Larger Shiite Revolt Looming In Iraq?

[Sir Taliesin]

Funny, I had no idea that you were that well placed with the CPA. You seem to have quite a bit of knowledge about what is going on with them. I thought you worked for the EU or something. How is Baghdad this time of year?

Al'jazeera has never been unbiased against the US and I don't expect it ever will. You apparently missed the sarcasm with the NY Times quip. Your quite right they also tend to shade the truth like our good Arab and Jewish friends. Of course, it's all about selling advertisments, otherwise most new organizations WOULD really print the news and not what passes for news.

[ 04-07-2004, 12:08 PM: Message edited by: Sir Taliesin ]

[Skunk]

Originally posted by Sir Taliesin: Funny, I had no idea that you were that well placed with the CPA. You seem to have quite a bit of knowledge about what is going on with them. I thought you worked for the EU or something. How is Baghdad this time of year? Al'jazeera has never been unbiased against the US and I don't expect it ever will. You apparently missed the sarcasm with the NY Times quip. Your quite right they also tend to shade the truth like our good Arab and Jewish friends. Of course, it's all about selling advertisments, otherwise most new organizations WOULD really print the news and not what passes for news.

Ah yes, the CPA. Known locally as "Can't Produce Anything" by US troops.

Perhaps you should read the whole article, that way you don't have to ask how Bagdad is at this time of year.

The situation is a lot more complicated then the "black cowboy / white cowboy" picture that so much of the US media portrays. Even local US commanders are confused: "A war crime to one is legitimate practice to another."

[Sir Taliesin]

Such a lovely piece of Anti-American Propaganda, Skunk. Do you specialize in spreading such material?

[Chewbacca]

Originally posted by Sir Taliesin: Such a lovely piece of Anti-American Propaganda, Skunk. Do you specialize in spreading such material?

I take it you didn't like the information provided by the article in the Asia Times, but how exactly is it "anti- American" and how exactly is it "propaganda"?

[Chewbacca]

Its seems, in part, that Sunnis and Shiites are finding common ground in light of recent events:

Link


Marchers break through US roadblocks
April 9, 2004

THOUSANDS of Sunni and Shiite Muslims forced their way through US military checkpoints Thursday to ferry food and medical supplies to the besieged Sunni bastion of Fallujah where US marines are trying to crush insurgents.

Troops in armoured vehicles tried to stop the convoy of cars and pedestrians from reaching the town located 50 kilometers west of Baghdad.

But US forces were overwhelmed as residents of villages west of the capital came to the convoy's assistance, hurling insults and stones at the beleaguered troops.

Some 20 kilometers west of Baghdad, a US patrol was attacked just moments before the Iraqi marchers arrived. Armed insurgents could be seen dancing around two blazing military vehicles.

Two US Humvees tried to stop the marchers but were forced to drive off as residents joined the marchers, shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is greater).

US troops again blocked the highway further west, but were forced to let the Iraqis past as they came under a hail of stones.

Sitting on top of supply trucks, young men also hurled empty bottles of water and waved their shoes in sign of disdain at the US troops.

The cross-community demonstration of support for Fallujah had been organized by Baghdad clerics both Sunni and Shiite amid reports that the death toll in the town had reached 105 since late Tuesday.

The rare display of unity came after Shiite radicals launched an uprising in cities across central and southern Iraq, shattering a year of relative tolerance of the US-led occupation from the country's majority community.

In Baghdad, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, the US commander of coalition ground forces in Iraq, faced tough questioning about the mounting civilian casualties in Fallujah and allegations that US marines were blocking delivery of humanitarian aid.

"We are not cutting off humanitarian aid to the people of Fallujah. We are working multiple initiatives (for aid delivery) that have to be coordinated with the commander of the ground," he said.

The marchers set off from the Um al-Qora mosque in west Baghdad where wellwishers donated food, drinks and medicine.

"No Sunnis, no Shiites, yes for Islamic unity," the marchers chanted. "We are Sunni and Shiite brothers and will never sell our country."

They carried portaits of Shiite radical leader Moqtada Sadr, as well as pictures of Sunni icon, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the spiritual leader of the Palestinian Hamas group who was assassinated in an Israeli air raid last month.

"Our families in Fallujah, remember that our dead go to heaven and theirs to hell," read a banner held aloft by the crowd.

Mosque imam Sheikh Ahmad Abdel Ghafur al-Samarrai said the US-led coalition had given the Iraqi Red Crescent permission to organize a relief convoy but made no secret of his hostility to the US offensive in Fallujah.

"The Iraqi Red Crescent got permission from the coalition, following negotiations over one day and one night to bring these supplies into the city," Samarrai said.

"Baghdad residents decided to send initially 90 cars with food and medicines to Fallujah families. We want to express solidarity with our brothers who are being bombed by warplanes and tanks," he told AFP.

"It is a form of jihad (holy war) which can also come in the form of demonstrations, donations and fighting. The people who are occupied have the right to fight occupation, whatever the means they use."

The Sunni cleric called on US commanders to stop the bloody offensive they launched in Fallujah on Tuesday after four US civilian contractors were killed in the town and two of their bodies mutilated.

"This only brings hatred and enmity," Samarrai said of the US assault.

"They killed the elderly praying at the mosques, as well as women and children. This is indiscriminate killing."

The cleric said he opposed the way the bodies of the American contractors had been treated but insisted that what the US marines were now doing in Fallujah was no better.

They "are doing the same by mutilating the residential neighborhoods," he said.

[Chewbacca]

It also seems that many Iraqi security forces are choosing to stay out of the recent fighting. This helps explain how so many cities have fallen out of Coalition control in the last few days.

Link

excerpt:

BAGHDAD – Until now, the US-led coalition plan for securing transitional Iraq had hinged on training new Iraqi forces. The coalition says it has 70,000 Iraqi police officers and 20,000 members of the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps equipped and on duty.
In February, Gen. Martin Dempsey, who is in charge of coalition troops in Baghdad, decided that Iraqis were ready to take over some security operations in the city. He began moving US troops from forward positions in Baghdad to bases on the outskirts of the city.

But reports are coming in from around the country that Iraqi security forces are refusing to confront the new challenges head on. Analysts now say the best military solution to the rising tide of Sunni and Shiite attacks - and unexpected alliances - is a major increase in US forces.

"We have to live here, so we're not going to go up against the Mahdi army [the militia loyal to the radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr],'' says a detective at the Habibiya police station in Sadr City, who would only identify himself as Abu Kassem. "We're in an incredibly dangerous and difficult position."

*SNIP*

[Dreamer128]

Al'Jazeera is hardly anti-American propaganda. Although there isn't a single news source available that is truly objective, I've found Al Jazeera to be neutral enough in the past (I check their site on a regular basis). In fact, I'd take them over Fox News or even CNN at any time.

[Sir Taliesin]

Originally posted by Dreamer128: Al'Jazeera is hardly anti-American propaganda. Although there isn't a single news source available that is truly objective, I've found Al Jazeera to be neutral enough in the past (I check their site on a regular basis). In fact, I'd take them over Fox News or even CNN at any time.

I would not. As for the article from the Asian Times or whatever it is, there was absolutely nothing positive from the American stand point.

CNN had an interesting piece it aired tonight. It seems electricity, clean water, internet access, freedom of the press, education and medical resources have increased dramatically since the Overthrow of Saddam by American Forces, in all parts of Iraq. Communities that have NEVER had electricity or running water now have it. Computers that have never been available in Iraqi University before, are being used by Students. Baghdad has over 200 published newspapers. Of course there is one less since Sadr's paper was shutdown. But it does tend to sound like things are improving there. Of course, if one keeps reading all the negative pieces like the article cited above, one would tend to think nothing is ever happening good in Iraq. That's why I didn't think much of the Asian Times Piece nor Al Jazeera. When is the last time they published anythng poistive like CNN aired tonight. Why is it that the Arab Press is so anti-democratic?

[Timber Loftis]

Originally posted by Skunk: Coming from the guy with the MOST guns and whose rule is based upon the presence of those guns, that's actually quite humourous.

Oooooh, how I'd love to cart this issue over to one of the gun debate threads.

[Timber Loftis]

Al'Jazeera is hardly anti-American propaganda. Although there isn't a single news source available that is truly objective, I've found Al Jazeera to be neutral enough in the past (I check their site on a regular basis). In fact, I'd take them over Fox News or even CNN at any time.

Absolutely, totally, disagree. Their bias is certainly worse. Or did the USA really not take the Baghdad airport that day?

Weather forcast for Iraq: Sunni today, turning to Shi'ite tomorrow.
(credit to jay leno)