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| Iraq |
| US told to avoid main Shia area in Baghdad |
| 2003-10-10 |
| A powerful Shia Muslim movement warned US troops on Friday not to enter Baghdad’s largest Shia neighbourhood after a gun battle there on Thursday night killed two US soldiers and two Iraqis. "Stay outta our ’hood, we be Shia! We be bad!" It was the worst clash yet between Iraqi Shia militiamen and US troops. Shia leaders on Friday were calling for restraint from their followers even as they branded America a "servant of Israel". US forces are keen to avoid alienating Iraq’s Shia population, who until now have not Dozens of armed Shia militiamen stood guard at the site of the battle on Friday, outside the headquarters of Muqtada al-Sadr, a popular Shia preacher. His followers insist the building was the target of a US raid on Thursday night, although US officials deny this. "The building is still standing? Then it wasn’t us." US and Iraqi versions of the battle - if it was the same battle, and both sides insist there was only one - are contradictory. It’s one of the alternate universe things. Both sides agree it happened near Mr al-Sadr’s headquarters in Sadr City. Residents of the neighbourhood claim that seven US tanks surrounded the headquarters at 9:30pm and fired into the compound, killing two people inside. If seven tanks were firing into your compound, I’ll wager we’d have more than two dead, and you wouldn’t have a compound. Seyd Hassan al-Mussawi, head of Mr al-Sadr’s Jaysh al-Mahdi militia, said on Friday that his soldiers were not involved in the fighting, but the US troops were fired on by "ordinary citizens, who were defending the holy place [the headquarters]". Another "holy place", they’re everywhere! Lt-Col George Krivo, US army spokesman, said he was not aware of any raid on Mr al-Sadr’s headquarters. He added that the battle had started after a three-vehicle US patrol was led into an ambush at 8pm by Iraqis requesting humanitarian aid. He said two US soldiers were killed and four were injured in the fighting. After the attack, a quick reaction force was called into the neighbourhood to secure the area and extract the patrol. Sounds more likely. In a Friday prayer service to a crowd gathered outside the headquarters, Sheikh Abdel Mahdi Darraji, a representative of Mr al-Sadr, on Friday likened the US to a "terrorist organisation" bent on dominating the Middle East. He called on the US-appointed Governing Council to resign "for the sake of their honour" and warned US troops to stay away from Sadr City. Sounds like the Sheikh is pushing his luck. After the sermon the coffins of two "martyrs", apparently killed in the battle with US forces, were paraded through the neighbourhood, cheered by a crowd of 5,000-10,000. 5K to 10K, that’s a pretty skimpy crowd. Sunni’s can turn out twice that many at the drop of a hat, er, turban. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #12 Mr al-Sadr has been a thorn in our side for months now -- seems like he's finally gotten bold enough with the authorities lack of response to kick it up a notch--maybe he needs to have an "accident" |
| Posted by: Not Mike Moore 2003-10-11 11:59:15 AM |
| #11 Well, this is the situation of the biggest gorilla of the jungle sitting in the middle of irritated monkeys in and around Iraq. The gorilla has to roar very loud to get some peace and quite. |
| Posted by: SK 2003-10-11 5:23:03 AM |
| #10 Sounds like it's urban renewal time in Baghdad. Somebody tell the Buffs to start cranking up. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-10-10 7:42:39 PM |
| #9 In order to establish authority, a proper police force needs to be in place and performing the task of keeping order. This "militia", with its obvious religious affiliations, is only going to be a source of problems. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-10-10 5:13:59 PM |
| #8 Shia in the south can turn out significant crowd when they have to. Shia in Baghdad are another issue. It sounds to me like Iranian troublemakers have shifted from the Shia south (where they had little luck charging up the people) to Shia Baghdad where they might ahve more luck. |
| Posted by: Yank 2003-10-10 4:28:15 PM |
| #7 tu3031, In a signed commentary, Rodong Sinmun reports that the inestimable (5'1"? 5'2"? Hard to tell with all the mousse) Dear Leader Kim Jong-Il has announced that PRK is replacing their army-based policy with a new "Steve-based policy". Juche and cookies will be served later in the rec room. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2003-10-10 4:27:46 PM |
| #6 "Does the Army of Steve have thousands and thousands of "holy places" to defend from the infidels?" Indeed we do, I have to stop at one and pick up a case of "holy water" on the way home. I plan on doing a lot of worshiping this weekend. |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-10-10 4:27:05 PM |
| #5 Sounds like they are mistaken.... I think its time we showed them what seven tanks surrounding and firing on a compound can do. Then we can ask them '... is that what you saw?' pointing to the smoking ruins. More likely a 'product' of a bomb making factory exploted prematurely..... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2003-10-10 4:25:54 PM |
| #4 Does the Army of Steve have thousands and thousands of "holy places" to defend from the infidels? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-10-10 4:16:59 PM |
| #3 Ah, The Frank-Steve Bandwidth Wars... |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-10-10 4:10:02 PM |
| #2 Bwwwhahahahahaha!!! The Army of Steve™ is everywhere! |
| Posted by: Steve White 2003-10-10 4:06:31 PM |
| #1 Ahhhh second again! Damn you Steve! ;-) |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-10-10 3:59:38 PM |