Violence Escalates Across Iraq

[papau]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq13sep13.story
THE CONFLICT IN IRAQ
Violence Escalates Across Iraq
A battle in Baghdad, three suicide bombings and other insurgent attacks kill dozens.
By Ashraf Khalil and Alissa J. Rubin
Times Staff Writers

September 13, 2004

BAGHDAD — A bloody and chaotic day of violence across Iraq — including at least three suicide car bombings and an exchange of gunfire between an Iraqi crowd and a U.S. helicopter crew — killed dozens and injured scores of others Sunday.

The latest wave of attacks, which included hours of mortar fire on the Green Zone — where the U.S. Embassy, interim Iraqi government and many U.S. contractors are headquartered — was centered in Baghdad but included several cities in the Sunni Triangle of central Iraq.

At least 45 Iraqis were killed and 142 wounded during the day, according to the Iraqi Health Ministry. Three Polish soldiers were killed and three others were injured near Hillah, south of the capital, when their convoy was attacked by insurgents using machine guns and armor- piercing bullets.

A journalist for the Al Arabiya television channel was killed when an American armored vehicle, damaged by fighting in a Baghdad neighborhood, exploded shortly after a U.S. helicopter opened fire on a crowd of Iraqis gathered around it.<snip>

[lucky777]

1. Surprisingly few soldier deaths lately despite this fighting ...?

[Beetwasher]

2. Troops Have Been Given Orders To Stay On Base Until After the Elections

Seriously...

[Iceburg]

4. I believe it ... If any have read Richard Clarke's book

"Against All Enemies" you will realize this is a common practice during politically "sensitive" periods. Hide, hunker down, do whatever means NO LIVES LOST.

[nolabels]

5. In absence of knowledge, after fear comes anger

Them American GI's best be warned there will be some nasty attitudes in Iraq when they come out of the hidey holes. I lament on the goings on, that it might have been better that we had AWOL for a commander and chief. If the US had somebody that really understood military operations wanting to be accomplish the same types of goals we would have been Iran some time last year.

[nolabels]

3. I hope nobody dies, but keeping secret the deaths only leads to more

I can only assume there is a homicidal maniac in charge somewhere

[Coventina]

6. Argh! I can't stand it!

I was going to make a sarcastic joke about "more success" a la Rummy.....but it just isn't funny....

:mad:

[Moderator]

7. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=823122