[Bobboau]

I can't get on to any news sites for linkage, probly jammed

reports are that many civilians are dead, few if any US troops were hurt
why the **** are they doing this?
they just killed at least 10 times as many Iraqis as us, this looks like a isrieli suicide bomb or the 9/11 atacks, there are busses ripped to shreads, cars torn apart, a massive fireball was seen above the fog cover from people in taller buildings

offical numbers so far: 15 Iraqies dead

probly a lot more than that

there is a flameing fireball about 100 meters wide

[Liberator]

BAGHDAD, Iraq  — A car bomb exploded outside the main gate to the headquarters of the U.S.-led coalition Sunday, wounding several Iraqis and at least one American soldier, a U.S. general said. American officials said there were "estimates" of 15 Iraqi dead.

 
 
The blast occurred at about 8 a.m. near the "Assassin's Gate" to Saddam Hussein's (search) former Republican Palace complex, now used by the U.S.-led occupation authority for headquarters. The gate is used by hundreds of Iraqis employed by the Coalition Provisional Authority, the formal name of the U.S.-led occupation authorities, as well as U.S. military vehicles.

Brig. Gen. Mark Hertling, deputy commander of the 1st Armored Division (search), said the blast was caused by a car bomb, and American officials were "assuming this was a suicide bomb."

"It was literally at the last point a vehicle could get to without being stopped," Hertling said. "The barriers absorbed most of the blast."

A spokesman for the Coalition Press and Information Center (search), speaking on condition of anonymity, said there were "estimates" of 15 Iraqi dead.

The area is one of the most heavily guarded in the capital. U.S. soldiers guarding the gate usually stand about 20 yards from the road behind coils of barbed wire and concrete barriers. Iraqi witnesses said two Land Cruisers attempted to enter the gate when they exploded.

One witness, Hamid Hawwam, said two cars exploded at the gate, and one of them flew into the air.

Karar Abbas, an Iraqi civil defense trooper, said the blast engulfed seven cars parked along the street.

Mohammed Jabbar, who works at the Ministry of Planning, said he was waiting to pass through the security checkpoint when the blast occurred.

"When the explosion went off, it was very strong," he said. "It lifted us into the air. People fell on top of one another."

At least three separate fires were seen after the blast. One man was seen lying motionless on the side of the road as coalition soldiers and civilians helped the wounded.

Coalition tanks also moved in near the blazes.

"The wounded are in big numbers, there are killed, there were people whom we couldn't take to the hospital," engineer Khalid Taleb said. "It is a very crowded area."

Haidar Hanoun said he was lining up for a job when a Land Cruiser and another vehicle exploded.

"It was very strong. There are a lot of injured and dead," he said.

Several of the wounded squatted helplessly on the ground. Some, shocked and weeping, were comforted by bystanders. One wounded man was carried away in what looked like a bed sheet.

Nabil Abdul Zahar said a friend standing with him in line for security checks was killed.

"My friend was standing behind me in the line when the explosion happened," a shaken Zahar said. "There were lots of injured. I went to check on him. I saw his throat cut. I called for help and no one came to help me. He died right there on the ground."

Iraqi police announced on loudspeakers that coalition forces will give $2,500 to anyone providing information on the perpetrators.

The explosion could be heard along the banks of the Tigris River, which flows through the center of the city of 5 million. Dense morning fog blanketed the city at the time.

The last large explosions in the center of Baghdad occurred Monday when mortars exploded near the river.

This is shear, total, unadulterated LUNACY!  Why????  

All they are doing is attempting to prevent an improvement to the general level of Iraqi well-being.  I mean Iraq has had no such thing as hope for 30 years, and these sons of *****es don't like it, so they're trying to stop it.

What they don't realize is that unlike Vietnam, which is what they are basing they're attacks on praying to $#@%ing Allah that we'll run just like we did then, the will of America is behind the efforts in Iraq, Afganistan and elsewhere.

[Knight Templar]

18 dead - 16 Iraqi, 2 American

[Star Dragon]

 is wrong with these morons. First of all to kill 8 times as many of your OWN people to get 2 of the soldiers? Second when will the Iraqi People WAKE UP and get rid of these vipers in their midst?

   They should say somthing like htis: "Hey American GI come with me to THIS location, see Those people arrest them there are terrorists.... They kill our people, they keep Iraq in fear and poverty and shame. Sure we don't like America, Our religion is vastly different than others, BUT in the end we realise the real future for iraq can be peaceful, properous and better than it ever has been before for the people (not just for a few people in power) If we can end this senseless stupidity. We WILL give up these bastards IF you then leave our country. ect.."

   I tell you this, no matter how long this bull**** goes on until the Iraqi people get a wake up call we HAVE to be there, cause if we pull out now all we are doing is dooming them...


   I AM an American soldier and a Christian. I believe they have the right to hate us, and despise our way of life. But most of all I believe they have the right to exist. It's the scum with the car bombs and the missile attacks who act in some insane state of mind for a fallen regieme against those who simply want to build up Iraq and make them independant as well as prosperous that piss me off and wish them dead...

   If they simply let us finish what needs to be done for Iraq the sooner we could leave ENTIRELY! and most importantly Peacefully and a LOT sooner!

My rant is done (grumble)...

[pyro-manic]

Originally posted by Star Dragon
 is wrong with these morons. First of all to kill 8 times as many of your OWN people to get 2 of the soldiers? Second when will the Iraqi People WAKE UP and get rid of these vipers in their midst?

Buggered if I know....

Sure we don't like America

Hmmm, I wonder why?


Our religion is vastly different than others,

Err, not true. Islam, Judaism and Christianity all stem from a common faith. But Islam has (recently) been twisted and used as an excuse for violence. Though the same happened to Christianity at the end of the Dark Ages (Crusades, anyone?). Worryingly, it may be starting to happen again (due to the dangerously Fundamentalist beliefs of George Dubya and a fair chunk of his cabinet).

I AM an American soldier and a Christian. I believe they have the right to hate us, and despise our way of life. But most of all I believe they have the right to exist. It's the scum with the car bombs and the missile attacks who act in some insane state of mind for a fallen regieme against those who simply want to build up Iraq and make them independant as well as prosperous that piss me off and wish them dead...

   If they simply let us finish what needs to be done for Iraq the sooner we could leave ENTIRELY! and most importantly Peacefully and a LOT sooner!

My rant is done (grumble)...

Respect to you for that. The sooner America pulls out of the Middle East entirely the better, but they've got to finish the job they started.

I say they should focus on getting to the Moon and developing fusion (see the bottom section of this article. Then they can stop raping the rest of the world for their own corporate gain.....

[an0n]

America won't be leaving the middle-east anytime this century.

I seem to recall some Whitehouse goon saying they were in the process of "expanding the US military into more foreign bases"

[Blue Lion]

Who ever said they were aiming for US troops?

[Bobboau]

no one, I was in fact asking why the hell were they killing Iraqiies

[Falcon]

to show they aren't afraid of shedding any blood for their cause even if it has to do with killing their own. Remember that they were brainwashed by Sodam Insane.

[Blue Lion]

Originally posted by Bobboau
no one, I was in fact asking why the hell were they killing Iraqiies

Are you serious or just asking a rhetorical question?

They're killing Iraqis to cause problems, unrest. If the US can't keep control, maybe the people will call for them to leave. Killing US soldiers isn't going to get the Iraqi people to want them out. Having them live in a place where the US doesn't have control will.

[Bobboau]

Originally posted by Blue Lion
Are you serious or just asking a rhetorical question?

a little of both, leaning more to the rhetorical side

[aldo_14]

Besides which, suicide bombers treat the 'collateral damage' of their own kind (so to speak) as martyrs.  They genuinely don't give a **** who they kill.

[neo_hermes]

Maybe if we pull out now and have them fend for themselves. Maybe just maybe they'll fix themselves....it could happen in some Alternate Universe.