Skip to comments.
US 'Loses Control' of Two Cites (Spain Retreats From Najaf)
UK Guardian ^
| April 8, 2004
| George Wright
Posted on 04/08/2004 8:20:10 AM PDT by threat matrix
The US military admitted today that it has lost control of two cities to Shia militants as fience fighting continued to rage across Iraq.
Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez said today that coalition troops in Najaf and Kut had been fought back by militants loyal to radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
He said coalition leaders-Ukrainians in Kut and Spaniards in Najaf-had retreated to bases on the outskirts of their cities, effectively ceding control to the Shia fighters.
He vowed to retake Kut 'immediately' while conceding that the large number of pilgrims in the holy city of Najaf for a religious festival could hamper any coalition counter offensive.
TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Israel; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alsadr; iraq; kut; muslims; najaf; spain; spanishtroops; ukraine
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-35 next last
This follows the Ukrainians retreating from Al Kut.
To: threat matrix
Best to be outside of Najaf with the Shiite festival this weekend. Deny them targets during that time.
To: All
|
Free Republic believes in keeping an adult in the White House! |
|
|
|
|
Wise Use of Power --versus-- Flower Power |
|
Donate Here By Secure Server
Or mail checks to:
FreeRepublic , LLC
PO BOX 9771
FRESNO, CA 93794
Or you can use:
PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
|
|
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD-
It is in the breaking news sidebar!
|
To: threat matrix
The headline is amazing...our so called allies cut and run, but the headline is 'US loses control'
4
posted on
04/08/2004 8:23:50 AM PDT
by
blanknoone
(New sign for the White House front door: "No Shoes, No Entry....and flip flops are not shoes.")
To: Numbers Guy
Probably a good idea there.
To: blanknoone
Yep, the Ukraines retreat from Al Kut and the Spaniards from Najaf..but the headline doesn't say so!
To: Numbers Guy
Okay.
You're a Spanish soldier.
Your new government will not be supporting you and will be bringing you home in 60 days or less.
You're going to risk YOUR life for THESE people?
This is a surprise why?
7
posted on
04/08/2004 8:28:07 AM PDT
by
olde north church
(Walk softly and nuke indiscriminately --)
To: Numbers Guy
The US military admitted today that it has lost control If it was the Ukrainians and the Spaniards that retreated, why is it that "US military... has lost control?"
Goebbels would be proud of this propaganda.
8
posted on
04/08/2004 8:30:07 AM PDT
by
TopQuark
To: olde north church
Keep the Spaniards outside of Najaf and MOAB it into oblivion.
To: threat matrix
As my 75 year old German landlord said of rampant crime comitted by Turks in Frankfurt when I was living there, "its high time the Waffen SS came back and cleaned up this town".
To: TopQuark
If the media was worried about any sense of correctness it would have 'coalition' in the title.
To: threat matrix
http://www.dod.mil/transcripts/2004/tr20040407-secdef0587.html
SEC. RUMSFELD: Oh, An Najaf. I mean, clearly you've got what, how many -- I don't know how many millions -- I've heard all kinds of numbers of pilgrims that are in that general area. And we know that Sadr and his militia is in that general area. And we've made a conscious decision to -- at the request of Iraqis, to stand back during this pilgrimage period. And I in my opening statement pointed out that we think it's a dangerous place and a place that people who are considering engaging in the pilgrimage ought to very carefully calculate, because it's very clear we're not in a position to provide protection for them. And it's also very clear that Zarqawi has indicated he thought it was a good idea to go out and kill Shi'a.
To: Numbers Guy
It's B.S. to allow a religious festival to provide cover for combatants who want to escape.
To: Tax Government
The Iranians will use the pilgrimmage to secretly reinforce Sadr's militia.
To: OXENinFLA
So we're going right back in after the pagan festival?
To: Filibuster_60
likely correct, yet the administration refuses to acknowledge the link to Iran that everyone knows is happening. that is a mistake.
To: threat matrix
I see the Brits are still fighting Shiites in Basra. Man, do these people have short memories. Only 13 years ago Saddam slaughtered them with troops and helicopter gunships as they tried to gain their freedom. Those who weren't slaughtered either lived in fear or were rescued by us, but have since been living in refugee camps in Rafha, Saudi Arabia.
We just got rid of the guy who did this to them, yet they fight us. Rediculous.
To: blanknoone
Yeah, WTF? I noticed that too!
To: Ashamed Canadian; threat matrix
I guess that is what the US gets for having so-called-allies. At least the Canucks had the intellectual honesty to say they weren't going as opposed to going, but then hightailing at the first sign of trouble.
19
posted on
04/08/2004 9:04:47 AM PDT
by
blanknoone
(New sign for the White House front door: "No Shoes, No Entry....and flip flops are not shoes.")
To: threat matrix
If these countries aren't going to fight with us, we'll need to send more troops in.
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-35 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson