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| Iraq |
| TATER BUGS OUT! |
| 2007-02-13 |
| The story tonight in Iraq is not the arrival of more U.S. troops, but the departure of one of the country's most powerful men, Moqtada al Sadr and members of his army. According to senior military officials al Sadr left Baghdad two to three weeks ago, and fled to Tehran, Iran, where he has family. Al Sadr commands the Mahdi Army, one of the most formidable insurgent militias in Iraq, and his move coincides with the announced U.S. troop surge in Baghdad. Sources believe al Sadr is worried about an increase of 20,000 U.S. troops in the Iraqi capital. One official told ABC News' Martha Raddatz, "He is scared he will get a JDAM [bomb] dropped on his house." Sources say some of the Mahdi army leadership went with al Sadr. Though he is gone for now, many think al Sadr is not gone for good. In Tehran he is trying to keep the Madhi militia together. In recent months al Sadr has come to the political table to force change rather than using military force to have an impact. Sources say an even more extreme faction within his militia isn't pleased with this turn of events, and is trying to force the cleric to respond to recent Sunni attacks with more violence. U.S. officials say they are going to watch those member of the Mahdi army left behind in Baghdad. Sources say two scenarios are possible: Either al Sadr will be driven further into extremist mode or he will continue going forward with the political process. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #18 How do you say "Buck, buck, braaaawk!" in Arabic? |
| Posted by: Mike 2007-02-13 23:43 |
| #17 perhaps he's having his teeth cleaned? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-02-13 23:38 |
| #16 post a link, the long url busts the page width, thx |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-02-13 23:36 |
| #15 In re tater in Qom, it was an article by Amir Taheri. Link fixed |
| Posted by: buwaya 2007-02-13 23:28 |
| #14 I think Tater has been told that the ROE's have changed and that this time he would be killed if at all possible. There seems to be some new realism creeping, and I do emphasize creeping, into the picture. |
| Posted by: Remoteman 2007-02-13 22:26 |
| #13 There it is! The Shiite mischief-makers, especially the loose coalition known as the Mahdi Army, are also splintering under military pressure from Iraqi and U.S. forces. Since December, hundreds of Mahdi fighters have fled to Iran - following their nominal leader Muqtada al-Sadr, who is in Qom. More than 1,000 others have been killed or captured |
| Posted by: SwissTex 2007-02-13 22:16 |
| #12 There was a post (on RB) a few days back saying he was in Qom, but I cannot find it. |
| Posted by: SwissTex 2007-02-13 22:04 |
| #11 HHHHMMMMMMMM, Zawahiri pledging allegiance to MULLAH OMAR, now Sadr. IMO is more evidencia/indicia that Radical Islam is now in defensive mode - questionne' is defensive mode for what!? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2007-02-13 22:02 |
| #10 If Tater's Tots cede a neighborhood, move in and hold it. Once the roaches leave, change the ecosystem so they feel disinclined to return. I'm quite certain, the implications are not lost on Gen. Petraeus. |
| Posted by: doc 2007-02-13 21:58 |
| #9 Kookcinich is ferengi. |
| Posted by: Lanny Ddub 2007-02-13 21:51 |
| #8 The Tehran mullahs have to realize that if Nasrallah is also forced to bravely flee to Iran, the target environment will be simply too rich to pass up... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2007-02-13 21:48 |
| #7 Meh. If I was a ferengi, my ears would be itching like hell. This is Opportunity. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2007-02-13 21:37 |
| #6 Tater clearly remembers Najaf 2004 when his fat-ass was sizzling on the fire and saved at the last second by al-Sistani. 2004 BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S. Marines in Najaf raided the house of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, seized weapons and obliterated a nearby building with a 500-pound bomb to clear out pockets of resistance held by his militia. |
| Posted by: RD 2007-02-13 21:02 |
| #5 He should be facedown in a sewer. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2007-02-13 20:40 |
| #4 "Run away! Run away!" |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2007-02-13 20:28 |
| #3 Tater could not take the heat and even his pea-bran registered that he was going to be surfing the tsumami Surge™. So now he has fled into Mordor for the time being until |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2007-02-13 19:58 |
| #2 Showing even a modicum of spine makes these rats head for the sewers. And this despite every treasonous effort of the left. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-02-13 19:56 |
| #1 My only regret is that they didn't kill him. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-02-13 19:50 |