In Iraq, violence dampens holiday

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The third Thanksgiving Day since U.S. troops entered Iraq was a grim one:

• Bombers killed at least 36 people in two Iraqi cities. In one of the attacks, a suicide bomber targeted a crowd of children who were receiving toys from U.S. soldiers.

• Officials announced the deaths of six U.S. troops.

• No American dignitaries made surprise trips to dine with soldiers, as they have on previous holidays.

• And the Iraqi government's top spokesman said violence would only increase until the Dec. 15 elections for a new National Assembly.

The first attack came in Mahmudiyah, in an area called the "triangle of death," as U.S. civil-affairs specialists were inspecting the Mahmudiyah Hospital around 10:30 a.m. in preparation for making improvements, said Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, a military spokesman.

Civil-affairs soldiers often bring toys for children when meeting with the community, Johnson said. As the soldiers stood outside the main entrance and began handing the toys out to the children gathered around them, a suicide bomber approached the hospital and blew himself up.

At least 33 people died in the attack, including four children and two women, a military official in Mahmudiyah said. Another 23 people were injured, the official said.

The second explosion struck the main commercial district of Hilla, a town about 80 miles south of Baghdad, Thursday evening. At least three people died and 14 others were wounded.

A man with an Iraqi accent parked a car along the block and told a nearby shop owner that he would be back in 10 minutes, said Capt. Abu al-Harith, spokesman of Hilla's police headquarters. The man then disappeared into an alley and the car exploded, al-Harith said.

Four of the U.S. deaths were soldiers who died Wednesday, and two died yesterday — bringing to 81 the number of Americans killed in Iraq so far this month. With deaths averaging three a day, November may become one of the deadliest months this year.

At least 2,103 U.S. military personnel have died since the war began in 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The Pentagon puts the number of troops at 2,110.

Few details of the recent deaths were released. The military said in a statement that three of those killed Wednesday died from gunshot wounds southwest of Baghdad. The fourth was killed by a car bomb in Hit, west of Baghdad, the military said. The two who died Thursday were killed when a roadside bomb exploded as they were on patrol in southwest Baghdad.

There are about 159,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, 20,000 more than usual to help protect the country during the Dec. 15 elections. This election is considered critical — and one that could draw more violence — because citizens will elect the country's first permanent government, which will serve a four-year term.

Most of the troops received a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, either at their bases or as they headed out on patrol. U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad visited with troops, whom he praised for their sacrifice.

About 140,000 Americans celebrated U.S. forces' third Thanksgiving in Iraq. Private contractors at the ever-more-fortified bases prepared feasts of turkey, lobster and steak flown into the country on jumbo planes.

U.S. military helicopters ferried U.S. Gen. George Casey from base to base, allowing the top U.S. officer in Iraq to deliver Thanksgiving greetings and encouragement.

But there was no attention-grabbing visit similar to President Bush's surprise Thanksgiving trip in 2003 when he served turkey to soldiers. Bush telephoned service members in Iraq and Afghanistan from his ranch in Texas to send his greetings this year, U.S. officials said.

A top Iraqi government spokesman predicted more violence as the Dec. 15 vote nears. Liath Kubba said former supporters of Saddam Hussein have "regrouped to launch attacks in order to block the political process." They "are ready to do anything to derail the process," Kubba said.

That includes putting explosives into toys similar to those passed out by U.S. soldiers, Kubba said. He said Iraqi forces had found explosives-laden toys earlier this week. Separately, U.S. military spokesman Johnson said the Iraqis had found Beanie Babies with explosive devices in them.

"The insurgents will stop at nothing to draw children into the violence," Johnson said. "It's reprehensible."

Knight Ridder special correspondents Huda Ahmed and Zaineb Obeid contributed to this report. Additional information is from The Associated Press and The Washington Post.