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Iraq-Jordan
Iraq forces on alert in holy city
2005-09-19
Iraqi security forces are on alert in the city of Karbala as hundreds of thousands of Shia pilgrims gather for a major religious festival. Thousands of police and troops are on duty and soldiers from the US-led coalition are taking up positions outside the city, south of Baghdad. Cars have been banned from the city, to reduce the risk of bombings, and pilgrims are being searched. The festival marks the birth of a revered Shia leader, Imam Mehdi.
Is it that time, again? I always forget to send a card.
There are fears that Sunni insurgents who are trying to invoke civil war in the country may attack the festival, reports the BBC's Richard Galpin in Baghdad.
I think it's a given, only question is how many attacks
More than 260 people, mostly Shia Muslims, have been killed in an upsurge of violence that began on Wednesday. The militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has reportedly called for war against Shias ahead of next month's referendum on a new Iraqi constitution.
Anyone see the new article in Lancet about the horrible civilian casualties inflicted by the jihadis? Nope, I didn't either.
Pilgrims have been converging on Karbala for several days for the festival, which commemorates Imam Mehdi, the 12th and last Imam of the Shia Muslims. Some pilgrims told the BBC they were more determined than ever to attend the festival following the reported threat by Zarqawi. "He will not stop us from attending out rituals," said one man, as he set off from Baghdad. But the authorities are taking maximum precautions, our correspondent reports. Hospitals in the area and in Baghdad have been put on alert and there has been a campaign to get extra donations of blood from the population.
Posted by:Steve

#6  I'm still not 100% sure that some autonomous Shiite militias don't serve a useful purpose if they defend their own and exact justice on these Baathist scumbags who still dream they'll run a country wherein they are a minority of a minority. As long as Tater's not in charge, I could see this as a step towards ending what is a slo-mo civil war rather than a slippery slope towards one.
Posted by: JAB   2005-09-19 11:59  

#5  Are the Tater Tots any part of this militia?
Posted by: Seafarious   2005-09-19 11:56  

#4  From DEBKA: All the pilgrims’ routes to the Shiite shrine town of Karbala south of Baghdad have been secured by Shiite militias, in a show of sectarian muscle unprecedented hitherto in Iraq. Tuesday, Sept. 20, hundreds of thousands of Shiites will converge on Karbala for celebrations marking the birthday anniversary of the Imam Mahdi. Rather than relying on Iraqi national forces, the Badr and “Wolves” Brigades, the militias of prime minister Ibrahim Jaafari’s Dawa party and even renegade Moqtada Sadr’s Mehdi Army, have joined forces to guard the routes to the city and the event. Last week, al Qaeda declared all-out war on Iraq’s Shiites. In recent weeks, hundreds have been slaughtered in terrorist attacks.

The Shiite militia deployment is an Iraqi milestone for three reasons:

1. They are all operating for the first time under a unified command, a tipping point in the evolution of a Shiite national army.

2. US and Iraqi national forces are leaving the Shiite militias a clear field, an indirect form of acceptance of evolving Shiite autonomous government.

3. Should Abu Musab al Zarqawi send his car bombers against the pilgrims, as he has in the past, the Shiite militias are poised to storm Sunni regions in the vicinity and exact vengeance. This would take Iraq a step closer to civil war.
Posted by: Steve   2005-09-19 11:18  

#3  It's about time they stopped the traffic, ya think? D'oh!
Posted by: Rosemary   2005-09-19 09:43  

#2  Thanks, grom, I was going to ask for a ranking. Has anyone put together a list?

1. Mecca
2. Medina
3. Qum
4. .....
3847. Anywhere Jooooos are living
....
89478. Anywhere moslems once lived.
Posted by: Jackal   2005-09-19 09:25  

#1  The 579th holiest city of Islam.
Posted by: gromgoru   2005-09-19 09:05  

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