Pepe Escobar writes that Iraq is a giant, messy albatross hanging from President George W. Bush's neck. The faith-based American president believes that "we are winning the war in Iraq." The reality-based global public opinion - not to mention 59% of Americans, and counting - know this is not true.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/122605N.shtml

AntiWar.Com
by Justin Raimondo

12/26/05

The idea that this election was going to be a milestone on the road to genuine democracy in Iraq never made much sense, and in view of the results it makes even less. Iraq is on a path to full-scale civil war, and the election, instead of papering over ethnic and religious divisions, has only underscored them. The insurgency, instead of being tamped down, now has a new grievance to rally its forces around and make new recruits: allegations of massive election fraud. The Iranians, for their part, have consolidated and even extended their growing influence, virtually ensuring, through the victory of Tehran-backed parties like SCIRI and Da'wa, that 'democratic' Iraq will soon be an 'Islamic republic.' No wonder the Iranians are now crowing that the elections were a victory for 'Khomeini-ism.' Thanks to the US invasion, and the subsequent triumph of SCIRI, Da'wa, and the more radical Sadrists, Iran is now effectively in control of the Iraqi government...

http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=8307


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.uruknet.info/?p=18993


Informant: Neo Mulder

The massive US effort will leave behind this legacy: Iraqis will actually have, on average, fewer hours per day of electricity in their homes than they did before the US-led invasion in March 2003.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/122505G.shtml

US airstrikes in Iraq have surged this fall, jumping to nearly five times the average monthly rate earlier in the year, according to US military figures. Until the end of August, US warplanes were conducting about 25 strikes a month. The number rose to 62 in September, then to 122 in October and 120 in November.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/122505Z.shtml

The editorial of Iran’s leading hard-line daily hailed the outcome of Iraq’s parliamentary elections as “the creation of the first Islamist state in the Arab world”, and warned against “American plots” to prevent the formation of the new Iraqi government by Iranian-backed Shiite groups.

http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=5006


From Information Clearing House

Iraqi court disqualifies prominent Sunni candidates: An Iraqi court has ruled that some of the most prominent Sunni Muslims who were elected to parliament last week won't be allowed to serve because officials suspect that they were high-ranking members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party.

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/13476434.htm


From Information Clearing House

US Marine airstrikes targeting insurgents sheltering in Iraqi residential neighborhoods are killing civilians as well as guerrillas along the Euphrates River in far western Iraq.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/122405Y.shtml



Operations in Anbar killing many civilians (WP)
http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/3838/2/


Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news

Large demonstrations broke out across Iraq on Friday denouncing parliamentary elections that protesters claimed were "rigged" in favor of the main religious Shiite coalition.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/122305B.shtml