US Recent Iraq violence aimed at toppling gov't

WASHINGTON, Nov 24 (Reuters) The White House said today car bombs in a Shi'ite stronghold of Baghdad that killed 202 people and retaliatory attacks afterward were brazen acts aimed at destabilizing Iraq's government.

''These ruthless acts of violence are deplorable. It is an outrage that these terrorists are targeting innocents in a brazen effort to topple a democratically elected government.

These killers will not succeed,'' White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said.

Reuters DH VP0258