Archives for March 2004

The Bombings at Kazimiyah and Karbala The day of Ashura’ is the holiest in the calendar of Shiite Islam, commemorating the brutal martyrdom of the Imam Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. In many ways, the tradition of Shiite mourning of this “passion” is similar to that witnessed in Mel Gibson’s recent film. For […]

IGC Approves Interim Constitution The Washington Post reports that the Interim Governing Council finally approved the Fundamental Law it has been working on, on Monday. It will be signed Wednesday after the holy day of Ashura’ or the 10th of Muharram. The WP article is celebratory, and quotes a Chalabi aide as representing the “Shiites.” […]

Disturbances in Kirkuk (AFP/ az-Zaman): Tension gripped the northern city of Kirkuk Monday after armed clashes betwen Kurds and Turkmen. There have been a number of violent incidents lately. On Saturday, 92 Turkmen returned from Baghdad after having protested the marginalization of their ethnic group. There was celebratory fire on their arrival on Saturday night, […]

US Permits Iraq Oil pipeline to Iran The Financial Times reports that the Interim Governing Council has concluded an agreement with Iran to build a pipeline across the Shatt al-Arab. The US civil administrator, Paul Bremer, is said to have approved the plan. The US has faced severe financial problems in Iraq, slowing the rebuilding […]