U.S.: Recent Iraq violence aimed at toppling gov't
Source: Reuters
(New throughout with latest White House statement) WASHINGTON, Nov 24 (Reuters) - The White House said on Friday car bombs in a Shi'ite stronghold of Baghdad that killed 202 people and retaliatory attacks afterward were brazen acts aimed at destabilizing Iraq's government. "These ruthless acts of violence are deplorable. It is an outrage that these terrorists are targeting innocents in a brazen effort to topple a democratically elected government. These killers will not succeed," White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said. The bombing on Thursday in the Shi'ite stronghold of Sadr City marked the deadliest attack since U.S.-led forces toppled Saddam Hussein's government in 2003. Gunmen seeking revenge then rampaged through a Sunni enclave in Baghdad, burning mosques and killing dozens of people. President George W. Bush is to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday and Thursday in Amman, Jordan to discuss the increasingly dire situation in Iraq. "Securing Baghdad and gaining control of the violent situation will be a priority agenda item when President Bush meets with Prime Minister al-Maliki in just a few days," Stanzel said. Many analysts say Iraq is now teetering on the brink of a civil war. Dismay over Iraq was a top issue in U.S. elections earlier this month that ousted Bush's Republican Party from power in Congress and the crisis has only deepened since then.
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