Deadly Baghdad explosion was accidental gas blast: US

[sabra]

http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=137405

Deadly Baghdad explosion was accidental gas blast: US

BAGHDAD - A deadly explosion which demolished a building in a Baghdad market was an accidental gas blast, a US military spokesman said Monday, differing sharply from the Iraqi government's version of events.

Iraqi officials -- including the office of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki -- had earlier blamed a series of insurgent car bombs and missile strikes for Sunday's explosions, which killed at least 57 people as night fell.

But Major General William Caldwell, the chief spokesman for the US-led military coalition in Iraq, told reporters that American explosives experts believed that a major gas explosion had triggered a series of blasts.

"Our explosives specialists reported today that it was a very significant gas explosion on the first floor of the building," he said.

[wtmusic]

1. "Our propagand-er, explosives specialists reported that innocent

civilians can only be killed by equally-innocent gas explosions."

:eyes:

[Kagemusha]

2. Maybe it really was a gas blast, but no one will believe it.

And for good reason, honestly.

[wtmusic]

3. Absolutely right

The problem with being a damned liar is no one ever believes you...

[Kagemusha]

4. Seems this thread provides the real reason for this gas story.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1906096&mesg_id=1906096

The Iraqi govt claims were simply not believable because even a series of car bombs wouldn't have produced this kind of destruction. So it's either air strikes, serious artillery (doubt 155mm shells would cut it even from the sound of it), or.. a gas explosion.

The US is spreading this story so *IT* isn't blamed, as opposed to the insurgents.

[acmavm]

5. I think that they don't want anyone to know how badly their

efforts to retake (like they ever had it) control of Baghdad is going.

[gratuitous]

7. No one will believe it, and no one will ever know the truth

The major problem with being a bunch of damned liars like the Bush administration is that regardless of the cause of this major explosion in Baghdad, the people in the area will write their own version of events. Was it a gas leak? Was it a series of car bombs? Was it missiles fired in by insurgents? Was it missiles fired in by our own military? It doesn't really matter what the truth is, because as long as there is a significant portion of the population that thinks it was the U.S., the U.S. will suffer repercussions from this explosion as people vow vengeance for their lost loved ones.

Violence doesn't drive out violence; darkness cannot be overcome with more darkness.

[alfredo]

8. Remember The Main!!!!

[lapfog_1]

12. cute!

"remember the (gas) main"

[alfredo]

13. I'm glad someone caught that.

[Freedom_from_Chains]

6. Ok, so the utility services aren't working worth a shit either. n/t

[LizW]

9. Yeah, that's the ticket

Or maybe it was a surprise "planned demolition," like in "V for Vendetta."

[Tempest]

10. That was my first thought too

Funny how current events can be traced back to that movie.

[Javaman]

11. Check! Gotcha, accident...move along, nothing to see here. nt

[Kitsune]

14. ...and it's impossible to trigger an explosion in a gas main? *nt*