40 Shiites Kidnapped In Iraq

Wedding Party Death Toll Up To 23, New Attacks Kill At Least 8

(CBS/AP)  Police on Wednesday confirmed the kidnapping of more than 40 Shiites along a notoriously dangerous highway just north of Baghdad, as the death toll from a suicide bombing at a wedding party rose to 23, including nine children.

At least eight other people were found dead or killed in new attacks Wednesday, including one person killed in a car bomb attack on Baghdad's central market of Shurja that also wounded five, police Lt. Ali Hassan said. He said the death toll in the market attack was likely to rise.

The abductions Tuesday near the town of Tarmiyah marked a further outbreak of sectarian violence in a region where scores were killed last month in bloody attacks and reprisal killings among formerly friendly Shiite and Sunni neighbors in the city of Balad.

Unarmed men checked identification cards and seemed to be looking for familiar faces among travelers stopped in heavy traffic, said an eyewitness, who asked to be identified only by the pseudonym Abu Omar for fear of reprisals.

Armed gunmen stood nearby during the abductions, just out of sight of U.S. soldiers who were disarming a roadside bomb further down the road, Abu Omar said. He and other Sunni travelers were allowed to travel onward after showing their ID cards, he said.

At least 40 travelers were missing and feared abducted, said an officer at the Joint Cooperation Center in the city of Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

In other developments:

President Bush says the upsurge in violence in Iraq does not disprove his contention that U.S. forces are winning there. Interviewed on the Rush Limbaugh Show, the president insisted whenever the enemy in Iraq "confronts" U.S. troops, they lose. He says the only way America can lose the conflict is if those troops go home before the mission's complete. Mr. Bush's comments come days ahead of an election in which Iraq's the top issue — and he's accused Democrats of wanting to "cut and run."

An American soldier was killed in fighting in Anbar province, a key insurgent stronghold, the U.S. military announced on Wednesday. The soldier died on Tuesday, meaning that 104 American service members were killed in combat in October, the fourth deadliest month since the Iraq war began in March 2003.

Gunmen abducted a top Iraqi basketball official and a blind athletic coach, both Sunnis, on Wednesday, a day after U.S. and Iraqi forces lifted a blockade on Baghdad's Shiite militia stronghold of Sadr City. The attack took place at a youth club on relatively prosperous Palestine Street in eastern Baghdad near the Sadr City district, which is controlled by anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army. The militia has been linked to scores of abductions and torture killings of Sunnis.

Police said U.S. and Iraqi forces on Tuesday night stormed an office in the southwestern hamlet of Ahrar belonging to the al-Sadr organization, sponsors of the feared Mahdi Army militia linked to sectarian murders and other violence. Troops were supported by U.S. air cover and arrested five followers of radical anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, said Lt. Mohammed al-Shammari of the provincial police. There were no reports of casualties.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki flexed his political muscle Tuesday and won U.S. agreement to lift military blockades on Sadr City, and another Shiite enclave where an American soldier was abducted. U.S. forces, who had set up the checkpoints in Baghdad last week as part of an unsuccessful search for the soldier, drove away in Humvees and armored personnel carriers at the 5 p.m. deadline set by al-Maliki. The American checkpoints disappeared within hours of Malikis order, reports CBS News chief foreign correspondent Lara Logan, and along with them, American hopes of stopping their missing soldier being transported out of Baghdad — if he is even still alive.

Insurgents and Shiite militia groups continued attacks on U.S. forces and Iraqis who work with them. An Iraqi translator with U.S. forces, Haidar Muhsin, was shot dead late Tuesday in front of his home in Diwaniyah, the second translator killed in the southern city in recent days. An Iraqi-American linguist with the U.S. army was abducted in Baghdad last week and remains missing.

In fresh attacks Wednesday, unknown gunmen riding in a private car shot dead policeman Izzaddin Abbas in central Baghdad as he was riding his motorcycle home, police Lt. Bilal Ali Majeed said. A clerk with the Ministry of Industry was shot and killed in northeastern Baghdad as he was driving to work, police Lt. Thayer Mahmoud said. A policemen was also among three people shot dead in the northern city of Mosul, said Brig. Sa'eed Ahmed of the provincial Police Information Office. Mosul police had also discovered the charred body of an apparent murder victim, Ahmed said.

The bodies of three people who were shot after being blindfolded and bound at the wrists were found dumped in the capital's eastern districts, Capt. Mohammed Abdul Ghani, of the city's Rashad Police Station said. Scores of such bodies have been found in recent months, most believed to have been abducted and tortured by sectarian death squads.

©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Add a Comment See all 11 Comments

by bluestardad November 1, 2006 7:50 AM PST

stay the course, i am the decider, vote foley

Reply to this comment

by peterbaldwin-2009 November 1, 2006 8:02 AM PST

President Schizophrenia gets done with kissing al-Sadra's behind yesterday morning only to arrest five al-Sadr operatives in Ahrar last evening, an inexplicable provocation that our troops will pay the price for.

Meanwhile our troops stand in the middle, under attack by Sunni insurgents one day and the Mahdi Army the next.

Reply to this comment

by peterbaldwin-2009 November 1, 2006 8:28 AM PST

The NY Times report by al-Saiedi and al-Neami this morning notes that the US military wanted 72 hours to decommission the checkpoints but the troops were out by 5PM. Maliki essentially took control of US forces, a move unsupported by UN resolutions but greeted with approval from the US embassy (perhaps just spin).

In any event, in this little arm-wrestling match, Maliki sent Bush to the showers.

This latest Keystone Cops screw-up looks like a Chinese fire drill. Bush is stumbling badly in Iraq, and he is projecting helplessness.

With Maliki (and al-Sadr) now in virtual command of our troops, the future looks even bleaker for our soldiers.

Reply to this comment

by bluestardad November 1, 2006 9:57 AM PST

Bush and Maliki need to go to the shower with Mark Foley and his "Soap on a Rope". GET OUT just leave America Alone.

Reply to this comment

by getcentered November 1, 2006 3:20 PM PST

"Bush is stumbling badly in Iraq, and he is projecting helplessness"

I feel this way too.

1.
Mr. Bush staunchly defended his Iraq policy, saying that he had adjusted tactics to reflect changing conditions on the ground.

"HE" didn't adjust anything, I'm sure of it.

2.
It is "tough on the American psyche," he said, repeating a phrase he had used before.

It's more than tough, it's killing us.

3.
"loud voices" in the Democratic Party are calling for him to withdraw troops.

There are loud voices all over America, Republicans and Democrat alike, and not many are saying, "Withdraw troops" or "cut and run". We do get to hear from Republicans all the time that Democrats would "cut and run". It's just not true and they sound like a broken record.

I think the problems we face in Iraq are far more complex for a dumb president and ignorant Republican leadership to understand.

My family is in the Marines. He is in danger. Bush and the neo-cons put him there. I don't trust Republicans to do anything else with him.

If it was legal, I'd slap these fools, but I'll vote instead and put some smarter people leadership positions.

Reply to this comment

by wvopfor81 November 2, 2006 7:01 AM PST

ha ha you are so funny

Pls say some thing stupid again

Reply to this comment

by wvopfor81 November 2, 2006 7:04 AM PST

Whet typi of greeds did U git IN kolege, STUPID ??

Reply to this comment

by bluestardad November 2, 2006 8:03 AM PST

STAY THE COURSE THE DECIDER HAS A BENCHMARK. WHERE SHOOTER CHAIN GUN CHENEY TELLS HIM TO SIT.

Reply to this comment

by grumpas November 2, 2006 9:45 AM PST

The "Great Ignoramous" still doesn't get it! I didn't think he is smart enough to ever get it! He still thinks all he has to do is stay there and the insurgent's will give in to his demands (note the first one in other developments)! He was inverviewed on Rush Limbaugh and it's the same old BS he always spouts! He lives off somewhere in "LA-LA-Land"! Whatever made the American people think this man was intelligent to lead a nation armed with nuclear weapons. Only leaves me to wonder about half of this counties mentality and where their loyalities truly rest! It certainly isn't with the military and the American people! We all know that military personal get killed in a time of war! But, to ask a military man to put his life on the line for lies a President has willfully told because he has some *** and bull idea stuck in his head! Is not only criminal it is treasonous! He should be called to account for the mess he has made in Iraq!

Reply to this comment

by marcelde November 2, 2006 7:26 PM PST

B USH AND R USH BOTH LOVE TO G USH

THEIR NAMES THE SAME
WE SPELL IT %u201CLAME%u201D

THEY PREACH AND SCOLD
THEIR LIES ARE OLD
WE DON%u2019T BELIEVE
ONE THING THEY%u2019VE TOLD

ITS UP TO USH
TO MAKE THEM SHUSH

CAUSE WHAT THEY GUSH
SHOULD MAKE THEM BLUSH

BUT LET%u2019S NOT HUSH
THAT ONE%u2019S A LUSH

THEY%u2019LL MAKE A FUSH
AND TALK PURE MUSH

SO KISH MY TUSH,
PILL POPPIN RUSH!

Reply to this comment

by wvopfor81 November 3, 2006 12:01 PM PST

ha ha you are so funny

Pls say some thing stupid again

Whet typi of greeds did U git IN kolege, STUPID ??

Reply to this comment

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[bluestardad]

stay the course, i am the decider, vote foley

[peterbaldwin-2009]

President Schizophrenia gets done with kissing al-Sadra's behind yesterday morning only to arrest five al-Sadr operatives in Ahrar last evening, an inexplicable provocation that our troops will pay the price for.

Meanwhile our troops stand in the middle, under attack by Sunni insurgents one day and the Mahdi Army the next.

[peterbaldwin-2009]

The NY Times report by al-Saiedi and al-Neami this morning notes that the US military wanted 72 hours to decommission the checkpoints but the troops were out by 5PM. Maliki essentially took control of US forces, a move unsupported by UN resolutions but greeted with approval from the US embassy (perhaps just spin).

In any event, in this little arm-wrestling match, Maliki sent Bush to the showers.

This latest Keystone Cops screw-up looks like a Chinese fire drill. Bush is stumbling badly in Iraq, and he is projecting helplessness.

With Maliki (and al-Sadr) now in virtual command of our troops, the future looks even bleaker for our soldiers.

[bluestardad]

Bush and Maliki need to go to the shower with Mark Foley and his "Soap on a Rope". GET OUT just leave America Alone.

[getcentered]

"Bush is stumbling badly in Iraq, and he is projecting helplessness"

I feel this way too.

1.
Mr. Bush staunchly defended his Iraq policy, saying that he had adjusted tactics to reflect changing conditions on the ground.

"HE" didn't adjust anything, I'm sure of it.

2.
It is "tough on the American psyche," he said, repeating a phrase he had used before.

It's more than tough, it's killing us.

3.
"loud voices" in the Democratic Party are calling for him to withdraw troops.

There are loud voices all over America, Republicans and Democrat alike, and not many are saying, "Withdraw troops" or "cut and run". We do get to hear from Republicans all the time that Democrats would "cut and run". It's just not true and they sound like a broken record.

I think the problems we face in Iraq are far more complex for a dumb president and ignorant Republican leadership to understand.

My family is in the Marines. He is in danger. Bush and the neo-cons put him there. I don't trust Republicans to do anything else with him.

If it was legal, I'd slap these fools, but I'll vote instead and put some smarter people leadership positions.

[wvopfor81]

ha ha you are so funny

Pls say some thing stupid again

[wvopfor81]

Whet typi of greeds did U git IN kolege, STUPID ??

[bluestardad]

STAY THE COURSE THE DECIDER HAS A BENCHMARK. WHERE SHOOTER CHAIN GUN CHENEY TELLS HIM TO SIT.

[grumpas]

The "Great Ignoramous" still doesn't get it! I didn't think he is smart enough to ever get it! He still thinks all he has to do is stay there and the insurgent's will give in to his demands (note the first one in other developments)! He was inverviewed on Rush Limbaugh and it's the same old BS he always spouts! He lives off somewhere in "LA-LA-Land"! Whatever made the American people think this man was intelligent to lead a nation armed with nuclear weapons. Only leaves me to wonder about half of this counties mentality and where their loyalities truly rest! It certainly isn't with the military and the American people! We all know that military personal get killed in a time of war! But, to ask a military man to put his life on the line for lies a President has willfully told because he has some *** and bull idea stuck in his head! Is not only criminal it is treasonous! He should be called to account for the mess he has made in Iraq!

[marcelde]

B USH AND R USH BOTH LOVE TO G USH

THEIR NAMES THE SAME
WE SPELL IT %u201CLAME%u201D

THEY PREACH AND SCOLD
THEIR LIES ARE OLD
WE DON%u2019T BELIEVE
ONE THING THEY%u2019VE TOLD

ITS UP TO USH
TO MAKE THEM SHUSH

CAUSE WHAT THEY GUSH
SHOULD MAKE THEM BLUSH

BUT LET%u2019S NOT HUSH
THAT ONE%u2019S A LUSH

THEY%u2019LL MAKE A FUSH
AND TALK PURE MUSH

SO KISH MY TUSH,
PILL POPPIN RUSH!

[wvopfor81]

ha ha you are so funny

Pls say some thing stupid again

Whet typi of greeds did U git IN kolege, STUPID ??