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2008-04-12 Iraq
British accused of appeasing Shia militia in Basra
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Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2008-04-12 02:25|| || Front Page|| [3 views ]  Top
 File under: Mahdi Army 

#1 That doesn't sound unlike our government. We;ve got to look out for the Human Rights of the fascist muslim brothers at home as well as abroad.

Screw our own army though, they loose any legal right to proper equipment, that may halp protect their lives, once outside British borders.
Posted by Glusoter Platypus 2008-04-12 04:03||   2008-04-12 04:03|| Front Page Top

#2 put up pictures of the imams

This practice by these so-called fundamentalist or extremist Muslims always struck me as strange: In the past (e.g. Muslim Spain) really fine art was developed using geometric themes because Islam prohibited representations of man (or even animals, I think). And you see how they get all bent out of shape over cartoons of old Mo - but since they're all supposed to emulate him, how can they plaster pictures of themselves all over town?
Posted by Glenmore">Glenmore  2008-04-12 08:57||   2008-04-12 08:57|| Front Page Top

#3 It's a Sunni vs Shiite thing.
Posted by ed 2008-04-12 09:21||   2008-04-12 09:21|| Front Page Top

#4 "The British have been unable to bask in even the partial success of the battle. Having abruptly decided to take on the militias after years of appeasing them, Mr al-Maliki's first venture on to the battlefield was plagued by desertions from his security forces and stronger than expected resistance. Outfought, he called on US forces for support rather than the 4,100 British troops who have barely left their base at Basra airfield. "

That paragraph is basically propaganda. The author is making that up. Yes, ONE Iraqi battalion that was sent into battle right after basic training cracked but the Iraqi Army sent in reinforcements. It wasn't like the Iraqis just stopped and called the Americans to bail them out of a jam. From what I have been reading, the Iraqis did quite well and the Americans came in to get them over a couple of rough spots but they are doing most of the heavy lifting themselves. I would say the US role was more of a mentoring role.

Also, I believe Sadr's brother in law was killed by the Iranians. They can't kill Sadr because Sadr is in Iran and it would be immediately obvious who did it. Iran wants control of Sadr's organization. I believe Iran is going to purge anyone who might be more loyal to Sadr than to Iran. Sadr himself is safe as long as he is in Iran but if Iran kicks him out, then that will be the signal that his days are numbered too. The JAM is probably going to be transformed into the Iraqi Hezbollah.
Posted by crosspatch 2008-04-12 11:56||   2008-04-12 11:56|| Front Page Top

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