MAY 2009: Iraq War timeline

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DATE EVENT U.S. DEAD IRAQI CIVILIAN DEAD 05.02.09 The ruins of the ancient city of Babylon have been reopened to tourists. 4,282 90,430 05.04.09 The Christian Science Monitor reports that, while Basra is safer, unemployment is causing problems. 4,282 90,451 05.06.09 The United Nations has called on Iraq to cease enforcing the death penalty until the justice system can guarantee fair trials. 4,282 90,475 05.10.09 The brother of Iraq’s trade minister was arrested on corruption charges. 4,287 90,488 05.11.09 A U.S. soldier opened fire in a counseling center at Camp Liberty in Baghdad, killing five fellow U.S. soldiers. 4,292 90,503 05.12.09 Inadequate water rations for U.S. troops in Iraq have resulted in cases of kidney stones and in soldiers stealing water. 4,292 90,512 05.17.09 A joint U.S.-Iraqi raid broke up an Al Qaeda cell that was smuggling weapons from Syria. Three suspects were taken into custody. 4,294 90,568 05.18.09 Falling oil prices are resulting in cutbacks in Iraq’s defense and security spending. 4,294 90,576 05.22.09 A joint raid by the Iraqi army and a Sunni militia group freed a Christian schoolteacher who had been held hostage for a week in Kirkuk. 4,298 90,659 05.23.09 Two American civilians died in separate incidents in Baghdad’s Green Zone. 4,298 90,670 05.31.09 Former Iraqi Trade Minister Abdul Falah al-Sudani, was arrested at the airport while attempting to flee corruption charges in Iraq. 4,305 90,764

Sources: U.S. Department of Defense, Iraq Coalition Casualties, Iraq Body Count, ABC News, The Associated Press, The New York Times, USA Today, BBC, MSNBC, National Public Radio, Reuters, The Washington Post, Voice of America News.