Large Explosion (possible car bomb) in Baghdad

MSNBC

[saquin]

MSNBC just had a special report w/ some raw video. Large explosion in central Baghdad that could be heard for miles. Near the gates of the CPA headquarters. No word on casualties. From the raw video, I saw several civilian cars damaged.

[saquin]

Brit on CNN reported that US military spokesman Jason Beck said, as of now, he knows of 4 Iraqis wounded, one US soldier from 1st AD wounded and one Iraqi from the Civil Defense Corps wounded.

Reporter also said witnesses reported at least several Iraqi dead.

I guess it's slightly encouraging that, at least as of now, the US spokesman knows of no US dead and only one wounded. Hoping that doesn't change.

[nerdwithamachinegun]

Thank you!

Most of the conversation here is about the wounded and the timing (Bremer at the UN, Sistani, etc) of this explosion.

My opinion is that this smells like foreigners. The local thugs don't seem too interested in martyrdom. That opinion and $0.99 will get you a 20 minute phone call.

[NYC GOP Chick]

Then try FNC. I just can't watch or listen to any of it now -- brings back some very bad memories.

[eXe]

Story here

7 minutes ago

By SARAH EL DEEB, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - An explosion believed to be from a car bomb ripped through the area near the main gate to the headquarters of the U.S.-led coalition Sunday, and dazed witnesses said there were casualties. At least three separate fires were seen. One man was seen lying motionless on the side of the road as coalition soldiers and civilians helped the injured. Coalition tanks also moved in near the blazes. A coalition official said on condition of anonymity that the blast occurred near the "Assassin's Gate" to Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s former Republican Palace complex, now used by the U.S.-led occupation authority for headquarters. Iraqis line up there every morning seeking access to the compound if they have business with coalition authorities. The explosion occurred about 8 a.m. and could be heard along the banks of the Tigris River, which flows through the center of the city of 5 million. Dense morning fog blanketed the city and it was difficult to see far enough to determine where the blast occurred. The last large explosions in the center of Baghdad occurred Monday when mortars exploded near the river.

Yahoo! Link

[cmsgop]

Thank You For Your Service,and thanks for the report.

[Mo1]

Most of the conversation here is about the wounded and the timing (Bremer at the UN, Sistani, etc) of this explosion.

FNC was just reporting that about the timing of this explosion

[oceanview]

no, you have to listen to these lunatics to get a full sense of what we are up against.

[saquin]

Oh, these Brits are painful to listen to. One of them said he had heard that US troops may have opened fire after the car bomb, "at what, we don't know". The other replied with something like, "of course, this has been a problem, with US troops firing randomly after attacks. We don't know what they could have been shooting at in this case."

AAARRRRGGGHHH!!

Yeah, like Mr. Brit Reporter in his London studio knows more about the situation than the well-trained soldier on the scene.

JUST SHUT UP, YA STUPID TWITS!

[swheats]

Let's hope the Iraqis wake up and realize the homicide bombers are not for them.

[FreeReign]

WOW! Talk about on-site reporting!

Who needs CNN? We've got "nerdwithamachinegun".

[DeepDish]

British reporters are the reason the mute button was added to channel clickers.

[NYC GOP Chick]

What lunatics? The CNN anchors and reporters? Anyway, as a 9/11 survivor, I literally get nauseous and feel like barfing when I see graphic footage of terrorist attacks. It's like PTSD or flashbacks.

[Sloth]

I hope Mansoor Ijaz was wrong.

[oceanview]

fox showing many injured jumping into minivans for transportation to hospitals (I hope).

[nerdwithamachinegun]

It's better than you might think. This will sound bad but there is a lot of relief that it wasn't more rockets.

Since it happened at 8, on the top of the hour, I thought it was a controlled explosion. We have many of those. I looked for a notice in email and didn't find it and got upset that there was no notice. Then I heard talking on a Gurkha's radio and he said it wasn't controlled and it wasn't rockets. This is all in the first 60 seconds.

Everyone is concerned for the soldiers that man the checkpoints. They have one of the most underappreciated jobs around. This underscores it.

[TexKat]

nerdwithamachinegun stay safe.

Casualties Reported After Iraq Blast

By SARAH EL DEEB, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - An explosion believed to be from a car bomb ripped through the area near the main gate to the headquarters of the U.S.-led coalition Sunday, and dazed witnesses said there were casualties.

At least three separate fires were seen. One man was seen lying motionless on the side of the road as coalition soldiers and civilians helped the injured.

Coalition tanks also moved in near the blazes.

A coalition official said on condition of anonymity that the blast occurred near the "Assassin's Gate" to Saddam Hussein's former Republican Palace complex, now used by the U.S.-led occupation authority for headquarters.

Iraqis line up there every morning seeking access to the compound if they have business with coalition authorities.

The explosion occurred about 8 a.m. and could be heard along the banks of the Tigris River, which flows through the center of the city of 5 million. Dense morning fog blanketed the city and it was difficult to see far enough to determine where the blast occurred.

The last large explosions in the center of Baghdad occurred Monday when mortars exploded near the river.

[swheats]

What did Ijaz say?

[jolie560]

More cheering is being done in the Muslim world and more chocolates are being given out in the Muslim world after this attack.

Rest assured--Allah has been pleased.

[oceanview]

the british reporters on CNN, that's who I was refering to. their comments are just crazy. saying that the iraqi civilians are "less protected" at the entrances then US soldiers, and on and on.

[nerdwithamachinegun]

>> I hope Mansoor Ijaz was wrong.

About what? Link?