IRAQ NEEDS TO BRING MILITIAS UNDER CONTROL: Another day, another rocket attack. On Sunday, five rockets landed on an Iraqi airbase hosting US troops, and two hit a US maintenance firm. In all, five people were wounded. Since President Joe Biden took office, this is the 20th such attack targeting the American presence in Iraq; Washington has routinely blamed pro-Iran Shiite Iraqi militias. Most of these militias are part of the paramilitary apparatus of the Iraqi state. But the government, in reality, seems to have no control over them. The actions of the militias undercut the already tenuous authority of the Iraqi state, and have in the past led to disproportionate American reaction that has led to many Iraqi deaths. Iraq keeps saying it does not want Iraqi soil to be used as a battleground for its American and Iranian allies. But, unless it does something about this, nothing will change. [COMMENT BY: Omar Shariff, International Editor]
AP