Reuters: Car bombs kill 31 in Baghdad despite crackdown

[Eugene]

Car bombs kill 31 in Baghdad despite crackdown
18 Feb 2007 13:34:19 GMT
Source: Reuters

(Recasts with new casualty figures, suicide bombing)

By Ross Colvin and Carlos Barria

BAGHDAD, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Three car bombs exploded in quick succession in mainly
Shi'ite areas of Baghdad on Sunday, killing at least 31 people and wounding scores,
as militants defied a military offensive by U.S. and Iraqi troops.

The blasts occurred ust two days after Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki had trumpeted
what he called the "brilliant success" of Operation Imposing Law in reducing violence
in the capital since it was formally launched on Wednesday.

-snip-

A twin car bombing in the main shopping thoroughfare of New Baghdad, a mainly Shi'ite
district in eastern Baghdad, killed 30 people and wounded 120, police said.

-snip-

Shortly afterwards, a suicide car bomber rammed a police checkpoint in Sadr City, a
stronghold of anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army militia blamed by Sunni
Arabi leaders and U.S. officials for many hit squad killings.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/COL847599.htm

Earlier report: Baghdad crackdown sees dramatic drop in death toll - Reuters

New AlertNet bulletin: DEATH TOLL FROM TWIN CAR BOMB ATTACK IN BAGHDAD RISES TO 55 - Reuters

[napi21]

1. Well, what happened to the BS I was hearing on the news yesterday?

All the Pubs and AND the leadersin Iraq were claimiing this escalation of troops was a HUGE success! There hadn't been a car bombing since it began, and the hospital emergency rooms in Iraqhad no patients in several days...something that hadn't happened since the war began!

First of all, when I heard it, I didn't believe it! Second,it looks like another case of foot in mouth!

[Eugene]

2. Reuters: Car bombs kill 55 in Baghdad, despite crackdown

Car bombs kill 55 in Baghdad, despite crackdown
18 Feb 2007 14:10:45 GMT
Source: Reuters

(Updates death toll, colour)

By Carlos Barria and Ross Colvin

BAGHDAD, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Two car bombs tore through a busy shopping area of a mainly
Shi'ite district of Baghdad on Sunday, killing 55 people and wounding scores as militants
defied a military offensive by U.S. and Iraqi troops.

-snip-

In the worst attack on Sunday, a twin car bombing in a packed market area of New Baghdad,
a mainly Shi'ite district in the eastern part of the capital, killed at least 55 people and
wounded 128, police said.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/COL847599.htm

[rodeodance]

4. so sad-------Iraqi's caught in the middle---just trying to live their lives.

[ohio2007]

9. "it was the Iraqi commanders of the security sweep feeling the sting".

the new Irai units are the ones also in this pickle as mentioned in this article excerpt.
<snip>
The attacks in mostly Shiite areas — twin explosions in an open-air market that claimed 62 lives and a third blast that killed one — were a sobering reminder of the challenges confronting any effort to rattle the well-armed and well-hidden insurgents.

Instead, it was the Iraqi commanders of the security sweep feeling the sting.
<snip>

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070219/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

Whats that mean?
There is more of an Iraqi face on the current operation and the Iraqi soldiers may take it a little more personally seeing how they are also trying to win the hearts and minds of fellow Iraqi's because on a whole different level;
The Iraqi citizens are seeing Iraqi's on patrol....the Iraqi soldiers speak the language talk the talk and know the customs better than our clumsly foreign footprints trying to walk the walk .
The citizens have to put their trust in this sweep and establish a positive two way communication with their soldiers because .....

we are leaving .

[rocktivity]

3. But but but just last night, ABC News said the crackdown

was "a dazzling success!"

:crazy:
rocknation

[Eugene]

5. Updated toll from 3 blasts is now 62 dead, 142 injured.

FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, Feb 18
18 Feb 2007 16:36:36 GMT
Source: Reuters

Feb 18 (Reuters) - Following are security developments in Iraq as of 1630 GMT
on Sunday:

* denotes a new or updated item.

* BAGHDAD - Two car bombs tore through a packed market area in the Shi'ite
district of New Baghdad in eastern Baghdad, killing 60 people and wounding
131 in the worst attack since U.S. and Iraqi troops launched a crackdown
in the city five days ago.

* BAGHDAD - A car bomb detonated by remote control killed two people,
including a police man, and wounded 11 civilians outside a restaurant in
Baghdad's Sadr City, police said.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/KAM857581.htm

Related: Car bombs kill 60 in Baghdad, despite crackdown - Reuters

[uppityperson]

6. crap, RIP. 1 or 2 days of quiet does not = "dramatic drop!!!"

[ohio2007]

10. ...it equals a trial by fire

Taking back their country won't be a cake walk for the Iraqi army and followed up by the Iraqi police keeping order.

We are leaving them

[pfitz59]

7. Car bombs are easy to make....

And hard to detect. Short of stripping the vehicle to its frame, and draining the fuel tank, any car can be a bomb!

[Warren Stupidity]

8. Operation Imposing Law ?

OIL?

Arrogant fucking bastards in the pentagon are thumbing their noses at us.

[Amonester]

11. The chickenhawks' "in-your-face" arrogance will never end...

Time to update (photoshop) this "first" one: