Obama Should Worry About Iraqi Shoes, Too | It's Official: The U.S. Lost the War

War on Iraq Newsletter December 19th, 2008 More from War on Iraq »

Obama Should Worry About Iraqi Shoes, Too By Ben Lando, AlterNet When Iraq's violence escalates, President Obama better not be caught on his heels when he's blamed for losing Bush's "win." Read more »   The big story of the week was Iraq's shoe-throwing journalist, Muntader al-Zeidi, but another report just came down with important implications for the future of the occupation. The Washington Post reports: An internal State Department report says Blackwater Worldwide may lose its license to work in Iraq and recommends that the agency prepare alternative means to protect its diplomats there. ... The 42-page draft report by the State Department's Inspector General says the department faces "numerous challenges" in dealing with the security situation in Iraq, including the prospect that Blackwater may be barred from the country. The department would have turn to other security arrangements to replace Blackwater, officials said. This comes at a moment when five Blackwater operatives involved in the deadly massacre at Baghdad's Nisour Square last September have been indicted for their actions, which left 17 Iraqi civilians dead and more than 20 wounded. Keep visiting AlterNet's War on Iraq section for more news on Blackwater, mercenaries -- and, of course, Muntader al-Zeidi. Thanks for reading, Liliana Segura Editor, War on Iraq Special Coverage     From U.S. War Resisters, A Letter of Solidarity to Israeli Army Resisters AlterNet About 100 Israeli high school students have declared their refusal to serve in the Israeli army and participate in the occupation of Palestine. Read more »   Foreign Mercenaries Losing Their Immunity in Iraq By Willam Fisher, IPS News Under the agreement approved by the Iraqi government last week, U.S. contractors will be subject to Iraqi law for the first time. Read more »   Kids Learn that Killing Is Fun at the Army's Lethal New Theme Park By Penny Coleman, AlterNet The Army's new recruitment tool lets high-tech video game centers desensitize, condition, train and even enlist America's youth. Read more »   It's Official: Total Defeat for U.S. in Iraq By Patrick Cockburn, CounterPunch Iraq's parliament came to a major agreement recently: all 150,000 troops are to withdraw from cities by June. Read more »   Economy, Relations with West Are Key to Iran's 2009 Elections By Gareth Porter, IPS News Both Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and whoever is chosen as his opponent are expected to try to pin responsibility for Western sanctions on each other. Read more »   Even the State Department Recommends Dumping Blackwater By Satyam Khanna, Think Progress A panel commissioned by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has called for the security firm's contract not to be renewed next year. Read more »   PEEK and Video: The hottest buzz and videos on the web     Iraq Ambassador Addresses Growing Demand to Free Iraqi Journalist By Staff, CODEPINK Women for Peace: Action Blog CODEPINK takes action to support al-Zaidi and his anti-war sentiment. Read more »   Revealed: Unpublished Fed Document Highlights Costly Rebuilding Blunders in Iraq By dday, Hullabaloo The people who were given the task of rebuilding Iraq had absolutely no interest in doing so. Read more »   Shoe-Throwing Iraqi Journalist 'Beaten in Custody' By Faiz Shakir, Think Progress Al-Zaidi's brother reports that the journalist is suffering from a broken hand, broken ribs, and internal bleeding. Read more »   Meet the Man Who Threw His Shoes at Bush: Muntader al-Zeidi By Hanna Ingber Win, Huffington Post Learn more about the man who threw the 'shoes heard round the world,' and find out what's happening to him now. Read more »

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