Bombs and blood

Horrific bombings continue to claim hundreds of lives in Iraq – daily. While America is traumatized by the 32 murders at Virginia Tech, perpetrated by a lunatic gunman who could buy a gun thanks to the laws of the Cowboys, Iraqis are dying – in the hundreds – today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, every day, as a direct result of the U.S. occupation. "Yesterday will go down as a day of infamy for Iraqis who are repeatedly told by the US that their security is improving", Patrick Cockburn wrote in The Independent: Hundreds killed on Baghdad's day of bombs and blood. (The New York Times: Bombs Rip Through Baghdad, Killing 171)

Here is a rundown of the deaths in some of the most bloody attacks - no doubt only partial figures:
+ January 16: 70
+ January 22: 88
+ February 1: 61
+ February 3: 135
+ February 12: 71
+ March 6: 137
+ March 27: 152
+ April 18: 170

Let's not forget: under international law, the occupiers are responsible for “law and order” in the territories they occupy. Compared to this Iraqi roll call, what's so terrible about the Virginia Tech massacre that it keeps on monopolizing the news? Because the Virginia students are "ours" and the Iraqis are somehow "sub-human"? When will the Americans finally shake off their racist attitudes?

Bush's "surge" is only leading to more bloodshed and destruction. Fairy tales of "improvements" are just that, fairy tales. On April 9 in Najaf, over a million of Iraqis were united to call for the withdrawal of the American occupiers. Bush's surge is floundering and the tide of resistance is rising.