US Battles Al-Sadr Soldiers, Coalition Says Up to 25 'enemy' Killed

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGABND1A5UD.html

KARBALA, Iraq (AP) - U.S. soldiers backed by tanks and helicopters battled fighters loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr near a mosque in the holy city of Karbala Wednesday, hours after Iraqi leaders agreed on a proposal that would end al-Sadr's standoff with the U.S.-led forces. Up to 25 insurgents were killed, the coalition said.

Half of the Mukhaiyam mosque, which had served as a base for al-Sadr followers, was destroyed and seven hotels were on fire after tanks opened fire and jets bombed the area. Most of the shops in Tal al-Zeinabiya, a central market, and three ambulances were also destroyed.

American troops and al-Sadr's followers also fought overnight on the outskirts of two other southern cities, Kufa and Najaf. Residents heard large explosions. One Iraqi was killed and four were wounded in Kufa, and four Iraqis were wounded in Najaf, hospital officials said.

U.S. soldiers raided houses Tuesday night in Sadr City, a Baghdad neighborhood where support for al-Sadr is strong, witnesses said. Three Iraqis were killed. At a funeral ceremony Wednesday for one of the slain men, mourners raised Iraqi flags and al-Sadr posters as they chanted: "Down, down U.S.A."

more..."Enemy" is the word the media used for the Vietnamese during that war.

[rangerfan]

1. Actually "enemy" is the word the media used for the

North Vietnamese. "Friends and allies" were the words used for the South Vietnamese.

[NNN0LHI]

5. But today we know that terms "North" and "South" Vietnam were only...

...a figment of someones imagination. Kind of like the "Domino theory".

Don

[ze_dscherman]

2. Contrary to claim that "US approaches militia to help control Najaf"

The US military in Iraq is aiming for a political outcome in its battle with the forces of rebel cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, as it seeks to win six weeks of calm before it hands over sovereignty on June 30, according to a US commander in Baghdad.

General Martin Dempsey, commanding general of the 1st armoured division, said on Tuesday that he had begun negotiations with “stakeholders” including members of Mr Sadr’s militia to form two battalions of 1,840 troops in Najaf, which he said Mr Sadr's “lieutenants” could help to recruit.

The offer resembles last week's deal in the Sunni town of Falluja, in which US troops lifted their three-week siege, withdrew to the town's periphery and handed security to a “Falluja brigade”, in part comprising insurgents.

The initiative comes after a month of heavy fighting around Najaf and Karbala and marks a significant reversal of the previous US declared objective “to kill or capture” Mr Sadr, who has been indicted for murder.

More: http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1083180429233&p=1012571727102

Link fixed on edit

[samsingh]

3. they probably count civilian casualties as enemies

and wrongdoers. i so hate shrub dumification of the world.

[ConcernedCanuk]

4. Even if the US killed 25 a day, they better do a reality check

.
.
.

There were close to half a million Iraqi Military when the US started this mess.

Since then they've killed and maimed tens of thousands of innocent civilians, creating more "enemies".

Of course, unlawful detentions and abuses didn't help either.



And if Iran ever decides to put in a quarter or million or so, (which I'll bet they would do if the US - vis-a-vis Israel "does" anything in Iran)

The US's 100,00+ overstressed and under-trained troops would get walked all over, and the 800 US losses would skyrocket.

Alas, the BFEE has no value for human lives, be it the Iraqis, or even their own young.

(sigh)

[jamesinca]

10. We are losing our butts in the numbers game

Simply there are 25,000,000 Iraqis if I remember right. There are 130,000 soldiers. That is 192:1 ratio of Iraqis to Americans. If the entire population of the U.S. moved to Iraq there would be 15:200 Iraqis to Americans ratio.

I am not hearing of 192 Iraqis for every American being reported. This makes me think they will drive us out just from attrition, just be taking one or two a week will do the trick. Slowly but surely Iraq is winning this one and they know it. The entire Middle East knows it.

[yellowcanine]

6. Hmmm - I thought the military wasn't doing "enemy" body counts.

This was supposedly one of the "lessons learned" from Vietnam - enemy body counts are counter productive, particularly in a guerilla type war. All it does is piss off the locals, because they assume that many of the "enemy" are actually civilian noncombatants. So why are they now doing enemy body counts?

[spinbaby]

7. I noticed that, too.

Can only conclude that this administration has never learned any history.

[wtmusic]

9. The illusion of progress

Killing the bad guys. Bang, bang.

[Dhalgren]

8. We never hear of US casualies, anymore,

but lunavilles numbers keep going up - 35 in 12 days. How can the US media be so "whore-ish" about something this important? We have to start a botcott and make it broad enough to hurt. If these slut-bastard media pukes only care about their "bottom line", I say let's see how well they do when a sizable percentage of the population turns them off and stops buying. I have already started cutting the sons of bitches off, but we need to do it in a concerted, publicized way - they need to get the message! Fuck them!

[saigon68]

11. Hey Don love your tag line

If Vietnam was Korea in slow motion, then Operaton Iraqi Freedom is Vietnam on crack cocaine.