Wave Of Bombings Targeting Markets, Cafes In Iraq Kills 52

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

BAGHDAD – A wave of car bombings, mainly targeting cafes and markets around the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, killed 52 people Saturday out celebrating the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, officials said.

Violence has been on the rise across Iraq since a deadly crackdown by government forces on a Sunni protest camp in April, and attacks against civilians and security forces notably spiked during Ramadan. The surge of attacks has sparked fears that the country could spiral into a new round of widespread sectarian bloodshed similar to that which brought the country to the edge of civil war in 2006 and 2007.

Police said the deadliest of Saturday’s attacks took place when a suicide bomber drove his explosive-laden car into a residential area in the town of Tuz Khormato, killing eight people and wounding dozens, Mayor Shalal Abdool said. The town is about 200 kilometres (130 miles) north of the Iraqi capital.

Police said a car bomb exploded near an outdoor market in the Baghdad’s southeastern suburbs of Jisr Diyala shortly before sunset, killing seven people and wounding 20.

Read more: http://globalnews.ca/news/773221/wave-of-bombings-targeting-markets-cafes-in-iraq-kills-52/

[Comrade Grumpy]

1. I wonder when the Mahdi Army is going to reactivate.

Any time now, I reckon.

[Alamuti Lotus]

2. Some portions already have

Some commanders of splinter factions are reputedly fighting the takfiri gangs in Syria. I can't see Sayyid Muqtada keeping the other branches of his movement restrained with these constant massacres. An end to restraint is precisely what an-Nusrah and ISI want, of course, but these gangs might learn to be careful what they wish for, as witnessed by their crushing defeat against in Syria.

[Botany]

3. Thanx w, Cheney, & Rummy your handy work is still paying off.

[BlueManFan]

6. This Picture Makes Me Throw Up In My Mouth A Little

those were dark days. Sadly, they are only marginally better.

[ConcernedCanuk]

18. Worst

.
.
.

President


Ever


CC

[Berlum]

4. "But, um, a...ahem." - xCommander AWOL (R)

[BlueManFan]

5. Looks Like Those Iraqis Are Really Embracing All That Democracy We Spread Over There

[Purveyor]

11. I'm sure many Iraqis are pining for the old days with Saddam at the helm and no, I am not

saying that sarcastically.

I read a poll some time last year to that effect but I'll be damned if I can find it now.

[BlueManFan]

16. The Whole Region Was More Stable With Saddam In Power Which Is Why Rummy was Smiling

in that photo when they were making the deal for US weapons. Then he wasn't our despot--like the Shah, Pinochet, Marcos, and on and on and on. He made the mistake of trying to kill Daddy Bush and didn't play nice with his oil so he just needed him a healthy dose of democracy. Hell, the Iraqis had a functioning society under Saddam.

[pam4water]

7. The bombing have been building up in Iraq for coming up on 3 months. I hope it doesn't

go into a civil war.

[totodeinhere]

8. We need to invade Iraq so that we can impose peace and democracy on them.

[leveymg]

9. I can see this escalating into the third Iraq War and the eastern front of the

Syrian civil war, if indeed it isn't already.

Mission Accomplished, indeed.

[Botany]

10. In late Feb. 2003 I heard Joe Wilson (Val Plame's Husband & former ambassador to Iraq) .....

.... speak on NPR for the 1st time and he said that in Iraq you have 105 different
sides and yes, we can be in Baghdad in a week or so but that will open up a can of
worms that will cause all kinds of troubles inside Iraq and through out the Mid East
but did W listen to that advice? Hell no he went straight ahead and plunged us and
the region into a bloody hell hole.

Bottom line Cheney got W to go along with his Iraqi war so he (Cheney) and his family
could make lots of money. All those fuckers should be in jail for lying us into an un-
needed war.

[leveymg]

12. I heard Phil Giraldi say exactly the same thing about how Cheney should be in jail.

About THAT, we can all agree.

Here's the scenario today (even more so than a decade ago) for someone to make some REAL money:

The entire region is a dry splintered pile of kindling, fuel oil, and fertilizer waiting for some madman to mix it up and strike a match.

Really comes down to oversupply of all the above ingredients and the sure killing to be made from rising risk premiums amidst embargoes and suppression of competition among Persian Gulf crude oil exporters. The "natural price" for a barrel of crude should be about $17, given current production capacity, about what it was in 1997.

Curtail Supply and create a Demand for a war. The ensuing Pentagon procurement is just gravy. - Terrorist Capitalism 101. Straight out of the Houston Oilman's playbook.

[dipsydoodle]

13. Car bombs kill nearly 80 in Iraq, target Eid festivities

(Reuters) - A series of car bombs in mainly Shi'ite areas of Baghdad killed 57 people and wounded more than 150 on Saturday, in what appeared to be coordinated attacks on people celebrating the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

The 12 separate blasts targeting markets, busy shopping streets and parks where families like to mark Eid were part of a surge in sectarian violence in Iraq since the start of the year.

This has been one of the deadliest Ramadan months in years, with regular bomb attacks killing scores of people, especially in the capital. The latest bombings were similar to attacks in Baghdad on Tuesday in which 50 died.

More than 1,000 Iraqis have been killed in July, the highest monthly death toll since 2008, according to the United Nations.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/08/10/uk-iraq-violence-idUKBRE97907K20130810

[Purveyor]

14. The citizens of these United States should hold their head in 'shame' over what we allowed to

happen to Iraq.

Most here on DU did all we could to stop it but still history will show this as our darkest hours in which I still think clock is still ticking off those hours.

[jasond54231]

15. "Mission Accomplished", my arse

Thank you so much, Mr. Bush, you utter buffoon. The Iraqis will be suffering for years to come thanks to you.

[KinMd]

17. If Saddam had played his cards right.....

he'd still be in power and we'd be sending him billions in aid, both military and financial.