Baghdad Car Bomb Kills 15

AP ^ | 10/1/2014 | SINAN SALAHEDDIN and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA

[markomalley]

A car bomb near pet and vegetable markets in Baghdad killed 15 people and wounded another 40 on Wednesday, Iraqi security and medical officials said.

Several cars were damaged in the attack. Hours earlier, a suicide bomber drove his explosives-laden car into a police checkpoint on a highway just south of Baghdad, killing four civilians and three policemen, a police officer and a medical official said. They said 24 people were wounded in the explosion.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with reporters.

The United Nations said Wednesday that at least 1,119 Iraqis died in violence in September. But the real number was likely much higher since the U.N. figure did not include killings in areas controlled by the Islamic State group.

The Sunni extremist group seized around a third of the country in a lightning offensive over the summer, plunging Iraq into its worst crisis since the last U.S. troops withdrew at the end of 2011.

[cripplecreek]

Have no fear.

The white house says there is virtually no chance Baghdad will fall.

[Paladin2]

Eat your peas....

[Forward the Light Brigade]

Expect more of this to sofen up Baghdad—then will come the rockets, and cannons. I believe they will use Poison gas as well. BUT—first they must surround the city, then close the airport. They are in the processof one and planning the other. IF Baghdad falls—its all over. My guess it will take 6 months to take the city.