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| Iraq | |
| Car bomb at coalition HQ in Baghdad | |
| 2004-01-18 | |
| A POWERFUL car bomb ripped the main gate to the headquarters of the US-led coalition in Iraq this morning. "We believe it was a car bomb in the vicinity of assassin’s gate," a spokesman said, using the name for the heavily-fortified entrance to the presidential palace, home to the US-run Coalition Provisional Authority. A policeman outside the arched gateway to the symbol of US power in Iraq said a car on line to enter the citadel had exploded, sending shrapnel flying and possibly killing or wounding those people waiting to enter the palace grounds. ``It was a car lining up to enter the palace that exploded,’’ a police officer said. News is still coming in, no word yet as to the corpse count ...
Followup, from al-Jizzles... Up to 25 people have been killed and 130 wounded in a powerful car bomb blast which ripped the main gate to the headquarters of the US occupation authorities in Baghdad. "At least 20 people have lost their lives and almost 60 were injured," Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, as quoted by AFP, told reporters. "We have confirmation some of those killed were US citizens, US contractors. We believe the current number is two. We are waiting for final confirmation." Another five people were reported dead and 71 wounded at Baghdad hospitals. The US military had previously identified the dead Americans as two US Defence Department employees. The military said its toll was not counting those people brought to local Iraqi hospitals. Three dead and 30 wounded were brought to Karrama hospital, while another two people were reported dead at Baghdad's Yarmuk hospital, Iraqi doctors said. There were no reported fatalities at other local hospitals, where the number of wounded was put at 41 from Karkh, Yarmuk, al-Kindi and the Neurological Surgical hospital. | |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #7 How did the truck get so close to the gate anyway? I thought that we had military check-points several blocks away. Someone either screwed up big-time, which I somehow doubt, or they had inside help. Most likely from Iraqi Police. |
| Posted by: Charles 2004-1-18 12:12:01 PM |
| #6 As tragic and dispicable as this act and others like it what is even more dispicable is that the "Caring" and Loving" and "Concerned" elements of the Left and Anti-War Movements much less Howard Dean will not say one Goddamn word about this except to say it's all Bush's fault. These are the same type of people that refused to say anything when the Embassies in Kenya, Tanzania and Beruit were bombed. The same people who didn't say anything when the Marine barracks at the Beruit airport was bombed. I guess the old saying is true. They truely DO NOT have any enemies on the Left. |
| Posted by: Cheddarhead 2004-1-18 11:37:29 AM |
| #5 If the transfer of authority goes forward as planned on June 30, July 1 could be an interesting day in Iraqi history. I'm predicting a shortage of lampposts and rope. |
| Posted by: Matt 2004-1-18 11:24:48 AM |
| #4 Fox's reporter Dana Lewis (wasn't he with NBC before?) sez the two Merkins were US civilian contractor employees. Still, a shame for all the dead...prayers with them |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-1-18 7:26:27 AM |
| #3 Last I heard was 16 Iraqi civilians and 2 US military dead. This was where people seeking employment queue up... and 8:00 AM is prime-time for such activity. Anyone taking bets on whether / when the Iraqis might get a clue regards the fact that the jihadis ("foreign fighters" - yeah, right) don't give a shit about them? |
| Posted by: .com 2004-1-18 3:46:44 AM |
| #2 6 dead, all Iraqi civs, apparently. More popularity for the "resistance". |
| Posted by: mojo 2004-1-18 2:37:31 AM |
| #1 ABC News, 1:16 AM EST: "At least three separate fires were seen. One man was seen lying motionless on the side of the road as coalition soldiers and civilians helped the injured. "The explosion occurred about 8 a.m. and 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 and it was difficult to see far enough to determine where the blast occurred." |
| Posted by: Steve White 2004-1-18 1:06:33 AM |