YAH!!
Posted on 04/02/2008 1:13:23 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi soldiers rolled through a Shiite militia stronghold in Basra on Wednesday, drawing scattered bombs and bullets that wounded a camera operator for a U.S.-funded TV station and narrowly missed the commander of government troops in the city.
Followers of anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr accused the army of violating an Iranian-brokered agreement that ended last week's fighting, which erupted in Basra and quickly engulfed Baghdad and major cities of the Shiite south.
Those complaints raised concern that fighting could flare again as the Iraqi government and Shiite militias maneuver for control of Basra — the country's oil capital 340 miles southeast of Baghdad and a major commercial center of 2 million people.
Iraqi troops met no significant resistance as a dozen-vehicle convoy drove Wednesday into the Hayaniyah district of central Basra, scene of fierce clashes last week with al-Sadr's Mahdi Army fighters.
Troops set up checkpoints and searched a few houses before leaving the neighborhood after a couple of hours, witnesses said.
An Iraqi cameraman working for the U.S.-funded Alhurra satellite television station was shot in the leg as he filmed the operation in Hayaniyah.
Later, the camera operator, Mazin al-Tayar, told Alhurra by telephone that the soldiers faced "many roadside bombs and mortar rounds" during the operation, although there were no reports of military casualties.
One of the bombs exploded near a vehicle carrying the local Iraqi army commander, Lt. Gen. Mohan al-Fireji, but caused no injuries, according to Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari, who was traveling with the general.
The Basra joint operations center announced that Iraqi soldiers had detained two suspected militia figures in the Qibla area. A gunbattle erupted during the raid and an Iraqi army vehicle was set on fire.
Nevertheless, Basra's provincial governor, Mohammed al-Waili, said the overall situation in the oil-rich city was "very calm and stable" and that normalcy was returning.
"We issued orders to all government employees to go to their offices starting from today and they will be obliged to work their full schedule," he said.
But Basra residents contacted by telephone said many people were fearful that the truce might not last.
A Mahdi Army spokesman in Basra, known as Abu Liqa al-Basri, said Wednesday that the militiamen were keeping a low profile on al-Sadr's orders. He accused Iraqi security forces of creating a "crisis of trust" by mounting "provocative raids" and arresting al-Sadr supporters.
"If the Iraqi army continues in its provocative raids, the consequences will be bad," he said.
Despite an end to heavy fighting, the Interior Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf, said security operations were continuing and that an April 8 deadline for gunmen to surrender their weapons remained in effect.
Violence surged March 25 when Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki launched a major operation to wrest control of Basra from the militias, which had effectively ruled the city since 2005.
U.S. and Iraqi officials have maintained that the crackdown was directed at criminals and renegade militiamen but not the Sadrist political movement, which holds 30 of the 275 seats in the national parliament and is a major political force.
But the Sadrists believed the operation was aimed at weakening their movement before provincial elections this fall. Their armed wing, the Mahdi Army, mounted a fierce resistance, prompting the Iraqis to call in U.S. jets and British tanks and artillery to help in the battle.
The failure to gain a quick and decisive victory over the militias left al-Maliki politically battered, raising doubts about Iraqi military capability just a week before top U.S. commander Gen. David Petraeus briefs Congress about prospects for further American troop cuts.
In the wake of the fighting, Britain suspended plans to withdraw 1,500 soldiers from southern Iraq.
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at the Pentagon on Wednesday that it will take a while to figure out who won and who lost in last week's fighting but he commended the government's desire to confront the militias in Basra.
In Baghdad, however, U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner conceded there were problems in the Basra operation.
"Overall the majority of the Iraqi security forces performed their mission though some were not up to the task," Bergner said at a news conference.
Also Wednesday, a roadside bomb targeting a U.S. convoy exploded near a restaurant in Baghdad's main Shiite district of Sadr City, killing at least three Iraqi civilians and wounding 13, police said.
A mortar shell slammed into a house in Sadr City late Wednesday, killing three members of one family, including two children and their grandmother, police said. Five people were injured.
Suspected al-Qaida in Iraq insurgents, meanwhile, continued their campaign against fellow Sunnis who have joined forces with the Americans against the terror network.
Four of the U.S.-allied fighters were killed Wednesday and four others abducted at a fake checkpoint near Duluiyah, 45 miles north of Baghdad, police said.
Associated Press correspondents Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Bushra Juhi in Baghdad and staff in Basra contributed to this report.
From the MSM ...tis beautiful...
“Followers of anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr accused the army of violating an Iranian-brokered agreement that ended last week’s fighting, which erupted in Basra and quickly engulfed Baghdad and major cities of the Shiite south.”
...whaaaaaa
sounds like the Iraqi troops were dragging a big fat juicy pork chop by a bunch of hungry dogs .. and seeing what bites .. clearly entrapment or incitement,, tsk tsk,, lol .. ;-)
whatever it takes to smoke the rats out of their nest
Iraqi military continues operations in Basrah
The Long War Journal ^ | 2 Apr 2008 | Bill Roggio
I just got so excited to see that headline coming from the AP...of coooourse that went thru the usual drivel...after that....
A. Notice how they omit who fired the mortar? JAM did.
B. The casualties being children and a grandmother has not been confirmed.
The Basra Business - What we know and what we don't. - Yesterday
Weekly Standard ^ | 04/01/2008 5:01:00 PM | Frederick W. Kagan & Kimberly Kagan
The press is starting another line to discredit the IA or at least minimize its accomplishments. They are claiming the 14th Div is the best in the IA.
When you hear BS about the IA 14th Div in Basrah being one of Iraq’s best, remember the source. I first saw that flagrant lie on CBS’ webpage.
- The 14th’s opening cerimony was 4 months ago. HQ components ment for the 12th were sent to Basrah last fall to accelerate its formation. Originally it was not due to stand up until Jun08.
- The 14th Div has the distinction of being the youngest and greenest IA Division.
- The 14th hasn’t even got its fourth line brigade (due Jun) or logistics components yet (late-summer).
- The 14th got its third line brigade fresh from training. Graduated the training on 18 Feb 2008.
- The 14th’s second line brigade is the former 5-10 which was stood up May07 and its cadre came from the corrupt 1-10 Brigade. It is not trusted by its own CO.
- The 14th’s only experienced component is its first brigade. The former 3-8 Brigade from Wassit was redesignated/transfered in and the corrupt 1-10 was transfered out...
This is a still forming new division. Not the cream of the crop. Arguably the least capable commisioned division of the IA at this point. They have done quite well for their first major operation...
Excellent.....MSM is evil...
YAH!!
Despite the breathless reporting of the injuries sustained by the cameraman and Iraqi commander in the first paragraph, I did like this:
Iraqi troops met no significant resistance as a dozen-vehicle convoy drove Wednesday into the Hayaniyah district of central Basra, scene of fierce clashes last week with al-Sadr's Mahdi Army fighters.
That's because Mookie turned his cowardly tail and ran like the coward he is.
Wow! You are pretty well informed.
The big loser was Fox news and their BBC reject correspondant.
He declared Mookie won and this was repeated by Brit Hume and all on his panel, including Charles Krauthammer.
w00t...
Despite what Sadr, Iran and MSM claim Maliki agreed with it appears Maliki either didn't really agree or had his fingers crossed.
At least they where trained by the very best....
ping for the rest of the thread//...
You bet they were!
Frigen Sadr must be treated like Elliot Ness did with Capone and his gang. Kill them off. Well time for the sack. Gotta get up at 3:30AM. Have a great upcoming day.
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