Iraqi leader orders militias to surrender weapons amid heavy fighting

McClatchy/Yahoo ^ | 3-26-08 | Leila Fadel

[STARWISE]

Amid heavy clashes between government forces and Shiite Muslim militants in Baghdad and the southern port city of Basra, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki issued an ultimatum Wednesday demanding that the militias surrender their weapons within 72 hours. Radical cleric Muqtada al Sadr , whose Mahdi Army militia is a prime target of the government offensive, responded by demanding that Maliki leave Basra.

U.S. forces joined Iraqi troops in Baghdad to fight Mahdi Army militants, and police said that at least 20 people had been killed in the Sadr City neighborhood, a stronghold for Sadr's backers.

The city's fortified Green Zone sustained a third round of intense mortar fire beginning at 5:30 a.m. that seriously injured three U.S. government employees, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy. A mortar round struck near Maliki's office.

With barely functioning hospitals and people holed up in their homes it was unclear how many people had died in Basra. According to health ministry officials in Basra, at least 33 people had been killed and 150 had been wounded in the fighting.

Maliki stipulated in his ultimatum that the militants would be spared if they surrendered their weapons within 72 hours. Sadr called for calm, asking Maliki to leave the Mahdi Army-dominated oil hub of Basra and send a parliamentary delegation to solve the crisis through dialogue, Sadr spokesman Hassan al Zargani said from Tehran, Iran .

In Baghdad , Mahdi Army-dominated neighborhoods remained sealed off, angering residents who couldn't open their businesses, get to hospitals or send their children to school.

[STARWISE]

Continuing prayers ~~PING!

[Wings-n-Wind]

Hmmmmm.....

Time to "dance"...

Music please, maestro...

***********

"Spotlight on "Mookie" al-Sadr"... NOW

[pissant]

Leila Fadel. Hmmmmm

[STARWISE]

Neutralize that monster,
once and for all!

[TexasCajun]

"Hello, Club Gitmo. Yes, We have your reservation. We've been waiting on your arrival."

[contemplator]

It would appear that the Maliki government is now realizing that there is a distinct possibility that the Demcorats might take the White House in the upcoming election and has finally decided that they may not get a better chance to deal with the Al Sadr problem before the Americans pull out. If they are successful in this, their hold on power will be much stronger and more assured.

The question now is how many of the other tribal leaders who were bought off by the Americans will continue to sit back and watch or decide that their best chance of making sure the current administration doesn’t get too strong is to go back to destabilizing the region.

[Hoffer Rand]

At some point, please, please, please will some Iraqi patriot step up and ventilate Mookie? Or is he still hiding under Ahmanutjob’s desk?

[STARWISE]

I like that ... ventilate him!!

[tobyhill]

***Sadr called for calm, asking Maliki to leave the Mahdi Army-dominated oil hub of Basra and send a parliamentary delegation to solve the crisis through dialogue, Sadr spokesman Hassan al Zargani said from Tehran, Iran.***

No, No, No and Mr. Sadr, why are you hiding in Iran while your followers are about to get wiped out?

[Camerican]

Don’t get your hopes up. Maliki’s ultimatum is an empty threat. After the U.S. and other allied forces on the ground, the Mahdi thugs comprise the most disciplined, organized and coordinated military force in Iraq. The Iraqi national army has yet to prove itself in action without heavy U.S. backup (and even then they run most of the time).

[Aquinasfan]

U.S. forces joined Iraqi troops in Baghdad to fight Mahdi Army militants

It's about time. Prayers for their success.

[Williams]

Yes, Al Sadr reportedly is in Iran. If the Iraqi government can defeat rogue elements of his militia, it will be a major step forward. This appears to be an Iraqi operation, so the press is still earching for a way to give it negative portrayal.

[jdsteel]

After the U.S. and other allied forces on the ground, the Mahdi thugs comprise the most disciplined, organized and coordinated military force in Iraq. The Iraqi national army has yet to prove itself in action without heavy U.S. backup (and even then they run most of the time).

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I remember reading quite a few posts on FR from our armed forces in Iraq saying that the Iraqi forces have come a long way in the last year and that they operate quite well. I'm thinking (maybe hopefully so) that they may be operating well enough that it is time for them to "smoosh" Mookie.

[Hoffer Rand]

the press is still searching for a way to give it negative portrayal.

You just know there will be wedding party involved somewhere...Innocent civilians, children, etc...

[STARWISE]

“To: STARWISE; LibLieSlayer; GodBlessUSA; Kathy in Alaska; wazoo1031; All
Thanks, all of you. Thank you so much.

I was just outside and there are gunbattles going on in this part of town. I heard more than one. I hope the good guys are winning.

The coalition is standing down and letting Iraq handle this and Iraq wants to. This is a testament to how well the coalition has trained them. They would never have been able to do something like this a year ago.
40 posted on 03/26/2008 2:17:26 PM CDT by Allegra “

[Allegra]

The Iraqi national army has yet to prove itself in action without heavy U.S. backup (and even then they run most of the time).

They're proving themselves right now.

The coalition is not participating in the fighting at this time.

[SoldierDad]

Radical cleric Muqtada al Sadr , whose Mahdi Army militia is a prime target of the government offensive, responded by demanding that Maliki leave Basra.

At the risk of being identified as pro-violence, it is past time to take this guy out.