Officials: Blast survivors hit by (US) gunfire (52 dead, 93 injured)

[Barrett808]

Officials: Blast survivors hit by gunfire
By SINBAD AHMED, Associated Press Writer

RABIAH, Iraq (AP) - Some survivors of a suicide bombing targeting Iraqi army recruits were shot and wounded immediately afterward when U.S. and Iraqi soldiers opened fire at the scene, police, doctors and witnesses said Saturday.

The bomber wandered into a crowd of Iraqis waiting Friday to enlist in the army and detonated his explosives, said police and witnesses to the attack in this northern town near the Syrian border. Al-Qaida in Iraq claimed responsibility in a statement posted on the Internet.

After the blast, U.S. and Iraqi troops opened fire believing they were under attack, Rabiah's police chief, Col. Yahya al-Shammari, told The Associated Press.

He said some of the army recruits were killed by the gunfire, although it was unclear how many because dead and wounded were taken to several hospitals across a wide area of northern Iraq.

He said the death toll from the suicide attack had risen to 52 dead and 93 injured by late Saturday.

(more)

http://www.bakersfield.com/24hour/world/story/2595243p-11044570c.html

[musette_sf]

1. "Let freedom reign!"

[Cha]

14. Democracy ON The

March! Everything is Fine In Iraq..what's YOUR Problem?!!

Who wrote that? Oh, is that from that lying bitch rice?

[joanski0]

2. I just can't stand it!

Is this ever going to end? What the F*** is wrong with everyone that we can't stop this?

[DeaconBlues]

3. unbelievable

what a truly unadulterated cluster fuck

[Newsjock]

4. Today we are all Iraqis

7/29/05 changed everything.
Never forget.

[Barrett808]

5. I say that all the time, too! People look at me funny. n/t

[Cha]

15. Sorry, what happened

7/29/05? The Permanent patriot act?

[manic expression]

21. That is the day of this attack

the post was satirical, pointing out the fact that so many people said "We are all Londoners" (and other things) when London was attacked, but how no one cares when 52 Iraqis are killed.

[Cha]

27. I get it now..thanks.

I've been an Iraqi since bush bombed them on March 20, 2003..maybe even a little before.

[mirandapriestly]

6. How traumatized are the Iraq people from living with this?

I remember reading something from PNAC on the real meaning of shock & awe and how to thoroughly demoralize and terrorize them as a means of conquering them. It sounds like that is what is being done to Iraq. To the innocent people, of course.

[DanCa]

7. They kill we kill they kill again

Grab you gun and join the fun.
To quote John Lennon "All am saying is give peace a chance."
So much blood shed my heart is bleeding right now.

[reprobate]

8. But the Iraqi people LOVE us!

[Barrett808]

10. Anybody know what happened with the "Truth Tour"?

I was dying to hear how that would turn out.

[mbperrin]

12. Did they ever get out of Tampa?

hmmmm.....the truth is out there.

Sorry, couldn't resist! ;)

[noamnety]

16. Ah, the truth tour

Day one of their "vacation adventure" (their words, not mine). A harrowing at the nerve center of the war on terror, Tampa Florida, where the Truth Tour encounters ... (wait for it) ... people dressed in their traditional native uniforms. Getting to the Middle East is an "E-Ticket Ride."

http://www.moveamericaforward.org/index.php/DailyFile/diary_entry_first_days_of_the_truth_tour/

It turns out the stories we've heard are all wrong, it's not a war at all - we've been over there creating another Disneyworld!

Then they have some snapshots ... http://www.moveamericaforward.org/index.php/DailyFile/more_photographs_from_iraq/

It's very odd, there's not a lot of written description other than "we hosted a radio show from inside the compound" and "look - we slept on real cots, in a real tent!"

I thought they were going to be there longer, but it appears they went to Iraq for 2 days, during which they broadcast nonstop from inside the tent. Is that right?

[Barrett808]

20. Seems strange that after all the hoopla the event itself remains obscure

Is that because they found things they didn't like? Or just because the scope was rather less ambitious than we were led to believe?

[musette_sf]

22. just went to the site and am LOL...

WTF are "native uniforms"?

"My vacation adventure began in Florida, meeting people dressed in their traditional native uniforms: Mongolia, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Greece, Sweden, Lithuania, Canada, Kuwait, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom."

I'm Lithuanian, myself, and the closest thing I can think of to a "native uniform" would be this:

[noamnety]

29. When I read "Native Uniforms"

My first thought was they aren't going to the real Iraq at all, they're hanging out at Epcot Center. And then there was talk of the "E-tickets."

It would be funny, except it's such a slap in the face to the troops there to be dying, and the media here equates it to a vacation as Disney.

[tblue37]

25. They are spouting nonsense.

They stayed in the Green Zone.

http://www.jameswolcott.com has an entry about how at least one of them came back spouting that things are great over there.

[Barrett808]

28. He has some great links in this post

Highly recommended reading about the new neo-con plan to declare victory.

[DanCa]

9. Imagine the outrage if they were embryo's

Or maybe American embryos.

[Schema Thing]

11. "They were throwing everything at us

heads, arms, legs... we had to free fire spray the area with bullets!"

on edit: gah! I hate to criticize men in that stressful situation, but What.The.Fuck???

[xchrom]

13. mission accomplished.

[Robeson]

17. How to win friends and influence enemies....

...our occupation is Bush-league.

[jazzjunkysue]

18. Wasn't bullets. It was candy and flowers. Quit yer whinin'

Must be more communists.

[Barrett808]

19. Remember, this story is about US forces opening fire on the survivors

I also thought it was about an insurgent ambush.

[warrens]

23. Last throes

Bwahahahaha. They got us doing the killing FOR them now. 150 dead or wounded????

Man, I thought we reached our low point in Viet Nam, but this is turning into a not very funny JOKE. The worst performance by the U.S. armed forces EVER, and Smirking Giggling Murderer and Reanimator were TOLD this would happen before we ever came near attacking.

Least competent war criminals ever.

[Solly Mack]

24. sickening

[WhiteTara]

26. OMG

just another shitty day in paradise.