US sets deadline for militias to disarm

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030907/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_disarm&cid=1514&ncid=1473

NAJAF, Iraq (AFP) - The US-led coalition has set a deadline for the disarmament of militias that have taken to the streets of central Iraq (news - web sites) since last month's deadly car bombing in the holy city of Najaf, a US military spokesman said.

"After that, we will take their arms away and, if they resist, we will arrest them and put them in jail," said Captain Edward Lofland, spokesman for the US Marines in Najaf.

Lofland told AFP the coalition had asked the US-appointed Iraqi interim governing council to appeal to the various militia groups running the city to disarm voluntarily before the Saturday deadline.

US officials have permitted some militiamen to operate as a protection force for holy Shiite shrines here since the August 29 bombing that killed 83 people including a revered cleric, Ayatollah Mohammad Baqer al-Hakim.

more

[Beetwasher]

1. Good Luck With That!

You'll need it. :eyes:

They're nuts. Just plain fucking crazy.

[saigon68]

19. MARINE CAPTAIN SMOKES DOPE

THE QUOTE---- "After that, we will take their arms away and, if they resist, we will arrest them and put them in jail," said Captain Edward Lofland, spokesman for the US Marines in Najaf.



The reality----


NO CAPTAIN YOU ARE ON OCCUPIER IN THEIR COUNTRY---- THEY ARE GOING TO KILL YOU.

AND NO ONE ABOVE YOU----- REALLY CARES ABOUT YOU -----BECAUSE YOUR ONLY PURPOSE IN IRAQ IS TO FURTHER THE PROFIT STRUCTURE OF CORPORATE AMERIKA

[Gin]

2. Another deadly confrontation on the horizon......this makes me

cringe. I feel for the troops who will have to make this a reality.

[Karenina]

12. It will NEVER be a reality

just more blood and guts the American public will never see... :shrug:

[madrchsod]

3. what a bunch of dumb asses

the us blew it`s chance in providing "law and order" to the iraqi`s which is the most important thing they wanted. now they`re going to confront the militias? ya ,that`s a real good idea to get more of our troops killed

[snippy]

26. "what a bunch of dumb asses"

I believe that quote is the most in-depth, detailed and comprehensive analysis of the Bush administration I have read. Are you a historian?

[bfusco]

4. Good luck is right

If they resist we will arrest them? How about wind up in deadly fire fights in urban terrain. Disarm the milita's when there is still no security and homicide rate of over 600 a month in Baghdad alone? Boy that will look real pretty when they try that one. Let's send Wolfowitz, Pearle, Cheeney and Rumsfeld to personally take part in that operation.

[Gman]

5. BWAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!!!!!

Can you imagine them saying that to the militias here in the US????

[chookie]

6. This bodes ill

Iraq is an NRA paradise - guns out the wazoo, everywhere, everyone has them. Disarming them is going to be difficult in the best of circumstances. I read some weeks ago that there is something like 20 AK47s for every US occupier there....

Then there is the small matter of public chaos. There is no order, no law enforcement, and tragically, people are forced to protect themselves from brigands and creeps in their streets.

The Iraqi people will not suffer this humiliation, and will resist fiercely. Attempting to disarm them will be perceived as a tightening of American control, and this will be fiercely resisted as well.

[leesa]

7. But Rumsfeld just said the Iraqis were responsible for their own

security. I wish these fools would at least get on the same page of their blueprint for disaster.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Let's try to reconcile these two pronoucements

First, there's the one in this thread.

Then there's the one in the other thread.

Okay, Rummy says Iraqis are to be responsible for their own security, but on the other hand the American colonialists will disarm the Iraqi militias that have taken repsonsiblity for security.

Go figure.

[NNN0LHI]

11. This one is even better

Previously Banned Militia Patrols Iraqi Holy City - With U.S. Acceptance


http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAITRH3AKD.html

NAJAF, Iraq (AP) - Militiamen carrying assault rifles and wearing arm bands of a once-outlawed Islamic group patrolled in the holy city of Najaf on Saturday, a week after a key Shiite cleric was killed in a bombing followers blamed on the failure of U.S. security efforts.

In a major - if temporary - policy shift, the top U.S. civilian administrator in Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, said the armed Iraqis have the blessing of the American occupation force.

"The militias ... on the streets of Najaf ... were there with the full authority of the Coalition Provisional Authority and in full cooperation with the coalition forces. That is to say, they were licensed in accordance with our existing programs," Bremer said Saturday at a joint news conference in Baghdad with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

When asked to name which militias had coalition approval, Bremer seemed to backtrack.

more

[karlschneider]

18. I suppose it ain't politically correct any more, but this is one

fucked up Chinese fire drill...
:grr:
:eyes:

[Enraged_Ape]

9. Let's get the NRA on this immediately!

:puke:

[smallprint]

21. for years the NRA has claimed

that a well-armed populace is the best defense against tryanny, dictatorship, and invading foreigners.

they just may be proven right in this case!

ed. for spelling

[MaverickX]

25. yes but..

The U.S. has a standing army to defend us and Iraq does not.

[Whoa_Nelly]

10. OR ELSE! -- the implied alternative

"After that, we will take their arms away and, if they resist, we will arrest them and put them in jail,"

...or we'll just kill them and not report it. Gotta keep those civilian casulty numbers down...Rummy would want it that way.

[Barrett808]

13. But -- didn't they just say security is the responsibility of Iraqis?

I dread to think what Bush will say tonight.

[Rex]

14. Arrest them? As Moses once said (almost)

you'll get their guns when you pry them from their cold dead hands!

[olmy]

15. "Okay...I call do overs." * really, really means it now.

In jail? Oh no not that! That should really scare em.

[ozymandius]

16. I am puzzled on a couple of things.

(a) What is the purpose of putting corpses in jail?

and

(b) How many MPs will be sacrificed in the ensuing hail of gunfire to arrest said militia?

[Desperadoe]

17. Remember way back when this all started?

Everyone in DU agreed that when all the hi tech bullshit was over and the fighting came down to urban warfare that the Iraqi's would have the advantage...........well here we are.

There's going to be a lot of dead bodies over this little fuckup. The American people are going to go ballistic when the body bags start coming home to Dover and....... they will find out now. They are starting to wake up and catch on to how much they have been bullshitted to by these chickenhawk Rambo wannabbees.

[Porcupine]

20. Ahem, all areas outside US bases are officially declared "jail".......

will somebody please tell the idiots in the Whitehouse that they can't play Calvinball with the rest of the world. Oh, and for godsakes buy these fools a dictionary.

[Whoa_Nelly]

22. Rah Rah Ree!

Kick'em in the knee!
Rah Rah Rass!
ummm...

Kick'em in the other knee!

Yeah..that's the ticket!

:bounce: :evilgrin: :silly: :evilgrin: :bounce:

[AdrianInOcala]

23. I thought this was going to refer to militias in this country, lol

Good thing I read the whole post and not just the title....

[MaverickX]

24. instead..

The should try to organize them into an independent Iraqi security force.