Iraq implodes as Shia fights Shia

[PaulaFarrell]

Source: Independent (UK)

A new civil war is threatening to explode in Iraq as American-backed Iraqi government forces fight Shia militiamen for control of Basra and parts of Baghdad.


Heavy fighting engulfed Iraq's two largest cities and spread to other towns yesterday as the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, gave fighters of the Mehdi Army, led by the radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, 72 hours to surrender their weapons.

The gun battles between soldiers and militiamen, who are all Shia Muslims, show that Iraq's majority Shia community – which replaced Saddam Hussein's Sunni regime – is splitting apart for the first time

...

Mortars and rockets launched from Mehdi Army-controlled districts of Baghdad struck the Green Zone, the seat of American power in Iraq, for the third day yesterday, seriously wounding three Americans. Two rockets hit the parking lot of the Iraqi cabinet. The mixed area of al-Mansur in west Baghdad, where shops had begun to reopen in recent months, was deserted yesterday as Mehdi Army fighters were rumoured among local people to be moving in from the nearby Shia stronghold of Washash. "We expect an attack by the Shia in spite of the Americans being spread over Sunni districts to defend them," said a Sunni resident.

....



Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iraq-implodes-as-shia-fights-shia-801214.html

[leftofcool]

1. But, but.........

this must be wrong. The surge is working. John McCain said so. (sarcasm)

[Lint Head]

2. Hmmmmmmmm. All hell is breaking loose. Who would da thought?

:dem:

[annabanana]

17. "No one could have forseen". . . . . n/t

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. No, no, no. They're celebrating the success of the surge.

McCain and Puppy Joe said so.

[Mountainman]

4. We can leave now, all hell will break lose no matter what we do.

This is going to kick McCain in the ass.

[Magleetis]

5. Iraq is FUBAR

Shrub and Cheney want it that way.

[SteinbachMB]

6. Shia

Shia surge!

[Dhalgren]

7. The Bush regime will bomb Iran now. With Iraq going to hell, they've

nothing to lose. The shear idiocy is that the Mahdi Army is not Iran's big ally in Iraq, it is the Iraqi government and its Badr Corps militia (now parading as police and soldiers). This whole sequence only makes sense if the US is trying to crush Sadr and strengthen Maliki; but Maliki is a strong, close ally to Iran and the US wants to bomb Iran! Can anyone figure this unutterable shit out?

[SteinbachMB]

9. The Bush regime will bomb Iran now

I think the administration has been planning to bomb Iran for some time now, and is waiting for a good opportunity to take action. I don't think this is it, but if Sadr keeps this up he may change the complexion of the war in a way that's difficult to discern at this time, other than the fact that Bush/Cheney can use him as a convenient excuse to , do something..........

[annabanana]

15. So we should back Al Sadr? (well.. we have been, haven't we?)

I'm sure his "cease-fire" was worth a dollar or two to the administration.. for the "surge" propaganda.

[Dhalgren]

21. Well, it is kinda his country, after all. But the thing I am asking is,

if the Bush regime is so anti-Iran, why is it backing Maliki who is a big Iran ally? An why is the regime anti-Sadr, who is not a big ally of Iran? Sadr, of course, is very anti-occupation/anti-American, so it kind of makes sense that the Bush regime would be anti-Sadr; but the Bush regime is supporting Maliki to the hilt and...so is Iran - which brings me back to, what the fuck is going on?

:shrug:


Oh, and to answer your question: Yes, I think we should probably be supporting Al-Sadr...

[xchrom]

8. would somebody please tell these iraqis that we have a SURGE!!!

how can this be happening -- i mean we have a surge, damn it!!!

:crazy:

[Doctor_J]

12. Not only that, but the surge WORKED

McShame said so the other day

[xchrom]

13. yeah -- you're right -- mcnuts did say that -- and if he said so...

:crazy:

[wtmusic]

19. Appears Iraqis have a little "surge" of their own going on.

"Thrice armed is he who hath his quarrel just."

As always, Shakespeare said it best.

[tanyev]

10. It's OK--it's merely a by-product of the success of the surge.

Pentagon said so.

:crazy:

[PaulaFarrell]

11. Must be all that freedom

freedom's untidy, dontcha know:

"Freedom's untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things," Rumsfeld said (regrading the looting after the invasion)

[annabanana]

16. "stuff happens". . . .n/t

[saigon68]

18. "FREEDOM IS ON THE MARCH" shouted the AWOL CHIMPANZEE

[bemildred]

14. Come, come, is it "implode" or "explode"? Let's make up our mind. nt

[truthisfreedom]

20. Can we say "CIVIL WAR" now that it's actually "CIVIL WAR"???

Or will the media muzzle itself again?