Bombings and more

Today was a nasty day in Baghdad. CNN has the full official story, but it should be noted that more happened today that they have even found time to report. I believe the count is up to 6 car bombs, 2 suicide bombers, one roadside bomb, and countless firefights. The majority of the deaths, as usual have been of innocent Shiite civilians. It begs the question, when will they start to turn in the insurgents?

The site of the largest loss of life, at the Kadhimiyah "gathering of laborers", was more accurately right on the front steps of the Kadhimiyah shrine. This is the same shrine that received mortar fire just a few weeks ago at the Death of the Seventh Imam celebration, and was the destination of the crowds of people who were killed in the tragic accident on the bridge. The shrine is right outside the gates of our camp, probably no more than 800 yards from the front gate. So another deadly tragedy has struck the neighborhood of Kadhimiyah.

I visited the hospital this morning, just a few kilometers from the shrine. Bodies of the dead were stacked up in the back of a flatbed truck, at least 40 of them. People who were just out minding their own business, but were chosen by some fanatic to die.

Update on Sept. 15 2005 @ 7:15 am
Yes, the Iraqi people know who the insurgents are and could easily turn them in to us, but are fearful of reprisals against themselves and their families. The cycle of fear has paralyzed this society.

Enough for now,
Trey