Coordinated attacks in Iraq cities kill 100

From the AP via the Houston Chronicle:

Insurgents set off car bombs and seized police stations Thursday in an offensive aimed at creating chaos ahead of next week's handover of power to a new Iraqi government. U.S. and Iraqi forces regained control in heavy fighting, but the day's violence killed more than 100 people, including three U.S. soldiers.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's terror network claimed responsibility for the attacks. Most of the casualties were Iraqi civilians. Many were killed in simultaneous car bombings in the northern city of Mosul, and some died as U.S. troops battled the guerrillas. At least 320 people were wounded, including 12 Americans.

The broad offensive -- with violence in at least six cities -- was the most extensive since attacks in early April. It showed a strength to the insurgency that appeared to surprise even U.S. officials who have been warning that guerrillas would try to sabotage the transfer of power.

The U.S. military responded with heavy firepower, dropping eleven 500-pound bombs and a 2,000-pound bomb.

And here's the not-so-funny punchline from one of the towns that saw some heavy fighting:

Harried doctors struggled to cope with a stream of wounded brought to Baqouba's hospital in civilian cars and pickups. Corridors in the emergency room were spattered with blood. The Health Ministry said 13 people were killed and 15 wounded.

The wounded screamed in agony, and many of their friends and relatives directed their anger at the Americans, whom they blamed for destroying the order imposed by Saddam Hussein.

"May God destroy America and all those who cooperate with it!" one man screamed in the corridor. Another carried the body of a young man shot in the back of the head. "Oh God! Abbas is dead!" he cried.

Click here for the rest.

Okay, so all this bloodshed was for eradicating Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, right? Wrong. There were no weapons of mass destruction. So it was for ending the dangerous relationship between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden, right? Wrong. There was no relationship between Saddam and bin Laden. Then why the hell are all these people dead?

Answer: THEY'RE DEAD FOR ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD REASON AT ALL!!!

And the United States is responsible.

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