Posted on 03/28/2008 10:07:34 PM PDT by river rat
Iraqi police in Basra shed their uniforms, kept their rifles and switched sides.
Mehdi Army fighters loyal to cleric Moqtada al-Sadr hold their weapons while flashing the V sign in Basra
Abu Iman barely flinched when the Iraqi Government ordered his unit of special police to move against al-Mahdi Army fighters in Basra.
His response, while swift, was not what British and US military trainers who have spent the past five years schooling the Iraqi security forces would have hoped for. He and 15 of his comrades took off their uniforms, kept their government-issued rifles and went over to the other side without a second thought.
Such turncoats are the thread that could unravel the British Army’s policy in southern Iraq. The military hoped that local forces would be able to combat extremists and allow the Army to withdraw gradually from the battle-scarred and untamed oil city that has fallen under the sway of Islamic fundamentalists, oil smugglers and petty tribal warlords. But if the British taught the police to shoot straight, they failed to instil a sense of unwavering loyalty to the State.
“We know the outcome of the fighting in advance because we already defeated the British in the streets of Basra and forced them to withdraw to their base,” Abu Iman told The Times.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Why are we wasting blood and treasure on these pukes. Turn Basra into a parking lot.
Sadr and his militia - with the backing of Iran - has CONSTANTLY called the “Muslim brotherhood” to join in their Jihad to drive the “Occupiers, Crusaders, Americans, etc..” out of Iraq..
Iraq was drawing “foreign” Jihadists from all over the world to Iraq to “fight the Crusaders” in the name of Islam... For a while, Iraq was the best shit magnet in the world, drawing Jihadist to their death.... Hell, for years - it was almost like shooting Jihadists over a baited field!
Obviously — Sadr was to fill the vacuum with HIS Shiite Muslim “army”...
All of this is a big validation of President Bush in Iraq.
The British/ Democrat theory of warfighting has been dealt a devastating but empircally proven critique.
Soft does not sell in war.
The Americans never promoted the soft approach and endured considerable European and global ridicule for their harsh tactics throughout the larger parts of Iraq.
Now the reality is transparent. The larger hard segments of Coalition forces will crush the soft turncoats of Basrah.
It is only a matter of time. And while every moment of that time will be exploited by the Anti American media to Blame Bush it will not be enough to allow the Mahdi army to prevail. Sadr has turned tail and Bush has nothing to lose politically.
Hundreds of Sadrist traitors have already been killed and many more will be. All of these deaths are the fault of European style war fighting.
Praise to Bush, Petraus and the great American and Irqi forces.
Precisely....
Wars NEVER end until one side has suffered more death and destruction than they can tolerate......
The ONLY exception - is when “Politicians” decide to quit fighting and come home — handing the enemy an undeserved and criminal victory.... Vietnam, Somalia, etc....
Proving my first point - by establishing the current “Democrat” party has a zero tolerance of “pain” when it comes to war.....
It is either that zero tolerance of pain - or the current Democrat party is one with the enemy! No, that’s not possible — is it??????
Execute all of the police who switched sides, if they don’t get killed in the fighting. Summarily, as soon as they are identified!
The news here said Nasiryah fell to the goons too.
Liquidate el-Sadr. Problem solved.
It’s almost as if we didn’t see this coming.../sarc off
Kudos to our troops and Commander in Chief! Kick their ass, no prisoner all must die now.
Hadn’t heard that ...yet.
It been far too long since the last time a major case of whoop ass was delivered to Sadr’s thugs or to the hoodlums in Basra...
The Brits NEVER levied a blood tax on the Jihadists large enough to keep them in line... Those thugs in black masks actually believe they’re an army.....
Long past time to fight them using our destructive capabilities and “Chicago Rules”.....
Where is “here”?
We can hope that he has learned from his earlier mistakes (e.g., Mosul) and will do it right this time.
Considering how they are not following Mookie's commands, I doubt that would do it.
Considering how they are not following Mookie's commands, I doubt that would do it.
Yep..
Politicians go blind or take the path best for them — warriors bleed and die... Many times needlessly.
We’re a large nation, with lots of National Cemeteries to bury their mistakes.
As it has been, as it shall be..
Visit one and you may hear the cries of anguish....
I think JV is right. Every time Sadr’s militia has taken us on they have been routed. The same thing will happen this time. The key to knowing when they’ve had their butts sufficiently whipped will be their call for a truce.
> Such turncoats are the thread that could unravel the British Army’s policy in southern Iraq.
The British Army has a long history of knowing what to do with turncoats. During the Sepoy Rebellion mutineers were tied across the front of British field cannon and blown to smithereens.
They ought to dust that old trick off in Iraq.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.