Subtle strategy, lethal tactics pushed Iraqi cleric into deal [Sadr]

Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services ^ | 5/29/04 | Bill Glauber

[CWOJackson]

This is a fantastic article...it goes a long way to explaining what was really going on at al-Sadr. Far from the caving in so many are claiming.

[Howlin]

I heard this being described on NPR either Thursday or Friday; the reporter said "The United States has said that they plan to accept the OFFER made by al-Sadr for a truce."

[CWOJackson]

And we've seen it described here on FR as the President caving in and politicians stopping the military from doing their job.

Seems like many freepers have a lot in common with NPR.

[deport]

"Tactically, what we said to our soldiers is if you are attacked, turn and fight and finish it," Dempsey recalled. "Don't allow the militia to live to fight another day."

---

A man with a plan.......

[CWOJackson]

And so many people have been calling this a disaster.

[Miss Marple]

I just do not understand why so many are willing to believe the worst, especially when they are not there and do not know the facts!

[Grig]

[CWOJackson]

To be honest, I seriously doubt 5% of the people you are referring to care one bit about the war on terror or the welfare of our troops. Most of them are doing nothing more then "continuing" their political agenda against the President.

[saquin]

From what I understand, this reporter is embedded with the troops in Najaf so he's got the real scoop, as opposed to all the other reporters sitting in their Baghdad hotels getting the news from Al Jazeera and CNN reports.

[CWOJackson]

Which of course will discredit the reporter even more for some people.

The news coming out of Iraq, from the troops themselves via e-mail and letters, has been pretty positive all along. They are the ones telling us how they are greeted on the streets, of the conditions throughout Iraq not simply a few hot spots and of how positive the situation is.

Then we have the media who will stop at nothing to discredit the war and the President...and those who parrot the media for their own political grudge against President Bush. Strange, during war time most people find a way to rise above their petty politics while some lack the moral fiber.

[gov_bean_ counter]

At some point before the election US servicemen will have the opportunity to tell the American public that they were for the most part in fact treated as liberators.

[freeangel]

"thank you for capturing me not killing me"(this means he will be released so that he can kill more infidels).

[Jorge]

And so many people have been calling this a disaster.

So many people are intent on putting a negative spin on this situation regardless of how it turns out.

I see something very different developing here.

What I saw as a rather scarey situation when it started out, I am now beginning to believe will ultimately work out for the better.

Those religious leaders who may have been leaning away from Democracy and toward more an Islamic theocracy for Iraq might be learning something valuable from this al-Sadr crisis.

That is without a Democracy where the rule of law protects individual rights of those of ALL religions and sects....they run the risk of fanatics like al-Sadr stirring up enough religious extremism to threaten even their own positions of prominence.

This is why we have seen the religious leaders helping the Americans in this conflict and stepping up to take more responsibility in securing the goal of a free and Democratic Iraq.

I think al-Sadr's attack on the Americans and the occupation has actually helped to further our goals in creating a free and Democratic Iraq.

Oh, and what has hurt Bush's poll numbers will in the end help him.

[tbpiper]

Far from the caving in so many are claiming.

There is an incredible amount of inpatients here abouts. Some folks are willing to call the game lost well before half time. Not being privy to strategy meetings, I prefer to wait (as if I had a choice) and let things work out. Some of our 'it's a quagmire!' brothers ought to grow up a little bit.

[CWOJackson]

It's all Bush's fault for not having our military leaders brief these people before hand.

[texasflower]

Good post.

[Tribune7]

What is clear is this: U.S. forces had pushed al-Sadr's fighters into two final strongholds in Kufa and Najaf by the end of last week and brought the United States to the cusp of solving one of the thorniest problems ahead of the June 30 hand-over of power to the Iraqi people.

U.S. commanders estimated that there were 2,500 al-Mahdi fighters across the country at the beginning of the uprising. By late last week, they believed there were fewer than 500.

This is from Knight-Ridder??

[Asclepius]

Before setting the battle plan, Dempsey had to figure out his foe and motivations. "We had to embark on a course that maintained local, general popular support - at least neutrality," Dempsey said.

This is a brilliant commander. Imagine when he and others like him begin to enter public life as executives or elected officials. Imagine a President Dempsey with these qualities of command and resolve and a patient and methodical attention to detail.

We do not deserve defenders like these. But thank God we have them.

[Tribune7]

Things weren't as bad as they seemed.