Baghdad's Green Zone Runs Red After Attack

Here's a video showing the suicide bomber detonating his explosives in the background of an interview going on near the cafeteria where workers and members of Parliament were eating. Eight people were killed in the attack, including at least one member of the Iraqi Parliament.



The purpose of the attack was to make the US surge seem ineffective. That is one effect. Another is that it makes the Iraqi government appear vulnerable to attack. The bomber appears to have been a bodyguard for one of the members of Parliament. While the US forces control access to the Green Zone, Iraqi forces have control over access to the Parliament building. Since additional explosives were found elsewhere in the building, there's a definite possibility that there was a wider plot involved and others involved may still be on the loose.

Hot Air has more analysis. So does Iraqslogger.

Meanwhile, there was a major truck bombing that brought down an important bridge over the Tigris River in Baghdad. That attack killed 10 people. Omar notes that the MPs have to take some of the blame because they haven't done nearly enough to rid their own of jihadi and terrorist sympathizers. There are some MPs who have no problems hiring former or current insurgents and while they complain about the gauntlet of security they have to pass through to get to the Parliament building, this is what happens when that security is breached. Maybe now they'll work harder to improve security and crack down on the infiltrators in their midst, but I wouldn't hold my breath.