Another huge blast in Baghdad - 43 killed - 70 wounded

[leftylady]

Three bombs at a bus station.

The big problem is: if we left it would probably get worse

If we stay it will probably get worse.

[slackmaster]

1. Any word on how many casualties of what kind?

Innoncent civilians vs. bona fide military targets?

[mmonk]

2. Here

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4158292.stm

[slackmaster]

4. Thanks, I think

"The majority of victims appeared to be civilians..."

[Jim__]

3. I think you're right - it's going to get worse

Does anyone have any idea of any good option we have in this mess?

[leftylady]

12. We could make Iraq a state of the union

Kind of like Peurto Rico

[SheepyMcSheepster]

5. who would have imagined this invasion/occupation would ended up like this?

i mean who would have thought that this would have turned into the clusterf*ck that it has? it's not like anyone thought this was originally a bad idea...........i guess you live and learn........
:sarcasm:

my opinion from the get go has been:

a. the people running this thing are completely incompetent

OR

b. the people running this thing do not desire peace in Iraq

[Lerkfish]

9. a and b are NOT mutually exclusive, btw.

I think its both:

the completely incompetent people running this thing do not desire peace in Iraq.

[Burried News]

11. I agree - completely.

The last thing they want is peace and security in Iraq. They want to titrate it to lower levels to be sure - unfortunately the other side isn't cooperating. These casualties are enormous - I really feel for the average Iraqi. Their oil is a curse.

[jzodda]

6. no easy answers

leave and it degenerates to utter chaos

stay and we keep bleeding

there is only so much we can do though. In the end those people have to want to live with each other. We can not make them get along and frankly it might not be possible. Shia vs Sunni has been going on for more time then the US has existed as a nation. Since the creation of Iraq in the 1920s the monarchy and then the baathists have exploited the divisions to the max-thats how politics is done arab style.

I say let them get their constitution, help them with their Dec elections then withdraw all the troops except the ones needed to train the Iraqi's and help rebuild the country. Maybe once they realize they have to fight for themselves the gov there will become much improved.

[mmonk]

8. Doesn't seem to matter either way

Presence or no presence there is chaos and death.

[mike_c]

7. mike_c's corollary to the pottery barn rule....

We broke it, but it can't be fixed, so no matter what we do to try to make amends, it will simply remain shattered.

The best thing we can do is get out now. Immediate, complete withdrawal, followed by war crimes prosecutions for those responsible for all those deaths and the subsequent upheaval as Iraq comes apart. Saddam and the ba'athists were the glue that held Iraq together. We have destoyed a nation, and it's people are going to suffer because of it. The only way to prevent it is to be worse than Saddam ever was, which is what we're doing now.

The U.S. military has killed more Iraqis than Saddam did. The "rape rooms" and torture chambers are simply under new management. The occupation of Iraq is destroying everything that America stands for.

[kansasblue]

10. Is the Tet?

[Ilsa]

13. Someone on The News Hour last night was saying they were expecting

something really big, like a lot of huge bombs, especially in Baghdad, sometime soon. They said things typically settle down for a short while, then they have massive attacks. He was only a day ahead of schedule in his prediction. The Administration needs to be talking to him for his insight to help save our troops lives and Iraqi lives, but I can't remember who he is.

[Burried News]

14. The last refuge of the scoundrels needs to be refuted.

Is the world better off without Saddam? No. Even I could never believe I could come to that conclusion. I have. This war is over, kaput, fini.


If you don't think so today you will tomorrow. How many years of this horrible bloodshed have to pass befor it will be self evident to the majority of Americans? One more - 2006.