Do they know it’s Thanksgiving?

Iraqis celebrating the season

George Bush, November 16, 2006:

At this time of great promise for America, we are grateful for the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution and defended by our Armed Forces throughout the generations. Today, many of these courageous men and women are securing our peace in places far from home, and we pay tribute to them and to their families for their service, sacrifice, and strength. We also honor the families of the fallen and lift them up in our prayers.

Our citizens are privileged to live in the world’s freest country, where the hope of the American dream is within the reach of every person. Americans share a desire to answer the universal call to serve something greater than ourselves, and we see this spirit every day in the millions of volunteers throughout our country who bring hope and healing to those in need. On this Thanksgiving Day, and throughout the year, let us show our gratitude for the blessings of freedom, family, and faith, and may God continue to bless America.

Today in Baghdad:

Six car bombs killed more than 130 people Thursday in Baghdad’s Sadr City, according to Iraq’s health minister.

Police had conflicting numbers for those killed and wounded, but Health Minister Ali Shummari said the death toll is 133, with 201 wounded.

(Waveflux notes: Fatality estimate later revised to 144. More revisions possible.)

Earlier, police said three car bombings and a mortar round firing occurred within a 30-minute period in Sadr City, a densely populated Shiite slum in northeastern Baghdad.

The minister said a missile was fired in addition to the car blasts.

In a separate incident, police also said U.S. forces killed four people Thursday when they opened fire on a minibus in Sadr City.

I imagine that the gratitude of the people of Iraq - for the blessings bestowed unto them - simply cannot be expressed in words.

Addendum: The case for Iraqi gratitude, continued:

Iraqis are dying in record numbers and fleeing by the tens of thousands from an anarchic nation where armed men rule the streets and there’s little faith in government institutions, according to a United Nations report released Wednesday.

The 3,709 Iraqis killed in October was the highest monthly toll since the U.S.-led invasion. Hundreds of the bodies turned up bound and blindfolded, with signs of torture and execution-style killings.

Yes, much to be thankful for.

Hassan al-Sneid, a legislator and close adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, said the government’s own figures on civilian casualties are slightly lower than those compiled by the United Nations, but he didn’t dispute the unraveling security conditions.

“We can say we’ve barely got security,” al-Sneid said, adding that militias were not the only factor in the upsurge in violence.

“We have the weak security forces, lack of services, corruption, tribal revenge, terrorism and the speeches of fanatical clerics. They’re all partners in deteriorating security, and that’s beside the interference of neighboring countries,” he said.

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