Sectarian Violence Surges in Baghdad

Staff / Truthdig May 24, 2007 Recent morgue figures show a rise in sectarian violence in Iraq, challenging the effectiveness of the U.S. troop surge and a three-month old security crackdown. The Bush administration had cited a drop in violence as evidence of success, but many attributed the relative lull in killings, now but a memory, to an order from Moqtada al-Sadr for his militia to temporarily stand down. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

‘Mentally F’ed Up’ in Baghdad

Staff / Truthdig Apr 14, 2007 In this episode of the outstanding Web documentary series "Hometown Baghdad," Adel interviews his young brother and cousin, both of whom had just witnessed a gruesome killing. He is convinced the two young Iraqis already show signs of the psychological trauma that comes from growing up in a war zone. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Symphony of Bullets

Staff / Truthdig Apr 3, 2007 In this episode of "Hometown Baghdad," Adel, Ausama and Saif comment on the violence that has become so commonplace a daylong gun battle feels more like an inconvenience than cause for alarm. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Darfur Camps Running Out of Room

Staff / Truthdig Mar 20, 2007 The Sudanese camps where some 2 million refugees live are nearing capacity. According to a new U.N. report on the Darfur crisis, 80,000 people already have fled their homes this year, and some camps have been forced to turn them away. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Where in the World Is Moqtada al-Sadr?

Staff / Truthdig Feb 14, 2007 An anonymous U.S. official said on Tuesday that prominent Shiite cleric and Iraqi political figure Moqtada al-Sadr had fled to Iran in order to escape either an American crackdown or fringe elements of his own militia. But several Iraqi officials on Wednesday, also speaking anonymously, said al-Sadr was still in Iraq. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Dog and Pony Show

Mike Luckovich / Truthdig Feb 14, 2007 Dig deeper

Intelligence Report Reflects Grim Reality

Staff / Truthdig Feb 2, 2007 According to sources familiar with the document, the latest national intelligence estimate paints a bleak picture for Iraq, one that most of us have already come to know from simply following the news. The summary of information from across the intelligence community says that the situation is perilous, the U.S. has little control and the major cause of violence is not al-Qaida but fighting among Iraqis. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

250 Dead After Daylong Battle

Staff / Truthdig Jan 29, 2007 U.S. and Iraqi soldiers killed 250 militants Sunday in a day of fighting in Najaf. According to an Iraqi official, the battle with the previously unknown militia involved tanks, jets and helicopters, one of which was shot down. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.S. Targets Sadr’s Militia

Staff / Truthdig Jan 23, 2007 The U.S. military says a series of 52 operations over 45 days led to the capture of some 600 militants and 16 leaders of Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army. With some estimates placing the size of the Shiite militia at 60,000, that leaves only 59,384 to go. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Iraqi PM’s Silence Speaks Volumes

Staff / Truthdig Jan 13, 2007 President Bush may have assurances that Nouri al-Maliki will not tolerate sectarian violence in Iraq, but the prime minister's refusal to publicly confront his militant backers suggests he may be more interested in consolidating Shiite power than fostering stability. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

E.J. Dionne Jr.: Assembly of Vipers

E.J. Dionne Jr. / Truthdig Jan 12, 2007 Surge or no, Iraq will remain engulfed in violence as long as those who control the death squads continue to exercise power in the country's National Assembly. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Reese Erlich: Trouble Brewing in Paradise

Reese Erlich / Truthdig Dec 27, 2006 The award-winning investigative journalist probes the divided loyalties of Iraqi Kurdistan, where U.S. trainers are working to fold political militias into the Iraqi army. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )