Ordinary Iraqi families getting ready to fight They're stockpiling weapons, food and fuel

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | Wednesday, March 15, 2006 | Charles Levinson

[sgtbono2002]

I cant say which papers they are reading, but when the enemy uses DU talking points , they are definitely reading our media and using it against us.

[Allegra]

beautiful, downtown Baghdad is a far cry from the slums of Sadr City where hundreds of bodies have been found over the past weeks and where Shia are hanging Sunnis from lampposts.

Well, actually, no, it's not. It's close enough to where we can hear all the noises from there when they decide to explode things in various ways.

Are you really that much of a slave to the media?

Are you really deluded enough to hang all of Iraq's future one one neighborhood in Baghdad where Muqtada al-Sadr calls the shots?

[kabar]

...looks like all hell is about to break loose over there.

Anecdotal observations by a reporter who then extrapolates them into a general trend and mood of the people. I don't trust such observations, but rely instead on those of people like General Abizaid who testified before Congress and stated on news programs recently that,

"I don't see civil war as being on the horizon. I think a civil war is possible if everything goes exactly wrong. If people abandon the path towards a sovereign and free Iraq and start moving only towards the selfish interest of specialized groups; I don't think that's likely."

"I don't sense that; our commanders in the field don't sense it when you talk to Iraqi politicians -- they clearly know that we're not trying to build -- and when I say "we" I don't mean we the United States, I mean we, those of us that are involved in this project in Iraq -- we're not trying to build a Shia Iraq; a Sunni Iraq or a Kurdish Iraq; we're trying to build an Iraq that's for Iraqis, and I think everybody recognizes that, that's the same politicians; and so they will move in a direction that is inclusive."

"It will be contentious because it's political, but it doesn't necessarily need to be violent. I'm cautiously optimistic that the way ahead will be one that leads to a better Iraq, one that is one moving down the path towards representational institutions."

"But I also understand that there is going to be an opportunity for violence during this period and so we should all exercise a bit of patience and a certain amount of "wait and see" attitude to make sure that the political process moves forward in the way that tamps down the violence and not encourages it."

[kabar]

There have been breathless predictions of an Iraqi civil war since 2004. Here is one from the WaPo

[verity]

"They've stocked up on food. They bought a Kalashnikov rifle and a second car -- so that there is space for all 13 members of their extended family should they need to flee in a hurry. "

What is their FR screen name?

[Allegra]

Will Y2K and all that Millenium stuff show up before the Iraqi civil war starts? I'd like to be able to plan my weekend.

LOL!

[tcostell]

I'm currently in the market for a Kalashnikov.... does that count?

[CPOSharky]

Anecdotal observations by a reporter who then extrapolates them into a general trend and mood of the people.

Exactly. There are a lot of folks in the US who have stockpiled stuff. When is our civil war comming?

[leadpenny]

coming up!!!!

Call-In
U.S. Policy in Iraq
C-SPAN, Washington Journal
Washington, District of Columbia (United States)
ID: 191549 - 6 - 03/16/2006 - 0:45 - No Sale

Peters, Ralph, LTC (Ret.), U.S. Army

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Peters talks about his recent trip in Iraq and media coverage of the war. He's currently a New York Post columnist who traveled to Kuwait & Iraq from Feb. 24 to March 7 and wrote about his daily experiences. One of his columns titled, "Dude, Where's My Civil War," questioned the media's coverage of the war and the existence of civil war in Iraq.

[Jack Black]

Weapons prices have skyrocketed. A used Kalashnikov that sold for $100 before the Samarra bombing now sells for $150. The price for a 9mm Browning handgun has gone up from $800 to $1,200. Interesting the difference in prices here. AK's go for around $300, HiPowers used are maybe $400.

[MikefromOhio]

None so blind...

None so stupidly arrogant and assured of your own superiority in knowledge?

[MikefromOhio]

We will either have to crack down hard and level the hot spots like we should have done from the start or get the hell out and let them fight it out.

don't be retarded. We aren't going to "level hot spots" and there ISN'T going to be a civil war. Why is it you trolls ALWAYS want to go genocidal when the MSM claims things are getting tough??????????? Frikin idiots.

[MikefromOhio]

beautiful, downtown Baghdad is a far cry from the slums of Sadr City where hundreds of bodies have been found over the past weeks and where Shia are hanging Sunnis from lampposts.

LOL you obviously don't have a clue where Sadr-City is then do you? LOL

[Allegra]

None so stupidly arrogant and assured of your own superiority in knowledge?

He knows more than I do because he watches the news more.

Hey, Mike, have you heard about the buttkicking going on over at Samarra right now? Wooohooo!

I've heard warplanes screaming over Baghdad the last couple of nights, flying pretty low. I suspected something was coming. It was just like the days right before Fallujah in November of '04.

[MikefromOhio]

He's just showing how little of the situation he is actually aware of...

Between that and the genocidal troll that posted the thread.....sheesh....

[MikefromOhio]

another day, another beatdown of AQ.

I'm glad they stopped them from pulling off another Green Zone attack though.

[Allegra]

I'm glad they stopped them from pulling off another Green Zone attack though.

Just another sign that we're winning this thing. We're on 'em.

And all those dead bodies they've been finding around Baghdad? A lot of them appear to be people who were suspected terrorists.

Bet the MSM hasn't mentioned that, have they?

[Lejes Rimul]

LOL you obviously don't have a clue where Sadr-City is then do you? LOL



I dearly hope you'll let me quote your smug little prognostications of a perfect Iraqi future in a few months when the whole place goes to hell.

[MikefromOhio]

yeah....that's happened in Fallujah a couple times as well but it hasn't been reported....