WP: A Bloody, Devastating Day: Violence Kills 72

[Pirate Smile]

A Bloody, Devastating Day: Violence Kills 72
Officials Say Rebels Seeking to Exploit Political Uncertainty

By Jonathan Finer and Bassam Sebti
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, May 12, 2005; Page A17

BAGHDAD, May 11 -- The laborers in Saddam Hussein's home town of Tikrit walked toward the slow-moving car before breakfast Wednesday morning, hoping that someone inside might offer them a day's work. Instead, the vehicle erupted in a fiery explosion that cut them down.

About 40 miles north and two hours later, dozens of young men outside an army recruitment center in sleepy Hawija met a similar fate when a man ran toward them and detonated explosives he had strapped to himself. And here in the Iraqi capital, four car bombs shook the city before noon. After one of those explosions, a sniper fired on Iraqi police who arrived on the scene.


U.S. soldiers stand near the covered body of a victim after a car bomb attack in Baghdad's Mansour district Wednesday. (Namir Noor-eldeen - Reuters)


In all, at least 72 Iraqis died across northern and central portions of the country Wednesday. The death toll over the past two weeks neared 400, making it one of the most violent periods since the U.S. invasion two years ago.

Iraqi officials say the wave of violence is timed to capitalize on political uncertainty during the long transition to a new Shiite Muslim-led government. Negotiations over who would hold senior positions began in late April.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/11/AR2005051100233.html

[kansasblue]

1. And now that that's stable will be in Iran in soon

But we'll be welcomed as liberator and we'll worry about post invasion plans later.

[K8-EEE]

2. No Wonder All The Middle East Countries LOVE Us....

Look how much we improved that Iraq situation! Who wouldn't want to live in the new, post GWB invasion Iraq?

[gee double you bee]

3. I know snarky comments about Iraq

stem from heartbreak and frustration, and not callousness, but for some reason they've been pissing me off lately.

When is this war going to end?

[DanCa]

4. Maybe if we refer to the act of war as post abortion

And maybe if we refer to them as murder post embryos or post fetus they will get the message and stop this insanity. These people get me ill.

[deadparrot]

5. We hear even less about the Iraqi casualties than we do

about American soldiers.