In a nutshell--- John McCain was responsible for 21 Iraqis being killed today.

[trumad]

(April 04, 2007 -- 09:04 PM EST // link)

Earlier today I posted this clip from the Times of London that reported that "21 Shia market workers were ambushed, bound and shot dead."

Now, we know that people get killed in Iraq every day. And there are inter-sectarian murders for various retaliatory, symbolic or terroristic reasons. But 21 workers from this same market attacked, bound and shot in what sound like execution style killings? Right after McCain was there the day before in a walkaround to demonstrate the success of the surge?

This hadn't occurred to me until I saw this email from TPM Reader KT who wrote. "Do we know whether the ambushed market workers were the ones who had done business with McCain's group, and therefore with the US military? I really hope not."

I don't know if claims of collaboration would have to be the issue. It could be as simple as sending a counter-message.

Before going any further, let me say clearly that I don't know anything about this particular market. How big it is. Whether things like this happen there routinely or whether this incident stands out in a particular way. More local knowledge could quickly show these two events are totally unrelated. But if the Times report is accurate, I think this bears more scrutiny.
-- Josh Marshall
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/013446.php

[MadMaddie]

1. If it is true...is it coincidence? or is this another pathetic sign

that the Republicans have absolutely no clue about what is happening to Iraqi civilians.....I am guessing the guy that sold the rug for 60 bucks to McCain is in hiding or is on a hit list.

It just goes on and on...they never think about the consequences of their juvenile actions.....

[MzNov]

2. it also underlines once again their total ignorance of the people

of the Middle East, especially what has been going on in Iraq. It's mind-blowing how self-serving and clueless these NeoCons are. oh, I could just go on and on.....

[MadMaddie]

3. Me too....I never thought having to think about and address this

level of ignorance, intolerance and arrogance could be so draining.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

5. Well said.

What arrogance, to claim to be spreading democracy to a country, and not even have a clue how the culture works.

They've only got a handful of translators in the freakin' embassy, for cryin out loud!

More proof that it was always all about oil.

Burn in hell, PNAC'ers . . .:grr:

[BuyingThyme]

4. That's ridiculous. Why would they target people who

appeared to participate in a pro-occupation, pro-murder, pro-escalation parade on the streets of their own country?

[Pachamama]

6. McCain is a piece of sh*t and his stunt just left 21 families without a parent, child or sibling

Yes, that blood is on his hands...his and Lindsay Graham's little stunt strolling through the market killed those poor people.

The only thing his stroll proved is that he is full of sh*t, that he is delusional and that he is as bad a Bush and now has the blood of innoncents on his hands like Bush.

[progdonkey]

7. not the first time this has followed a McCain visit...

Following a quick Google search, I found this Washington Post article dated Dec. 16, 2006.

Gunmen in camouflage uniforms drove up in 11 cars at about 10 a.m. and surrounded the area, just around the corner from an Iraqi police checkpoint, witnesses said. Some wore black ski masks, others black bandannas. They casually went from business to business, spending 30 minutes rounding up at least 25 shopkeepers, witnesses said. The men hustled their captives past the stalls and stunned customers, grabbing a few bystanders along the way. (snip)

The assault occurred on a day when a U.S. congressional delegation, led by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.), visited Baghdad. McCain repeated his call to deploy more U.S. troops to Iraq, saying 15,000 to 30,000 more were needed to stem the sectarian violence and bring stability.

It's bad enough that it happened this time, but when you consider that the same fucking thing happened the last time he visited and he continued with this visit anyway, would it be possible to charge McCain as an accessory to these people's murders? (and I'm only being half-sarcastic)