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Length: 2:38
WOLF BLITZER: So that
robust minority, the Republican minority clearly has
stymied the Democrats at least for now, Andrea. Thank
you.
Let's get to those shocking accusations over one of
the worst bombings in Iraq since the start of the war
nearly four years ago. It comes from some Iraqis and
it's aimed at America.
And joining us now our correspondent in Baghdad,
Michael Ware. Michael, they seem to be blaming -- at
least some elements in the Iraqi government -- the
United States for this massacre over the weekend that
killed more than 100 Iraqis, wounded more than 300
others, horrendous pictures. It looks like the worst
suicide bombing over the past three and a half years.
What's going on?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf. I mean
this was a massive truck bomb in a crowded
marketplace on Saturday evening that killed at least
128 and as you say wounded more than 300. Now, the
great irony is that there's elements, Shia elements
within the government that is blaming the U.S. for
creating this security situation or poor security
situation that they say has created an environment
that is allowing al Qaeda and others to launch these
attacks.
This feeds a common conspiracy, particularly among
Shia that says America is so all-powerful and
all-pervasive, al Qaeda could not conduct these
bombings if America was not complicit. We're now
hearing that echoed in the wake of this bombing by
elements of this government.
BLITZER: Because what they're saying is by the United
States pressuring the Iraqi government to clamp down
on Muqtada al-Sadr's Shiite militia, the Mahdi Army,
in effect that's making the Shiites and these
marketplace areas and elsewhere in Baghdad even more
vulnerable?
WARE: Yes, they're arguing that this has increased
the Shia public's exposure. I mean the government has
never been able to underwrite people's security nor
has the U.S. military. So more and more in these days
of civil war, they have turned to their own
neighborhood or to the local militias.
Now what these people are saying is that on the eve
of what is perceived as a massive American-led
operation -- which indeed is not -- many of these
militias have evaporated or their leadership has
taken its troops or its fighters off the streets,
thereby creating a vacuum which is being filled by
these bombers. Hence, they ultimately blame America
for these deaths.
BLITZER: Michael Ware reporting for us from Baghdad.
Michael, thanks.
WARE: Thank you, Wolf.