Bombs Claim 50 in Iraq

Worst Day Since U.S. Pullout Last Week

(AP)  Bombs killed more than 50 people in Iraq on Thursday in the worst violence since U.S. combat troops withdrew from urban areas last week, and American forces released five Iranian officials suspected of aiding Shiite insurgents.

U.S. officials said they believe the Iranians, detained in northern Iraq in January 2007, had facilitated attacks on American-led forces but handed them over to the Iraqi government at its request because they were obliged to do so under a U.S.-Iraqi security agreement.

The U.S. State Department said it was concerned their release could present a security threat to American troops in Iraq.

Iraq's foreign minister, Hoshyar Zebari, called the release a "good initiative" that could encourage dialogue between Washington and Tehran, which are longtime foes.

The Iranian Embassy said it expected to receive the Iranians, described by their government as diplomats. Washington believes they are associated with the Quds Force, part of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard Corps, and that they trained Iraqi militants.

The carnage within Iraqi borders Thursday was a sign that insurgents remain intent on destabilizing Iraq as the United States shifts its focus to the war in Afghanistan. Attacks are down sharply from past years of war and militants have been driven from many strongholds, but they routinely inflict casualties in Baghdad and northern Iraq, a cauldron of ethnic and sectarian tension.

The most lethal attack Thursday was in the northern city of Tal Afar, where women sat in the street amid torn and bloodied bodies in the aftermath of suicide bombings, wailing and beating their chests in grief. Several men crouched and wept into their hands. Others rushed the wounded to ambulances; some used a bed sheet as a makeshift stretcher.

In a statement on his Web site, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani condemned the attacks and said the "forces of evil and terrorism" were trying in vain to demoralize Iraqi security forces and the civilian population.

Some 130,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq, but they have a much lower profile and are preparing for a complete pullout by the end of 2011. Iraqi attitudes are mixed, with some rejoicing over the absence of American troops in their streets and a new sense of sovereignty, and others worried that extremists will now have more freedom to operate.

"Our security forces are still weak, with poor intelligence," said Saeed Rahim, a government employee in Baghdad. "Deploying more unqualified troops into the streets does not necessarily lead to better results."

The day's violence began at 6:30 a.m., when a suicide bomber in a police uniform and carrying a radio and a pistol knocked on the door of an investigator in the anti-terrorism police force in Tal Afar. When the officer opened the door, the bomber detonated his explosive belt, killing the officer, his wife and son, said Maj. Gen. Khalid al-Hamadani, police chief of the northern Ninevah province.

As people gathered in the aftermath, another suicide bomber detonated his explosives belt, al-Hamadani said. The coordinated attack killed a total of 38 people and injured 66. Army Brig. Abdul-Rahman Abu Raghef said the first suicide bomber was a local resident who had been jailed for one year on suspicion of terrorism, but was released in an amnesty in June.

A day earlier, car bombs in two Shiite villages near Mosul, another northern Iraqi city, killed 16 civilians and injured more than two dozen.

Haneen Qaddo, a lawmaker representing Shiites in the Mosul region, complained about a "big security vacuum" in the north and said Kurdish forces, known as peshmerga, should withdraw from some areas and allow Iraqi army units to deploy. Tensions between Iraqi Arabs and Kurds, who run a virtual mini-state in part of northern Iraq, are considered a major threat to long-term stability.

Factions are maneuvering for control of Kirkuk, a disputed northern city in an oil-rich area that is seen as a flash point for conflict. Police there said a civilian bystander died in a bomb attack on a police patrol on Thursday.

Insurgents also struck Baghdad on Thursday morning, detonating roadside bombs that killed 13 people and injured dozens. Eight of them died and 30 were injured in coordinated blasts near an outdoor market in the Shiite district of Sadr City, said Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Mousawi, spokesman for the city's operations command center.

Hassan Abdullah, a vegetable salesman, said he heard the first blast and went to see what was happening when a second bomb hidden in trash about 100 yards away exploded. He was taken to a hospital with hand and leg injuries.

In the Karrada district of central Baghdad, one civilian died in a bomb attack on the convoy of Central Bank Gov. Sinan al-Shibibi, a police officer said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The governor was unharmed.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the U.S. had to release the Iranians under a U.S.-Iraqi security agreement that took effect in January. Kelly said the release was not part of a deal or prisoner exchange with Tehran.

He described the five Iranians as being "associated with" the Quds force. Kelly said the possibility of the five creating security problems in Iraq was "a big concern."

A senior Iraqi government official said on condition of anonymity that the Americans had advised Iraqi counterparts that the Iranians should leave the country.

Also Thursday, the U.S. military said it was investigating the death of a U.S. soldier who had been found "unresponsive" on a military base.

[ajjaxtheleast]

As dense as Bush is,,,and Bush is black hole-dense

even he knows not to so much as whisper,,,

"Psst, the world is a safer place without Saddam."


The last dieing gasp talking point to legitimize
the Iraq war,,,slinking off into the sunset

Can this really be happening to our repubs'
strutting puff daddy Stay-The-Course George??

[mljohns00]

I don't understand the point of having 100,000 troops in Iraq when they can't do anything.

There's only four reasons they might be there:
1) To make it look like we haven't left. But we have.
2) To make better targets all clumped together like that.
3) To jump back into the fight, justified by "The Iraqis need us."
4) To more quickly re-conquer Iraq when the government is overthrown.

I don't know which reason is the real one.

[bajajohn1]

After thousands of our troops have been killed and even more thousands seriously injured, what have we learned?

[hermitdave]

OF course the stupid Americans adjust their blinders and play along with the massive LIE that this is somehow a legit endeavor by the Cheney crime family to rid the earth of a evil dictator named Saddam. Keep those blinders on because they prevent you seeing the obvious reason for the shock and awe slaughter of innocent women and children in Iraq, plus the death and maiming of a few thousand Bush crusaders. What ever you do oh stupid ones, do not even consider the return after 39 years of western big oil to Iraq as even a slight reason for the Iraq crusade.

[notblue]

I guess the 25 killed in Afghanistan wasn't news worthy here at leftwing central despitethe fact 15 were children. We wouldn't want to encite anger against the muslim savages now would we?

[Joe_NY_15]

by gravyboat4000 July 9, 2009 6:25 AM PDT
Did ur mama have any chirens dat lived?
__________________________

What does this mean, boat ?

[John_Merritt]

Gravy:

We do not need 'this type' of comment. Clean it up and maybe you won't be a target nearly as often, because brother you ALWAYS set your self up for snide and even distasteful comments. There is so much hate out there, and some are trying to bring it 'in here', and many of us don't like it.

Sorry Robin, you are in a rough crowd. You need to have thick skin to be part of this group. Don't take it personal, one mans opinion does it matter not.

[Benton09]

We're not very good at wars ever since World War II...maybe we should try something else.

[Joe_NY_15]

Of course not, when you have half the country (Democrats) undermining the war effort like a freaking "Fifth Column".....it's extremely difficult to win, because it actually means killing the enemy....OH NO, you can't have that....says the Libs

[daffy64]

Yeah but you "won" that Grenada thingy.

That's pretty good.

I guess.

[robinspp]

Bomb blast is happening in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq because US is waging war against their country. It is not happening that frequently in any other countries.

[gravyboat4000]

Did ur mama have any chirens dat lived?

[didserve]

Why is America still in Iraq?

[gravyboat4000]

America is not in Iraq.

[xlib]

Good question since the messiah campaigned on getting out real, real quick. Guess the inexperienced fella didn't have handlers that could take care of this issue for him.
Now, why, he has his own surge at the Afgan front. Won't call it a surge but it is what it is.

[displeased]

xlib, how fast do you expect us to pull out? He's only been in office for 6 months. It appears your judgment is hopeless.

[zonkzilla]

No American soldiers killed in the attack?
Now that is what I call good news!
But still, fewer people are being killed than when Saddam went around rounding up and murdering people so the people of Iraq are happy.
McCain and the Republicans had the best plan " If we stay in Iraq for 100 years that wouldn't bother me". Yea, good plan I bet the oil companies paid a lot for that one.

[gravyboat4000]

Do you have some sort of prrrrrooof as to how many are being killed by bomb blastes VS Sadaam harrrrasses?

[underdogus09]

The enemy understand that time is on their side.
Folks we're in a catch 22!!

[ajjaxtheleast]

Oddly enough few question why Sunnis being 20-percent
of the population want to ignite sectarian violence
with the 60-percent Shiites,,,and,,

,,one of the questions might be "Have they lost their minds?"

Or, do the Sunnis know something that we dont know,,,
but probably Saddam did know?

And that something that we dont know, can it only
become known when the all-out fun and games begin
and hoards of Sunnis from adjoining and close-by
countries come pouring into Iraq to more
than even up the numbers?

If that isn't the case, where the Sunni cavalry comes
charging over the hill...then yes, the Sunnis have
lost their mainds and are about to lose whatever
else they have that goes along goes with it,,,

Because off to the side making a list and checking
it twice is the Moqtada man waiting patiently for
what's left of The World Crusaders Of Democracy
to head on back to their own version 7.5
democracy where once gain they're told
that their arrival will be greeted
with flowers and candy.

[underdogus09]

We won,We won!! Mission Acomplish,he,he

[gravyboat4000]

ed

[Joe_NY_15]

We ran, We ran. !!!!...because we have a weak girlyman President