Welcome! Our goal at Winds of Change.NET is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from Iraq that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. This briefing is brought to you by Andrew Olmsted of Andrew Olmsted dot com.
TOP TOPICS
- Terrorists bombed five churches in Baghdad and Mosul during Sunday services, presumably in hopes of triggering Christian-Moslem conflict in Iraq. Ohter attacks included suicide bombing of a police station in Mosul, killing five and wounding 53, and three roadside bombs that killed four and wounded six.
- The rash of kidnappings in Iraq may be accomplishing one goal: reducing foreign investment. As an economic recovery is vital for our efforts in Iraq to succeed, this could be disastrous if left unchecked.
- Arthur Chrenkoff's latest summary of good news from Iraq is out.
Other Topics Today Include: the hard fight against insurgents; Powell in Iraq; a new news channel for Iraq; the Saudis offer a new poison pill; the future of Iran-Iraq relations; John Kerry plans to get troops out of Iraq; new Iraqi blogs.
REPORTS FROM THE FIELD
- Phil Carter examines reports on the difficulties we face in dealing with the insurgents in Iraq. It's not a fun read, but it will likely be necessary information as we puzzle out the best way to defeat our enemies.
- An Iraqi negotiator is denying reports that seven Kenyan truck drivers have been released by their kidnappers. Worse, he says that negotiations have broken down, and that he no longer has contact with the hostage-takers.
RECONSTRUCTION & THE ECONOMY
- Colin Powell promised to speed up aid to Iraq to help create more jobs during his surprise visit to Iraq. He also promised not to allow Iraq to slide back into violence, a promise he may be more able to keep than the first.
- Phil Carter takes a look at reports of significant waste and a lack of accountability by the now-disbanded CPA. While we can't get back the wasted funds, there are doubtless some valuable lessons to be learned from the mistakes made.
IRAQI POLITICS
- Iraq may have a new constructive Iraqi media, according to Alaa of The Mesopotamian. (Hat tip: Iraq the Model.)
- The The Governor of Al-Anbar, the Iraqi province with Ramadi in it says he will resign if kidnappers release three of his sons who were taken four days ago. No confirmation yet from American, British or Iraqi news sources.
THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE
- The Saudis have made a new proposal for Iraq that would replace U.S. troops with Muslim/Arab troops, but only under the condition the force be under U.N. control. This is a political winner for the Saudis, as it allows them to sound magnaminous while knowing the U.S. won't go along with their conditions.
- Omar analyzes the capture of 60 Afghans attempting to sneak across the Iran-Iraq border and what this may presage for Iran-Iraq relations.
- A terrorist group claiming to be connected to al Qaeda has given Italy fifteen days to leave Iraq or face terrorist attacks. (Hat tip: The Agonist.)
ETCETERA
- John Kerry claims he will bring home 'significant numbers' of U.S. troops from Iraq during his first term, making a play for antiwar voters that may help to undermine U.S. support in Iraq.
- Zeyad has a great list of Iraqi blogs available for those looking for what actual Iraqis think of what's going on in their country.
- The troops are still there. So is the Winds of Change.NET consolidated directory of ways you can support the troops: American, Australian, British, Canadian & Polish. Anyone out there with more information, contact us!
- Don't forget Chief Wiggles' Toys for Iraq drive!
Thanks for reading! If you found something here you want to blog about yourself (and we hope you do), all we ask is that you do as we do and offer a Hat Tip hyperlink to today's "Winds of War". If you think we missed something important, use the Comments section to let us know.
Great set of links. I always highly value reading Phil Carter. The intelligence of this site is one of the reasons why I keep coming back here, although I am always cognizant that the intelligence here is sometimes highjacked for Republican talking points.
Be that as it may, the Phil Carter post on the composition of the insurgents is fascinating, and essential reading to think practically about who the resistance is, in Iraq. Much better than the simple label (from the right) of "terrorist", or (from the left) as "nationalists".
I was over at Iraq Coalition Casualties, and had a separate window open, which was a political map of Iraq. At first, I kept going back and forth, for a month or two, and then noting where a U.S. soldier died.
Then I got smart, and printed out the map, and started marking the map up in red, where a death occured. Very illuminating - all very center oriented - Samarra, Al-Anbar, Baghdad. Baghdad, then close north, northwest and west.