U.S.: Sadr City again a militants' haven

[sabra]

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/15605762.htm

U.S.: Sadr City again a militants' haven
Associated Press

BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. soldiers trying to calm Baghdad say the sprawling Sadr City slum has once again become a haven for anti-American militants - and the source of most of the gunfire and mortars directed at them.

In the last two weeks, U.S. forces have suffered several casualties from dozens of shootings, mortar attacks and roadside bombings that American troops believe originated from Sadr City.

...

Instead of venturing into Sadr City in strength, U.S. troops are concentrating instead on the mostly Shiite neighborhoods that surround the militia stronghold. All the while they are drawing fire from Sadr City.

"I just want to see something done about Sadr City," said Staff Sgt. Brian Beem, 29, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. "Send in the Iraqi army, the U.S. Army - send everyone in. ... They're going to need it. ... Something's going to have to be done about that place."

[acmavm]

1. How about Staff Sgt. Brian Beem and the rest of the foreign

invaders get the fuck out of these people's country? Will that work?

[Dhalgren]

5. I agree. It belongs to them, let them have it.

[ACause]

7. Only problem with getting out

I think everyone of every political stripe can agree..while it's bad now on the ground..leaving would probably be just as bad...if you think it's bad now, wait til their are no obstacles between the Shiite and the Sunni...the Sunni had it good under Saddam...the Shiites are not going to let the Sunni forget that, nor forget that many of the Iraqi Army were responsible for the downfall of the first Shiite rebellion after the first Gulf War.

[Dhalgren]

10. The Iraqis are going to have to work out their differences between

themselves. We can give all kinds of help, as can the rest of the world, but they are not our children or our charges, they are adult human beings, with their own country, their own lives, their own futures. At this point, I agree with all of those people, of every political stripe, who say that the US presence is the biggest obstacle to a peaceful resolution in Iraq. The US needs to withdraw all troops from Iraq and then help in a civilian, non-armed manner...

[ACause]

12. With regret I have come to the conclusion

That what all Iraqi factions desire is not peace...but victory...not exactly the same thing. What can you expect of a people where one side still celebrates a victory in battle over the other (Shiite/Sunni) well over a 1000 yrs since the battle ended?

Withdraw yes...while the original mission was laced with fallacies, even the secondary "stated" missions by the Bush Administration can no longer be seen as viable. All our presence in Iraq will do is merely prolong the inevitable...a Shiite/Sunni war where the Shiite will triumph, they will ascend into power and push the Sunni into second-class citizenship, the very same enviroment the Sunni's placed on the Shiites...The Kurds if they are lucky will be able to survive unscathed, they've done relatively well on their own.

[saigon68]

13. Brian Beem has a death wish

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. How many times have they invaded Baghdad & Sadr City now?

This is all pretty tragic.

[thereismore]

3. I believe Casey Sheehan was killed there. nt

[Kagemusha]

4. Saddam couldn't even get that place under (full) control.

It's not tank territory.

[ECH1969]

6. The Madhi Army needs to be taken out

I don't care if US or Iraqi troops do it. If the milita isn't restrained it will send Iraq into a civil war.

[sabra]

8. al Maliki and al Sadr are hand in hand

if US tries anything now, it will get very ugly...

[ECH1969]

9. Maliki relies on Sadr's support in parliment

to keep Hakim from breaking up the country.

But, that said you can't have a several thousand man militia walking around Baghdad killing Iraqis by the dozens every day.

There is no good way out for Maliki.

[bemildred]

11. It's been that way all along.

The correct word is "always", not "again". The Mahdi Army will not be "taken out", neither will it be disarmed. If anyone had the foggiest idea how that might be done, it would have already been done, long ago, when we were in a better position to do it. Some things can't be fixed.