The Trump administration killed thousands of civilians in Iraq and Syria as part of its aggressive bombing campaign to defeat the Islamic state, reports the Washington Post. Calling it, “a new accounting of the U.S.-led war against the Islamic State,” the paper based its reporting on a new study by the UK based group Airwars that relied on the U.S. military’s geo-location data. According to the Post, “The United States has conceded 1,398 civilian deaths in Iraq and Syria, though others say the actual number is much higher.” The period covered is from 2015 to 2020 which includes the last two years of the Obama administration, indicating that destructive wars and civilian killings have been a bi-partisan practice. Additionally, there have been “more than 34,000 air and artillery strikes since 2014, decimating the group and forcing survivors underground.” The data fill the vacuum left by the U.S. government’s refusal to reveal detailed information about its bombing campaigns. 

In other news, Pfizer and its partner company BioNTech announced on Wednesday that the latest results from it Covid-19 vaccine trial showed a 95% effectiveness rate and that it was only days away from seeking approval for public distribution through the Food and Drug Administration. Pfizer’s announcement comes just a few days after a competing effort led by Moderna showed 94.5% effectiveness, and a week and a half after Pfizer’s own initial announcement. Pfizer and BioNTech tested their vaccine on a large cohort of 44,000 racially diverse volunteers, half of whom received the vaccine and the other half a placebo. One hundred and seventy people developed the disease of which 162 were in the control group. Meanwhile the FDA just approved the nation’s first at-home Covid-19 testing kit that promises results in 30 minutes. The situation in the U.S. remains grim with more than 11 million infections so far. It is estimated that right now there are about 3 million infectious people nationwide. Deaths continue to mount as well with nearly a quarter of a million fatalities. In comparison the seasonal flu claims 24,000 to 62,000 deaths a year. 

Among those most recently infected is the number three person in line for the Presidency, Senator Chuck Grassley. The 87-year old Iowa Republican is under quarantine and says he has no symptoms so far. Dozens of lawmakers have tested positive for the virus so far. Meanwhile the Trump administration’s efforts to combat the virus by crafting a celebrity-laden ad campaign aimed at “defeating despair” has been cancelled – just like Mr. Trump’s Presidency. ...