BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Two car bombs exploded in an outdoor market in Baghdad on Sunday, killing at least 56 people and injuring scores in the deadliest attack since U.S. and Iraqi forces began a major security push around the capital last week.

The twin blasts - which tore through the open-air market in the mostly Shiite district of New Baghdad - marked the first major response by militants to the sweep launched last week and a sobering reminder of the huge challenges facing any efforts against the well-armed factions.

The death toll was reported by police and ambulance service officials on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media. At least 127 people were injured, they reported.

The explosions toppled wooden vendors’ stalls and utility poles, and blood pooled in the debris. Victims were carried into hospitals on makeshift stretchers or in the arms of rescuers.

A separate car bomb in the mostly Shiite area of Sadr City killed at least one person and injured 10, police said.

Full Story Here:
2 Baghdad Car Bombs Kill 56, Injure 127

What a difference a day can make, for 2 days the Iraqi government and OUR own government has been ‘crowing’ about the ’surge’ and how it was already working…

You don’t suppose the insurgents actually watch the MSM news do you?? Wolf Blitzer and Keith Olbermann, those guys, the ones that make damn sure to give out EVERY detail they can come up with as to troop movement and pending actions?? Surely the ragheads wouldn’t listen to that and make their plans accordingly?? Would they??

Iraq reopened border crossings with Iran after a three-day closure that coincided with the launch of the security push.

Looks like that ‘closed border’ thing worked out well huh?? I wonder how the insurgents got a bomb crew BACK in so fast?? Amazing how they get in place so quick isn’t it?? It’s almost like they never left Iraq… {/sarcasm}

Al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army militia in Iraq is widely believed to receive Iranian money and weapons, but his forces are also cooperating on some levels with Iraq’s U.S.-backed government.

Let me tell you something, al-Sadr is a reprehensible and pretty damned useless moonbat Muslim cleric in MY opinion, but he’s NOT stupid, he sees the possibility that the USA can prevail in Iraq and he sees that people like me are calling for a HUGE escalation in Iraq and an end to this bullshit, and al-Sadr doesn’t want to get caught on the short end of the stick…

(Condi) Rice also urged al-Maliki not to squander the relative calm in the capital since the security operation got under way.

I guess this latest blast kinda negates the ‘relative calm’…

EDIT: I wrote this story earlier today and held it for late publication, looks like the numbers climbed a bit…

Iraq Blasts Kill 63, Send Grim Message