Explosions Heard at Baghdad Hotels (Sheraton, Palestine, CNN now)

[DuctapeFatwa]

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20041007_780.html

[Inland]

1. Maybe its the sound of democracy on the march.

[skylarmae]

10. 'onward christian soldiers'

[MADem]

11. Ah, yes!!!

That's FREEDOM!!!! My, they've come a long way from a single guy carrying the same vase, over and over again, out of a museum, haven't they?

What a load of crap! :hurts:

[tjdee]

2. But it's safer there! Surely you're kidding???

Hopefully no one's dying, but they probably are.

Are these the hotels where the journalists are???

[DuctapeFatwa]

5. Journalists and "security contractors" Barbara Starr suggests

these attacks will convince the Iraqis to support collaborators.

[skylarmae]

14. Yes! and adjacent buildings where they are protected by those 10 foot

cement baracades. Rockets lobbed right over those little puppies, huh! Georgie Porgie has me seething right now.......

[yellowcanine]

3. Untidiness rears its ugly head again. Someone call Housekeeping.

[PA Democrat]

4. CNN is showing live shots of a firefight

right outside the hotel where reporters are staying INSIDE the Green Zone.

CNN reporter is yelling, "Get the lights off!"

[leftchick]

12. rather shocking actually...

Imagine getting a glimpse of Iraq violence on state run television this close to the election!

[DuctapeFatwa]

15. The nets had their cameras all set up, apparently

Quite a coincidence. Crusadecom had "raised the alert" for the Green Zone earlier today.

[ozymandius]

25. Those cameras are always ready to go.

For every talking head you see on TV, there are usually four to five people in the support crew. Cameras are always ready to roll.

[DuctapeFatwa]

27. sure, but someone made the call to run them this time. There are

explosions in Iraq every day, many in the "area of the Green Zone."

Ususally these are reported as cause unknown one-liners by the western reporters who never leave their hotels unless they are called upon to staff a presentation piece, like Jane Arraf was last week.

Today's event, the AFP story is a twoliner, cause unknown, however the density of the commentary is noticeably more substantial and carefully threaded to echo regime statements than usual than the kind of improvize fill while we wait for the next announced "controlled" explosion. I know Brent is good, but this is quite remarkable.

[ozymandius]

29. Brent is a damn good reporter and a genuinely nice person.

Therein your observation is the difference between a two-liner and substantive accounts of this violence. These reporters will not venture outside their barricades, often relying on outside information to flesh out the story of violence occurring somewhere beyond the gates.

But when they war comes to them, they will be all over it. It is what they do better than anything else in the world. Better than investigative reporting. Better than personal interest reporting.

[DuctapeFatwa]

31. He was preparing for US noon news. AFP 2 liner is significant because

AFP has consistently come out of their hotel and come through with news that the US nets either chose not to gather, or not to report. AFP personnel have been seized by crusaders for defying US cover bans.

Another interesting detail of today's event.

[Connie_Corleone]

6. "Major combat in Iraq is over."

[durablend]

20. Stop harping on all this negative news

You're dragging down the American resolve!

All this is just a movie filming...none of it is real. We're winning the war on terror every day contrary to what the liberal media is telling you!!!!!

[Catherine Vincent]

7. With all this caos gong on there in Iraq you got to know Saddam

is probably enjoying this. Was it this bad when he was in power?

[hlthe2b]

8. Mission Accomplished!

"ain't we proud?" :mad:

[Swede]

9. another explosion now as brent sadler speaks on cnn.

[MADem]

16. Well, that's one way ....

...to ensure that reporters don't only cover the "bad news" coming out of Iraq--if you kill them all, there won't be any "bad news."

[tjdee]

13. The Sheraton Hotel is on fire.

So good!

Freedom is on the march!

[Neshanic]

17. "I am from CNN, now get me another room...with a mini-bar!"

[Mika]

18. Turning yet another corner?

It gets worse and worse.


Mission accomplished.

[Barrett808]

19. CNN: Blasts, gunfire ring through Baghdad

Blasts, gunfire ring through Baghdad
U.S., Iraqi troops expand offensive
Thursday, October 7, 2004 Posted: 12:25 PM EDT (1625 GMT)

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Rocket and machine gun fire resounded through central Baghdad on Thursday as projectiles whizzed through the city.

Several blasts were heard, followed by the heavy gunfire. Video showed a fire burning near the Sheraton Hotel.

Reuters reported at least two rockets were fired toward the Sheraton and Palestine hotels.

Western journalists and foreign contractors use the hotels.

Violence in Baghdad and throughout the country has intensified as insurgents have launched attacks, threatening scheduled elections for a transitional national assembly.

(more)

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/10/07/iraq.main/index.html

[northernsoul]

21. Is this another Tet -style offensive?

Didn't the VC actually infiltrate the American Embassy compound when Tet broke out?

[DuctapeFatwa]

23. It appears to be a planned media event of some kind , from the

commentary, timing, etc.

[izzie]

22. Maybe it is some type of Bush job plan?

Kill off a few workers and then hire a few to rebuild?

[leftchick]

24. leslie blitzer repeating over and over again it happened.....

"in a relatively secure area"! Relative to what leslie? The reporters staying there never fucking go outside!! Good lord I hate state run tv.

[TNOE]

32. Sorry, but I swear

your post cracked me up - and I know its not funny!!! But I hear you!

[grytpype]

26. If the insurgents get any more desperate, we will lose the war!

[flordehinojos]

28. CNN were about to bring us His Arrogant Majesty's Speech from ??? at noon

before the breaking news happened. Instead Leslie Blitzer has been focused on the breaking news for the whole hour and CNN continues its focus on it with Miles O'Brien right now at the 1 o'clock hour.

These machine gun fire and rockets launched at the Sheraton Hotel may have in some way rattled Bushie's platform. Oh God how I do hope he is rattled. How can he show his face and tell the audience he was about to face that things in Iraq are honky dory.

[VegasWolf]

30. It's just the locals setting off fireworks celebrating the American

liberators!!


"Kerry has a 'chocolate chip' on his team", Limbaugh says
on his radio show after learning Jesse Jackson has joined the organization.

[Zhade]

33. Off-topic: really glad to see you back, DTF. You've been missed.

Nice to see a no-nonsense anti-imperialist poster like yourself back on the boards. This place has become a bit too cautious for my liking as of late.

:)

[ellie]

34. Exactly what is our objective

in Iraq these days? Beating the citizens over the head with democracy? Is there an end in sight? Has anyone from Buschco even mentioned an end? I know there is supposed to be elections, but do they honestly think that will happen?

[ckramer]

35. Bring it On!