Three L.A. Times reporters injured in blast

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A car bomb ripped through a crowded restaurant hosting a New Year's Eve party in the Iraqi capital, killing five Iraqis and wounding 24 others.

The nighttime attack came amid tightened security in Baghdad as military officials expected insurgent attacks. Sirens wailed and helicopters buzzed overhead as ambulances and U.S. soldiers converged after the explosion on the Nabil restaurant, a popular spot with foreigners that had advertised a New Year's Eve party with live music and belly dancing.

Three reporters from the Los Angeles Times, and four local staff members suffered injuries that appeared minor, said Dean Baquet, the Times' managing editor. The reporters injured in the blast were Chris Kraul, Tracy Wilkinson and Ann Simmons.

Five Iraqis were killed, according to Lt. Gen. Ahmed Kadhem, deputy Iraqi interior minister and Baghdad chief of police. Several cars outside the restaurant were wrecked and in flames. Gunfire was heard after the explosion, which apparently left a large crater on a side street near the building.

More: http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/sns-iraq-1231blast-lat,0,4236021.story?coll=ny-worldnews-headlines

[Military Brat]

1. Live music and belly dancing, a popular spot with foreigners

No big surprise it was hit for the New Year's Eve event. How many Iraqis killed now, so far? Does anybody know?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

2. Total death toll today of 15 for all nationalities in Iraq according to

a Pakistan site I saw a few minutes ago.

According to CIVIC, which enlisted volunteers to fan out across Iraq to survey the impacts of the war, approximately 2,082 Iraqi civilians are dead, 4, 083 are wounded, and 1,657 structures (homes or businesses) had been damaged or destroyed at the time of her visit.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=292926

[goforit]

3. Bagdad is still too scarey for reporters much less our soldiers to be.

Hope they will be O.K.!

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. I am sure the reporters enjouyed the candy and the flowers

as well as the champagne....

What you mean that was not candy or flowers or champagne? What EXPLOSIVES in a car? Oh my... what happened to the Neo COn Dream?

Oh well... and when we all thought we were safe under the Great Shrub!Long live the Shrub...

Nothing to see here, keep moving along, candy and flowers are down the road, we promise...

DAMN NEOCONS...

[Jacobin]

5. Ah yes, our "journalists" out on a hot story.....

drinking champagne and watching belly dancers while our soldiers are slaughtered and maimed and Iraqi citizens are gunned down, blown up, and intimidated until they peacefully let us steal their oil.

How stupid can you be to go to a known foreign night club in Baghdad?