Mortars hit Baghdad Green Zone during Biden visit

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

BAGHDAD, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Several mortars or rockets were fired at Baghdad's fortified Green Zone government district on Tuesday shortly after U.S. Vice President Joe Biden flew in to keep up U.S. pressure on Iraq's leaders to reach political compromises.

Iraqi police said two suspected mortar rounds landed near the sprawling U.S. embassy compound in the Green Zone, but did not hit it. Biden had met with the U.S. ambassador, Chris Hill, and the top U.S. military commander, General Ray Odierno, just before the mortar strikes.

His precise location was being kept under wraps for security reasons.

It was Biden's second trip to Iraq in three months, and the visit signalled that the Obama administration is anxious to resolve long-standing disputes between Kurdish, Shi'ite and Sunni Arab communities over land and oil that U.S. officials fear could yet rip apart the country.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LF482502.htm

[jillan]

1. I AM FREAKING OUT!!!

Biden, PLEASE be safe!!

[onehandle]

5. Don't. Odds are way in his favor. nt

[sabra]

6. CNN is reporting Biden was not injured

http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/15/baghdad-green-zone-attacked-as-biden-visits-2/

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — The highly fortified International Zone in Baghdad came under fire as Vice President Joe Biden paid a surprise visit, an Interior Ministry official told CNN.

Biden was not injured, a pool report from Baghdad said.

Reporters traveling with him heard the blasts, but saw no damage.

CNN’s Cal Perry in Baghdad said he heard four loud “booms.” Warning alarms were sounded, and security was stepped up in the International Zone, which is informally known as the Green Zone.

It is not clear what weapons were fired or if Biden was near the location where the rounds hit.

A U.S. military spokesman said he could confirm only that one round hit, and said it did not land in the International Zone.

[jillan]

7. Thank you Sabra!

:hug:

[lyonn]

2. Was his ap pearce there announced ahead of time?

Or was this purely bad luck? "Shortly after Biden few in". Hummm

Must not let conspiracy theories run amuck in my mind.

We must get our troops out in Iraq and Afghanistan. I'm tired of being the target of a few radicals. That goes for here in the U.S.......

I am sending good vibes, so much for good vibes, Biden needs some big time security.

[jillan]

4. This was unannounced.

I am sitting on pins and needles waiting for more info.

The shots went right into the Green Zone, at the US Embassy, where he is.

[ShortnFiery]

3. As I understand it, mortars rounds hitting within the Green Zone is NOT a new phenomenon?

:shrug:

[Javaman]

8. nope. they've been getting hit by mortars and rockets since 03.

[MisterP]

9. more thrown flowers: they're really happy at the prospect of being

brutally occupied for a decade or so, and then dismembered to suit foreign oil barons
why are they so ungrateful at being rescued from their barbarism and un-American culture?

[jillan]

10. Msnbc just reported that EVERYONE in his entourage is okay.

Phew!!!

[Jennicut]

11. Yeah, CNN said everyone was fine but won't disclose the VP's movements

for safety reasons.

From CNN:
"The president has asked the vice president to provide sustained, high-level focus from the White House on Iraq, and this trip is part of that mission," the White House said in a statement issued as Biden arrived.

The United States is less than a year away from its goal of withdrawing all combat troops from Iraq.
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Hill has said the next 12 months are "very critical" to establishing security in Iraq, but the goal of withdrawing most U.S. troops by August 2010 is "absolutely achievable."

Odierno is "optimistic" that Iraqi forces will be ready in time to allow U.S. withdrawals to go ahead as planned, Biden said, according to the pool report.http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/09/15/baghdad.attack/


Lets hope that it really will be less then a year.
And be safe, Joe.

[mikeytherat]

12. Mortars hit the Green Zone all the time.

My bro-in-law's "command trailer" was hit just a few minutes after they had left the conference room. Pretty scary before and after pics.

mikey_the_rat