Saddam loyalists in Basra want to surrender - paper

Reuters | 4/05/03

[kattracks]

Saddam loyalists in Basra want to surrender - paper

BAGHDAD, April 5 (Reuters) - Leaders of President Saddam Hussein's ruling Baath Party in Iraq's second city Basra want to surrender to British military forces besieging the city, a pan-Arab newspaper said on Saturday.

Asharq al-Aswat said that Baath Party leaders in the city had passed a message to a Shi'ite cleric, Mohammed al-Bosslimi, saying they were afraid of reprisals from the citizens of Basra and wanted to arrange a surrender if Baghdad fell.

"They are afraid but they say that as soon as Baghdad falls they will surrender," the newspaper quoted the cleric as saying. It said he had met 12 of the high-ranking leaders of the Baath two days ago.

He said the Baath Party leaders could also surrender if U.S.-led forces entered the city.

"The problem is that the hated party members want to be protected from the anger of the public if they give up their weapons," al-Bosslimi said.

British forces have been besieging the city of 1.5 million almost since the Iraqi war began on March 20.

They had hoped the city's Shi'ite Muslim majority might rise up against forces loyal to Saddam, a Sunni Muslim, as they did in 1991 after the Gulf War.

But that rebellion was crushed after hoped-for U.S. support never came and analysts say locals are too unsure of the future to risk another uprising.

Instead, British forces have adopted a tactic of brief incursions into the city to try to target Saddam loyalists and gunmen.

04/05/03 00:31 ET

[fightinJAG]

they want to be protected from the anger of the public

and why would that be, hmmmm?

[SauronOfMordor]

If they are allowed to live, they will create trouble down the road. Conversely, if they are strung up from the light poles, it might give pause to other thugs.

They were given their window of opportunity to surrender then the Brits came to Basra. They chose not to surrender, and to fire on civilians trying to leave. They chose unwisely...

[Mister Baredog]

they were afraid of reprisals from the citizens of Basra

I'm saddened, deeply saddened, their moment of truth is fast approaching, good luck boys!

[Flint]

Have we gotten the war plan rewritten yet?

[DED]

Hmmmmmmmm, let me think about this a minute, these guys want to surrender "after Baghdad falls".
These people need lessons from the French!
They want to surrender... after they've lost?
Surrender NOW or take your chances!
We don't NEED them to surrender when the city has been taken.

[white_wolf]

It is not a tough choice at all. The administration of justice MUST be carried out, even at risk of those who must carry it out. That's why we have police and courts. The evil of letting the guilty go would undo nearly all of the good that will be done by liberating the people from their tormentors.

Don't you people THINK this stuff through??

[SBprone]

"Don't you people THINK this stuff through??"

You are confused.

I have thought it through, to the best of my ability.

The choice is between killing the dead-enders where they stand, at a possible cost in lives of Brit troops, or accepting their surrender and giving them due process in a tribunal, where some or all of them might escape capital punishment.

Letting them bug out is not an option I would find acceptable.

And it is a tough choice!

[sargon]

This is outstanding news. The Brits have capped Basra and kept up stead pressure...and the word on the street is that Sadam is going down...

I really have to say that I'm very impressed with the British armed forces. The Queen's armies are doing an exemplary, disciplined, and humane job in Southern Iraq, and I hereby take back any nasty things I've ever said about the United Kingdom.

And, though I know it was difficult, I think most British subjects (sorry guys) now understand why this War was necessary, or at least debatably so.

Kudos to the Aussie's as well. Everyone has really pulled their weight in this effort...

[SuziQ]

Throw them out on the street for the people to take their revenge, Mussolini style.

Desert justice!

[battlegearboat]

Nuts!

[ccmay]

Fly the black flag and kill them all.

-ccm

[Exit148]

Tell them to place their weapons out on the street. As soon as Baghdad falls, the coalition forces will send townspeople in to escort them out. (HeeHee!)

[King David]

Here is a link that may have something to do with the psychological warfare going on in the Iraqi's minds, and how our Special Ops are so successful.

http://www.peteandrews.net/war/leaflets.html

[Atchafalaya]

En Francais si'l vous plait!!!

[Atchafalaya]

En Francais si'l vous plait!!!