SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in 2012. (Photo: DOD/D. Myles Cullen.
In Iraq, Legacy of US Occupation Continues
Mounting deaths of Iraqis offer somber reminder of what US intervention has brought
Mar 03, 2014
Iraq, a country "wrecked" by U.S. invasion and occupation, continues to experience yet another month with hundreds of civilian casualties.
According to a statement issued Saturday by the United Nations mission to Iraq, 703 Iraqis were killed in February, and 564 of those were civilians. There were also 1,381 Iraqis injured last month. Those figures follow a month in which 733 Iraqis were killed, including 618 civilians. The figures for both months leave off deaths in Anbar province, because the UN stated it could not validate those numbers.
2013 also marked a somber record for Iraq--the highest number of civilian casualties since 2008.
The U.S. has recently poured Hellfire missiles and surveillance drones into the country, purportedly to help Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki fight al Qaeda.
"The political, social and religious leaders of Iraq have an urgent responsibility to come together in the face of the terrorist threat that the country is facing," Nickolay Mladenov, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq, stated Monday.
Yet Raed Jarrar, an Arab-American blogger and political analyst, explained to Common Dreams that "what is causing violence and casualties in Iraq today has little to do with terrorism. It's caused by corruption, sectarian politics, and other legacies of the U.S. occupation in Iraq."
"What started last year as a legitimate nonviolent movement was crushed by Iraqi government tanks in late December," Jarrar continued. "It has since turned into an armed uprising against the Iraqi government. The U.S. continues to interfere in Iraq by sending weapons and providing political support to its allies in the country."
Other critics of military intervention have also charged that the ongoing violence gripping Iraq has "everything to do with the aftermath of the U.S. invasion and occupation."
____________________
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Iraq, a country "wrecked" by U.S. invasion and occupation, continues to experience yet another month with hundreds of civilian casualties.
According to a statement issued Saturday by the United Nations mission to Iraq, 703 Iraqis were killed in February, and 564 of those were civilians. There were also 1,381 Iraqis injured last month. Those figures follow a month in which 733 Iraqis were killed, including 618 civilians. The figures for both months leave off deaths in Anbar province, because the UN stated it could not validate those numbers.
2013 also marked a somber record for Iraq--the highest number of civilian casualties since 2008.
The U.S. has recently poured Hellfire missiles and surveillance drones into the country, purportedly to help Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki fight al Qaeda.
"The political, social and religious leaders of Iraq have an urgent responsibility to come together in the face of the terrorist threat that the country is facing," Nickolay Mladenov, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq, stated Monday.
Yet Raed Jarrar, an Arab-American blogger and political analyst, explained to Common Dreams that "what is causing violence and casualties in Iraq today has little to do with terrorism. It's caused by corruption, sectarian politics, and other legacies of the U.S. occupation in Iraq."
"What started last year as a legitimate nonviolent movement was crushed by Iraqi government tanks in late December," Jarrar continued. "It has since turned into an armed uprising against the Iraqi government. The U.S. continues to interfere in Iraq by sending weapons and providing political support to its allies in the country."
Other critics of military intervention have also charged that the ongoing violence gripping Iraq has "everything to do with the aftermath of the U.S. invasion and occupation."
____________________
Iraq, a country "wrecked" by U.S. invasion and occupation, continues to experience yet another month with hundreds of civilian casualties.
According to a statement issued Saturday by the United Nations mission to Iraq, 703 Iraqis were killed in February, and 564 of those were civilians. There were also 1,381 Iraqis injured last month. Those figures follow a month in which 733 Iraqis were killed, including 618 civilians. The figures for both months leave off deaths in Anbar province, because the UN stated it could not validate those numbers.
2013 also marked a somber record for Iraq--the highest number of civilian casualties since 2008.
The U.S. has recently poured Hellfire missiles and surveillance drones into the country, purportedly to help Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki fight al Qaeda.
"The political, social and religious leaders of Iraq have an urgent responsibility to come together in the face of the terrorist threat that the country is facing," Nickolay Mladenov, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq, stated Monday.
Yet Raed Jarrar, an Arab-American blogger and political analyst, explained to Common Dreams that "what is causing violence and casualties in Iraq today has little to do with terrorism. It's caused by corruption, sectarian politics, and other legacies of the U.S. occupation in Iraq."
"What started last year as a legitimate nonviolent movement was crushed by Iraqi government tanks in late December," Jarrar continued. "It has since turned into an armed uprising against the Iraqi government. The U.S. continues to interfere in Iraq by sending weapons and providing political support to its allies in the country."
Other critics of military intervention have also charged that the ongoing violence gripping Iraq has "everything to do with the aftermath of the U.S. invasion and occupation."
____________________
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.