BAGHDAD, Feb. 25, 2007
More Than 40 Killed Near Baghdad College
Suicide Bombing Part Of New Wave Of Violence In Iraqi Capital
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Play CBS Video Video New Terrorism Tactics In Iraq The U.S. military warns that insurgents are resorting to new tactics in their campaign. The latest rebel attacks utilized dirty bombs to spread poisonous gas. Susan Roberts reports.
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Video Some Soldiers Oppose Iraq War A new opposition to the war in Iraq comes from some men and women in uniform. Hundreds of soldiers have publicly asked Congress to stop the war. Lara Logan has this "60 Minutes" report.
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Video Democrats Try A New Strategy The Democrats failed to pass a non-binding resolution opposing the war in Iraq, so they're trying a new strategy forcing President Bush to change the way the war is being fought. Jim Axelrod reports.
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People gather to inspect the scene of a car bomb blast in central Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2007. A parked car bomb exploded early Sunday near the Iranian embassy in central Baghdad, killing at least two people and wounding another four, police said. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)
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Interactive New Plan For Iraq Key elements of the plan, excerpts from the president's speech, reaction and more.
The wave of attacks came a day after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki lauded the progress of an ongoing U.S.-Iraqi security operation seeking to cripple militant factions and sectarian killings in the capital.
The suicide attacker detonated a bomb-rigged belt near the main entrance to the college, where students were resuming mid-term exams after the two-day weekend in Iraq. Police said that guards confronted the bomber as he tried to enter the college grounds.
Authorities say most of the victims were students at the college.
A 22-year-old student, Muhanad Nasir, said he saw a commotion at the gate. "Then there was an explosion. I did not feel anything for 15 minutes and when I returned to consciousness, I found myself in the hospital," said Nasir, who suffered wounds to his head and chest.
The school is located in a mostly Shiite district, but does not limit its enrollment to that group. It's part of Mustansiriyah University, which is located in another area of the city, and was the target of twin car bombs and a suicide blast last month that killed 70 people.
In Other Developments:
U.S. military envoys and pro-government leaders have worked hard to sway clan chiefs and other influential Anbar figures to turn against the militants, who include foreign jihadists fighting under the banner of al Qaeda in Iraq. The extremists have fought back with targeted killings and bombings against fellow Sunnis.
The imam of the mosque attacked Saturday had spoken out against extremists — most recently in this Friday's sermon, residents said. Many people in the neighborhood work for the Iraqi military and police forces, who frequently come under militant attack.
"There is no safe shelter for all outlaws," said al-Maliki, who reported that 426 militants have been captured since the Baghdad security campaign began Feb. 14.
But the crackdown also has sent Sunni insurgents fleeing the city to the nearby province of Diyala, which has emerged as a new and busy front for U.S. troops.
It has become so volatile that the Pentagon may delay plans to turn over control of Diyala to the Iraqi military by the end of the year, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mixon told The Associated Press.
© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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- See Lars, I can copy and paste too; but at least what I have said is relevant to this century, this war, this hole we are in. What do you suggest we do to get out of it, or do you believe everything is okeedokee?
- Reply to this comment
- Please let me point out the fundamental fallacy of the Vice President%u2019s incessant argument. His attacks on Mrs. Pelosi%u2019s judgment, patriotism or whatever are a bit like an arsonist who starts a building on fire in far-away Iraqitown. He intended to burn down only the mayor Sadaam%u2019s office, but he didn%u2019t listen when the fire marshal told him that the entire town is tinder-dry with straw roofs, and so the fire quickly spreads out of control. In an effort to save money, Mr Cheney then fails to send enough firemen from USAville to put out the blaze or prevent its rapid spread, getting many of them killed over four years of fire fighting. He now scolds the USAville city council for wanting to begin withdraw of their tired firemen, attacking the council%u2019s courage, judgment, and patriotism and further lambastes USAville%u2019s citizens for not having the stomach to continue the fire fight. He often does so in front of a USAville flag and a polite, compliant, prop-like audience of young firefighters. Quite ironic isn%u2019t it? Furthermore, he now says the city council will ultimately be accountable for the destruction of Iraqitown.
- Reply to this comment
- Now boys and girls, who do you think is really to blame for the firestorm in Iraqitown?
Mr. Cheney knows we will withdraw troops soon and doesn%u2019t really care if we do. He just wants to make sure Democrats take the full blame for the carnage already underway in Iraq after we finally leave. He is bellicosely baiting Speaker Pelosi and daring Democrats to withdraw so he can blame them for a failed Iraq. Failure is not an option, it is a foregone conclusion. Success is no longer an option either; get our boys and girls home now. - Reply to this comment
- Lars, I still have your quiz: Which of these actions accomplished more towards wining the war on terrorism? Attacking Iraq under fraudulently falsified pretences or raising billions of dollars for and sending US military support to Indonesia after the tsunami? Holding teenage boys and 80 year-old men indefinitely in GITMO and encouraging the abusive behavior of Abu Graib or sending humanitarian aid and US military helicopters and medics to Pakistan after the earthquake? Which of these actions validate everything the terrorists espouse? Which actions undermine and contradict everything they decry? Which fills their coffers with gold and lines up suicidal volunteers? Which gives hope to the populace and vanquishes terrorists%u2019 sanctuary? Which acts create and nurture those terrorists groups you most want us to see and fear?
The war on terror will not be won through military destruction, but it is certain to be lost if we continue to destroy our reputation in the world as we are now. Any step forward we take with an act of kindness, we give two back to the terrorists with every violent act we justify in the name of war. The terrorists%u2019 greatest victory in Iraq will not be our withdrawal; it was our invasion and continues with our half-baked occupation. The greater ideology will win the war on terror, not the greater body count. - Reply to this comment
- Humans die in larger numbers in civil wars than any other form of warfare; look at the toll of our own civil war. Remember Rwanda? There are not just deaths, but some 2.5 million Iraqi refugees in Jordan, Syria, and other countries that can ill afford and have no desire to absorb them. We are not responsible for creating the ancient inter-sectarian and ethnic hatred that now fuels this conflict; that was the work of Sadaam%u2019s brutal regime and a millennia-old religious feud. We did spark the fire by invading Iraq, threw gasoline on it by failing to provide security, and catalyzed the violence by forming a largely Shia government bent on leaving the Sunni minority powerless and penniless. We toppled Iraq%u2019s Tito, and the fracture of this mideast Yugoslavia has begun, replete with little Milosevics all vying for power. Which one should we support? We cannot hope to close Pandora%u2019s Box, but we may be able to manage the inevitable subdivision of the Iraqi people in a less genocidal way. Senator Biden%u2019s plan for creating a Dayton Accord like separation of the warring sects has the best hope of carrying this out. I wish more Congressmen, from all political walks, would get behind his plan and shove it down this Administration%u2019s throat. Can we afford to wait out this Presidency? How many more of our boys and girls will be lost between now and Jan 09? How many more Iraqis? How many Mohammad Attahs will we spawn?
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- During WW II, the Japanese were searching for a way to demoralize the American forces that they faced. Their psychological warfare experts came up with a message that they thought would work well.
They gave the script to their famous broadcaster, "Tokyo Rose," and every day she would broadcast this same message packaged in various ways, hoping to have an impact on American GI morale. What was the message?
It had three main points:
1. Your president is lying to you.
2. This war is illegal.
3. You cannot win the war.
Sound familiar? the Democratic Party has picked up the same message and is broadcasting it to civilians domestic and abroad, and to our troops and our enemies. The only difference is that they claim to support our troops before they demoralize them.
Come to think of it, Tokyo Rose used to tell the troops that she was on their side.
I am often struck by how similar the rhetoric from the left is to the rhetoric from our enemies. Consider this transcript of a taped al qaeda message:
http://memritv.org/Transcript.asp?P1=802 - Reply to this comment
- To: msgt & advisor
Watch it guys!
Big Bro is probably listening.
If you're talking about more than a two party system aren't you talking about changing (Bush would say overthrowing) the US Gov't?
And if thats true doesn't that make you on the side of the terrorists? Our Gov't has made it clear that this kind of "crazy talk" won't go unpunished...
Posted by btans1 at 01:03 PM : Feb 25, 2007
I shall consider myself warned...lol.
It would not be the first time for me to be so accused. Every neocon that posts here has called me an islamo-fascist, traitor, or terrorist at one time or another....... - Reply to this comment
- The more that we involve ourselves into the affairs of others, the greater the burden that we carry for the outcome...
Posted by kstrisha at 12:50 PM : Feb 25, 2007
Very true and very well stated. - Reply to this comment
- "UNITY 08"
- Reply to this comment
- To: msgt & advisor
Watch it guys!
Big Bro is probably listening.
If you're talking about more than a two party system aren't you talking about changing (Bush would say overthrowing) the US Gov't?
And if thats true doesn't that make you on the side of the terrorists? Our Gov't has made it clear that this kind of "crazy talk" won't go unpunished... - Reply to this comment
- If EUROEANS were not brought into Palestine after WWII to occupy the land of those Palestinians by force who had nothing to do with the crimes comited by Hitler because BIBLE said so,Alqaeda would not get enough recruits to blow themselves up since KORAN says so.
Why should GOD-NEGLECTED AMERICANS work day and night to pay TAX to US govt and why should NON-AMERICAN EUROPEAN INVADERS in PALESTINE be allowed to snatch more then $3 Billions a year from our tax payed money for the killing of those who give us OIL in cheaper prices?
Why United States,the best place in the planet is an UNHOLY LAND while ouccupied Palestinian land like Tel Aviv is a HOLY LAND?
If the ANTI-AMERICAN policies of those enemies of USA who want to support the illegitimate and unjustifed existance of ISRAEL on the world map on the cost of GOD-NEGLECTED AMERICAN MONEY,AMERICAN LIVES and USA herself for the protection of the GOD-CHOSEN NON AMERICANS and their HOLY NON-AMERICAN LAND,have already created ANTI-AMERICAN TERRORISTS around the globe,we atleast need to fight against them smartly.
It didn't make any sense to remove a SECULAR SADDAM from power who was fighting our war against ISLAMIC RADICALs and to bring an ANTI-AMERICAN ISLAMIC RADICAL "MALIKI" into power who is taking our TAX PAYED MONEY on the name of REBUILDING IRAQ and our WEAPONS on the name of ARMING IRAQI SECURITY FROCES to kill our troops deployed there and we can't do anything to stop that killing of our finest men and women in uniform. - Reply to this comment
- Quote:
...The US also needs to stop meddling in internal affairs in the Arab world.
Your approach of just killing terrorists will never end terrorism any more than you'll control a cockroach infestation by killing them one by one. Until you stop the breeding, they'll just continue to come out of the wall.
Posted by formrusmcsgt at 12:26 PM : Feb 25, 2007
+ report this comment
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The more that we involve ourselves into the affairs of others, the greater the burden that we carry for the outcome... - Reply to this comment
- tcoleman12
All the human beings living in this world are GOD-NEGLECTED PEOPLE not because of anything wrong with their actions but because of not being born in a RACE or FAMILY CHOSEN BY GOD and that's why they've not been promised a single penny from GOD,whereas those EUROPEANS who were brought into Palestine after WWII to occupy the land of those Palestinians by force who had nothing to do with the Crimes comited by HITLER,those EUROPEANS are GOD-CHOSEN PEOPLE not because of anything great with their actions but because of being born in a RACE or FAMILY CHOSEN by GOD and that's why they have been promised a land in the Middle East.Human beings should not be treated on the basis of their actions but should be treated as GOD-CHOSEN or GOD-NEGLECTED on the basis of the RACE or FAMILY they are born in.This Ideology is called RACISM and INJUSTICE.
Nothing has hurt UNITED STATES more then this RACIST and UNJUST IDEOLOGY.Nobody in the history of mankind has been fooled like Americans on the basis of this RACISM and INJUSTICE.
We take OIL in cheaper prices from Arabs and in return support and protect their those enemies who were brought in that Palestinian land which is far far away from the Concentration camps in GERMANY.
Majority of Americans have been made SLAVES of a very small minority on the basis of this IDOELOGY which considers GOD-NEGLECTED AMERICANS a tool to be fooled by the hands of the GOD-CHOSEN ENEMIES OF THE GOD'S ONLY SON. - Reply to this comment
- For you guys hung up on appeasing terrorist...how is that actually done? At what point do they just take their guns, IEDs & suicide bombers and go home?
Posted by tcoleman12 at 12:14 PM : Feb 25, 2007
You end terrorism by removing it's justifications.
We were attacked by bin Laden, according to his declaration of war in 1998, because we support Israels horrific treatment of the Palestinians.
Insisting that Isreal live up to its commitments in the road map to peace put together by George Mitchell and signed by all parties would go a long way in deterring terrorist recruitment. It's hard for them to portray us as the enmy unless we act like one.
The US also needs to stop meddling in internal affairs in the Arab world.
Your approach of just killing terrorists will never end terrorism any more than you'll control a cockroach infestation by killing them one by one. Until you stop the breeding, they'll just continue to come out of the wall. - Reply to this comment
- You have never been so right about anything Condi.
The surge is really working good now. Cheney also said it was working, maybe we can start withdrawing in a couple weeks. - Reply to this comment
- I've been reading these comments here, and we have some real winners.
For you guys hung up on "Lies", President Bush made the same compelling argument about WMD in Iraq that Clinton made earlier. Actually, Clinton made a stronger case for the WMD and attacked a manufacturing facility at the height of the Lewinsky affair.
For you guys hung up on appeasing terrorist...how is that actually done? At what point do they just take their guns, IEDs & suicide bombers and go home? How much is enough for them. You give them one thing they want some more. There is no appeasement with terrorists... - Reply to this comment
- do you belong to an independent party? name one i can join, because i am one just like you too !!!
Posted by usadvisor101 at 11:49 AM : Feb 25, 2007
As I cited earlier, 35% of Americans are registered as Independents.
Of course, there is not, at present, an Independent party that encompasses all these voters.
The Repubs and Dems are very entrenched and have been effective at stifling Independent parties.
But as the number of Independents grows, logic would dictate that they become a more and more attractive base for a candidate to capitalize on.
The only thing that is required is a valid, charismatic candidate to come along and run outside the mainstream parties to establish a true Independent party.
Nader's and Perot's won't get it done. Fringe candidates will never harvest the Independent vote. Most Independent votes have been divided between the Repubs and Dems making them moot, as the dems and Repubs obviously want it.
This will change and politics will never again be the same in this country once that happens. - Reply to this comment
- make that "the Dems will be the party of the pacifists and entitlement supporters"....
- Reply to this comment
- Once it happens, the Repubs will then be the party of Bible thumpers and hawks, the Dems will be the party of the anarchists and entitlement supporters and the rest of us will be in the middle with an Independent party that espouses fiscal responsibility and moderated governmant both in it's domestic and foreign policies.
- Reply to this comment
- usadvisor101-
We are well on our way to establishing that goal, by the way....
From http://www.independentvoting.org/:
The reactionary thrust of the Republican Party and the visionlessness of the Democratic Party have left a political void. That is why 35% of Americans are independents, rather than identifying themselves with one or the other major party.
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Once the Repubs and Dems find themselves to both be minority parties, there will be a quantum change in US politics. - Reply to this comment
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
