NEWS: Over 635 Killed in Baghdad Stampede

Originally posted by Souljah
Poisoned by Harun-al-Rashid the Abbaside caliph

Yes, apparently poisoned dates. The shia, so far as I understand, have a history of being betrayed. The sunnnis might be playing off this religious-historical artifact.

Why would all those people have thrown themselves out of the WTC?

That's a bit different....

The choices then were:

1. Die slowly of asphixiation and smoke inhalation
2. Die slowly roasting in the flames
3. IF you manage to avoid 1 and 2, you'll eventually be crushed by tons of debris as the towers fall, where you'll likely rot for hours until you die
or
4. Die quickly with a splat on the asphalt (and a once in a lifetime view while doing it).

Hmm...I'd pick option 4 too...

The choices here though were:

1. There could be NO such bomb
2. There could be a bomb, but the mass of people would serve as a good cushion between you and it, possibly some injuries or possibly death if in the wrong spot.
3. Start a stampede that is certain to cause some to get trampled to death.
4. Jump off the bridge for a certain death or serious injury.
OR
5. Move away from the area in an orderly fashion and hope you're not near the nutjob.

Hmm....I'll choose 5 please (if one isn't an option).

I agree that the situations were different, but I don't think that everyone was considering a table of pros and cons for their actions. Horrified people will run, senselessly, to their deaths, whether its in NYC or Baghdad.

On a side note, I recall seeing on guy in the WTC make some sort of improvised rope, climb out a window, perhaps to get to the level below him through another window, loose his gripe, and plung to his death.

The choices then were:

A disturbing number of people stayed in their offices, (not counting the ones that stay merely because they wardens told them to) unable to decide what to do, and were only rescued because firefighters and other individuals came to them and literally lead them to the exit or told them to get out. People paniced, and were unable to function. The result, peopel threw themselves out of windows to escape.

I'll choose 5 please

The issues with mobs is that if you remain calm in a panicing mob, you will get trampled to death. If you run with the mob, you will die running.

Like I note, in an evacuation, researchers have found that more people get out when counter-intuitive things are done. One study, for example, got more people out and moved people faster when there were large blocking pillars placed a short distance from the exits and staggered. This forced order upon the mob and prevented the destruction that comes from chaotic movement. And whenever anyone looks at it, individuals get out faster when the entire mob is briskly walking, but not actually sprinting out or running. Regardless, that doesn't give an individual much aid. If one was on that bridge, one's instinct would be to jump for shelter when there's been some shelling and cries of 'look out its a suicide bomber'. That leap might be behind a barricade or end up off the bridge all together.

CNN.com reports the death toll is up to 841

www.cnn.com...

This is why it is important to understand the difference between the different types/sects of Muslims... (BTW, our head of the FBI admits he doesn't know)

the shi'ite sect performs this pilgramage every year, and has a tradition of giving/receiving gifts of food along the way...

some of these foods were poisoned by Sunnis apparently... then the mortars went off, then the guy yelled "Bomber" and the "theatre was toast..."

In some ways, this is like the fire in a concert hall, combined with the worst halloween sabotage... and then time it by 10, and you can get the picture...

I don't see the sunnis and shi'ites getting over this any time soon...

965 reported dead on CNN...

Guess jumping (being forced 2 more like it)

Guess people "had" to jump or face being crushed from the mass of people on the bridge...been to many rock/punk concerts w'r this force of people pushes...it's def. scary and jumping off the bridge into the water would have been my plan....

but noticed in one picture all (younge) men on the river bank coming out of the water, many did survive...does anyone know the height of the bridge?
read 10M back in the thread....that correct ? It's not a distance that will kill you if you jump the right way (feet first)...unless y'r an expert.

But it is sad how this happened.....they ever find out "who" started it ?

Y'r Canadian friend,
Sven

I thought I heard this morning on the news that what happened was that insurgents attacked with one or two mortars the area, killing some Iraqis, someone yelled that there was a suicide bomber and then the stampede started. I was either too sleepy as i was redying myself to go to work, or I misunderstood what they were saying on the news.

Originally posted by syrinx high priest

Originally posted by Regenmacher
I don't think lemmings have suicide in mind when they stampeded in panic,but the end result is the same...death.



www.darwinawards.com...

DUDE

the lemming myth was created by disney, there is nothing to it......
www.snopes.com...

Read what I posted and what you linked to...

"These deaths are not deliberate "suicide" attempts, however, but accidental deaths resulting from the lemmings' venturing into unfamiliar territories and being crowded and pushed over dangerous ledges.


[edit on 31-8-2005 by Regenmacher]

I feel so sorry for the Iraqi people at the moment.
They managed to Endure a ruthless regime,
They managed to Endure the worlds superpower invade and destroy there homeland on for no reason what so ever.
And now, when they are demonstarting for there god given RIGHTS...
almost a 1000 of them die when a bridge collapses.

.. I have days in the office that drive me mad, over nothing but stupid administration hassles.
These people have had to endure HELL for over 3yrs now.
Im not saying the bridge collapse was the AMERICANS Fault DIRECTLY.
But if the Americans hadnt of invaded, and hadnt of occupied for 3 yrs, would this demonstartion of occured?...

I think Iraq's at the BREAKING point.
Its been there for a while, but after this tragedy, there are families of a 1000 people right now, who managed to keep there love ones ALIVE through the carnage, yet god deals them a tought blow and collapses a bridge.

Its a sad state of affairs we live in today.
And there only one reason things are going soo badly in the middleast right now.
I'm just thankful its so clear.

wouldn't they be able to swim if they landed in the tigris river, instead of dying??

Also, the australian news site says nearly 1000 not 635
www.news.ninemsn.com.au...

Originally posted by LazarusTheLong
I don't see the sunnis and shi'ites getting over this any time soon...

They're not idiots, they're not all dribbling sectarian morons who can only think about their tribe. The rational people will see this attack for what it is, an attempt at spreading civil disorder, just as they have seen the other attacks on this mosque.

Also, the difference between the sects, it is rather subtle. True, the obvious part is 'who's your imam', but outside of that, the differences in theology aren't perhaps all that obvious.

agit8dcho[
But if the Americans hadnt of invaded, and hadnt of occupied for 3 yrs, would this demonstartion of occured?...

Please describe the situation in Iraq after saddam dies, either naturally or be assasination, if there hadn't been any american invasion. It'd be like rwanda, only worse.

Once again my heart goes out to these people.

I truly hope that some kind of peace can be worked out there, these people have suffered enough.

This fear and psychosis has gone way out of hands. I mean terrorists don't need even bombs any more. All they have to do is to find big enough and yell "bomb".

This cult of terrorism is getting too deep in our minds.

We received a letter from one of our reader about his brief experience on one of the British airport. He was drinking coffie and observing one British family. They were on the shopping spree. A little boy around 10 years of age became tired and hungry and probably bored too. He complained to his mommy that he can't carry his backpack anymore. And mommy, heavily loaded with shopping bags replied:

"Leave it on the floor. People will think that some terrorist left the bomb, then police will come and blow it up."

The little guy had an expresion of fear on his face. He quietly picked up his backpack and complained no more.