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Explosion Hits U.S. Embassy In Baghdad During Udall Visit
A rocket exploded and another was detonated at the U.S. Embassy complex in Baghdad Sunday as Rep. Mark Udall, D-Colo., and four other members of Congress were visiting, Udall's spokesman confirmed. "They're fine," said Lawrence Pacheco, calling it a mortar attack but adding the group was never in any danger and later left for Jordan as scheduled. Udall, fellow Democrat Rep. Stephanie Herseth of South Dakota, Republican Reps. Tom Osborne of Nebraska, Ernest Istook of Oklahoma and Scott Garrett of New Jersey were in Iraq to learn firsthand about U.S. rebuilding efforts.

Herseth told The Associated Press the delegation attended a scheduled briefing and didn't learn of the attack and explosion until after. "We were in the basement. And the rocket that was launched into the embassy complex was about 500 meters from where we were," she said. An unexploded round was detonated hours after the first explosion, Herseth said. "(Udall) did have some trepidation about going into a war zone, but he really felt that he needed to be on the ground to see our operations there," Pacheco said. "That would help inform him as he makes decisions about U.S. policy and involvement in the region."
More than Kerry and Edwards have done.

Posted by: Steve White 2004-09-27
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=44349