Free Republic

American senators upbeat on Iraq despite deteriorating security, bombings By Todd Pitman, Associated Press, 2/19/2005 16:02 BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) As 55 people died in Iraq on Saturday, the holiest day on the Shiite Muslim religious calendar, Sen. Hillary Clinton said that much of Iraq was ''functioning quite well'' and that the rash of suicide attacks was a sign that the insurgency was failing. Clinton, a New York Democrat, said insurgents intent on destabilizing the country had failed to disrupt Iraq's landmark Jan. 30 elections. ''The concerted effort to disrupt the elections was an abject failure. Not one polling place was...

Help build the movement to stop the war: 1) Endorse - http://troopsoutnow.org/endorse.html 2) Organize transportation from your area http://troopsoutnow.org/orgcents.html 3) Forward this update to your lists 4) Donate http://troopsoutnow.org/donate.html Plans for the March 19, 2005, March and Rally in Central Park, NYC are drawing support from antiwar groups across the country. Saturday, March 19, the second anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, is a world-wide day of protest. In New York City, a broad coalition of antiwar, community, solidarity, and labor organizations will march from Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem to Central Park's East Meadow to demand the immediate,...

Muslim cleric talks of No 10 suicide attacks 11.44PM, Fri Feb 18 2005 ITV News has been given exclusive access to a tape recording in which a radical Muslim cleric talks about flying a plane into Downing Street. Shiekh Omar Bakri Mohammed - who is based in Britain - talks of suicide bombings and says that an attack on No 10 would be reconcilable with the Muslim faith. He also claims that missions of "self sacrifice" and "martyrdom" would be welcomed by Allah. It is a statement that will horrify and disgust people across Britain, but he made these statements...

Also Saturday, authorities reported arresting two insurgent leaders, including a top aide to Iraqi al-Qaida leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Jordanian-born terror mastermind. Baqouba police chief Abdel Molan said his forces had captured Haidar Abu Bawari, also know asthe "Prince of the Holy Warriors,." He was described as a top aide to al-Zarqawi and the man behind the insurgency in the city about 35 miles northeast of the capital. The Iraqi government also said it arrested one of the key insurgent leaders in the northern city of Mosul. He was identified as Harbi Abdul Khudair al-Mahmoudi, 50, also known as...