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Iraq Deadlier Than it Was a Year Ago, US Report Finds

Iraq Deadlier Than it Was a Year Ago, US Report Finds

An Iraqi man inspects a destroyed liquor store after a bomb attack in Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, July 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

BAGHDAD (AP) — Frequent bombings, assassinations and a resurgence in violence by Shiite militias have made Iraq more dangerous now than it was just a year ago, a U.S. government watchdog concludes in a report released Saturday.

The findings come during what U.S. Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart W. Bowen Jr. called “a summer of uncertainty” in Baghdad over whether American forces will stay past a year-end withdrawal deadline and continue military aid for the unstable nation.

“Iraq remains an extraordinarily dangerous place to work,” Bowen concluded in his 172-page quarterly report to Congress and the Obama administration on progress – and setbacks – in Iraq. “It is less safe, in my judgment, than 12 months ago.”

The report cited the deaths of 15 U.S. soldiers in June, the bloodiest month for the U.S. military in Iraq in two years. Nearly all of them were killed in attacks by Shiite militias bent on forcing out American troops on schedule.

It also noted an increase in rockets launched against the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, where government offices and foreign embassies are located, as well as constant assassination attempts against Iraqi political leaders, security forces and judges.

Additionally, the report called the northeastern province of Diyala, which borders Iran and has an often volatile mix of Sunni and Shiite Muslims and Kurds among its residents, “very unstable” with frequent bombings that bring double-digit death tolls.

Bowen accused the U.S. military of glossing over Iraq’s instability, noting a statement in late May by the U.S. military that described Iraq’s security trends as “very, very positive” – but only when compared to 2007, when the country was on the brink of civil war. In contrast, Bowen talked of “the very real fragility” of national security in Iraq today.

A spokesman for the U.S. military in Iraq declined to respond.

If the U.S. military leaves on schedule, the American Embassy in Baghdad will pick up the responsibility of training Iraqi police. Bowen called the job “challenging” for the fewer than 200 advisers who would be based in three sites but tasked with supporting Iraqi police in 10 of Iraq’s 18 provinces. There are an estimated 400,000 policemen in Iraq.

Baghdad and Washington are negotiating whether to keep the U.S. military in Iraq beyond the December deadline. A Saturday discussion about the Obama administration’s offer to keep 10,000 troops in Iraq to continue training security forces has been postponed, despite earlier hopes by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that the meeting could yield an agreement.

Al-Maliki says the decision ultimately will be put to parliament. While many officials from both nations believe Iraq is still too unstable to protect itself without U.S. help, keeping a large presence of American troops may be difficult to sell to an Iraqi public tired of eight years of war.

Bowen also said his inspectors published six audits over the last three months, including reviews of U.S. government contractor Anham, LLC, which is based in suburban Washington. The review found that Anham allowed its subcontractors in Iraq to overcharge the U.S. government, including a $900 bill for a control switch that cost $7.05 and $3,000 for a circuit breaker worth $183.30.

As a result, Bowen’s inspectors are seeking to review all Anham contracts with the U.S. government in Iraq and Afghanistan, which total about $3.9 billion.

Hassan S. Judeh, the administration director at Anham’s headquarters in Vienna, Va., declined to respond to Bowen’s examples because he said the company has not seen the report. But Judeh said Anham has a history of providing competitive prices for services, resulting so far in $132 million in savings to the government.

“Anham prides itself on the fact that it watches every penny and strives to always give the government the best cost-benefit in a remarkably hostile war environment,” Judeh said in a statement.

Comments (67)

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  • 5thregNHSM
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 2:03pm

    I bet Iraq will be quite stable when “O” pulls us out
    and the Islamist, fascist, milliants are running
    the show.
    The whole mid-east will be as right as rain.

    Report Post » 5thregNHSM  
    • Rice Water
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:10pm

      Why, oh WHY did Obama get us into this endless quagmire of a war???

      Report Post » Rice Water  
  • Cate
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 1:33pm

    This should not be surprising. The Obama Administration has opened the door to the Muslim Brotherhood by supporting the Arab Spring in the Middle East. How sad that our troops are still over there in danger as this evil faction moves in to destroy all semblage of freedom that we had hoped to put in place. What will really be sad is when the dangers suffered by the people of the Middle East will suddenly appear in our own backyards.

    Report Post » Cate  
  • banjarmon
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 12:53pm

    Just what BO wants…His muslim friends causing more trouble.

    Report Post » banjarmon  
  • Dumpster Baby
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 12:34pm

    Wait. Who got us into Iraq, again?

    Report Post »  
    • mossbrain
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 1:05pm

      Hey how dare you disrespect the man who destroyed the weapons of mass destruction. Colin Powell job well done!

      Report Post » mossbrain  
    • Rational Man
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 2:18pm

      Wait, who keeps this Iraq thing going again?………After all the bluster about it from him and his friends………………….

      Report Post » Rational Man  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 2:53pm

      Dumpster Baby (Posted on July 30, 2011 at 12:34pm)

      Wait. Who got us into Iraq, again?
      ______________________________
      - Iraq had a right to invade Kuwait?
      - Iraq had complied to the terms of the armistice of the 1st Gulf way completely and quickly?-
      - Weapons inspection lasted 10+ t\years because Iraq didn’t put road blocks in the way of U.N. weapons inspectors.
      - Al Qaeda member Zarqawi freely traveled about Iraq between the Gulf Wars because the Iraqi Intelligence service didn’t know who he was. They were clueless?

      Dumpster baby was accidentally dropped on their head by their parents while they were dumpster diving.

      Report Post »  
  • TAKE_NO_PRISONERS
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 12:33pm

    They are just warming up .Wait until we turn over to Iraqi’s the whole security detail.Then you will see some serious blood.But thats OK sunni,shia,whatever Islam sect ,as long as they’re killing somebody in the name of Allah,they’re happy.

    Report Post »  
  • Amazingoly
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 11:54am

    Time to come home, folks.

    Report Post »  
  • chips1
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 11:29am

    Obama uses our millitary the same way he uses the Treasury. There’s more where that came from. You just can’t print more soldiers. Someone should explain that to him.

    Report Post »  
  • gfmucci
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 11:02am

    Our blind leaders will not make any progress anywhere, even defending our own homeland, until they understand the pervasive evil represented by orthodox Islam. What a waste of American humanity and resources being in Iran or Afghanistan or Libya.

    Here is an example of what our military role should be limited to: Subject: Islamic Somali pirates: They pirate, we destroy Somali port communities where they orignate. Collateral deaths and damage? Probably. But that is likely to encourage the natives to find some more legitimate means of income. Repeat in any other Islamic community around the world that breeds, supports and promotes Islamic dope-inspired insanity and death/bondage of Americans.

    Oh, and our own borders. We could use 10,000 troops to protect them. And unshackle our border patrol and give their leaders authority to do their job. And pass laws that keep the courts off their backs. But I have little hope with the majority of ignoramouses in Congress.

    Report Post »  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 2:59pm

      When 6,000 guardsmen we deployed to help monitor the border, border apprehension went down signicantly. Check out the San Diego papers reporting.

      Amnesty would pass Congress even without many Democrat votes if a wall were built.

      People who support better border enforcement know the Democrat party wants no wall, because they want to repeat amnesty 10 or 20 years from now. B_stards!

      Report Post »  
  • sWampy
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 10:47am

    Just part of liberal plan, nothing to see here.

    Report Post »  
  • Classical Liberal
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 10:28am

    How Interesting it is that I give so little a **** about what happens in Iraq. The only news I want to here is that our troops come and those people handle there own damned problems.

    These people aren’t children, just stupid. They need to handle their own problems now.

    Report Post » Classical Liberal  
  • NHwinter
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 10:26am

    Gonzo is right. Time to get out of all those countries and let them kill each other, or as he said, install a King that is accountable to the US. But, if that is Obama, then it just won’t work. He wants all this turmoil.

    Report Post » NHwinter  
    • sWampy
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 12:05pm

      If we pull out, we either need to leave scorched earth, or blockade them where nobody, no supplies, noting come in or out, let them drown on their own oil, after all we have the technology to produce oil for under $20 a barrel, buying it from them is only to keep the rich rich and the poor poor.

      Report Post »  
  • momprayn
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 10:08am

    RON – Agree pretty much with that..and I’m a very patriotic Consv. Tea Party person and so is my husband who served in the Navy in Vietnam. We both think these wars need to end & get our troops back here where we really need them now. The terrorists are coming over our borders along with the illegals, etc. & who knows what attacks are being planned as we speak by terrorists on us in the near future – maybe as soon as September (10th anniversay of 9/11).
    I liked a lot of things about GWB but think he was wrong in his spending & these wars – even though I know he loves this country and thought it was the best to do. When he said we needed to fight them there so we wouldn’t have to here was faulty, naive thinking. The truth is they are already here, via “stealth” (in the mosques teaching sedition), indoctriniating, recruiting & even in our schools under the guise of “multiculturism”, in Govn’t positions, etc. They were all very naive, ignorant about Islam as most Americans are. It’s a no-win about what we’re doing over there. Should be more like Eisenhower who was against this type of thing & against going to Vietnam. WWII was necessaary but these others are entirely different.
    Good news is a lot of Repubs. are now thinking the same thing but say they’re afraid to say anything b/c they think we‘ll think they’re unpatriotic, etc. Need to fllood our Reps. with our stance on this so they get the message.

    Report Post »  
  • GulfPeg
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 10:06am

    These people have been fighting for thousands and thousands of years. Did we think these animals were actually going to be civilized and want democracy? We cannot stay forever in that country. Let’s get out NOW!

    Report Post »  
    • sWampy
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 10:49am

      Amen. Untold billions of people have suffered and died because of these animals, we finally have the technology to end them once and for all, it’s way past time.

      Report Post »  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 2:41pm

      People in the middle east have been fighting for thousands of years says GULFPEG

      Take any region on earth.
      Draw a circle around it.

      Guess what?
      There have been wars there for thousands of years.

      So should we not send peace envoys to Ireland, Sudan, or anywhere else?
      Should we not end the reign of Tojo, Hitler or Mussolini?
      What about Taylor in Liberia.

      Name a place and the list of wars at that place is numerous.

      Report Post »  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 10:03am

    It‘s time to realize that Muslim’s can’t handle democracy and quit pushing for it. The only thing they respond to is brute force… think Shaw of Iran. Install a strong man in Afghanistan and let him rule with an iron fist. Tell him he and his family can basically be kings for as long as they keep the terrorist, islamic indoctrination schools and drug traders out and we’ll support him. A few billion for the king every year and military hardware is cheaper than what we’re doing now. Also let him know we‘ll take him out fast if he doesn’t mind his boss, the U.S.. I really think that’s the way those people need to be governed.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • Classical Liberal
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 10:38am

      *can be governed. Fixed that for ya!

      Report Post » Classical Liberal  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 10:49am

      Who asked you?

      Report Post » Gonzo  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 2:45pm

      Americans can’t handle democracy.

      Ben Franklin said so. He said “Democracy if you can keep it” in reply to a question as to what we have won.

      Is it really democratic when ballot boxes are stuffed. Mickey mouse is registered to vote. Soldiers are disenfranchised because ballots are not sent in time to them.

      If too many elections are won or lost by a margin of a few % points and fraudulent ballots make up a few percentage points, are any election valid?

      Report Post »  
  • KusoJiJi
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:59am

    The Commander in Chief has failed!

    Report Post » KusoJiJi  
    • Hisemiester
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 1:36pm

      What CIC? Haven’t seen one since Ike. You can’t expect a politician to run the military. and the JCoS can’t be tied politically to the Presidents administration. We have now what comes out of politicizing the military. We need a General like Douglas McArthur in the Pentagon today. He would go for the throat of Islam.

      Report Post »  
  • Ron Staiger
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:48am

    Return all US troops from Iraq, Afghanistan, Lybia, South Korea, and Europe to America! No American soldier should be put in harms way under the watch of a Commander-in-Chief whose actions thus far have been at best, schizophrenic and at worst, treasonous! Bring the boys home and put them on the southern border.

    Report Post »  
    • gotta light
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 10:08am

      OMG did anyone think the NoMomma Obama as commander and chief was going to make Irag, Afghanistan, Libya, Eygpt, Israel, or the United States safer places?!?!?!?!?

      If you answered yes then please, pretty please, vote for anyone but NoMomma Obama in 2012 so your friends don’t confirm what they are most likely already thinking- YOU ARE A TOTAL IDIOT!

      We are more likely to solve America’s biggest problems by chewing bubblegum on a Tuesday afternoon than by having NoMomma Obama as President!

      Hey bud gotta light?

      Report Post » gotta light  
  • windycitywoman
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:37am

    Hello Beck friends! I have started a prayer group for Glenn and his endeavors on educating our youth and his mission in Israel. This group also posts news articles and videos on topics Glenn has covered on his show. Many others and I are members of GBTV and will be discussing his show daily and posting what he shares on the Internet. This is a great way to stay in the loop if you do not have GBTV!. We have also been doing wonderful fast and prayers on Wednesdays for Israel! If you are a “like minded” Christian, Conservative Glenn Beck fan please join us (220 of us and growing rapidly and without the TROLLS)! Find me on Facebook under Sharon Grek Papucci and send me a friend request! Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayers.” -Sidlow Baxter

    Report Post » windycitywoman  
  • dissentnow
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:32am

    We had no business being there in the first place. Now it looks like we are going to be there forever; Just another part of the world that will never be stable no matter how much money and blood we dump into it. Iraq will never be a Jeffersonian democracy. Never.

    Report Post »  
  • nysparkie
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:31am

    Civil war then – Civil war now. They can’t elect a ruling government. Saddam is gone. Who cares?
    Bush stated he would not go into “NATION BUILDING” then went into nation building. Many US Soldiers lives lost and in the end these bunch of ingrates will doff each other off in a heart beat, why? Because you are a Sunni and I am a Shiite? We are doomed to failure for we do not remember the lesson’s of history. You are communist north, I am (sic) democratic south Vietnamese. How did that work out after 54,000 GI’s got planted? Was Saddam a threat while he ruled, probably for what he controlled, all the money and all the Army. After his death he controlled 6 feet of dirt. We should have left….let em do each other in and let God sort them out.

    Report Post » nysparkie  
    • rose-ellen
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:54am

      You brainwashed gulls signed up to get your arms and legs blown offwhen your anti /muslim propaganda machine fed yougood vs evil star wars genocidal fantasies.now you’re there snd those muslims are still there and you realize you were manipulated[and you're broke]Your genocidal media driven fantasies got in the way of reality and [in the freeest best informed nation mankind has ever know ] self inflated narrative about yurselves.now [with that arab springwhere the people themselves rising up]looks like it was all irrelevant[the iraqis could have risen up there too without all these americans getting their arms and legs blown off]manipulated gull again![and osama supported the arab spring -he was a freedom ffighter not a jihadist wanting to force the world to convert to islam=ridiculous irrational geanti -muslin genocidal media narrative used to get you to sign away your lives by joining the military in your media fed genocidal fantasies that of course your government elites had no intention of ever implementing but were glad to manipulate you to get you to join to their military for [a new military base in iraq and perhaps a new oil supply if those fundamentalist saudis suucced in overthrowing the corrupt saudis [now you see a muslim on your strreets and you'll be hit with a hate crime if you lay a hand on one]Gulls! Long live the arab spring.if we cared about human freedom and were against tyranny we would help the syrian people.But we love tyranny when it benefits

      Report Post »  
    • quicker
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 10:00am

      @ Rose Ellen ;Why don`t go back to your tent and spend more time with your goat.

      Report Post » quicker  
    • let us prey
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 10:41am

      rose
      Blah blah gulls, blah hmm brainwashed, blah propped up blah blah blah, genocide blah blah ,manipulate blah blah. When will you get off of the soapbox? You may need what is inside to wash off the filth.

      Report Post » let us prey  
    • MIBUGNU2
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 1:27pm

      @ Rose

      Where’s The Love ?? Why All That HATE ? It’s a nice sunny day,
      think I’ll go fishing or do a Picnic, and enjoy life…… Be Nice,

      Report Post » MIBUGNU2  
  • concealled9mms
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:29am

    nice job obamma . i remember like it was yesterday when you used your car salesman speeches to the voting public during your campaign saying the first thing you will do in office is close guantanamo, end the war in iraq end the war in afganistan and use all that money for health care. seems to me you have a trouble remembering things or your just cant seem to tell the truth, probably a little of both

    Report Post »  
    • ADNIL
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 11:28am

      It’s just hard for a liar to remember all of his lies and keep them straight. Smooooooth talker. And they just eat it up and ask for more.

      Report Post »  
  • RepubliCorp
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:29am

    Could it be that Dumbo is running things?

    Report Post » RepubliCorp  
    • chips1
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 11:43am

      The only thing he runs is his mouth. Diarrhea?

      Report Post »  
  • CatB
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:28am

    Obama is doing a heck of a job (sarcasm) .. don’t forget Libya — also. Afganistan … Pakistan … the world is blowing up under Obama.

    Report Post »  
  • trolltrainer
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:24am

    Good! Now, let’s get the fluck out of there…

    Report Post »  
  • Jackie Rogers, Jr.
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:22am

    And when he says $132 million in savings, he actually means $1.35 billion in overcharges. See? You just gotta get in that government contracter state of mind to understand their use of language.

    Report Post » Jackie Rogers, Jr.  
  • Highland
    Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:20am

    Obama’s war! No blood for oil!
    How is Barack Hussein Obama II going to blame George W. Bush for the blood that’s on his own hands?

    Report Post » Highland  
    • Hisemiester
      Posted on July 30, 2011 at 1:40pm

      Highland,
      Obama will blame Joe Biden. Joe didn’t bring enough soap and water, you know? However it is really G. Bushes war. He invaded Iraq just because his daddy didn’t finish his invasion. “My Daddy started this fight, and I will end it” G. Bush. President Duh. Like Obama, he was a piece. Different piece though. Obama is Evil, Bush was Uhhhhh, well. Ha

      Report Post »  
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