Free the Captives: Witness Against Illegal Detention and Torture

The sectarian violence in Iraq has taken an additional form: "religious cleansing" of neighborhoods, where residents have fled by the hundreds after receiving death threats; this article is so creepy that no quotation could represent it comprehensively. This, plus dozens more deaths from bombs and guns, dominated the news there today.

US military commanders are said to be mulling recommendations as to whether to recommend cuts in US troop strength in Iraq, in the wake of the increase in violence there. A recent poll of US soldiers strongly supports ending the war in 2006.

There was no news Wednesday about the fate of Tom Fox or the other CPT peaceworkers held captive there for almost 100 days. Terry Waite, once held hostage for four years, calls upon families and friends of the four men to keep hope alive. Again, we cry out for their safe immediate release! They are peaceable friends of the Iraqi people, and no good cause is served by their captivity.