Across Iraq, battles erupt with Mahdi Army

The Christian Science Monitor ^ | March 26, 2008 edition | Sam Dagher

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army fought US, Iraqi forces in Baghdad and Basra on Tuesday.

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Baghdad - The Mahdi Army's seven-month-long cease-fire appears to have come undone.

Rockets fired from the capital's Shiite district of Sadr City slammed into the Green Zone Tuesday, the second time in three days, and firefights erupted around Baghdad pitting government and US forces against the militia allied to the influential Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

At the same time, the oil-export city of Basra became a battleground Tuesday as Iraqi forces, backed by US air power, launched a major crackdown on the Mahdi Army elements. British and US forces were guarding the border with Iran to intercept incoming weapons or fighters, according to a senior security official in Basra.

The US blames the latest attacks on rogue Mahdi Army elements tied to Iran, but analysts say the spike in fighting with Shiite militants potentially opens a second front in the war when the American military is still doing battle with the Sunni extremists of Al Qaeda in Iraq.

"The cease-fire is over; we have been told to fight the Americans," said one Mahdi Army militiaman, who was reached by telephone in Sadr City. This same man, when interviewed in January, had stated that he was abiding by the cease-fire and that he was keeping busy running his cellular phone store.

Sadr City residents say they saw fighting Tuesday between Mahdi militiamen and US and Iraqi forces in several parts of the district. One eyewitness, in the adjacent neighborhood of Baghdad Jadida, who wished to remain anonymous, said he saw a heavy militia presence on the streets, with two fighters planting roadside bombs on a main thoroughfare.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Sadr and friends at it again....

[piytar]

Time to exterminate Sadr and his “army.”

[pfflier]

Sadr always declares a truce when he is getting his a$$ kicked. This time we should complete the job. The we can call a truce

[FlingWingFlyer]

It’s time to put that pig, Sadr, on a spit and roast his @$$.

[Yossarian]

KILL SADR.

NOW, DAMMIT!

[DGHoodini]

Any mortars coming from Sadr City and accurately hitting in the Green Zone, had to come from Iran. The homegrown insurgents have been trying for years with their stuff, and haven’t been able to hit the GZ with any kind of accuracy
from much closer. Time to open some number 10 cans of Whoopass.

[MarkL]

The Mookster is Ahm-a-nutjob’s sock puppet. Time for him to die... Way past time.

Mark

[SunkenCiv]

Time to bust Iran’s mullahcracy’s asses.

[blam]

Iraq's 'final showdown' with militia men

By Damien McElroy and Thomas Harding
The Telegraph (UK)
Last Updated: 2:15am GMT 26/03/2008

Iraq is facing the gravest challenge to its fragile security in more than a year as the radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called for nationwide protests after Baghdad launched a major military operation against his supporters in Basra.

Shi’ite Sadrist youngsters carry a poster of Moqtada al-Sadr, the radical cleric, during a rally in the al-Amil neighbourhood of Baghdad

At least 25 people were killed in fighting in the southern city after the Iraqi army raided districts that are home to militiamen loyal to Sadr.

British forces at Basra airport closely tracked the outcome of an operation designed to provoke a "major showdown" with the city's powerful armed factions, including Sadr's Mahdi army.

Major Tom Holloway, a British spokesman, said aerial support and other back-up had been provided to the Iraqi army and police in two notorious insurgent strongholds in Basra, Jumhuriyah and Tamiyah, but there had been no request for intervention on the ground.

"There's a fight going on downtown," he said. "Fighting in built-up areas is tough anywhere but in Basra's slum conditions this is a real test of the Iraqi security forces."

In Baghdad, rockets rained down on the diplomatic Green Zone while fighting was reported in Sadr City, the huge district that is the cleric's stronghold in the capital.

His followers were reported to have spent the day making preparations for a siege. Five districts of the central city of Kut were reported to have fallen to the Mahdi army.

Named Saulat al-Fursan, or Charge of the Knights, the Basra operation marks a major gamble for Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister of Iraq's Shi'ite-led government, who arrived in the city on Monday to oversee its execution.

Extra troops were drafted into the city last week to reinforce the 9,000-strong 14th Infantry Division, which has controlled the city since Britain withdrew from Basra Palace last year.

"This is going to be a major battle which will be the final showdown between the army and the militias to fight over who is to control southern Iraq," a senior defence source told The Daily Telegraph. "This will be the big test for the Iraqi 14th Division but we believe they have the capability to emerge as the winners."

Officials claimed the operation was designed to impose law and order across Basra but Sadr was quick to counter that his followers had been singled out. "We demand that religious and political leaders intervene to stop the attacks on poor people," he said in a statement issued by his supporters.

"We call on all Iraqis to launch protests across all the provinces. If the government does not respect these demands, the second step will be general civil disobedience in Baghdad and the Iraqi provinces."

The Iraqi army cordoned off Basra late on Monday and troops rolled in early yesterday.

Heavy exchanges of artillery and gunfire were reported. "Bullets are coming from everywhere and we can hear rocket explosions," said one Basra resident.

If the Iraqi forces crumble then three British battle groups - each of about 650 men armed with Challenger 2 tanks and Warrior armoured vehicles - are on hand to re-enter the city six months after withdrawing last September.

Sadr has been a thorn in the side of the US-led effort to establish a functioning regime in Iraq since the 2003 invasion. But after sectarian violence by his followers spiralled out of control last year, he unexpectedly declared a ceasefire to purge rogue elements.

The new showdown with Shi'ite radicals comes after a year of progress on the security front, with US forces claiming success in pacifying restive Sunni regions with a "surge" in troop numbers.

Mr Maliki's arrival in Basra drew the prospect of all-out confrontation a step closer. For the third day running rockets fired from Sadr districts of Baghdad hit the Green Zone.

Baghdad has seized an opportunity to address an impasse in Basra widely blamed on Britain.

Hoshyar Zebari, Iraq's foreign minister, reflected widespread official frustration with the British position in Basra when he called on commanders to tackle problems in the city.

"They should not just sit there and do nothing," he said. "There are certain responsibilities, especially at least until the end of this year."

[atomic conspiracy]

Looks like a general uprising. The murder of our captive contractors was probably timed to coincide with it. It will remove teh last barrier to eliminating Sadr and his bandit gang for good. What else can he and his Iranian masters do?

The Iranians’ allies in the media and the “peace movement” are right about one thing: It is time to apply Geneva Convention rules in Iraq. Under those rules, captured Sadrists are unlawful combatants and should be shot out of hand.

[ModelBreaker]

I expected them to wait until closer to the election. But this is the big enchilada. If we destroy his army, we’ve won the war.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks....I believe 80% of the oil comes from the southern oil fields...

[cookcounty]

Now that Rummy’s gone, maybe Mookie’s elimination will finally get carried out.

[Jeff Chandler]

Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

It's time to send Obama over there to negotiate peace with him.

[Jeff Chandler]

It’s audacious, but we can all come together and hope.

[river rat]

NOW is the time to level all areas within Sadr City giving a roof, meal or sanctuary to these thugs..

Also - wherever Sadr is, he is to be hunted down and killed, even if it must be before the “sacred rock” in Mecca....

These “pauses” in hostilities to regroup, retrain, rearm and then strike at leisure must end....

These Jihadist wanted war — but they’re playing deadly games, and we’re allowing it.

[chopperman]

Now that Rummy’s gone, maybe Mookie’s elimination will finally get carried out.

Our basic problem is that Mookie is hiding in Iran.

[fabian]

I believe general Petraus will finish this rather quickly.

[matthew fuller]

I think I’ve got it properly assessed now. Sadr must be a Mexican, which is why Bush has not taken him out yet.

[DGHoodini]

“Rather quickly” is a relative term. I think it’ll take more than a few days, or maybe even a few weeks..but yes, the criminal element “militias” are pretty much in between Iraq and a hard place. their sanctuaries and support, regardless of what the lying MSM and Degenocrats say are dwindling daily.

The lucky ones will be the ones who can flee to Iran. Though I doubt they’ll find much love there, having lost Basra.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Ernest_at_the_Beach. Looks like “divide and conquer” worked like a charm. And Iran has used the al-quaos (hey, I like that, maybe a new coinage) in Iraq to leverage its own control over worldwide terrorism. Mahdi army sat around for a few years doing nothing, now all of a sudden it’s coming to life because the Shiite-heads in Iran realize they’re moving up on the US to-do list.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I think coalition troops are near the Iranian border to prevent movement to and from Iran....

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Time Magazine:

Maliki's Moment of Truth in Basra

***************************EXCERPT*************************

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki arrived in Basra on Monday, accompanied by his ministers for defense and the interior, to personally supervise the operation. For Maliki, this is a crucial show of force. For much of the past three years, the Iraqi government has had little influence over Basra. As British troops have steadily withdrawn from the city, it has fallen into the control of three major Shi'ite militias — Moqtada al'Sadr's Mahdi Army, the Iran-backed Badr Brigades and a local group associated with the Fadila Party. The three have recently fought turf battles over large swaths of the city, claiming hundreds of lives.

Although there are over 4,000 British troops at a base outside Basra, they have done little to curb the violence. "We have a capacity to provide air and other specialist support if needed, but at this time British involvement is minimal," a British Ministry of Defense spokesman said, declining to be identified in accordance with department policy. Many Iraqis blame Basra's descent into chaos on flawed British strategy.

[pissant]

Awfully stupid of them not to wait until we withdrew most of our combat forces.

[pissant]

Excellent training for Iraqi troops, frankly.

[fso301]

There’s a cool video on YouTube of Blackwater snipers taking care of business with the Mahdi Army.

[SunkenCiv]

This way, they think they can log a win — “lookie, we started fighting, and were the only ones who could make the Americans leave” — when the White House changes hands early next year. The fact is that there won’t be anything much left of them, except that their unwinding turbans will make it look like someone t-p’ed their neighborhoods.

[jeffers]

“Battles across Iraq” is gilding the lily, but ping anyway.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The lefties are hoping for a Civil War ......

[BIGLOOK]

MI Update ping

Fly in the ointment

[DGHoodini]

Yes, but it’s a long border.

[Nam Vet]

They should have shot that fat little al-Hitler through the head when they had the chance. I think little 'Mookie' KNOWS that he will get that bullet if he shows his sawed off self anywhere near the fighting. Five 'll get ya ten he's shivering in some little hole or across the border in Iran. Wuss ! Iranian puppet.

Nam Vet

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

CSPAN may still be running this from yesterday,...online viewing available:

Panelists talked about the release of Iraq: The Way Ahead, the fourth and final report of the Iraq Planning Group.

Mention is made of the problem in the south....around Basra...but a rather positive commentary.

[ArmstedFragg]

Yep. And you can count on him. Every time he says he’s calling a truce the fighting starts. This is the guy who said three weeks ago that he was giving up the fight and going off to study for a while. It’s like dealing with a bi-polar individual. Everytime they’re happy, you know what’s going to follow.

[ThermoNuclearWarrior]

We should start targeting and killing Sadre’s militia and it's leaders. Until this militia is destroyed by force they will continue to cause trouble. It doesn't take a genius to know that. Almost everyone here on FR has been saying that ever since Sadre came on the scene so why can't the people in charge see it.

[Allegra]

Well, we've gone from peaceful to absolutely crazy out there in the space of three days.

Iran is meddling.

So far, the Iraqis are taking care of this on their own. It's bad in Basra, it's bad in Baghdad and I'm hearing that it's bad in some other cities.

We are under tighter security restrictions now than we have been all year.

Iran desperately needs a good ass-kicking.

[Allegra]

Also - wherever Sadr is...

That would be next door...in Iran.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Take care of yourself over there!

[Jet Jaguar]

Thanks for the updates. Stay safe.

[NY Attitude]

Iran desperately needs a good ass-kicking.

we have jimmuh the peanut farmer to thank for all of this. and other things like the Canal Zone.

[Beckwith]

Just remember who was giving JImmah Cahtah advice — Zbigniew Brzezinski

Obama, shows his international naiveté by naming, Zbigniew Brzezinski, the architect of the current situation in the middle east, as his Chief Foreign Policy Advisor.

[NY Attitude]

lets not forget Stansfield Turner who was the head of the CIA.

[Beckwith]

Turner is gone.

Zbigniew Brzezinski is waiting in the wings for his encore.

[reagan_fanatic]

Sadr must die.

[NY Attitude]

I always thought the Brzezinski was a mole for the Soviets. Both he and Stansfield Turner did a number on us and the Intelligence community.

[G8 Diplomat]

If we knock out the base (Iran), Sadr, Hezbollah, and Hamas will lose their primary training and arms supply. Get Ahmadinejad first, and the chain will collapse. (And then go after Syria).

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Needs more “Pacifin’”...;0)

[river rat]

" That would be next door...in Iran."

Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Harvard, Berkeley or standing in the center of the most "holy Mosque" is Mecca - before the "moon rock" in prayer........ Kill him.

He's just one man -- causing far too much trouble.. These "icon" terrorists should be prevented from every showing their face in a public place for fear of becoming what they preach to their younger fools - a martyr.

[ryan71]

“The cease-fire is over; we have been told to fight the Americans,”

Good! Finally! We all knew we would have to kill them, eventually.

I wish we had done it 3 three years, ago.

Go git ‘em!