Iraqi firebrand rejects US disarmament deadline

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030907/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_disarm_reject&cid=1514&ncid=1480


NAJAF, Iraq (AFP) - The armed militia of anti-US Iraqi firebrand Moqtada Sadr will not lay down its weapons in accordance with a deadline of next Saturday set by the US-led coalition, a member of the cleric's office said.

"We obey only God and our religious leaders. We don't care about what the Americans say," Sheikh Juad al-Issawi told AFP on Sunday on a street corner here surrounded by four of Sadr's militiamen armed with Kalashnikovs.

"The Americans came two days ago. They tried to disarm us. But we said we could not do it."

A US Marine spokesman said earlier that the US-led coalition had set a Saturday deadline for the militias to lay down their arms or face forced disarmament and possible arrest.

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[sistersofmercy]

1. Let's fan the fire, dimwits!

[Rollins]

2. Lucky Rummy got out when he did.

The US is going to conceed to these militant groups when they don't give up their guns next Saturday then spin it like the Shiites are now on our team so they can carry guns...

[Gin]

3. Your theory sounds a lot less deadly than whay will happen if we

really do try to disarm them....I hope you are correct...even though I think this whole mess is a major mistake.

[Vikingking66]

4. the Shiite has hit the fan now

Seriously, if we start getting attacked in Najaf and Basra
more than we're getting attacked in Tikrit and Baghdad,
we're are seriously screwed.

Whoever set that car bomb off has done exactly what they
wanted to do; set the U.S and the armed Shiites at odds.

[bvar22]

5. Lets do the fuzzy math:

24 Million Iraqis vs. 145,000 American occupiers

AND
Home Field advantage goes to the Iraqis.

[The Magistrate]

6. This Will Be Big Fun

It will multiply exponentially the number of active fighters participating in the resistance to U.S. occupation, if successful.

Of course, having made the threat, it must be executed, otherwise it will be seen that the U.S. is afraid of these people, and their numbers will grow exponentially.

This entire venture is foolish incomptence raised past the point of even criminality to the heights of humor: you just cannot make things like this up. As Mr. Twain once remarked: "Fiction must make sense; the truth is under no such obligation."

[tlcandie]

7. Ya, which military commaner/leader said they enjoyed the fireworks?

Totally paraphrased, but I remember an article up around Tikrit where this military person said it was the most beautiful firefight they had ever seen :(

Soon, they will get more 'firefighting' than they ever wished or dreamed!

[number6]

8. very very dark humor....

:-( :nuke:

[The Magistrate]

11. That Is An Old Man's Perogative, Sir

[pfitz59]

9. Sounds alot like Judge Moore and his supporters!

"We obey only God and our religious leaders. We don't care about what the American (court)s say,"
The talibornagain would feel right at home with these guys.

[SpiralHawk]

10. Dear Mr. pResident*

Isn't it time to re-think your "Bring 'em on" strategy?


*Inexcusably AWOL while honor-bound by solemn oath to be serving with the Texas National Guard in the 1970s; defeated by a clear majority of patriotic and discerning American voters in the 2000 election; appointed to office by the so-called supreme court.

[IndianaGreen]

12. Branding a freedom fighter as a "firebrand" takes the cake

The only "firebrands" I am aware of are the neocons in the Pentagon and the White House that forced this war on the American people.

[NNN0LHI]

13. Don't look loke this plan worked out too well. We are leaving instead n/t

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