News from Iraq

All via Drudge, among others.

1. A U.S. general says his troops have found a house used to slaughter foreign hostages. Obviously that doesn't do anything to bring those hostages back, but I guess there's some level of comfort in knowing that Zarqawi's Tawhid wa-Jihad group has lost a base of operations.

That report also says they got some information, such as lists of prisoners (few details on the exact content of the information). Let's hope it helps our guys.

2. Speaking of losing a base of operations, this story says we've already captured 70% of the city. Before the initial invasion of Iraq the panic monkeys predicted house-to-house urban warfare throughout the whole country, with massive casualties. That never materialized, of course, but now that we're actually looking at urban warfare, it seems things are going much better than expected.

That's terrific news, and it also demonstrates how butt-kickin' our troops are.

3. It seems two of Iraqi interim prime minister Iyad Allawi's relatives were kidnapped from their Baghdad homes, and are being threatened with death.

As pumped as the first two news items got me, this one lets all the air out real fast. I don't know much about Allawi, but he seems resolved to see his country through to democratic elections in spite of numerous assassination attempts against him. It is heart-breaking to think of what he must be going through right now. I have no real hope for the kidnapping victims. Only support for Allawi and anger against the demons responsible.