While we've all been post-mortem analyzing the New Hampshire Derby

[frogcycle]

and quibbling over who is the better performer, nine soldiers were killed in Iraq - three yesterday, six today. Seventeen month-to-date. Plus three in Afghanistan. Happy New Year. Two of those seventeen were assassinated by an Iraqi soldier they were supposedly patrolling with - he just turned and sprayed them. Today's was an IED in a boobytrapped house. One a few days ago was electrocuted in the shower - something about faulty wiring - I didn't catch the name of the contractor who put the shower in.

http://www.Zeitlangers.com

[marylanddem]

1. Thank you, frogcycle

May these poor soldiers rest in peace.

And may those who sent them to war on a lie be forced, someday, to confront the blood on their hands...

[JDPriestly]

2. Vote for Edwards, the only candidate who has set a timetable for getting out of Iraq.

[frogcycle]

4. I support Edwards

but this post is not about that

[Lint Head]

3. I thought the violence was calming down. Yeah, sure.

:dem:

[countmyvote4real]

5. Thanks for keeping it real.

It is criminal that our military are asked to lay down their lives for this ongoing charade.

[emilyg]

6. Thank you.

[frogcycle]

7. Re: MIAs - Soldier missing in Iraq gets a promotion

Soldier missing in Iraq gets a promotion

Updated: 01/10/08 6:43 AM

FORT DRUM (AP) — A 10th Mountain Division soldier missing since May when his unit was attacked by insurgent forces in Iraq has been promoted to the rank of sergeant, Fort Drum officials said Wednesday.

Sgt. Alex R. Jimenez’s family will receive all entitlements due retroactively to June 26, the date of his promotion, according to a post news release. Soldiers who are missing or captured are promoted as their time in rank and service make them eligible.

Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence, Mass., and Pfc. Byron W. Fouty, 19, of Waterford, Mich., were seized May 12 when insurgents attacked and overran a checkpoint in a volatile area south of Baghdad. Fouty was previously promoted to private first class from private.

A third soldier, Pfc. Joseph Anzack Jr., was also captured during the raid, but his body was found May 23 floating in the Euphrates River. Four other U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi soldier were killed in the attack.

The Islamic State of Iraq, a front group for al-Qaida, has claimed that the missing soldiers were killed and buried.

[frogcycle]

8. US general says 'spectacular' Qaeda attacks rise in Iraq

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080109/pl_afp/iraqunrestusqaeda;_ylt=A0WTUcVtDoVHVX0AJgGs0NUE

[knitter4democracy]

9. It was on here yesterday--that Iraqi soldier attacked after our guys had attacked a woman.

If I remember right, she was pregnant, and they kicked her while she was on the ground in front of them, and when the Iraqi soldier asked them to stop, they told him they didn't have to, so he went back to the armored vehicle and opened fire. The story's around here somewhere.

I'm all for supporting the troops, but this story is a perfect example of why we need to get them the hell out of there. Guys are so shell-shocked that they're breaking down and turning into animals. That's bad, and it means it's time, past time, to get them out of there.

[frogcycle]

10. I'll reserve judgement

I searched for corroboration - all I could find was a lot of bloggers repeating what "Iraqi sites" claim.

The initial reports by US were that there was a firefight; then the Iraqi army said the Iraqi turned on the Americans and that he was connected to insurgents or maybe was just nuts. Sounds lame, but clearly there is plenty of detail not disclosed. Whether these "Iraqi sites" have the real lowdown or are making shit up remains to be seen, IMO. It is a pretty "dramatic" story to add that she was pregnant...

Not saying it isn't so, but not buying it yet on the info I could find this am.

[knitter4democracy]

11. I think the truth probably lies in the middle.

Our guys probably weren't as respectful as the culture demands, and one of their guys used it as an excuse. Then again, we've been caught too many times in this war doing horrifyingly awful things to Iraqi civilians and then calling them insurgants as if that makes Abu Ghrab and raping young women and then burning down her house with her in it okay.