Car bomb kills al-Hakim

[Timexwatch]

Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat
Another angle to the "you think you used enough dynamite there, Butch?" approach is that it casues some confusion as to who's responsible by deviating from the pattern of attacks used by Sadr's boys in the past.

There's an even bigger twist in that the spectacular size and effect of the blast will get much more attention and help (along with the UN bombing) spread the perception among a lot of Iraqis that the Americans can't secure the country.

I doubt it's morons who didn't know how much explosive to use - seems much more likely to me that this bombing was a message meant for several parties.

IIRC, the Americans were specifically asked not to guard the holy sites around Najaf and Karbala and I doubt that the Ayatollahs had to twist their arms that much. I haven't see anyone blame incompetent American security yet. Not even the U.N. blamed the Americans when their compound got bombed.

If this was a more sophisticated iginition bomb, then there had to be someone on the inside who had access to the Ayatollah's car and schedule. Maybe there's a mole in his enterrouge.

[Odin]

The only good fundy is a dead one.

[Sprayber]

Originally posted by DAVOUT
. It is therefore safer to contemplate all possibilities, even the most crazy or senseless.

Since you seem to have those covered, the rest of us can move on then

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by Sprayber


Since you seem to have those covered, the rest of us can move on then

Move on, boy, will see where you get. :

[Chemical Ollie]

Originally posted by Odin
The only good fundy is a dead one.

According to the TV news, this guy was a moderate opposing the fundies. TV held two likely suspects, either Shia fundamentalists who wanted the moderate guy dead, or Saddamist Sunnis who want to create chaos and etno wars for the occupation forces.

I personally think Shia fundies would not bomb a Mosque on a Friday, but you never know - perhaps the 100 or so colateral damage will be martyrs who are now playing around with 880 virgins in Paradise?

Being some kind of leader in Iraq seems to be the most dangerous job in the world, huh?

[Dr Strangelove]

Yeah, I think this is most likely to be the product of one of Saddam's boys. I'm beginning to think that we shouldn't count on the possibility of a stable united Iraq. Maybe we should accept the divisions of the country and accomodate them in our future plans or even ("shudder") use them to our advantage.

[The Mad Monk]

Originally posted by Odin
The only good fundy is a dead one.

Didn't they arrest you for that virus today?

[Odin]

Originally posted by The Mad Monk

Didn't they arrest you for that virus today?

[The Mad Monk]

Here's an idea:

The United States wants happy, peaceful Shi'ites in Iraq, because that will make for a stable country; Baathists and others want the opposite, because a stable country would be harder to take back. There's been friction between two Shi'ite factions, including some unsuccessful assasination attempts, but but it hasn't become an all-out war yet.

What if a third party staged an assasination, in the most public, destructive, and offensive way possible, to spark such a war?

I think Baathists are responsible.

[Dinner]

Bathists or Shi'ite radicals are the most likely.

[The Mad Monk]

Originally posted by Odin

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=562&u=/ap/20030829/ap_on_hi_te/internet_attack_12&printer=1

[Odin]

I don't even know any compter programing (except some HTML), genius.

[GePap]

I seriously doubt the Iran angle: right now they are sitting pretty, they really don;t have to move at all.I am also doubtfull that it was Badr, but he is certainly a much more likely assaailant than the Iranians.

I am leaning towards Sunni fundies or Saddam loyalists.

[GePap]

Originally posted by DanS
Hello! Iraq already is under martial law!

And terrorist tactics are overrated in effectiveness. At least for the stuff that we need to do.

Like keep order???

Many aid agencies have been leaving town lately..last time I checked, we sort of need those there.

[GePap]

Update: right now four men are in custody, 2 Iraqis and two Saudis said to be linked with our boy Osama.