On AlterNet: basra

Stories, blog posts, and videos tagged as "basra"

The British Withdrawal Is Only Our Latest Shameful Exit Following an Unjust Invasion Of Iraq

Robert Fisk, Independent UK. May 1, 2009.

179,000 dead Iraqis? Or closer to a million? The British never cared about the Iraqis. That's why we don't know the figure. That's why we left Basra.

Suicide Bomber Kills 33 at Reconciliation Meeting of Sunni and Shia Iraqis

Patrick Cockburn, Independent UK. March 11, 2009.

The suicide bombing comes three days after a similar attack killed 28 people near the police academy in east Baghdad.

Iraq Election Results Point to a Big Win for Maliki

Patrick Cockburn, Independent UK. February 5, 2009.

Iraqi voters have rebuffed religious parties and cemented the power of the country's Prime Minister.

Basra Voters Hope Elections Will Revive Iraqi Economy

Middle East OnlineJanuary 30, 2009.

The stakes are high in Basra, where oil wealth is the engine of the Iraqi economy.

Will Iraq's New Quota System Give Women More Political Power?

Zaineb Naji, Institute for War and Peace Reporting. January 24, 2009.

As the January 31 elections approach, provincial councils are reserving seats for female leaders.

British Troops to Start Leaving Iraq in March

Kim Sengupta, Independent UK. December 10, 2008.

Next stop for the U.K. military equipment and some troops: Afghanistan.

Iraqi Doctors to Carry Guns for Self-Defense

Middle East OnlineSeptember 29, 2008.

The Iraqi government is providing weapons permit to doctors and pledges not to detain them during security operations.

Nine Iraqis to Receive Compensation for Sexual "Assaults and Batteries" by British Soldiers

Robert Verkaik, Independent UK. September 16, 2008.

It is the second big payout by the British Army this year over allegations of abuse.

Spinning Iraq for a GOP Victory

Patrick Cockburn, Independent UK. September 3, 2008.

With an eye on the presidential election, the White House is working to create the impression that the war is ripe for U.S. victory.

Life Under Muqtada: Inside Baghdad's Shiite Slums

Nir Rosen, The National, Abu Dhabi. June 14, 2008.

As the U.S. tries to secure its "security agreement" in Iraq, the Mahdi Army remains the only genuine mass movement in Iraq.

What is Next for Muqtada al Sadr?

Sami Moubayed, Asia Times. May 5, 2008.

While U.S. casualties continue to mount -- and many Iraqi troops lay down their arms -- the Mahdi Army is waging a war of survival.

Iraqi Gov Fires 1,300 Cops and Soldiers after Basra Fiasco

Iraq UpdatesApril 15, 2008.

921 police and soldiers were fired in Basra.

In Basra Battles, Media Quislings Offered Barely Half the Story

Ramzy Baroud, Middle East Online. April 12, 2008.

Muqtada al-Sadr reflects the views of most Iraqis; October's elections could position him as a new nationalist leader, and a unifying force.

Embarrassed U.S. Tries to Distance Itself from Disastrous Basra Attacks

Gareth Porter, IPS News. April 8, 2008.

The effort is an indication that the operation was viewed as a major embarrassment just as Gen. David Petraeus is about to testify before Congress.

Maliki to Launch More Attacks in South as Sadr Calls for Massive Protests

Middle East OnlineApril 4, 2008.

Also: US air strike kills three members of one Basra family.

'Handed Over' to a Government Called Sadr

Dahr Jamail, Ali Al-Fadhily, IPS News. April 3, 2008.

The "Surge" will go down in history as one of the greatest strategic failures in military history.

US-Backed Iraqi Gov Fires Thousands of Cops and Soldiers who Refused to Fight Sadr

AzzamanApril 1, 2008.

Analysts: those sacked will have no choice but to join the ranks of Mahdi Army with their weapons, boosting the militia's strength and standing.

Iraq: Recent Maliki-Sadr Clash Ends in Stalemate

Jacques Charmelot, Middle East Online. March 31, 2008.

Neither Maliki, nor Sadr can claim victory in six-day battle despite hundreds of casualties.

Sadr Offensive Reveals Failure of Petraeus Strategy

Gareth Porter, IPS News. March 30, 2008.

The signs that the Madhi Army will no longer be passive mark a major defeat for the U.S. military command's strategy.

Who Is the Iraqi Army?

Cenk Uygur, Huffington Post. March 29, 2008.

The so-called Iraqi Army fighting in the south right now is mainly the Badr Corps, a rival Shiite militia to Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army.

In Basra, Iraqi Police Take off Uniforms and Switch Sides

James Hider, The Times of London UK. March 29, 2008.

Bush calls the latest outbreak of violence a sign of success.

Bush: Iraq's Resurging Violence "a Very Positive Moment"

Satyam Khanna, ThinkProgress. March 27, 2008.

It's hard to see what Bush sees as positive.

Five Things You Need to Know to Understand the Latest Violence in Iraq

Joshua Holland, Raed Jarrar, AlterNet. March 27, 2008.

The traditional media is incapable of reporting what's going on in Southern Iraq.

Now That the Al-Sadr Cease Fire Is in Peril, What's Next for Iraq?

Attaturk, Firedoglake. March 26, 2008.

Ah, the latest battles in the never-ending nightmare that is Iraq. The only question ever being, slow disaster or fast disaster?

Basra on Fire

Patrick Cockburn, The Independent UK. March 26, 2008.

Muqtada al-Sadr called for a campaign of civil disobedience in which shops, businesses, schools and universities would close down.