Uprising By Shiites in Basra Underway; British Pouring Artillery into City

Sky News Live Feed ^ | 03/25/03 | TonyInOhio

[TonyInOhio]

Just monitored on Sky News: embedded reporter says Shiites in Basra have begun, in his words, a "popular uprising" against the Saddam forces still in the city. British Army units are "pouring" artillery into the city (likely isolated areas) preparing to move in.

[Paradox]

Where did you get that?

See post #573 of this thread. All the reports seemed to reference the ONE from Sky news. However as someone else has posted to me, the "official" word often comes many hours later than realtime, so who knows.. I am stuck at work, unable to watch anything live, relying no FR for my updates.

[Coop]

No problem. Give me the financial and employee resources we waste on the UN, and we can get it done. As for the others, disband the State Department and bring back the War Department.

As I said, get to work on it. Draft up a proposal and I'll release the funds upon approval.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

Related Thread

[SierraWasp]

GEe! I'm sorry to hear that! I could have done better for you than GE. I also handle their product... oh well.

Isn't that cheating by that drug company? What? Are you gittin royalties?

[browardchad]

Will someone please tell the dope on Basra.

U.S. forces virtually bypassed Basra on the way to Baghdad, so as not to get bogged down and delayed. The British followed in to secure it, and an Iraqi division there (51st?) surrendered and went home. According to Rumsfeld and Myers' press conference just now, the 51st did not return (as has been reported in the media), but their equipment was instead commandeered by the Fedayeen (irregular thugs and murderers in civilian dress) and possibly some of the Republican Guard, traveling south from Baghdad. These two groups are skilled in terrorizing civilians, using them as shields, etc., which is making the fighting dicey as we try to avoid civilian casualties.

Rumsfeld was careful not to encourage civilian uprising, giving the example of uprisings in Communist countries where the freedom fighters didn't have a prayer in hell, and were summarily slaughtered.

If the residents of Basra are rising up, I hope they're not doing so prematurely -- before the Brits are in position to help them -- since we will, of course, be blamed (unjustly) for all civilian deaths.

[Grampa Dave]

I'm retired.

Actually GE had the best prices for an old ranter and his trophy wife.

[george wythe]

There were reports of clashes between forces loyal to Saddam and civilians in Basra, but U.S. Marine Maj. David C. Andersen said they were unsubstantiated. "We are closely monitoring the situation," he added.

AP

[Jeff Head]

Thanks, I had not seen that report.

Like I said, NBC at noon said it was confirmed ... but who knows what that means.

I know that the British Special Forces were in there last night or very early this morning and did take out the Ba'ath leadership ... so maybe that sparked something ... something I am sure that has been very encouraged.

I hope and believe it's true. If they do it here, we'll see other Shi'ites and Kurds doing it all over.

[Helen]

Thank you! ...and thanks for the links.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Just heard a British soldier on Fox explain that there is an uprising. The British plan on going in, in the morning to aide them.

The Iraqi troops are using civilians as human shields, physically standing behind their bodies, and also mortaring the population who are rising up against them.

The British soldier speaking on Fox, said they have taken out the mortars to assist, and will be there in the morning. It is a very dangerous situation, as there are a million people in Basra. (I'm writing this on my own recall.. not exact quotes).

God protect them, and may He give them great success!!

[ez]

Could I also assume that this was a secret military operation, and the officer in the rear (Kuwait) would not be privy to this due to strategy?

No, but you could assume that British ops is not going to take ownership of any strategy in which Iraqi civvies might be killed until they are damn certain of exactly what the heck is going on...

[Charlie OK]

fascinating. It is amazing the things I have learned in my short time "freeping". I actually had heard before that it is extremely insulting to Iranian people to call them Arabs, but I didn't know you could tell them apart just by their appearance.

[Semper Paratus]

The Fedayeen are young, teenagers for the most part, too young to be wise,

Even have their own website "Baathist Underground".

[Jeff Head]

Thanks for that report Vets_Husband_and_Wife.

Paradox and George, read this report at post 650. Seems like local officers are confirming this and the Brits are going in in the morning hours over there to help, if this is accurate.

[HiTech RedNeck]

The Desert Rats are some truly magnificent SOB's from the UK. Go Brits!

VRRR

[Alberta's Child]

I gave you the most recent example (this morning) for me. You can also add the closure of my parking garage to anyone except monthly users (as if nobody who would park a car filled with explosives there would ever think of buying a monthly pass), the searching of my bag at almost any public building I enter, the additional forms I just had to fill out for my bank, identifying the reason for seeking a line of credit ("to comply with the U.S. Patriot Act"), etc.

[MeekOneGOP]

Here is the thread of Iraq War Pics that Diogenesis posted! Great pictures there of Iraqis being Liberated !!

Here are a couple, for example . . .

In Umm Qasr, heroes AND Iraqis remove portraits of Saddam.

[bt_dooftlook]

My advice is to insist on a civilian militia (a la Switzerland) with a minimal standing army (self-defense force). Guns in the hands of civilians are the greatest threat to would-be dictators and criminal thugs...IMHO

[merrin]

Bret Baier (Fox News) just said that the Fedayeen are dressing up as US soldiers, "accepting" the surrender of Iraqi regular army troops, then shooting them.