WE KEEP ON LOSING "HEARTS AND MINDS"

I've noted many times that our strictly military efforts in both Iraq and Afghanistan all too often kill or injure innocent civilians. In the latest push into Sadr City, we are unfortunately sticking with our bad practices.

US strike takes out militant holdout in Baghdad
May 3, 8:14 PM (ET)

By BRADLEY BROOKS

BAGHDAD (AP) - The U.S. military fired guided missiles into the heart of Baghdad's teeming Sadr City slum on Saturday, leveling a building 55 yards away from a hospital and wounding nearly two dozen people.

AP Television News footage from Sadr City showed several ambulances destroyed and on fire, thick black smoke rising from them as firefighters worked to put out the flames.

Iraqi officials said at least 23 people were wounded, though none of them were patients in the hospital.

Dr. Ali Bustan al-Fartusee, director general of Baghdad's health directorate, told the AP that 23 civilians were wounded in the strike.

He said no patients in the hospital were hurt, but that some of the wounded included civilians outside on their way to visit patients in the hospital. He also said 17 ambulances were damaged or destroyed.