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Iraqis blame government for not stopping Eid attacks

The violence wounded more than 320 people and has been roundly condemned.

IRAQIS ANGRILY BLAMED the authorities for failing to prevent bombings that killed 74 people as they marked the Eid al-Fitr holiday ending Iraq’s bloodiest Ramadan in years.

The violence, which also wounded more than 320 people, was roundly condemned by the international community.

It was the latest in months of bloodshed that have sparked worries of a revival of the all-out sectarian war that peaked in 2006 and 2007 and left tens of thousands dead.

People inspect the aftermath of a car bomb attack on a store in the New Baghdad neighborhood of Baghdad. Pic: AP Photo/Hadi Mizban

The attacks came just weeks after assaults on prisons near Baghdad, claimed by an Al-Qaeda front group, freed hundreds of prisoners, including leading militants, prompting warnings of a surge in violence.

Authorities, though, have highlighted major security operations which they say have led to the killing or capture of numerous militants.

Iraqis voiced frustration with the government and the security forces for failing to prevent the 16 car bombings which killed 74 people on Saturday, 47 of them in the capital.

“There will not be any improvement in the Iraqi situation,” said a man who gave his name as Abu Samer, near the site of a twin car bombing in Shaab, north Baghdad, where eight people were killed.

“I cannot trust any politicians, because they make many promises, and the result of their work is what happens in our country each day.”

A man inspects the aftermath of a car bomb attack on a store in the New Baghdad neighborhood of Baghdad, Iraq. Pic: AP Photo/Hadi Mizban

In east Baghdad, at the site of another car bombing, Ali al-Shammari said Iraq’s long-running political deadlock was to blame.

“The presence of one party and another opposed to it is much better than dozens of political parties, even if they say we are in a dictatorial regime, because it is much better than dozens of people being killed each day,” said Shammari, a 35-year-old cigarette seller.

Elsewhere in the capital, security forces tightened searches at checkpoints, leading to long queues of traffic, a blunt measure often employed in the immediate aftermath of deadly attacks, albeit one that has largely failed to curb the violence.

New attacks on Sunday killed seven people nationwide, officials said.

Killings

Overall, more than 800 people were killed during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which ended last week, with the violence now at its deadliest since 2008, when Iraq was slowly emerging from brutal bloodletting.

The US and UN condemned the latest attacks, with Washington reiterating a $10 million bounty for information leading to the killing or capture of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the head of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, an Al-Qaeda front group.

New York-based Human Rights Watch called on Iraqi authorities to “end draconian responses” to attacks, including torture of suspects, coerced confessions and convictions based on secret testimony.

People clean up the aftermath of a car bomb attack on a convenience store in the Shaab neighborhood of Baghdad. Pic: AP Photo/Karim Kadim

Saturday’s violence came just weeks after attacks on prisons near the capital in which hundreds of inmates were freed.

Analysts, as well as global police organisation Interpol, had warned that the jailbreaks could lead to a rise in attacks, as the escapees were said to include senior Al-Qaeda militants.

The security forces meanwhile launched major operations against the militants in multiple provinces, including Baghdad, that are among the biggest since the December 2011 withdrawal of US forces.

But the violence has increased markedly this year, with analysts saying the upsurge is the result of anger among the Sunni Arab minority that the Shiite-led government has failed to address despite months of protests.

- © AFP, 2013

Read: Wave of bombings in Iraq during holiday kills 69>

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    Mute paperboy
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    Sep 15th 2014, 12:17 PM

    How are people saying this is a waste of money? They should put their selves in the shoes of the people that do speak mainly Irish then see if the think it’s a waste of money.. Some people are trying to keep the irish language in circulation and there is nothing wrong with that!!

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    Mute Emmet Purcell
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    Sep 15th 2014, 1:11 PM

    “Some people are trying to keep the irish language in circulation and there is nothing wrong with that!!”

    The problem is when the “some people” is a government-owned entity and that the method of keeping it in circulation is taxpayer-funded, overblown ideas such as this. As for people putting themselves in the shoes of people who speak mainly Irish, that’s about six people in total – all of whom speak perfect English.

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    Mute paperboy
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    Sep 15th 2014, 1:47 PM

    Six in total?? There are a couple of thousand and they are also the ones that want the language kept in circulation.. Yes, they might speak perfect English but they don’t choose to speak Irish for no reason…

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    Mute Paddy Murray
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    Sep 15th 2014, 5:29 PM

    There are 100,000 children in Gael Scoileanna. Presumably they have at least one parent each which would suggest that 100,000 people have an interest in the Irish language even if not all the children do.

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    Mute Eileen Healy
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    Sep 15th 2014, 6:20 PM

    Yes Paddy
    And there are also people long left school and college who went to Gael scoileanna and English speaking schools who had and still have a good level of written and spoken Irish in all walks of life and who can participate in our society in their choice of language – some of them have a couple of other European languages as well ! Maith sibh RTE agus an Journal

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    Mute Declan Fitzsimons
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    Sep 15th 2014, 8:46 PM

    Paddy, do you have a source for that claim? 100,000 seems just a tad high.

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    Mute Eileen Healy
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    Sep 16th 2014, 4:56 AM

    Paddy’s claim of 100,000 is probably a bit high but only a tad . Combined number for pupils in Primary and Post primary schools for2012 to 2013 was 41,428 (26 counties) ,43,373 (32 counties) Those figures are for Gael scoileanna outside The Gaelteacht .There was over4000 in pre -schools. The total number of primary and post primary for the Gaeltacht itself is less the numbers and fluency of secondary pupils in these areas is more complex as some travel from non Gaeltacht ares to their nearest secondary school Total is just under 50,000 (( from Gaelscoileanna teo and CSO )

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    Mute Hung Xi
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    Sep 15th 2014, 12:10 PM

    There is some load of moaning sad cases in this country. All you ever do is moan on about nothing.

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    Mute Emmet Purcell
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    Sep 15th 2014, 1:06 PM

    Are you moaning about them?

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    Mute Hung Xi
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    Sep 15th 2014, 4:19 PM

    Sometimes you have to stoop to their level

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    Mute Paddy Murray
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    Sep 15th 2014, 12:01 PM

    Agus ní roimh am. Is é ár dteanga náisiúnta tar éis an tsaoil.

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    Mute Tadhg Reddan
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    Sep 15th 2014, 12:26 PM

    The language they are broadcast in depends on which channel buys the rights. TG4 show a substantial amount of gaelic games (the leagues, u21, minor, highlights shows etc.) and they have put a particular emphasis on getting rugby rights which RTE haven’t (they’ve even lost the world cup to tv3). It’s not a language bias for GAA or against rugby…

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    Mute Snorre Sturleson
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    Sep 15th 2014, 1:15 PM

    Tir gan teanga tir gan anam as my old buggering Christian Brother used bellow.

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    Mute Declan Fitzsimons
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    Sep 15th 2014, 8:48 PM

    So Snorre, does the USA have no soul?

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    Mute Ross Casey
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    Sep 15th 2014, 11:11 AM

    How much does this promotion of useless language cost?

    My TV licence fee is being used for this nonsense.

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    Mute Donaill O'Condruin
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    Sep 15th 2014, 11:20 AM

    A lie down.

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    Mute Munster2014
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    Sep 15th 2014, 11:52 AM

    Have to agree with some of the comments here, this is a waste of money. Between this service and RTE 2 producing programs about Travellers that nobody could give a sh*t about, RTE are certainly getting good at wasting our licence fee.

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    Mute Hung Xi
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    Sep 15th 2014, 12:08 PM

    Nobody except the Irish speakers. Your ignorance is astounding.

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    Mute Reg
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    Sep 15th 2014, 12:16 PM

    Don’t agree, the waste of money with regard the language is in the translation of countless state and EU documents that nobody will read. This at least is contemporary and will aid those that wish to learn the language to do so.

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    Mute Chris Mcdonnell
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    Sep 15th 2014, 11:43 AM

    More money wasted by RTE.
    Dead language that very few want to learn.
    Everyone of us was put through at least one class a week for our entire school life but very few of is can hold a conversation.
    The only people who speak Irish are those who want to, the rest of us should have it rammed down our throats and neither should we have to pay for it

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    Mute finbarr ocormac
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    Sep 15th 2014, 11:48 AM

    go on ou that ya moaner

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    Mute JJ_ÓFaoláin
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    Sep 15th 2014, 1:10 PM

    So sick of people taking their personal issues out on the language as if it owes you something. If you had a bad experience with it, let it lie and move on. What’s to gain from slating the language and rubbishing the rights of those who use it on a daily basis? Braon den sórt dearcaidh aineolach seo! Bogaigí ar aghaidh!! #gaeilge

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    Mute PJ Lynch
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    Oct 2nd 2014, 4:11 PM

    Maith fear a JJ, tá sé ráite go maith ansin agat! Tá fadhb ag daoine leis an nGaeilge mar gheall nach bhfuil siad féin in ann í a labhairt nó go raibh droch-mhúinteoir acu. Ní thuigeann siad go bhfuil an Ghaeilge mar chéad theanga ag na mílte daoine agus gur mhaith linn a bheith in ann an Nuacht a léamh thríú Ghaeilge. Taobh amuigh de na daoine sin, tá na mílte arís atá ag foghlaim Gaeilge nó atá grá acu den teanga, a tógadh le Béarla iad ach atá anois ag úsáid na Gaeilge i gcónaí. Tír le teanga, tír le hanam.

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    Mute finbarr ocormac
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    Sep 15th 2014, 11:02 AM

    Great news …the Educate Together school patrons will be cracking up over this…they do not want Irish to be taught in their schools

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    Mute See My Vest
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    Sep 15th 2014, 11:08 AM

    Yeah it’s a bit nuts. I totally agree with schools having no religious affiliation but if it’s in Ireland, then let’s have an Irish class.

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    Mute Reg
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    Sep 15th 2014, 12:13 PM

    Really Finbarr? And your evidence of this is………

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    Mute Reg
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    Sep 15th 2014, 12:26 PM

    Oh look….an Educate Together school where some kids are though through Irish Finbarr.
    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/laughter-and-tears-on-first-day-of-school-in-lucan-1.1909621

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Sep 15th 2014, 12:32 PM

    Finbar that is completely untrue.

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    Mute Reg
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    Sep 15th 2014, 1:02 PM

    Finbarr isn’t concerned about truth Neal. Just that his religion should be indoctrinated into the children of the state through the education system.

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    Mute Blacksod63.
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    Sep 15th 2014, 11:39 AM

    RTE must have loads if money if they can be at this !

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    Mute Briain OSúilleabháin
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    Sep 15th 2014, 6:12 PM

    I speak Irish daily and am no way affiliated with the government. There is thousands of people who can communicate trí mhéan Na Gaoluinne. Why would anyone want to let something so valuable die. Without it we are just another English speaking nation. Have we any culture left in the country at all.

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    Mute deerhounddog
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    Sep 15th 2014, 11:57 AM

    Waste or time and money also resources. Ridiculous.

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    Mute Marko Burns
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    Sep 15th 2014, 1:45 PM

    Given how out-dated and dead the language is I’d imagine this is more like a ‘translate every 12th word’ service.

    You have to wonder how many real jobs in journalism were lost because of this pointless exercise in translation Nazism. The Connemara Master Race are determined to drag us all back to the thatched mud huts kicking and screaming.

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    Mute Ross Casey
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    Sep 15th 2014, 3:34 PM

    ‘Translate every 12th word’ – something like the laughable effort at Irish on Classic Hits 4FM in the evenings.

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    Mute Brian Ó Dálaigh
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    Sep 15th 2014, 6:32 PM

    Well you, Marko, are a stupid, ignorant d1ckhead. You should probably educate yourself on the topic before commenting. Or maybe you just like bullying people and putting them down and deliberately lie to do so.

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    Mute Mindfulirish
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    Sep 15th 2014, 1:59 PM

    Some kids are hungry going to school but the government and RTE waste money on a luxury language. People have no homes in certain parts of Ireland but as long as Irish is being funded(by borrowed money) then Ireland is a great place. Shame on these people wasting public funds for a Hobby.

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    Mute Seán A Haon
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    Sep 15th 2014, 2:07 PM

    No fing way is that only happening now.. Jaysus!!

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    Mute Toby Latimer
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    Sep 15th 2014, 11:58 AM

    This is what’s called job creation! No reason or logic to it. Just like when they transmit Gaelic Games through the English language RTE1/2 and Rugby through Gaelige on TG4 .

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    Mute Winston Teardrops
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    Sep 15th 2014, 3:45 PM

    Bookmarked. Cheers Journal. Oh and RTÉ.

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    Mute Mark in Kildare
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    Sep 15th 2014, 8:08 PM

    Good development. Don’t understand why it wasn’t in place years ago.

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    Mute Mick O'Neill
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    Sep 15th 2014, 7:35 PM

    Why do you hate Irish, in N.Ireland we didn’t get to learn a word of it until aged 12 and even that was voluntary, by that stage the people an hour down the road were fluent in it.

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    Mute Shane Diffley
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    Sep 15th 2014, 11:45 PM

    An jab! Táim an sásta le sin. Is fuath liom an dearcadh ag roinnt daoine anseo go bhfuil RTÉ ag cur ar n-airgead amú. Tír gan teanga Tír gan anam #Gaeilge

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