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08-17-2010, 09:12 AM
Suicide attack kills Iraqi army recruits in Baghdad
Nick Childs, BBC defence and security correspondent
A significant and symbolic moment is fast approaching in Iraq, with the official end of the US combat mission there. Against that background, a very deliberate and devastating event like this was - in many ways - entirely predictable.
While US commanders insist they've battered the militant groups, they acknowledge that they are still capable of mounting significant attacks. But how frequently, and with what impact?
This latest incident only underlines the fact that Iraq remains far messier and more fragile than Washington would like. At the same time, America's ability to influence events is diminishing.
The 50,000 US troops that are remaining will officially be there only in a support and advisory role. But US special forces are also staying on, and a key question is how much pressure they'll be under to step in again militarily if the security situation deteriorates further.
The attack happened in a busy area close to one of the city's main bus stations, our correspondent says, adding that the streets are full of people early in the morning, making it easy for a suicide bomber to pass unnoticed.
Severed limbs could be seen in the street, which troops cordoned off as Iraqis turned up to look for relatives.
The site of the attack used to be the defence ministry during the rule of former President Saddam Hussein. It was converted into an army base and recruitment centre following the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Some soldiers were reported to be among the victims of Tuesday's attack. Three men were injured when two small bombs exploded last week at the same site.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, although our correspondent says suspicion will fall on al-Qaeda in Iraq.
After a long lull, it has been much more active recently, possibly to coincide with what the Americans are calling the end of their combat operations in Iraq on 31 August, he adds.
Political uncertainty
The recruitment centre takes in about 250 recruits every week as the Iraqi authorities try to boost their armed forces.
Continue reading the main story
RECENT ATTACKS ON IRAQI FORCES
* 17 August: More than 50 killed and 100 wounded in a suicide attack outside an army recruitment centre in Baghdad
* 14 August: Gunmen kill six at Baghdad checkpoints, including a pair of sleeping policemen who were shot and set on fire
* 11 August: Eight Iraqi soldiers killed when a house they were preparing to raid blows up in the northern Diyala province
* 9 August: Traffic police in Baghdad are given assault rifles to defend themselves after 12 policemen were killed in one week
* 4 August: Series of attacks in Baghdad kill eight police officers
The US is to reduce its forces in Iraq to 50,000 at the end of this month, and plans to withdraw all troops from the country by the end of 2011.
The 50,000 that will stay until next year will help train Iraqi forces and support counter-insurgency operations, although they will be combat-capable.
Iraq's top army officer recently questioned the timing of the pull-out, saying the country's military might not be ready to take control for another decade.
Meanwhile, Iraqi politics has remained deadlocked five months after national elections, with no new government yet in place.
On Monday, the al-Iraqiya bloc that narrowly won the most seats in March suspended talks with the second-placed Shia-led State of Law alliance of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Al-Iraqiya, which is led by former prime minister Iyad Allawi and says it is non-sectarian, was upset by a TV interview in which Mr Maliki said al-Iraqiya represented the Sunnis of Iraq.
Mr Allawi's alliance includes Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi, a Sunni Arab, and senior Sunni politician Saleh al-Mutlaq.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-10995421
Nick Childs, BBC defence and security correspondent
A significant and symbolic moment is fast approaching in Iraq, with the official end of the US combat mission there. Against that background, a very deliberate and devastating event like this was - in many ways - entirely predictable.
While US commanders insist they've battered the militant groups, they acknowledge that they are still capable of mounting significant attacks. But how frequently, and with what impact?
This latest incident only underlines the fact that Iraq remains far messier and more fragile than Washington would like. At the same time, America's ability to influence events is diminishing.
The 50,000 US troops that are remaining will officially be there only in a support and advisory role. But US special forces are also staying on, and a key question is how much pressure they'll be under to step in again militarily if the security situation deteriorates further.
The attack happened in a busy area close to one of the city's main bus stations, our correspondent says, adding that the streets are full of people early in the morning, making it easy for a suicide bomber to pass unnoticed.
Severed limbs could be seen in the street, which troops cordoned off as Iraqis turned up to look for relatives.
The site of the attack used to be the defence ministry during the rule of former President Saddam Hussein. It was converted into an army base and recruitment centre following the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Some soldiers were reported to be among the victims of Tuesday's attack. Three men were injured when two small bombs exploded last week at the same site.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, although our correspondent says suspicion will fall on al-Qaeda in Iraq.
After a long lull, it has been much more active recently, possibly to coincide with what the Americans are calling the end of their combat operations in Iraq on 31 August, he adds.
Political uncertainty
The recruitment centre takes in about 250 recruits every week as the Iraqi authorities try to boost their armed forces.
Continue reading the main story
RECENT ATTACKS ON IRAQI FORCES
* 17 August: More than 50 killed and 100 wounded in a suicide attack outside an army recruitment centre in Baghdad
* 14 August: Gunmen kill six at Baghdad checkpoints, including a pair of sleeping policemen who were shot and set on fire
* 11 August: Eight Iraqi soldiers killed when a house they were preparing to raid blows up in the northern Diyala province
* 9 August: Traffic police in Baghdad are given assault rifles to defend themselves after 12 policemen were killed in one week
* 4 August: Series of attacks in Baghdad kill eight police officers
The US is to reduce its forces in Iraq to 50,000 at the end of this month, and plans to withdraw all troops from the country by the end of 2011.
The 50,000 that will stay until next year will help train Iraqi forces and support counter-insurgency operations, although they will be combat-capable.
Iraq's top army officer recently questioned the timing of the pull-out, saying the country's military might not be ready to take control for another decade.
Meanwhile, Iraqi politics has remained deadlocked five months after national elections, with no new government yet in place.
On Monday, the al-Iraqiya bloc that narrowly won the most seats in March suspended talks with the second-placed Shia-led State of Law alliance of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Al-Iraqiya, which is led by former prime minister Iyad Allawi and says it is non-sectarian, was upset by a TV interview in which Mr Maliki said al-Iraqiya represented the Sunnis of Iraq.
Mr Allawi's alliance includes Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi, a Sunni Arab, and senior Sunni politician Saleh al-Mutlaq.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-10995421