posted February 02, 2008 12:22 PM            

No doubt sending out little boys and mentally retarded women as suicide bombers is just another example of the bravery and courage of those oh so ballsy terrorists.

Mentally Retarded Women Used in Bombings

Feb 1 03:02 PM US/Eastern
By STEVEN R. HURST
Associated Press Writer 73

BAGHDAD (AP) - Two mentally retarded women strapped with remote-control explosives—and possibly used as unwitting suicide bombers—brought carnage Friday to two pet bazaars, killing at 73 people in the deadliest day since Washington flooded the capital with extra troops last spring.
The coordinated blasts—coming 20 minutes apart in different parts of the city—appeared to reinforce U.S. claims al-Qaida in Iraq may be increasingly desperate and running short of able-bodied men willing or available for such missions.

But they also served as a reminder that Iraqi insurgents are constantly shifting their strategies in attempts to unravel recent security gains around the country. Women have been used in ever greater frequency in suicide attacks.

The twin attacks at the pet markets, however, could mark a disturbing use of unknowing agents of death.

Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, Iraq's chief military spokesman in Baghdad, said the women had Down syndrome and may not have known they were on suicide missions. He said the bombs were detonated by remote control.

In Washington, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the bombings prove al-Qaida is "the most brutal and bankrupt of movements" and will strengthen Iraqi resolve to reject terrorism.

The first bomb was detonated about 10:20 a.m. in the central al-Ghazl market, the home of a weekly pet bazaar with various small animals but mostly birds. At least 46 people were killed and more than 100 wounded, said police and hospital officials.

Police said the woman wearing the bomb sold cream in the mornings at the market and was known to locals as "the crazy lady."

The pet bazaar has been bombed repeatedly, but with violence declining in the capital, the market had regained popularity as a shopping district and place to stroll on Fridays, the Muslim day of prayer.

But on Friday, it was returned to a scene straight out of the worst days of the conflict. Firefighters scooped up debris scattered among pools of blood, clothing and pigeon carcasses.

A pigeon vendor said the market had been unusually crowded, with people taking advantage of a pleasantly crisp and clear winter day after a particularly harsh January.

"I have been going to the pet market with my friend every Friday, selling and buying pigeons," said Ali Ahmed, who was hit by shrapnel in his legs and chest. "It was nice weather today and the market was so crowded."

He said he was worried about his friend, Zaki, who disappeared after the blast about 40 yards away.

"I just remember the horrible scene of the bodies of dead and wounded people mixed with the blood of animals and birds, then I found myself lying in a hospital bed," Ali said.

About 20 minutes after the first attack, the second female suicide bomber was blown apart in a bird market in a predominantly Shiite area in southeastern Baghdad. As many as 27 people died and 67 were wounded, police and hospital officials said.

Rae Muhsin, the 21-year-old owner of a cell phone store, said he was walking toward the New Baghdad bird market when the explosion shattered the windows of nearby stores.

"I ran toward the bird market and saw charred pieces of flesh, small spots of blood and several damaged cars," Muhsin said. "I thought that we had achieved real security in Baghdad, but it turned that we were wrong."

The bombings were the latest in a series that has frayed Iraqi confidence in the permanence of recent security gains.

The U.S. military in Iraqi issued a statement that shared "the outrage of the Iraqi people, and we condemn the brutal enemy responsible for these attacks, which bear the hallmarks of being carried out by al- Qaida in Iraq."

The U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, said the bombings showed that a resilient al-Qaida has "found a different, deadly way" to try to destabilize Iraq.

"There is nothing they won't do if they think it will work in creating carnage and the political fallout that comes from that," he told The Associated Press in an interview at the State Department.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said the attacks were motivated by revenge and an attempt "to stop the march of history and of our people toward reconciliation." He confirmed the death toll was about 70.

Navy Cmdr. Scott Rye, a U.S. military spokesman, gave far lower casualty figures—seven killed and 23 wounded in the first bombing, and 20 killed and 30 wounded in the second.

He confirmed, however, that both attacks were carried out by women wearing explosives vests and said the attacks appeared coordinated and likely the work of al-Qaida in Iraq.

Associated Press records show that since the start of the war at least 151 people have been killed in at least 17 attacks or attempted attacks by female suicide bombers, including Friday's bombings.

The most recent previous attack was Jan. 16 when a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives among men preparing for the Ashoura holiday in a Shiite village in Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad.

While involving women in such deadly activity violates cultural taboos in Iraq, the U.S. military has warned that al-Qaida is recruiting women and young people as suicide attackers because militants are increasingly desperate to thwart stepped-up security measures.

Syria also has reportedly tightened its border with Iraq, a main transit point for incoming foreign bombers.

Women in Iraq often wear abayas, the black Islamic robe, and avoid thorough searches at checkpoints because men are not allowed to touch them and there are too few female police.

Even the use of the handicapped in suicide bombings is not unprecedented in Iraq. In January 2005, Iraq's interior minister said insurgents used a disabled child in a suicide attack on election day. Police at the scene of the bombing said the child appeared to have Down syndrome.

Many teenage boys were among the casualties in the al-Ghazl bombing Friday, according to the officials who gave the death toll. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to release the information.

In Late November, a bomb hidden in a box of small birds exploded at the al-Ghazl market, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens. The U.S. military blamed the November attack on Iranian-backed Shiite militants, saying they had hoped al-Qaida in Iraq would be held responsible for the attack so Iraqis would turn to them for protection.

posted February 02, 2008 12:26 PM            

Two women suicide bombers who have killed nearly 80 people in Baghdad were Down's Syndrome victims exploited by al Qaida.

The explosives were detonated by remote control in a co-ordinated attack after the women walked into separate crowded markets, said the chief Iraqi military spokesman in Baghdad General Qassim al-Moussawi.

Other officials said the women were apparently unaware of what they were doing in what could be a new method by suspected Sunni insurgents to subvert toughened security measures.

More than 70 people died and scores were wounded in the deadliest day since the US "surge" of 30,000 extra troops were sent to the capital this spring.

In the first attack, a woman detonated explosives hidden under her traditional black Islamic robe in the central al-Ghazl market. The weekly bazaar has been bombed several times since the war started but recently had re-emerged as a popular place to shop and stroll as Baghdad security improved. At least 46 people were killed and more than 100 wounded.

The second woman then struck a bird market in a predominantly Shiite area in south-eastern Baghdad killing up to 27 people and wounding 70.

The attacks shortly before the weekly Islamic call to prayer resounded across the capital were the latest in a series of violent incidents that have been chipping away at Iraqi confidence in the permanence of recent security gains.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said the attacked were committed by terrorists motivated by revenge and "to show that they are still able to stop the march of history and of our people toward reconciliation."

Police initially said the bomb at al-Ghazl market was hidden in a box of birds but realised it was a suicide attack after finding the woman's head, an officer said.

posted February 02, 2008 12:32 PM            

quote:

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Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, Iraq's chief military spokesman in Baghdad, said the women had Down syndrome and may not have known they were on suicide missions. He said the bombs were detonated by remote control.

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Using women with downs syndrome, bombing in a pet bazzar and innocent women,children and men murdered is as low a terrorist can sink.

I had thought we had seen it all until this news release.

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~
What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world is immortal"~

posted February 03, 2008 09:38 AM              

venus ~ yes, those are horrible stories.

"whosoever causes one of these little ones to sin, it would be better for him that a millstone be tied around his neck and he be thrown into the depths of the sea.”

posted February 04, 2008 09:43 AM              

Trying to cast one side or another in a better light is an absurd gesture by deluded minds worldwide.

War is ugly. War is TERRIBLE. War is HORRIFIC. Having attended the funeral of a friend whose life was taken in seconds by the DISGUSTING spectacle of battle..I wonder how we can sit and condemn one side in order to BOLSTER our just as DISGUSTING, ATROCIOUS, TERRIBLE and HORRIFIC behavior? No doubt some of you may have lost your own.

Again..all sides lose in War..why do we defile the unnecessary dead in the name of supporting our side in an argument...of all the petty things?

War is being waged on both sides...by disturbed human beings. People are dying on BOTH sides. And the actions of one side or another are being defended by similarly disturbed human beings.

Shame on us all.

quote:

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Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism -how passionately I hate them!" - Dr. Albert Einstein

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quote:

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He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. - Frederich Neitzche

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posted February 04, 2008 01:22 PM            

quote:

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I wonder how we can sit and condemn one side in order to BOLSTER our just as DISGUSTING, ATROCIOUS, TERRIBLE and HORRIFIC behavior?...Daf

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Hey Daf, up yours. If you think sending retarded women and brainwashed children out to do your fighting IS warfare then there's something wrong with you.

In my book hiding behind the skirts of women and behind children is the mark of supreme cowardice.

I sure can tell how compassionate you are Daf.

I know you couldn't possibly know this but perhaps you will file this away for future reference.

Because the US and allies went after the Taliban and al-Qaeda, more than 25 million Afghans are free of a band of murderous thugs.

Because the US and allies went after Saddam, more than 25 million Iraqis are free of one of the most corrupt torturing murderous thugs ever seen in the Middle East.

I've seen the moral equivalence argument before Daf...and it just doesn't wash.

Let me know when you get your guru learners permit.

posted February 04, 2008 01:22 PM              

"The Eighth Day" is a beautiful french film about a young lad with down's syndrone who helps a saddened divorcee "return to innocence".

It's very sad and sick about what happened to those poor victims in the news.

Something really has to be done to heal the world, but it's clear that the tactics being used at present are not working- it's time to change.
http://www.linda-goodman.com/ubb/Forum16/HTML/003786.html

posted February 04, 2008 02:17 PM              

I had a friend of mine say, "Killing women and children is War?"

To which I had to respond, "War is killing, period."

At what point did we determine the value of a mans life or of a woman's?

At what point did we decide that killing one human being was acceptable, while killing another is an atrocity against humanity? All War is an atrocity against humanity. Why would ANYONE try to sanctify dirty blood with semantics and empty rhetoric about "honor?"

At what point did we create rules to hide ourselves from the HORROR of what we do and become in times of war? No rules of engagement will change the nature of War, only alleviate our consciences somewhat.

Perhaps it is only wise men wiser than I that have learned to distinguish between sensible killing and senseless killing. I am blind in that respect.

I've been searching for the enemy within me when the enemy was in another country the entire time.

posted February 04, 2008 02:28 PM              

Silly me, I'm STILL looking for my enemies within. One war wound at a time.

posted February 04, 2008 03:50 PM              

"Wha?! Are you crazy? That's awful!!! This is a civilized country we live in! I'm calling the cops!"

"We're at war, though."

"Oh, well that's different. By all means..BLOW HIS F---ING GUTS OUT!(And bring his head back on a stick.)"

posted February 05, 2008 10:17 AM              

The events of September 11th, if you look back in history were laid out by the violence we promoted against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, the Ayatolla in Iran and Saddam in Iraq. We trained them, we fed their HATE for intruders on their soil. Our propaganda agents taught a GENERATION of these people that their way of life was being threatened by the arrival of a foreign way of life.

Well OUR ways became the intrusion once the Soviet Union fell. Our ways became the threat after the U.S.S.R. was gone.

Are terrorists justified? NOOOOOO! No one is justified in killing people to make a point. NO ONE.

We promoted the killing, the killing comes back. They killed, the killing came back to them. We go off to kill some more..the killing will come back.

Most of us have read about and understand ho Karma works. Do we think that it doesn't affect nations as well as individuals?

We try to say, "We freed all of these people" to avoid looking at the REAL snowball from hell that we are forming with our violent, Neanderthal reactions. It's barreling at us..headlong and full speed.

We don't stop, and instead insist that we are justified in acting like apes with advanced sticks..mostly because someone with an interest in doing so, pumped us full of heroic, noble visions of what we are doing when we go to war for a "just cause."

(Ever notice that all causes fought for are just? It just depends upon which side you're on, where you happen to find the rightness in your killing.)

Then they shocked us with the "atrocious" nature of one form of killing over another. Babies nuns and orphans man...we gotta take out the people that are killing the babies nuns and orphans..They're killing them!!

(We're such suckers for that kind of caca in this country.)

And we use words like KILL, SLAUGHTER, GENOCIDE when we're talking about the other side's killing. Then we'll use words like NEUTRALIZE, TAKE OUT, REMOVE THE THREAT to describe our killing. We're not being very honest...could it be that we have something to hide from ourselves so that we can commit these acts? Like the atrocity of it? Like the way that we're actually STOOPING to their level, proving that we are no better than they are...killers. We're just more civilized about it.

Easy to do when you have the most powerful Armed Force on the planet. Did you know that the British Redcoats considered us to be cowards during the Revolutionary war because we refused to fight in the open field as was traditional?

We would have been slaughtered in traditional warfare of the time. So we chose the tactics that would be effective against a superior military force. We changed the rules of the warfare. That's all that's happening here.

War has just had so many of its loose ends tied up with security improvements that small forces are taking more drastic (and even MORE brutal and inhuman) measures in order to give their "just cause" a chance.

We need to stop being hypocrites and be realistic about history, and what is REALLY going on:

We're brutes when we go off to kill over "ideals." Both sides..any side.

Regardless of how clean it is to push a button. Regardless of the fact that we allow men to have their limbs blown off, but don't allow agents that might form blisters in their lungs.

We are brutes who have no real ideals about life, freedom or happiness because we sell them out with our lack of faith in them.

Our history is crumbling around us..do we really have time to create more death-karma, expense and trouble for our people when we have plenty of that right here at home to work on?

It's called Iraqi history. Not Ameraqi history and yet we were over there meddling LOOOOONG before they came to blow us up. It comes back...it always does.

And likewise their violent history is constantly barraging them like a boomerang. Karma is like that..

Both sides are annihilating themselves by insisting on violence. (Hmmm...maybe this isn't such a bad thing after all.. )

I still trust in God to sort things out..

Still, I trust in human beings never to be patient enough to let that happen. We always have to STEER history.

Oh we of little faith.

Waiting and trusting, but ranting here and there..

posted February 05, 2008 11:17 AM              

quote:

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Suicide killers and now this. We HAVE TO BE AT WAR until we beat the terrorists. THERE IS NO CHOICE HERE.

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Divide and rule.

"Problem, reaction, solution".

Create the problem then offer the conspired solution.

It's what those behind the manipulation for power and control want.

http://www.linda-goodman.com/ubb/Forum16/HTML/003531.html
http://www.linda-goodman.com/ubb/Forum16/HTML/003495.html

Do you ever stop to think from time to time
'Bout the way the world's been left behind
In another place, in another time
We could maybe change the way we think
Take the blinkers from our eyes
Do you think that she was maybe not alone
Do you think there's someone out there
Do you think that they might know
And if they don't do you think they should be told
Cos she's living in a nightmare
Running out of her control
Take the rope
Take the blindfold from your eyes
Take the rope from 'round your neck
And take the blindfold from your eyes
And you'll never be surprised
When they tell you that they love you
While they're eating you alive
Do you think you have the strength to carry on
Or has the black cat got your tongue
Don't worry now the world's gonna be alright
Cos the land has been here longer
Than the likes of you and I

The Levellers The Likes Of You And I lyrics

posted February 05, 2008 11:17 AM              

(Carlyle deals in the following industries: Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Consumer & Retail, Energy & Power, Healthcare, Real Estate, Technology & Business Services, Telecommunications & Media, and Transportation. -Wikipedia

George Bush Sr. and Jr. are both heavily connected to Carlyle Group and have been making LOADS of money from the war. Remember, you can't SELL missiles until your customers SHOOT the ones they already have. And it's always better to rake in more profit for the same product(gasoline)well heck, that's just good business pardner!)

A final thought:

Many of us have effectively managed to separate "9/11 Terrorist" from Iraqi or Arab or Iranian in our minds. Those are all countries that do NOT have a real fondness for us, truth be told..not if history is any indicator.

Has it occurred to anyone..ANYONE at all, that terrorism is a scapegoat..a kamikaze off shoot launched from the Middle East with no concern for what we think of it..just a notion that we'd react to it?

Has it occurred to anyone that terrorism was simply developed to turn us against the very ideals we claim to cherish?

Freedom - Our fences are higher, our doors secured. Our shoes, baggage and mail checked. We are now subject to wiretap without a warrant specifically mentioning us. We made HUGE LEAPS in the direction of Police State after 9/11..didn't we? Where is our free America now that we are worried about terrorism?

Life - Hey man..the killing hasn't stopped for 6 years now. Nuff said.

Happiness - Our country is torn to bits by this. Our kids and husbands and wives and brothers are over there dying..our budget deficit is skyrocketing and gas prices have been double what they were 2 years ago..for 2 years now. The price of everything has risen to match..and surprise surprise..American exports aren't as popular as they used to be before this started.

What if terrorism is simply a pill that we swallowed and now are reacting to...as planned by those who do not like America?

What if terrorists are expendable weapons in a psychological war designed to make fools of us on the world stage?

To play our predictable military responses like a violin and turn world opinion against us?

Turning our own governing bodies, our own FEAR into a bullet between the eyes of the most open society on the planet?

That'd be one hell of a little plan for the Middle East to hatch up to win the cultural war against an ever-encroaching Westernization.

posted February 05, 2008 12:30 PM              

Other than that, governments* (*I don't think that's going to happen) and everyday people need to practice placing themselves in the shoes of others. We need to understand why people are behaving in the way do. What INJUSTICES have they seen, etc, what pain and trauma and view of the world through their eyes has caused them to go such extreme actions?

"Peace cannot be achieved through force; it can only be achieved through understanding". -Albert Einstein.

Once upon a time in northern India, there lived a violent and fearsome outcast called Angulimala ('necklace of fingers'). He terrorised towns and villages in order to try to gain control of the state, murdering people and adding their fingers to his gruesome necklace. The Buddha set out to meet Angulimala, and with the power of love and compassion he persuaded him to renounce violence and take responsibility for his past actions. Thus Angulimala was transformed. The Buddha and The Terrorist brings a message for our time about the importance of looking for the root causes of violence, and of finding peaceful means to end terror. In the Prologue, called 'Talking to Terrorists', Satish Kumar discusses how we can best deal with the phenomenon of international terrorism.