Suicide Bomber Responsible for Base Attack
The attack on FOB Marez was most likely caused by a suicide bomber.
Tuesday's attack was the deadliest breach of security at a U.S. military base since the Iraq war began. Pentagon spokesman Lawrence DiRita said there will be a reassessment of U.S. security procedures as a result. (Related: Photos from the scene)
U.S. officials initially reported that rocket or mortar fire had struck the plastic-skinned tent Tuesday at Forward Operating Base Marez. But Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Pentagon briefing, "We have had a suicide bomber apparently strap something to his body ... and go into a dining hall."
I expect the blame game will start with the usual suspects (MSM, Dems, anti-war crowd, etc.) blaming Rumsfeld and the Pentagon brass for being unprepared for such a style of attack and demanding an investigation. And an investigation should be launched; it just shouldn't be politicized. The purpose of any investigation into how a terrorist got into the tent with an IED shouldn't be to place blame, but to determine what can be done to prevent a future tragedy. Look for old media, though, to put the pressure on to find out who's to blame, not at looking for ways to prevent a future attack like this one from occurring.
In related news, Donald Rumsfeld expressed grief over the criticism that he has been receiving the past two weeks.
Looking more subdued than during most of his public appearances at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld responded to a barrage of criticism Wednesday by saying he cares deeply about the lives of U.S. troops who go in harm's way.
One day after 14 U.S. soldiers and four contractors died in a suicide bombing at an Army mess hall near Mosul, Rumsfeld did something he has rarely done in four years on the job: He talked about his feelings.
"I am truly saddened by the thought that anyone could have the impression that I or others here are doing anything other than working urgently to see that the lives of the fighting men and women are protected and cared for in every way humanly possible," Rumsfeld said. He said he shares "deeply" the loss family members feel when a soldier dies.
