Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad's statement on the Buratha mosque bombing
I offer my sincerest condolences to the people of Iraq in the wake of the vicious bombing attack on worshippers at the Buratha mosque in Baghdad. The terrorists who seek to murder innocent people who worship at Iraq’s holy sites and religious institutions are the enemies of all faiths and of all humanity. The United States condemns this cowardly act in the strongest possible terms.
I urge all Iraqis to exercise restraint in the wake of this tragedy, to come together to fight terror, to continue to resist the provocation to sectarian violence, and to pursue justice within the framework of Iraq’s laws and constitution. The United States will continue to do everything in its power to assist the Government of Iraq in brining to justice those responsible for this heinous crime.
May God bless the people of Iraq.
Release A060308c
Statement by Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad and General George W. Casey, Jr. April 9, 2006
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Today, on the third anniversary of Iraqi Freedom Day, the Iraqi people celebrate the freedoms that they were denied for more than three decades, and pause to remember the brave people who lead the way out of the darkness of tyranny into the light of freedom.
On this day in 2003, Iraqis, assisted by U.S. Marines, toppled the huge statue of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in Baghdad’s Firdos Square. This act was not just symbolic. It signaled the beginning of a fledgling democracy that continues to mature. During the past year alone, Iraqis have elected a Constitutional government, drafted and ratified a constitution and held successful elections for their new national assembly. Through 2005 more and more Iraqis decided to engage in building the new Iraq, culminating in almost 75 percent of registered voters casting ballots in December’s election.
Additionally, there have been great gains in the development of Iraqi Security Forces, forces critical to returning stability to Iraq and hastening the return of Iraq to the Iraqi people. Over last year Iraqi forces have almost doubled from 127,000 to more than 250,000 today. Today, 50 Iraqi Army Battalions, 13 Brigades, and 2 Divisions have security responsibility in Iraqi. They are truly taking the lead. By the end of summer, 75 percent of the Brigades and Battalions will be leading counterinsurgency operations in Iraq, with the Coalition in support.
Despite the harsh test of sectarian violence following the bombing of the Golden Dome mosque in Samarra in February, Iraqi leaders and security forces have held together. The Iraqi government officials called for calm and Iraqi Security Forces secured key areas.
Iraqi Freedom Day is a time to reflect on what has happened, and what still needs to happen. Despite much progress, much work remains. We must continue to help Iraqis create a strong, stable and successful new democracy. The Iraqi people and their elected representatives must choose a competent government that will develop a program for Iraq that benefits all Iraqis. The legitimate security forces must quell sectarian violence. Population centers must be secure to allow Iraq’s new institutions to take root and businesses to flourish. Finally, the people must be able to trust their leadership and the institutions of the state.
Through it all the United States and its Coalition partners will remain steadfast partners and encourage progress. In the end, Iraq will succeed. Its success will help transform the wider Middle East and give even greater meaning to Iraqi Freedom Day.
May God Bless the people of Iraq and the members of the Iraqi and Coalition Security Forces who have made freedom possible.
Release A060408a
TF Pacesetter nets cache
BALAD, Iraq – A call from an air attack weapons team patrolling the Tigris River resulted in another large find for the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Task Force Band of Brothers April 7.
A large cache was discovered after the team spotted a man transporting 55-gallon drums across the Tigris River. Although the drums were found to contain only fuel, a patrol from Bulldog Troop, 2nd Squadron, 9th Cavalry searched the area and discovered a large number of munitions and mortars.
The find includes more than 2,000 rounds of 7.62 ammunition, 337 60 mm mortar rounds, six 82 mm mortar rounds, two 60 mm mortar tubes, two mortar tripods (one of which had a base), one 125 mm projectile, one barrel of gun powder and 31 assorted munitions.
As of this release, Bulldog Troop is still searching through 100 canisters in the area.
** And a happy tale of Palestinian car swarming: Two Aksa Martyrs' Brigades terrorists - identified as Mahmoud Ajour and Sami Abu Shariya - were killed and a third seriously wounded Saturday afternoon when an IAF aircraft fired missiles at a car in northern Gaza.Shortly before the strike, the army had spotted the three cell members launching a Kassam rocket into Israel.
An army spokesman said the IDF struck when the cell members had returned to their vehicle following the Kassam launch. While the IDF had spotted three people in the cell, it could not confirm the report that two cell members were killed. ...Altogether now lets give a shout of "CAR SWARM!!!!"
Finally:
Apr 7 2006
A GOOD Samaritan has spoken of his disgust after a dying man was heckled by yobs.
Travis Marshall, 42, tried in vain to save an elderly driver who had a heart attack at the wheel and careered into a bus.
But as the victim took his last breath, sick youths in tracksuits and hoods clashed with police and yelled: "He is just a white man."
Mr Marshall, who performed emergency CPR on the man in St James's Road, Bermondsey, last Friday, said: "It was sickening. Here you had a dying man, people trying to save him and police trying to clear the scene.
"Then there were these black youths and all they wanted to do was fight the cops. They were saying, 'You think I am scared of you because of your uniform'.
"I told them to have some respect because a man was dying and they shouted, 'Who cares - it's just a white man'."
Mr Marshall told how a black woman next to him pleaded with cops to arrest the youths.
He said: "These people should be ashamed to walk the streets.
"I would try to help someone whatever their colour.
"You can't print what I really think of them. They are scum - scum of the earth."
Mr Marshall was driving for a quiet weekend with sister Terry Choeb at her home in Peckham when he arrived at the crash scene at 4.20pm.
He said: "People were just standing around. The man was bleeding from the mouth and was hardly breathing."
He talked to the ambulance service on a mobile while checking the man's pulse, but when it started to fade he made the decision to lift him from his car and lie him on the road.
Mr Marshall, a former private ambulance driver, then tried to give the kiss of life. Paramedics arrived 10 minutes later but could not save him.
Mr Marshall, formerly of Peckham Rye but now from Canterbury, Kent, said: "It is sad, but all you can do is your best."
** Lets remember that multi cultural society works, especially if your a Nu Labour type who can buy themselves a nice house outside the black ghettos where "people" like that reside...
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