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Posted on 11/26/2006 9:07:54 AM PST by Lunatic Fringe
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Angry fellow Shi'ites stoned Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's motorcade in a Shi'ite stronghold of Baghdad on Sunday in a display of fury over a devastating car bomb that tore through their area.
Maliki was visiting the Sadr City slum to pay respects to some of the 202 victims of last week's devastating bombing.
"It's all your fault!" one man shouted as, in unprecedented scenes, a hostile crowd began to surge around the premier and then jeered as his armored convoy edged through the throng away from a mourning ceremony.
The area is a base for the Mehdi Army militia led by Maliki's fellow Shi'ite leader Moqtada al-Sadr.
Though the violence was limited, it was a dramatic demonstration of the popular passions Maliki and his national unity government are trying to calm following Thursday's multiple car bombs in Sadr City -- the worst since the U.S. invasion -- and later revenge attacks.
On Sunday, a car bomb killed at least 6 people and wounded more than 20 in a market just south of Baghdad, police said.
On the third full day of a curfew on the capital, mortar bombs crashed down in various parts of Baghdad and residents reported isolated and mostly unexplained clashes.
The government has said traffic can circulate again from Monday morning but, after a series of high-level meetings, it again appealed for calm.
We cannot win without killing the enemy. It's time to leave Iraq.
They're blaming their self-selected government instead of the U.S. That could be a good sign.
A good sign for individual US servicemen perhaps but a disaster for Iraq. When people are stoning the motorcade of the country's PM, things are coming apart at the seams.
The people put Maliki in office. The people will have to be the ones to remove him.
I think you're right we can't win this way and I'm sad to say that Bush isn't going to get more forceful. I have faint, very faint hopes that he takes the status as a lame duck president as a blessing and starts sending troops over there and cleaning out the vipers quickly, in other words, go strong... before the new congress takes away the funding. Get some successes. Lincoln wasn't able to politically win the Civil War until 1864 and Sheridan's Ride. We need something comparable, something that the MSM can't ignore in the way of success. Yes, they will deplore loss of life but the people will cheer the victory. Kick out Sadar and Maliki and start over.
This is Sadr city. Never a strong hold of support for the Iraqi government.
But the PM needs to get off his duff and start chopping heads.
"When people are stoning the motorcade of the country's PM, things are coming apart at the seams."
Not necessarily. They can follow their democratic constitution and impeach him and then replace him.
zarf, I am in complete agreement. Our fellow FReepers say this is not like Vietnam, but it is. Our political leaders see more value in prolonging the war.
Let W drive through Berkeley and you'd probably get the same response.
Iraq is NOT like Vietnam, the NVA and Viet Cong did not follow us home. The islamofascists will.
We're hearing a lot of concussive noises. It's dark out now, so we can't tell much. We're hearing a lot of somewhat far-off explosions.
And NOTHING on the news that we can see.
We're curious as hell about what they're doing...and exactly where.
They didn't have to, John Kerry was already here.
Well, are we going to fight with your claim in mind or just hang out?
Why is Sadr still alive?
You have my vote.
Really? How many domestic terrorist attacks occurred before we put troops into the Middle East in 1990?
When you see "Reuters" under the headline, it mostly likely 100% lies. Same with NYT or MSNBC.
DON'T GO ON THE ROOF!
I prefer we put the symmetry back in warfare. But the claim isn't mine, it is the claim of Generals who have commanded brigades and divisions in Iraq. Sobering when they say those words. I think maybe you should give them some consideration when advocating withdrawing from the ME.
Why is Sadr still alive?
Those same Generals made a mistake, an honest mistake but a mistake nonetheless. If I was in command Sadr would have been dead a long time ago and failing that he would be dead today.
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