This article has been posted to DoctorZin’s New News Blog!
Posted on 08/09/2004 8:32:21 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
Because he's flypaper.
A radical cleric whose loyalists continued to battle US troops today vowed to continue fighting and said he would not to budge from the holy city of Najaf.
Some of his masked gunmen patrolled the British controlled southern city of Basra today – and no British troops could be seen.
Meanwhile, a suicide car bomb exploded north-east of Baghdad killing six people but only wounding the deputy governor who was the apparent target, officials said.
The deputy governor of Diyala province, Aqil Hamid al-Adili, was said to be in stable condition after attack on his home
Police guards had been posted outside al-Adili’s house in Balad Ruz, 40 miles from Baghdad, and six people, including four police officers, were killed in the attack.
It was the latest violence to target officials working with the interim government.
Fighting raged in Najaf for a fifth straight day between American forces and Muqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army militia.
Explosions and gunfire were heard throughout the city and US helicopters hovered overhead. A Najaf hospital spokesman said three were killed, including two policemen, and 19 were wounded.
The US military says hundreds of militants have been killed in the violence in recent days the militiamen put the number far lower.
Al-Sadr vowed to keep up the battle: “I will continue fighting,” he said. “I will remain in Najaf city until the last drop of my blood has been spilled.”
“These are honest attacks against the occupation.” he said.
“Resistance will continue and increase day by day. Our demand is for the American occupation to get out of Iraq. We want an independent, democratic, free country.”
Sadr’s words were a defiant challenge to interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, who visited the war-shattered city yesterday under heavy security and called on the Shiite militants to stop fighting.
The fighting has sparked violence in other Shiite areas of Iraq.
In the British controlled southern city of Basra, masked Mahdi Army gunmen patrolled some main streets today and set up checkpoints.
No Iraqi police or British troops could be seen, witnesses said.
The British military said it had reports that 150 militants were walking through Basra demanding all shops be closed.
The Mahdi Army threatened to to take over local government buildings in Basra if US troops did not leave Najaf, and also said they would target oil pipelines and ports in southern Iraq.
In the Sadr City neighbourhood of Baghdad – a heavily Shiite area wracked by fighting in recent days – the government imposed a 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. curfew today.
Mahdi Army militiamen in Baghdad kidnapped a senior Iraqi policeman, Brigadier Raed Mohammed Khudair, who is responsible for all police patrols in eastern Baghdad.
Militants demanded the government release all Mahdi Army prisoners in exchange for Khudair, whom they snatched yesterday.
What he REALLY means is that he will fight to the last drop of OTHER PEOPLE'S blood. Sadr is nowhere near the actual fighting, preferring to hide in safety with the women and children.
I hope that can be arranged ASAP.
Kill this guy NOW!
Agreed. He should have been put out of our misery months ago. The shortsighted wisdom of our long suffering this Arab fanatic escapes me. Someone, somewhere in the chain of command, feels insecure at the thought of killing this degenerate b*st*rd.
If we are going to put these young soldiers in harms way. We should at least let them fight the fight they are trained to do. Sadr's widh is to fight till the death. Well, let's indulge him. Through the entire might of the US southern command on this POS and send a clear message to Iran. Can this be the beginning of a war with Iran?
Can someone defend or explain why we are not using all available force to kill this guy and every one of his followers? Why has he apparently been granted some kind of immunity? Are we afraid if we kill him he'll be a martyr and attract even more (posthumous) followers?
Your terms are acceptable...
I can't. This smells of politics, either in Iraq or the White House. Not actics.
THX..
"PERFECT'
As you were, that should read "Tactics".
NOW he is claiming he is the Mahdi.
Great.
There is only ONE way to deal with these people effectively and that is to kill them and all who support them and blow up their cities if necessary.
We can't win this war using Marquis of Queensbury rules.
Only the application of immediate, total and unremitting military power willhave any effect on this guy and others like him.
The Shiites should have been given 1 week to turn over his head on a platter, or we should have blown Najaf into the mud from which it rose.
FNC bottom of the hour news had a bit that he wants to get taken out with a nuke. little prick.
just a little one, maybe.. it might muss up the mosques a bit tho.
I think we should oblidge the "gentleman".
Send him on the way to meet his 97 "virgins".
AWESOME Web page. I agree with ALL of it.
Bunker-busters can do the job - no?
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