Basra Revolt

Reuters ^ | 3/25/2003 | By Nadim Ladki

[ConservativeVoice]

The British chief of staff at the headquarters of the U.S.-led invasion force said reports of residents on the streets of Iraq (news - web sites)'s second city suggested that a popular revolt might just have started there.

"There are early indications that just might be started and we will be very keen to capitalize on it," Major General Peter Wall told reporters in Qatar.

"We aren't seeing anything, we're just hearing reports that there are people who are appearing on the streets in significant numbers and who are essentially being less compliant with the regime than they are normally."

[ConservativeVoice]

I do love British understatement.

[Numbers Guy]

The British chief of staff at the headquarters of the U.S.-led invasion force said reports of residents on the streets of Iraq (news - web sites)'s second city suggested that a popular revolt might just have started there.

And earlier today Reuters was denying the story. Now they're saying the revolt "just started" . . .

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[Retrofire]

One wonders how that Al Jizzeera will spin this. I can see it now:

"Al Jazeera Exclusive

Iraqi patriots today began to riot after the colonialist British occupiers had cut water and food to the city--Already in a crisis situation since "allied" forces commenced indiscriminate carpet-bombing in civilian neighborhoods early last week. Compassionate Iraqi Army regulars were unable to control the unruly crowd's lust for American and British blood, and were compelled to use deadly force against the raging mob. British forces tripled innocent casualties by shelling the city in hopes of taking unfair advantage of an already unstable situation."

/sigh Grrrr...

[AmericanInTokyo]

I will be watching al Jazeera a little later today. I am wondering the exact same thing. How WILL 'al J' really handle this as more and more TV stations bring in images of Iraqi citizens throwing the yoke off and revolting, tearing down Saddam pictures, slapping or even shooting Baath Party oppressors or informants in the streets, yelling 'liberation!', kissing Brit soldiers, and dancing??? How can they possible air that to the Arab world???

Nearly 70% of the AJ website is anti-USA slant, and hypes the US battle deaths, POWs, and bombing of children, but plays down the Iraqi with chems, waving white flags, or other uncomfortable things.

Further, one also wonders what communist Pacifica Radio will say with their reporters as more and more Iraqi stand up to Saddam and pull down his posters and statues. How in the world can they even say anything? It will prove their whole stinking premise wrong!

[AntiGuv]

More exactly, they're saying this:

"We aren't seeing anything, we're just hearing reports that there are people who are appearing on the streets in significant numbers and who are essentially being less compliant with the regime than they are normally."

Even San Francisco could put together a better uprising than that. Keep in mind, the common citizens of Basra have no firearms, and the Fedayeen are less restrained in their crowd control methods than is the SFPD....

[Destro]

This is looking like a British Intel planted story.

[Zathras]

You can almost see that Reuters wanted to add...
"... but in a suprise development, US troops were pushed back in utter panic..."

[Charles Martel]

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