US Will Hand Iraqis Control of Karbala

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

US Will Hand Iraqis Control of Karbala

Saturday October 27, 2007 4:31 PM

By KIM GAMEL

Associated Press Writer

NAHRAWAN, Iraq (AP) - U.S. forces will turn over
security to Iraqi authorities in Karbala province, a
Shiite region in south, on Monday, the American
commander for the area said. The much-delayed process
has been punctuated by fierce fighting between rival
militia factions.

Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, who is in charge of the 3rd
Infantry Division, said the Iraqis were ready to assume
full control of their own security in the south-central
province, which holds the shrines of two major Shiite
saints, Imam Abbas and Imam Hussein. But U.S. troops
will remain ready to step in when help is needed.

Karbala will become only the eighth of Iraq's 18 provinces
to revert to Iraqi control, despite President Bush's
prediction in January that the Iraqi government would
have responsibility for security in all of the provinces by
November.

Lynch dismissed concerns about rivalries among Shiites,
two months after clashes between militiamen battling for
power erupted during a major pilgrimage in the provincial
capital of Karbala, left at least 52 people dead.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-7029001,00.html

[bemildred]

1. Another "victory" for our triumphant forces in the Middle East. nt

[ohio2007]

2. Sign of giving control back to Iraqi's in Diyala province ?

US seizes 'senior Iraq militant'

US forces have captured a senior Shia militia leader and killed two others in a raid in the central Iraqi province of Diyala, the US military has said.
snip
"We continue to support the government of Iraq in welcoming the commitment by Moqtada Sadr to stop attacks and we will continue to show restraint in dealing with those who honour his pledge," US military spokesman Major Winfield Danielson said.

"However, as this operation illustrates, not all are honouring his pledge and some continue to conduct violent crimes against Iraqi citizens and security forces."

On Monday, Mr Sadr warned members of the Mehdi Army to obey the six-month suspension of its activities or risk being branded traitors.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7065435.stm

[provis99]

3. so Bush has given up on another province?

Thats what it means when they turn it over to Iraqi control (ie. abandon it). Expect chaos to ensue soon.

[tabasco]

4. The Iraqis will be given control of everything except the oilfields.

The cities can burn and the Bush oil mafia will not care.

You can bet your ass the oil bosses won't let Bush give the oil back.

If the Iraqis got control of the oil, they might PUMP IT AND SELL IT, reducing prices.

CAN'T HAVE ANY OF THAT NOW, CAN WE?

[sutz12]

5. I wonder which Iraqis we're 'handing it over' to? nt

[Barrett808]

8. Badr Corps, an Iranian proxy

Karbala turned over to Iranian-backed Badr
http://www.juancole.com/2007/10/major-us-anti-war-protests-karbala.html

So we're basically surrendering, province by province, to Iran. Except in Anbar, where we're arming Sunni militias.

[Supersedeas]

6. more Bush benchmarks that fail to be achieved yet the M$M forgets

[Javaman]

7. that's assumijng the that US actually had control of it in the first place. nt

[izquierdista]

9. Here you take it

I don't know how it happened, and I don't want it anymore, it's broken.
:shrug:

[ohio2007]

10. Iraqis to take control of Basra province

the redcoats are leaving,
the redcoats are leaving

British forces are to transfer responsibility for security in Basra province to Iraq’s government in December, it has been announced.

Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, and David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, said that after a formal handover ceremony British troops would be "in over watch" in the region while the Iraqi police and army take on greater responsibility for security on the ground.

Mr Browne is expected to agree a date in mid-December for the handover of the last Iraqi province still under British control when he meets the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, in Baghdad on Wednesday. About 1,000 British troops are already due to leave southern Iraq by Christmas.


snip


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/31/nbasra131.xml

It's time to follow their lead and melt away into the deserts,out of the Iraqi faces,out of the Iraqi cities,out of Iraqi sight but
not out of Iraqi minds.