US admits Green Zone is no longer safe

[cal04]

US admits Green Zone is no longer safe as suicide bomber strikes at heart of government
· Blast in parliament kills eight, including three MPs
· Iraq's tightest security cordon infiltrated

US officials admitted last night that the bombing of the Iraqi parliament shows that not even the heavily fortified Green Zone is safe any more, despite the security crackdown launched earlier this year in the Iraqi capital.

American and Iraqi security officials were last night investigating how a suicide bomber evaded a ring of security checks and blew himself up in the assembly's cafe, killing three MPs and five other people and wounding more than 20.

About 100,000 US and Iraqi soldiers are on the streets of the capital as part of the troop "surge" begun two months ago; while security inside the Green Zone has been tightened following the recent discovery there of two suicide bomb belts.

But after the deadliest attack ever in the Green Zone, US officials warned that nowhere is safe in Baghdad. "The international zone is not safe, it is just safer than the rest of the city," said Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Garver. "Enemies of the country are trying to drive a wedge between the people and the government." In Washington the secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, said: "We know that there is a security problem in Baghdad. This (crackdown) is still early in the process and I don't think anyone expected that there wouldn't be counter-efforts by terrorists to undermine the security presence."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2056345,00.html

[Monkeyman]

1. Ah No Shit Sherlock

[Straight Shooter]

2. The more bush digs in his heels, the more desperate the attacks become.

Refusing to agree on a timetable has "emboldened" the insurgents to strike deeper and deeper into the heart of the American presence.

bush cannot read the writing on the wall.

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. Let's get John McCain's take on this matter

He's such an expert on how safe Iraq is, you know.

[Dhalgren]

6. Absolutely! Some reporter should be shoving a microphone in

John's mug right now. "So, 'Strollin' John', how do you like Iraq, now?"

[TheCowsCameHome]

7. Meanwhile, he's trying to screw some poor rug merchant

into selling him ten rugs for $5

[Dhalgren]

4. Why is this twit so enamored of these kinds of phrases?

"I don't think anyone expected that there wouldn't be counter-efforts by terrorists to undermine the security presence."

Earlier statements by Condi:
"No one could have predicted that terrorists would use airplanes as missiles."

"No one could have anticipated that the levies would break."

"No could have seen that Laura would find out I was fucking her husband."

[tom_paine]

12. Most Loyal Bushies aren't too good at thinkin', even the Leaders (except criminally)

They EXCEL at criminal thought and that is the ONLY kind of thought they excel at (perhaps sophistry for power's sake, as well).

As a result, when asked to "stay on message" a Loyal Bushie STAYS ON MESSAGE, which makes for all those wonderful Daily Show Montages of Bush's & Bushevik Lies.

Condi's just doin' her job. Squirting ink into the debate like a squid to confuse the gullible and escape in the confusion if she can.

And well, honestly in terms of public knowledge and proof, nobody HAS found out that Condi has fucked Laura's husband. We also haven't found out what Gay Male Prostitute Jeff Gannon was doing on those 14 overnight White House stays. Considering the depth and breadth of felonies and perhaps treason that needs to be invetsigated first, it seems that we will never know.

[adarling]

5. I do think the Imus thing is important

but not enough to be dedicating so much air time to it. they should be discussing the shit storm that has been rising and rising. When is the stench going to reach the rest of the country and force us to get up off our asses and demand they pull our troops out. We have lost, the only thing we can do now is work from the outside, through the UN, or other countries and send aid that way. They lost baghdad along time ago, now is the time to abandon ship and regroup.

[Possumpoint]

8. Iraqi's Forced

a change in the Green Zone Security arrangements. They felt the Americans were too intrusive with their searches. The Iraqi now do the searches. I wonder what happened?

[Dhalgren]

9. Ah, I can see the choppers taking off from the roof-tops now...

Makes me kinda nostalgic...(snif)...

[whistle]

10. Will the Iraq War version of the "Tet Offensive" be next?

[ShortnFiery]

11. Once again, let's thank Big Brother for stating the obvious?

:eyes:

Does this mean that our chocolate rations will be withheld? No? Did you say that you want us to go shopping for an SUV instead? :crazy: