Death Toll Rises In Iraq Mosque Bombing

At Least 12 Dead In Suicide Bomb Attack On Shiite Mosque

(AP)  A suicide bomber struck Shiite worshippers Friday at a mosque run by followers of anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, killing at least 12 people, a day after Iraqi lawmakers approved a security pact with the United States.

The blast underlined fears on both sides of the argument - proponents of the deal warn the Iraqis aren't ready to take over their own security while opponents, led by the Sadrists, say the American presence is the main reason for the instability plaguing the country.

In Baghdad, thousands of al-Sadr's loyalists took to the streets to rally against the deal in the main Shiite district of Sadr City.

The bomber blew himself up among a group of men waiting to be searched near the green iron gate at the entrance of the main mosque in Musayyib, 40 miles south of Baghdad.

Worshippers - who had planned a protest against the pact after services - rushed outside or stood against the walls for protection against a possible roof collapse.

"When I reached the door ... I found it very hard to get away without stepping on bodies," said Hadi Radhi, a 40-year-old construction worker who was there. "We could not tell if they were dead or wounded."

Police and hospital officials said 12 people, including a woman who was begging for money nearby, were killed and 18 wounded. The U.S. military said eight civilians were killed and 15 wounded.

There was no claim of responsibility, but suicide bombings are associated with Sunni extremist groups. The U.S. military has warned Sunni insurgents are trying to provoke revenge attacks by Shiites in order to re-ignite sectarian warfare.

The mosque was formerly Sunni but had been taken over by the Sadrists after the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein's Sunni-dominated regime, officials said.

Musayyib, in an area that contains a volatile mix of Sunni and Shiite extremists, has faced several attacks in the past, including a July 16, 2005, suicide bombing that killed some 90 people near the same mosque.

But along with the rest of the country, it has seen a steep drop of violence over the past year. The U.S. military handed responsibility for security in the surrounding Babil province to Iraqi forces last month.

The security pact, which still must be approved by the three-member presidential council, was backed by the ruling coalition's Shiite and Kurdish blocs and the largest Sunni Arab bloc, which wanted concessions for supporting the deal.

But al-Sadr, who commands a large following among impoverished Iraqi Shiites and a 30-seat bloc in the 275-seat parliament, rejected the pact and said U.S. troops should withdraw immediately.

Al-Sadr, who lives in Iran, issued a separate statement via his spokesman Sheik Salah al-Obeidi calling for three days of mourning and peaceful public protests as a show of opposition against the agreement.

His cease-fire order has been a key factor in the drop in violence over the past year, along with a Sunni revolt against al Qaeda in Iraq and a U.S. troop buildup. His militia, which was responsible for some of the worst attacks of the war, has also been heavily targeted in U.S. and Iraqi operations.

A key aide warned that the American presence can only lead to more violence for Iraq.

"The explosion that took place today near a Shiite mosque in Musayyib town is one of the consequences of the security agreement," Sheik Abdul-Hadi al-Mohammadawi said during a sermon in the Sadrist stronghold of Kufa. "The Iraqi government cannot survive without the U.S. presence and as long as the Americans remain here, Iraq will be still a battlefield."

A car bomb also exploded in a central square in Baghdad, killing at least three people and wounding 13, according to police and hospital officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to release the information.

In Tehran, a hard-line Iranian cleric said the Iraqi parliament approved the deal under U.S. pressure but "did well" in deciding to put it to a referendum. The cleric, Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, was referring to the decision by Iraq's Shiite bloc to agree to a Sunni demand that the pact be put to a nationwide referendum by July 30.

Jannati's measured remarks were a departure from the harsh criticism that Iranian authorities had leveled against the security pact while it was being negotiated, though they tempered their criticism as the pact moved toward approval by Iraqi lawmakers.

[mrmeatspin]

terrorism WILL BE A LUCRATIVE business under the liberal Obama administration..

[nikosk11]

Let the ba$tards kill each other and pull our troops out of there.
NO MORE AMERICAN BLOOD.

[earache4]

As far as oil is concerned, I have not seen barrels of Iraqi oil heading our way, so that point is currently moot.
Posted by promaclaura at 08:29 AM

You didn''t read about the oil contracts secured by American Oil Companies?

[promaclaura]

So America should only attack evil lurking above oil reserves?


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Posted by earache4 at 08:08 AM : Dec 01, 2008

I think you know that Saddam did a lot more than just terrorize his own country and people. Saddam also demonstrated his desire for weapons of mass destruction, nobody disputes this. So far the people of Darfur are the unfortunate ones caught in jihad, I haven''t seen a desire to develop WMD or invasion of other countries or paying families of suicide bombers. Although, I believe evil does spread and there will be a day of reckoning in Africa.

Another thought, Barack selected Hillary as his Sec. of State, she is a HAWK. Clinton''s view on Iraq was very obvious, and she supported ousting Saddam (so did Bill). I think you will be disappointed if you believe she will be handing around the peace pipe.

As far as oil is concerned, I have not seen barrels of Iraqi oil heading our way, so that point is currently moot.

[earache4]

The other areas that you mentioned in your post, especially Darfur (dufar?) have the U.N. in charge and I know you believe they are a successful entity. Africa looks like a powder keg to me, and once again people are suffering do to MUSLIM extremism. GW has tackled their Aids problem, eventually an American President is going to be forced to go in militarily as well. I don''t look forward to that as I believe it will be a bigger bloodbath, "Blackhawk Down" comes to mind.
Posted by promaclaura at 07:41 AM

So America should only attack evil lurking above oil reserves?

[promaclaura]

You''''''''re naive attitude is your weakness. You should really start recognizing that the USA is about defeating evil which threatens innocence all over the globe, and that we always have been. In this war, we are fighting an evil religious ideology called jihad, that must be stopped in order for freedoms and liberties to continue to exist.
Posted by SocialismSux at 12:34 AM

Do you mean like the evil that exists in Dufar, or in Tibet?


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Posted by earache4 at 07:12 AM : Dec 01, 2008

Earache4, I think you have good intentions, but like I said before, your soooo invested in hating GW that you can''t see past it. Socialismsux''s post was right on, I think you are naive about the intent of the American military. Go ahead, believe what you want about GW, but stop painting such a broad picture of evil intent over the rest of them.

The other areas that you mentioned in your post, especially Darfur (dufar?) have the U.N. in charge and I know you believe they are a successful entity. Africa looks like a powder keg to me, and once again people are suffering do to MUSLIM extremism. GW has tackled their Aids problem, eventually an American President is going to be forced to go in militarily as well. I don''t look forward to that as I believe it will be a bigger bloodbath, "Blackhawk Down" comes to mind.

[earache4]

You''''re naive attitude is your weakness. You should really start recognizing that the USA is about defeating evil which threatens innocence all over the globe, and that we always have been. In this war, we are fighting an evil religious ideology called jihad, that must be stopped in order for freedoms and liberties to continue to exist.
Posted by SocialismSux at 12:34 AM

Do you mean like the evil that exists in Dufar, or in Tibet?

[socialismsux]

Not likely. I served in defense of our countries sovereignty and freedoms for 8 years in a combat unit. This war has never had an attainable goal or even a generalized exit plan. There%u2019s nothing to win or lose (but American servicemen).


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Posted by earache4 at 11:57 AM : Nov 30, 2008

You aren''t the only one who has served and you DEFINITELY don''t speak for the entire military either. Why don''t you do a stat check on the record amount of VOLUNTARY re-enlistments that have taken place IN THE COMBAT ZONE in Iraq since this war began.

You sir represent a tiny minority when it comes to a knowledge of the evil we are fighting, called Islamic jihad.

You''re naive attitude is your weakness. You should really start recognizing that the USA is about defeating evil which threatens innocence all over the globe, and that we always have been. In this war, we are fighting an evil religious ideology called jihad, that must be stopped in order for freedoms and liberties to continue to exist.

The minute you realize this the more you will see how serious this business is.

[socialismsux]

American born Islamic followers with symphony towards Al Queda and Taliban efforts abroad, are now killing American Bald Eagles at an alarming rate. So far these supporters have killed about 60 out of the known 380 still left in the world. Actions by the Federal Government are under way to stop and demise of our national bird from extinction.

Do your part to stop this madness!


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Posted by KareHarris22 at 08:50 PM : Nov 30, 2008


It''s a shame people don''t have this much passion over the lives of the innocent unborn babies who are murdered each year from abortion.

[socialismsux]

More episodes from the religion of death, ISLAM. An every day headline news story....

More to come.

www.thereligionofpeace.com

[earth562]

Miketotten1

Is an imposter who has used a reporters name to spread lies and distortions.

He is paid by a Saudi/Wahabist organization set up in the United States.

This poster is on this website for over 14 hours a day 7 days a week.

Please check it out for yourself

[kareharris22]

American born Islamic followers with symphony towards Al Queda and Taliban efforts abroad, are now killing American Bald Eagles at an alarming rate. So far these supporters have killed about 60 out of the known 380 still left in the world. Actions by the Federal Government are under way to stop and demise of our national bird from extinction.

Do your part to stop this madness!

[promaclaura]

Wow, all that backtracking, I wonder what was in Sandy Bergers socks?

[promaclaura]

A little more:

Clinton later claimed to have misspoken and stated that there had never been an offer to turn over bin Laden. It is clear, however, that Berger, at least, did consider the possibility of bringing bin Laden to the U.S., but, as he told The Washington Post in 2001, "The FBI did not believe we had enough evidence to indict bin Laden at that time, and therefore opposed bringing him to the United States." According to NewsMax.com, Berger later emphasized in an interview with WABC Radio that, while administration officials had discussed whether or not they had ample evidence to indict bin Laden, that decision "was not pursuant to an offer by the Sudanese."

[promaclaura]

A little more:

Clinton later claimed to have misspoken and stated that there had never been an offer to turn over bin Laden. It is clear, however, that Berger, at least, did consider the possibility of bringing bin Laden to the U.S., but, as he told The Washington Post in 2001, "The FBI did not believe we had enough evidence to indict bin Laden at that time, and therefore opposed bringing him to the United States." According to NewsMax.com, Berger later emphasized in an interview with WABC Radio that, while administration officials had discussed whether or not they had ample evidence to indict bin Laden, that decision "was not pursuant to an offer by the Sudanese."

[promaclaura]

Rowdy, I bet ol'' Sandy Berger was hiding the Sudan "offer" in his socks before the 9/11 Commission could get ahold of it.

Clinton stated: So we tried to be quite aggressive with them [al Qaeda]. We got %u2013 well, Mr. bin Laden used to live in Sudan. He was expelled from Saudi Arabia in 1991, then he went to Sudan. And we''d been hearing that the Sudanese wanted America to start dealing with them again. They released him. At the time, 1996, he had committed no crime against America, so I did not bring him here because we had no basis on which to hold him, though we knew he wanted to commit crimes against America. So I pleaded with the Saudis to take him, ''cause they could have. But they thought it was a hot potato and they didn''t and that''s how he wound up in Afghanistan.

[promaclaura]

Sorry, rowdy. You are too skewed right to be considered viable on any ''''mainstream'''' media blog. Enjoy your Rush Limbaugh programs and keep the fear alive!


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Posted by earache4 at 02:49 PM : Nov 30, 2008

Terrorists, trained in Pakistan, carrying out their jihad attacks in India are keeping the fear alive better than talk radio.

[earache4]

Sorry, rowdy. You are too skewed right to be considered viable on any ''mainstream'' media blog. Enjoy your Rush Limbaugh programs and keep the fear alive!

[earache4]

Yeah, I am...unless you just want to drop a big load on the whole place...which is frankly what I prefer...

Routing out these bastwards in their hidey holes will either take a big bomb on the whole place...or soldiers with rifles, like I said, Russia tried for nine years.
Posted by Rowdydfw at 12:52 PM

LOL!!! It only took a month to win the Iraqi war "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED"....it only took 4 years to beat Germany and Japan....just admit Bin Laden is farther from being caught than he was when Shrub made the claim ''dead or alive''....

[earache4]

From 1996 to 1998, I opened unofficial channels between Sudan and the Clinton administration. I met with officials in both countries, including Clinton, U.S. National Security Advisor Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger and Sudan''''s president and intelligence chief. President Omar Hassan Ahmed Bashir, who wanted terrorism sanctions against Sudan lifted, offered the arrest and extradition of Bin Laden and detailed intelligence data about the global networks constructed by Egypt''''s Islamic Jihad, Iran''''s Hezbollah and the Palestinian Hamas.

http://www.infowars.com/saved%
20pages/Prior_Knowledge/Clinton_let_bin_
laden.htm
Posted by Rowdydfw at 12:49 PM

LOL!!!! Sorry, should have specified, CREDIBLE source. Thanks for the laugh!