US begins Major Assault on Sadr-or-Bush Says Iraqis 'Will Deal With' Sadr?

[frank frankly]

Which one is it?

Will nobody in the media point out that this administration can't even keep their lies together for a single day?

------------------------------------------

Bush Says Iraqis 'Will Deal With' Rebel Cleric Sadr

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites) said on Wednesday Iraqis "will deal with" rebel cleric Moqtada al-Sadr despite previous pledges by U.S. forces to kill or capture him.

"I think he ought to be dealt with by the Iraqi citizens, who are getting tired of him occupying the holiest of holy sites," Bush said in an interview with Dubai-based Al Arabiya television. "The Iraqis will deal with Mr. Sadr."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040505/ts_nm/iraq_...

OR

---------------------------------

U.S. Begins First Major Assault on Iraqi Militia Led by Cleric
By EDWARD WONG

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/05/international/middleeast/05CND-IRAQ.html?hp=&pagewanted=print&position=

ARBALA, Iraq, May 5 — The American military launched its first major assault against insurgents led by Moktada al-Sadr, a rebel Shiite cleric, striking early this morning at militia enclaves in this holy Shiite city and in another city in southern Iraq in an effort to retake control of those areas.

About 450 soldiers in dozens of armored vehicles, including M-1 Abrams tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles, rumbled beneath a full moon through a neighborhood here controlled by armed supporters of Mr. Sadr.

The firepower on display was extraordinary. Polish and Bulgarian soldiers, Special Forces snipers, an Apache attack helicopter and an AC-130 Spectre gunship backed up the main strike force.

The operation, called Iron Saber, began at 11 p.m. on Tuesday (3 p.m. Tuesday Eastern time) and ran until dawn today. A similar battle took place at the same time in the city of Diwaniya, 60 miles southeast of here.

[frank frankly]

1. kick

:kick:

[bemildred]

2. Eh, well.

It has been evident for some time that the commanders
on the ground are no longer taking direction from the
political leaders. It's a bit speculative, but it looks
like what is happening is that the political leaders are
trying to pretend that they ordered or suggested what
has actually happened after the fact, witness the sequence
of events in Faloojah.

[frank frankly]

3. great point!

:kick: