Baghdad Behind Walls

Anna Badkhen / Truthdig Aug 14, 2008 Walls have become ubiquitous in Baghdad, a place where barricades keep militias from one another and hungry shoppers from the nearest kebab. As Iraqis struggle with sovereignty, the barriers are a constant reminder of the American military occupation. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Mugabe Opposition Quits Election

Staff / Truthdig Jun 23, 2008 After winning one round of elections (perhaps outright), Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's challenger has dropped out of the race, citing rampant government interference and the abuse and murder of his supporters by militias loyal to Mugabe. "We have resolved that we will no longer participate in this violent, illegitimate sham of an election process," said Morgan Tsvangirai. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Mugabe Henchmen Mutilate and Murder Opposition Activists

Staff / Truthdig Jun 20, 2008 In a gruesome killing spree that morbidly illustrates the ongoing election crisis in Zimbabwe, militia members apparently supporting President Robert Mugabe mutilated and killed four young men, three of whom were identified as activists for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), the rival party to Mugabe's Zanu (PF) group. The fourth happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and didn't know Zanu (PF)'s secret handshake, so to speak. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

A Better Iraq? That’s What Saddam Said

Anna Badkhen / Truthdig May 19, 2008 The war is over for now in Sahar al-Jawari's Baghdad neighborhood, but life is still a struggle. An American soldier encourages her not to be pessimistic, but it's hard to look on the bright side while supporting a family by selling off your jewelry. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Trading Spaces, Iraq Edition

Anna Badkhen / Truthdig May 15, 2008 Sectarian violence has driven millions of Iraqis from their homes. Now that the violence has abated in one formerly upscale Baghdad neighborhood, residents are returning to find squatters who refuse to leave and a government and occupying army unwilling to kick them out. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Baghdad’s Other Power Struggle

BLANK May 11, 2008 As one U.S. soldier tells Truthdig foreign correspondent Anna Badkhen, it's not entirely a bad sign that residents of Baghdad's Saidiyah neighborhood are complaining about their meager daily power allotment: A year earlier they were concerned about just staying alive. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Business Stirs in a Walled Neighborhood

BLANK May 9, 2008 In this first installment in her series of stories from Iraq for Truthdig, veteran foreign correspondent Anna Badkhen reports about the civilian costs of war, life under occupation and the precarious state of a Baghdad burger joint. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Preparations Made for Sadr City Assault

Staff / Truthdig May 7, 2008 After a seven week surge in violent street clashes and an estimated 1,000 civilian deaths in the Sadr City neighborhood of Baghdad alone, U.S. and Iraqi forces are now preparing an overwhelming military offensive they hope will completely annihilate active Shia resistance movements and pacify the area, making it safe for occupation. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Top Al-Qaida Operative Killed in Somalia

Staff / Truthdig May 1, 2008 The U.S. military carried out an overnight airstrike in Somalia, targeting the country's primary al-Qaida cell -- and by Thursday morning the man considered the group's leader, Aden Hashi Ayro, was confirmed dead, along with 10 others. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Sadr’s Dark Warning

Patrick Cockburn / Truthdig Apr 22, 2008 The militia leader's threat of an "open war" between his supporters and the U.S.-backed Iraqi government has ratcheted up tensions in Basra and Baghdad. [In this analysis, columnist Patrick Cockburn of The Independent looks into the current situation in light of Sadr's history with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.] Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Colorado Still Sneers at Labor

David Sirota / Truthdig Apr 18, 2008 The state in which an infamous slaughter of labor organizers occurred in 1914 may not be killing unionists these days but its persecution of them continues. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Maliki Gives Up the Fight

Staff / Truthdig Apr 5, 2008 Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, just a day after some tough talk, has caved on his promise to disarm militant Iraqis. The news that the Iraqi government would no longer pursue "people who carry weapons" comes on the heels of an Iran-backed truce with rival Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )