American compound in Baghdad hit by rocket attack

[papau]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=467261

American compound in Baghdad hit by rocket attack
By Andrew Marshall in Baghdad 26 November 2003


Guerrillas fired rockets at the headquarters of the American-led administration in central Baghdad last night and loudspeakers in the compound warned: "Attack. Take cover. This is not a test," as explosions echoed across the Iraqi capital.

As sirens wailed, flares lit up the night sky and US helicopters clattered overhead, a spokesman for the 1st Armoured Division, which patrols Baghdad, said at least two rockets had been fired. One crashed through the roof of an empty apartment building near the coalition compound and another landed near a bus station. Although there were no injuries, two Iraqi police were wounded in another rocket-propelled grenade attack near a Baghdad petrol station.

Guerrilla attacks in Iraq have become increasingly brazen. On Saturday, a DHL cargo plane made an emergency landing in Baghdad with an engine on fire after being hit by a surface-to-air missile. A videotape delivered to a French journalist apparently showed the missile being fired.

The footage showed several men with their faces concealed by scarves, carrying grenade and missile launchers. One aimed a shoulder-fired missile at a plane. The attackers were shown escaping by car, and the tape had a plane descending with smoke pouring from one wing.<snip>


In a letter to the UN Security Council on Monday, Jalal Talabani, president of the Iraqi council, said a provisional legislative body would be chosen by 31 May. This would elect a provisional sovereign government by the end of June, then "the Coalition Provisional Authority will be dissolved and the occupation ... will end".

[lefty_mcduff]

1. But didn't Bremmer say all was well?

n/t

[xchrom]

2. it's never going to end

one could say -- they have us where they want us.
the notion that george has won anything is laughable.

[mmm]

3. You would think these Iraqis would have access to

some better weapons. Why didn't Saddam buy more accurate,
more deadly weapons and hide them for the resistance.
Lord knows he had money and there are certainly enough weapons
for sale on the world market.

[Minstrel Boy]

5. could it be because

Saddam isn't masterminding the attacks?

[Aidoneus]

14. Not masterminding the attacks,

but if the upper-level Baathists had an once of brains between them, they'd no doubt have spread weapons around in the event of their eventual fall. That they're a politically spent force is irrelevant, those who are resisting the occupation would make use of them no matter who they were. There's something like 600,000 tons of weaponry that was left lying around (and seized by some of the resistance orgs) when the government effectively fell.

Mortars are a common enough device and easily fired, that could be fired and then ride away within a quick period.

[Knoxville_Bob]

7. You'd Prefer

That they'd be using more accurate weapons?

[kentuck]

9. Sounds that way, doesn't it Bob?

I'm sure he doesn't wish for Americans to be killed??

[Knoxville_Bob]

11. Don't know

That's why I'm asking. Only way to find out is to ask.

[DulceDecorum]

4. Property market booms in Baghdad

"For years people have been scared to build anything new for fear that Saddam or the Americans would destroy their property. BUT NOW THAT FEAR IS GONE," said Majid al-Settah, director of Baghdad's al-Jazeera estate agency.

In the poor Sleiq neighbourhood on the outskirts of Baghdad, another estate agent, Mohammed Abbas, offered his sales pitch standing in a field filled with half-built houses and craters from stray mortar shells.

"There's a lot of space here to build your perfect home. Just choose your plot and we can begin," said Abbas, before quoting a price of £15,000 just for the 150 metre square plot. Prices have been further stimulated by the lifting of a Saddam law barring Iraqis from building property in Baghdad unless they or their parents lived in the capital before 1957.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/11/26/wirq126.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/11/26/ixnewstop.html

Damn and I still cannot find a buyer for the Brooklyn Bridge.....

[UpInArms]

6. does the second paragraph

not contradict the first paragraph in that story?

no fear - houses are "safe" - amid craters from mortars?

that thought process felt like a brain pinch, it hurt my head!

[kentuck]

8. Is Hillary still at the compound ?

Or has she left already?

[leetrisck]

10. This news is rather old

Been out there a couple of days.

[IndianaGreen]

12. Thread was started on: Wed Nov-26-03 10:12 AM

Why was it bumped again?

On edit:

Someone named Knoxville_Bob, with 8 posts, bumped the thread asking about the resistance using more accurate weapons. I doubt Knoxville_Bob is sincere in his question or in his motives for posing the question.

[Knoxville_Bob]

13. Sure I am

Or are you upset because I've asked questions on other threads as well?