W E D N E S D A Y , J U L Y 2 0 , 2 0 0 5Iraqi News: Bad To Worseby Michael in New York on 7/20/2005 10:06:00 PMNow the Sunnis are withdrawing from the panel working on theConstitution; they say they aren't being protected enough.That ain't good.Without inclusive participation in the entire process, thecivil conflict could worsen, with frustrated Sunnis, whomake up a fifth of the population, continuing to take uparms against the Shiites, Kurds and Americans.</p><p> A suicidebomber detonated an explosive belt this morning at anIraqi army recruiting center in Baghdad, killing at least 6men and injuring at least 29 other people, hospital officials.During the war, more than 100 men, mostly potentialrecruits, have been killed in frequent suicide bombings atthe center, located at the defunct Muthana military airport.The sheik of a mosque in southern Baghdad, MuhammadAli, was gunned down after morning prayers.</p><p> Far to thesouth, in the conservative Shiite city of Basra, the deputyhead of the provincial council, Hussein al-Daraji, was shotdead, said Abdul Zahra Sameer, another council member.Mr.</p><p> Daraji belonged to the Fadilah Party, founded by aradical Shiite cleric.And as we've mentioned,the Iraqi death toll is conservativelymeasured at 25,000 and counting.</p><p> Hmm, Bush hates facts, but let'ssee.</p><p> About 1,900 US casualties plus oh 10,000 wounded. (He reallydoesn't like our mentioning the wounded.) Plus our allies, throw inanother 2000 dead and wounded.</p><p> Plus 25,000 dead Iraqis andpresumably many more wounded.</p><p> At the very least, we're looking at50,000 to 60,000 dead and wounded people.</p><p> How many would havedied if Hussein had remained in power? My question right now is howmany would have died if the post-invasion hadn't been bungled socompletely?Finally, the Pentagon tersely admits that Iraqi units are woefullyunprepared to fight the insurgency on their own.</p><p> In direct response toCongressional demands for some actual FACTS, the Pentagonreleased a seven sentence statement to Congress that was leaked(did I say "leaked?" Who does that remind me of?) to the NYT.About half of Iraq's new police units are still in training andcannot conduct operations, while the other half of the policeunits and two-thirds of the new army battalions are only"partially capable" of carrying out counterinsurgencymissions, and only with American help, according to anewly declassified Pentagon assessment.Only "a small number" of Iraqi security forces are capableof fighting the insurgency without American assistance,while about one-third of the army is capable of "planning,executing and sustaining counterinsurgency operations"with allied support, the analysis said.In fact, according to the information that Sen.</p><p> Joe Biden said he gotfrom the military, of the roughly 150,000 Iraqi units, only about 2000can fight on their own and maybe 10,000 can fight at all -- even withour help.</p><p> That means more than 90% of the soldiers they claim are intraining can't even fight with our help.</p><p> And even the ones who canfight are poorly equipped thanks to rampant corruption.Bad news? Quick, someone tell the Pentagon so they can revise theirreport.</p><p> HuffPost PoliticsHuckabee's Huck Pac In Turmoil With StaffTurnover, Mounting Debts - Former Arkansas Gov.Mike Huckabee's political action committee, HuckPac, is undergoing a "restructuring," ExecutiveDirector Sarah Huckabee said Wednesday....30 minutes ago Ben SmithGoing small - My story tonight: President BarackObama came alive about 50 minutes intoWednesday night’s news conference – whensomebo52 minutes ago FiredoglakeLate Late Night FDL: What Eclipse? - A new videofrom Fatoumata Diawara, and and oldie from Bob.1 hour ago Daily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Today, srkp23(pulling a double shift), ybruti, taylormattd,ItsJessMe and vcmvo2 combed through hundredsof diaries to find this powerful list.</p><p> Today's...1 hour ago EschatonOvernight - Folk On.</p><p> Newish.2 hours agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T VEnd Deadlock? 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