Coalition warns Karbala residents to leave Iraqi holy city after clashes

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040515/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_unrest_karbala_sadr&cid=1514&ncid=1480

KARBALA, Iraq (AFP) - US-led coalition forces urged residents to leave this Iraqi holy city after three civilians were killed and seven others wounded in fighting between Shiite militiamen and Iraqi troops.


US warplanes flew low overhead and coalition soldiers drove through town telling people to leave over loud speakers following clashes between US-trained Iraqi paramilitary forces and loyalists of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr.


A patrol of the Iraqi Civil Defence Corps (ICDC) came under attack 50 metres (yards) from the shrines of Imam Hussein and Imam Abbas, among the most revered sites for Shiite Muslims, said witness Hassan Ghanem.


Ghanem said he saw a fighter from Sadr's private Mehdi Army beat an ICDC officer. Police and medical sources were unable to confirm the report.

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[DUreader]

1. Does anybody know the population of Karbala?

[NNN0LHI]

2. About a half a million people

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Karbala

[DUreader]

4. Shades of Fallujah

[Just Me]

6. Yep. That was my 1st thought. Here we go again. Second verse,

same as the first. The Bush regime seems to have only one-track for dealing with anything; the rule of force track. So, shallow.

[Scurrilous]

3. Around half a million:

http://www.cpa-iraq.org/regions/south-central/provinces/english/karbala.html

<snip>

UN Data 2003 Towns in Karbala Province

Population

Karbala Center 541,758

[earthside]

7. Deep Trouble in Karbala

Read this:

HISTORY: Battle of Kerbela
The Battle of Karbela took place on October 10, 680 in Iraq. The battle saw the armies of Yazid face those of Imam Husayn. The armies of Yazid prevailed, and ended the threat to his claim over the caliphate from Husayn, but not before Husayn and his entire family were killed. The body of Husayn was decapitated, and the head was brought back to Yazid. The day is remembered by Muslims as Ashura, and is extremely important to the Shia. Yazid's actions in regards to Husayn and the battle have made him a notorious figure.
FACT-INDEX
http://www.fact-index.com/b/ba/battle_of_kerbela.html

You can also follow the link at: ww.earthside.com

The Bush occupation forces are going to cross the line in Karbala very soon. These folks have a sense of their history. In otherwords, Bush and Bremer are going to be perceived as a modern-day version of Yazid.

-30-

[Wright Patman]

5. The 'Monolition"

should stick to the rural areas. That way it could say it was controlling 90 percent of the territory and declare victory.

Are there two different commanders running the Falluja sector and the Karbala sector? Why was it okay to hand over Falluja to the Iraqis and not okay to let Karbala be for the Karbalans, so to speak?

[jmcgowanjm]

8. St Peter's Basilica was damaged in the fighting today

Mass has been cancelled for the day.

The infidels advised all residents of the Vatican
to leave.

Four holes, each approximately 12 inches long and 8
inches wide, could be seen on the golden dome of the Imam
Ali mosque, burial place of Imam Ali Ibn Abu Talib, the
Prophet Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law and the
Shiites' most revered saint.

...That did little to assuage the anger of many Shiites in Najaf.
By early evening, thousands gathered around the Imam
Ali shrine to inspect the damage. Some shook their heads
in disbelief. Others mumbled prayers.

"The Americans had better leave Iraq after this," said
Jassim Mohammed. Abu Zahraa al-Daraji, added:
"The Americans have crossed a red line."

http://morningsun.net/stories/051504/usw_20040515033.shtml

[mom cat]

9. So now we can say "we told them to get out"it's thrie fault if they die

[keithyboy]

10. So, we are getting ready to 'level' Karbala

Wonder how many bombs we will drop?