US airstrikes kill dozens of Iraqis

US warplanes and helicopters bombed two western Iraq villages, killing an estimated 70 militants near a site where five American soldiers died in a weekend roadside blast, the military said today.

Residents said at least 39 of the dead were civilians.

Meanwhile, Iraq’s electoral commission said it intended to audit “unusually high” numbers in results coming from most provinces in Saturday’s landmark referendum.

The commission’s statement came after Sunni Arab politician Meshaan al-Jubouri claimed fraud had occurred in the vote – including instances of voting in hotly contested regions by pro-constitution Shiites from other areas – repeating earlier comments made by other Sunni officials over the weekend.

“Statements coming from most governorates indicating such high numbers that require us to recheck, compare and audit them, as they are unusually high according to the international standards,” the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq said.

The commission said it would take random samples from ballot boxes from areas reporting very high or very low percentages.

It did not specify which provinces the unusual reports were coming from, or say to what extent it could effect the outcome.

Further delaying the count and the posting of final results from Saturday’s vote, a sandstorm swept over Baghdad on Monday, grounding air travel into the capital. Vote tallies still have to be flown in from the provinces.

US President George Bush said today that he was pleased that Sunni Arabs cast so many ballots in Iraq over the weekend, even though they were voting to stop the proposed constitution from being ratified.

Iraq’s constitution seemed assured of passage, despite strong opposition from the Sunnis.

The constitution’s apparent victory was muted by the prospect that the result might divide the country further.

Asked whether the Sunni vote would damage the political process or increase the likelihood of violence, Bush said the increased turnout was an indication that Iraqis want to settle disputes peacefully.

“I was pleased to see that the Sunnis have participated in the process,” Bush said from the Oval Office. “The idea of deciding to go into a ballot box is a positive development.

“The way forward is clear: The political process will continue with a constitution, if finally ratified, and then an election, coupled with a security plan that continues to train Iraqis so they do the fight,” Bush said.

Bush spoke to reporters after a meeting with Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov. He cited the few attacks in the voting as a sign that Iraqi security forces are fighting back against terrorists who have spread violence in their country.

“The violence in this election was down from the previous election,” Bush said. “And one of the reasons why is because the Iraqi forces took the fight to the enemy and provided security, which is really heartening to coalition forces and friends and allies.”

Bush said the vote was “a very hopeful day for peace.”

“It was an exciting day for a country that only a few short years ago was ruled by a brutal tyrant,” he said.