OMG -- Has anyone read Riverbend's update to Baghdad Burning today?

[magellan]

snip...(though you really should read the whole thing)....

As for news of the new Iraqi army, it isn’t going as smoothly as Bush and his crew portray. Today we watched footage of Iraqi soldiers in Anbar graduating. The whole ceremony was quite ordinary up until nearly the end- their commander announced they would be deployed to various areas and suddenly it was chaos. The soldiers began stripping their fatigues and throwing them around, verbally attacking their seniors and yelling and shoving. They were promised, when they signed up for the army in their areas, that they would be deployed inside of their own areas- which does make sense. There is news that they are currently on strike- refusing to be deployed outside of their own provinces.

One can’t help but wonder if the ‘area’ they were supposed to be deployed to was the north of Iraq? Especially with Iranian troops on the border… Talbani announced a few days ago that the protection of Kurdistan was the responsibility of Iraq and I completely agree for a change- because Kurdistan IS a part of Iraq. Before he made this statement, it was always understood that only the Peshmerga would protect Kurdistan- apparently, against Iran, they aren’t nearly enough.

The big question is- what will the US do about Iran? There are the hints of the possibility of bombings, etc. While I hate the Iranian government, the people don’t deserve the chaos and damage of air strikes and war. I don’t really worry about that though, because if you live in Iraq- you know America’s hands are tied. Just as soon as Washington makes a move against Tehran, American troops inside Iraq will come under attack. It’s that simple- Washington has big guns and planes… But Iran has 150,000 American hostages.

[wtmusic]

1. More evidence that Iraq will be absorbed into Iran

Just a matter of time

[yodermon]

12. The United Islamic Republic n/t

[incapsulated]

2. "150,000 American hostages"

Eloquently put. However, I put nothing past these madmen.

[fooj]

6. And these bastards have put them in grave danger because of

their "policies"..."Abu G-Iranian Style" :cry:

[madame defarge]

3. That confirms what I've heard...

...from our own experts, like Joe Cirincione (Carnegie Endowment for Peace), Scott Ritter, Ray McGovern...that Iran will most definitely attack US soldiers in Iraq... Is that Clueless George's plan of how to bring our soldiers home? In boxes???

Man, I hate what's happening. Thanks for the Riverbend reminder; I need to check her site more often.

[DemoTex]

14. Attack US soldiers in Iraq and devastate the US fleet in the Persian Gulf.

Iran will probably fire salvos of Russian-built, 2.1 Mach Sunburn cruise missiles from the heights along the long coast of the Persian Gulf against the US fleet (which sits like ducks in the relatively shallow, relatively small gulf). The Straits of Hormuz could easily and quickly be controlled by Iran, preventing US Navy help from the Arabian Sea or Indian Ocean. I have seen estimates of over 3000 US sailors dead or wounded in the Persian Gulf within a few hours of any US strike on Iran.

[Robbien]

4. from her post, this part about the invasion

There was no longer an Iraqi television station. There was only the Iranian one, transmitting clearly. The tanks were rolling through Baghdad and bombing everything in their path. The Apaches were flying low and it seemed like every hour the gunfire and explosions were intensifying.

It was around 9 pm on the 11th of April when we finally saw the footage of Saddam’s statue being pulled down by American troops- the American flag plastered on his face. We watched, stunned, as Baghdad was looted and burned by hordes of men, being watched and saluted by American soldiers in tanks. Looking back at it now, it is properly ironic that our first glimpses of the ‘fall of Baghdad’ and the occupation of Iraq came to us via Iran- through that Iranian channel.

We immediately began hearing about the Iranian revolutionary guard, and how they had formed a militia of Iraqis who had defected to Iran during the Iran-Iraq war. We heard how they were already inside of the country and were helping to loot and burn everything from governmental facilities to museums. The Hakims and Badr made their debut, followed by several other clerics with their personal guard and militias, all seeping in from Iran.

Today they rule the country. Over the duration of three years, and through the use of vicious militias, assassinations and abductions, they’ve managed to install themselves firmly in the Green Zone. We constantly hear our new puppets rant and rave against Syria, against Saudi Arabia, against Turkey, even against the country they have to thank for their rise to power- America… But no one dares to talk about the role Iran is planning in the country.

[magellan]

5. Indeed. I've been trying to explain that for several months

...though I don't do near as good a job as River does. This is why I try to remind everyone to read Baghdad Burning.

The idea that what Bush** has unleashed on Iraq is a "democracy" by any description is -- well, if it wasn't so deadly serious, I'd say it was laughable. I'm almost convinced these hateful zealots were installed in the Iraqi gov't with a pre-defined purpose...This was pointing to Iran from Day One!!

[Media_Lies_Daily]

11. This sounds like planted propaganda to me...another....

...fabricated reason to attack Iran.

[bananas]

7. "we’ve been hearing about Iranian attacks on northern Iraq"

"The last few days we’ve been hearing about Iranian attacks on northern Iraq- parts of Kurdistan that are on the Iranian border. Several sites were bombed and various news sources are reporting Iranian troops by the thousand standing ready at the Iraqi border. Prior to this, there has been talk of Iranian revolutionary guard infiltrating areas like Diyala and even parts of Baghdad."

[magellan]

8. The radical ruling party in Iran smells blood

And the Iraqi Shi'a who are now in government and lord over most of Baghdad and the south with their militias and brigades will open the door for their religious brothers.

[enough]

9. k&r

[npincus]

10. I saw the footage of this on tee vee.... I don't remember if it was

NBC, MSNBC or CNN (I think it was CNN)- and was shocked the MSM was brazen enough to play it. However, I didn't see a repeat.

[Roland99]

13. Came across an article over the weekend discussing that.

That the Iraqis, I think it was in Basra, would become suicide bombers against western (US) troops if the US were to attack Iran.