courtesy cbc.ca

 

Series of bombs rock Baghdad, dozens killed

 

Last Updated Wed, 19 Jan 2005 09:39:02 EST CBC News

 

BAGHDAD - Four suicide bombers launched separate attacks within a 90-minute span across Baghdad Wednesday, killing at least 26 people.

 

A group led by Jordanian-born militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility for the first car bomb that exploded outside the concrete blast barriers of the Australian Embassy in southern Baghdad around 7 a.m local time, killing two people and wounding four, police and witnesses said.

 

A half an hour later, at least 18 people, mostly Iraqi police, were killed when a second car bomb exploded at a checkpoint of a police headquarters in central Baghdad.

 

A third suicide bomber blew up at a control point south of Baghdad International Airport's airfield around 8:30 a.m., killing two Iraqi security guards and wounding three other, CNN reported.

 

Four people were killed when a fourth suicide attacker struck 15 minutes later near the southern checkpoint of the Al-Muthana airport, which is being used as an Iraqi army base.

 

The latest attacks are part of a growing campaign of violence that is gripping parts of Iraq in the run-up to the Jan. 30 election.

 

Iraqi officials said the country's land borders will be shut ahead of the vote, in an effort to thwart attacks on polling day.

 

Other measures to be introduced include banning all traffic from highways and city streets.

 

On Tuesday, insurgents bombed the headquarters of a leading Shia Muslim political party.

 

Witnesses say a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a car at the entrance to the Baghdad headquarters of the Supreme Council of Islamic Revolution in Iraq. The blast killed at least two people.

 

The leading Shia political party has been the target of several bomb attacks by Sunni insurgents.

The Aussie Embassy bombing was fairly big news down here, at least no Australians were killed unlike the bombing of the embassy in Jakarta a few months back.

The Aussie Embassy bombing was fairly big news down here, at least no Australians were killed unlike the bombing of the embassy in Jakarta a few months back.

 

What are people in Australia's views of the War these days?

So, they are shutting the streets down for voting?

 

You're allowed to vote, as long as you don't have to get to the polls?

I just wonder why these knuckleheads don't use some sort of detonator that they don't have to be attached to? You would think that eventually one of them would look at the boss and realize he is killing his own people. Heck man, strap that damn bomb onto a RC car and let it zoom into the crowd.

 

I think that helps show what assholes these guys really are. They don't even bother trying to find different ways of terror that DON'T involve killing their own. In the end though, I guess I would rather have them killing themselves since they all obviously suck.

I just wonder why these knuckleheads don't use some sort of detonator that they don't have to be attached to? You would think that eventually one of them would look at the boss and realize he is killing his own people. Heck man, strap that damn bomb onto a RC car and let it zoom into the crowd.

 

Because they'll be remembered throughout future generations as martyr's for Islam and will get 70,000 virgins in heaven yada, yada, yada.

Saddest part is, this is only going to escalate as the election gets closer and lots and lots of innocent Iraqis are going to die.

Saddest part is, this is only going to escalate as the election gets closer and lots and lots of innocent Iraqis are going to die.

 

Correct. But somehow it's good for democracy to keep the sham election on schedule, so that's what they're going to do.

Correct.  But somehow it's good for democracy to keep the sham election on schedule, so that's what they're going to do.

 

C'mon Flaax! Get with the program! Iraqis deserve the same right as Americans to have candidates that nobody in their right mind really likes vying for control of their nation in a zero-sum game of political partisan hack jobs I just wonder if there is an Iraqi equivalent to Karl Rove.

What are people in Australia's views of the War these days?

We were really never for it in the first place. There are a still a lot of issues to be sorted out, with Bush wanting more international troops in Iraq, while our Prime Minister John Howard would rather those troops be more concentrated in South - East Asia.

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Intelligence sources estimate 150 car bombings and 250 suicide attacks are planned ahead of Iraq elections at the end of the month.

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/01...main/index.html

 

Playing politics is going to cost a lot of lives. Where is the need for having this election while the country is still in a state of emergency?

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/01...main/index.html

 

Playing politics is going to cost a lot of lives.  Where is the need for having this election while the country is still in a state of emergency?

 

That is the question of the moment. But given that our President thinks it inconceivable that he ever reconisders a position or admits that a plan sucks, here it is. This is the date and the elections are happening, even if 90% of the country is too terrified to show up and the other 10% that do turn out get blown to bits. Hey, Democracy's no picnic, you pussies.

14 more dead in Car bombing

 

Sunnis apparently behind it

Yeah, but the Iraqis afraid to live in Iraq will get to vote. I'd say that's 100% but I mean the people who actually live outside the country.

courtesy cnn.com

 

Wedding party attacked

 

An ambulance drove into a wedding party and exploded in Youssifiya, a town south of Baghdad Friday evening, killing several people and wounding at least 38 others, Iraqi police said.

 

A suicide bomber drove the vehicle into the crowd between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. (11:30 a.m. to noon ET), and the ambulance ignited into a ball of fire, authorities said.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/01/21/...main/index.html