Its really beside the point if you or I consider a Mosque to be a no fire zone, we're not there, the Iraqis are and they tend to get pretty outraged over these sort of things. If we approve or disapprove of this latest incident really doesnt make the job for out troops today and tomorrow any easier or less dangerous. If things hold true to form in Sadr City you can expect to see kids dancing around a burning humvee any time now.
"We are NOT in Iraq to make it safe for radical militants who are maneuvering for positions of strength against the ELECTED government... If those enemies of the Iraqi people, decide to wear the garments of a cleric, raise an army and think they are safe within their Mosque Headquarters --- we SHOULD relieve them of that error.."
Tough words but hopelessly misguided analysis, Sadr controls one of the largest and most influential ELECTED politcal blocks in the fledgling Iraqi government. You are correct in phrasing it as a "we" and "they" situation but you're forgetting "we're" in "their" country. You could no more remove these Shiites from Iraq than you could remove Southern Baptists from the US.
"We are not so much in a war against terror, as we are in war against militant Islamic lunatics wishing our destruction and their chosen lifestyle from the 7th century.. Sadr is their poster boy.... Kill him.....Now!By ANY means possible....ANYWHERE we can accomplish it -- even at the podium of his "holy" Mosque...."
Again the talk is tough but the logic is lacking, yes go ahead and kill him but then what? Saddam had problems with Sadr's father and killing him didnt stop the Madhi movement did it? Sure you can drop a bomb on his Mosque tonight but by dawn there'll be even more momentum and reason for his followers to openly rise up.
Muslims tend to get outraged over anything they deem convenient.... They themselves hardly recognize the sanctity of Mosques, when they wish to use one as a firing position or to murder someone within.... We really can't persist in wearing the handcuffs of avoiding things that "outrage Muslims"....or they will continue doing things that outrage us.
"You could no more remove these Shiites from Iraq than you could remove Southern Baptists from the US. "
I didn't propose that....I simply proposed killing Sadr, and all the thugs that wish to die with him.
"Tough words but hopelessly misguided analysis, ..."
It's far too early for folks like you to pretend you have all the answers as to how to bring this mess to an acceptable conclusion -- VICTORY....
Not just tough words from me......I don't pretend to KNOW how to resolve the mess we've got on our hands in Iraq, but I've a bit of experience is seeing what happens when wars are fought using the PC rules of diplomats.... We failed to secure victory...
To borrow an observation from another Freeper who had experience in Vietnam...
Fight like WWII, end like WWII...
Fight like Vietnam, end like Vietnam....
Semper Fi