Iraqis Will Disarm Militia in Holy Places-Ministry

[jadedcherub]

--snip--
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi forces alone will disarm militia holed up in Najaf at one of Shi'ite Islam's holiest sites, a spokesman for Iraq's Interior Ministry said on Thursday as U.S. forces opened a major offensive to drive out the militia.

"There is intensive fighting ... the police and the national guard are heading this operation supported by multinational forces," Interior Ministry spokesman Sabah Kadhim told CNN.

U.S. marines, backed by aircraft, launched a major offensive on Thursday to crush a week-long rebellion by Shi'ite militia loyal to radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al Sadr.

Some 2,000 U.S. servicemen and 1,800 Iraq security men are deployed around Najaf, a city of 600,000 about 100 miles south of Baghdad.

Thousands of civilians were fleeing the area around Imam Ali Shrine in the heart of the city, witnesses said.
--snip--

Does this not sound terrible to everyone else?
I hope today isn't as terrible as it sounds like it could be.

.jc.

[lebkuchen]

1. Who do we root for? nt

[jadedcherub]

2. The fleeing civilians, to begin with.

[Zero Division]

3. I have to wonder: what portion of those Iraqi forces are Sunni or Shi'ite?

I'm referring to the Iraqi security forces that are fighting with the U.S forces, of course. I can't imagine that things will go smoothly if a largely Sunni force is sent in to fight on the grounds of a Shi'ite holy site.

[moobu2]

4. It's awfully convinient to have Aljazeera out of the way.

Just in time to attack Najaf and the Imam Ali Shrine.

[leftchick]

5. 1,800 Iraq security men ?!?!?

I highly doubt it. I am sure this whole thing is a US Military operation. I will never trust the official US version of events in Iraq.