Iraqi prime minister says no retreat

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

BAGHDAD - Iraq's prime minister vowed Thursday to fight "until the end" against Shiite militias in Basra despite protests by tens of thousands of followers of a radical cleric in Baghdad and deadly clashes across the capital and the oil-rich south.


Mounting anger focused on Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is personally overseeing operations against the militias dominated by Muqtada al-Sadr's supporters amid a violent power struggle in Basra, Iraq's southern oil hub.

The Iraqi leader made his pledge to tribal leaders in the Basra area as military operations continued for a fourth day with stiff resistance.

"We have made up our minds to enter this battle and we will continue until the end. No retreat," he said in a speech broadcast on Iraqi state TV.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080327/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

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More than 130 people have been killed and hundreds wounded since the government launched its operation on Tuesday, exposing deep divisions between powerful factions within Iraq's majority Shi'ite community.

~snip~

Tens of thousands of Sadr supporters marched in Baghdad in a massive show of force for the cleric, demanding Maliki's ouster. In the vast Sadr City slum named after the cleric's slain father crowds of angry men jammed the main circle chanting slogans.

"We demand the downfall of the Maliki government. It does not represent the people. It represents Bush and Cheney," marcher Hussein Abu Ali said.

The slum of 2 million people has been locked in a virtual state of siege.

more:http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L27277457.htm

[0007]

1. junior the lead wino is dictating Iraq's future While we steal them

blind.

[Bragi]

2. Maliki has little choice but to fight "until the end"

What with "the end" being a civil war from which he has no possibility of escape.

[Winterblues]

3. Maliki represents Bush* / Cheney and not the people

Duhhhh

[magellan]

4. Maliki says a lot of things

Like his puppet masters, Bush** and Cheney, he is also proved wrong or to be a liar in short order.

It's sickening that American troops and Iraqi civilians will once again pay dearly for this bravado.

[bdamomma]

5. more dead, the killing spree goes on.

oh, this is truly sickening, a country that did nothing to us. I just don't know what to say anymore, and we have these criminals in our country still in power?? what the hell is wrong with us? :banghead:

[Deny and Shred]

6. ...till the end of what? His term in office? His support among the Shia?

[awoke_in_2003]

7. Well

you have to stay the course when you see the tide turning another corner :)

[Roy]

8. NO RETREAT!!!!

NEVER!!!

We will just stand right behind these US marines!

NOW COME AND GET SADR..... I DARE YA!!!!