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Length: 3:47
PAULA ZAHN: Our "Top
Story" moves on to the fight for Iraq. Today, U.S.
forces killed eight people, including four suspected
terrorists and four civilian women. The military says
it happened during a raid on a suspected terrorist's
house just northeast of Baghdad.
But relatives of the dead deny the U.S. account, and
say the family had nothing to do with any terrorist
group. So far, this week, three Americans have died
fighting in Iraq. Also, today gunmen opened fire on
worshipers heading to a Sunni mosque in Baghdad. Ten
people died, 11 wounded. At least eight died in car
bombs.
And, in the last 24 hours alone, police have found 17
bodies, all tortured, throughout Baghdad. It is
adding up to an exceptionally violent week in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM CALDWELL, U.S. ARMY SPOKESMAN,
COALITION FORCES IN IRAQ: This has been a tough week.
Over the past two weeks, we have seen a rise in the
number of attacks, especially in Baghdad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAHN: The top military spokesman in Iraq saying
suicide attacks are at their highest level ever this
week.
Let's get the very latest on the situation from Iraq
tonight with Michael Ware. He reports from Baghdad.
So, Michael, why the increase in these attacks?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, you
know, welcome to the business of war in Iraq. I mean,
this is not far off the general grind of attacks and
the letting of blood that we have been seeing for
well over a year now.
And why the spike right now? Well, welcome to the
holy month of Ramadan. This is the fourth Ramadan
offensive by the insurgents. We expected this. The
military flagged it early on. And here it is. This is
a sign that the insurgency, the militias, and al
Qaeda, which sends these suicide bombings, are all
out there, and thriving -- Paula.
ZAHN: Do Iraqi citizens tell you, Michael, they have
any confidence that this new government can do
anything about this?
WARE: No, not at all.
I mean, even American officials, offline, will openly
admit to you that the prime minister has no power
whatsoever. In fact, they see that as one of the
appeals of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. He doesn't
really have the full backing of any of the major
power blocs or the parties, or the militias, more
particularly. So, they see him with clay with which
they can work.
The trick is giving him power, finding it for him.
And that's what this battle of Baghdad is really all
about: Secure the city, and try and develop a popular
support base for him.
But, when you talk to Iraqis -- and as this poll
shows -- no one feels secure, and most people just
want the Americans to leave -- Paula.
ZAHN: Yeah, let's talk a little bit more about the
specific poll, because it just came out. It was
released from University of Maryland, and basically
shows that 70 percent of all Iraqis want all U.S.
forces out within a year. Is that what you hear on
the street?
WARE: That's what I have been hearing for
three-and-a-half years, Paula.
I mean, in the early days, in the immediate backwash
of the invasion, people were sort of, "OK, well, you
removed Saddam; you removed that regime."
This is Sunni and Shia.
The next thing was, "Well, thank you for that. When
are you leaving?"
And then the troops didn't. It turned into the
occupation. Iraqis refer to the Americans as the
occupiers. They are as, to their mind, under a state
of occupation. And they don't like it. Middle Iraq
gave the American forces a window of opportunity as
an extension of good faith: "All right, you said you
were here to deliver progress and development. So,
let's see it. I will give you a year. OK, I gave you
two. I gave you three. Well, now, I can't even leave
my house. I can't send my kids to school. This isn't
working." Paula.
ZAHN: Michael Ware, thanks so much for the update.
Appreciate it.