Into the abyss

mudwoman · Post by **mudwoman** » 09-19-2004 12:33 AM

The week Iraq's dream of peace fell apart
By Patrick Cockburn in Baghdad

18 September 2004

Where freedom was promised, chaos and carnage now reign. A suicide bomber in a car blows himself up in the heart of Baghdad killing 13 people. Air raids by US near the city of Fallujah kill scores more. And so ends one of the bleakest weeks in Iraq's grim recent history.

Between them, suicide bombers targeting Iraqi police and US air strikes aimed at rebels have killed some 300 Iraqis since last Saturday - many of them were civilians. The escalating violence throws into doubt the elections planned for January and the ability of the US and interim Iraqi government to control the country.

The repeated suicide-bomb attacks and kidnappings in the centre of Baghdad are eroding whatever remaining optimism there might be about the success of the government of Iyad Allawi, the Prime Minister, in restoring order in an increasingly fragmented country.

Violence and abductions are ensuring that even tentative efforts at economic reconstruction have ground to a halt. Earlier in the week, the US diverted $3.4bn (£2bn) of funds intended for water and electricity projects to security and the oil industry. Many Iraqi businessmen and doctors have fled to Amman and Damascus because of fear of being taken hostage. The abduction of one British and two American contractors this week will make it very difficult for any foreigners to live in Baghdad outside fortified enclaves.

Yesterday, a car packed with explosives blew up near a row of police cars blocking off a bridge in the centre of the Baghdad. Police tried to get the bomber to stop but he drove on into the middle of the parked cars. "I saw human flesh and blood in the street, then I fled," said Mouayed Shehab.

There are big markets in this part of Baghdad on Friday including a famous book market in al-Muthanabi Street where booksellers cover the road with books they want to sell. A few hundred yards away, there are markets selling everything from spices to birds and guard dogs. Police fired shots into the air to force shoppers to flee.

The police had blocked the bridge over the Tigris as part of an attempt to seal off Haifa Street - a focal point of violence in recent days - on the western side of the river where US and Iraqi forces were involved in a search operation and gun battles had been fought earlier in the morning. Haifa Street, with its modern tower blocks and old alleys, is a notorious Sunni Muslim neighbourhood where US forces are frequently ambushed. It is also only a few hundred yards from the Green Zone, the headquarters of the US and Iraqi interim government.

The security forces arrested 63 suspects during their sweeps of Haifa Street including Syrians, Sudanese and Egyptians. They also claimed to have discovered caches of arms, though that does not necessarily mean very much in Iraq where almost all families own one or more guns.

Yet the horrors have spread way beyong the capital. Early yesterday, police found the body of a Westerner with blond hair which had been pulled from the Tigris river at Yethrib village, 40 miles north of Baghdad. He was tall, well built, had his hands tied behind his back and had been shot in the back of the head. The description does not match any of the Western hostages known to be held by kidnappers.

And, of course, Iraqis suffer. The US Air Force has stepped up its policy of trying to assault insurgents from the air while the army avoids ground attacks that could lead to heavy US casualties. In this case, the air strikes were against a compound in the village of Fazat Shnetir 12 miles south of Fallujah. The US military said they had attacked a meeting of militants loyal to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi planning fresh attacks on US forces.

The residents of Fazat Shnetir were later seen digging mass graves to bury the bodies in groups of four. A health ministry spokesman, Saad al-Amili, said that 44 people were killed and 27 injured in the Fallujah attacks with 17 children and two women among the wounded. The floor of the Fallujah hospital was awash with blood. Relatives cried out with grief and called for vengeance.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/mid ... ory=563099

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 09-19-2004 12:37 AM

I wonder what the news would be out of Iraq if we didn't invade under Saddam's brutal regime?

Iris · Post by **Iris** » 09-19-2004 01:02 AM

Can't say I like kittens too much.

No surprises there. They probably don't like you either.

Joolz · Post by **Joolz** » 09-19-2004 01:20 AM

Iris wrote: No surprises there. They probably don't like you either.

ROFL!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 09-19-2004 01:28 AM

Zing?

I can't wait until I am older so I can laugh at female, middle-aged, Reader's Digest humour.

Iris · Post by **Iris** » 09-19-2004 02:50 AM

Yes, we'll all be happy when you grow up.

mudwoman · Post by **mudwoman** » 09-19-2004 03:45 AM

Iris wrote: Yes, we'll all be happy when you grow up.

Dang you are fast on the draw Iris!

I was taking an old lady nap. When I woke up, I had to change my depends, then it took nearly 20 minutes to shuffle over to the PC with my walker.

Oh look! It's a baby troll. How cute!

Iris · Post by **Iris** » 09-19-2004 04:03 AM

ROTFLOL! Sandy, you're a hoot!!

Devastated · Post by **Devastated** » 09-19-2004 07:44 AM

Now, now, ladies, he's probably a soldier! I am sure he is basing his wise opinions about Iraq on the same intellect AND EXPERIENCE that led to his comments on middle-age humor. Let's give him a chance. I'm sure he has something worthwhile to say.

Joolz · Post by **Joolz** » 09-19-2004 01:07 PM

Iris · Post by **Iris** » 09-19-2004 05:04 PM

The A-Team wrote: I wonder what the news would be out of Iraq if we didn't invade under Saddam's brutal regime?

Not nearly as bad as the news coming out of Sudan. If Bush went into Iraq for humanitarian reasons, why isn't he going into Sudan? Do you think he should?