U.S. Woman Among 4 Killed In Iraq Ambush

Democracy Group Ambushed By Gunmen; Meanwhile, 17 Dead In Sadr City Suicide Car Bombing

(CBS/AP) 
Although nobody claimed responsibility for either day's car bombings, such attacks are the hallmark of Sunni militants, who appear to be taking advantage of a waiting period before the security crackdown to step up attacks on Shiites. There had been a relative lull in Baghdad violence since the first of the year.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki did not give a start date when he announced plans for a new drive to tame the violent capital — the third attempt since he took office May 20. But U.S. and Iraqi reinforcements have started to arrive in Baghdad, and it was expected to begin in about two weeks.

Meanwhile, the attack on the marketplace came one day after car bombings killed scores of university students just two miles away, indicating that al Qaeda-linked fighters are bent on a surge of bloodshed as U.S. and Iraqi forces gear up for a fresh neighborhood-by-neighborhood security sweep through the capital.

The marketplace explosion took place just before 4 p.m. near a popular commercial area in Sadr City, a sprawling Shiite district of some 2.5 million people in eastern Baghdad.

The blast shattered the windows of nearby shops and restaurants, and blood pooled in the street. Angry Iraqis surrounded the charred mass of twisted metal, all that was left of the explosives-packed car. They tipped the remains on its side and picked off pieces of blackened upholstery.

At least 17 people were killed and 33 people were wounded, police said.

In many parts of the capital, streets were crowded with cars and minivans carrying wooden caskets of the victims from Tuesday's car bombings, which killed at least 70 people and wounded more than 130 at Al-Mustansiriya University. Many vehicles were headed to the holy city of Najaf where Shiites prefer to bury their dead. Other victims were taken to a Sunni cemetery in central Baghdad. The students were from all the country's religious sects.

Hussein Mohammed, a lecturer in the university's French language department, said classes were canceled for two days while workers cleared the debris. “We are trying to heal our wounds and start again,” he said.

The Iraqi parliament stood for a moment of silence and lawmakers and students demanded stepped-up security for schools and universities.

Al-Maliki announced the new security drive Jan. 6, four days before U.S. President George W. Bush detailed his version of the plan with an announcement that he was sending 21,500 more U.S. troops to Iraq.

There have been concerns that insurgents would just slip out of the capital to wait out the offensive. Some appear to have left, given the spike in violence in northern Iraq, where Sunni militants have retreated in the past.

On Wednesday, a suicide car bombing at a police checkpoint in oil-rich Kirkuk, 180 miles north of Baghdad, killed 10 people and wounded dozens.

In all, police reported 70 people killed or found dead in Iraq on Wednesday. They included 31 bullet-riddled bodies that turned up in Baghdad showing signs of torture, victims of apparent death squads largely run by Shiite militias like the Mahdi Army, which has its stronghold in Sadr City.

The U.S. military also said two more American soldiers died — one Wednesday after suffering wounds during an operation in the Sunni stronghold of Anbar province west of Baghdad and another who died there Monday.

Al-Maliki, meanwhile, met with the ambassadors of several countries, including the United States, to shore up support for his planned security operation. He pledged to act equally against all gunmen, regardless of sect, his spokesman said. The Shiite prime minister is under heavy criticism over his interference in U.S. attempts to confront Shiite militias during two failed attempts to bring calm to Baghdad.

“We want the international community to understand that the Baghdad security plan is targeting all the outlaws, it does not target a specific group or specific area, rather it targets all Baghdad,” said Ali al-Dabbagh, the spokesman.

Throughout the Middle East, Arab leaders were deeply skeptical of the U.S. plan for Iraq, a day after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice tried to sell it to them. Kuwait's emir told Rice that America should work with Iran and Syria, officials said — a move Bush has rejected.

[sandy777-2009]

fascistusa ........you must be one of those muslim sickos.....dream on.....

mh4cbs1 wrote:

"Cheney to Bush conversation:

VP Cheney: " How many times do I have to tell you George... As long as we end up with the Oil, we get our permanent Military Bases in Iraq, we set up a friendly Iraqi regime that will play ball with us, then who the F**K cares ahow many sucker middleclass kids must Die! Remember how we both dodged Vietnam (Laughter). Scr*w the troops (More Laughter). And I told you those Iraqis are all heathens, SO let the whole f***ing country become a deserted, smoking wasteland -- the Oil will still be there for our taking, and we'll be there to take it!"

Later that day.... CBS News reports...
The president warned that "deadly acts of violence will continue, and we must expect more Iraqi and American casualties.""

Hmmmm - if only that wasn't so accurate.

[mdc76082]

mh4cbs1, very, very good. Bravo! I like it.

[mdc76082]

Jeez, did I come in at a bad time? Wow! Ok, so we've lost women from the Armed Forces and I'm sure maybe a Red Cross worker or two, why is this news? War doesn't discriminate in anyway shape or form. Just fact.

[mh4cbs1]

Cheney to Bush conversation:

VP Cheney: " How many times do I have to tell you George... As long as we end up with the Oil, we get our permanent Military Bases in Iraq, we set up a friendly Iraqi regime that will play ball with us, then who the F**K cares ahow many sucker middleclass kids must Die! Remember how we both dodged Vietnam (Laughter). Scr*w the troops (More Laughter). And I told you those Iraqis are all heathens, SO let the whole f***ing country become a deserted, smoking wasteland -- the Oil will still be there for our taking, and we'll be there to take it!"

Later that day.... CBS News reports...
The president warned that "deadly acts of violence will continue, and we must expect more Iraqi and American casualties."

[j-whitman]

Fascistusa,,, Now that you asked,, It'a been heading that way since before WW 2 or shortly after.. With unchecked presidential powers we are at the closest point yet,, They insist on Gonzales replacing all our judges with thier own people,, That's when it's complete...

[fascistusa]

White Woman News Alert.

Now they'll never get those Guici Shoes they wanted. ***. And next week was the Big Sale.

Spreading Democracy. Manifest Destiny. Save the Union. Freed The Slaves. Remember the Alamo. 9/11. Never Forget.

Sound Familiar?

Just how long HAS America been Fascist??

[j-whitman]

Past your bedtime, huh??

[j-whitman]

Miltpan,,,,
Have you noticed anything from this excersise of ours ????

Americans never lose the will to fight, neither do those in other countries - Again Bush & Cheney Lie,, only fools beleve thier rehtoric on anything..

[miltpan72]

Just wanted to make sure there were no asterisks on that one.

Nighty night and make sure you scare as many people as you can ALL NIGHT LONG.

And make sure you do the same thing all day tomorrow too.