Posted on 11/17/2006 8:09:43 PM PST by jmc1969
A senior Defense Department official told ABC News that Shiite militiamen tied to anti-American cleric Moqtada al Sadr were behind the abduction of four American security contractors and an Austrian co-worker seized in a brazen attack on a supply convoy near the southern Iraqi city of Basra.
The search for the missing contractors resulted in a raid by coalition forces earlier today near the Kuwait border that resulted in the deaths of two Iraqi gunmen, but no hostages were found.
Throughout the day, statements from Iraqi officials — later discounted — led to reports that some of the hostages had been released or found dead. However, their employer, Crescent Security Group, said there had been no claim of responsibility, no demand for ransom and no communication of any kind from the hijackers.
Despite the confusion, new details emerged about the incident Thursday that took place 20 kilometers north of the Iraqi city of Safwan, located near the border with Kuwait.
A senior defense official said it was believed that the gunmen who ambushed the convoy were wearing newly issued Iraqi police uniforms that are supposed to be tightly controlled, hard to duplicate and were issued only last month.
Only a month ago, the coalition began distributing the digitally altered blue camouflage uniforms to National Police Brigades. The uniforms are also tied to the mass kidnapping earlier this week in Baghdad at the Education Ministry.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Does that mean it's FR or me?
Fighting to make Iraq safe for pro-Iranian anti-American clerics like Sadr to rule is not what I signed up for when I supported the war. If you think Sadr is going to allow free and fair elections in Iraq in the future you are dreaming.
Iran sees this as simply a continuation of the Iran-Iraq War. And, the US as long as long as it avoids the Madhi Army is basically fighting Sadr and Iran's enemies for them.
Nearly 3,000 Americans have not died in Iraq to hand the country over to the Madhi Army.
There is a ditch in Crawford for you.
There will be no war to speak out against 6 months from now if the US doesn't act very soon.
Perhaps you haven't gotten it though you head.
The Madhi Army is about to trigger a civil war in Iraq.
There will be massive ethnic cleansing and hundreds of thousands will die. The Madhi Army has the advantage in numbers and aid and equipment from Iran. US public opinion will not let the President get involved in an all out civil war.
The Madhi Army will likely crush the Sunnis and then turn their guns on the Badr militia.
At the end of the day the Madhi Army will rule all of Iraq.
If you think that sounds impossible you need to wake the hell up.
Well, I'm glad it's not just me, but I certainly didn't mean to hijack the thread. This was the thread I was on when it happened and at the time I guess I just considered myself lucky to get back on FR and wanted to mention it right away. I did ping John Robinson. Maybe he will have some answers. Thanks for your help.
Another point to be made is that the Brits have gone into total force protection mode down there. The Islamist mafia, Iranian intelligence, and oil smugglers (who are oft-times all the same people) have veto power over all that goes on in the south. Trust me on this one.
From a strategic perspective, the war turned on the incredibly-stupid decision to let Sadr continue to waste oxygen.
At the time, EVERYONE on this forum recognized the folly of letting him stay in power.
I am ashamed and embarrassed by the incompetence of this administration.
Check
and then turn their guns on the Badr militia.
Check
At the end of the day the Madhi Army will rule all of Iraq.
Not if everybody who wants to pick up their marbles and go home will just STFU and let us finish the job.
al-Sadr's top aid laid out the Madhi Army's plans for talking over Iraq two months ago to the Washington Post, he plainly said they plan on starting a civil war and winning it and then consolidating their victory meaning killing their Shia rivals.
The Madhi Army plan is simple first get an all out civil war going, that will allow the Madhi Army to expand massively from 30-40k to 300-400k thanks to the four million poor citizens of Sadr City which would provide a great pool for Madhi Army fighters. With help from Iran they could equip these fighters.
In a year or two the Sunnis would be driven out of Baghdad and nearby cities and deep into the far west of Anbar. At which point the Madhi Army would use its several hundred thousand strong militia to overpower the rival Shia militia the Badr, thus allowing them to control Iraq. After that I expect with Iranian and perhaps Turkish help they will start a long with the Kurds.
This is why the US can't just sit back and let a civil war occur.
Yes, kill the enemy now or our mission in Iraq is done.
"Not if everybody who wants to pick up their marbles and go home will just STFU and let us finish the job."
Finish the job???
The whole point of this thread is that the Madhi Army is attacking us blatently. They are killing Americans and kidnapping them and we aren't responding. They are trying everything they can to start a civil war by killing tens of thousands and we aren't responding.
We will finish the job when we have the nads to take out the most powerful pro-Iranian militia in Iraq. And, we have very little time to do it before they are able to spark an all out civil war.
The whole point of this thread is you pitching a fit and withdrawing your support from the war because you, in your infinite wisdom, think the Mahdi Army should be taken down by US forces, now, before they ethnic cleanse the Sunnis and wipe out the Badr Brigades.
It's simply not as easy as one thinks..... I don't care what the pundits say, Al-Sadr has popular support, when he barracated himself in that holy Shitte mosque- Where was the outrage? From his fellow Iraqs? There was none!
The Madhi vs. SCIRI/Badr brawl is one of the toughest things to get a clear picture of. Basically, SCIRI/Badr are more organized, more formally militarized, and -- most dangerously -- more closely tied to Iran. The Sadrists, on the other hand, are more akin to Aidid's drug-crazed cannon fodder in Somalia.
Sadly, I have already given up on this war. I just hope that my son makes it out in good shape. Rumsfeld started the ball rolling downhill by not having enough troops on the ground. Then he compounded the error by "staying the course". Only an insane person keeps doing the same thing over and over and hopes that the outcome will change. Then the president "fires" Rumsfeld after the election in an apparent move to appease the victorious demoncraps. Finally, we have no exit timetable. Originally I bought the party line about how an exit timetable would only work to help the terrorists. Now I know that the lazy Arabs will not step up to the plate and do their job of policing their own nation as long as the Americans are there to bail them out.
This war was bungled by not having enough boots on the ground and now is being bungled by not getting ready to leave if the arabs don't start policing themselves.
He should have went to Allah two years ago but we didn't have the cajones to send him there...
If you are "over there" and supporting Mookie and Iran, I will be the first one in the ditch calling to bring an end to such stupidity. Iranian and Syrian materials and support, along with the Madhi militia, are what have been killing our troops.
5.56mm
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