Smoke rises from vicinity of Green Zone after explosions heard in Baghdad

[Barrett808]

Source: Associated Press

BAGHDAD: Smoke billowed from the vicinity of the U.S.-controlled Green Zone after at least two explosions were heard Saturday in Baghdad. The U.S. military said it had no immediate information on the blasts.

Police said two mortar rounds were fired at the Green Zone from eastern Baghdad, but that could not be confirmed.

There has been a sharp increase in mortar attacks on the Green Zone, a heavily fortified area that houses the U.S. and British embassies as well as the main Iraqi government buildings on the west bank of the Tigris River in central Baghdad.

Some rounds appear to have been fired from Sunni insurgent strongholds to the south of the Green Zone. Others have come from areas where Shiite militiamen operate, including much of eastern Baghdad.

The attacks seldom cause casualties or damage because they are poorly aimed and the area contains much open space, but some have proven deadly.

One Iraqi lawmaker were killed in an April 12 suicide bombing in the Iraqi parliament building's dining hall, about two weeks after two suicide vests were found unexploded in the Green Zone. Less than a week before that, a rocket attack in the restricted zone killed an American contractor and an American soldier.


Read more: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/12/africa/ME-GEN-Iraq-Explosions.php

[saigon68]

1. Just getting ready to welcome the Market shoppers today

LOL

[Monkeyman]

2. You Funny and Dinky Dau

[saigon68]

3. Yes I am and meanwhile

Good Morning Baghdad !!!!

[MADem]

4. Ya know, this latest tactic might dampen the GOP enthusiasm.

They're going after the relatively safe Green Zone in earnest. Now, you gotta wear your body armor when you step outside for any purpose. The BOOM BOOM BOOMs are that much closer.

A lot of the "behind the wire" warriors (to include the highly paid civilians who like to play tough guy) who haven't left the area for their entire tours have gotta be getting a little antsy, because the shit's just that much closer to their comfort zone than it used be. The odds of them getting hurt are getting worse by the day.

[wordpix]

16. when the bombs are going off within earshot of Cheney and the head of the UN

you know they're getting too close for comfort. But Cheney doesn't mind as long as he can play couch potato warrior and get the Halliburton blind trust profits or kickbacks. Thirty more years of war ---who cares? :sarcasm: He'll retire rich and comfortable while the other suckers sweat it out in the Iraq meat grinder. :puke:

[MADem]

18. Old Crashcart certainly doesn't have to live there!!

But all of his little acolytes and political appointees over there are gonna have to assume significant risk to collect their paychecks--the days of hanging out at the contractor bar and lounging around the pool are winding down...it's getting "less fun" to be a GOP loyalist, nowadays!

[bluerum]

5. Hmmmm,,,

"The attacks seldom cause casualties or damage because they are poorly aimed and the area contains much open space, but some have proven deadly."

Kind of like the German V2's during WWII. Ineffective because of poor targeting, but scary as hell for the populace of London.

[azurnoir]

8. Oh so that's why the MSM

never reports what happened, just explosions heard, little or no casualties or damage now I understand. Nothing worth seeing here folks. :eyes:

[bluerum]

10. Accoring to Wikipedia, the V-2 killed over 6,000 civilians in London alone. eom

[karlrschneider]

13. That exact phrase is used frequently.

I remember it from at least a couple of reports the past few weeks.
:eyes:

[il_lilac]

6. cut and paste talking points

They used the exact same wording in last weeks report.
"The attacks seldom cause casualties or damage because they are poorly aimed and the area contains much open space, but some have proven deadly"

[McCamy Taylor]

7. Another sign that the insurgency is in its last throes.

[pokercat999]

11. "Another sign that the insurgency is in its last throes."

I think you misspelled O c c u p a t i o n .

[BlueManDude]

9. Don't worry, it's just a KB&R weenie roast.

[alcibiades_mystery]

12. Is this a repeat?

:shrug:

At some point, the fact that the Green Zone is getting shelled will cease being newsworthy. It is really a matter of dog bites man at this point.

[liberal renegade]

14. In Iraq, everday is the 4th of July

[LiberalFighter]

15. I guess Cheney isn't there anymore

[acmavm]

17. The U.S. military said it had no immediate information ...

WTF? What are they doing then? Isn't that their responsibility? To get information as soon as possible?

What they really mean is "The U.S. military hasn't gotten it's story straight yet."