Mortar Shells Fired into Baghdad Green Zone During VP’s Visit

Baghdad’s "Green Zone," a heavily guarded and fortified area in Iraq’s principal city, saw four mortar shells come down yesterday. Two civilians were killed in the process and, more noteworthy, the violence occurred on the day Vice President Joe Biden arrived in the city. The trip marked Biden’s third visit this year and the mortar fire came into the guarded area after Biden had already arrived. One of the mortars hit apartments located on the Tigris River, the result of which was five deaths and five others left wounded.

Biden has been involved deeply with Iraq since becoming vice president and noted, "The whole purpose is to see how we can be helpful, if we can, in helping them resolve the outstanding political issues they have to resolve internally, so that when the [security agreement] is fully implemented we leave a stable Iraq." Biden will meet with a variety of Iraqi leaders during his trip and also noted, "I’m here to listen, and occasionally they have asked me to be an interlocutor on their behalf, and it’s been of some value so far."

Biden also met with General Ray Odierno, top U.S. commander in Iraq, as well as U.S. ambassador Christopher Hill. After meeting with Biden, Odierno noted, "Syria continues to allow the facilitation of foreign fighters through Syria that both come into Iraq as well as, I believe, into Afghanistan. We do know that there are some ex-Baathist elements that are in Syria that are funding operations in Iraq, and we also know that they are operating websites that encourage attacks inside of Iraq."