Sadr to his buds: "OK guyz, you've had a little over 24 hours to rest and restock. I held them off as long as I could. Everybody back in the shrine and 'Give 'em Hell!' I mean 'Allah akbar!'"
Posted on 08/14/2004 8:10:11 AM PDT by HAL9000
NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq's interim government says it is restarting military operations in the holy city of Najaf after talks with rebel Shi'ite militia collapsed."The Iraqi interim government is resuming military clearing operations to ... establish law and order in the holy city," national security adviser Mowaffaq al-Rubaie told a news conference on Saturday. He said the government had made every effort to find a peaceful solution to 10 days of conflict that has killed hundreds.
Very good for the Iraqi government. It sounds like maybe they want to survive?
Good.
What's the problem with just leveling this shrine which is being used as a base of operations against our men?
The Shiites are the ones who picked the site for the battle, I don't see what the problem with engaging them there is.
Then again. Probably not.
Sadr to his buds: "OK guyz, you've had a little over 24 hours to rest and restock. I held them off as long as I could. Everybody back in the shrine and 'Give 'em Hell!' I mean 'Allah akbar!'"
Any other mosque perhaps, but this particular mosque (the "Ali" mosque?) is reported to be the second most holy site next to Mecca itself. More holy than Medina and the rest. The mosque that was built to honor the successor to Mohammad cannot even be entered by non-Muslims. I think that the Iraqi National forces that are with us can and will handle it. I believe that we will back their play in the entire city of Najaf but the mosque/shrine itself.
Of course, I could be totally wrong, but I do read the Iraqi blogs and this seems to be what they say about it. They also say Mookie al Sadr has to die for his crimes against Iraq and the innocents that the killed or used as shields.
I think a few folks here have not come to grips with the fact that the Iraqi government IS calling the shots and the US military for the most part is only involved when requested by the Iraqi government.
I'm down with that, so I don't get upset, if the Iraqis want to negotiate, then it is thier call, not ours. Doing anything other than that would prove that the new government isn't actually in control and that Iraq is not a sovereign nation after all.
"The Iraqi interim government is resuming military clearing operations to ... establish law and order in the holy city," national security adviser Mowaffaq al-Rubaie told a news conference on Saturday. He said the government had made every effort to find a peaceful solution to 10 days of conflict that has killed hundreds.
You mean the Drama Queens were wrong...again....still?
I'm not for wholesale destruction of Shiite shrines, but they are the ones who chose to engage us at this location.
The Iraqi National forces I'm sure can take it, but bombing the place would risk fewer American lives and reduce the number of escapees from the encirclement. Razing the building would be a real humiliation to the Shiite warriors making it more difficult for them to recruit replacements in the future.
The ideal situation would be for the occupiers of the mosque to surrender, but the destruction of the site seems to be the best secondary choice.
TO AL-SADR.....FREE DELIVERY
Either get the fighters and weapons out of the mosque or prepare to be invaded by filthy infidels. Ya gotta wonder about a religion like that.
>> What's the problem with just leveling this shrine ...
> ... reported to be the second most holy site ...
Attacking it is not necessary, as long as the surrounding
forces are prepared for a long seige. My guess is that
that the Cult'O Death underachievers inside stocked up
on weapons but neglected food and water.
Wait 'em out.
Pick 'em off if they don't come out with hands up and
togs empty.
It would be about the worst thing we could do. It would have negative consequences even outside Iraq.
If it must be attacked, only Iraqis should do it.
Good, now what we need is for the people of Najef to head off the Sadar supporters who are headed there to protest. They need to tell them to go back home and leaver them alone.
Why talk with terrorists, shoot them!
It's not just a Mosque, it's the burial place of Ali, the founder of the Shiia religion. I have no problem with them excluding non-muslims.
The US needs to speak loudly and clearly to Iraqis and all other Arabs thusly, "YOU have a problem. Because we are nice guys, we will try to help YOU solve YOUR problem. Sadr's militia is fighting a war out of the sanctuary of YOUR sacred mosque. This is not tolerable. Either you remove him from YOUR sacred mosque or we will remove him and YOUR sacred mosque."
Surround them with overwhelming force. Turn off the water and electricity. Use marksmen to shoot anyone who moves without who is not naked with his hands up...
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