Congressional Battle Over Iraq Heats Up

Federal Probe Concludes $19B Wasted On Training Iraqi Troops

(CBS/AP)  In Iraq today, a car bomb exploded near a busy square in a predominantly Shiite area in northern Baghdad, killing at least 14 people and wounding 22, police officials said.

The explosion occurred about 8:30 p.m. — about 90 minutes before a nightly curfew — as many people were out doing errands and buying ice cream on the square in Kazimiyah, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of security concerns.

The 14 killed and 22 wounded included women and children, the officials said, adding that the glass was shattered in shops selling soft drinks and ice cream and other buildings.

Kazimiyah is the site of Baghdad's holiest Shiite Muslim mosque, which holds the remains of the Imam Moussa Kadhim and his grandson, two of the 12 major Shiite saints. But the blast occurred about a half-mile away from the shrine.

It was the second blast to strike the neighborhood in three weeks. Two simultaneous car-bomb explosions struck on June 6, killing at least seven people and wounding nearly 30.

Roadside bombs killed five policemen north of Baghdad and another five civilians in the capital, police said. Drive-by shootings killed one man and injured six others in Baghdad, and at least three rockets or mortars targeted the heavily guarded Green Zone there.

In the capital's Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City, two people were killed in separate cars enveloped in a barrage of gunfire. TV video showed blood splattered across the vehicles, one of which was smashed. Both had multiple bullet holes in their windshields.

Dozens of residents swarmed at the scene, and hauled the bodies out of the cars. Witnesses at the scene who did not give their names told AP Television News the men had been shot by American soldiers, who were stuck in a traffic jam and opened fire on cars around them.

But the U.S. military said four or five men armed with AK-47 assault rifles engaged an American military police unit, and a gunbattle ensued. One suspected insurgent was killed, the military said in an e-mail sent to The Associated Press. It did not explain the discrepancy with witness accounts.

Also Wednesday, a leading Sunni politician suggested that the Sunni minister of culture might be allowed to resign and leave the country to ease sectarian tensions arising from allegations that he was behind a 2005 assassination attempt against another politician, whose two sons died in the attack.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Culture Minister Asad Kamal al-Hashimi, who has gone into hiding. Sunni politicians claim the allegation is part of a campaign by the Shiite-dominated government to marginalize Sunni political leaders.

In an interview with the U.S.-funded Radio Sawa, Sunni leader Adnan al-Dulaimi said the minister's departure from Iraq "will be facilitated."

"I believe he will leave Iraq and declare his resignation," al-Dulaimi said. "We will all feel relaxed when this case is closed and is not raised by the media or any other side."

Some Sunni politicians in Iraq expressed outrage over al-Hashimi's arrest warrant. Muhannad al-Issawi, a spokesman for al-Dulaimi, called the move "a political matter not a judicial one."

"It aims to marginalize the Sunnis" and their main parliamentary bloc, the Iraqi Accordance Front, al-Issawi told the AP by telephone.

He said Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told a Sunni delegation Tuesday that he would halt the moves against al-Hashimi. Al-Maliki's office denied the claim, saying the case was a matter for the judiciary.

The move against al-Hashimi came after he was identified by two suspected militants as the mastermind of a Feb. 8, 2005, attack against secular politician Mithal al-Alusi, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said. Al-Alusi escaped unharmed but two of his sons were killed.

The U.S. is pressing the Iraqis to enact a series of laws to bring together the country's warring factions. Sunni politicians have long accused the Shiites of seeking to marginalize them.

Meanwhile, Turkey's military chief, Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, asked his government to set political guidelines for an incursion into northern Iraq to fight Kurdish guerrillas.

But the government is likely to consider military action only as a last resort: Asking parliament to approve such an incursion would strain ties with Washington and Iraq, which oppose such unilateral Turkish action.

Buyukanit had asked his government in April to approve a cross-border incursion into Iraq, increasing pressure on the United States and Iraq to crack down on Kurdish rebels. But the government said then that priority should be given to fighting guerrillas who are already inside Turkey.

[long_rider]

The chimp and vice chimp have been running wild for eight years, so why the sudden interest?

You can tell election time is nearing, such cries of indignation, and out rage. The American people have been taking the high-hard-one for so long they are getting use to it.

Our form of government is evolving into something that the designers were trying to prevent, a government owned, and run by big business.

American people don't know the price that has been paid by our past generations, so they are going to have to suffer a fools fate.

We have to take control of our government, and restrict the abilities of government contractors, and large corporations.

Democracy is dissapearing, and the true intent of our form of government is rapidly becomming a thing of the past. What rules our country now is greed, lies, and citizens who just don't care.

[prinzowhales]

Lugar is simply being disingenious with his suggestion that NOW Bush has 'an opportunity to pursue a bipartisan Iraq policy'. The policy has ALWAYS been bipartisan. If you look at Kerry's positions, they were even more bellicose than those of Bush.

The problem now if for this bipartisan 'leadership' to weasel their way off the gallows. Now, when it is perfectly obvious that the case for war was built on lies, that all of these people died for nothing...they want to distance themselves from the political fallout. Bush could not have accomplished what he has without their complicity. Hang 'em High!

[j-whitman]

Folks,, You have to look at the bright side -- No bid contracts are up 43% over last year.

[drummer94]

19 BILLION dollars and they ain't trained? How much training do they need? It's their towns aren't they. Shouldn't they already know their streets,alleys,etc." Heres training for you: The clip goes here. This is the full rock-n-roll lever. Grab some cover and shoot at that guy over there that is shootin' at you. Sheesh.

[smirk5]

"BAGHDAD - Twenty beheaded bodies were discovered Thursday on the banks of the Tigris River southeast of Baghdad, while a parked car bomb killed another 20 people in one of the capital's busy outdoor bus stations, police said."

More of Bush's Progress. His surge isn't going to work. Of course, many generals already knew that. Bush doubled down on more American lives and lost. He'll keep losing. That's what he does.

[rharrin1]

More and more republicans are starting to see the light as they change their support of the Iraq invasion.

Don't be fooled folks, elections are getting closer and that is the only reason for their actions and you will see more and more of them jumping ship. But remember their past when it is time to vote, they think everybody will forget with time.

The biggest problem is that they still think the same way, they change their view of the invasion ONLY to save the job they have.

[toldyouso21]

Several thousand Al-Qaida members had no good reason to attack us on 9-11.

Thanks to the Shrub, several million Iraqi's have an excellent reason- revenge! I can only pray that they are more understanding, and forgiving, than our own neocons have been.
Posted by ubrew12 at 01:47 AM : Jun 28, 2007

Actually, in the eyes of many in the ME, Al Qaeda and many people in the ME have every reason to despise the US. We are perceived as the puppet masters for Israel. We not only provide billions in welfare since Israel's inception; whenever there is an altercation or event, we side with Israel even when we know they are wrong. if you want a bird's eye view of how the world views America with Israel--remember the invasion of Lebanon last yr. Remember it started NOT with kidnapping but with 2 unprovoked strikes by Israel into Palestine--both killed civilians not terrorists (one group on a picnic another in a minivan) when Israel and Hezbollah started, we warned the world to let the two countries sort it out and to mind their own business and within days, we were fed exing cluster bombs to Israel. So much for staying out. To many, to strike at America is finally to strike at the true master instead of the puppet. So in many minds the strike by Al Qaeda was long over due. We pay for the company we keep. Not that we should not support Israel. But if we claim to be brokers for peace--we might want to support peace instead of either side after 40 years of fighting and killing.

[ubrew12]

"WHEN YOU INVADE A COUNTRY, THE PEOPLE ARE NEVER YOUR FRIENDS, THEY WILL NEVER LIKE YOU AND IF YOU KILL/HARM THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AND DESTROY THEIR CITIES, THEY WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU." Posted by toldyouso21 at 12:37 AM : Jun 28, 2007

Several thousand Al-Qaida members had no good reason to attack us on 9-11.

Thanks to the Shrub, several million Iraqi's have an excellent reason- revenge! I can only pray that they are more understanding, and forgiving, than our own neocons have been.

[velomoteur-2009]

Many congratulations to Mika Brzezinski for her stand against Paris Hilton story and her producer. Medias are too often making heroes and celebrities about people who are not worth it by far.
It is the same here in Australia, we are bombarded and saturated by the medias with similar headlines about shalow celebrities.There are so many more worthwhile topics.

[toldyouso21]

Americans have made the mistake of believing their own lies and hype. We actually are trying to act like some Iraqis are our friends, want to help us, want us to succeed and will aid us in every way. Only the collaborators we pay do that, the rest know this is our war to lose and if they can, they'd rather collect the paycheck but NOT die defending or promoting our objectives.

So when cars come through that need to be checked and they are advised for the sake of their families or themselves not to (an no Americans are around) they wave them through. Why should they get blown up helping invaders have a victory in their own country? This is sooo obvious...understand this:

WHEN YOU INVADE A COUNTRY, THE PEOPLE ARE NEVER YOUR FRIENDS, THEY WILL NEVER LIKE YOU AND IF YOU KILL/HARM THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AND DESTROY THEIR CITIES, THEY WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU.

Iraqis are pragmatic, they have to eat. So they sign up for the jobs and take the check. Then 25% or more don't even bother to come in to work--except for the true collaborators. They are bought men, they are tolerated since they often play both sides, but if they go too far in cooperating (like the Sheiks did) they are killed. The Iraqis are not on our side, even the ones we pay for aren't. They go to the highest bidder, and in their best possible world, if they can get paid by the US AND take a bribe to let a bomber into the green zone or elsewhere--more money. so much the better. Smarten UP America.