At least 75 killed in Iraqi bombing

MSNBC.COM ^ | 8/29/03 | MSNBC NEWS SERVICES

[Smogger]

NAJAF, Iraq, Aug. 29 — A massive car bomb Friday at Iraq’s holiest Shiite shrine killed 75 people, including one of the country’s most important Muslim clerics, Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, the chief doctor at the city’s central hospital reported. He said a survey of all the city’s medical facilities indicated that 140 people were wounded, many seriously.

DR. SAFAA AL-AMEEDI, who determined the death toll in telephone calls to local hospitals, said medical facilities were mobbed by people looking for relatives and loved-ones.

He said the car bomb outside the Imam Ali mosque was detonated as thousands were pouring out after noon prayers Friday, the Muslim day of rest.

The blast created crater about 3½ feet deep in the street in front of the mosque and destroyed nearby shops, witnesses said. Rescuers pulled the dead and injured from the rubble.

Shiites in Iraq are embroiled in a generational power struggle, but there was no evidence the bombing was the work of the younger Shiite faction, which has its strongest support in Baghdad’s Sadr City slum.

[concerned about politics]

I supported the Iraq invasion and still do. But I have to admit, sometimes I wonder why we even bothered to liberate these savage, ungrateful bastards. Maybe it's just the negative slanted news reporting getting to me.

It is. TV is not real. It's goal is ratings. Chaos and mayhem are stories. The good stuff will not lure viewers like human suffering will. Sad, but true.
The bomb was an advanced model (for the sand people) . It required the driver to turn the ignition switch. Someone had access to the car. It shouldn't be that hard to trace (maybe).
My guess is it's not one group against another by choice, but someone trying to start a civil war in Iraq to add to the confusion. Without confusion and chaos, the Iraqi people could be well on their way to a free country, and the U.S. and it's allies would be heros.

[capydick]

Done. Just checked out their web site and it is not corrected yet.

[Coop]

And it's working!! His most recent ratings plummeted from 59% down to 59%!

[Smogger]

Even some in the administration have voiced concerns, including some top ranking military commanders.

General John Abizaid has been asked by the administration if he needed more troops and his answer was NO. If he needed more troops I think he would ask and receive.

[CanadianLibertarian]

As usual the media lied. Chalabi did not "blame " the U.S. He merely stated that security needs to be upgraded. As usual, the liberal media lies - cos a half-truth is the worst lie of all.

[Da Mav]

Tragic, but sounds to me like the War on Terror is working quite well.

The Islamofascist terrorists are eating their own. No terrorist movement can survive by doing that.

Last Three Big Attacks in Iraq:
Bombing of Jordanian Embassy
Bombing of UN Appeasement Center
Bombing of Hospital yesterday

Last Major Attack in US:
WTC/Pentagon Destroyed, 9/11/01

[Smogger]

E-mail your thoughts to World@MSNBC.com

[Tolik]

It's frustrating. Just once, I'd love to see the world actually freaking THANK us for doing all the dirty work. But that'll never happen, so I guess we have to stay confident in the fact that we're doing the right things.
 

Too many intellectuals in the world and their leftist allies in US believe that having one hyper-power that can't be realistically checked (balanced) by any other power or combination of powers is THE WORST thing in the world right now. Even understanding in principle the "badness" of Saddam and the likes, they afraid of the hyper-power more than anything else. Therefore they are not going to be thankful, and will do anything they can to limit and obstruct the hyper-power.

While in principal I can understand and even sympathize with their worries, in the real world it translates into choosing between us (US) and the militant Islam terror threat. They don't understand that US now is not just the Titans, but the Atlas himself  (http://www.gods-heros-myth.com/godpages/atlas.html), carrying the world. Weaken Atlas, and the whole world will crumble. [Another analogy: we are not just a biggest guy in the house, we are the house walls] Giving them a benefit of the doubt, I can admit that the situation is not ideal, and if, IF, Atlas would go on rampage, all are dead. But we did not ask for it: the world evolved like that. And, so far, we demonstrate more morality and humility than our critics credit us or do themselves. So I agree, let's stay confident and do the right thing.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Has it crossed your mind that a group of less than 5,000 can cause a lot of damage in a country? Has it occurred to you that a lot of the thugs there were in prison until Saddam let them free? Also, many of the terrorists there are from somewhere else.

[Shermy]

The article goes onto say that, "The leader of Iraqi National Congress and Governing Council Member Ahmad Chalabi, speaking on the al-Jazeera satellite television station, blamed the United States for failing to provide security and said the bombing was the work of Saddam loyalists who were trying to create sectarian discord in the country." This is the usual MSNBC spin.

It's Chalabi spin. Those who said he was trouble were right. He should have a mysterious reappearance in Jordan to face his crimes there.

The obvious perp is Iran. They knock out a competitive strain of Shia, they keep Iraq unstable and knock out competitive oil production. Both ways they profit.

Instead, Chalabi lends his authority to already well-established strains of anti-Americanism. He could be brave, but he appears to be a bad guy.

He could explain who the perps are, demand retribution, etc. Instead he focuses responsibility and blame on the US, appealing to easy prejudices. Chalabi is a problem, and has been. If those Chalabi-lovers in the US Govt don't realize this now such might be indicative of larger future failures, again always centered on us solely.

Iraq is surrounded by the most vicious countries in the world. They are the problem, and some perky dream about remaking Iraq in isolation of these realities is completely naive, even criminal.

[tru_degenerate]

He that's what my momma used to say.

[ClancyJ]

We need Fox to get some reporters over there reporting the "fair and balanced".

Wonder why they don't? Money?

[tru_degenerate]

He = Hey

[The Toll]

I posted this on another thread earlier but I really think it is time for Bush to explain to all parties that the future of Iraq is not up for debate! Any of these parties jockying for power will be militarily disposed of, if that power is gained through any actions other than free democratic elections. These people just don't seem to get it.

[slimer]

Where are the stories of the local elections being held around the country? Where are the stories of the millions of Iraqis that are grateful we are there and want us to stay? What about the 1000's of missions a day that are completed successfully?

Those things aren't news worthy like Scott Peterson and Koby Bryant and what Arnold did 25 years ago. The media is controlled by socialist elites who are working hard to destroy this nation. Anything that is beneficial is not reported because it does not stir up the masses.

[netmilsmom]

Anyone watch Scarboro country last night? There was a man from the Bush I administration who said that we are friends with the Iraqis in the north and the south. The middle where Baghdad is, is the problem.
The biggest problem is the other countries ie Syria, Iran and Saudi Arabia financing the rebel.

[netmilsmom]

Sorry, three year old yelling at me

Scarborough and rebels are the correct words.

[keats5]

"They do break stories from Iraq quickly, however."

Of course. They just need to write up a sentence of cursory facts, and slap on the usual anti-American boilerplate.

[weegee]

The leader of Iraqi National Congress and Governing Council Member Ahmad Chalabi, speaking on the al-Jazeera satellite television station, blamed the United States for failing to provide security

There are terrorists in your nation. You need to come to terms with them as we are coming to terms with them. Why not name names and help us get them off the streets?

We won't always be there. Iraqi's are going to need to be more proactive in defending their own safety. Civilized people do not like terrorist bombers in their midst. It throws anarchy and chaos into the the organized structure of daily life.

[WestPacSailor]

Ahhh, yes...Religon of Peace strikes again!