TSR: "...they ultimately blame America for these deaths."


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Length: 2:38

WOLF BLITZER: So that robust minority, the Republican minority clearly has stymied the Democrats at least for now, Andrea. Thank you.

Let's get to those shocking accusations over one of the worst bombings in Iraq since the start of the war nearly four years ago. It comes from some Iraqis and it's aimed at America.

And joining us now our correspondent in Baghdad, Michael Ware. Michael, they seem to be blaming -- at least some elements in the Iraqi government -- the United States for this massacre over the weekend that killed more than 100 Iraqis, wounded more than 300 others, horrendous pictures. It looks like the worst suicide bombing over the past three and a half years. What's going on?

MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf. I mean this was a massive truck bomb in a crowded marketplace on Saturday evening that killed at least 128 and as you say wounded more than 300. Now, the great irony is that there's elements, Shia elements within the government that is blaming the U.S. for creating this security situation or poor security situation that they say has created an environment that is allowing al Qaeda and others to launch these attacks.

This feeds a common conspiracy, particularly among Shia that says America is so all-powerful and all-pervasive, al Qaeda could not conduct these bombings if America was not complicit. We're now hearing that echoed in the wake of this bombing by elements of this government.

BLITZER: Because what they're saying is by the United States pressuring the Iraqi government to clamp down on Muqtada al-Sadr's Shiite militia, the Mahdi Army, in effect that's making the Shiites and these marketplace areas and elsewhere in Baghdad even more vulnerable?

WARE: Yes, they're arguing that this has increased the Shia public's exposure. I mean the government has never been able to underwrite people's security nor has the U.S. military. So more and more in these days of civil war, they have turned to their own neighborhood or to the local militias.

Now what these people are saying is that on the eve of what is perceived as a massive American-led operation -- which indeed is not -- many of these militias have evaporated or their leadership has taken its troops or its fighters off the streets, thereby creating a vacuum which is being filled by these bombers. Hence, they ultimately blame America for these deaths.

BLITZER: Michael Ware reporting for us from Baghdad. Michael, thanks.

WARE: Thank you, Wolf.