Posted on 08/17/2005 8:27:45 AM PDT by areafiftyone
BAGHDAD, Aug 17 (Reuters) - State television flashed grisly images of the latest bombing victims as the anchor told viewers their squabbling leaders would stabilise the country, in words that could only be termed reassuring in Iraq's chaos.
"It is a dialogue. They did not pull out guns and shoot each other," said the anchor on Iraqiya television, referring to Iraqi politicians struggling to draft a constitution.
Hours before they resumed negotiations, three car bombs killed at least 43 people and wounded 76 in an attack on a Baghdad bus station in morning rush hour, stepping up pressure on politicians to deliver on promises of security.
Al-Iraqiya quickly broadcast a call-in show, inviting Iraqis to respond to "the ugly terrorist crime" while broadcasting images of the latest carnage in Baghdad's version of U.S. and British breakfast television.
"This is a difficult test. We have to ask who they are (the bombers) and what they want," said government spokesman Laith Kubba, one of the callers.
But Iraqis are in no mood for questions. They want decisive action from a government paralysed by sectarian and ethnic divisions holding up efforts to draft a constitution.
"These men that kill 100, 50 and 70 men a day -- have they been put to death," said a caller named Abu Abbas. "How many have been put to death? How many? The National Assembly is supposed to represent the Iraqi people. All I hear is we will do this and we will do that."
Frustrated Iraqis were bombarded with footage of bloodied bodies and policemen standing in emergency rooms that have treated hundreds of bombing victims.
"When will Iraqi blood stop being spilled?" asked Om Hassan.
SECURITY FORCES
Between calls and comments, al-Iraqiya showed footage of Iraq's new army and security forces crawling under barbed wire and practising martial arts.
Such images have done little to ease anxiety in a country where guerrilla bombings have killed thousands of security forces and civilians.
The show's anchor interrupted the programme for a breaking news announcement that four men suspected of involvement in the bus station bombing had been captured.
"I call on the government to try these men on television," said a caller.
Some Iraqis in the capital say they are taking the law into their own hands in a city plagued by criminal gangs.
In the Sadr City area of Baghdad, militiamen pulled a man from the trunk of a car and shot him and two women, saying they were running a prostitution ring, witnesses said on Wednesday.
Angry callers yelled while Iraqi officials sat at the negotiating table again after failing to meet an Aug. 15 deadline to draft a constitution.
The anchor urged the officials to finish writing the document after telling Iraqis that Saddam Hussein's police state would never return, words that failed to soothe another caller.
"Instead of Saddam we now have thousands of Saddams," he fumed.
"Instead of Saddam we now have thousands of Saddams," he fumed.
Said the former crew chief of one of Saddam's rape rooms.
Politicians dither and quibble while people die. At least, the Iraqi politicos haven't voted themselves a pay raise yet or have they?
"Said the former crew chief of one of Saddam's rape rooms."
Typical non-thinking Bush-bot response.
Not Yet. But they have every right to be angry. The Iraqi government needs to get its act together. They need to stop the delay in getting their constitution set up. They need to start cracking down in their country on the insurgents. They can't leave everything to our soldiers (who by the way are doing an excellent job).
When the Iraqi citizens go out and start hunting down the terrorists themselves, we will have won the war.
I agree. I also think that the Iraqis need to start executing publicly foreign terrorists. The way it is now, when a terrorist is captured, it's "cops and robbers" ,fill out a raft of forms, for imprisonment at an air conditioned prison with "three hots and a cot." We are at war and we treat the killers like scofflaws with too many traffic tickets. What's the downside to terror??
"This is a difficult test. We have to ask who they are (the bombers) and what they want," said government spokesman Laith Kubba, one of the callers.
Wow, liberals in Iraq!
You did notice that the Iraqi citizens were mad at THEIR OWN government for these murders, not blaming Bush and the United States. That, it would seem to me, a huge step in the right direction.
Hunting down terrorists is dangerous work.
In the Sadr City area of Baghdad, militiamen pulled a man from the trunk of a car and shot him and two women, saying they were running a prostitution ring, witnesses said on Wednesday.
It's a lot safer to shoot unarmed men and women.
Maybe your screen name should be "Doesn't get sarcasm."
Oh I'm sure we'll get most of the blame by the time the day is done.
Why aren't they blaming us? Is our media lying when they say we're hated?
Maybe your screen name should be "Doesn't get sarcasm."
Or perhaps
"Ignorant and PROUD of it"
Cause the Iraqi people have brains which our MSM and Leftists do not!
Or maybe..."If I'm too dense to come up with a screen name it probably isn't worth anyone's time reading anything else I have to say". Is that too many letters?
Or maybe..."If I'm too dense to come up with a screen name it probably isn't worth anyone's time reading anything else I have to say". Is that too many letters?
Probably but it is extremely witty and extremely accurate!
True enough, but at least the fact that it wasn't their first knee-jerk reaction means something, doesn't it?
It sounds like they want to support a strong government and want immediate action against the murderers.
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