Iraqi PM calls for increased security after bomb blasts kill at least 60

[News_Editor]

Iraqi PM calls for increased security after bomb blasts kill at least 60

2011-12-23 21:22:33 GMT+7 (ICT)

BAGHDAD, IRAQ (BNO NEWS) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has called for increased security after a wave of bomb blasts killed at least 60 people and injured nearly 200 others across the capital of Baghdad on Thursday.

The apparent coordinated terrorist attack, involving numerous car bombs, roadside bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) across Baghdad, took place only hours apart and comes just days after the last U.S. soldiers withdrew from the country, ending its nearly nine-year-long war.

More than a dozen attacks were reported in several parts of Baghdad between early Thursday morning and late Thursday evening. Iraqi police said at least 60 people were killed while nearly 200 others were injured, although officials feared the death toll would still rise.

"The series of criminal explosions against innocent people in schools, markets and public places have uncovered, once again, the nature of the enemy the Iraqis are facing," al-Maliki was quoted as saying by the Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

Al-Maliki added that the timing of Thursday's attacks and the selection of their sites "confirm once again for all suspicious elements, the political nature of the goals those elements want to achieve, through crime and killing innocent people, as part of their attempts to mix up papers in order to achieve their goals."

The attacks also took place as Iraq faces another political crisis with political rivals comparing al-Maliki to a dictator, as he has not appointed defense and interior ministers, allowing him to establish control of the country's armed forces.

In addition, the Iraqi Investigation Committee issued an arrest warrant on Monday against the country's First Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, who is being accused of ordering attacks, including bombings, against government and security officials.

The Prime Minister, however, said that the criminals and those standing behind them would not be able to "transform the course of events and the political process, or flee from punishment that they shall face sooner or later."

Al-Maliki also called on religious clerics, politicians and tribal chiefs to support the country's security efforts with their corresponding responsibilities.

Meanwhile, the Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Martin Kobler, strongly condemned the attacks.

"These horrendous crimes being committed against the Iraqi people need to stop and violence must end if this country is ever to achieve the prosperous and secure future its people duly deserve," said Kobler. "No Iraqi citizen and most definitely no innocent child should endure what is being inflicted on them. It is the duty of all leaders in Iraq to act swiftly, responsibly and in unity to shoulder their responsibilities to end the ongoing violence."

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-12-23

[Ulysses G.]

What a big surprise this is.

[Steely Dan]

We have a similar incident in Syria, when there are no more infidels to fight one might have thought peace might prevail.

http://www.debka.com/article/21596/

[SAffer]

I am still not sure if the US had any right to be there in the first place, and I really doubt that the situation is any better now than before.

They have left Iraq, but did they achieve anything there?

[flying]

They have left Iraq, but did they achieve anything there?

Achieved?...Yes

Spent the futures of many by Spending a ton of money they did not have.......Lost thousands of lives on both side..

Achieved anything good or lasting?....I would say no

[Credo]

I am still not sure if the US had any right to be there in the first place, and I really doubt that the situation is any better now than before.

They have left Iraq, but did they achieve anything there?

Only history will decide whether anything was achieved. In the short term, it appears not. In the long term, that may change, but I very, very much doubt it.

As far as having the right to be there in the first place, I agree with you. It was a very dubious invasion.

[SAffer]

I am still not sure if the US had any right to be there in the first place, and I really doubt that the situation is any better now than before.

They have left Iraq, but did they achieve anything there?

Only history will decide whether anything was achieved. In the short term, it appears not. In the long term, that may change, but I very, very much doubt it.

As far as having the right to be there in the first place, I agree with you. It was a very dubious invasion.

I wouldn't mind them sorting out Zimbabwe, on the other hand.

[elgato]

I am still not sure if the US had any right to be there in the first place, and I really doubt that the situation is any better now than before.

They have left Iraq, but did they achieve anything there?

Filled a lot of body bags

[geriatrickid]

I am still not sure if the US had any right to be there in the first place, and I really doubt that the situation is any better now than before.

They have left Iraq, but did they achieve anything there?

Filled a lot of body bags

Not really. Mortality was quite limited considering the scope and duration of the action. As well, the number of debilitating injuries was far less per capita than previous actions. This will not provide comfort to the families of those that died or were injured, but the US accomplished some incredible results that have now made their way into the general population. The treatment of head injuries and trauma was advanced by decades.

It is up to the arabs to live in peace now. Considering they demanded the allies leave, they have their wish now.

[johna]

I am still not sure if the US had any right to be there in the first place, and I really doubt that the situation is any better now than before.

They have left Iraq, but did they achieve anything there?

Filled a lot of body bags

Not really. Mortality was quite limited considering the scope and duration of the action. As well, the number of debilitating injuries was far less per capita than previous actions. This will not provide comfort to the families of those that died or were injured, but the US accomplished some incredible results that have now made their way into the general population. The treatment of head injuries and trauma was advanced by decades.

It is up to the arabs to live in peace now. Considering they demanded the allies leave, they have their wish now.

4400+ KIA, 33000 wounded Americans, 100K+ Iraq civilians killed, a number significantly under-reported.

2.1 million Iraq refugees in Syria and Jordan.

60% unemployment

Price tag of 1 trillion US$+, and all we have to show for it is.....

quote

"The treatment of head injuries and trauma was advanced by decades."

[koheesti]

Pity that nice Saddam fella and his two cute sons aren't still around, eh?

[Steely Dan]

The tinfoil hatters and anti-establishment sorts are always there to say 'I told you so', it is however fortunate that these sorts are usually kept out of power as they would no doubt use moral relativism as an excuse to duck every difficult decision. With the benefit of hindsight a lot of unforseen problems have been encountered, a secular tyrant has been replaced by a significant degree of sectarian strife; two thirds of the Christian population has fled due to persecution and worse still Iraq is no longer in a position to provide a counter balance to Iran.

If any lesson should have been learned it is that secular tyrants are the only thing stopping religious tyranny in the middle east, democracy never gets a look in, alas the events in Libya and Egypt suggest the western governments are slow learners when it comes to understanding this.

[Pedzie]

Iraq will probably slowly descend into civil war now that the US has left.

[Exsexyman]

The only positive achievement from the west's point of view is that Iraq now has a western controlled central bank and will now experience the dubious pleasure of a national debt. For the average Iraqi things are just as bad, if not worse than they were nine years ago. A large majority do not have access to electricity, clean water, are not connected to the main sewerage system etc. But they do now have suicide bombings which was unheard of before the west invaded. Of course Saddam Hussain was a brutal ruler, that goes without saying, but there is no point replacing a brutal ruler with something just as bad, if not worse. For all his faults Saddam Hussain was a sworn enemy of Al Qaida and kept them out of Iraq and he acted as a bulwark against Iran. The west is playing a dangerous game. The invasion of Iraq was the result of two religious zealots, G W Bush and Tony Blair being in power at the wrong time, it was a religious war, a crusade. It didn't help that Bush was a draft dodger, and Blair was a former pacifist, and that both became middle aged swaggering bullies anxious to show their manhood, and were more than happy to use the blood and bravery of younger men and women to do so. And of course there is always the suspicion that the reason the west is pulling out of Iraq now is because they will need the troops and resources to create murder and chaos in another country.

[bonobo]

I served in Iraq and at a level where I had eyes on many aspects of the government and how things were done. I have posted before that I thought we should not have gone in in the first place. However, once we were in, and after a year of fumbling around, we really made progress. But the question is whether the Iraqis can retain those achievements, or will they devolve into barbarism.

Saddam was a monster, and while initially he was an enemy of Al Qaeda, he did embrace them after his failed invasion of Kuwait. The numbers of his own citizens he killed was astounding, and his ouster was a good thing. However, it should have been done earlier when there was a chance, but we abandoned the people who wanted to fight him after the Kuwait War and left his air forces intact.

Personally, I fear for the country. I don't see anyone strong enough to keep order, at least in the near term.