Cleansing

I have mentioned in previous posts that one of the reasons why there is calm in parts of Baghdad is because Sunnis have been cleansed from Shiite neighborhoods. Cleansing means killed, murdered, tortured, and otherwise forced to leave with the threat of death and violence to their families.

The trend continues: Iraqi Gunmen Kill Baby, 6 Others in Home

The Iraqi gunman is part of the Shiite militia and the baby and six others are Sunnis.

Closing out a three-day visit to Baghdad, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said the United States could not bring peace to Iraq without help. He said Iraqi leaders expressed hope France would play a role.

It appears that the new conservative rulers of France unlike their predecessors, will be chummy with Bush.

One last comment: Listening to Journalist Nir Rosen on Democracy Now Tuesday morning, he mentioned one of those very special American catch 22's.

Rosen said that Iraqi families are often forced to pay essentially extortion fees in order to keep family members alive. Turns out that America will not allow the people who have paid those extortion monies into the USA as refugees. The reason, because they have paid extortion money they have given money to terrorists!!!!! They have aided the enemy - terrorists. Hello Washington DC, anyone home - anyone got a brain?