Dozens Of Iraqi Pilgrims Killed In Attacks

Series Of Blasts Targeting Shiite Pilgrims Has Left More Than 60 Dead In Past Two Days

(CBS/AP)  A roadside bomb killed four Shiite pilgrims and wounded 15 south of Baghdad Monday in at least the third fatal attack on people traveling to one of their sect's most sacred gatherings, officials said.

The death toll rose from 40 to 56 from a suicide bombing Sunday - one of Iraq's deadliest attacks this year.

In eastern Baghdad, another roadside bombing wounded three pilgrims. A second bomb that went off a few minutes later about 70 yards away wounded a traffic policeman riding to the scene on his motorcycle.

The suicide bomber went after travelers enjoying tea and refreshments Sunday in a tent near Iskandariyah, 30 miles south of Baghdad. The blast killed at least 56 people and wounded 68, according to police and Babil health department director Dr. Mahmoud Abdul-Rida, driving the total number of pilgrims to 63 in two days.

Extremists had attacked another group of pilgrims with guns and grenades hours earlier in the predominantly Sunni Baghdad neighborhood of Dora, killing three and wounding 49, Iraqi military spokesman Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta said. He said the extremists fired from a mosque at the pilgrims and that a counterattack killed five of them, while two were captured.

U.S. and Iraqi forces have increased the number of checkpoints and imposed car bans and other measures in major Shiite cities to protect the worshippers traveling to Karbala, the burial site of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, who died in a seventh-century battle nearby and became one of Shiite Islam's most revered figures. Ceremonies will culminate in Karbala Wednesday to commemorate the end of the 40-day mourning period following the anniversary of his death

Major Shiite events have frequently been targeted in the past by suspected Sunni insurgents led by al Qaeda in Iraq in their drive to stoke sectarian violence.

Recent commemorations - including the Ashoura festival in mid-January to mark Imam Hussein's death - have passed without major bloodshed amid an overall decline in violence across Iraq.

But the pilgrims who walk for days to reach the shrine of Hussein are vulnerable despite the increased security.

Suicide attacks and car bombings are frequently blamed on al Qaeda in Iraq, but U.S. Col. Tom James, commander of the 4th Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, which is responsible for the area around Sunday's attack, said it was too early to say who was behind that bombing.

Sunni leaders denounced the bombing, with hard-line politician Adnan al-Dulaimi's bloc blaming it on foreigners "aiming to create sectarian strife and to destabilize the country."

Meanwhile, Turkish troops fired dozens of salvos of artillery shells across the Iraqi border on Monday, a day after the military confirmed that a Turkish helicopter crashed in Iraq and eight military personnel were killed during a cross-border ground operation against Kurdish rebels.

The sound of the artillery fire from a distance could be heard in this border town of Cukurca. Several military bases that support the incursion into Iraq are on its outskirts, and artillery units have been positioned on hilltops overlooking Iraq.

Turkey began the ground operation Thursday to target autonomy-seeking Kurdish rebels who attack Turkey from hideouts on the Iraqi side of the border.

The guerrillas said Sunday they shot down a Turkish military helicopter near the Turkish-Iraqi border.

Turkey's military said technicians were inspecting the wreck to determine why the helicopter crashed near the border. It was not clear if any of the reported casualties were on board.

The military did not specify on its Web site whether the eight fatalities were troops or pro-government village guards, local residents who are familiar with the terrain and accompany the military on operations against the rebels. NTV said three village guards had been slain, but did not say when or where they died.

Turkey's military said Monday it had killed 41 more separatist Kurdish rebels in clashes in northern Iraq, raising the guerrilla death toll in its cross-border operation to 153.

The incursion is the first confirmed Turkish military ground operation in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003.

The rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, are fighting for autonomy in predominantly Kurdish southeastern Turkey and have carried out attacks on Turkish targets from bases in the semiautonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. The conflict started in 1984 and has claimed as many as 40,000 lives.

[rf35]

notblue said: "What do you tell the ALL VOLLUNTEER army now on the ground, who by the way believes in this effort?"

Like HELL we do! I signed up long before Iraq and many of my young troops enlisted to help stop the perps of the 9/11 attacks, not to fight in someone''s civil holy war. Afganistan has been all but forgotten. Now that Saddam has been deposed and the power vacuum filled, there is no reason to remain in Iraq.

Support the troops...bring us home.

[rf35]

A dead Muslim is a dead Muslim...where''s the problem here?

[ladyjaneg]

Hi J!!! I''ve missed you!! How are you??

[andrew_693]

To think that these kurdish rebels helped the US invade Iraq and also in the first iraq war, and now this is the thanks they get.

[joyous88]

veteran71 is right on

python charlie six

out

[joyous88]

thank your gods that the republican surge is working

and that the republican war is another mission accomplished

[oneturdyone]

Soooo Soooo Sunni, Soooo Soooo Sunni!

That''s how we call all them pigs

[j-whitman]

Ominous Signs Remain in City Run by Iraqis

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/23/world/middleeast/23basra.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp

[j-whitman]

speakinup,,,, I would suggest you read the NYT article "Ominous Signs Remain in City Run by Iraqis"

-- Iraq is a mess, & it is just electioneering from this administration & McCain keeps advertising as success...... Reality is, they have no cocept how to get success.

[speakinup]

J - good to hear. Been good myself.

I disagree on the draw down of deaths. Anytime that happens and the Enemy isn''t getting stronger, then it''s good, and should be called a success.

With the number of civilian casualities being much lower, it has been a real help in getting Iraqis to realize we''re the horse to back. It would really help if some folks from kiwait were to speak up and let the Iraqis know that once we feel they are back on their feet we''ll bug out.

I''m sure it has crossed more than a few Iraqis minds that we won''t, and I''m sure it is used by the insurgents, too.

But like I said, these are just my opinions.

I''ll have to see if I can find the 5 points that were made after the speech. I can''t right now - gotta take care of something hot. Talk to you later, ok.

I can''t always respond, but usually can watch the fun... You have a good one.

[j-whitman]

speakinup,,,, No matter which end of the argument you take, there isn''t progress -
-- I''t more like the administration is defining progress by the lessons we learned from the past failures after 5 years in Iraq.
.. We have yet to correct any of them, which is my arguement for time lines, without them no progress can be measured.

[j-whitman]

speakinup,,,, Doing pretty good thanks. How about you ??

[j-whitman]

speakinup,,,, You can''t define a win or progress by the draw down of casualities ---

-- There are many reasons for them & just as many elements wanting to continue the violences & attacks.

-- As for Bush defining progress in a speech, every one I''ve watched was more spreading flowers trying to disguise the problems. --

[speakinup]

J - History may prove you to be right about your personal assement on Bush. I''m hoping it is the other way myself.

One thing is for sure, none of us knows all the facts. I think a lot of folks on this site pretend to be authorities, but only time is going to give us the answers.

Hows things been going for you lately ?

[speakinup]

J - I guess one has to ask the question of "What is the definition of success?"

I believe the fact that it cut the KIA by more than half for US troops, and by 2/3s for the civilian population has made it a total success.

If you are talking about the political aspect, I believe there were six comments by the president after the speach in which he made the announcement, and most have had some success.


Based on the draw-down in the number of deaths, I would have done it again. Wouldn''t that be a fair assessment ?

[j-whitman]

speakinup,,,, I think it''s going to be quite awhile before we all know for sure why we are in Iraq -- This administration has fought & delayed every attempt from finding out.

[speakinup]

It IS somewhat understandable why you feel they way you do about Iraq since you were disabled in Vietnam. I understand why you''d feel the same about Iraq.

I''m not saying you are correct, in my opinion you are wrong about the reasons we are there - how we got there, that is. But, I just understand more where you are coming from.

skyk - so I would like to say your opinion means no more than anyone else''s, just because you are a disabled vet.


And it certainly doesn''t mean your buddy should get a free ride on the Seig Heil BS.

[j-whitman]

ramos937,,,, No, in actuallity the "Surge" is a total failure,, the only thing it''s doing now is providing minimal security --

--- You have to look at the conditions in Iraq.. This is a good article on Basra where the conditions are considered a potential model for self rule.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/23/world/middleeast/23basra.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&hp&oref=slogin

[ramos937]

Turkey has invaded Iraq; Maliki has left the country perhaps forever; the Iraq war dead exceeds 50 since 1/01/2008. Iran''s President is an honored guest of the Iraq government. The list goes on and on.

Can someone please tell me again that the surge is working and that we are making progress in Iraq?

[mcvet]

You know he''''s right don''''t you? You are a fascist in every sense of the word. This a Disabled Vet who honestly cares about this nation. He like I are veterans of another Civil War and have great knowledge in that area. Now you don''''t have to be super intelligent to figure out we are flat out losing this thing, after all the time and money we''''ve put into it and no solution in sight. He''''s upset at the Lies and who wouldn''''t be... lying to kill Americans should NEVER be accepted regardless of party.


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Posted by skyk at 04:01 PM : Feb 25, 2008
+ report abuse

Ouch! That thud all of you heard just now was ONE fascist freak getting body slamed. Way to go bro! Semper Fi!!