***Operation Iraqi Freedom - Situation Room - 17 APR 03/Day 29 - LIVE THREAD***

Everywhere! | 17 APR 03 | An.American.Expatriate

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Operation Iraqi Freedom

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Links to the last thread 

Day 28

Good Morning.

This is the Daily Thread of Operation Iraqi Freedom - Situation Room - LIVE THREAD.

It is designed for general conversation about the events of the day. In depth discussion of events should be left to individual threads - but links to the threads or other articles is highly encouraged. This allows us to stay abreast of the situation in general, while also providing a means of obtaining specific information.

To all who helped this get started and keep it running, thank you!

[Kip Lange]

That's amazing (and so was your story).

I swear on my Mother's eternal soul that I will NEVER forget. ANY of it.

[MEG33]

I 'm worried about a theocracy.I see the influence the clerics have and they can and will cause trouble.First we hear the Iranians might be interested in reestablishing relations with America ,then that they won't recognize the interim Iraqi government.

[oceanperch]

Yes

[MEG33]

A tragic story,Cambodia.

[umbagi]

A tragic story,Cambodia.

Yes, it is. Much worse, even, than "The Killing Fields." Worse than most Americans can imagine.

They are such wonderful people. The world has ignored them, and satisfied itself with token efforts that usually made things worse for them.

I had some wonderful friends there, brave strong people who came to Vietnam to fight against the cancer they saw threatening all of Southeast Asia. They're all dead, every one.

I am so glad we've liberated Iraq from Saddam's reign of terror; I know there are people who have wonderful friends there, too. Thousands of them will live, now, thanks to the coalition of the only nations in history whose volunteer forces have laid their very lives on the line for the freedom of others!

[The Wizard]

It took me a minute, but I finially got it.....

[MEG33]

Why did you not become a anti war peacenic?!You consider us a force for freedom and good. I believe it,too and the rose colored glasses were smashed years ago.I believe one can drift to isolationism when things don't go according to idealistic expectations or "Workers of the World."

[BagCamAddict]

***** NEWS *****

MASS GRAVES LITTER IRAQ

An Iraqi colonel in the Iraqi internal security service today claims he has damning evidence directly linking Saddam Hussein to a series of horrific crimes against humanity. He has testified in chilling detail to witnessing thousands of innocent men, women and children being murdered by Saddam's henchmen and buried in mass desert graves. United Nations investigators are set to launch an immediate investigation into the colonel's claims of Kurds and Shi'ite muslims being herded into the graves before being either shot or buried alive. Drawing comparisons with Nazi extermination of the Jews, the officer told the Evening Standard that Kurds...

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/waroniraq/articles/4408827?source=Evening%20Standard

[Unknown Freeper]

Morning bump

[umbagi]

I 'm worried about a theocracy.I see the influence the clerics have and they can and will cause trouble.

You're right to worry, and Iran (heavily Shi'ite) will do all it can to give you something to worry about.

The Shi'ites are the majority -- or at least a heavy plurality -- in Iraq. If the new government is not "representative," rather than "democratic," they could democratically vote in just what you (and I) fear.

I'm sure we will be working hard to prevent that, though, and to prevent a "tyranny of the majority" in which the Kurds and Sunnis and Christians are written out of the government and oppressed as they are in Iran.

After all, we have two and a quarter centuries of working out the fine points of this very issue, and, well, we've got the guns and control of the country for now. We also have the incentive to see that the new "democratic" government isn't one that eagerly joins the "axis of evil."

[Carolina]

Good morning, all. Will there be a CentCom briefing this morning?

[BagCamAddict]

"Why can't we all just get along."

[bootyist-monk]

This is part of the "bend, don't break" philosophy that the military is using to control the situation in Iraq, IMHO. They didn't stop the looting because it was beneficial for the locals to let off steam at Saddam and the Ba'ath party, rather than keep it pent up to be released against our troops later. Same thing with demonstrations. These things tend to be self-correcting, and enflamed passions only burn so long before new realities take hold.

[BagCamAddict]

CentCom up on CBS BagCam

[Carolina]

I see a lot of empty seats. Steffie's gone home.

[MEG33]

The Iraqis were very confused by our race diversity. We have tried(despite the on going efforts to divide us by race card politics)to integrate and accept differences.They have tribes and persecution.Willing students are needed to learn to live together.God help us and the Iraqis in the coming months and years.

[BagCamAddict]

My breakfast today is Caramel Ribbon & Vanilla ice cream, with milk added... and smushed into a milkshake-like mush. Yummy. :-)

[BagCamAddict]

Good grief -- we captured yet ANOTHER one of Saddam's half brothers.

[Carolina]

Gen. Brooks: Iraq is more stable today than yesterday...we remember our fallen...Spec Ops in operation all over Iraq where remaining pockets of military are found...captured Barzan [half-brother to SH] no casualties...

Coalition's efforts to capture members of regime...arrival of 4th ID...had engagement in firefight north of Baghdad...killed enemy force and captured fighters....site has been secured....4th continued up north.

[umbagi]

Why did you not become a anti war peacenic?!

Because I was "raised right" :-).

I was a "warmonger" the whole time I was in Vietnam -- I didn't like fighting with one hand tied behind our back, I saw the evil we fought and the good we could be doing, and I thought our biggest mistake was our hesitation and lack of resolve to win and do The Right Thing.

I was so glad Reagan was willing to put the USSR out of the arms race (and existence!) with our economic power, and thereby eliminate the funding for so much of the evil in the world.

I thank God every day that we again have a President who will do The Right Thing, even when some call him ugly names... No one else can do it. We are at a great moment in history; I believe that if we falter or fail now, evil will "win" in this world until the Almighty puts things right once and for all...