Violence erupts in Iraq - Insurgents struck across Iraq on Wednesday, killing more than 50 people in bombing and shooting attacks. U.S. officials have insisted that Iraq is stable, even if the country is locked in a political stalemate and fears are mounting among Iraqis that their nation's stability is in fact eroding. Baseball reaches out to San Diego Marines - Major League Baseball will host a free, one-day Umpire Camp at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego from 9:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. this Saturday, August 28th. This is the latest in a series of steps that the MLB has taken to honor members the military. During the 2009 World Baseball Classic last March, MLB and the the San Diego Padres organized a free one-day Umpire Camp for Marines at San Diego State University's Tony Gwynn Stadium. Another Civil War in Iraq? "I have been meaning to write a post recently concerning mutterings I've been hearing from individuals with experience in Iraq about the very real possibility that Iraq may be in store for another civil war. Yesterday's coordinated attacks by insurgents are a chilling sign that it is far too soon to be breathing sighs of relief over the state of Iraq." CBS Trip to Afghanistan a ratings bust - The Nielsen Co. said Katie Couric's broadcasts from Afghanistan reached just under 5 million viewers, a low point for evening newscasts for at least two decades. The broadcasts featured war zone interviews by Couric of the U.S. Afghan commander, Gen. David Petraeus. Couric's final essay was about what might happen to women if the Taliban regain control of Afghanistan. How to mark milestone in Iraq? Shouldn't the United States mark this end of seven years of combat somehow? More than 2 million service members have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, with more multiple deployments than at any time. In Iraq, at least 4,400 of them lost their lives, while nearly 32,000 were wounded. Must we wait until Veterans Day to acknowledge their sacrifice?
