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| Iraq-Jordan | ||
| Blasts Rip Through 3 Basra Police Stations | ||
| 2004-04-21 | ||
| BASRA, Iraq (AP) - Near-simultaneous explosions ripped through three police stations in the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Wednesday and many casualties were reported, witnesses said. At one station in the Saudia district of Basra, four vehicles were seen destroyed including two school buses. At least one of the school buses appeared to have been full of passengers, an Associated Press reporter at the scene said. The facade of the Saudia station was also heavily damaged. Police Maj. Ouda al-Jabiri, at Saudia, said the cause of the blasts was not immediately known. There was a hole two yards deep and three yards wide in front of the Saudi station.
Rush-hour blasts probably caused by car bombs have hit three police stations in Iraq's second city of Basra, killing at least 40 and injuring scores. Two school buses, one of them apparently full of children, were destroyed in one of the attacks, an AP correspondent reports from the scene.
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| Posted by:Steve White |
| #17 They got linebackers in England? I could'a had a second career. |
| Posted by: Brother Ray N 2004-04-21 9:05:13 PM |
| #16 Linebacker II - rugger speak? |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-04-21 7:13:01 PM |
| #15 I think Old Patriot once told me something about 'Arclight' in Vietnam - appropriate here? I would like to think that an overwhelming campaign similar to "Linebacker II" would probably do the trick. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-04-21 3:26:59 PM |
| #14 I quite agree with regard to Fallujah. I think Old Patriot once told me something about 'Arclight' in Vietnam - appropriate here? |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-04-21 11:33:30 AM |
| #13 Jen, I agree that British experience in northern Ireland is valuable -- in those parts of Iraq where the situation is similar. In Basrah, there is and has been a large group of people who are friendly to the Coalition. They were allowed in some cases to wreak vengeance on the Baathists while the British forces either looked the other way or at least were not able to stop it. So that let off some of the steam. The Sunni triangle is a whole 'nuther matter. Fallujah is the home of al Douri, a Baathist stronghold and the center of major arms caches. It is also on the highway from Syria. Different situation, different response called for. I'm all for the British approach where it is likely to work, but frankly I think it's BS to believe it would have gone over well in some of the parts of Iraq where the US has responsibility. |
| Posted by: rkb 2004-04-21 9:00:47 AM |
| #12 This is what happens when you negotiate with jihadis. |
| Posted by: Rafael 2004-04-21 8:04:58 AM |
| #11 Here we see the valiant Iraqi resistance attacking the hated oppressor-occupiers, right Murat? Blowing up a school bus will of course only lead to more popular support for the resistance, right? /scarcasam |
| Posted by: Mike 2004-04-21 7:03:56 AM |
| #10 Howard, you nailed it. Actually, almost since we liberated Iraq, it's proven that the British Army's experience in Northern Ireland has been invaluable in Iraq--urban "peacekeeping" in a partially hostile environment and all that. We Americans stand shoulder to shoulder with you chaps and don't you forget it! USA! Rule Britannia! |
| Posted by: Jen 2004-04-21 6:10:34 AM |
| #9 I think the military get used to this in NI - just back off slowly and let diplomacy have a go. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-04-21 5:57:14 AM |
| #8 Howard, didn't realize that Basra residents had taken leave of their senses again. Although it is likely that the rockthrowers were being herded by Iranians, you got to be some real saps to be herded past the Hizbollah office on the way to throw rocks at the Brits for the fact that your city has just been on the receiving end of a simultaneous triple car blast. Just ring the city with steel so that the contagion of stupidity can not spread to ... I guess it's too late. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-04-21 5:40:56 AM |
| #7 Yup - didn't stop the Brits getting stoned when they turned up to help. Thanks for the words Jen - some of my boys are over there. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-04-21 4:32:37 AM |
| #6 Howard, I expect that your men have made enough friends in Basra so that you won't have to do the same type of meat-grinding that the Marines are having to do. I would expect that the residents of Basra would be interested in not having their children targetted, but then again, I'm not sure I understand Iraqis any better than I understand Antiwar. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-04-21 4:15:15 AM |
| #5 I hope and pray you're right, Howard! God Bless the British (Army)-May He give them strength and fortitude to make their stand! |
| Posted by: Jen 2004-04-21 4:13:16 AM |
| #4 Hopefully we'll provide the same sort of opposition as the Marines. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-04-21 4:11:28 AM |
| #3 Steve, thanks for posting... I'm thinking that the enemy can't go much past the Marines in Fallujah, so they're working on the British in Basra. |
| Posted by: Jen 2004-04-21 2:38:48 AM |
| #2 The previous statement was mine. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-04-21 1:41:37 AM |
| #1 Two school buses, one of them apparently full of children, were destroyed in one of the attacks, an AP correspondent reports from the scene. In this case, I'll try to believe the BBC. A school bus full of children? What a legacy for "freedom fighters" to boast about with their grandchildren. If this is indeed the case, all Iraqis must stand up and take notice. If not, then there is no amount of brutality we can impose that could possibly match this heartless act. |
| Posted by: Anonymous4388 2004-04-21 1:38:22 AM |