Iraqi Insurgents Roll The Dice
With their deadly strike at a downtown restaurant, Iraqi insurgents have made the whole city of Baghdad a potential target, raising the dangers for American troops but also potentially eroding their support among Iraqi civilians.
Prior to Wednesday bombing that killed a reported eight people, Iraqi civilians had mainly perished when the targets were American troops or international targets like the Red Cross and United Nations buildings. Iraqi policemen have been hit as well.
But Wednesday's attack appeared to have strictly civilian targets, and casualties, and to have reflected a strategic risk by the militants.
For guerrillas, the bombing's impact was that it illustrated that U.S. forces cannot secure the entire Iraqi capital. The strike also reflected that as "hard" targets like U.S. bases have become more secure, "soft" targets like the restaurant become more appealing.
But making an enemy of the Iraqis could be the militants' undoing, reports CBS News Correspondent Kimberly Dozier. More U.S. patrols are finding more Iraqis willing to help, now that their own loved ones are on the line.
"The intelligence is getting better," said Capt. Michael Ryan of the 1st Armored Division. "It's amazing how well they can identify someone who doesn't belong in a neighborhood."
In other developments:
Col. Ralph Baker, commander of the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Armored Division, said the blast was caused by a car booby-trapped with about 500 pounds of explosives. He said reports that it was a suicide bomb attack were false, and that they had questioned witnesses who said they saw a man running from a vehicle before the explosion.
Two hospitals reported treating 35 people wounded in the blast, including three Los Angeles Times reporters who suffered cuts in the attack, which came despite tightened security amid warnings of possible holiday terror attacks.
No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, but Baker said the U.S. military and Iraqi police were following up a number of leads, which he did not detail.
The attack on Nabil was the latest in a string of bombings in Baghdad.
Earlier Wednesday evening, a bomb hidden in shrubs outside another Baghdad restaurant exploded as a U.S. military convoy passed, wounding three American soldiers and three Iraqi civilians, the military said. Iraqi bystanders said one Iraqi was killed.
Also Wednesday, a roadside bomb apparently aimed at a U.S. military convoy killed an 8-year-old Iraqi boy. Three American soldiers suffered minor injuries.
"It's for the New Year. It's a small gift for the U.S.," said Omar Saad, who works in a shop near the blast site.
A similar attack on a main thoroughfare on Tuesday killed an Iraqi civilian. Another roadside bomb killed two Iraqi children and an American soldier on Sunday in central Baghdad.
The New Year came amid muted celebrations for U.S. troops.
American soldiers in northern Iraq fired mortars and missiles to welcome the New Year, while celebrating Iraqis in Baghdad sent tracer bullets flashing across Baghdad's sky.
It was a champagne-free holiday for the 130,000 American soldiers in Iraq, with the Army's 101st Airborne Division in the northern city of Mosul breaking out sparkling grape juice and alcohol-free beer for the few soldiers in the partying mood.
New Year's was a bittersweet milestone for the division, based in a former Saddam Hussein palace. The 101st Airborne is expected to depart northern Iraq by the end of February for its base at Ft. Campbell, Ky.
"I just had a newborn and I've only seen two months of her life," said Sgt. Torri Griffith, 24, of New Orleans. "I'm anxious to get back."
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