9th April marks the second anniversary of the seizure of Baghdad by invading US forces - the moment generally seen as marking the transition from war to occupation. But, just as the number of coalition casualties during the past two years far exceeds those inflicted during the three-week invasion, so for Iraqi civilians, occupation has proved far more bloody and devastating than the brief 'war' proper.

It is not surprising, then, that Iraqis chose to meet today's grim anniversary with "the largest anti-American demonstration since the US-led invasion" (Press Association, 9th April). "Chanting 'No, no to the occupiers', tens of thousands of young and old men gathered in the poor Shia district of Sadr City on Saturday to begin a planned peaceful march to al-Firdos Square, the central Baghdad spot where Saddam's statue was torn down two years ago." (Al-Jazeera, 9th April)

The Associated Press (9th April) reports: "Tens of thousands of Shiites marked the anniversary of the fall of Baghdad with a protest against the American military presence at the square where Iraqis and U.S. troops toppled a statue of Saddam Hussein two years ago. …

"'This huge gathering shows that the Iraqi people have the strength and faith to protect their country and liberate it from the occupiers,' said Ahmed Abed, a 26-year-old who sells spare car parts. ...

"The protesters filled Firdos Square and spilled onto nearby avenues, waving Iraqi flags. Mimicking the famous images of U.S. soldiers and Iraqis pulling down a statue of Saddam as Baghdad fell, protesters toppled effigies of President Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Saddam - all dressed like Iraqi prisoners in red jumpsuits. Other effigies of Bush and Saddam were burned.

"'Force the occupation to leave from our country,' one banner read in English. ... Roads in central Baghdad were closed to traffic as streets filled with people.

"Other marches were held across the country to demand that the United States set a timetable for its withdrawal. In the central city of Ramadi, thousands of protestors demonstrated in the al-Sufayaa neighborhood and at Anbar University, demanding that U.S.-led coalition forces set a withdrawal date."


70% of Fallujah destroyed

IRIN (4th April) reports: "Government studies suggest that 70 % of buildings were destroyed in the city [Fallujah] during the last conflict between US troops and insurgents. This left thousands of families still encamped on the outskirts of the city, waiting for a government solution to their problem. ...

"Muhammad Abdul al-A'ani, deputy minister for industry, told IRIN that of the total number of houses damaged in the city, only 90 families had received compensation of around US $1,500 each so far. ...

"Doctor Hafid al-Dulaimi, director of the Commission for the Compensation of Fallujah Citizens (CCFC), established by the government, told IRIN that a study had been carried to assess the scale of destruction. He reported 36,000 destroyed homes in all districts of Fallujah, along with 8,400 shops. Al-Dulaimi pointed out that 60 children's nurseries, primary and secondary schools and colleges were destroyed and 65 mosques and religious sanctuaries were almost demolished by the attack, with 13 government buildings requiring new infrastructure."


Infant malnutrition twice as common after occupation

Associated Press (30th March) reports: "Malnutrition among the youngest Iraqis has almost doubled since the U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein, a hunger specialist told the U.N. human rights body Wednesday in a summary of previously reported studies on health in Iraq.

"By last fall, 7.7 % of Iraqi children under 5 suffered acute malnutrition, compared to 4 % after Saddam's ouster in April 2003, said Jean Ziegler, the U.N. Human Rights Commission's special expert on the right to food. ... Overall, more than a quarter of Iraqi children don't get enough to eat, Ziegler told the 53-nation commission..."


The mercenary viewpoint: shooting people is 'fun'

The Observer (3rd April) reports: "One of the biggest private security firms in Iraq has created outrage after a memo to staff claimed it is 'fun' to shoot people. Emails seen by The Observer reveal that employees of Blackwater Security were recently sent a message stating that 'actually it is "fun" to shoot some people.'

"Dated 7 March and bearing the name of Blackwater's president, Gary Jackson, the electronic newsletter adds that terrorists 'need to get creamed, and it's fun, meaning satisfying, to do the shooting of such folk.'

"Human rights groups said yesterday that the comments raised fresh questions over the role of civilian contractors operating in Iraq and other world flashpoints. ...

"Among its various roles in post-war Iraq, Blackwater has guarded provincial outposts for the Iraqi coalition provisional authority and had the contract to keep former chief US envoy Paul Bremer alive."


Prisoner abuse approved by top US commander

The Independent (3rd April) reports: "America's leading civil liberties group has demanded an investigation into the former US military commander Iraq after a formerly classified memo revealed that he personally sanctioned a series of coercive interrogation techniques outlawed by the Geneva Conventions. ...

Documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) reveal that Lt General Ricardo Sanchez authorised techniques such as the use of dogs to intimidate prisoners, stress positions and disorientation. ... The ACLU says that at least 12 of the techniques listed in the [September 2003] memo went beyond the limits for interrogation listed in the US Army's field manual.

"The Pentagon originally refused to release the memo on national security grounds, but passed it to the ACLU after the group challenged it in court. Mr Rumsfeld last week dismissed suggestions that it had been withheld to save the Pentagon's embarrassment. But the ACLU said the reason for the delay in delivering the more than 1,200 pages of documents in which the memo was contained was 'evident in the contents', which included reports of brutal beatings and sworn statements that soldiers were told to 'beat the fuck out of' prisoners."

Cronyism and corruption blight US-led 'reconstruction'

The New Standard reports (March 22nd): "Nearly two years after the fall of Saddam Hussein, according to findings issued last week by an international corruption watchdog, the reconstruction of Iraq's dilapidated infrastructure and the revitalization of its economy are becoming models of cronyism, bribery and irresponsible privatization.

"An annual report on 'Global Corruption' produced by Berlin-based Transparency International (TI) sharply criticizes the US for mismanaging Iraq's oil revenues and for using faulty procedures for awarding reconstruction contracts. The report also criticizes efforts to rapidly privatize Iraqi assets and industries as a means of reducing the country's debt.