Deadly Day in Baghdad

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-20-2003
Deadly Day in Baghdad
32
Thu, 09-30-2004 - 1:55pm
Reality once again crashes headlong into Bush's glib contention that things are getting better in Iraq.

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Baghdad bomb attacks leave 35 children dead

7 adults also killed during ceremony for new sewage treatment plant; U.S. soldier, 2 others die in suicide blast; 10 new hostages seized

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A series of bombs killed 35 children and seven adults today as U.S. troops handed out candy at a government ceremony to inaugurate a new sewage treatment plant. Hours earlier, a suicide blast killed a U.S. soldier and two Iraqis on the capital's outskirts.

The bombs in Baghdad's al-Amel neighborhood caused the largest death toll of children in any insurgent attack since the conflict in Iraq began 17 months ago.

"The Americans called us, they told us, 'Come here, come here,' asking us if we wanted sweets. We went beside them, then a car exploded," said 12-year-old Abdel Rahman Dawoud, lying naked in a hospital bed with shrapnel embedded all over his body.

Two bombs went off in quick succession at the ceremony about 1 p.m., then were followed by a third explosion a short distance away, said Interior Ministry spokesman Col. Adnan Abdul-Rahman. He said there were two suicide car bombs and one roadside bomb; the Americans said all three were car bombs.

The explosions killed 42 people and wounded 141, including 10 U.S. soldiers. The wounded included 72 children under the age of 14, said Dr. Mohammed Salaheddin.

The day of violence across Iraq, including insurgent attacks and U.S. airstrikes in Fallujah, left a total of 46 people dead and 208 wounded.

In the northern city of Tal Afar, a car bomb targeting the police chief killed at least four people and wounded 16, Iraqi and U.S. officials said. The chief, whose name was only given as Col. Ismail, escaped the assassination attempt, police said.

Also today, the Arab news network Al-Jazeera showed video of 10 new hostages seized in Iraq by militants. Al-Jazeera said the 10 -- six Iraqis, two Lebanese and two Indonesian women -- were taken by The Islamic Army in Iraq, a group that has claimed responsibility for seizing two French journalists.

A Lebanese official later said kidnappers had released one Lebanese captive, although it was not clear if he was among the 10.

In the al-Amel bombings, grief-stricken parents wailed over the bodies of their children at the Yarmouk Hospital morgue. One woman tore at her hair before pulling back the sheet covering her dead brother and kissing him.

One man carried his younger brother -- both legs bandaged -- to the hospital, where some children were put two to a bed because of the many wounded. Outside, women sat on the ground and wept as they awaited news about their children.

The hospital received 42 bodies -- including those of 35 children -- and 131 wounded, said Iyhsan Nasser, head of the facility's statistics department.

At the site of the blasts, body parts were strewn in the streets amid pools of blood. A U.S. helicopter evacuated some of the wounded while other aircraft circled overhead and soldiers sealed off the area.

Lt. Col. Jim Hutton, spokesman for the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division, said 10 American soldiers were among the wounded.

American troops were taking part in the ceremony to inaugurate the sewage plant, said Maj. Phil Smith, another division spokesman, calling the attacks "despicable." Officials earlier had said a U.S. convoy was passing through the area.

Smith said the first two explosions targeted the ceremony, while the third was aimed at a nearby Iraqi National Guard checkpoint.

The children were at the ceremony because the school year in Iraq has not yet begun.

"This attack was carried out by evil people who do not want the Iraqis to celebrate and don't want (reconstruction) projects in Iraq," said Iraqi National Guard Lt. Ahmad Saad.

Hours earlier, a suicide car bomber struck in the Abu Ghraib area outside of Baghdad, killing the American soldier and at least two Iraqis, and wounding 60, Iraqi and U.S. officials said.

That bomb targeted a compound housing the mayor's office, a police station and other buildings, police 1st Lt. Ahmed Jawad said. A U.S. Bradley fighting vehicle parked in front of the compound was hit, Hutton said.

Elsewhere, insurgents fired a rocket Thursday at a logistical support area for coalition forces on the outskirts of Baghdad, killing one soldier and wounding seven, the military said. No further details was disclosed -- including whether or not it was a U.S. soldier.

Meanwhile, the United States targeted a suspected terrorist safehouse in Fallujah. The military said intelligence reports indicated the house was being used by followers of Jordanian terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi to plan attacks against U.S.-led forces and Iraqi citizens.

At least four Iraqis were killed -- including two women and one child -- and eight were wounded, said Dr. Ahmed Khalil of the Fallujah General Hospital. Witnesses said two houses were flattened and four others damaged in the strike.

"Significant secondary explosions were observed during the impact, indicating a large cache of illegal ordinance was stored in the safehouse," the military statement said. Explosions continued for hours.

American jets, tanks and artillery units repeatedly have targeted al-Zarqawi's network in Fallujah recently as U.S.-led forces seek to assert control over insurgent enclaves ahead of elections slated for January. The military says the attacks have inflicted significant damage on the network, which has claimed responsibility for bombings, kidnappings and other attacks.

Doctors say scores of civilians have been killed and wounded in the strikes.

Al-Zarqawi's group, Tawhid and Jihad, has claimed responsibility for several beheadings and kidnappings.

Al-Jazeera's video of the latest hostages showed three captives, who were not identified, and two masked men pointing weapons at them. There was no mention of demands by the militants or when or where they were captured. The network said the 10 were employees of the Jib electricity company.

Gen. Hussein Ali Kamal, Iraq's deputy interior minister in charge of intelligence, later confirmed that two Lebanese had been kidnapped along with a group of others that included women.

More than 140 foreigners have been kidnapped in Iraq and at least 26 have been killed.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/iraq/bal-iraq0930,1,1571907.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2003
Thu, 09-30-2004 - 4:50pm
Least you can do is mourn for the kids. Noone is blaming American troops. It is the war that has destabilized the area. We know who is responsible for the war. And you don't have to bring Saddam. Just at least think about think about the kids injured and dead. that's all.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-24-2004
Fri, 10-01-2004 - 4:21am
You know no matter how you look at this it just is bad. Every nite I hear the fighter jets take off on another mission to bomb someplace. I truly hate it. We have Iraqis that come in here and work, some of them set up a little store where you can buy stuff really cheap. I know one Iraqi boy who has been shot 3 times for working here, and just last week 4 men were found dead outside our gates. Their throats were sliced; their crime was working here. Do you know how they set up mortar rounds now? They freeze them in some water and set them up. THey go do what they have to do and by the time it melts and the mortars are set off, they are long gone. See before the army was able to track them but no more. (sorry i know there is more technical words i just dont know them).

People often complain how things are in the camp, but from me there are no complaints. I feel badly for the turks and for the iraqis that work here especially the iraqis. they have no clue what is waiting for them when they leave our gates at nite. They can care less about americans or about fighting all they want is to make as much money as they possibly can.

I look into the faces of these Iraqi men and they are just tired. They are tired of the U.S. and they are tired of the insurgents. All they want is to live in peace and it seems no one is letting them. Yes when we go on missions at nite they do take out plenty of insurgents, but at the same time they kill many many innocent men women and children. When the innocents get hurt or killed that is when their families begin to join the insurgents becuase they hate the U.S. so much for killing hteir loved ones.. Do you blame them?

So are the targeted bombings worth it?? HELL NO!! With every mission, we are creating more and more hatred amongst the Iraqis. All I know the day the Iraqis do not show up here for work is the day I put on my gear and sit my butt in the bunker.

As I said before, no matter how you look at it it is just bad. But we are lucky we are looking at it from the American perspective and not the Iraqi perspective. What most people do not understand is that everyday is a deadly in Baghdad and throughout Iraq. But this is just my 2 cents worth.


Edited 10/1/2004 4:27 am ET ET by sondra_wins

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-12-2004
Fri, 10-01-2004 - 7:33am
Thanks for posting the report, sorry things are as bad as that. What you said is very true I believe about the families of the innocents getting killed becoming our enemy, that is one reason I was against this war before it ever started. People get caught up in ideals and forget about the real tragedies that happen in war. When someone looses a limb, they may go 50 or 60 years with their life permanently damaged. When someones loved one dies the course of history for a family changes forever, no more sons or daughters from whoever is lost, sometimes a whole family may be wiped out. This is why I believe war should TRULY be a last resort.

Your << two cents worth >> is worth alot more (since it is from someone who is actually there), than all these self righteous self appointed experts who shoot from the hip without knowing what they're talking about (I guess I've done that sometimes too).

Your firsthand observations are an important contribution, thanks again and please stay safe.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2003
Fri, 10-01-2004 - 12:26pm
Sondra,

It must be so hard to watch all the destruction and murders at your doorstep. I can barely hear about it on news. Yesterday when I heard the discussion on NPR about children bombed in Iraq, I had to change the channel cause I can't take it anymore. I know it is cowardly but it is really too much now. I pray everyday for all the kids and people cause that's all we can do here. I really do hope it all ends well over in Iraq.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
Fri, 10-01-2004 - 11:31pm
Just wondering: from reading your story the Iraqi's don't seem like horrible people, but some people have been saying that they don't want peace and just want war? What do you tell people when you're there on a first-hand experience? Just wondering your view on it.
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-03-2003
Fri, 10-01-2004 - 11:40pm


He has nothing to do with this tragedy. Do you think if our armed forces were to leave today that this would all stop? You are talking about terrorists here. This would only get WORSE for them.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-24-2004
Mon, 10-04-2004 - 12:05am
I dont have much time because i am leaving to another camp shortly. You know there will alwyas be people who just want war, but these iraqis taht i am with are great. But i am going to try to write more later
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-24-2004
Thu, 10-07-2004 - 10:30am
Sorry about my other post, I really cant tell you what was wrong with me!!!! Sometimes it is so hot that I can't figure out what I am doing from minute to minute. Anyway you were asking about what people say aobut the Iraqis. You know everyone has a different perception of the whole thing. Here we are told we are not to ever disrespect any person from any country and to treat them with dignity at all times. Of course there are those ignorant SOB's that feel the need to treat them like dogs it just disgusts me. About the Iraqis, yes some do hate the U.S. and want us gone. This is not for any RELIGIOUS reason, but primarily for PERSONAL gain, wealth, power, and greed. I just wish people could understand that.

Secondly how can anyone think the Iraqis are any different from them? All they want to do is work, feed, clothe, house and take care of their family. Is that not what we all want out of life? I am telling you, these Iraqis I have become freinds with are just absolutely wonderful!!! On the other hand, the day before I left, they had arrested one of them for being a suspected insurgent. It was very scary, and it all happened so fast. I honestly do not know what to think becuase I personally do not know all the facts.

So it goes to show you, there are always bad people and they are on the Iraqi AND the U.S. side. I can't believe how much fun I am having. I mean it is really hot and i work 13 hour days 7 days a week, but I just cant explain it. The other nite I was in Baghdad, and I heard the call to prayers it was very nice. Also I got to see some of the palaces and took pictures of them!! BIAP has totally changed in the 2 weeks since I first flew in there. It is more like an airport and I bought a pepsi and fresh snickers(more than i can say about the PX). They also have a duty free shop there!! The whole experience is totally incredible.. I have been all over Iraq and still I am not done! Each place is different, with different nationals it is a really humbling experience. I just learned that at the site I am at today is the one where they had kidnapped the Turkish worker and beheaded him. It kind of puts things into perspective.

Also when the Iraqis leave here, befor they do they hide every bit of id they have that says anything with the U.S. They will do anything to make money, even if it means possible death.

The big investment here is the new Iraqi dinars and daily they go up in price. Some people have bought thousands of dollars worth and when they become a legal tender everywhere they are going to be very very rich.

I have no clue if I even answered your question, but I have actually a day off because I am in transit....

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2001
Thu, 10-07-2004 - 11:51am
Sondra,

Perhaps you mentioned it before and I missed it, but what exactly is it that you are doing there? I remember you said you are working for Halliburton. Is it something you can talk about, or is it classified in nature?

Just curious. I do admire your courage and desire to help by going there.

Bev

girl in chair
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-24-2004
Thu, 10-07-2004 - 1:28pm
Yes i work for a division of Halliburton called KBR. There are many things i cant say or take pictures of becase after all we work for the military. I am an admin and have been placed into the trucking department to take care of orders. they switch you from job to job when they see fit. i have been in so many different parts of iraq.. balad, baghdad, tikrit, al asad, a city by falluja....

you know it is kind of courageous, but really it is alot of fun.. i mean it is like one big camping trip with loud noises.. i have slept thru so many mortar attacks it is like something common now. i figure by the time i can get to the bunker i would be dead anyway... but i am really enjoying this too much. i never complain about anything, because it could always be worse.

that is why they are sending me to a brand new camp to set up the offices for them. it is really primitive there but i dont care. it is like almost going back into time except i have air and a heater(yup it gets cold here very soon). if you want to do something different for one year then you should come here.. it is something that you will nver forget....