Not three cheers, obviously, because they’re French. But one. Muffled. They’re learning slowly. In 2004 reporters Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot were kidnapped in Iraq. France paid $15 million dollars in ransom for their release. In 2005 Florence Aubenas, a reporter for the daily Libération was released after the French […]

Guardian readers are probably sad right now, and wondering what the USA might have done to make Ali such a misunderstood person. Ali Hassan al-Majid a former Iraqi official known as Chemical Ali, has been executed by hanging, a government spokesman has announced. Majid, an enforcer in Saddam Hussein’s regime and his […]

Three Navy SEALs are charged with assault for allegedly fattening the lip of a wanted terrorist. Ahmed Hashim Abed is wanted by the United States for being the “mastermind of the murder and mutilation of four Blackwater USA security guards in Fallujah in 2004.”When he found himself in United States […]

Oddness from across the Pond. US troops wanting chocolate in Afghanistan could soon be eating dairy-free treats bearing the image of Osama bin Laden. A chocolatier and longtime People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals supporter is making the special vegan chocolates for the troops after reading about how difficult it […]

David Davies is the MP for Monmouth and on the Home Affairs Select Committee. He’s a thoroughly sensible chap who is cursed by having to write back to thousands of invitations for speaking engagements to delicately check if he’s been mistaken (again) for THE David Davis, one time Shadow Home […]

..that shoe-throwing bloke? One in an occasional series about people who have had their 15 minutes of fame and faded from sight to linger only as an annoying tie-break question in the pub quiz. Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi (there, you remember his name now) was jailed after hurling his shoes […]

The US Predator drones have probably been the single most effective weapon in combating terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan. Invaluable for targeting Taliban and Al-Qaeda, they have accounted for many high value targets who were beyond the reach of conventional attack. Virtually invisible when flying, they are able to track […]

Perhaps I’m reading this wrong. If our job in Iraq is done, and a famous victory has been won for the loss of only 179 British lives, why are we not handing over to the Iraqis? Hmmm St C is very confused.I’ve served there 3 times now, and have a […]

…about Iraq. This survey which was part-funded by the BBC (that means you and me, folks) found that… “Violence and insecurity are no longer the main concern of most Iraqis, for the first time since the 2003 US-led invasion, an opinion poll suggests. It says Iraqis are much more hopeful […]

St C was relaxing with the Sunday papers this weekend when he read this article in the Times on Sunday. Here is the extract that caught my eye. The offensive, which included British, Danish, Estonian and Afghan troops, began in earnest on December 7. The first clashes included an attack […]