Article

2004-04-08 Iraq-Jordan

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Posted by Steve 2004-04-08 10:39:43 AM|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Pray Tell: 1.) Why is the Mahdi Army's fortress still standing? 2.)Why are the tank guns, pointing at Husseini's office, not blazing?

What's with these restrictive rules of engagement?! The simple fact that 5 marines had to be shot yesterday before they were cleared to bomb the mosque perpetuates the myth that the US is not willing to do what is necessary to win this war!!!

Posted by mjh 2004-04-08 11:23:10 AM|| 2004-04-08 11:23:10 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 mjh - i saw a report this AM that Sadrs office in Sadr City was hit by choppers. Not sure if this is same as Husseinis office.

Posted by Liberalhawk 2004-04-08 11:25:16 AM|| 2004-04-08 11:25:16 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Our armament needs to take out the office, no matter who is in it. Lop off the head, and the body will flop around and quiver until it quits. We must send an unequivocal and strong message now. Being nice and fair is being perceived as weak. Middle East Anthropology 101.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2004-04-08 11:48:42 AM|| 2004-04-08 11:48:42 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 Agree with you, Alaska Paul.

Ha! LOVED the last paragraph, though.

Posted by ex-lib 2004-04-08 11:51:53 AM|| 2004-04-08 11:51:53 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 I'm not sure I agree. Intel may have word that the Sadr brigade is running low of food, etc. in which case, a bit of waiting is in order. From everything reported so far, the sadr brigades are not super organized and may well be vulnerable to siege type tactics.

Posted by mhw 2004-04-08 12:00:59 PM|| 2004-04-08 12:00:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 The most important holiday on the Shiite calendar occurs on Monday. The areas around Najaf and Karbala are going to be overrun with Shiite faithful. I heard that the CPA already said that they are not going to be able to provide security becuase of Sadr. They certainly don't want to carry out a major military campaign in the middle of this religous celebration. That would only kill a lot of innocent Shiites and hamper our ability to pacify that community in the future.

The money portion of the story is the last paragraph. The older folks are sick if the seethe program. They and most people want to get on with life. Be patient. We will deal with Sadr, but on our schedule, not his.

Posted by remote man 2004-04-08 12:19:53 PM|| 2004-04-08 12:19:53 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 On FoxNews right now there's a NewsWeek reporter who's just left Najaf (wonder why?) saying that the Madhi's took some goodies from the Police stations there: guns, uniforms, and flak jackets, in particular.

This will make ID'ing the bad guys more difficult when the Shi'a's ding-dong festival ends and we move back in.

Posted by .com 2004-04-08 1:26:51 PM|| 2004-04-08 1:26:51 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Remote Man, It seeme like the to CPA could just blcokade the few major roads headed into the holy cities out in a unpopulated area. I don't know th elay of the land, though.

Posted by Super Hose 2004-04-08 2:30:42 PM|| 2004-04-08 2:30:42 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 We certainly do not want the ~~Iranian operatives~~ Shiite pilgrimsâ¢ to miss their Monday love-in at Najaf and Karbala. I apologize in advance for my cultural insennnnnnnnnsitivity.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2004-04-08 3:43:47 PM|| 2004-04-08 3:43:47 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 Yes! we are now the very model of a New Mahdi Army.

Posted by Abu Cromwell 2004-04-08 4:04:23 PM|| 2004-04-08 4:04:23 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 Look to pilgrims either re-inforcing Shiites in the mosque or acting as human shields.

Posted by John Simmins 2004-04-08 4:28:55 PM|| 2004-04-08 4:28:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 SH - Marines have definitely cordoned off Fallujah, and it seems that US Army has cordoned off Sadr City. Not sure of other towns. An effective cordon will have to be more complete than just main roads, IIUC. That takes troops. I presume the commander on the ground will attempt to cordon off the biggest troop concentrations, then defeat the enemy in detail.

Posted by Liberalhawk 2004-04-08 4:34:50 PM|| 2004-04-08 4:34:50 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 LH, if the following is true, then it appears that Fallujah is leaky - at least inbound. I hope they don't let these jokers back out, that would be adding insult to injury.

Posted by Lux 2004-04-08 4:46:34 PM|| 2004-04-08 4:46:34 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 Lux - i guess they werent going to use weapons against civilians, purportedly carrying food and medicines (I presume ammo got in as well, but presumably nothing big)

Posted by Liberalhawk 2004-04-08 4:50:56 PM|| 2004-04-08 4:50:56 PM|| Front Page Top

#15 Personally, I don't give a rats about being sennnnsitive (hat tip to Savage) with these idiots, but I also don't want to stir up more angst within the populace. Lux's link is a good indication of what I mean.

When we kill the civs, the locals get pissed. We just need to be careful and kill the fighters as much as possible. That is our current SOP. We need to stick to it.

Posted by remote man 2004-04-08 4:51:37 PM|| 2004-04-08 4:51:37 PM|| Front Page Top

#16 They operate behind the innocent because they believe we will not risk killing them. This strategy is only employed against armies that have western values.

The correct response is the moab. Demonstrate there is no way to fight a moab, and civilian shields are not an effective strategy.

As for upsetting the people, these people lived through Saddam. They know whats at stake.

Posted by flash91 2004-04-08 10:58:13 PM|| 2004-04-08 10:58:13 PM|| Front Page Top

#17 We should not lay off the pressure while their recharging, they're not going to stop once their organized. We don't have much time left until we drop this in the lap of the new Iraqi government.

We haven't seen anything yet, wait until June or July when everyone under the sun is grabbing for power or contesting the election. We might as well hit these hostiles real hard and clean, right now.

Posted by CobraCommander 2004-04-09 1:07:53 AM|| 2004-04-09 1:07:53 AM|| Front Page Top

#18 PS-Better that we found out they were planning an Irannian style revolution the whole time, instead of after the elections when they really built up the militia.

Posted by CobraCommander 2004-04-09 1:11:37 AM|| 2004-04-09 1:11:37 AM|| Front Page Top

12:13 Mr. Davis
12:05 Anonymous5060
11:57 Anonymous5059
11:45 Anonymous5056
11:38 Anonymous5055
10:41 Dar
08:45 badanov
07:41 B
07:41 B
07:33 B
07:29 B
07:27 B
07:23 B
04:54 Super Hose
04:48 Super Hose
04:41 Super Hose
02:50 Zenster
02:31 Jen
02:28 Jen
01:43 Not Mike Moore
01:27 Not Mike Moore
01:18 Not Mike Moore
01:11 CobraCommander
01:07 CobraCommander