Iraq's President Asks U.N. for Help
WHITFIELD: The bloodbath continues in Iraq. Fresh attacks in Baghdad today, adding to the carnage of more than a dozen suicide and car bombings across the country in the last 48 hours. But as Iraq labors to give birth to a national constitution, a U.S. military spokesman calls the spike in insurgent violence predictable. CNN's Jennifer Eccleston joins us live from Baghdad where officials are urging ballots, not bullets, over constitutional discontent -- Jennifer.</s>JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fredricka. Well, U.S. and Iraqi forces have been warning of an increase in insurgent violence in the run-up to next month's referendum on that constitution, an effort to create an unstable environment whereby Iraqis are too afraid to vote. Well, the insurgents didn't disappoint: 30 deaths and 55 injuries this Thursday from insurgent attacks. While yesterday's victims were mainly civilians, members of Baghdad's Shiite community, today's target, Iraqi security forces. Three separate suicide car bombs against the Iraqi elite police commandos, two strikes within minutes of each other and another three hours earlier. Twenty police died, two dozen wounded. Ten others died this Thursday after insurgents targeted government workers in Iraq's Shiite community. And there were funerals for some of the victims of Wednesday's multiple suicide attacks today, where over 150 people were killed. Now, Fredricka, these attacks demonstrate just how easily insurgents can stage coordinated attacks, despite a series of high- profile, anti-insurgency military operations like the one in Tal Afar, where the Iraqis are the lead force. That operation and others are designed to show that Iraqi military and police are now better equipped to secure at least pockets of Iraq. But the insurgents response to that: they can strike at will, not only in remote area, but in the capital city and, in the process, terrorizing Iraqis and reinforcing fears whether or not their military and police can actually keep them safe -- Fredricka.</s>WHITFIELD: And so it would seem that it would go without saying that this type of intimidation is likely to be successful. Many people are going to be apprehensive about the elections, the permanent -- for permanent political officials at the beginning of the year.</s>ECCLESTON: Well, absolutely. At the forefront of most people's minds here, I think across even the sectarian divide is whether or not there's a safe and stable environment whereby they can go out and vote in that referendum, whether they can vote down or actually approve it, which would lead the way for elections in December for a full-term government. Given the violence that we've seen over the last two days, and these have been mainly in the media because they were tremendous attacks, large numbers of casualties. But throughout the last couple of weeks while I've been here there have been a number of attacks every day, daily attacks here in the capital, Baghdad, but across the country. So it is something they live with on a daily basis. But, indeed, when they do see that they are being targeted and specifically the Shiite community, there is greater fear that this can only increase as there is this run-up to this referendum.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Jennifer Eccleston, thanks so much, from Baghdad. Meanwhile, the fight for Iraq loses support in Chicago. In a 29- 9 vote, the Chicago City Council called for an immediate and orderly pullout of U.S. troops. Chicago is now the nation's largest city to seek withdrawal, joining San Francisco, 50 communities in Vermont, and others. But the session was not without drama. A 71-year-old alderman fainted after giving an impassioned speech opposing the move. James Balcer, who served in Vietnam, says he was demoralized by the anti-war sentiment at home. Now to the U.N. and an impassioned plea from Iraq's acting president, Jalal Talabani. He says Iraq need the world's help in defeating terrorists. CNN's Richard Roth joins us with more on that and on a significant moment for the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, as well -- Richard.</s>RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's not the greatest timing for the first appearance as president for Jalal Talabani, the leader of Iraq, before the U.N. General Assembly. Talabani appealed for, quote, "diverse international assistance" to stop terrorists from destroying his country.</s>PRESIDENT JALAL TALABANI, IRAQI (through translator): They target Iraqi individuals and have declared a war of annihilation against citizens. Hence, it targets every ambition of development.</s>ROTH: Talabani, from the Kurdish region, certainly will need the United Nations at some point. But right now, the nations who sat in front of him inside the General Assembly hall, they're not ready to commit those troops. Later today, this morning, on the same stage, Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, who is going to be looking to the Palestinians now to do something, since he has pulled out of Gaza. You're looking at Turkey's Prime Minister Erdogan, now speaking inside the assembly hall. So a big moment for Israel's leader, though I wouldn't expect to have too much extra applause for him. There's still a lot of opposition to Israel in this 191-member General Assembly. Though Israel's foreign minister did meet with his counterpart from Qatar, that Arab nation giving indications that more countries could come out in the region to establish better ties with Israel following the Gaza pullout -- Fredricka.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Richard Roth at the U.N., thanks so much. Tracking Hurricane Ophelia: the slow moving storm pounding the North Carolina coast. More details on that straight ahead.</s>JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They are not taking any chances. The looters still out there are said to be heavily armed, having stolen guns and other weapons from several ammunition stores.</s>WHITFIELD: CNN's Jeff Koinange with SWAT teams patrolling the streets of New Orleans.</s>ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.