Meanwhile, it appears they are now short one bridge in Baghdad

[Strelnikov_]

From the tearing and collapse pattern, the truck bomb was in the vicinity of this pier.



In better times:



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6547361.stm

The truck bomb which had been abandoned on the span of the bridge exploded at 0700 local time (0300 GMT), just as traffic was starting to get heavier with the approach of the rush hour.

The Sarafiya bridge was one of the busiest links across the Tigris, the main connection for the northern part of the city. Many bridges in Baghdad have checkpoints at either end.

It was built by the British in the 1920s and damaged by American bombing in 1991.

[Atman]

1. Good thing things are so much better over there now, with that surge and all.

It looks like a vacation wonderland!

Who needs bridges? They could install cool gondolas, like in Venice. Or a ferry.

.

[whoneedstickets]

2. Wow, that's a big strategic target!

Cut enough of the bridges and you can divide the city in half and cut the Green Zone and the airport off from the eastern part of Baghdad. How could the US military allow these conduits to be so vulnerable?