Iraq attacks account for more than half of global suicide terrorism since 1981.
Iraq attacks account for more than half of global suicide terrorism since 1981.
In an analysis of trends in suicide attacks worldwide since 1981 (pdf), researcher Assaf Moghadam presents a pretty shocking statistic:
Iraq accounts for 1,067 suicide attacks in the period under review — “a number that accounts for more than half (54.8%) of all suicide attacks since 1981. The sheer volume in which this tactic has struck Iraq is even more impressive since no suicide attacks were recorded in Iraq prior to the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003.
The Wonk Room’s Matt Duss comments: “Understand, this is what George W. Bush’s strategy of ‘fighting them over there so we don’t have to fight them over here’ entails. Luring terrorists to Iraq to blow themselves up in markets and mosques wasn’t some tragic side-effect of Bush’s plan, it was in fact a component of Bush’s plan. Let’s not pretend to be confused when Iraqis fail to show appropriate gratitude.”
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And the really big terrorists were hiding in the White House. In plain sight the whole time.
February 14th, 2009 at 10:43 am“I’m George Bush and I approve this mess” His words, not mine!
February 14th, 2009 at 10:46 amThe sheer volume in which this tactic has struck Iraq is even more impressive since no suicide attacks were recorded in Iraq prior to the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003.
And it only cost us a trillion dollars!
So glad those brain-dead morons are gone!
February 14th, 2009 at 10:49 amI’ll feel a whole lot safer when we can scrub, rinse and repeat the entire bush era
February 14th, 2009 at 10:50 amYes, sad that Saddam was actually able to protect his people and Border.
Drunk Cowboy , not.
Be clear that the base objective of the Iraq attack was not to remove a Dictator and instill Democracy in IRAQ
It was to remove Democracy and instill a Dictator – in America
February 14th, 2009 at 10:54 amMission Accomplished!
It is amazing how few “terrorists” have actually been apprehended and disposed of by the bush/cheney phone war. When an actual neutral review of all of the bush/cheney actions occurs, Americans will be stunned by the greed and corruption. . .there will be even more than we already know about.
February 14th, 2009 at 10:55 amI read that world terrorism has tripled under the Republicans’ watch.
February 14th, 2009 at 10:56 am“Fighting them over there” has equaled dead & maimed Iraqis AND the same for Americans, namely our troops.
Men & women from over here are over there, with resulting carnage to the Americans fighting them “over there.”
Vader & Rummy skewed logic via Bush League Bush, resulting in slaughter of Iraqis, our troops, & our allies. Bush League FedGov for the past 8 long years gave us this mess that keeps on giving.
Bring a rapid end to it starting NOW, Pres. BO.
February 14th, 2009 at 10:57 amI can’t wait for Obama to get bin Laden. Conservatives will have to shut up for an entire day…
February 14th, 2009 at 10:58 am.
Q U E S T I O N:
How many market/car/vest bombs went off in Iraq under Saddam?
.
February 14th, 2009 at 11:22 amone thing i’ve never been able to figure out – why all the road trips that allowed so many troops to be killed by IEDs…?
never understood that… it always seemed the mission was to just go out on the streets for a show… what were they doing?
February 14th, 2009 at 11:26 amhow many lives lost because of that circus?
But for 8 years Chimpy said he made us safer from the terrorists & Darth is still telling us that they made us safer & Obama will let us get attacked???
Damn that facts & reality get in the way.
February 14th, 2009 at 11:28 amI first heard the term Dabbing” in a newsweek article:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/32259/page/2
One step is to get soldiers out of the vehicles that have too often become their fiery coffins
“What does barreling down a highway at 45mph, peering through a dust-covered windshield, actually accomplish?” asked a retired general who declined to be quoted by name criticizing his former military colleagues. A veteran of the Balkans, this general recalled that his troops had a term for routine, pointless patrols. “Dabbing,” they called it, from the caustic acronym for “driving around Bosnia.” “‘Dabbing’ now means ‘driving around Baghdad’,” says the general.
IEDs are easy to make, and bombmakers don’t have to look very hard for ingredients. The highly militarized regime of Saddam Hussein stashed weaponry all across the country. When Saddam fell and the American invaders failed to secure his arsenals, insurgents could and did avail themselves of about 500 million tons of bombs, artillery shells and ammo, basically left lying around.
February 14th, 2009 at 11:59 am10. Max-1 Says: Q U E S T I O N:
How many market/car/vest bombs went off in Iraq under Saddam?
Oh..oh, I know this one!….pick me…piiick…meeee…
*ahem* Okay, the answer is…0
February 14th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Contrast that with Predator drone fired missiles. Summary execution of targets and their families is also a new tactic. I believe Israel introduced it first. The U.S. copied.
http://arisfreedomswitch.blogspot.com/ 2009/ 02/ obama-determined-to-grow-more.html
Obama continues the practice. Diane Feinstein revealed Predators come from bases inside Pakistan. Does she want Pakistan’s fragile government to fall?
February 14th, 2009 at 12:08 pmWasn’t this the plan? To take a (relatively) stable secular country, that worshipped western values and supported the US and UK, and to turn that into a highly radicalized muslim fiefdom that hates the US and UK and western lifestyle?
Every single student of political science would have predicted exactly that outcome.
Therefore there is only one conclusion: the present state of Iraq, having been foretold for decades by people that study this region, is EXACTLY what the Republican Party intended all along. That party had as a long term goal the perpetual warfare against the people of Iraq. There is no other explanation.
February 14th, 2009 at 12:10 pmSWBob Says:
It is amazing how few “terrorists” have actually been apprehended and disposed of by the bush/cheney phony war. When an actual neutral review of all of the bush/cheney actions occurs, Americans will be stunned by the greed and corruption. . .there will be even more than we already know about.
Actually, SWBob, far too many of us will NOT be “stunned”–we’ve been trumpeting the greed, corruption, phoniness, hypocrisy, wastefulness, immorality, etc., of the entire proceeding for YEARS. The only ones who will be “stunned” by the degree of greed and corruption will be those who BELIEVED BushCo’s “shock and awe” blitherings.
If the above blind followers ARE genuinely stunned, stunned enough to take action against any such viciousness in the future, then at least a little good might result from eight terrible years of attempted suzerainty.
February 14th, 2009 at 12:13 pmunbelievable Says:
I can’t wait for Obama to get bin Laden. Conservatives will have to shut up for an entire day…
Oh, you foolish optimist! They’ll IMMEDIATELY babble that President Obama should have done this on day one!
February 14th, 2009 at 12:15 pm#15-
Diane Feinstein revealed Predators come from bases inside Pakistan. Does she want Pakistan’s fragile government to fall?
It’s time to retire from the Senate when you can no longer tell the difference between Thinking It & Saying It. DiFi probably passed that point several yardsticks ago imo. Not an age thing, more just not caring enough about verbally proofing her comments. Seems to have gotten worse lately.
And rumor is that Feinstein wants to run for Cali governor. They could do worse I guess. Already have several times.
February 14th, 2009 at 12:17 pmI can’t seem to recall why Saddam was worse than W. Can someone please remind me.
February 14th, 2009 at 12:20 pmkasinca @ 20-
Saddam was a megalomaniacal despot & Bush was only trying to become one.
I can probably think of one or two others if I get on it.
February 14th, 2009 at 12:25 pmSo there was a small silver lining to Bush’s lifelong habit of failure…
February 14th, 2009 at 12:29 pm20. kasinca Says: I can’t seem to recall why Saddam was worse than W. Can someone please remind me.
Saddam was taking too long killing Iraqis. Prez. Shortbus passed Saddam’s bodycount in 1/5 the time.
Saddam wouldn’t admit our oil was buried under his sand. W. brought ‘democracy’ and ‘free-market’ strategy: the American tradition of robber barons.
Saddam wasn’t from Texas or a republican. If he was, the GOP would be trumpeting his mistreatment by the liberal media and claiming that history would eventually vindicate his ‘actions.’
Howzat?
February 14th, 2009 at 12:30 pmThere are no Terrorists in Iraq or Afeghanistan, there are freedom fighters, fighting an arrogant aggressor, a criminal occupier who in their land to steal oil resources and build oil pipelines for the corporations connected with their terrorist state government.
February 14th, 2009 at 12:32 pmObama has already signed a drone attack inside Pakistan where innocent civilians have been killed. Children and women included! Bush started, but Obama is dragging his feet on his promised for ‘change’.
Obama also has kept loop wholes so rendition is well and alive and is part of the USA’s war machine.
Bush kept Americans safe only if you don’t consider our soldiers American.
¶ AIO
February 14th, 2009 at 12:42 pm24. sacopenapa Says: There are no Terrorists in Iraq or Afeghanistan, there are freedom fighters, fighting an arrogant aggressor, a criminal occupier who in their land to steal oil resources and build oil pipelines for the corporations connected with their terrorist state government.
~based on “Manufacturing Consent” by Noam Chomsky
February 14th, 2009 at 12:50 pm26. benmaller Says: Barry is now complicit in continuing the “war crimes” of the previous administration. Obama to the Hauge! RIGHT F’ING NOW!!!
The Daily Show: John Oliver Blames Barack Obama for Winter
For eight long days, America has paid the price of Barack Obama’s failed policies, leading John Oliver to wonder when enough is enough…
February 14th, 2009 at 12:55 pmben maller,
February 14th, 2009 at 12:58 pman honest question for you. how does it feel to have you ideology thoroughly renounced by the american people? obama won what? twice the number of electoral voted than grampy mclame?
Is benmailer really RR, Darryl, Proud, and their ilk in disguise? or just another neostooge?
February 14th, 2009 at 12:58 pmtelestai,
February 14th, 2009 at 1:00 pmit’s barack obomber/proud to be a retard in drag. i can tell because it’s the same sheyat, different day from this clown.
Wow. First it was terrorist connections. Then non-existent WMD’s. Then it was ‘freeing the Iraqi people. Now that all those bogus reasons have been debunked they go with, we wanted them to confine their insanity to Iraq.
The excuses are getting lamer as the indictments approach.
February 14th, 2009 at 1:07 pmben mauled repeatedly,
February 14th, 2009 at 1:07 pmdoes it affect your fragile ego that your failed ideology is the butt of jokes for the majority of americans?
Benny boy, you just keep clutching at those straw points. They are getting fewer and farther between and pretty soon you will have to learn how to swim.
The good news is you don’t seem to be adept in the learning department.
February 14th, 2009 at 1:12 pmbenmaller:
February 14th, 2009 at 1:19 pmwe can dance if we want to
We can leave your friends behind
Cause your friends dont dance
And if they dont dance
Well they’re no friends of mine
Taught John everything he knows, Benny. Too bad you flunked Arthur Murray.
February 14th, 2009 at 1:26 pm“‘fighting them over there so we don’t have to fight them over here’”
The most bigoted and cowardly ’strategy’ any American president has EVER proposed.
It’s no surprise the GOP faithful can’t scream it’s praises loud enough…
February 14th, 2009 at 1:51 pmbenmaller,
I do not think these “surgical” airstrikes would be happening without the TACIT APPROVAL of the Pakistani Govt.
Politically, they would never Acknowlege this….but they could and would stop these Drone Attacks, if they wanted to.
Look at their reaction to US Special Ops troops on their territory. You don’t see that anymore, do you?
February 14th, 2009 at 3:09 pmbenmaller,
Flagged. You clearly do not have a clue what this website is supposed to be about. You are welcome to post a relevant comment, but stop coming here complaining about what’s not posted.
February 14th, 2009 at 3:09 pm40. benmaller Says: FUnny how the breaking news of Obamaran’s “skillfully planned, highly surgical strike on the “evil doers” in Pakistan hasn’t been posted on TP with flashing lights and sirens by Faiz yet. Are we still waiting for the talking points from the Messiah?
Probably waiting for your bogus assertion to be proven. You posted this along with the link:
FUnny how prior to 1/20 these used to be innocent “wedding parties”. Barry is now complicit in continuing the “war crimes” of the previous administration.
Nowhere is there any indication whatsoever in your own link that this incident involved ‘wedding parties’ or any other civilians. Usually, when a bush-suck posts easily debunked garbage, TP doesn’t draw undue attention to it, Faiz just lets the informed members tear them a new @sshole.
‘Course the downside is that benmaller now has two orifices from which to pull his interpretations of “news.”
February 14th, 2009 at 3:32 pmIf a country killed my family, turned my town to rubble, destroyed my country and said it was doing it for my own good I think I would, at least, think about a suicide bombing. It’s not particularly evil—it’s desperation that arise from being overwhelmed by evil and wanting it to stop.
The people recruiting the suicide bombers do evil things to recruit. The breakdown of their society that is a result of the war, made it a predator’s paradise.
February 14th, 2009 at 4:23 pmWhy aren’t we out of there yet?
We are entitled our clear timetable now.
February 14th, 2009 at 4:53 pmYou mean the Iraq where Saddam Hussein was a U.S. ally, John Kerry?
Aren’t you getting a little tired of that soundbite? Those thousands of people Saddam killed had an armed uprising against Saddam with encouragement from a CIA that insisted it would be behind them when they got started, but abandoned them to their inevitable fate. Guess our relationship with Saddam was a bit two-faced.
How do you think the U.S. would handle an armed uprising attempting to overthrow the government?
February 14th, 2009 at 5:15 pma lot of rushbots seem to confuse ThinkProgress blog with a news site…
but, to address one part of the hysterics, i’d more appreciate the killing of terrorists rather than a wedding party… could be the aim was better this time, not?
February 14th, 2009 at 5:21 pm#14 hanshiro,
Sorry for not getting back sooner(work), thanks for answering the obvious…
Now, the follow-up
Q U E S T I O N:
How many mainstream news media outlets tell us this truth?
Is it propaganda when it serves the war industry and political ideologies?
February 14th, 2009 at 5:43 pmThere’s a killing to be had at making war, NO?
.
R E M E M B E R:
When addressing the United Nations, Colin Powell did not hold up a vile of “Freedom Agenda” filled with “Democracy” dust as the excuse to invade Iraq.
.
February 14th, 2009 at 5:51 pmBadger Says:
I first heard the term Dabbing” in a newsweek article:
of august 07… it had been going on way before that too…
there was never enough attention brought to that idiocy.
thanks…
February 14th, 2009 at 6:04 pmComrade Rutherford Says:
… …EXACTLY what the Republican Party intended all along. That party had as a long term goal the perpetual warfare against the people of Iraq. There is no other explanation.
i don’t think they are particular WHO the perpetual war is against…
February 14th, 2009 at 6:13 pmas long as the profits keep rollin’ in… and when what you manufacture gets blown up, why, that’s called job security…
Hi John Kerry
Nice timing.
Pork Chops, wild rice, and steamed broccoli. I realize that wild rice thing might throw throw you a bit but still just give it a try. Afterall there are starving children in nations you have never heard of.
Pussy much?
February 14th, 2009 at 6:35 pmdbadass, hopefully you have room in your freezer. It is good of you to keep trying but the troll has no manners. Typical of trolls, especially this one.
February 14th, 2009 at 6:45 pmSpeaking of suicide, more U.S. troops have died from suicide than other causes in Iraq this year.
February 14th, 2009 at 7:42 pmwiley, very sad statistic. Depressing.
February 14th, 2009 at 11:21 pmBush must be blamed for the suicides.
Submitted by Andrew Yu-Jen Wang
B.S., Summa Cum Laude, 1996
Messiah College, Grantham, PA
Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, PA, 1993
“GEORGE W. BUSH IS THE WORST PRESIDENT IN U.S. HISTORY” BLOG OF ANDREW YU-JEN WANG
ONLINE, ANTI-BUSH, EDUCATIONAL, SCHOLASTIC RESEARCH: LISTING OF MAJOR ISSUES
http://andrewyu-jenwang.blogspot.com/2008/10/bush-is-worst-president-in-american.html
February 15th, 2009 at 2:18 amFrom the Sunday NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/world/middleeast/15iraq.html?hp
Federal authorities examining the early, chaotic days of the $125 billion American-led effort to rebuild Iraq have significantly broadened their inquiry to include SENIOR AMERICAN MILITARY OFFICERS who oversaw the program, according to interviews with senior government officials and court documents.
As part of the inquiry, the authorities are taking a fresh look at information given to them by Dale C. Stoffel, an American arms dealer and contractor who was killed in Iraq in late 2004.
Before he was SHOT on a road north of Baghdad, Mr. Stoffel drew a portrait worthy of a pulp crime novel: tens of thousands of dollars stuffed into pizza boxes and delivered surreptitiously to the American contracting offices in Baghdad, and payoffs made in paper sacks that were scattered in “dead drops” around the Green Zone, the nerve center of the United States government’s presence in Iraq, two senior federal officials said.
“These long-running investigations continue to mature and expand, embracing a wider array of potential suspects,” a federal investigator said.
February 15th, 2009 at 7:46 amOh…and there is this:
The reconstruction effort, intended to improve services and convince Iraqis of American good will, largely managed to do NEITHER. The wider investigation raises the question of whether American corruption was a PRIMARY FACTOR in damaging an effort whose failures have been ascribed to poor planning and unforeseen violence.
February 15th, 2009 at 7:58 amgetting in a mess and never getting out of it, they should Bush over to live and feel the way it is, it will sohbetnever end
February 15th, 2009 at 8:46 pmNobody is buying youtube…
February 15th, 2009 at 8:59 pmSo tell me Ben Maller does it hurt to be as stupid as you are? Did you take special classes or pills or something to get that awesome level of abject stupidity or was it a natureal gift? Do you have any other troll tactics besides this overused look over there idiocy? Are you TRYING to be the most ignorant and worthless poster on this site?
February 16th, 2009 at 1:30 am