Posted on 08/14/2007 4:22:38 PM PDT by humint
The most powerful authority in Basra is not the British garrison where more than 5,000 British troops have withdrawn behind barbed wire and cement blocks. It is the Iranian consulate where major decisions regarding the city are taken. And it is not difficult to see who is in control of the city’s thoroughfares and residential quarters. The roundabouts, major squares and even some small streets and neighborhoods are decorated with portraits of Iranian religious and political leaders.
Basra is perhaps Iraq’s most important province from which most of the country’s oil production and exports originate. Within Basra’s provincial borders, the country’s most prolific oil fields are to be found. When bombs fall on the British garrison in the city or a British armored vehicle is knocked out, many of Basra residents celebrate with gunfire and shouts of joy.
The Brits have left a huge power vacuum in southern Iraq in the aftermath of their miscalculated adventure. Their influence does not exceed the few square miles of their only base in Basra. And the militias have rushed to fill in the vacuum, spreading their control over key establishments including oil installations and dividing the city into separate zones of influence.
The country’s three most influential Shiite factions have their own heavily armed militias. Though in bitter rivalry, they are almost unanimous in their tactics to inflict a humiliating defeat on Britain by forcing it to withdraw its troops. Many of Basra intellectuals and members of its once thriving religious minorities – such as Christians and Mandeans – have fled the city. The militias have their own rules and systems of governing which they impose on their subjects and areas. Hameed Hussain who fled the city recently says the Iraqi police and army are not in control of the city. “Practically, the militias have the city under their sway.”
An oil engineer, Ali Hatroush, who also fled the city in the past few weeks, says the British troops no longer have the power or capacity to “to rein in the militias.”
“The fundamentalists are the ones who run the city. They have devised their own means and ways of how to control the people and the resources and liquidate those opposing them,” he said.
Abdulkareem Saleh, who used to work at Basra port, said he was sad to see how young people were lured to join the political factions advocating militancy. “The factions rely on religious slogans and high-ranking clergy to deceive the population. It is really disappointing to see how young Iraqis are being coaxed to join their murderous militias,” he said.
The rival factions are represented in the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Nonetheless they are the ones undermining official authority. For example, the Fadhila party which controls the administrations has 15 deputies in the parliament but has refused to disband its militias. Other groups like the Sadr bloc has 30 deputies and seven ministers in the cabinet but has strongly rejected calls to disarm its powerful military wing, the Mahdi Army. The other influential group the Supreme Council, a major partner in Maliki’s coalition government, is reported to have one the most heavily armed militias in the country.
ping
That looks like a real fair and balanced site there.
U.N. to talk to Iraqi armed groups
The United Nations intends to include all parties and factions in the talks it is going to hold to bring about national reconciliation in the country, Iraq U.N. spokesman said.... more 14/08/2007
Basra falls to unruly militias as British troops’ role recedes
The most powerful authority in Basra is not the British garrison where more than 5,000 British troops have withdrawn behind barbed wire and cement blocks. It is the Iranian consulate where major decisions regarding the city are taken.... more 13/08/2007
Saboteurs mount more attacks against national grid
The country’s power generating systems have come under fresh attacks putting more stations and units out of order.... more 13/08/2007
Security officers arrested for carrying explosive belts
Two security officers have been arrested in the religious city of Karbala as they were trying to smuggle into the city explosive belts to target holy shrines, Karbala governor said.... more 11/08/2007
What can U.N. do in wake of U.S. and British disasters in Iraq?
The U.S. and Britain are circulating a new draft resolution to United Nations Security Council members proposing a bigger role for the U.N. in the country.... more 09/08/2007
Gunmen in total control of major Baghdad district
The district of Doura in Baghdad is under the control of gunmen who have imposed their system of government based on strict interpretation of Islamic jurisdiction or Sharia.... more 09/08/2007
Electricity output meets only half of domestic needs
The Ministry of Electricity has finally acknowledged its inability to meet the country’s needs, blaming the current chronic shortages on lack of fuel.... more 07/08/2007
Maliki under fire from all sides
The ship of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s government is sailing in rough seas and could sink any time.... more 06/08/2007
Fears at home drive Iraqi investors to flee to Turkey
Turkey is the new haven for Iraqi investors who are fleeing the country in droves due to worsening security conditions.... more 04/08/2007
Former intelligence officers urged to meet
Intelligence and security personnel who served under former leader Saddam Hussein have the right to attend a conference to discuss their problems, a senior official said.... more 03/08/2007
Bush and Ahmadinejad turn Iraq into score-settling arena
For the second time the administration of U.S. President George Bush and that of the Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad turn the land of Iraq as a venue for their meetings.... more 03/08/2007
Iraqis resort to talismans to guard against stray pullets
Like their ancient ancestors of Mesopotamia, many Iraqis today wear amulets of beads and other objects for good luck and protection from stray bullets, kidnapping and car-bombings.... more 02/08/2007
Iraq football victors are afraid to return home
Members of the national football team who clinched their Asian cup victory on Sunday are hesitant to return home and join their fans to celebrate their victory.... more 01/08/2007
Security chief says Iranians active in Iraq
An Iraqi cabinet minister says Iranians are involved in violence in the country by helping insurgents obtain better weapons and training.... more 30/07/2007
1.4 million tons of wheat shipped to state silos
Iraqi grain growers have shipped nearly 1.4 million tons of wheat and barley to state silos this year, the Ministry of Agriculture said.... more 29/07/2007
U.S. erects more walls to isolate Baghdad quarters
U.S. troops have isolated certain quarters in the neighborhood of Dora with concrete slabs, blocking the passage of vehicles.... more 28/07/2007
Iran foils parliamentary meeting as government on brink of collapse
An important meeting bringing together leaders of parliamentary blocs to address the current political crisis and find ways to halt security deterioration has failed to materialize.... more 26/07/2007
Kurds fall out on draft oil law
The two main Kurdish factions ruling northern Iraq are on collision course regarding the way to approach the controversial oil draft law.... more 25/07/2007
Government urged to help refugees abroad
The Iraqi parliament has passed a resolution demanding the government honor pledges to countries hosting Iraqi refugees.... more 23/07/2007
Campaign to liquidate 3,000 Baathists in southern Iraq
Militias belonging to Shiite religious factions in southern Iraq have embarked on a murderous campaign to liquidate 3,000 members of the Baath party of former leader Saddam Hussein.... more 23/07/2007
Power outage plunges half of Baghdad into total darkness
The Karkh side of Baghdad where nearly half of the city’s six million people live has been without electricity for more than 10 days.... more 22/07/2007
PM Maliki bears responsibility for the American blood shed in Iraq
Most Iraqis are surprised to see how the Americans – of course excluding President Bush and his aides – are united in their assessment that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has hugely failed in implementing an Iraqi national plan that will reduce the cost which they are paying through the blood of their sons.... more 21/07/2007
Fuel crisis eases but worries of shortages remain
The two past days were the happiest for drivers in Baghdad. Waiting time at filling stations has been reduced to two hours instead of eight – thanks to tighter controls and better security measures.... more 21/07/2007
Former PM says his life is under threat
Former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said there were serious plots to have him assassinated in Baghdad.... more 19/07/2007
Kurds to deploy militias in Kirkuk
The Kurdish regional government is to station thousands of its militiamen on the outskirts of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, according to region’s deputy prime minister, Kusart Koran.... more 18/07/2007
Experts ask MPs not to approve draft oil law
More than 100 Iraqi experts and former oil officials have sent a letter to parliament asking legislators not to pass the new draft oil law in its current form.... more 18/07/2007
Hundreds of Saudi ‘suicide bombers’ languish in Iraqi jails
fHundreds of Saudi ‘suicide bombers’ languish in Iraqi jailsffff Azzaman, July 16, 2007 Hundreds of Saudis who sneaked into Iraq to carry out suicide bombing now languish in Iraqi jails, said Iraqi National Security Adviser Mufaq al-Rubaai. He said 160 of them have already been sentenced and the res... more 16/07/2007
Sadr comes to terms with Maliki
The row between Moqtada al-Sadr and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has subsided, thanks to the country’s top Shiite Cleric Ali Sistanti.... more 16/07/2007
Antiquities Department to renovate synagogue holding Nahum’s tomb
The Antiquities Department has included an ancient synagogue where Biblical prophet Nahum is purportedly buried in its 2008 renovation plans.... more 15/07/2007
Power greedy Democrats battle victory-obsessed Republicans over Iraq
U.S. Democrats are gathering momentum to blame their adversaries, the Democrats, over the Iraq debacle. The former have come to the realization that victory is no longer possible while the latter, and particularly their boss in the White House, are proceeding with their folly that triumph is still within reach.... more 14/07/2007
Perfect example of what will happen to all of Iraq if we prematurely pull out.
But I guess that is what Murtha and his Left-Wing yahoos want - defeat at any cost.
You must be joking. The most strategic city/port in this war is falling [or has already fallen] to Iran. Iran's Oil Minister was just fired last Sunday, Iraq's deputy Oil Minister was kidnapped (Iranian style) today. There have been rampant reports of corruption and assassination in Basra. A crude oil deal was just signed between Iraq(Basra) and Iran(Abadan) Steven Vincent, an author I admired deeply was assassinated in Basra for reporting on Iran's ascendancy in Basra. He was murdered back in 05. He will not be forgotten. Either the Brits have been asleep at the wheel or things are going according to plan. Which do you think it is?
There are only a few excuses for letting Basra fall into Iranian hands... none of them bode well for Iraqis or Americans. No American should be so foolish as to overlook what is going on in Basra. Whoever controls Basra will own Baghdad in the long run. You are absolutely right. The Talebanization of a City/Provence is unacceptable. That is not what Americans or British or all coalition partners are bleeding and dieing for.
I really hate to see this crap, but it gives me a guilty pleasure in remembering how smug and cocky the British were back in 2003. “We walk among the people without armor vests while the Yanks have to hide inside forts and armored HumVees.” (Paraphrased quote. I’ll try to search for an example later.)
“We’re winning” (voice crack) “Stay the course!” (incongruous smile) “It’s for freedom!” (befuddled look)
Precisely! Hows this instead...?
“We’re winning” (broad smile without fear of death) “Stay the course!” (grits teeth with confidence) “It’s for freedom!” (waves a flag - picks up rifle - leads charge against militia thugs)
The new Iraqi oil law will be as pertinent to the future of freedom in the Middle East as control of Basra. Those are two realities worth dieing for. Why? Freedom in the Middle East is directly tied to American interests and American national security. There can be no retreat from that goal - unless this was just a deadly game in an over sized sandbox. Let me make it clear to all who reads this... This is no game. Freedom will prevail in the Middle East at all costs.
9/11 changed everything.
LLS
Tell me again what Iraq had to do with Saudi citizens flying planes into buildings in the U.S. 911? How did 911 change the conditions in Iraq that Cheny warned about in his AEI interview in 94?
Read the headlines of the rest of the articles, slick, and get back to me.
:) You are joking... Glad to hear it, slick. That's a good one.
Tell me again what Iraq had to do with Saudi citizens flying planes into buildings in the U.S. 911?
Ever heard of the jet parked at Salmon Pak?
The belief that diverse threats could be contained indefinitely was (and remains) the root cause of policy failure in the Middle East. The region is a house of cards glued together with our money. That's right, our service based economy depends on access to their fossil energy reserves. Before September 11, 2001 our foreign policy toward the region was only slightly better than colonialist. When Saddam invaded Kuwait a series of dominoes started to fall. At that time and place, Cheney (and others far more bright and experienced than he) misjudged our nation's ability to contain the greater Middle East. What I like about the film is that it shows what Cheney expected of Iraq was accurate. Don't get hung up on the politically volatile word quagmire. He wasn't wrong about how difficult it would be. He wasn't wrong about the trajectory of Iraq's ethnic architecture. He was trying to gauge the value/expense of doing what had to be done. At that time he believed it would be too costly. He was wrong. He (and others) chose to defer the cost and to their surprise and ours, it only got more expensive.
But U.S. officials and others have long suspected the camp trained terrorists.
"U.S. officials and others" have their own credibility "issues"
Man... you must have a big crystal ball to talk like that. Go ahead... Look deeply into your big ball and tell me the future. But give me somthing that isn;t obvious. Any blithering idiot could tell me they know for certain someone in the the Middle East is going to die a violent death. They're probably going to die gruesomely near the worlds primary source of fossil energy. But your credibility is rock solid right? All the answers you can muster will make the world a better place, right?... So how do you suggest we deal with the inevitable? Would you send men in to stop the fighting? Would you send men in to start the fighting? Would you send men in to secure American interests? Would you send men in to secure global interests? Or is this just about who gets to send the men in? Is this Dick Cheney's war? If it is just his, we have no responsibility for the future... which would mean you have no ball, wouldn't it? If you don't have a crystal ball, you should probably tie your idea of "credibility" to tangible metrics. what course would have demonstratively saved more lives and national treasure? Alternatively, what's the worse case scenario? Rest assured KDD, we're not experiencing the worst case scenario. Hope we never have to...
That is not what Americans or British or all coalition partners are bleeding and dying for.”
_________________________
And bleeding, and dying, and bleeding, and dying, and bleeding, and dying......
Enough is enough! Quit playing games and loose the dogs of war.
I'm going a bit off-topic here, but I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to say thank you for being one of the rare posters on this board who uses the word "loose" properly... /grin
Iraq had a Sunni regime. Ben Laden is Sunni. Saudi Arabis duplicity in this war is owing to its fanatical attempt not to allow a Shiite government in Iraq, even if it were independent of Iran. Saudi money has fed the insurgency; it has fed Al Kayda. We may be sure that in times past that it did everything possible to shore up the Saddam government. You want a direct, institutional link between Ben Laden and Saddam. That was not necessary. Emotion is as much a part of war as any rational planning, and Al Kayda and Saddam shared the same emotion.
To what end? If this is a simple debate to guess how much more we could have gotten out of Saddam had we tried, I'd prefer we didn't. Saddam was a war starting dictator, not our mule. To be fair, we tried to work with Saddam. Alas, he was never willing to accept offers to comply. In all honesty, he never deserved such offers in the first place. What did he do in response? In typical dictator style, he lectured Americans on how the Middle East works. In typical American style, Saddam finally met the fate he waited more than a decade to receive. BTW, I enjoy what if analysis. Usually the time for those musings comes before or after our wars are won or lost. Right now, it is our time to lecture the Middle East on how the world works.
We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep. I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor. It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look, which morally we can do. To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts. Every man is tasked to make his life, even in its details, worthy of the contemplation of his most elevated and critical hour. If we refused, or rather used up, such paltry information as we get, the oracles would distinctly inform us how this might be done. ------- Thoreau
We should have done a Carthage to that place and seized the oil fields.
Before we go any futher...Iraq in fact had a secular Baathist regime.
"U.S. officials and others" have their own credibility "issues"
Your snarkiness is unfounded. There are eyewitness affadavits by Iraqi officers who were at Salman Pak and who participated in the training programs. They explicitly describe the trainees there as consisting of both Iraqi military personnel and "foreigners". Some even go into the detail of specifying that the Iraqis didn't like the "foreigners" and stayed away from them as much as possible, especially the "al Qaida" (yes, one officer specifically named them). These reports were discussed on this board several years ago.
Now, I don't really care what you believe, as you have no more claim to either possess or judge credibility than anyone else here. I found the testimony of those officers credible. The other posters here are more than capable of making their own assessments, and in the fullness of time, we will know.
I agree.
And then taken out Syria, Iran and Saudi Arabia...mostly from the air.
Stopping to make sure the enemies trains will run on time after we have destroyed them costs us time and American lives.
Americans will never accept this "nation building" BS.
Yeah, and with good reason. This is the freakin' 21st Century. If there are "nations" of people still out there that are still struggling with disease, dictators, corruption and barbarism that will make most people's skin crawl, then they probably can't be helped.
Correction: Iraq had a military dictator who was Sunni. He was NOT a secularist like Attaturk. He was a bush-league Nasser who depended almost totally on support from Sunni elements in society. Arab nationalism has long since been dead. He would have been overthrown in 1991 except for the demands of the Saudis that he be left in power. Without their covert support he would not have dared to defy the demands of the West that he live up to the term of his surrender.
The Iranians have been doing quite a bit more in terms of terrorist training than Salman Pak. Why has our President let them off scott free? And yes US officials do have a credibility issue. From silly nonsensical PR pieces (which thankfully Gen. Praetus has denounced) to mishandling the Pat Tillman case, there needs to be some housecleaning done and calling them out for it isn’t wrong.
prematurely pull out.
*snicker*
sorry
Of course the scale of Iran's activities dwarfs Saddam's, but that does not justifying denying the latter's existence. I want to know the facts, follow wherever they lead and let the chips fall where they may. Far too many people in these discussions, however, seem compelled to squeeze and twist their facts to fit a pre-conceived conclusion, and simply ignore those that don't fit.
Why has our President let them (Iran) off scott free?
Sadly, there are no good answers to this question. The only plausible explanations which meet the test of Occam's Razor do not provide comfort about the character and intentions of our leadership nor bode well for the future of our country...
That would be all well and good had we discovered intractable evidence of WMD in Iraq. If he had none as he said, then how could he comply with demands that he give them up? I hated to see Blix be right. The only reason I believe it was an honest intelligence mistake is because if I had been President...I'd have planted the evidence.
I fear the methods will cost us the goal.
So my attitude is not a positive one.
President Saddam Hussein’s regime has said the camp, part of a larger military reservation in a bend of the Tigris River, was used for anti-terrorism training for Iraqi special forces.
Just ask ‘Bagdad Bob’?
I was among the first on this site to champion for it here in 1998.
Alan Keyes won every debate, why didn’t you champion for a winner?
I posted that the reaction of this country should be that of a wounded grizzly
And that’s why the polls against the war are so high, folks like you and me are lumped in with the Sheehans, Reids and Pelosi’s to inflate the dissatisfied numbers.
Bush has saved his legacy by not having mass civilian casualties, may end up with more allies to look on the bright side.
I’ll ping jveritas, a FReeper who has been translating captured documents that prove saddam was aligned with al qaeda long ago. You will probably just ignore him.
LLS
KDD Below are captured Iraqi documents that show Saddam very strong relation to terrorism including meeting with Bin Laden, Ayman Al Zawahiri and training for foreign Arab terrorists who became the heart of the terrorist insurgency that has caused untold death and destruction since 2003. Saddam regime was a premier terrorist regime and after 9/11 it should have been removed and thanks to President Bush and our troops who made this possible
Saddam Regime Document: Iraqi Intelligence met with Bin Laden in 1995 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1600579/posts
Captured Al Qaeda Document Shows Bin Laden Deputy Aymen Al Zawahiri Visited Iraq http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1825605/posts
Saddam Regime Document Dated May 1999 Reveals Plans for Terrorist Attacks in Europe http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1822592/posts
Document: Zarqawi in Iraq Long Before the War Started http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1598259/posts
Document: Saddam Regime Training and Using Foreign Arab Terrorists As Suicide Bombers. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1600367/posts
2003 Document: Saddam Ordered To Treat The Arab Feedayeen Terrorists The Same As Iraqi Soldiers http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1618519/posts
Document: Iraqi Intelligence To Train Arab Feedayeen Terrorists In the Year 2000 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1617431/posts
March 2001 Document: Saddam Regime Recruits Suicide Terrorists to Hit US Interests http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1610012/posts
2003 Document: Hundreds of Palestinian Terrorists to Join Saddam And Fight US Troops http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1726660/posts
Document: Afghani Taliban Consul Spoke of a Relationship Between Iraq and Bin Laden http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1597459/posts
March 2002 Document: Saddam Ordered 25,000 Dollars for Each Suicide Terrorist Against Israel http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1602317/posts
2003 Document: Iraqi Intelligence Asks Hamas To Conduct Terrorist Attacks Against The US. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1607915/posts
I thought we had a strict rule on FR not to hurt the feelings of Kos Kids.
Over the weekend, I was in a pub and met some Indian American folks. A discussion came up about Iraq and it wasn’t two seconds before one of them declared Iraq had nothing to do with terrorism.
Saddam Hussein would be so proud. Let me tell you something about the Third World. You can be born here but the Third World mentality follows you it would appear. At the end one guy was coming back to complain about Pakistan’s relationship with the US.
They complained the US was too close to Pakistan. I cited the nuclear agreement on giving technology to India. One guy claimed it was corporate and the other guy said not much had been done.
They seemed to have inherited their hatred of Pakistan from their families. And I found it quite amusing how lucky we are here.
We don’t carry that messed up baggage here. Unless of course you are a Kos Kid. Then you buy into the whole peace, land and bread spiel in all its forms and guises.
LOL. Good find
Well,I think the British media were. The soldiers were too busy doing their job.
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