Shiite resistance continues. posted by Richard Seymour

"Mob violence after bomb kills UK troops":

RELATIONS between UK forces and locals in southern Iraq reached a new low yesterday as two British soldiers were killed and another was injured by a roadside bomb.

The bomb was detonated next to a Land Rover patrol in the town of Al Amarah in Maysan province, scene of the notorious video of British soldiers beating up Iraqi rioters two years ago.

Two soldiers attached to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards battle group died in the blast and one was hurt. After the three were flown out by helicopter, British troops maintaining a cordon around the scene of the bombing came under attack from a stone-throwing mob.

Naturally, they are trying to blame Iran or the News of the World - but as I have written before, Maysan has a long history of fighting the British troops. This has only intensified as the British have resorted to more brutal tactics.

Meanwhile, having destroyed the country, splashed all the 'reconstruction' funds into the pockets of big Bush-friendly companies and embezzlers, killed hundreds of thousands, and turned almost the entirety of Iraq against them, the US has decided to terminate its reconstruction programmes and announced that the only new funds it will request will be to build prisons. It's all stick and no carrot from here on in, then.