MORE NEO-CON "TRIUMPHS"

How many times will neo-con foreign policy fail before it is permanently discredited?

Militants attack Afghan president, killing 3 others
The Associated Press
Published: April 27, 2008
KABUL, Afghanistan: An artillery salute pounded the air Sunday, almost drowning out the initial, sporadic gunshots fired by militants.

At first, President Hamid Karzai and other dignitaries appeared oblivious they were under attack as they stood for the national anthem at a ceremony marking the 16th anniversary of the end of Soviet-backed rule in Afghanistan.

Two American soldiers pointed to some nearby houses where the shots appeared to come from, but resumed their salute as the anthem faded out.

But as the automatic gunfire intensified and rockets hit close to the stands where the VIPs were assembled, panic broke out.

Hundreds of people, including Afghan police and soldiers in the honor guard, suddenly dived for cover. Two lawmakers hit by bullets slumped out of their seats. Karzai was hustled away by bodyguards and sped off to the presidential palace.

Karzai criticizes US-British conduct of Afghan war
Sat Apr 26, 2008 2:07am EDT

NEW YORK, April 26 (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai criticized the U.S. and British conduct of the war in Afghanistan, telling The New York Times in an interview published on Saturday his government must be accorded the lead in policy decisions.Karzai told the newspaper he wanted U.S. forces to stop arresting suspected Taliban members and their sympathizers, saying that fear of arrest along with past mistreatment were discouraging them from coming forward and laying down their arms.

He also said that civilian casualties needed to stop, despite their numbers dropping significantly in the last year. "I am not happy with civilian casualties coming down; I want an end to civilian casualties," he said. "As much as one may argue it's difficult, I don't accept that argument."

Baghdad Green Zone blasted under cover of storm
Sun Apr 27, 2008 3:21pm EDT
By Wisam Mohammed and Peter Graff

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Militants bombarded Baghdad's Green Zone with rockets on Sunday, taking advantage of the cover of a blinding dust storm to launch one of the heaviest strikes in weeks on the fortified compound.

Iraqi police said eight missiles or mortars had hit the Green Zone and another 14 fell in other parts of the Iraqi capital before nightfall in several quick bursts, killing two people and wounding 20.