At least 14 Italians die in Iraq attack (Italian police HQ in Nasiriyah)

MSNBC.com ^ | 11/12/03 | NBC News and News Services

[wimpycat]

Nov. 12 — A truck bomb rocked the headquarters of the Italian Carabinieri police in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah on Wednesday, killing at least 14 Italians and possibly trapping others under the debris, Carabinieri officials said in Rome. The Arabic language television station Al-Jazeera said eight Iraqis were also killed.

IT WAS THE first such attack in this relatively quiet Shiite Muslim city since the beginning of the U.S.-led occupation and appeared aimed at sending a message to international organizations that they are not safe anywhere in Iraq. Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi called the bombing a “terrorist act” and said it wouldn’t deter his nation’s resolve to fight terror. A Carabinieri (military police) official said that 14 Italians were dead: 11 Carabinieri paramilitary police and three Army soldiers. Coalition official Andrea Angeli said the blast occurred after a truck rammed the gate of the Italian compound and exploded in front of the Carabinieri building. He said the force of the explosion was so strong that it blew out windows in another building across the Euphrates River. Carabinieri Maj. Roberto Riccardi said the building burst into flames, and that some Italians may be under the debris, although details were difficult to come by because communication had been severed. “We cannot exclude the possibility that there are soldiers under the rubble,” he said by telephone. In a separate attack, an American soldier was killed when a roadside bomb exploded near a U.S. patrol by the town of Taji northwest of Baghdad, Maj Josslyn Aberle, spokeswoman of the 4th Infantry Division, said on Wednesday.

The latest death brings to 152 the number of soldiers killed by hostile fire since President Bush declared an end to active combat May 1.

[Steely Tom]

I listened to NPR briefly this A.M. in my vehicle . . . I kid you not, they said "12 PEOPLE were killed, along with 8 Iraqis"

I've noticed that since they got the McDonalds (Kroc) money, NPR has really gone off the deep end. Every single one of their stories seems to have no purpose but to push their hard-left agenda. They seem to feel that they can throw caution to the wind.

Actually, I think this is a good thing. By feeding their followers a constant diet of left-wing propaganda, they are protecting them from reality. This drives them further toward their fantasy view of the world, which does nothing but weaken them.

(steely)

[TexKat]

Italy is determined its forces will remain in Iraq (news - web sites) despite an attack on a southern police base in which at least 14 Italians were killed, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said.(AFP/File/Gerard Cerles)

Italy vows its forces will stay in Iraq

ROME (AFP) - Italy is determined its forces will remain in Iraq despite an attack on a southern police base in which at least 14 Italians were killed, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said.

"Our determination is the same as those Italians in uniform, who are honouring the coalition engaged in supporting Iraq on its road to democracy," Berlusconi said, just hours after the attack on the Italian police base in southern Nasiriyah.

"No intimidation will change our desire to help this country to rebuild and form a government, in security and freedom," he added, as the leftwing opposition demanded an immediate withdrawal of Italian troops from Iraq.

Italy was plunged into mourning when a truck closely followed by a car smashed into the entrance of a building housing the paramilitary Carabinieri force in Nasiriyah, killing 11 carabinieri and three soldiers according to the Ansa news agency.

They were the first Italian casualties since they joined the US-led coalition in Iraq in June.

Berlusconi voiced his deep sadness at "the lives cut short by terrorism during a humanitarian and freedom operation to help the Iraqi people and defend stability and security in the Middle East."

Italy has deployed some 2,400 troops alongside the US-led coalition in Iraq, down from the 3,000 initially sent there under the command of British forces.

Berlusconi also said he was "proud of the courage and huamnity with which our troops, and in the first instance the carabinieri, are working to make the situation more bearable for women, children, the elderly and weak who are living in a region which for 34 years was under the tyranny of a foul regime, maintained by terrorism."

But the opposition hit back saying Italian troops should be immediately recalled. "The Italian mission is a mistake. It is not a peace mission, it has been grafted onto an ongoing war," said Fausto Bertinotti, leader of the communist PRC party.

The leader of the PdCI ccommunist party Oliviero Diliberto took an even harder line accusing the government of "sending boys to their deaths."

"We have a non-existent foreign policy, totally subordinated to that of the United States. We must immediately withdraw all troops in a war zone," he said.

[cookcounty]

"The latest death brings to 152 the number of soldiers killed by hostile fire since President Bush declared an end to active combat May 1."

Again, the press misquotes. The President said the "major combat" phase was over, not "active combat."

In that speech from the deck of the Lincoln, he also said the war was not over ( for those of you in the press, that is spelled "N-O-T"), and that the task of securing the country was still ahead.

[dead]

I hope this terrorist attack doesn't accomplish what it was intended to accomplish, which is to spook the Italians into pulling out of Iraq.

Stanley Crouch said it best in a recent article. He mentioned American troops, but this attack on the Italians is for the same reason:

The opposition is not actually fighting for dominion over the American troops. It is fighting to enlist the pressure of the Western press.

[TexKat]

Was already posted here At least 12 reported killed in truck bombing at Italian base in Iraq

[VOA]

Italy-related ping, good sir...

[cookcounty]

"I listened to NPR briefly this A.M. in my vehicle . . . I kid you not, they said "12 PEOPLE were killed, along with 8 Iraqis"

"I've noticed that since they got the McDonalds (Kroc) money, NPR has really gone off the deep end. Every single one of their stories seems to have no purpose but to push their hard-left agenda."

Has anybody else noticed growing racist attitudes on the left? They always like to postion themselves as enemies of racism, but when it comes to Middle Easterners they have this condescending attitude that could be summarized as "Iraqis are too stupid for democracy and that we should learn to live with violent despots, after all, that's they way these people are...."

Of course, that's only on the days when they think of Iraqis as people and not brain-dead violent exotics.

[McGavin999]

Prayers for the souls of these noble warriors, and prayers that God will strengthen their leader. The decisions made in the next few days will determine whether or not Italy remains free or if it decends into the terrorists grip.

[Kenny Bunk]

I wonder if this is some sort of retaliation against the recent Vatican 'Wake-up Call' to the world about Muslim persecution of Christians worldwide?
The gist of the editorials is "Why, since Muslims are given freedom of religion in the West, will they not grant it in their lands? And o, by the way, what's with the murder, mutilation, forced conversions, and slavery?" Ironically, the Italians have gone out of their way to give the Muslims a sweetheart deal in Italy.

Mistake. The sumbitches need another thousand years in the desert, before they are allowed to reapply for life in the West.

[livius]

I just read in Spanish press reports that the Italian left is howling for Italy to leave Iraq. I wouldn't be surprised if they do, alas.

[TexKat]

My prayers and sympathy go out for these brave souls and all their family members. Thank the Italians for their steadfastness. May God bless them all.

[livius]

Your observations are very correct. The left has been racist since the get-go, starting with their attitudes towards American blacks.

As far as Iraq, leftist statements always seem to imply that Iraqis are "different" from us and that they really loved living under an insane dictator who ripped out people's eyeballs.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

bump #20

[ffusco]

In Lebanon, it was only the Italians that weren't bombed.

[TexKat]

Video image shows crowds watch smoke billow into the sky after a car bomb ripped through an Italian military police base in the Iraqi town of Nassiriya, killing at least 14 Italians and eight Iraqis November 12, 2003. The attack occurred as Washington attempted to speed up the process of handing over power to an Iraqi government, although U.S. officials insist this is not an exit strategy. REUTERS TV

Video image shows crowds watching smoke billow into the sky after a car bomb ripped through an Italian military police base in the Iraqi town of Nassiriya, killing at least 14 Italians and eight Iraqis November 12, 2003. The attack occurred as Washington attempted to speed up the process of handing over power to an Iraqi government, although U.S. officials insist this is not an exit strategy. REUTERS TV

People are seen running away from the Italian Carabinieri MSU, Multinational Specialized Unit, military police office, after explosions in Nasiriyah, southern Iraq, early Wednesday Nov. 12, 2003. According to reports at least 14 Italians were killed - 9 of them believed to be Carabinieri and three others of the Italian army - in a bombing at the MSU Nasiriyah base early Wednesday Nov. 12, 2003. (AP Photo/RAI TG1) **TV OUT

Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi reacts while addressing the Senate in Rome, following a suicide attack on Italian troops in Iraq Wednesday Nov. 12, 2003. A suicide truck bomber attacked the headquarters of Italy's paramilitary police in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah early Wednesday, killing 23 people _ including 15 Italians. (AP Photo/Alessandro Tarantino)

People run away from the site of a bomb blast in Nassiriya, about 180 miles south of Baghdad, November 12, 2003. A car bomb ripped trough an Italian military police base, killing at least 14 Italians and eight Iraqis in what appeared to be a suicide attack. Photo by Alfredo Cunha-Jornal De Noticias/Reuters

A man watches a car burning and firefighters in action after a bomb attack in Nassiriya, about 180 miles south of Baghdad, November 12, 2003. A car bomb ripped trough an Italian military police base in Nassiriya, killing at least 14 Italians and eight Iraqis in what appeared to be a suicide attack. Photo by Reuters

The Italian tricolor flag is lowered at half-staff outside the Carabinieri General Command headquarters in Rome, Wednesday Nov. 12, 2003. According to reports at least 14 Italian soldiers and police were killed in a bombing at a base in Nasiriyah in southern Iraq, early Wednesday. (AP Photo/Alessandro Tarantino)

An injured Iraqi man lies in a hospital after a suicide bomber drove a tanker truck into the headquarters of Italy's paramilitary police in this southern city of Nasiriyah, some 300 kilometers, 180 miles, north of Baghdad, Iraq killing 23 people _ including 15 Italians Wednesday Nov. 12 2003. (AP Photo/Nabil Aljurani)

A frame grab from al-Arabiya satellite TV news station shows an Iraqi crowd looking at smoke billowing in the background from an ammunition depot building housing the Italian Carabinieri police force. US allies Italy, Spain, Portugal and Poland vowed to keep their 6,000 troops in Iraq (news - web sites) as part of the US-led coalition despite the deaths of 23 people in a deadly attack on Italian forces.(AFP/AL-ARABIYA)

Italians soldiers set up a barbed wire barricade after a suicide bomber drove a tanker truck into the headquarters of Italy's paramilitary police in the southern city of Nasiriyah, Iraq killing 23 people _ including 15 Italians Wednesday Nov. 12, 2003. (AP Photo/Nabil Aljurani)

Carabinieri handout picture of Iraqi policemen and rescue workers at the wreckage of the Italian army headquarters in Nasiriyah. At least 16 Italians were killed in a bomb attack on an Italian base in Iraq, the country's defence minister said, while hospital officials said seven Iraqi civilians also lost their lives.(AFP/HO)

[First_Salute]

Bump.

[No Blue States]

God Bless Italy at this painful and trying time.
I am so sorry to hear of this.

[jordan8]

I await the inevitable headline "133 U.S. Soldiers Killed In Suicide Truck-bombing". The inability of western forces to take even the simplest and most common sense precautions against this are astounding. Pick a building that is at least 25 and if possible at least 50 yards or more from the nearest road and dig a four foot-wide, four-foot deep ditch around it and pile the dirt on the building side and you pretty much end this type of bombing. Or close the streets to unsearched vehicles. Part of the reason common sense precautions aren't taken is that the authorities don't want to seem standoffish to the locals. Might hurt their feelings. Practically racist, don't you know. Obscene.

[RightWhale]

President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi called the bombing a “terrorist act” and said it wouldn’t deter his nation’s resolve to fight terror.

He knows the moral obligation for Core countries to provide security in Gap countries.