Blast rips through oil pipeline in northern Iraq: official

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20031102/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_us_oil_blast&cid=1514&ncid=1473

TIKRIT, Iraq (AFP) - An explosion has torn apart an oil pipeline near Kirkuk, 260 kilometers (160 miles) north of Baghdad, a company official told AFP.

The blast ripped through the pipeline in the region of Mashruh al-Therthar, southwest of the city of Samarra, said pipeline director Majid Manun. snip

"I heard a powerful explosion in the evening, and I saw huge flames coming out of the oil pipeline," said witness Hassan Messarhad, a 45-year-old farmer.

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[jenk]

1. things are happening by the minute

my god, what's going on!?!?!?!

who's going to pay to fix that pipeline?

[fizzana]

7. We are

n/t

[northernsoul]

2. the news just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?

There's no effing way they're going to get any of that oil that was supposed to pay for reconstruction / occupation to market now.

Meanwhile, Russia is effectively nationalizing their biggest oil company and the house of Saud is about as well-fated as the Romanov Dynasty...

[Bronco69]

3. It's yet another sign

of the progress we're making there! (/sarcasm)

[karlschneider]

4. Impossible! Rummy said just this morning that part of Iraq is peaceful!

:grr:

[VolcanoJen]

5. CNN, MSNBC and FOX reporting, respectively...

A "People in the News" segment about Denzel Washington (CNN)

Hardball repeat (MSNBC)

Lance Armstrong & Sandra Bullock's alleged romance (FOX, even though they're at a live news desk under the programming banner of "Fox News Live).

[Darranar]

6. Not again!

This is horrible...

[ErasureAcer]

8. i keep saying it....

this war is unwinnable.

can we give up now and save thousands of lives and billions of dollars, please?

[Zynx]

9. My only concern is that I believe given what we have done to that country

the result may be a civil war of terrible proportions. I was against this war, but now we have a rancid situation on our hands and we need to figure out a way to stabilize Iraq to some extent. Personally, I would like it if the Egyptians or some other Arab or Muslim countries could provide some assistance.

[ewagner]

10. True Zynx

Once you open a can of worms the only way to get rid of it is put it in a bigger can (or worms of course).

Going into Iraq without UN or even Regional support opened up a huge Pandora's box....

[cliss]

11. The sands of the hourglass are running low....

and the Iraqi (and other) insurgents are escalaing their campaign. The rest of the world looks on in disbelief and disgust. All eyes turn to Washington.

The White House scrambles to find some answers, as the individual players fall apart at the seams. Bush gets caught lying about silly things, like a banner on a ship. There doesn't appear to be any unity or cohesion among the administration right now. They all appear to be on their own agenda, like sole proprietors. They know the insurgents will blow up the pipeline as soon as it's fixed. They are patient, they never forget a grudge, and they know the geography of their own country.

Meanwhile, the US is running out of money, the administration is running out of anwers, and the public is running out of patience with them.

This should be a VERY intersting 9 months....

[Media_Lies_Daily]

12. And Condi-liar Rice is running around doing her best Al Haig immitation..

...after Reagan was shot..."I'm in charge!". Which everyone promptly ignored back then just like they're currently ignoring Rice.

[dArKeR]

13. What 'company'? Exxon? Am I a Homer or what? I try to keep up reading,

sorry journalists, but I have no idea what 'company' you're talking about.

Would a professional journalist assume we all know the 'company'?