2013 in Iraq began much the way 2012 did, with violence well down from the levels of the US occupation era. Then the Maliki government attacked a peaceful protest in Hawija in mid-April, and a sectarian powderkeg just exploded.
By summer the death tolls were again rivaling the worst of the US surge-era, and 2013 ended with well over 10,000 dead, and 1,180 killed in the month of December alone. The toll is the worst since 2007.
2013 in Iraq included a 3 and a half month span of relative calm too, before the Hawija killings and this week’s Ramadi killings bookmarked the remainder of the year, killing protesters and sparking ever-worsening tensions.
If something isn’t done to calm those tensions, 2014 is going to be the same, only moreso. Anbar Province is on the brink of full-scale revolt at this point, and the Maliki government’s answer so far is to keep sending the same troops in for heavy-handed crackdowns that only make matters worse. How much worse can Iraq possibly get? Sadly, we may be about to find out.
tell why again every last neocon isn't swinging from a rope. every single one of these deaths, and all others since 2003 are a direct result of their despicable war crime.
They are walking around free because the "current occupant" decided to "look forward" instead of having them answer for what they did. It was always their plan to stoke the religious hatreds amongst the tribes of the Muslims and they were/are enormously successful. And as the ME devolves into chaos those who perpetrated this atrocity claim they are guiltless and are making millions of $$$$ making speeches deflecting responsibility. Unless you're Cheney who seems to be very proud of what he did.
And because those responsible were not called to task for their crimes, the "current occupant" and his sycophants know they will never have to answer either…and the crimes continue.
The "why" of it though, the reason there were no trials and executions has never been explained. The signature failure of the MSM is why they never pressed Obama for his reasons for not prosecuting those who ordered the war crimes and are responsible for the thousands of innocents whose lives have been destroyed for an act of ideology.
Ms. Madeleine Allbright must be exstatic.
George W. Bush really meant it when he said "Mission Acomplished."