Article

2008-03-28 Iraq

U.S. Armor Forces Join Offensive In Baghdad Against Sadr Militia

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Posted by Fred 2008-03-28 13:57|| || Front Page|| [8 views ] Top
File under: Mahdi Army

#1 It's a question, he said, of "who's got the best conspiracy" theory about why Maliki decided to act now.

Give the guy a little credit. He's smart enough to do it before the election so he doesn't risk having a donk in the White House when he's fighting Sadr. He's probably also smart enough to know that sooner or later he would have to fight Sadr.

Posted by Abu Uluque (aka Ebbang Uluque6305) 2008-03-28 14:25|| 2008-03-28 14:25|| Front Page Top

#2 "If there were no Americans, there would be no fighting," said Jack Murtha Abu Mustafa al-Thahabi, a senior ~~Democrat Party~~ Mahdi Army member.

Straight out of the Democrat Party "Cut-N-Run" phrasebook. And the press is carrying the water for them. Bastards.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-03-28 14:32|| 2008-03-28 14:32|| Front Page Top

#3 "If there were no Americans, there would be no fighting," said ~~Jack Murtha~~ Abu Mustafa al-Thahabi, a senior ~~Democrat Party~~ Mahdi Army member.

Straight out of the Democrat Party "Cut-N-Run" phrasebook. And the press is carrying the water for them. Bastards.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-03-28 14:34|| 2008-03-28 14:34|| Front Page Top

#4 And thank you (NOT!) to the British asshats that left us with that terrible situation in Basra, who had their troops there but didn't allow them to fully engage all the enemies.

More failed accommodationist strategy from Euros.

When will they learn appeasement doesn't work?

Failed in pre-WW2 germany, Failed with the Soviet Union (only confrontation worked), Failed in Bosnia and Kosovo. Faield in Iraq in 90. Failed in Afghanistan, Failed in Basra Iraq.

And when will we learn not to listen to them?

Posted by OldSpook 2008-03-28 14:41|| 2008-03-28 14:41|| Front Page Top

#5 "If there were no Americans, there would be no fighting," said Abu Mustafa al-Thahabi, 38, a senior Mahdi Army member.

It doesn't matter from which perspective you cut the cake, this guy is exactly right. Too bad for his perspective that means he doesn't get to run around with an AK-47 in hand and order people to do what his mullah thinks they should be doing.

I for one am glad this is happening. I think these a-holes are the last meaningful Islamic Bomb that Anti-Iraqi Forces can hold over everyone's heads. They seem to me to be an extensive network of safehouses and moral support. Rip them up by the root and the rest will fade away. Hopefully quickly.

I sort of wonder if Maliki said it was going to be an Iraqi-only operation in part just to get the bad guys to stay put for once, hoping that he might actually be able to pull it off using Iraqi forces only. They probably would have bailed if they heard the full Coalition was coming. In any case, they are going to learn a lot from this one.

Posted by gorb 2008-03-28 14:51|| 2008-03-28 14:51|| Front Page Top

#6 "If there were no Americans, there would be no fighting,"

BULLSHIT you've been killing each other for a thousand years now, only the name of the current enemy changes.

It's a wonder the place is not an uninhabited desert by now.

Posted by Redneck Jim">Redneck Jim 2008-03-28 14:56|| 2008-03-28 14:56|| Front Page Top

#7 If there were no Americans, Saddam would probably still be in charge.

Posted by Rambler in California">Rambler in California 2008-03-28 15:00|| 2008-03-28 15:00|| Front Page Top

#8 If there were no Americans, they would still be a British colony and riding only camels.

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2008-03-28 15:07|| 2008-03-28 15:07|| Front Page Top

#9 The clashes suggested that American forces were being drawn more deeply into a broad offensive that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite, launched in the southern city of Basra on Tuesday, saying death squads, criminal gangs and rogue militias were the targets.

OK - as a former English major and sometimes teacher, go ahead and try to parse that sentence - diagram it as taught in elementary school - verbs, nouns, subject, predicate and so on. It's difficult, but not impossible.

That's the first hint the writer is confused, ignorant or both.

Now try the easier analytical tool for WAPO, NYT, etc.. Assume it's either completely wrong, or intentionally misleading.

With that tool, I read this to mean US forces are acting as planned, in concert with Iraqi Govt. forces, in limited areas, using elements of surprise and overwhelming firepower to gain immediate tactical advantage within a carefully crafted strategy.

The two attributed quotes from US and British military spokesman affirm this, amidst the cloud of misleading adjectival speculation of typical MSM combat reporting.

I'll pay attention when they report from the scene, with accompanying video.

Posted by Punky Clelet7200 2008-03-28 15:08|| 2008-03-28 15:08|| Front Page Top

#10 BBC reports from Basra indicate improving situation there.

Posted by liberalhawk 2008-03-28 16:05|| 2008-03-28 16:05|| Front Page Top

#11 yeah anyone remember the Persian empire or ottoman empire i bet they where won with the help of the americans athat caused that killing sprree too

Posted by sinse 2008-03-28 16:09|| 2008-03-28 16:09|| Front Page Top

#12 and has anyone heard from sadr in the last few days?
sorry i'mj a lil behind

Posted by sinse 2008-03-28 16:10|| 2008-03-28 16:10|| Front Page Top

#13 Does this sound like Armagedan to anyone besides me? Fortunately, we seem to be on the winning side. I haven't seen one word lately about AQ Iraq and the bad old Sunni's. This is all Iran and Shiite militias. Progress is a wonderful thing.

Posted by Titus Cloling7944 2008-03-28 16:19|| 2008-03-28 16:19|| Front Page Top

#14 Are those on-air reports, liberalhawk, because the current version of the BBC's article on the situation sounds pretty damned bleak. Lots of "Maliki blinked first" water-carrying going on there, and Paul Wood sounds like he's practically pissing himself.

Posted by Mitch H.">Mitch H. 2008-03-28 16:37|| http://blogfonte.blogspot.com/]">[http://blogfonte.blogspot.com/] 2008-03-28 16:37|| Front Page Top

#15 I'd bet a large nachos with cheese and jalapenos that these stories have been written within the last couple months, waiting for something to happen and fill in the name blanks - sitting at the climate controlled bar with a G&T with ice, twiddling a pencil and trying to come up with 2 or 3 sensational stories before they happen.
It's a question, he said, of "who's got the best conspiracy" theory about why Maliki decided to act now.
"Oh, the consensus is Walter's, he is over at the dart board playing cricket if you would like to talk to him."

Posted by swksvolFF 2008-03-28 16:49|| 2008-03-28 16:49|| Front Page Top

#16 Are you suggesting that they write these stories ahead of time when and cut and paste them together to save time when they have more important "functions" to attend?

Posted by gorb 2008-03-28 17:28|| 2008-03-28 17:28|| Front Page Top

#17 Soft power and soft journalism, nothing to see here except for Sadr's mooks getting their a$$ handed to them.
"It's a question, he said, of "who's got the best conspiracy" theory about why Maliki decided to act now." Seems it started with the other side....must be a soft thinking administration unnamed source at the WaPo.

Posted by Muggsy Gling 2008-03-28 18:03|| 2008-03-28 18:03|| Front Page Top

#18 i don't think there is a winning side during armageddon

Posted by sinse 2008-03-28 18:26|| 2008-03-28 18:26|| Front Page Top

#19 There is, sinse, you need to re-read the BoR.

Posted by twobyfour 2008-03-28 18:36|| 2008-03-28 18:36|| Front Page Top

#20 Strykers have killed at least 9 3/26 and 3/27.

Some big kill counts. Battles are almost exclusive to New Baghdad, Sadr City and Kadamiyah.

Posted by Chuck Simmins">Chuck Simmins 2008-03-28 19:43|| http://northshorejournal.org]">[http://northshorejournal.org] 2008-03-28 19:43|| Front Page Top

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