U.S.: 'Demonic' militants sent women to bomb markets in Iraq

[Amby 490]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Two mentally disabled women were strapped with explosives Friday and sent into busy Baghdad markets, where they were blown up by remote control, a top Iraqi government official said.

The bombs killed at least 98 people and wounded more than 200 at two popular pet markets on the holiest day of the week for Muslims, authorities said.

In both bombings, the attackers were mentally disabled women whose explosive belts were remotely detonated, Gen. Qasim Atta, spokesman for Baghdad's security plan, told state television.

An aide to Atta said that people referred to the bomber at central Baghdad's al-Ghazl market as the "crazy woman" and that the bomber at a second market had an unspecified birth disability.

The nationalities and identities of the women have not been released.

U.S. military officials referred to the two attacks as suicide bombings, saying both women detonated the explosive devices. The U.S. attributed the attacks to al Qaeda in Iraq and made no reference to the mental conditions of the women.

"By targeting innocent Iraqis, they show their true demonic character," said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, spokesman for the Multi-National Division-Baghdad.

"They care nothing for the Iraqi people; they want to subjugate them and forcefully create a greater Islamic sharia state," he said, referring to Islamic law.

One bomb blew up at al-Ghazl animal market around 10:30 a.m., killing 69 and wounding more than 140.

The second blast happened about a half-hour later in the New Baghdad neighborhood pet market, killing 29 people and wounding 67.

Al-Ghazl pet market is a popular destination where people buy and sell cats, dogs, monkeys and other animals. Attackers have struck the market on Fridays -- its busiest day -- several times in the last year or so.

A January 2007 bombing killed 15 and wounded 52 at the pet market, and 13 people died and 58 were wounded in a November attack.

The violence, the bloodiest series of attacks in the capital since August, broke a brief stretch of relative calm as attacks and deaths dropped at the time of the 2007 increase in U.S. troop strength known as the surge.

On Thursday, a parked car exploded in a predominantly Shiite district in the Iraqi capital, killing five civilians and wounding eight others, the Interior Ministry said.

The attack occurred after a string of roadside bombings that wounded 21 people, ministry said. In one, a bomb near the deputy minister of electricity's convoy wounded at least five people.

Also Thursday, a spokesman for the Polish military said Poland will withdraw its troops from Iraq by the end of October.

October 31 will be the last day of the Polish presence in Iraq, Maj. Dariusz Kacperczyk said in Warsaw.

New Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has promised to bring troops home from Iraq, where the country has been one of the larger contingents apart from the United States and Britain.

About 900 Polish troops are in Iraq, with most in Diwaniya, some in Baghdad and others in the southern city of Kut. Twenty-two soldiers from Poland have died during the nearly 5-year war in Iraq.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/02/01/...main/index.html

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Worshipers of that religion uses babies, children, women, men, animals and now the mentally disturbed as bombs. Not a shock.

Relax these all are isolated incidents. Go back to watching Lost. EOT

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

How are we 'winning' when this kind of thing keeps happening?

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

How are we 'winning' when this kind of thing isolated incident keeps happening?

fixed it

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Thanks - I like my words better, thanks very much. Still if you want to play that game - how's about this?

Some Worshipers of that religion uses babies, children, women, men, animals and now the mentally disturbed as bombs. Not a shock.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Thanks - I like my words better, thanks very much. Still if you want to play that game - how's about this?

Some Worshipers of that religion uses babies, children, women, men, animals and now the mentally disturbed as bombs. Not a shock.

I don't disagree. finally a fun game

[GaryC 7]

How are we 'winning' when this kind of thing keeps happening?

It's called resorting to desperate measures. They have no other option open to them because we are winning. This is showing their true colors and it will further isolate them in Iraq. The people no longer support them and this furthers their defeat.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

How are we 'winning' when this kind of thing keeps happening?

It's called resorting to desperate measures. They have no other option open to them because we are winning. This is showing their true colors and it will further isolate them in Iraq. The people no longer support them and this furthers their defeat.

Perhaps - but the security situation is such that regardless of any progress made this still happens - and in a very public way.

The key to this still depends on the govt there getting its act together.

[HAL 9000 96]

I dunno... I think there have been desperate measures ever since we invaded and declared mission accomplished.

[mawilson 2,133]

Demonic militants..... need the Power of Three to vanquish.

[almaty 19]

terrible and a sad life those 2 had.....

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I dunno... I think there have been desperate measures ever since we invaded and declared mission accomplished.

I'd say there have been 'desperate measures' like this since the 7th century.

[garya505 2]

I dunno... I think there have been desperate measures ever since we invaded and declared mission accomplished.

I'd say there have been 'desperate measures' like this since the 7th century.

Nonsense! It's all Bush's fault. When he took office, they quickly scrambled to mobilized their attacks, and managed to do it in only 8 months!

[HAL 9000 96]

I dunno... I think there have been desperate measures ever since we invaded and declared mission accomplished.

I'd say there have been 'desperate measures' like this since the 7th century.

Baghdad with suicide bombers before 2003?

It was actually quite a nice city to visit pre-2003.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I dunno... I think there have been desperate measures ever since we invaded and declared mission accomplished.

I'd say there have been 'desperate measures' like this since the 7th century.

We had the renaissance - they got conquered by the mongols... and didn't... Could easily have happened to us too.