US bombs Baghdad

It is reported by an all-news website that the U.S. Air
Force has bombed (or is bombing) parts of southeast Baghdad.

http://www.news24.com/...

Juan Cole (www.juancole.com) put this at the top of his indispensible blog this morning.

He calls it a war crime.  I would like to second his plea: write/call your congperson about this.  

This is lower than I thought we would ever sink, in violating the principles accepted by the international community as legal behavior.

•  Our goal is to Surge the Civil War

  Bush had not sent the troops to bring peace or spread democracy, but to inflame a perpetual conflict.

  by Opinionated Ed on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 07:48:49 AM PDT

•  I suspected that was in the plans.

  I also suspect that many Americans will view this as a necessary part of the war, particularly thos who support Bush.

  by nupstateny on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 07:52:04 AM PDT

•  not the first time they've done this......n/t

  by Gorette on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 07:59:14 AM PDT

•  Three dozen???

  From the 24 link:

  There was no immediate comment from the US, but AFP reporters in downtown Baghdad heard the rumble of more than three dozen powerful blasts in rapid succession at around 22:00pm (19:00 GMT).

  WTF???

  by Crashing Vor on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 07:59:48 AM PDT

  •  Thanks, CV. Missed this. n/t

    by muddy paws on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 08:40:57 AM PDT

  •  To quote Juan Cole:

    Late Saturday, the US Air Force launched a series of bombing raids on southeast Baghdad. This is absolutely shameful, that the US is bombing from the air a civilian city that it militarily occupies. You can't possibly do that without killing innocent civilians, as at Ramadi the other day. It is a war crime. US citizens should protest and write their congressional representatives. It is also the worst possible counter-insurgency tactic anyone could ever have imagined. You bomb people, they hate you. The bombing appears to have knocked out what little electricity some parts of Baghdad were still getting.

    by ybruti on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 08:52:53 AM PDT

    •  It is a war crime

      one of many in this nightmare.  What Americans fail to grasp is that the rest of the world is keeping score.  We can engage in as much denial as we like, we can hide our consciences behind American exceptionalism and our military might, but the world is quietly passing judgement not just on this current government but on us as a people.  The consequences will last a generation, and extra generations if this nation attacks Iran.  What sort of judgement is being passed, what will the consequences be for Americans in the world of tomorrow?  Ask a German what that sort of world historical judgement means.

      by ActivistGuy on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 09:34:16 AM PDT

      •  I can name one long term consequence

        It will be the decision by the world community that American power needs to be checked -- and believe you me, there are lots of ways professionals at all levels of government and in the bureaucracies in  major societies can work to marginalize and confront us -- it wont just be poor illiterate slum kids who blow themselves up.

        It will be a shrinking of American 'soft' power, a growing dislike for the profligate and narcissistic culture we've generated.

        I think 'Iraq' -- with all that it means -- is the beginning of the end of American hegemony in the Middle East, and beyond.

        by muddy paws on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 10:33:36 AM PDT

        •  That's the ONE good thing that's come out of this

          and it's been overdue for a long time.

          by skrekk on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 02:29:35 PM PDT

•  But Haven't We Been Bombing In Various Places

  all along?

  Seems like well before the election there was commentary here that the public is generally unaware of the extent of US bombing outside Baghdad.

  by Gooserock on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 08:01:51 AM PDT

  •  You're correct.

    I had a running discussion with a Republican friend yesterday. He just wouldn't believe we've been bombing towns and cities and, really, all over Iraq. I really needed some direct info and citations; and I said we'd be doing that in Baghdad. Cleaning out those "abandoned" houses in the northwest Sunni sector was a prelude.

    This bombing now is a different section, but it sure looks they're going to level the Sunni areas of the city.

    It's a mini-Falujah, a Falujahcito, to mix languages.

    And we should always remember in modern warfare, especially urban warfare, that 80-95% of all casualties are civilian. That has been a steadily increasing percentage all the last century as war became highly mechanized and air forces began to bomb. Essentially, the powers that be have decided to maliciously and intentionally kill those civilians. It's murder by it's intent.

    I will predict that within 48 hours all hell will break loose somewhere else; Iraq is a balloon. A push in one place will yield a bloody bulge somewhere else.

    by walkshills on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 12:10:21 PM PDT

•  Fallujah redux!

  It was obvious that that was what the "surge" meant!

  by LibertyGuard on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 08:13:18 AM PDT

•  Gee.

  I wonder why they hate us so much?

  by kestrel9000 on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 08:13:32 AM PDT

  •  Hearts and minds

    splattered, not won.

    by anniethena on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 10:33:56 AM PDT

  •  We're deadly little mofos.

    Big in bombs and bullets, small in mind with non-existent hearts. What's not to hate?

    by walkshills on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 12:12:31 PM PDT

    •  Our freedom.

      I can't understand why they hate us for our freedom.
      Thank Jesus we can fight them over there so we don't have to fight them here.

      by kestrel9000 on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 02:21:00 PM PDT

      •  Ha. A cheap neocon amen. nt

        by walkshills on Sun Feb 25, 2007 at 02:43:37 PM PDT