IRAQ: Families flee homes near Turkish border

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Source: IRIN

ZAKHO, 5 November 2007 (IRIN) - About 120 Iraqi families living near the Iraqi-Turkish border have been forced to abandon their homes by fighters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), according to the Kurdistan Campaign to Help Victims of War, an NGO, and local residents.

“Militants broke into our home and told us to leave within an hour. They were armed and we couldn’t resist,” said Firamerz Adar, 48, from Deshtetek village, near the border. “One of my neighbours who complained was beaten and then forced to leave with his 11 family members.

“They said we could return to our homes when the fighting with Turkish forces ended. We took a few things with us and started to walk south, trying to find a vehicle that could take us to a safer place,” Adar added.

<snip>

Over 7,000 displaced

The group of about 120 families has joined nearly 7,000 people who have fled areas near the border since mid-October, Kalif Dirar, a senior official in the Kurdistan regional government, said.

Read more: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75146

[rodeodance]

1. RICE Advisor: "Thank Heavens For Small Favors-With Pakistan In Crisis-Iraq Looks Pretty Good"

Forum Name General Discussion
Topic subject RICE Advisor: "Thank Heavens For Small Favors-With Pakistan In Crisis-Iraq Looks Pretty Good"
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2208416#2208416
2208416, RICE Advisor: "Thank Heavens For Small Favors-With Pakistan In Crisis-Iraq Looks Pretty Good"
Posted by kpete on Mon Nov-05-07 10:14 AM

When Gen. Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency and suspended the constitution in Pakistan over the weekend, an advisor to Condoleezza Rice told a Washington Post reporter that he should look at the silver lining.

“Thank heavens for small favors,” the advisor said, explaining that, with Pakistan in crisis, “Iraq looks pretty good.”

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2007/11/05/pakistan/index.html

[Lone_Star_Dem]

2. I had a hard time accepting that that was a real statement

I realize it was, it just was so callous and unfeeling it took me a few moments to register it as real.

[Joe for Clark]

3. Damn - they should get out now - I think they did them a favor.

And it looks like the cowboy just screwed up again.

He should have been very careful about that interview - no doubt how that body language gets interpreted - even if it is wrong.

Joe