Deadly blasts hit Baghdad bridges

[CHIMO]

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

Suicide truck bombs have struck three vital bridges near the Baghdad, killing 26 people and wounding 60 others, in an apparent attempt by fighters to paralyse road links into the Iraqi capital.

Friday's attacks came as the Iraqi president said that his country would need US and British troops for another year or two.

Jalal Talabani told students in a lecture at UK's Cambridge University: "I think in one or two years we will be able to recruit our own army forces and say goodbye to our friends."

Meanwhile, the US commander in northern Iraq said he does not have enough troops for the mission in increasingly violent Diyala province, north of Baghdad.



Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/B017495A-76FF-459A-B4B7-6D1A1A8C9D79.htm

[MADem]

1. So, Talabani thinks he's got a year or two? Well, he's got until a

Democratic president is sworn in, I suppose, at best, if he's lucky; and that's assuming BushCo can swing this continued veto and benchmarks dance.

Where are they gonna GET more troops? Will they retrain the entire Air Force for ground pounder duty? Do the same with the Navy? Recall old bastards to backfill?

[krkaufman]

2. Has that commander made a "formal" request for troops?

If not, he'll be waiting a long time. Just ask Kansas Governor Sebelius.

[krkaufman]

3. I've been wondering why more bridges weren't being hit ...

... since that big one was hit a month or so back. I suppose, though, that taking out the bridges would sorta kill the insurgency's mobility, as well. (So if they've started hitting the bridges, does that foretell some larger coming attack?)

[madrchsod]

4. siege warfare---somethings never change do they?

..the americans are doing exactly what saddam wanted them to. bush will go down in history as one of the worse military leaders in history.