A couple quick reminders (knock on Natalie Wood but the server remains up and running):
1) Don't embed links in the title, as one poster did yesterday (the air marshal article). That can really hose things. Put the source link in the 'source' box, not the 'title' box, of the poster page.
2) Keep page 1 and page 2 straight: page 1 is for the WoT, page 2 is pretty much everything else. Keeping it straight means faster loads later in the day.
3) Fred has said it before and I'll repeat it: please edit the fluff. The editors can put stuff on page 71 but it takes time. Remove all the extraneous stuff.
4) Don't post an article from another weblog; Rantburg is for hard news and commentary based on that news.
5) Don't feed the trolls, for the same reason that you don't ever mud-wrestle a pig: you both get dirty. And the pig likes it.
As a side note, I've almost finished the alternative front page to Rantburg in PHP. It's set up with the columns reversed so you can tell where you are. If you try to open this page (the .asp) version and it's broken, try index.php. Because it uses a different set of programs to access the database, chances are it'll be working unless the server's ground to an absolute halt.
I fixed the problem with posting headlines by rewriting the page that does the work in PHP as well, so I'll probably end up building an entire second version of the site in PHP.
Since the site was up when I went to bed last night, and it was up this morning, I'm assuming most of the major bugs are killed. Let me know when you find smaller ones. My next stop, once I've got the front page rebuilt, will be to rebuild all the data input pages. At some point the bugs will stop biting us and I'll have a few moments to actually concentrate on WoT.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/09/2004 12:45:12 AM ||
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re: point #5 - well some of us like it too. Especially old grunts.
#2
Consider putting this into an FAQ so that newbees and forgetful posters can refer to it.
Posted by: ed ||
08/09/2004 3:21 Comments ||
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I'll take this opportunity to ask a couple questions and make a suggestion:
* What's the proper category for Sudan?
* What's the proper category for Turkey?
* I suggest that you add some brief guidelines about Page 1 and Page 2 in the windows where people prepare postings. Or else refer to a FAQ for guidelines.
.
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
08/09/2004 7:08 Comments ||
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Does #4 include posting links to other blogs such as the one I posted yesterday.I didn't post an article,but thought people might like to hear whats going on in a soldiers own words.
#5
Mike, Turkey goes in Europe unlees it's deeply involving say a turkish hostage in Iraq.
Sudan would be Sub-Saharan Africa, I'd say, it could be Horn as well. I need a ruling from the judges.
Posted by: Steve ||
08/09/2004 8:25 Comments ||
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What is page 71 and how do mere mortals read it?
Posted by: Mr. Davis ||
08/09/2004 9:08 Comments ||
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I always put Sudan under Horn of Africa.
When an article's continued, there's a link to Page 71 at the bottom of the bloc on Page 1.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/09/2004 9:25 Comments ||
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I just loaded the php page, and it looked good.
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
08/09/2004 9:57 Comments ||
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This commentary is really chatty and insular. For example, what's the WoT? What's Page 71? I know, because I visit the site frequently, although the "Page 71" thing baffled me for a few days. But newcomers will be totally clueless.
#10
Also loaded the php page. Looks good and loaded quickly.
Raptor, if you provide a link to something that is really late-breaking, and for which the cited weblog is the acknowledged master for the story (e.g., the JustOneMinute blog on the Swift Boat Vet video), I'll leave the link and delete the article. If it's anything other than late-breaking, I'll delete the whole thing (Fred?).
Mike: Turkey = Europe.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/09/2004 10:47 Comments ||
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Ok,the site I tried to link to was a first person account of current operations this soldier is involved in.
#17
It does give me a chance to hummmm tho.....
hummmmm
hummmmm on the range
where the beer and the anteerlopes free!
where seldom is heard a trollish like word
and the bandwith is cheaper than clay!
#22
Fred, as with this thread and mercutio's "pattern" thread, no comments are shown on the main page even though several may be appended. This is the only symptom I've seen today of any malfunction. Loading speeds are reasonable and there's no back-clicking to an empty page in the middle of composing comments.
Again, thank you very much for all of your hard work. It's deeply appreciated. Using information garnered here, I've been able to take some other location's feebs out to the woodshed for a little trauma parking lot therapy.
Monday, 9 August, 2004, 09:23 GMT 10:23 UK
Clashes between Yemeni troops and supporters of a dissident cleric are reported to be continuing, despite official claims that they had ended. Soldiers are still fighting militants loyal to Hussein al-Houthi, three days after an army chief said the resistance was all but overcome. Reports of the numbers of rebels and soldiers killed in seven weeks of raids vary from about 80 to more than 600. Sheikh al-Houthi is accused of setting up unlicensed religious centres. "[U]nlicensed religious centres," so that's what they're calling weapons depots mosques these days. Don't they have a few of these in Pakistan too?
He is also accused of forming an armed group which staged violent protests against the US and Israel. Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has accused Mr Houthi and his supporters of being "foreign agents" seeking to foment sectarian strife. "[F]oreign agents?" Does he mean Mossad or Iranians, there is a difference. 'Crushed within hours'
Officials say the action is not aimed at Zaidis in general. Zaidis are members of a moderate Shia Muslim sect that is dominant in the region near the Saudi border in what is otherwise a mainly Sunni country. Sorta like those wunnerful guys in Najaf.
Army chief of staff Brig Gen Mohammad al-Qassimi said on Friday that resistance to government forces in the mountainous region of Saada province, 240km (150 miles) north of the capital Sanaa was almost beaten. "I can assure you it will be crushed within 12 hours," he told reporters. At least he didn't use the word "surrounded."
Mr Houthi is believed to be hiding in the area. A reward of about $55,000 has been offered for his capture, but President Saleh has promised a fair trial if he surrenders. And a fair hanging too, we can hope.
The brother of suspected al-Qaida leader in Saudi Arabia said the wanted terrorist survived wounds he suffered in clashes with police last month. Saudi daily Okaz quoted Hamid al-Oufy as saying Monday the family "has no information about the reported death of Saleh (al-Oufy)."
"He was only partly dead"
I thought the Soddies said he was initially thought dead, but then thought wounded? Was he subsequently thought dead? And then subsequently to that thought wounded? Call us if anything happens, okay?
Reports published on a Web site last Saturday said Saleh al-Oufy died from wounds sustained in a police raid on his Riyadh hideout July 21, during which police arrested his wife and three children.
That was me, praying for sepsis...
Al-Oufy is believed to have replaced Abdel Aziz al-Muqrin the self-proclaimed al-Qaida leader in Saudi Arabia. Al-Muqrin was killed by Saudi police after he decapitated American hostage Paul Johnson in June.
And I'm not even sure about him.
At least they had pictures of his corpse always assuming it was actually him, and not some guy named Herb...
In the meantime, the leader of the al-Oufy tribe, Sheik Zeid bin Rashid al-Alawi, urged Saleh al-Oufy to surrender to the authorities "to put an end to the tragedy suffered by his family who fear his end will not differ from that of terror suspects who refused to repent."
If you surrender the Saudis openly give you room and board. If you don't surrender they do it covertly. There's a difference, I think.
Posted by: Steve ||
08/09/2004 1:15:17 PM ||
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Careful examination of the background from that scene in the movie will reveal an old lady standing on her porch methodically swinging a cat by its tail, over and over again, into the side of her house's stone wall.
#5
It might be, Crusader. Someone pointed that out to me almost ten years ago. I just thought some humorous animal abuse would fill in the gaps while we all hope that this al Qaeda b@stard is actually dead.
London police on Sunday were granted more time to question nine terrorist suspects arrested last week in raids across Britain. Officers now have until Tuesday to question the men, who reportedly include a suspected key al-Qaida operative. A total of 13 men were arrested Tuesday in a sweep which fueled speculation of an al-Qaida plot to attack London's Heathrow airport. Two were released without charge, and on Sunday London's Metropolitan Police said another two were no longer being held under counterterrorism legislation.They were re-arrested on suspicion of possessing forged documents, officers said.
Under British anti-terrorism laws, police may get extensions to question suspects for up to 14 days before they must be charged or released. The remaining nine were being questioned under the Terrorism Act, on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, Scotland Yard said in a statement. The British arrests have been linked to earlier sweeps in Pakistan, and to terrorism alerts announced Aug. 1 in New York, New Jersey and Washington. Intelligence sources have suggested that one of the British suspects, variously identified in published reports as Abu Eisa al-Hindi or Abu Musa al-Hindi, was a senior al-Qaida operative who was also involved on surveillance on prominent financial institutions in Washington and New York. Neither the government nor the police has revealed details of the allegations against the suspects arrested in Britain.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/09/2004 19:49 ||
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Explosions have hit two Istanbul hotels early Tuesday, killing one person, Turkish police say. At least six other people have been injured in the blasts, police have said. The blasts went off about 1:40 a.m. at tourist hotels in two Istanbul neighborhoods. The two simultaneous explosions rocked the small hotels, which often host tourists from former Soviet republics. One of the targeted hotels, Pars, said it received an anonymous call only 10 minutes before the explosion saying there was a bomb in a room, The Associated Press reports. The other target, Holiday Hotel, is located in the Laleli district, home to inexpensive hotels and clothing stores catering to eastern European tourists. "It appears to be a terrorist attack," Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah told the Anatolia news agency.
Oh! He's gooood!
Posted by: ed ||
08/09/2004 22:19 ||
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#1
I think we should remove all troops from Europe and disengage diplomatically and economically. The world's center of gravity has moved away from Europe and it will soon be one of this planet's backwaters. Let's be civil, but cold, to Europe as a whole. Deal with each country on a case by case basis and only to the extent it benefits the US. Let us never again send 300,000 Americans to die for Europe. Remove Most Favored Nation trade status and only import what there are no substitutes elsewhere (I can't think of any but a few drugs). Let them figure in our policy as much as the Seychelles.
Since I think Muslims in the US will be deported before this religious war is over, I say deport them to Europe. Probably Belgium since they will go majority Muslim first. Let's help the process along by a few years. If Europeans wake up and fix their problems, then good for them. Otherwise, let them become waiters and whores slaves and concubines. They are used to it.
Posted by: ed ||
08/09/2004 22:41 Comments ||
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Relax, everybody, these were just large scale "honor killings."
"Underneath the lantern,
By the barracks gate,
I would meet Fatimah
Every night at eight..."
A suspected 11 September conspirator who is being hunted by police worldwide has e-mailed his wife in Germany to say he will never "bow to infidels" by surrendering. German-born Said Bahaji, 29, e-mailed his Hamburg wife Nese to reject her repeated entreaties for him to surrender to authorities, said the report in Monday's Der Spiegel news magazine. "I am convinced it would be a huge mistake for me to return," he wrote in the e-mail dated 20 July. Dismissing assurances by German authorities that he would face a fair and objective trail, Bahaji wrote his wife, "Believe me, they will not handle me in a fair and just manner."
Or maybe he's afraid they will...
At any rate, he added that his religious faith prevented him from surrendering to secular authorities. "My Moslem faith would never permit me to bow to infidels," he wrote. Instead of returning to Germany, he told her, "My sole concern is how I can get you and Omar (their son) out of that godless country." German investigators believe Bahaji was the "logistician" of an eight-man cell in Hamburg that devised the 2001 attacks on New York and Washington and went to Afghanistan to obtain helpers and funding from al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Three died as suicide pilots, three suspects are in custody and Bahaji and Zakariya es-Sabar, 27, also Moroccan, are still at large. Bahaji, who is believed to be in hiding in the Pakistan- Afghanistan border region, has been in regular contact with his wife and with his parents via e-mail and by phone.
Keep phoning home, Bahaji. It's safe, trust me
Clearly aware that investigators have tapped into his communications, Bahaji at times has even made joking references to his "party line listeners" during calls to his family.
Atta boy
Posted by: Steve ||
08/09/2004 12:34:04 PM ||
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"Underneath the lantern,
By the barracks gate"
Heh, I had to google for the reference. For the rest of you, that's Fred's slight reworking of "Lilli Marlene".
Posted by: Carl in N.H ||
08/09/2004 14:32 Comments ||
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No problem. When he is found, a bullet to his head will bring everything to a close quickly and with little fuss.
Visitors to Hizbullah's website were surprised Monday to find themselves entering an adult site instead of Hizbullah's normal web page that is dedicated to the resistance.
"Mahmoud! That Lion of Islam's nekkid!"
The site www.hizbullah.org, was apparently attacked by hackers, who replaced the page with another one dedicated to adults - or, in other words, a "porn site."
"Wowzers! That some rocket launcher he's got!"
As of late Monday, the opening page read: "You are about to enter an adult site, click here to enter." A source working closely with Hizbullah's internet team said that they "had been getting an error message when trying to enter the page." When asked if hackers could have caused the problems, the source said "most probably not," adding that the internet team would look into the matter.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/09/2004 20:30 ||
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Hizbullah.org must be the website for the "spiritual wing". Hizbullah.mil would be the official site for the "military wing".
#2
I would love to see more of this done. I won't hold my breath as 99.9% of these dorks that are "crackers" are LLLs'.
Hackers are programmers, crackers are internet vandals and criminals. Having had a forum I ran cracked by some punks who speak portuguese (I'll let you guess what south american country they are from) I can say it was not "Hackers."
Crackers should be encouraged to take out their script kiddie angst on more of these sites.
#3
FB---good idea. We should look at sites like Hisbullah as electronic skateboard parks for crackers and hackers. Ah, the energy of youth....
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
08/09/2004 21:35 Comments ||
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hackers? nah, it's just crime syndicates these days. porn sites are big big business. the biggest expense is bandwidth, so why not use other people's?
IRAQI INTELLIGENCE SERVICES ARRESTED FOUR IRANIAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS UNDER THE COMMAND OF TIMOR MOHAMMAD MAHDI IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA OF BAGHDAD. THE IRANIANS WERE ENGAGED IN SPYING AND SABOTAGE. (AL-ZAMAN, IRAQ, 8/7/04)
THE GOVERNOR OF NAJAF, ADNAN AL-ZARAFI, SAID THAT THE IRAQI SECURITY FORCES HAD CONFISCATED A GRENADE LAUNCHER MARKED 'MADE IN IRAN' FROM SUPPORTERS OF MUQTADA AL-SADR. HE ADDED THAT NAJAF RESIDENTS HAD SAID THAT MOST OF THE MORTAR SHELLS FALLING ON CIVILIAN HOMES DURING THE RIOTS WITH AL-SADR'S MEN WERE ALSO MARKED 'MADE IN IRAN.' (E'ETEMAD, IRAN, 8/8/04)
IN A STATEMENT, A GROUP CALLING ITSELF THE ISLAMIC ARMY IN IRAQ SAID IT HAD 'DETAINED' IRANIAN DIPLOMAT FEREYDOUN JAHANI 'FOR STIRRING SECTARIAN STRIFE AND FOR ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE HIS DIPLOMATIC DUTIES.' (IRNA, IRAN, 8/9/04)
IRAQI POLICE ARRESTED NINE AFGHANIS AND 10 IRANIANS ACCUSED OF CARRYING OUT TERRORIST ACTIVITIES IN KARBALA. (AL-ZAMAN, 8/7/04)
Pakistan's foreign minister insisted Monday his country was cooperating with a United Nations probe into Iran's suspect nuclear program, but ruled out allowing inspectors into Pakistan as part of the crucial investigation. "Pakistan is a responsible member of the international community. We have been cooperating with the IAEA and sharing information," said Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, who is on a two day visit to Tehran. "Of course we will cooperate and are cooperating," he told a press conference.
Then his lips fell off...
"But as far as inspections of Pakistan are concerned, that is out of the question. We are not a signatory of the NPT (nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty)."
"And we won't be..."
Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have found traces of highly-enriched uranium inside Iran, leading to suspicions Iran has been trying to produce nuclear bombs and not just atomic energy as it insists. But Tehran maintains the traces found their way into the country on equipment bought on an international black market operated by Pakistan's disgraced former nuclear chief, Abdul Qadeer Khan. Pakistan's cooperation with the probe is crucial in resolving one of the main outstanding questions related to Iran's bid to generate nuclear energy, seen by the United States as a cover for weapons development. The IAEA wants to take so-called "environmental samples" from Pakistan to compare them with those found in Iran - crucial in verifying Tehran's claims. Kasuri refused to elaborate on how Pakistan would help the IAEA in this regard, preferring only to offer a fresh run-down on how important the nuclear deterrent was to his country's national security.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/09/2004 20:30 ||
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40 posts! The system must be stable as Gibralter now.
Posted by: Mr. Davis ||
08/09/2004 20:58 Comments ||
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If the West has more than two synapses to rub together, this is where the train should come off the rails.
If Pakistan refuses to provide fingerprint samples of their breeder reactor isotopes, they should be choked off of all foreign aid. America forgave, what?, some 37 BILLION USD worth of debt for their participation in unseating the Taleban. If they do not facilitate tracking of where in the hell Khan sent so much nuclear technology, they they should be given a chance to starve like North Korea. All their nuclear depots or silos should be mapped out and targeted for demolition the instant Perv catches a hunk of shrapnel.
A 21-year-old Palestinian who was recruited by his brother to perpetrate a suicide bombing near soldiers at the Hawara roadblock near Nablus was arrested in the West Bank city on July 27, according to information released by the Shin Bet on Monday. Khaled Shashtari, a member of the Fatah Tanzim, confessed to investigators that he headed to the roadblock wearing an explosives belt, but was deterred by the large presence of IDF forces in the area due to terror warnings and opted to return home. Shashtari said his brother Ahmed Basel Salman Shashtari, 20, recruited him to perpetrate the attack.
That's 'cuz Mom always liked him best...
The latter was arrested by security forces on July 28 after relatives informed authorities. The same Tanzim infrastructure attempted to dispatch another suicide bomber last month who was to have blown up in the Sharon region. However, the attack was thwarted when the potential suicide bomber, Ahmed Ali Muhammad Buskar, 17, and Fawaz Abdullah Malwani, 24, his handler, were arrested by security forces on July 14 in Mas'ha. Hours after they were arrested the explosives belt blew up prematurely in a truck on its way to the village.
Bet that gave 'em a thrill...
The same infrastructure is also behind attempts to dispatch the two fourteen-year-old boys armed with explosives belts in March who were arrested at the Hawara checkpoint and in June recruited a 15-year-old girl in Nablus to carry out a suicide bomb attack. She was also arrested before acting. Security officials said the Tanzim infrastructure in Nablus continues to receive funds and instructions from Hizbullah operatives in Lebanon.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/09/2004 20:27 ||
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Police on Monday ruled out Al Qaeda's hand in weekend bomb blasts in Karachi which killed 10 people, mostly students of an Islamic seminary, AFP reported.
"Nope. Nope. Wudn't them..."
Police chief Tariq Jamil said the attack was probably sectarian. "Why would Al Qaeda kill religious elements? Even to create terror in the city, Al Qaeda will not target religious students," he said. "The main possibility on which we are working is sectarianism."
Oh. Well. That's different, then...
Staff Report adds: Deputy Inspector General of Investigations Akbar Arain said on Monday that no breakthrough had been made so far in Sunday's bomb blasts that took place outside Jamia Binori seminary. The DIG told Daily Times the investigating team was taking different angles into account.
"What angles?"
"Diff'rent angles!"
Statements by several of the injured and residents had been recorded, but so far there had been no breakthrough, he added. Mr Arain said no suspect had been detained or arrested so far. Sources however said the police interrogated six people on suspicion of their involvement in the theft of the motorcycle in which the second bomb was planted.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/09/2004 20:03 ||
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Indian troops shot dead three militants in two separate encounters in southern Anantnag and northern Baramulla districts overnight, police said. The two militants killed in Anantnag were identified as Samiullah, the divisional commander for Hizbul Mujahideen, and his bodyguard Iqbal Malik. In another incident overnight, a civilian was killed in crossfire between militants and Indian troops in the Pulwama district, police said.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/09/2004 19:54 ||
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A civilian was killed and about 15 Frontier Constabulary personnel were injured when two bombs exploded near Jandola while the FC men were being transported to Wana on Monday, a security official told Daily Times. An official bus carrying paramilitary forces from Jandola, the entrance to South Waziristan Agency, blew up, killing the bus driver instantly and injuring about 15 paramilitary personnel, the official said. The cause of the blast was unclear. The official said the bombs might be remote-controlled devices planted by the roadside. "The driver's side of the bus was badly damaged," the official said. The bus was traveling to Wana, where foreign militants are believed to be hiding, when the "improvised explosive device" went off, said Maj Gen Shaukat Sultan, the chief army spokesman. Online reported that three people including a woman were killed and over 35 were injured in the explosions. NNI quoted eyewitness as saying that when the bus reached Jandola, two bombs planted under a bridge went off, killing a man and injuring 18 people. Maj Gen Sultan said, "This is an act of terrorism."
Brilliant deduction, Holmes!
Posted by: Fred ||
08/09/2004 19:53 ||
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Intelligence agencies in a joint operation with law enforcement agencies arrested four people on Monday on suspicion of having links with the Al Qaeda network. Two Turks and one African were nabbed in Lahore and a Pakistani, Arshad alias Sikandar, was caught in Sialkot. Arshad was one of the most wanted sectarian terrorists allegedly involved in more than 12 sectarian killings and other terrorism.
That'll probably get him 30 days in jug, and maybe a fine...
Sources said the foreigners were arrested from a seminary in Shadbagh on a lead taken from Naeem Noor Khan, a computer expert of the Al Qaeda network. Sources said two AK 47 rifles, 12 rockets, three launchers, four pistols and 400 bullets were found from Arshad. He was hiding with Shakil and Osama in a Nawan Pind house. They escaped. Sources said Arshad is a Harkatul Jihad-e-Islami Al Alami activist. "A frontline terrorist of banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, he killed 12 Shias in different incidents," said the sources.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/09/2004 19:53 ||
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This was a throwaway in yesterday's story on Qari Saifullah. Adds some detail...
Pakistan has detained a top Kashmiri militant leader said to be a friend of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, officials said Monday, while a raid in the eastern city of Lahore led to the arrests of two Turkish citizens and an African. It was not immediately clear what prompted authorities to conduct the raids in Lahore and whether the men had any links with any terrorist group. The separate arrest of the Kashmiri militant — Maulana Fazlur Rahman Khalil — came ahead of counterterrorism talks this week with archrival India, officials and militants said Monday.
That's probably why he was picked up. He'll probably be sprung when the meeting's over...
Khalil is the leader of Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen militant group, whose members have been fighting Indian forces in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. He was taken into custody recently, said security officials. The government banned Khalil's group after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.
Not that they seemed to notice...
Although none of the members of his organization was available for comment, a senior militant from another anti-India guerrilla group said they were aware of his detention. Two senior government security officials also confirmed Khalil's detention, but gave no further details. Khalil is believed to be a friend of Taliban chief Mullah Mohammed Omar, who has been on the run since his government was ousted in late 2001. Pakistan's Geo television reported Sunday that authorities had arrested Khalil on charges he was sending militants to Afghanistan to join the Taliban. On Monday, a government minister confirmed Khalil's arrest, but said it was not linked to "international terrorism." Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen is one of the key militant groups fighting Indian forces in Kashmir since 1989 when insurgents took arms to gain independence or merge India's part of Kashmir with Muslim Pakistan.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/09/2004 19:43 ||
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Shiite cleric vows to continue fighting against Americans Monday, August 9, 2004 Posted: 1:47 PM EDT (1747 GMT)
With a radical Shiite Muslim cleric vowing to fight Americans to the death of anyone he can throw in their way, U.S. Marines took command Monday of coalition operations in Najaf and neighboring Qadisiya, a multinational forces statement said. The south-central city of Najaf is the site of the Imam Ali Shrine, one of the holiest weapons depots sites in Shiite Islam, where fighters loyal to anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr are holed up. Al-Sadr promised Monday an unyielding fight by his Mehdi Army militia against U.S.-led forces. "I will keep on resisting, and I am staying in Najaf and won't leave it till the rapidly approaching last day of my life," al-Sadr said. "My stay is to defend Najaf the holiest place." And Najaf is going to have a lot of holes in it d@mn soon.
U.S. officials have accused al-Sadr of fomenting unrest. He is wanted in connection with the killing of a rival cleric last year. The decision to remove the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit from control of the multinational forces was made because of the "deteriorated security situation" in Najaf, the coalition said. The move leaves the provinces of Babil, Karbala and Wasit to the multinational forces, headed by a Polish military contingent.
Continued on Page 49
#1
drop one of those big fucking 4500lb LGB from a b-2 straight the the mouseqe, imagine the impact.....
Posted by: Shep UK ||
08/09/2004 14:25 Comments ||
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#2
Patience, Shep, patience. After so much meddling by the Iranian Shi'ites, methinks Iraq's government is finally sending some warning shots their way. Slowly eroding the "untouchability" of the Imam Ali shrine, should make it crystal clear that, at some point, armed invasion of them will happen.
I'm not particulary happy with the glacial pace that has been happening, but I don't write the rules and have to trust the boots on the ground to do the right thing. By clearing the cemetary, our Marines have force the insurgents to assume less hardened positions or concentrate themselves in the Imam Ali shrine. This is a good ploy because further endangerment of the shrine is only going to alienate Iraq's general population even further from the insurgents' cause.
#3
We need to get video broadcasts of the milita using the mosque as a ammo-dump and fortress as well as any black-garbed people shooting form the minurette(sp?) and broadcast them worldwide. (As well as any use of human shields, etc...). Get Fox to broadcast the videos and the rest of the media would have to follow suit.
Lets face it this war is being played out before a worldwide audience and needs to be won in the living rooms of China, Indonesia, Philippines, Africa, and world-wide. If we had broadcast the truth about the progress in Iraq instead of allowing Al-Jitz and the left media cry 'Quagmire!' over and over again, those countries might have a bit more fortitude to stand up to the taking of hostages. We need to fight the war in the media as well as on the battlefield.
We cant afford to allow Al-jitz and the leftish media put the face on Iraq anymore. Its costing credibility, and its costing lives.
#4
We cant afford to allow Al-jitz and the leftish media put the face on Iraq anymore. Its costing credibility,..
I'm not convinced that trying to muzzle Al Jazeera and its leftist compatriots in the U.S. media scene would be a wise thing; the only people that would believe the trash that these outfits dispense probably wouldn't be swayed by reports to the contrary anyway. The proposal to record Sadr's henchmen engaging in their tactics sounds like a good move though, which probably could be best achieved by allowing embedded reporters again.
#6
The proposal to record Sadr's henchmen engaging in their tactics sounds like a good move though, which probably could be best achieved by allowing embedded reporters again.
As if the press could ever be bothered to report our enemy's crimes.
Posted by: Robert Crawford ||
08/09/2004 16:00 Comments ||
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Things are happening because al Sistani is getting a top overhaul or something (or that used as a front). Sistani does not want to take on Tater, being the horsetrader he is, so he is finally letting Allawi do the heavy lifting (that is where the Marines come in). When Tater is toast or a pile of carbon, then Sistani will return triumphantly to Iraq and take up where he left off, i.e., be a royal shi'ite ayutollah pain in the behind.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
08/09/2004 16:09 Comments ||
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#8
I'm not talking about suppressing the media as much as managing it. Giving them stories and video which they simply cannot ignore.
For example I dont think ABC/CBS/NBS/CNN/BBC would ignore a story (and video from a shaky handheld camcorder) about human shields if FOX made a big headline out of it. If they do then they deserve the ratings drop as viewers go to the network with the 'goods'.
#9
Crazyfool, there is no shortage of images of these thugs running all over the cemetary, they are all over yahoo and gettyimages, and others. The Shia have no trouble understanding what we're doing, they've been begging us to do it for months now. It doesn't matter to the Sunni world (haven't seen too many complaints out of the Soddies, have we?), and frankly, everyone else is tired of Sadr--he can't foment the great Shia uprising after all, so dump him and move on.
#10
I'm waiting for the headline "Marines take control of Najaf." And a month later "Marines take control of Fallujah."
Posted by: Fred ||
08/09/2004 18:06 Comments ||
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I hear ya Ship, looks like we are Allawi's new hired guns. He takes the political heat and turns us loose on the local shi'ite heads. Not a bad proposition imho. Methinks Fallujah may not be far behind if this keeps up.
#12
Heads up, guys.
FWIW, a "reliable source" indicates that Tater has been captured. No confirmation or media coverage yet, but this is the same guy who called the Saddam capture.
U.S. forces have killed at least 360 militants in the past four days of fighting between U.S. troops and Shi'ite militiamen in the holy city of Najaf, a senior U.S. military official said on Monday.
Must be change in policy, we haven't done many bodycounts before.
The official, who asked not to be identified, said the toll included fighting up until late on Sunday. He said U.S. troops were not actively pursuing rebel cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, the leader of the Mehdi Army Shi'ite militia.
That mission is on the Iraqi polices plate.
Fighting broke out on Thursday and there have been fierce clashes since, with U.S. helicopter gunships attacking militia positions inside Najaf's ancient cemetery and militants hiding out around the city's holiest shrine, the Imam Ali mosque. In the past 48 hours, U.S. marines have been trying to tighten a noose around the militia, closing in on the area around the golden-domed shrine.
This is how you do "surround"
In the past, the area around the mosque was considered off limits to U.S. forces, who feared a popular backlash if the holy site was damaged. But the U.S. official said on Monday the governor of Najaf had given the marines permission to carry out operations inside the exclusion zone around the shrine if necessary.
Green light, full speed ahead!
Posted by: Steve ||
08/09/2004 1:53:18 PM ||
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BZ Men!
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
08/09/2004 14:12 Comments ||
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i think theres definatly a policy not to bother taking prisoners anymore, i mean what would be the point as they can just sit there laughing at us while we try and interogate them,besides most of them are useless anyway intel wise.I must say though i'm a bit worried about the lack of force being used.I've been watching t.v and it seems theres shit loads of those black suited fellows running around in packs with imbedded AFP and rueters 'reporters'. Why arn't we killing these wild mobs? i say smash the whole of najaf with an MLRS barrage followed by an hours worth of firing on the city from a very heavy artillary barrage,say 20 - 40 guns all blasting away at once.After thats trough send over the AC-130's to mop up the remaining fools still lurking the streets.And while all this is going on razor wire round the whole of Najaf and encirle it,nothing goes in or out. I wanna see that kill totaliser go up and up till theres no more goons left to die for Al-Sadder
Posted by: Shep UK ||
08/09/2004 14:21 Comments ||
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It seems evident that the Iraqis have had their fill of Tater and his hoods. I read earlier reports of great resentment on the part of people and shopkeepers that were getting sick of having their digs and businesses taken over and property appropriated by Tater and his Tots. If this is the case, it is a good turn. I would like to see more Iraqis ratting out the boomers and foreigners. If that happens on a large scale, we will have REALLY turned the corner on Iraq. From reading the account last week of action in Mosul, though, I am concerned about the large concentrations of fighters showing up in these actions. Hopefully Najaf is a good start for cleaning out these large gangs of terrorists.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
08/09/2004 14:48 Comments ||
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#4
Shep: How would you like it if the State Troopers decided to clean an infestation of Hell's Angels out of your hometown by saturation bombing the main drag? Most of the yahoos in Najaf are apparently ghetto 'bangers from Sadr City and Midians from the sticks. Even if Najaf didn't have the holiest fucking site in Shi'a Islam, I still wouldn't want to see them level the place. Most of the locals are pro-American, especially since the last "revolt".
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
08/09/2004 15:48 Comments ||
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#5
Cut Shep a little slack, he's young and passionate and a Brit. :)
#6
And before any bikers complain, I was just using my ninth grade history teacher's figure of speech. He used it to compare the short-lived Norse colonization of "Vineland" to a gang of Hell's Angels trying to take over a back-country town with the usual late-Seventies concentration of cranky Vietnam vets.
Nowadays, the bikers are getting a tad elderly. They use the funeral parlor next door to my apartment regularly for funerals. They might be old, but they're still loud.
Posted by: Mitch H. ||
08/09/2004 15:53 Comments ||
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#7
The only reason he has to defend the mosque is because he is there. If he left no one would bother it.
Seems like a self eating watermelon to me.
Posted by: Michael ||
08/09/2004 16:56 Comments ||
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#8
"Seems like a self eating watermelon to me."
-As are most of their 'holy leaders'. Bunch of egotists claiming to know the mind of God. Notice how not one picks up an AK and leads by example, they just sit back and send out the young stupid arab boys to do their bidding while they hide in their Quran and spew garbage from the pulpit - f*cking cowards (may feces be upon them).
#9
The original "300 after two days" number came from the Marine Divisional Operations Officer, so I would rate it right up there with sunrise for credibility: he prolly personally counted ears and tails.
However, at the same time, the Governor of Najaf and environs said that "1000 Mahdis had been captured". While nowhere near as high cred as the 1st Marine Ops, if true, this is a jugular hemorrhage to fat boy.
It is also a major dig on the Iranians, who today were loudly complaining and demanding we cut it out--obviously smarting themselves from having a lot of their ha-has short circuited, operatives terminated and leaders arrested.
An important point: WTF is that Iranian Corps on the border doing? They have been too quiet for too long.
#10
mithch shep is right. It's time to stop acting like these pp, are some regular criminals. Most are trainded too kill and thats what they want too do too our soldiers. It is time for this too end and their is no time like the present.
A rift has emerged in the ranks of Afghanistan's ousted Taliban militia, with members of the breakaway faction saying they no longer recognize fugitive leader Mullah Mohammad Omar. Sabir Momin, who was the Taliban's deputy operations commander in southern Afghanistan, said on Monday the dissident group is named Taliban Jamiat Jaish-e-Muslimeen (Muslim Army of the Taliban).
Another faction to add to the hitlist.
Momin told Reuters the faction had the support of about one third of Taliban fighters, and did not recognize the one-eyed Mullah Omar, one of the world's most wanted men for helping shelter Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network until late 2001. Momin did not say how many insurgents there were in the Taliban. Momin added that the new group was being led by Mullah Syed Mohammad Akbar Aga, a 45-year-old commander from the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. Mullah Omar is also from Kandahar, the Taliban's stronghold before the hardline Islamic militia was ousted by U.S.-led forces in 2001. Mullah Manzoor, a spokesman for the dissident group, said Omar had lost control of senior military commanders. "The objective of our group is not to weaken the jihad ("holy war"), but to strengthen it," he said. "More groups can also be formed. Our aim is jihad. There will be no let up in our jihadi activities while American forces remain in Afghanistan."
Factions, in-fighting, desention in the ranks, I love good news.
Posted by: Steve ||
08/09/2004 1:25:14 PM ||
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Oooh! Ooooh! I heard that Mullah Omar said that Mullah Aga smells funny!! And Mullah Aga said Mullah Omar weaves extensions into his beard!!!
#3
Instead of "an Army of one", we're going to end up with multiple "Factions of one", if this continues... 8^). Couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch of folks. If you're a faction of one, there's nobody to watch your backside - just another faction to slip a knife between your ribs. Is there anything we can do to accelerate the process?
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
08/09/2004 19:02 Comments ||
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#4
"That's the People's Front of Judea. SPLINTER!!! SPLINTER!!!!"
Militants who said they belong to a group that has claimed responsibility for kidnappings and killings in Iraq beheaded a man identified only as a Bulgarian in a video posted on the Internet Monday. The images were indistinct, making it difficult to identify the victim. The militants in the video said they were from the Tawhid and Jihad group, which had claimed to have kidnapped two Bulgarian truck drivers June 29 and demanded Iraqi detainees be released in exchange for their lives. The beheaded body of one of the drivers, Georgi Lazov, was found in the Tigris River in Iraq in mid July and a tape was released showing his death. An announcement late last month of the discovery of a second decapitated body in an orange jumpsuit and a head in a bag near the Tigris River had prompted fears Kepov too had been killed, but there was no video of his slaying.
The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said Monday that it had no reliable information on Kepov's fate and that it was still awaiting results from a DNA analysis of the second body found. Previous Web statements signed Tawhid and Jihad had threatened to kill Kepov as well and post images of the killing on the Internet. In the new video, a bearded, blindfolded man sits before four masked men clad in black and a black banner with the words Tawhid and Jihad in white Arabic script. The hostage is wearing the orange jumpsuit that has become an iconic element in such videos, meant to evoke those worn by Iraqi prisoners subjected to abuse while in U.S. custody in Iraq. A man is heard saying, "Here we are returning again to cut off the neck of the other hostage." The brief video ends with bloody images of a body in an orange jumpsuit being beheaded with a knife as his assailants repeatedly shout "God is great!" The victim does not appear to struggle, indicating he may have been dead or drugged before the beheading, or that his arms were somehow restrained. In the last scene, one of the men in black brandishes the severed head before the camera.
Bulgarian officials said Monday they had examined the video but were "unable to identify the executed man because of the material's bad quality." "Led by our principle not to become a tool in terrorists' hands and by our deep respect for the feelings of the hostages' relatives, we will not comment further on the video material," the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry added in a statement. It was not clear when the video was made and its authenticity could not immediately be verified. The video was posted on several Web sites known for carrying militant Islamic comment and images.
Posted by: TS(vice girl) ||
08/09/2004 11:38:55 AM ||
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Can anyone tell me what's wrong with these pictures?
(I sure hope this works; Yahoo sometimes gives their photos dynamic addresses.)
Worked for me. What's wrong? For one thing, there'll be at least one crispy photographer when that Sadr-tot fires that RPG.
Posted by: Angie Schultz ||
08/09/2004 11:34:20 AM ||
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1) The two pictures were taken from the same spot; what the hell were they doing, attending a jihadi press conference???
2) The AP and Reuters are working for the enemy; but that's nothing new.
3) The fact that these photographers were even alive to take the pictures, and not whacked beforehand.
Posted by: Dave D. ||
08/09/2004 12:00 Comments ||
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#2
The AP and Reuters are working for the enemy; but that's nothing new.
It may not be new, but it pissed me off. That's what I found wrong with the pictures. Not one, but two photographers (at least) are eagerly snapping while Americans are being targetted. (In fact, if there wasn't a phalanx of photogs there, maybe Mr. Jihadi would've found something else to occupy his time.)
In previous wars, was it usual for American news services to run photos like this? That's not a rhetorical question; I'm genuinely curious. Did American newspapers run pictures from photographers travelling with the VC?
#4
That's not a rhetorical question; I'm genuinely curious. Did American newspapers run pictures from photographers travelling with the VC?
Until ~1965 it was generally taboo for the American press to report about the doings of an armed enemy, especially stories written sympathetically. That wall was torn down by a communist Australian journalist whose name escpapes me at the momemt. He was a reporter for a London paper. He filed stories while following the Viet Cong, and at some point the NY Times picked up the story and ran it. From there you can mark the point the American press started being sympathietic to the communists in Viet Nam.
As a matter of fact until the mid '80s very few political stories for the leftinternational stories made it to the wire services without being embargoed by American wire service editors. My guess would be the NY Times broke this practice as well. The internet most likely wrecked what was left of that embargo.
#5
It's not the picture taking (documenting war) that bothers me; it's the sneaking suspicion that some photographers from AP, Reuters, et al would not lift a finger to spare a Westerners' life, but would jump as high as demanded to prove their "fairness" to those who do not value such a notion.
From Islam Online, lots of blah blah blah, edited for nugget at end:
Meanwhile, Iraqi Defense Minister Hazem Shaalan warned that regular Iraqi army troops could join in the offensive against Sadr loyalists, which he alleged included "criminal gangs" and was receiving weapons from Iran, according to AFP. "We will use the multinational forces for air cover as the Iraqi forces will be enough to crush" the militia, he said in an interview to be broadcast later Monday on Al-Arabiya television. "We have discovered that there are factions and brigades which came from (the southern cities of) Basra, Nasiriyah, Diwaniyah and Hilla" to Najaf, he said.
Sadr keeps bringing in reinforcements and we keep whacking them. Gee, it's almost like a plan or something.
"We will crush the gangs that are present there as soon as possible in order to establish stability in the city which has had enough of these criminals," the minister vowed. "Undoubtedly, we will confront them and it will be a tough and solid strike on them," he told the Dubai-based channel, as per AFP.
Time's almost up.
Repeating earlier allegations of interference by Shiite-dominated Iran in Iraq's affairs, which has sparked a war of words between the two neighbors, Shaalan said, "Iran has left a fingerprint in Najaf. "There are weapons made inside Iran that were found in Najaf in the hands of these criminals which have received these arms through the Iranian borders." Sadr for his part called Iran a "dear neighbor", but added, "only God and not Iran gives us the strength to defend ourselves."
And it's working so well too.
Posted by: Steve ||
08/09/2004 9:04:12 AM ||
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Or perhaps the investors are looking for a quick return to influence U. S. elections and are pushing Tater to stuff the channel for a blow out quarter. But the RMAs are already starting to be issued. Not a good sign.
Posted by: Mr. Davis ||
08/09/2004 10:49 Comments ||
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#5
Bring it on, Tater. I'd rather have you dead than alive anyway.
Posted by: Tom ||
08/09/2004 12:50 Comments ||
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#6
This all supports the "Flypaper for Terrorists" analogy. Just let them stick their heads out and kill them.
Posted by: Formerly Dan ||
08/09/2004 13:32 Comments ||
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#7
Heads up, guys. A "usually reliable source" reports (to me) that Tater has been captured. No media or links yet, but this is the same source who called the Saddam capture, the Iranian uprising this spring, and the early transfer of sovereignty.
Afghan forces acting on a tip captured four regional Taliban commanders and killed six other militants in two separate weekend raids in southern Afghanistan, an Afghan governor said Monday. The Taliban commanders were captured Saturday during a raid on a home in Tarinkot, the capital of Afghanistan's Oruzgan province, said Jan Mohammed, the governor of the province. They offered no resistance. Mohammed identified the men as Mullah Yaqub, Mullah Wali Mohammed, Mullah Taj Mohammed and Mullah Nasiem, all regional commanders of the militia.
So I guess this would be a "Mob" of "Mullahs".
None are believed to be in the senior inner circle close to Mullah Mohammed Omar, who has been on the run since his government was ousted in late 2001. "Our forces captured them without firing even a single shot," the governor said. He said the Taliban commanders were planning attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The captured men later told their Afghan interrogators that some more Taliban commanders along with their fighters were hiding in Kishai mountains in Shah Wali Kot district, about 95 miles north of Kandahar. "After getting this information, we sent our forces there on Sunday, who after a shootout killed six Taliban and captured two others," Mohammed said. He said the Afghan forces did not suffer any casualties. Mohammed gave no further details. He also would not say who the dead and two captured Taliban were.
"I can say no more"
Posted by: Steve ||
08/09/2004 8:46:37 AM ||
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From The Washington Post
Two bombs ripped through an Islamic school Sunday, killing eight people and injuring 42 in the latest outbreak of violence gripping this southern port city [Karachi]. The blasts detonated near a restaurant close to the school, where thousands of Sunni Muslims study, said Fayyaz Leghari, a senior Karachi police official. An unknown number of the victims were students. There was no assertion of responsibility. A spokesman for the school, Ghulam Rabbani, said there were two explosions -- the first apparently intended to draw a crowd. "The first one was smaller. When people got to the site there was another explosion," he said. .... Explosives experts defused another bomb hidden in a plastic shopping bag near the scene of Sunday nightâs blasts, Leghari said. ...
Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
08/09/2004 7:51:17 AM ||
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Danish troops clashed with Shiite insurgents in southern Iraq on Sunday in fighting that left at least two militants dead and seven injured, police said. The fighting broke out late Saturday in Qurnah, about 235 miles southeast of Baghdad, when a Danish patrol came under attack by militants loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, said Karim Sadkhan, a police colonel in the southern city of Basra. Go Vikings!
Denmark has a 496-person contingent in the U.S.-led 160,000-strong coalition. Al-Sadr's militia also clashed with police in Amarah, 110 miles southeast of Baghdad, in fighting that continued until dawn, police Lt. Haider Noori said. Noori said one policeman was killed and four were wounded. Sheikh Majid al-Shami, a leader of one of al-Sadr's militia in the town, said two of his fighters were killed and eight wounded. The Health Ministry said four people were killed in clashes there, but gave no breakdown.
North of Baghdad, a roadside bomb exploded in Baqouba on Sunday, killing an Iraqi National Guard soldier. Guardsmen had discovered the bomb and were sealing the area off when it exploded, said Mahir Abid of Baqouba Hospital. In the capital, a bus laden with 440 pounds of explosives blew up in a southern district of Dora late Saturday, killing four people aboard, said Col. Adnan Abdul-Rahman, an information officer at the Interior Ministry. It was not immediately known why the men were carrying explosives — though it was likely they were planning a terror attack. The identities of those who died was not known. Let's do the math: Four people x 400 pounds of explosives x one bus. Doesn't sound like any form of mass transit I've heard of. Maybe they were tourists from Gaza or the West Bank.
Posted by: Zenster ||
08/09/2004 1:30:59 AM ||
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Sounds like those guys havent figured out the fine art of fusing yet. No raisins for you!
#2
The Danes...don't cheerlead for them just yet. Scandinavian troops have a bad habit of failing to engage the enemy, shooting in the air to appear busy, etc.
#3
Unlike so many of our European "allies," at least the Danes had enough courage to show up for the party. Much larger nations like France and Germany somehow just couldn't find the time. It also doesn't appear that they "failed to engage the enemy" this go around.
Intense fighting broke out last week between U.S. troops, backed by Iraqi forces, and fighters loyal to the radical Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. But while al-Sadr's Mahdi militia represents a serious threat to Iraq's stability, an equally vexing challenge to Iraqi order is taking shape in the Sunni Muslim — dominated area northwest of Baghdad, where Sunni terrorists, Baathists and nationalists are thriving. These resistance groups have so far cooperated only erratically, when it suits their needs. But insurgent sources tell TIME that elements in the resistance, especially jihadis who have ties to al-Qaeda, are pushing to unite the area's disparate militants under a single command. The insurgents are working through a loose assembly of leaders known as Mujahedin Shura, often translated as "supreme council of the mujahedin." This informal group, which meets occasionally to share intelligence and tactical tips, already has a defense minister, an army chief and an operations commander of sorts. At recent meetings, insurgent leaders — including Iraqi nationalists, Baathists and sundry Sunni extremists — have debated streamlining their activities under a single leader. According to several sources involved in the movement, Syrian intelligence agents in the area, who have helped arm the groups and aided their propaganda campaigns, have also been participating in the debate.
But the resistance has its divisions — at least in part because jihadist leaders allied to al-Qaeda — linked Jordanian terrorist Abu Mousab alZarqawi, a proponent of the unified command, seem to be trying to take control. Militant sources tell TIME that their rise has alienated some insurgents, especially the Baathists and nationalists, who resent the influence of foreigners. Whoever wins, the more disturbing development is that some Iraqi jihadis, hoping to take their fight beyond Iraq's borders, are threatening to launch a terrorist campaign in the U.S. "If America continues to shield its people from the truth," says an al-Zarqawi loyalist, "we shall transport the battle to where their public cannot but see it."
Posted by: Paul Moloney ||
08/09/2004 12:26:02 AM ||
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Whoever wins, the more disturbing development is that some Iraqi jihadis, hoping to take their fight beyond Iraqâs borders, are threatening to launch a terrorist campaign in the U.S. "If America continues to shield its people from the truth," says an al-Zarqawi loyalist, "we shall transport the battle to where their public cannot but see it."
Gee, TIME finally figured out that we're really, really, REALLY in a war with Islamofascist terrorists. Wow. How do you think Kerry's supporters will take this astonishing bit of news. And here, we thought that Bushitler was just making all of this up!
#2
Isnât if funny that Time fails to mention a word about Taterâs militia getting mashed? Then TIME tells us about a âvexing problemâ that sounds move vexing for AQ than it does for us, but then, of course, Time "would" see it that way.
The way I read this article is:
jihadis who have ties to Al-Qaeda are trying to unite the areas disparate militants, who have conflicting goals, under a single Zarqawi command. But the Iraqiâs âalready has[ve] a defense minister, an army chief and an operations commander of sortsâ and âtheir rise has alienated some insurgents, especially the Baathists and nationalists, who resent the influence of foreignersâ.
Sooo what Time seems to be REALLY saying, (if you read between the lines), is that despite efforts and cash from Al-Qaeda and the Syrian intelligence agents, the Iraqiâs Baathists and nationalists donât like them much and thus the effort to unite them under Zarqawi is going poorly.
Doesn't sound like good news for AQ to me. Funny how TIME manages to make lemonade out of lemons.
#3
The more they centralize the easier it becomes to whack them. The timing is good as well with the Iraqi leadership seemingly intent on using the required force to crush the terrs. Najaf today, Fallujah tomorrow.
Posted by: remote man ||
08/09/2004 12:44 Comments ||
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The Syrians really like uniting, like their former ruler France... at one point they were united with Egypt (United Arab Republic, 1958-61 R.I.P.), but that didn't work very well, either, because the Egyptians didn't understand why everything had to benefit Syria.
Iraq's interim government reinstated the death penalty yesterday for a range of crimes including murder, kidnapping and drug offences, officials said. Capital punishment was suspended after the toppling of Saddam Hussein in April last year. Officials, speaking at a news conference, said the death penalty would go into effect once it had been published in a government gazette. "This has to do with the security situation in Iraq," Minister of State Adnan al-Janabi said, speaking a day after the government announced an amnesty for insurgents who have committed minor crimes.
M. Sadr, your table is ready.
Posted by: Steve White ||
08/09/2004 12:09:00 AM ||
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Saddam and Sadr, side by side, twisting gently in the breeze. What more could a person want in order to celebrate Iraq's liberation?
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