Rumsfeld Cautions Basra Citizens on Reported Uprising

VOA ^ | 25 Mar 2003 | Alex Belida

[SolidSupplySide]

A reported uprising against Saddam Hussein's government in the southern Iraqi city of Basra has Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld concerned.

One of the early criticisms of the war has been that U.S.-led coalition troops have not been uniformly welcomed by ordinary Iraqis spilling into the streets to greet them as liberators and help in routing any remaining loyalists to Saddam Hussein.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the reason is a simple one: Saddam's forces are using what Pentagon officials describe as fear tactics, threatening Iraqis with death. One place where there has apparently been an uprising against the Baghdad regime is Basra, but Mr. Rumsfeld, while hopeful, is also concerned.

"These are Saddam Hussein's people in there shooting people if they try to leave the city," he said. "Now, therefore, an uprising - anyone who's engaged in an uprising has got a whale of a lot of courage, and I sure hope they're successful."

Iraq has denied as lies reports of a civilian uprising in Basra, Iraq's second largest city, located in the country's south, where coalition forces have faced fierce resistance.

Mr. Rumsfeld indicates coalition troops are not yet sufficiently strong to move in to support the rebellion. He is urging caution.

"I guess those of us my age remember uprisings in eastern Europe back in the '50s when they rose up and then were slaughtered," he said. "And I am very careful about encouraging people to rise up, unless - I mean, we know there are people in those cities ready to shoot them if they try to rise up. We know there are people in that city ready to kill them if they try to escape. Now, until you're arranged so that you can actually go to those cities and deal with that problem...then I am very reluctant to run around the world encouraging people to rise up."

Mr. Rumsfeld insists Iraqis have been repressed and will rise up. But he hopes they will wait until sufficient forces are nearby to be helpful - otherwise, he says, they will be wasting their lives.

[SolidSupplySide]

Mr. Rumsfeld indicates coalition troops are not yet sufficiently strong to move in to support the rebellion.

Not good.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I thought our desire was to focus primarily on Baghdad, not the southern cities. If Baghdad falls, there is no need to worry much about the southern cities. Maintain as much order in the south as is feasibly possible, but the rush to Baghdad is the primary focus. Otherwise, American forces would still be sitting on the penisula, not venturing north.

I also heard that the British forces are not able to join us in the march to Baghdad, that we are on our own.

[Post Toasties]

Aargh!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[EternalVigilance]

Rise Up

Throw off the yoke
The tyrant's chain
Defy the one
That caused the pain

Freedom's price
By blood is paid
It's been that way
Since the first day

Leave your cell
With courage now
With our help
We'll show you how

Justice done
If late indeed
America's heart
Is to meet your need

EV

[SolidSupplySide]

If Baghdad falls, there is no need to worry much about the southern cities.

I do worry about civilians in Basra. They are fighting with axes and knives. They need coalition help.

[Dog]

Help will be there tomorrow....

[snooker]

>>>Mr. Rumsfeld indicates coalition troops are not yet sufficiently strong to move in to support the rebellion.

I didn't hear him say this. The coalition troops went past basra. They didn't see it as militarily significant.

What he said was a rebellion when the coaltion was not in a position to support it was not prudent. The troops moved on to Baghdad. They didn't care about Basyra.

He did not say the coalition was not strong enough, just that they were deployed and focused elsewhere.

BIG DIFFERENCE.

snooker

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I am not saying that we will not support them to the best of our ability, we do not wish for them to be slaughtered. But to expect that the southern cities would be completely under American control, at this point, seems a bit pressumptive. It will take some time. Baghdad has always been the goal.

The POW's of the mechanic division were following the forces, north... all wasn't safe in the south, unfortunately. But, this is the way that the plan has been designed.

[Michael Barnes]

I suspect we are pretty well "staffed" over there. We keep hearing about the 1st Mar Div, what about the 2nd, or the 3rd? What about the other Army Div's? Where's th 25th Inf Div? I haven't heard anything about them..

BTW, cool link here.

[SolidSupplySide]

I didn't hear Rummy. I'm just going on the basis of what the VOA article says. If I'm not mistaken, the VOA is affiliated with the US government. Are we getting two messages from the government?

[broadsword]

Who wrote that awsome poem?

[EternalVigilance]

Me.

And thanks.

[marron]

We need to support this rebellion. The thousand Saddamists there fighting against the Shiites are the same thousand armed guerrillas that are going to be harrying our forces there in the south. We have already taken casualties to these guys, including soldiers executed.

We need to kill them where we find them.

[snooker]

I did hear Rummy at todays presser and if the VOA is saying otherwise, they must have a reason for doing this. Been done this way before.

snooker

[EternalVigilance]

I suspect we are pretty well "staffed" over there. We keep hearing about the 1st Mar Div, what about the 2nd, or the 3rd? What about the other Army Div's? Where's th 25th Inf Div? I haven't heard anything about them...

Shhhhh....

;-)

[Trust but Verify]

Your thinking on this is wrong. If the people in Basra stage a successful (with coalition help) revolt, this will encourage people in Baghdad to do the same and make our job in Baghdad a lot easier.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Oh, no... you would have to read each of my posts in order, I never disregarded the strength of the revolting population. In fact, I am counting on it. I think that no matter how terrible things may look today, when the moment comes, the people will chose to stand up. I also firmly believe that many, many of the leaders in Iraqi military and leadership see the writing on the wall. My hope is that they too, will turn, before the moment is too late.

The southern cities are going to be fine... they are not the grand prize. The prize is Baghdad. The fear that the people live under in the south, can make them hesitant, but... they may also rise up in righteous anger against Saddam. I firmly believe that the people of Baghdad will revolt the moment they know that their chance has arrived.

[Trust but Verify]

Let's hope they have the means to revolt. Otherwise, they're just more grist for Saddam's mill.