Iraq

(AFP) Two US troops killed, seven wounded in an attack on one of the small operating bases that characterize the new plan.

The US military announced the deaths of three American soldiers killed south of Baghdad on Friday, two of whom died with two Iraqi interpreters when their patrol base was ambushed in an attack that saw combat helicopters scrambled.

The helicopters and a quick reaction force raced to the scene to repel the attack, which left another seven US troops wounded, the army said.

This is the danger of these isolated neighborhood bases. We haven't seen many direct attacks on these bases yet. This is new.

(AP) A major bombing in Karbala killed at least 56. This bombing was at a checkpoint on the road to the Shia holy site, the Imam Hussein shrine. As a target it is particularly inflammatory.

Hundreds of people swarmed around ambulances, crying out and pounding their chests in grief. Police fired into the air to disperse crowds and clear roads for emergency vehicles, but angry mobs attacked them and set two police vehicles on fire.

Rioters surrounded the Karbala governor's office and demanded his and provincial council members' resignations — blaming them for lax security. Mobs threw stones at the governor's office and set fire to the building.

A curfew was imposed in the area, and the city's entrances were sealed off while police and soldiers patrolled the streets.

Same article, there was another bombing attempt against another major bridge spanning the Tigris. 10 killed. (Are they trying to cut the city in half? Limit ethnic cleansing? Limit US mobility?)

(AP) Civilian deaths are down in Baghdad, but deaths outside the capitol have gone up. Roughly the same number are dying. (I question the numbers in this article. This article cites Iraqi police numbers, whereas the Ministry of Health numbers and Red Cross numbers are roughly twice that. It doesn't mean the trend isn't there, but the base numbers are very low.)

(NYTimes, WaPo) The disastrous Osprey heads to Iraq.