BBC: Explosion rocks Iraq parliament (inside green zone)

[mc jazz]

Source: BBC

An explosion has been reported inside a cafeteria at the Iraqi parliament in Baghdad.
Iraqi state TV said the cafeteria is reserved for MPs and their staff. There are reports of many casualties.

The parliament building is located inside the Iraqi capital's heavily fortified Green Zone.



Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6548337.stm

[maddezmom]

1. Blast rocks Iraqi parliament, dozens wounded

Blast rocks Iraqi parliament, dozens wounded
12 Apr 2007 11:02:07 GMT
Source: Reuters
Alert Me | Printable view | Email this article | RSS <-> Text <+>

Background
Iraq in turmoil
More (Adds details)

BAGHDAD, April 12 (Reuters) - An explosion rocked the Iraqi parliament in Baghdad on Thursday and dozens of people were wounded, a Reuters witness said.

He said the blast appeared to take place inside a restaurant at the building at a time when many members of parliament were having lunch. Parliament was in session on Thursday.

The parliament building is located in the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad. Militants have rarely managed to penetrate the various checkpoints and carry out attacks.
more:http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L12420543.htm

[Massachusetts]

2. FUBAR

Where is Sen. John Mcasshole now?

[OKthatsIT]

65. Better to have it over there than having BushAlQaeda comin home.

coming home to roost...Baghdad, USA.

[lse7581011]

3. Seems Like The Stuff Is Really Hitting The Fan Today n/t!

[Spacemom]

4. I thought things were getting better?

You know, what with the "surge" and all. :eyes:

[Cronus Protagonist]

5. Was McCain strolling anywhere nearby?

Didn't think so.

[saigon68]

61. No but 'FREEDOM IS ON THE MARCH"

LOL

[Ganja Ninja]

6. More signs of progress. n/t

[cal04]

7. Blast rocks Iraq parliament; casualties reported

An explosion rocked the Iraqi parliament in Baghdad on Thursday and many people were wounded, a parliament official said.

The blast took place in a cafeteria while several lawmakers were eating lunch, said Mohammed Abu Bakr, who heads the media department at the parliament. Parliament was in session on Thursday.

"Several people were wounded, including members of parliament and some employees," Abu Bakr said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18072203/from/ET/

[maddezmom]

9. AP: At least one lawmaker killed as bomb explodes in Iraqi parliament cafeteria inside heavily-forti

breaking news banner on CNN
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/04/12/thursday/index.html

[Nimrod2005]

8. Why do you hate freedom so much? there is plenty of good news in Iraq blah blah blah

[maddezmom]

10. AP: at least 2 lawmakers killed

BAGHDAD - A bomb rocked Iraq's parliament building in the heavily fortified Green Zone Thursday, killing at least two lawmakers in a stunning security breach in the third month of a U.S.-Iraqi crackdown on violence in the capital, officials said.

At least four other people were wounded in the blast, which shook a cafeteria while several lawmakers were eating lunch, initial media reports said.

Mohammed Awad, a member of the Sunni National Dialogue Front, was killed in the blast, said Saleh al-Mutlaq, the leader of the party, which holds 11 seats in Iraq's legislature. Another female Sunni lawmaker from the same list was wounded, he said.

A security official at the parliament building said a second lawmaker, a Shiite member, also was killed. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Apparently concerned that an attack might take place, security officials at the parliament were using sniffer dogs earlier Thursday as people entered the building — a rare precaution.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070412/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

[Zhade]

11. TAKE THE HINT.

Get the fuck out of the country you illegally invaded based on lies.

GO! NOW!!

[Rhiannon12866]

13. You sure have my vote on this! Yikes!

But I've felt this way since 2003... How can no one else not see the handwriting on the wall?!:shrug::scared:

[Vinca]

12. Good news, we need good news.

Look at the glass half full - life in most of the Green Zone goes on as usual. People are working, shopping, playing, dining. (Now ask me how I managed to channel John McCain.)

[Rhiannon12866]

14. How are you managing to channel John McCain?

You asked...;)

I liked John McCain back in 2000, and he attacked this administration more than the Democrats did. Is he that desperate for the nomination that he'd sell his soul? I just had to ask that, too... *sigh* :-(

[grytpype]

16. This proves the surge is working!!!!

The evil doers are so desperate they are being driven into the Green Zone and they are bombing us there to make it look like the surge isn't working! Just look at how desperate they are!

[Canuckistanian]

26. Yes, it's a remarkable "sign of progress"

They've "turned that corner" too many times. Now they're back where they started.

[ewagner]

31. to quote Eddie Izzard...

"...how fiendishly clever..."

Indeed...

How fiendishly clever to attack in the green zone just to make our pResident look bad.

How fiendishly clever to attack in the green zone to "filter out" all the "good news" taking place in Iraq.

How fiendishly clever to attack in the green zone during the wildly successful "surge" operation.

"Did they bring a flag?"

[RoseMead]

55. Cause it doesn't count if you don't have a flag

:rofl: Love Eddie Izzard. Thanks for making me smile for a minute. :)

[reprobate]

52. You forgot dying. Working, shopping, playing, dining, and DYING

[acmavm]

15. If the fools in Washington had a clue they'd understand that this

is just the beginning of the end of the Green Zone.

[gasperc]

17. Waxman blasts WH, Bagdad Explodes

it's gonna be a shit day

who else remembers this:
Bush was purported to say before he gave his address to the nation about the attack on Iraq while pumping his fists, he felt pumped

wonder how he feels now?

[bemildred]

19. Yeah, and tomorrow is the Friday news dump. nt

[E-Z-B]

18. Typical liberal media. Reporting things like this instead of the the U.S. throwing candy at kids.

[davepc]

20. this and the bridge bombing are major developments, yet nobody is covering it

you know, cause 3 white kids in durham are not guilty.

[maddezmom]

21. CNNI and BBC have been covering both

[cosmicdot]

56. not too surprising to see international media covering it n/t

[maddezmom]

63. you're right...

sometimes I miss being home, but I must say I love the press over here. :hi:

[ohio2007]

68. Well...they live in the green zone.... so...

it's going on right outside their hotel bars.They can interview their private security people and body guards about the scuttlebutt on the street.

[lapfog_1]

22. Was Don Imus near the cafeteria?

Where was the father of Anna Nicole's daughter?

Isn't there a missing white girl someplace? Maybe a cruise ship?

Pay NO ATTENTION to BOMBS in Iraq or destroyed bridges in Baghdad. Or marches by thousands of Iraqis basically saying "death to America"...

:sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[Doctor_J]

23. It's because of the Democrat leadership making Smirk provide some goals

instead of give him carte blanche and tabula rasa for this ridiculuous folly

:sarcasm:

[bemildred]

24. Says here it was a suicide bomber:

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=45000&in_page_id=34&ito=newsnow

This raises serious questions about security in the Green Zone.

[coalition_unwilling]

50. Seymour Hershe reported long ago that the Iraqi Resistance

had thoroughly infiltrated the Green Zone and could attack it at a time and place of their choice. Last week, in fact, two explosive devices were found within the green zone, if memory serves.

All would be well served to read up on the history of Tet 1968 for a little perspective on how, while puppets insist that things are getting better, the true representatives of the people are making other plans.

[me b zola]

70. Other reports say that the bomber is/was a bodyguard to a lawmaker...

...which also say that the bomber was carrying a brief case, so I tend to doubt that he blew himself up.

Sorry I don't have a link, I heard this reported either on CNN or MSNBC today.

[bemildred]

71. An interesting possibility. nt

[Eugene]

25. Suicide bomber kills 2 MPs at Iraq parliament

Source: Reuters

Suicide bomber kills 2 MPs at Iraq parliament
12 Apr 2007 12:45:06 GMT
Source: Reuters

(Adds suicide bomber blamed for blast)

By Dean Yates

BAGHDAD, April 12 (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed two Iraqi
lawmakers and wounded dozens of other people at a restaurant in
parliament on Thursday while lawmakers were having lunch, officials
and local media said.

The bombing represents one of the worst security breaches of the
heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad that houses parliament and
other government buildings since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

Iraqi media said two lawmakers had been killed, including Mohammed
Awadh, a Sunni.

-snip-

The Iraqi security official said the bomber was wearing a belt packed
with explosives.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/YAT226517.htm

---

This is the third assassination attempt by bombing
in the Green Zone this year.

[thecrow]

29. Oh no! They found the other vest!

[City Lights]

27. Bushitler says it's al-Qaeda operating inside Iraq.

MSNBC reported about 15 minutes ago.

[rodeodance]

34. is so, then they are operating Right UNDER the Military's NOSES

[FreeStateDemocrat]

28. MSNBC: Blast rocks Iraq parliament; 2 lawmakers killed

Officials say explosion occurred inside cafeteria as lawmakers ate lunch
MSNBC News Services
Updated: 25 minutes ago
BAGHDAD, Iraq - A bomb rocked Iraq's parliament building in the heavily fortified Green Zone Thursday, killing at least two lawmakers in a stunning security breach in the third month of a U.S.-Iraqi crackdown on violence in the capital, officials said.
At least four other people were wounded in the blast, which shook a cafeteria while several lawmakers were eating lunch, initial media reports said.
Mohammed Awad, a member of the Sunni National Dialogue Front, was killed in the blast, said Saleh al-Mutlaq, the leader of the party, which holds 11 seats in Iraq's legislature. Another female Sunni lawmaker from the same list was wounded, he said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18072203/

[maddezmom]

30. Suicide bomber kills 3 MPs at Iraq parliament

Suicide bomber kills 3 MPs at Iraq parliament
12 Apr 2007 13:25:57 GMT

By Dean Yates

BAGHDAD, April 12 (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed three Iraqi lawmakers and wounded dozens of other people while they were having lunch at a restaurant in the parliament building on Thursday, local media and officials said.

It was one of the worst security breaches inside the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad since the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein in 2003. Among the buildings in the Green Zone are parliament, government offices and the U.S. embassy.

Iraqiya state television said three lawmakers had been killed. Officials have named one as Mohammed Awadh, a member of the Accordance Front, the biggest Sunni bloc in parliament.

A security official confirmed Awadh had been killed and said another parliamentarian was missing and presumed dead. Two other lawmakers were critically wounded, the official said.

more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/YAT226517.htm

[Keefer]

33. So,

we've gone from "dozens injured," to "one dead," now to "three dead?" What's next?

[maddezmom]

40. CNNI reporting 8 people killed and 20 wounded

and I'm sure the numbers will change again.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/04/12/iraq.main/index.html

[DemoTex]

32. TET '07. Sen. McCain, what say you now?

I've said all along it would start in the GZ. Nothing is safe in Iraq anymore. Period. I have to think now that Bu$hco and PNAC wanted it to turn out this way.

On the other hand, the rug market just crashed. Lindsey Graham got screwed at 5 rugs for $5. Probably 5 for a dollar now, Lindsey.

[SOS]

57. Agree with your rare analysis

"I have to think now that Bu$hco and PNAC wanted it to turn out this way. "

It seems impossible to have screwed up this badly.
I'm also starting to think this was a "divide and conquer" strategy from the beginning.

[kimmylavin]

35. Blast in Green Zone Cafeteria

Source: CNN

"Two people were killed, including an Iraqi lawmaker, and 10 others wounded today in a blast in the cafeteria inside Iraq's parliament building in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, an Iraqi parliament member at the site told CNN."

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/

---

Breaking news on CNN.
This was inside the PARLIAMENT building, inside the GREEN ZONE.
Just like walking through a market in Indiana, right?

[Raven]

36. I don't know how much more evidence we need to convince

the folks still supporting this war that it is lost, over, we're done. This latest attack was a clear message and there will be more.

[underpants]

37. EXplosion Rocks Iraqi Parliament (ABC)

BAGHDAD Apr 12, 2007 (AP)— A bomb rocked Iraq's parliament building in the heavily fortified Green Zone Thursday, killing at least two lawmakers in a stunning security breach in the third month of a U.S.-Iraqi crackdown on violence in the capital, officials said.

The parliament bombing came hours after a suicide truck bomb exploded on a major bridge in Baghdad, collapsing the steel structure and sending cars tumbling into the Tigris River, police and witnesses said. At least 10 people were killed.

The bomb in parliament went off in a cafeteria while several lawmakers were eating lunch, initial media reports said. In addition to the two dead, at least four people were wounded.

One of the dead lawmakers was Mohammed Awad, a member of the Sunni National Dialogue Front, said Saleh al-Mutlaq, the leader of the party, which holds 11 seats in Iraq's legislature. A female Sunni lawmaker from the same list was wounded, he said.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=3033294

[European Socialist]

38. You don't need to be a troop in harm way to get hurt there.

[jmatthan]

39. All the news media are pointing to...

All the news media are pointing to the insurgents having carried out this attack.

I do not doubt the freedom fighters had much to gain to show that security in Baghdad does not exist.

I listened to BBC and CNN terrorist experts and they all cluster around one thinking. The western viewpoint!

However, who had most to gain from this attack.

The Iraqi Parliament had just refused to authorise the gross profiteering (of 70%) by the Oil Companies of Iraq's oil resources.

So the best strategy was to shut down the Parliament and ensure that the collaborators clamour for more US involvement in security.

To achieve this, the best way was to attack and destroy the operation of the Parliament. (The Parliament building has collapsed!)

In my mind this was an inside job beautifully organised by the Negroponte type disruptive "insurgent". (Conspiracy theory?)

No problem of getting the explosive stuff into the Green Zone (as it was probably there already), assembling it and causing the detonations (so that no Americans are affected).

Maybe someone should look at this angle of continuing the "chaos" as no one benefits more with this incident than the US Oil Giants and the US Contractors.

In short, oil profits guaranteed for some considerable more time!

Remember - John Perkins "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" - a simple job for these people to organise this!

Jacob Matthan
Oulu, Finland

[Igel]

46. Abductive reasoning is not your friend.

It's nice for forming hypotheses, but no more.

Given the facts at hand, we know there was an explosion. That's all. I could build an equally likely scenario that the Iranians or the Norwegians--or even the Fur--were responsible. But there are more likely scenarios.

I suggest reading Charles S. Peirce. Yes, he was an American, and a philosopher, but he had some interesting and relevant comments on the role of abductive reasoning and the pragmatics governing the testing of hypotheses.

[ohio2007]

48. Giving credit where it is due

The Iraq Parliament Attack: Al-Qaeda Sends a Message

-snip-
apparently aimed at chilling negotiations between the Iraqi government and a faction of the insurgency ...
-snip-
Recently, gunfights and tit-for-tat executions have erupted in west Baghdad between the nationalist Battalion of the 1920 Revolution and al-Qaeda-backed fighters. Last week, an influential nationalist group, the Islamic Army in Iraq, asked Osama bin Laden to reign in al-Qaeda in Iraq's more extreme tactics such as targeting Iraqi civilians and brutally enforcing Sharia Law.


http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1609521,00.html

The splinter groups are..splintering further.
and imo, Iraqi elements in this struggle, in general, don't do the 72 virgin road trip.
A blast in Algeria claimed by the wahibist movement and now this one in the Green Zone.

Iraqi's have some tough decisions to make before we redeploy in two years.
Do they want a three province federation or remain one country ( the way the Brits carved it up 100 or years ago )

[jmatthan]

58. Not abductive reasoning but logical

1. Who is Negroponte?
2. Why was he sent to Iraq?
3. Who is John Perkins?
4. Who continues the work he was doing?
5. Were US Oil Giants after 70% profit grabbing of Iraqi oil revenues?
6. Was there a vote this week where this was denied by the Iraqi Parliament?
7. How could explosives have got into the Green Zone when there are 6 layers of security?
8. Who benefits greatest from the chaos in Iraq?
9. Within a couple of hours Al Qaida claims it is responsible and TIME magazine finds this claim?

Do you want me to continue this line of parallel reasoning?

They are not abductive - they are totally additive!

I listened to the so-called terrorist experts on both CNN and BBC and they did not have any explanations for even the easiest of questions!
Their reasoning started with the basic assumption that it was the insurgents who did this!
So they rule out the people with the greatest motive.
Why?
What if you do not start with that reasoning?

So my reasoning is not abductive - it is logical!
Each level of my reasoning reinforces the previous one and poses the next question.
Because you are cramped by the first step - you are American and "Americans can never do such things", your logic can never go in the direction my way.
Americans can do what they did in Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay, carry out rapes by their soldiers

- so why cannot they blow up the Iraqi Parliament if it serves their interest?

By the way I am familiar with several authors, not American who have lectured on abductive reasoning.

My reasoning is not based on testing of hypotheses.

"Jakob's parallel reasoning" is based on cumulative questioning along several parallel lines.

Sorry, my book is not yet published.

Jacob Matthan
Oulu, Finland

[ohio2007]

67. Better let the Iraqi's mull through the facts

It's about Iraqi politics,not some conspiracy;

article excerpt;
-snip-
The extremists want to stop efforts of reconciliation between the Iraqi government and an Iraqi-led, nationalist faction of the insurgency that has turned on al-Qaeda in recent weeks. That was the likely motive in an earlier attack on March 23, when Deputy Prime Minister Salam al-Zubaie was hospitalized after an attack reportedly carried out by a guard who detonated a suicide vest at al-Zubaie's compound on the edge of the Green Zone. Al-Zubaie, a Sunni from a powerful tribe west of Baghdad, is an important promoter of the reconciliation policy.

Recently, gunfights and tit-for-tat executions have erupted in west Baghdad between the nationalist Battalion of the 1920 Revolution and al-Qaeda-backed fighters. Last week, an influential nationalist group, the Islamic Army in Iraq, asked Osama bin Laden to reign in al-Qaeda in Iraq's more extreme tactics such as targeting Iraqi civilians and brutally enforcing Sharia Law.

-snip-
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1609521,00.html

imo, AQ doesn't like being squeezed but more tribes are now likely to seek "revenge killings" for the Sunni MP's struck down today.

...But if they reach a financial settlement for the deaths.....watch out for western hostage taking to pay the blood money needed to make things right again.
Thats the Arab way.

[0007]

51. Now back to the Imus thingie, 'eh?

[ohio2007]

41. 2 Suicide Vests Found in Green Zone ( reported 11 days ago )

Apr 1, 6:44 AM (ET)

BAGHDAD (AP) - Two suicide vests were found unexploded in the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, a military spokesman said Sunday, less than a week after a rocket attack killed two Americans in the vast central area.

U.S. military spokesman Rear Adm. Mark Fox said the vests were found Saturday and the matter was under investigation.

"It reflects the nature of the security challenge that we're facing," he told reporters, without giving more details.

Two Americans - a contractor and a soldier - were killed in a rocket attack on the Green Zone on Tuesday.

Insurgents and militia fighters routinely fire rockets and mortars into the Green Zone, the nominally secure area in central Baghdad that is site of the U.S. Embassy and the Iraqi government and parliament. The attacks seldom cause casualties or damage because they are poorly aimed and the zone contains much open space.



99 out of 100 isn't good enough


I saw an article about al Sadr's block threatening to leave or walk out of the Parliament

[Eugene]

42. Eight dead in Iraqi parliament blast-US spokesman

Source: Reuters

Eight dead in Iraqi parliament blast-US spokesman
12 Apr 2007 15:14:16 GMT
Source: Reuters

LONDON, April 12 (Reuters) - About eight people were killed and
20 wounded when a suicide attacker detonated a bomb vest in the
Iraqi parliament building on Thursday, a U.S. military spokesman said.

"It appears from eyewitness accounts that it was a suicide vest.
The initial count for casualties as of this time is about eight dead
and about 20 wounded from that,"Major General William Caldwell
was quoted as saying by Sky News in Britain.


Link: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L12579574.htm

[ohio2007]

43. It will be interesting to see how countries in the region react in their public statements

about this bombing. Will some react as rapidly as they did the Algerian govt bombing?
Iran condemns terrorist blasts in Algeria

imo, it should be interesting as to the speed of condemnation of this attack through official channels Will be carried by th MSM


-just a side note after the knee jerk subsides and precisely which MP's were killed.

[Eugene]

47. Aside from where it happened, this is an all too routine event in Iraq.

The this is the third bombing of its kind inside the Green Zone
AQ has committed bigger atrocities outside. The attack will
be condemned in due course like the others, but there are
so damned many of them.

If this GZ blast was like the other two, it was was yet another
inside job.

[ohio2007]

59. a member of the Sunni National Dialog Front, was killed in the blast,

AQ has friends...and enemies...in high places in the Iraqi Parliament. They can gain access through Sunni connections to attack "collaborators" among the Sunni ranks.

"A suicide bomber wearing an explosive belt and carrying a briefcase entered the cafeteria. Security was very tight because parliament was meeting," ...

....Mohammed Awad, a member of the Sunni National Dialog Front, was killed in the blast, said Saleh al-Mutlaq, the leader of the party, which holds 11 seats in Iraq's legislature.

Another female Sunni lawmaker from the same list was wounded, he said.

Blast rocks Iraqi parliament
Without a doubt, it is an inside job via diplomatic immunity.
I recall a year ago that the Sunni minority members of Parliament had a hissy fit that they were forced to pass through so much screening. They got the close frisking scrutiny of personnel scrapped.
Opportunity to strike in the green zone was and is always present.They choose to strike at will to make their points known;
-dissolve the Parliament.

[Barrett808]

44. Looks like folks will need to start wearing body armor even indoors

Not just when walking between buildings in the Green Zone.

[maxsolomon]

45. at best, Iraqi Security acquiesced to a breach

or, at worst, participated. its not even hard to think of the scenarios under which they would have allowed it - threats to self, family, clan.

we've lost. its been obvious for years. our strategery for this war was fatally flawed, and it sure as fuck is *'s fault. america must accept it, get out, tend to its wounded, & try to make amends by funding (through the UN) a pan-islamic police force to oversee partition into 3 autonomous countries.

impeachment is too good for bush. to the hague.

[Eugene]

49. In Iraq, security is a jobs program.

Bodyguards are not professional nor very trustworthy.
The politicians give out jobs for their boys.

Green Zone security is undermined from the inside.
The suicide bomber who nearly killed the deputy PM
was not only his own bodyguard, but his own cousin
with known insurgent ties. Shortly afterwards,
two unexploded bomb vests were found. There was
talk last month about hiring a foreign security
contracting firm to protect the Green Zone.
I have not heard anything about it since then.

[Zhade]

82. Threats, or a general hatred for those who illegally invaded their country...

...and raped/tortured/murdered their fellow Iraqis.

And agreed - to the motherfucking Hague, NOW!

[Flagg]

53. Another proof that democracy is on its way

Al Qaeda entered the parliament.

[vote5polend]

54. mission accomplished amirite

[Tin Man]

60. WaPo reporter's first-hand account of Iraqi Parliament bombing - amazing audio report

Source: Washington Post



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2007...

---

Sudarsan Raghavan was in the cafeteria during the bomb attack - one of the fatalities occurred at the table adjacent to his own. Incredibly, Sudarsan escaped with relatively minor injuries considering his proximity to the blast. He recounts his experience in an audio stream on the WaPo website - amazing reporting, a "must listen" first person account.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2007...

[ohio2007]

62. those links don't work

AT least at this time they don't work

[rocktivity]

64. Time to call in the helicopters...

http://vwt.d2g.com:8081/22gialongstreet.gif

and hands up who didn't see this coming.

:hi:
rocknation

[ohio2007]

66. Two secondary bombs were found, apparently set to mow down those fleeing the initial blast,

said the Interior Ministry official. One was in a briefcase inside the building, he said, and another in the parking lot outside. One of the detection machines leading into the Baghdad Convention Center, where Parliament is housed, was not operating Thursday, said the official, who was suspicious of a wider plot.

-snip-
Within an hour of the explosion, a message from the al-Qaeda-controlled Islamic State in Iraq was posted on a prominent militant website, muslm.net, calling the blast a "message" to anyone who cooperates with "the occupier and its agents." It said ominously, "We will reach you wherever you are"


-snip-


http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1609521,00.html
The rumors in Parliment is the US is pulling out soon.
Guess the message to the Sunni collaborators is "redeploy out of the sectarian govt or die".

[TheWatcher]

69. Iran Did It. Invade Immediately.

The Sanctity Of Freedom Must Be Protected.

Perhaps if we kill enough of them we will finally be greeted as the Liberators we are.

We're almost ready to Make Progress Again.

In the meantime, shouldn't we getting back to the real news, like the Imus Firing?

That is going to have so much more of a real impact on the human race than mundane stuff like this.

:sarcasm:

[muriel_volestrangler]

72. A stunning bit of denial by the Iraqi national security adviser, worthy of Baghdad Bob, or Cheney

On BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mowaffak al-Rubaie, the Iraqi national security adviser, said:

Al-Rubaie: James, there is a general misconception that the Parliament building is within the Green Zone. It's not within the Green Zone, it's adjacent, and it's not under the control of the American or the coalition forces it's under the Iraqi police and the private security company.
...
I like, Jim, your comparison when he said this is like blowing up London Bridge, or going after the House of Commons - it is, and these are the same people who are going to plan and to try to blow up London and Washington. That's what we are fighting here. We're fighting al Qaeda.... we're fighting on behalf of the rest of the world.

James Naughtie: It seems clear that those who are perpetrating these acts are becoming bolder, more dangerous, and despite President Bush's troop surge ...

Al-Rubaie: ... or more desperate, I believe, James. I think they are more desperate, because we are seeing the success, and the early signs of the success of Baghdad's security plan, the law enforcement plan, and I think they are desperate.

audio source

The BBC, AFP, CNN, Reuters and AP all think it's inside the Green Zone. "A general misconception" indeed.

It's a superb parroting of the Bush talking points - "fighting them there so we don't have to fight them over here", "they are growing desperate", "we see the signs of success". It doesn't seem to bear much relation to reality, though. Bob must be jealous his job has gone to someone else.

[ohio2007]

73. found a BBC map

COuld be accurate,maybe not



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6548337.stm

[daleo]

74. He's probably lying with the truth here

Probably the term "Green Zone" doesn't include the Parliament in some technical sense. So it's not in the "Green Zone", it's just "surrounded by the Green Zone", geographically speaking. That's my take on it anyway.

Perhaps we should say it's within the zone of greeniness.

[NGC_6822]

75. No democracy for Muslims according to Al Qaida

Taken together with the recent attack on the Algerian PM's office, AQ certainly has made a convincing statement about it's intention to undermine any movement toward democracy in the Muslim world.

[me b zola]

76. Al who?

"...AQ certainly has made a convincing statement about it's intention to undermine any movement toward democracy in the Muslim world."

Hmm. What kind of ME democracy are you speaking of? A sectarian democracy like they have in Lebanon, where things weren't perfect, but they were making great strides? Or do you mean a "democracy" like Pakistan or Saudi Arabia where women and GLBTs have no little to no rights, but the ruling class of both of our nations are business partners so real democracy is not so important?

Do you really want democracy in Iraq? They do. In 2005 a quarter of a million Suni, Shia, and Christian Iraqis petitioned their "democracy" and peacefully marched to show their solidarity in demanding that the Americans leave. How's that for democracy? Over 100 Iraqi parliment members at that time formed a coalition asking the Americans to leave. How's that for democracy? They thought those purple fingers meant something.

The Pentagon may have within minutes of the explosion called this "in all likelyhood the work of Al Qaida", but since then have seriously backed off of that claim since the only dead person in the blast is an Iraqi lawmaker, and it is now widely suspected that the bomber was a body guard to an other lawmaker carrying a brief case, not a suicide belt.

Osama who? Oh yeah, last we heard he was not in Iraq.

[me b zola]

77. Here's a link to the 2005 political action in Iraq demanding the US to leave

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050711/wl_mideast_afp/iraqussadrpetition

[NGC_6822]

78. Could not find the link

Sorry, but your link didn't bring up anything. Try again

[NGC_6822]

79. Another link

If you can't make your link work, here's one that I found.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/26/AR2006092601721_pf.html

It supports your contention, but if you read down to the end, you will find some interesting caveats. Without question, Iraq is a tragic country, and certainly the Iraqi people would like BOTH the coalition forces AND the terrorists to leave. The polls concentrate on the former, but the latter do most of the killing as far as I can see. So, this raises the question in my mind, why don't we see some multi-thousand marches pleading for the terrorists and militias to stop. A peace march.

Actually, I believe Sistani tried to organize such a march--even with considerable success, but it didn't seem to have much effect.

[me b zola]

80. Thanks for searching

Here is the origional DU thread where I found the article:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4082632

A search of AP's records should pull up this article. I had read it on Yahoo at the time and know that it was at one time a good link.


Here's the text of the article that was written:

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Radicals within Iraq's Shiite majority community launched a petition for the withdrawal of US-led troops, which they said was drawing support from across the sectarian divide.

Supporters of firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr, who led a bloody six-month uprising against the coalition last year, said they were aiming to secure one million signatures inside four days.

"We started this morning and so far we have had a good response, not only from Shiites -- Sunnis and Christians have also been coming to our office to show their support," said Ibrahim al-Jaberi, an official in Sadr's movement.

"We have also received more than 100 calls from Iraqis living abroad in support of our initiative," he said, adding that more than 400,000 people had signed the petition by midday (0800 GMT).

Here's the link & text to the Iraqi Parliment asking the US to leave in 2005:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4058831

Headlines : International
Iraq Signs Military Pact with Iran
Thu, 7 Jul 2005 22:11:20 -0700Summary:

Here’s an update: The “democratically elected” government of Iraq, much-ballyhooed by the Bush adminstration and its toadies, has signed an agreement of military cooperation with current Bush public enemy number one, Iran.

In other news, 100 “democratically elected” members of the Iraqi parliament have signed a petition demanding that the US withdraw its forces from Iraq immediately.


By Neil MacDonald in Baghdad and Najmeh Bozorgmehr in Tehran
Republished from Financial Times

Iraq signs a pact in Tehran agreeing to accept Iranian military training and other cooperation.

Former foes Iraq and Iran announced “a new chapter” in their relations on Thursday, including cross-border military co-operation, dismissing US concerns about Iranian regional meddling.

On his first official visit to Tehran, Iraqi minister of defence Saadoun al-Dulaimi asserted his country’s sovereign right to seek help from wherever it sees fit in rebuilding its defence capabilities.

“Nobody can dictate to Iraq its relations with other countries,” Mr Dulaimi said in a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart, Admiral Ali Shamkhani.

The two ministers said that a military co-operation agreement, now in the preparation, would include Iranian help with training and upgrading Iraq’s reconstituted armed forces, a process so far overseen by US and coalition advisers.

As to your question about peace marches, there was a massive peace march at the time of this article--no western press. There was some western press that reported the last march that took place on the aniversery of Baghdad falling, but they reported the numbers to be in the "tens of thousands". Hmm, I know how the msm drastically devalues the numbers of people who attend our peace rallies, so I can imagine that they may do the same in Iraq, and for the same reasons.

I agree also with the assertion that the Iraqi people would like the foreign(ME) fighters to leave. I have heard Iraqis speak about this, not to mention a couple of ME "experts", and I believe that their own nationalism would drive out foreign pests just as soon as the US leaves. I believe that the foreign fighters that are there now have no real numbers and no real power.

So much info has gone into the rabbit hole it is hard to keep up with it all, but some things burn a hole into the memory. I'll see what else I can dig up from this time period.

[Zhade]

83. What movement toward democracy?

You can't impose democracy like the U.S. is allegedly trying to do (which was not the lie that got us into this bullshit war, btw). Imposing democracy is an oxymoron.

This could easily be your everyday Iraqi fed up with the torture, rape, murder and lies that came with the illegal invasion of their country.

[CONN]

81. "...they’re in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency."

Dick called it.

www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/30/cheney.iraq/