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| Iraq |
| Al-Sadr Death Squads Slaughter Baghdad Sunnis |
| 2006-03-17 |
| Death Squads Terrorize Baghdad Der Spiegel, Germany By Erwin Decker in Baghdad Shiite death squads are spreading fear in Baghdad's Sunni neighborhoods. Meanwhile, politicians and police are growing powerless as the outbreak of a civil war becomes ever more likely in Iraq. Name names!!! The "men in black" are the al-Sadrite Shiites from the al-Sadr suburb of Baghdad. Death squads are stalking Sunnis in Shiite-dominated Baghdad neighborhoods. When the men in black drive down his street, Ali Hasan al-Mahawish calls out to his playing children to come into the house immediately. He bolts the door, scared. This time it might be his family's turn. The men drive past at walking speed, clutching their guns. It's obvious they know exactly which houses the Sunnis live in. Mahawish is an engineer and a Sunni -- a potential victim of the death squads. And Western coverage of over 1500 murders since Feb. 22, has been crappy. Death squads are becoming part of everyday life in Baghdad's Sunni neighborhoods. Sunnis living in the Khadamiya neighborhood are terrorized daily. Sometimes the men in black shoot randomly into their houses and backyards. Sometimes they give the residents five minutes to leave, then set fire to the house. Those Sunni's who aren't simply executed by their neighbors are being systematically driven out of the city's Shiite neighborhoods. "Ethnic cleansing" in Baghdad? Well, Shiites in the Sunni Triangle aren't doing much better. According to a recent United Nations report, this type of "ethnic cleansing" has spread dramatically in Baghdad, a city of 6 million. And no one can stop the death squads, least of all the police. Six neighborhoods have already fallen prey to organized terror. Weeks have passed since the police was last seen in these neighborhoods, and Sunnis are now more afraid of the men in black than of the daily air raids... From a counter-terror point of view, the polarization will likely create a much larger centrist group that will seek US support against the two enemies: al-Qaeda in Iraq and Black February. |
| Posted by:Listen To Dogs |
| #9 Sympathy meter? |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2006-03-17 19:40 |
| #8 It's time to send a dozen or so US Apache pilots to Israel for advanced helizapper training, ? |
| Posted by: 6 2006-03-17 19:25 |
| #7 It's time to send a dozen or so US Apache pilots to Israel for advanced helizapper training, then turn them loose against Tater's tots. I'm sure zapping a dozen or so vehicles full of black-clad troops would put an end to the whole "adventure". Of course, the real solution is to get rid of Tater AND his "tots". We need to have the Iraqis crush him decisively, but that may be beyond current expectations. Regardless of how it happens, Tater and his "militia" have got to go. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2006-03-17 17:14 |
| #6 Nothing a few well-placed sniper teams couldn't cure. Black clad hard boyz cruising at a walking pace down city streets stand out pretty well. An RPG or some nicely orchestrated fire would torque their turbans to spec. Might even begin to win the hearts and minds of Sunni locals. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-03-17 15:08 |
| #5 Still not hearing anything from the grieving mother/wife/children/orphan baby ducks. Just who is actually killing who? |
| Posted by: john 2006-03-17 14:03 |
| #4 Daily air raids? |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-03-17 10:24 |
| #3 get sadr to do the dirty work for us then moab him and his followers as they gather for friday prayer |
| Posted by: ShepUK 2006-03-17 09:39 |
| #2 “And no one can stop the death squads, least of all the police.” Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say…Up to this point no one has been able to stop the death squads? Seems to me there are a number of ways to reduce if not eliminate the majority of the death squads. Some ways are more diplomatic in nature and other ways are much more harsh. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2006-03-17 09:24 |
| #1 My guess is that as we speak, Iraqi forces under American management are planning a cleansing of their own. Tune in next week for more of As The Tater Turns. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-03-17 09:17 |