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| Iraq |
| De-Ba’athification of Iraq is happening |
| 2003-03-26 |
| The Iraqis revolt Filed: 26/03/2003) (via The Corner/NRO) An opinion piece from the Telegraph The popular uprising in Basra that began last night may prove to be the best news of the war so far for the allied forces. Thousands of civilians are reported to have confronted the Ba'athist authorities in the heart of this, the second most important city in Iraq. The insurrection suggests that the Anglo-American message - that this is a war against Saddam's regime, not the Iraqi people - is at last getting through. As the visible symbols, leaders and cadres of the totalitarian system are relentlessly targeted by the coalition onslaught, the Ba'ath Party's grip on the country is beginning to weaken. Despite the vicious attempts by Saddam's Fedayeen and others to kill and intimidate the protesters in Basra, if the uprising is successful its significance cannot be overestimated. What had hitherto deterred the mainly Shia Muslims of southern Iraq from rebelling was fear, pure and simple. Twelve years ago these Shi'ites rose in order to overthrow Saddam, encouraged by America, only to be suppressed with the utmost savagery. In the early days of the allied invasion, they were understandably cautious, particularly when the main American thrust simply bypassed Basra, leaving Saddam's machinery of terror in place. Many inhabitants of the city suspected that, if they rose immediately, they might be abandoned. The skirmishes over the weekend brought about a change in allied strategy, however, with Basra redesignated a military target. Once British troops, principally the 7th Armoured Brigade (the "Desert Rats") began to surround Basra in the past two days, the city was reinforced by up to 1,000 Saddam loyalists. Yesterday, by annihilating an Iraqi armoured column that ventured out of Basra and mounting a spectacular dawn raid on a Ba'athist stronghold in neighbouring Zubayr, capturing a senior party official, the British showed that they meant business. This was the signal for the uprising. Once they observed mortars firing on protesters, British forces immediately called up artillery and air support, destroying the Ba'ath Party headquarters. Horrified Black Watch officers watched the "carnage", but their task was hampered by the RAF's lack of Apache attack helicopters. Last night, the British commanders faced an unenviable decision: whether to send in troops and armour to support the uprising. After Tony Blair yesterday promised the Iraqi opposition, "This time we will not let you down", it would be unthinkable to allow the revolt to be crushed. There is no risk-free option, though: if an assault on the city were resisted by substantial Ba'athist forces, both the British and the civilians risk heavy casualties. Whatever happens now in Basra, however, one body of opinion has been defeated: the armchair generals |
| Posted by:Kerry |
| #1 Will Iraq have its own Hekmatyar? If so, it could be: Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim. Call 'em the "Hek" and "Hak" show. http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=20107 |
| Posted by: Anonon 2003-03-26 01:58:45 |