Series of Five Bombings Occur in Baghdad

As U.S. withdrawal begins, violence continues to escalate in Baghdad and other regions in Iraq, which ponders the question: Will the U.S. extend their mission in Iraq?

At least 22 people have been killed and dozens more wounded in a series of five bombings in Baghdad, Iraq on Monday. The Iraqi Interior Ministry said that a bomb was detonated on a bicycle in a supermarket which was in Shiite district. Earlier that day, car bombing took place outside of the local council office in Abu Ghraib. Another car bombing happened on a commercial street in the Karrad district of Baghdad, which killed five people and injured twenty others. Later, a roadside bomb hit a minibus carrying students in Sadr City. Afterwards, a roadside bomb exploded in the Shaab neighbourhood, which is in Mosul. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki condemned the attacks, “…an attempt to undermine the security and stability and spread a lack of confidence in the capabilities of Iraqi forces who are preparing to take over the security responsibility after U.S troops withdraw from the cities by the end of the month.” Under a United States-Iraqi security agreement, all U.S. combat forces must be removed from cities, towns and regions by the end of June, 2009. Although many officials are skeptical of this plan, such as Texas Republican Congressman Ron Paul, and others who believes that since the violence is escalating in Iraq; the U.S. will extend their presence in Iraq passed December 2011. Prime Minister al-Maliki forewarned in early June that Iraqi insurgents and militias were likely to increase attacks in Iraq to undermine the Iraqi security and military. Previous to the five bombings, insurgents shot nine Iraqi police officers on the weekend.