian and based on obsolete Soviet methodology.

Germany As Target and Breeding Ground for Terrorism

In Germany, the threat of Islamic terrorism remains "consistently high" according to an annual report by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. Islamic militants consider Germany as an "operational area" and Islamists regard Germany as a "crusader" as an ally of the United States and Israel. American, Israeli, Russian, and British institutions are also targets. For example, militants were arrested on 4 September 2007, when three individuals allegedly planned attacks on American institutions in Germany and were caught with bomb-making material. In addition, by 2007 there were 30 nationwide active Islamist organisations. Among these groups, 1,390 were active followers of the Muslim Brotherhood, and about 900 were from the Lebanese Shia radical group Hezbollah.

Moving to Mosul

The Coalition is expected to begin operations against al-Qaida operatives in Mosul. The strategy is a typical one which will begin with U.S. military airstrikes. After about three or four weeks the infantry is expected to stage raids and search neighborhoods. In addition to al-Qaida members, the Ansar al-Sunna organization inhabits the area as well. At least three U.S. military brigades will accompany at least a full brigade from the Iraqi military against an estimated 5,000 militia members. Analysts have stated that there may be as many as 7,000 armed men affiliated with al-Qaida or other radical organizations. Operation Lion's Roar nets more than 1,000 suspects.

The Iraqi security forces launched the Operation as a first step in the operation.

This is Al Qaeda's last major ratline into Syria which spans westward from Mosul into Tal Afar and the crossing point at Sinjar.

As the ratline is dismantled, "just under 200" Tier 1 and Tier 2 al Qaeda and Islamic State of Iraq operatives have been detained, stated Major General Mark Hertling, the commander of Multinational Division North.

Tier 1 operatives are operational leaders. Tier 2 operatives are foreign fighters or weapons facilitators, bomb makers, and cell leaders.

The Sahwa, or Awakening, forces in Ninewa are mobilized in the province. Fawaz al Jarba, the leader of the Mosul Sahwa Council, said more than 11,000 tribal fighters were prepared to assist security forces.

McCain First-Term Withdrawal

McCain commented on a possible first-term withdrawal scenario if elected. If he is reading about the new breed of evolving U.S. warfare, the timing may be sooner.

Daily Note

US troops have killed five Mahdi Army fighters in western Baghdad since May 14 as the Mahdi appear to be giving up and seeking an easier environment. US troops killed five Mahdi Army fighters in the western district of Kadamiyah after receiving sniper, small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire. 599 Mahdi Army fighters have been confirmed killed in and around Sadr City since March 25,

NATO Cyberwarfare Center Announced

NATO plans to set up a cyberdefense center in Estonia and when considered in conjunction with the recently set-up U.S. effort it demonstrates just how important this area is becoming. Estonia experiences one of the most significant cyberwarfare attacks to the country is an obvious choice to head up the effort. The Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence will operate out of Tallinn, Estonia, with a staff of 30. Half of the specialists come from its seven sponsoring countries: Germany, Italy, Spain, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Estonia.

New York Times Admits Wall

Graphic Source: Multinational Forces

Just in the past couple of days The York Times has appeared to hint that events in Iraq might be going better than they have stated previously. They even published the Multinational map which showed the actual dimensions of the Wall. Even if they are not celebrating with the military there is progress that the mass media may be coming around to admitting progress, as tentative as it may be, is occurring in Iraq. That's a big first step.

Daily Note

ز'ير] [أل-سّد] [في] [سولت] [أل-هق] على قبض عمليات 2 [أق] قادة كبريات على الطريق عامّة بين [مكهموور] منطقة و [أل-قرا] منطقة قرب [مكووك] قرية, 40 [كم] غرب [مكهموور]. اعترف المعتقل هم قتل وخطف مدنيّ.

10 مهدي جيش قتلت مقاتلات أثناء صدامات في [سدر] مدينة وثلاثة كثير مهدي مقاتلون كان في مكان آخر في بغداد.

قتل 593 مهدي يتلقّى يكون أكّدت في [سدر] مدينة منذ مارس - آذار 25.

إئتلاف دعا قوّات في هواء إضرابات ضدّ [تليبن], يقتل اثنا عشر مناضلات.

راجستان قد أطلق شرطة الرسم تخطيطيّ من 25 [ير ولد] رجل مع إرتفاع متوسّط الذي يكون شككت أن يكون خلف جايبور انفجارات في أيّ 80 الناس كان قتلت.

Za'eer al-Assad Fi Saulat al-Haq operations captured 2 AQ senior commanders on the high road between Makhmour district and al-Qayara district near Makook village, 40 km west of Makhmour. The detainees confessed they killed and kidnapped civilians.

10 Mahdi Army fighters during clashes in Sadr City and three more Mahdi fighters were killed elsewhere in Baghdad.

A video posted on 14 May 2008 shows an aerial bombing.

593 Mahdi have been confirmed killed in Sadr City since March 25.

Coalition forces called in air strikes against the Taliban, killing a dozen militants.

Rajasthan police have released the sketch of a 25-year-old man with medium height who is suspected to be behind the Jaipur blasts in which 80 people were killed.