24 dead in attack on U.S. base in Iraq
 

24 dead in attack on U.S. base in Iraq
Islamist Web sites post group's claim of responsibility
Tuesday, December 21, 2004 Posted: 1:59 PM EST (1859 GMT)


U.S. troops help a wounded comrade after an attack on a dining facility at a base near Mosul, Iraq.

MOSUL, Iraq (CNN) -- A lunchtime attack on a U.S. military mess hall in northern Iraq on Tuesday killed 24 people, including Americans and Iraqis, said Lt. Col. Paul Hastings at Camp Marez.

Brig. Gen. Carter Ham, commander of Task Force Olympia in Mosul, said the attack -- a large, single explosion -- wounded more than 60 people.

The dead include U.S. military personnel, U.S. contractors, foreign contractors and members of the Iraqi army, Ham said.

Read more here

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/...ain/index.html

Looks like a well placed mortar round from a 80-120mm... whether it was a planned hit, or unfortunate circumstance remains to be seen (kinda like the Scud hit on the barracks back in '91).

I'm anxious to see the results of the investigation into the attack - could mean that there is a plant, or the insurgents have gotten their hands on some good targeting gear - for such a possibly pin-point attack. :(

Interesting. Just this morning I read an article on cnn that stated they now believe it was a "suicide bomber" that infiltrated the camp.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/...ain/index.html

I herd the same thing. If it is the case, then you have a breakdown in security at the grandest level. Somebody head is going to roll. The way it looks, Rumsfeld might just be the sacrificial lamb.

Why should he be? How can Americans prevent it without treating Iraqi soldiers with low morale as their own enemy?

It's a difficult situation in Iraq. These soldiers are barely trained and every day their families receive threats. Their American counterparts are much more superior on every level.

The good thing is that more of them are being trained and more groups are working so that it's becoming easier to see which groups perform better. I heard this is and will lead to better morale and determination to perform.

The bad thing is...well it's this bloody mess.

-Rudey

There has been people both in Congress and in the Pentagon that is trying to find reasons to get rid of Rumsfeld. What's more, there are other people who are strategically placing themselve to replace Rumsfeld, among them Wolfowitz. I don't think Rumsfeld will be gone, but he will be weaken by this attack. He is already weaken with his comment made to the troops a month ago. I don't know if this is going to happen, but there is a possibility that Wolfowitz will take the day to day operation and Rumsfeld merely the puppet.

After all, Wolfowitz and his gang (Pearle, et al) has a different idea when it come to using the military. Rumsfeld's vision of a military entail the reduction of the GI and making it more mobile. More like get in, get the job done as soon as possible, get out. Whereas Wolfowitz's gang want use the military to get in, change the government, etc. Both form of military contradict itself. As I've said in the past, sooner or later the two camps will be fighting. It has started already.

Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz are very, very close and I'd bet if the old cogs in the party forces Rummy out, Wolfy would leave to write a book as well.

-Rudey