From AP:
BAGHDAD - Volleys of rockets struck the capital's crowded Shiite Muslim neighborhood of Sadr City on Saturday, hitting a busy market, smashing into a home and killing at least seven Iraqis. Outside Baghdad, insurgents rocketed a U.S. military base, killing five soldiers.Besides the deaths in the Sadr City rocket strikes, at least 26 Iraqis were reported killed in a bombing at Tikrit, clashes between Polish troops and Shiite militiamen in Karbala, U.S. raids overnight in Sadr City, and a roadside bombing south of Baghdad.
Five American solders were killed around dawn when two rockets fired from a truck hit the U.S. base at Taji, 12 miles north of Baghdad, Air Force Lt. Col. Sam Hudspath said. U.S. helicopter gunships then destroyed the truck, the military said.
Six soldiers were wounded in the attack, three of them critically, the military said. ...
U.S. commanders have blamed Sunni Muslim insurgents for military-style rocket attacks on U.S. bases in the past. But people in the neighborhood blamed the Americans for Saturday's rocket barrages, which came after the overnight clash.
After the rocket strike, residents chanted: "Long live al-Sadr! America and the Governing Council are infidels!"
Here's an insightful piece by Walid Phares on this mess in Iraq: "Al-Qaeda's War on Iraq." Phares asks who is waging the war on Iraq, and then offers an answer:
Tuesday's deadly bombings in Basra provide us with the answer. In several mortar and car bomb explosions, directed against police stations and civilians, terrorist attacks killed more than 70 men, women and children and injured nearly 250. The slaughter was a vivid reminder of similar attacks in several cities around the world including Istanbul, Riyadh, Madrid, Bali and Moscow. Mass killing of civilians has all the al-Qaeda hallmarks. But the Basra massacre has even more to tell us.In targeting police stations, the attacks were meant not only to kill security officers, but also to disrupt the present and future security of Iraq. The aim goes beyond the British troops deployed in this major Shiite city; the real targets are the Iraqis who must become the backbone of stability and normal civil society in Iraq. What the attackers want to achieve is the preemptive assassination of normality for a society in search of peace and progress.
In place of these security forces, which will be serving future democratically elected governments, the terrorists want to see fundamentalist militia at the service of some emir or other. Thus the forces of reaction desperately try to block the march toward the future. If the new Iraq rises, radical forces will be reduced to gangs, or at best, marginal radical factions, which could hope to get at best only a few seats in the representative assemblies. That future is what these killers are trying to forestall.
Al-Qaeda may be emboldened by its bloodshed around the world and particularly in Iraq, but the Iraqis are not the Spanish voters, totally blinded by their own media. The people of Iraq have lived under terror longer than al-Qaeda has been in existence. Ordinary Iraqis, who have no links to the Fallujah Fedayeen or supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, have deep instincts. They have been gassed in Halabja, tortured in Baghdad and piled up in mass graves. They understand the terror message; they know who their real enemy is. Yesterday morning in Basra, they saw the monster devouring the lives of their children. Unlike the Spanish voters, they will not submit to al-Qaeda, for one simple reason: They know that there is a war against their freedom, and that war on Iraq is al-Qaeda's war.
I was saddened to read this story. Truth is not established by bombing or terrorism. The violence, hatred and animosity has to stop.
I wonder if they have a terrorist hall of fame in the mosques that hang up pictures like the one attached to this story.
Despite the ususal emotional blaming of America for these bombings, it was hopeful to read the last paragraph of the article, giving ordinary Iraqi's some credit for having a clue about what they risk to lose, (if we lose) and what they hope to gain if this war is won and a democratic society (of some kind) emerges.
We mustn't forget that there are ordinary, law abiding, life-loving Iraqi people who are open to change and are perhaps more flexible than they are given credit for when it comes to an all out allegience to Islam. Even brainwashing and propaganda is strongly resisted by a certain percentage of personalities in any given people.
We need to hear more from them, but of course the media is not interested in sharing their story with Americans here at home as that would not support their on-going criticisms of the administration and it's 'lying'claims of a war to free the people of Iraq.
All we are allowed to hear from are the militant Anti-American screamers and haters so that we as a people will 'feel bad' and fear that 'nobody likes us' and that our leaders must be corrupt and maybe the Jihad is a just war after all - 'its just another Viet Nam" - so let's just cut and run.
By the way, I wish somebody would interview some gung-ho soldiers who know why they are there and see if they WANT to come home! In spite of the danger (or in some cases, BECAUSE of it!) there just might be some feedback from them that would surprise us. But we won't ever hear that side of the story either. It would shock the couch potato, sports watching,Wal-mart shopping,beer drinking, boob tube hypnotized crowd that there are educated, strong, determined, able bodied men and women in our armed forces who are GLAD to be out on the front lines putting an end to this scourge of radical Islamist terrorists so we don't have to go on being afraid to fly in a plane or take a subway or of being poisoned or blown up for the rest of our natural lives.
And thank you, Mr. Spencer, for this rare opportunity to share my thoughts with others who at least are willing to take the time and make the effort to think - right or wrong. And some of you make me laugh right out loud. :>)
childhood and high school friends of my younger brothers are currently in iraq and tell of anecdotal experiences where iranians who come to iraq to visit family, pilgrimages, etc., are quite amazed to see how nice and humane the coalition forces are. they make statements to the effect that what they have been told of the evil americans is just not true. the reigning mullahs in iran have much to be worried about given that their own population continues to have their eyes opened.
I just wanted to post a comment because it is obvious that the majority of the comments posted are bias towards the Israeli's. I dont think anyone here can understand the position these Palestinians are in...let me tell you, you cannot and should not believe anything you see on CNN...i bet you didn't know that Palestinians are not the only "Suicide bombers," Israeli people have been doing the same, but nobody knows about that right???? You all need to be ashamed of yourselves, this is the only way for these innocent people to save themselves and their country. The USA is supporting Israel and giving them artillery...this is not being provided to the Palestinians...this is their only defense mechanism...and for all of you ignorant people who call Muslims animals...BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES...you all have cloudy images about what Islam is really about...maybe if you were to take the time of day and learn a little bit about the FASTEST GROWING RELIGION IN THE WORLD (ISLAM!!!) then you would have a greater knowledge of it's Peaceful, Humane and Respectful ways. Now, all of you who have called Muslims animals and such just look stupid because you dont know and dont understand anything...Take the time out of your pathetic and judging lives...read a little bit about it and respect it because we all know that Islam is a religion that respects yours.
not needed said: i bet you didn't know that Palestinians are not the only "Suicide bombers," Israeli people have been doing the same, but nobody knows about that right????
Where and when did an Israeli do this? Only Muslims, in Chechnya, Indonesia, New York, etc., are suicide bombers.
not needed said: You all need to be ashamed of yourselves, this is the only way for these innocent people to save themselves and their country.
They could have had a state by now if they didn't insist on having ALL the land and continuing the jihad.
not needed: The USA is supporting Israel and giving them artillery...this is not being provided to the Palestinians.
They have billions from Saddam, the Saudis, etc.
not needed: then you would have a greater knowledge of it's Peaceful, Humane and Respectful ways. Now, all of you who have called Muslims animals and such just look stupid because you dont know and dont understand anything...Take the time out of your pathetic and judging lives...read a little bit about it and respect it because we all know that Islam is a religion that respects yours.
Then why are Muslims killing Christians in Nigeria and Indonesia?