Article

2006-08-18 Iraq

2 Car Bombings in Baghdad Kill 10 People

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Posted by Fred 2006-08-18 00:00|| || Front Page|| [8 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 U.S. officials confirmed that the number of roadside bombs directed against U.S. and Iraqi forces had increased sharply, dramatizing the threat posed by the Sunni-led insurgency despite attention directed to sectarian violence in the capital.

So sectarian vipolence is 'surging', but the insurgency has not abated, either? So why does Iraq consume less and less of the news? Seems to me, the roadside-bomb-directed-against-US forces articles are waaay off.

The sectarian violence has diverted attention from the threat posed by Sunni Arab insurgents. But recent figures suggest that the insurgency is gaining strength despite setbacks, including the June 7 death of al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.... Oh, so your evidence suggests the insurgency is 'gaining strength'? Which recent figures are you citing? Care to share?

U.S. officials said that, in July, a total of 2,625 bombs exploded or were discovered before they could detonate. That was up sharply from the 1,454 bombs that went off or were discovered in January. Of the bombs discovered in July, 1,666 of them exploded and the rest were detected. Or, 63.47% exploded and 36.53% were discovered before they exploded, in July. How does that compare with previous months? Ya got January and ya got July. Whaddabout the rest of the months? Ya gotta graph?

About 70 percent of them were directed at U.S.-led forces. Twenty percent were directed at Iraqi security forces and 10 percent against civilians, the officials said. And how does that compare with any particular cherry-picked months for which you have data? Inquiring minds want to know.

Deputy Health Minister Adel Muhsin said Wednesday that about 3,500 Iraqis died in July in sectarian or political violence nationwide, the highest monthly death toll for civilians since the war started in March 2003. About the same number were killed in the US - on our highways - in the same period. But that's old news.

U.S. commanders are rushing nearly 12,000 U.S. and Iraqi troops to the capital to try to end the carnage. They've been 'rushing' for a month now. And from where I sit, the 'carnage' is lessening, even judging by the lower numbers reported by the MSM. BTW, any idea how many of those killed are gang or criminal related? Chicago was a dangerous place in the 20's.

Also Thursday, a senior official said Iraq has doubled the money allocated for importing oil products in August and September to tackle the country's worst fuel shortage since Saddam Hussein's 2003 ouster. Even though Iraq has the world's third-largest proven oil reserves, it is forced to depend on imports because of an acute shortage of refined products such as gasoline, kerosene and cooking gas. Sabotage of pipelines by insurgents, corruption and aging refineries have been blamed. Oh. So why does Iran have to import the majority of its gasoline? Corruption, aging refineries, and more money going to Hizbolla and nukes?

gloom

doom

quagmire

It's gonna get 'worse and worse' until you just don't see it reported anymore...

Posted by Bobby 2006-08-18 07:18|| 2006-08-18 07:18|| Front Page Top

#2 Lovely fisk, Bobby. A nice way to start the day. :-)

Posted by trailing wife 2006-08-18 07:44|| 2006-08-18 07:44|| Front Page Top

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