BAGHDAD -- There are reports of a mortar attack and two large car bombs at the Sheraton Hotel, home of Fox News and, next door in the Palestine, the Associated Press. There has been a third car bomb attack on the al-Sadeer Hotel up the road from me.
[UPDATE 10/24/05 6:03:43 PM: Now it appears it's three car bombs at the Palestine/Sheraton compound instead of mortars... No attack on al-Sadeer as near as I can tell. CNN's footage is chilling; two smaller explosions in front of AP cameras on the Palestine Hotel, and then a third huge explosion. As you watch, you can see a tanker truck cement mixer enter the compound before exploding in a massive cloud of fire, dust and smoke.
[This means they knew where the cameras are. They know how to get into the compound. And there's a good chance the first two explosions were designed to get journalists' attention, draw them to the windows and then explode the third one.
[No good word on casulaties yet. Nothing reliable.]
Things are confusing right now and we're unsure what has happened, but that's the latest. The blasts rattled my windows and I'm three or so kilometers away.
I´ve read about this attack and do hope all the journalists keep themselves safe. As you do too.
1) Holy crap. 2) Had to click over here pronto on seeing the headline “Journalists’ Hotel in Baghdad Attacked” and am glad you’re OK. 3) It looks like a lot of people are not OK. Take care of yourself, C.
yep, I just fired up my laptop and found a “breaking news” report also. So I opened your site for a personal account that I don’t consider MSM.
your words Chris look spot on as what they wanted; ( ” [This means they knew where the cameras are. They know how to get into the compound. And there’s a good chance the first two explosions were designed to get journalists’ attention, draw them to the windows and then explode the third one. ” ) ie “money shots” I suppose they have a message to MSM : ” They hate the vote and referendum coverage and fed up with it already.The democratic event is over, MSM has got to get “focus” back on them.
MSM isn’t covering their side the way they demand of you ?
btw, I read an aricle about Ninevah, looks like it is the only hope to voe down the referendum. And if for some reason,the referendum fails…The future of Iraq’s democracy has its foundations anchored in quicksand And the quicksand is winning.
I’m really glad to see that you’re safe.
Stayed at the Fanar for six months: after the warnings, Firdos square closures, rumours of insurgent raids — all the bad juju — well it finally happened,
The surprise here is the extnet of coordination .. first bomb to break up the concrete barrier, second stopped by gunfire, the third conrete truck getting in and detonating.
I don’t know Chris — glad to be Stateside one one hand — hate missign the story on the other … stay safe.
n an incredibly well written Op-Ed piece, U.S. Congressman George Miller, Chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee, has put together a plan for Iraq. Miller is the first Democrat to articulate a detailed strategy. Here’s an excerpt:
“LAST WEEK’S vote on the Iraqi constitution was important, but it should not distract Americans from the real problems we face there.
Not only is the new constitution a divisive document that leaves most key political issues unsettled, but its approval will not slow the growth or influence of the deadly insurgency. It remains that the U.S. strategy in Iraq is not working now and it will not ever work. We must change course, and there is a way to do that. “
Read more atSector 7G.
Happy you’re a-ok…stay safe.