Revolts in Iraq Deepen Crisis In Occupation (MUST READ)

[DoveTurnedHawk]

In the space of two weeks, a fierce insurgency in Iraq has isolated the U.S.-appointed civilian government and stopped the American-financed reconstruction effort, as contractors hunker down against waves of ambushes and kidnappings, according to U.S. and Iraqi officials.

<...>

The most visible leader of the resistance is Sadr, a firebrand whose appeal long appeared to be limited to the young, unemployed Shiites who made up his militia, the Mahdi Army. However, in a surprising development, his poster began appearing this month at Sunni mosques that previously showed little interest in his activities.

<...>

Guerrillas coming out of Fallujah have complained bitterly that Kurdish militiamen known as pesh merga are deployed against them. The Kurds are members of the 36th Battalion of the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps, built from several exile-based militias that supported the U.S.-led campaign against Saddam Hussein. Commanders of another, overwhelmingly Arab Iraqi army battalion refused to fight alongside the Marines.

<...>

"When the fighting is over in Fallujah, I will sell everything I have, even my home," said a resistance fighter who gave his name as Abu Taif Mashhadani. He wept as he recalled his 8-year-old daughter, who he said was killed by a U.S. sniper in Fallujah a week ago. "I will send my brothers north to kill the Kurds, and I will go to America and target the civilians. Only the civilians. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. And the one who started it will be the one to be blamed."

<...>

Commanders were surprised by the sophistication and coordination displayed by insurgents massing for attacks on armored columns on highways. On Friday, a coalition aircraft reported coming under fire from an anti-aircraft gun, which was highly unusual.

No less sobering, commanders said, were new reports of children playing roles in guerrilla attacks. In Baghdad Tuesday, a girl about 6 or 7 years old dropped an explosive from a highway overpass onto a convoy. A commander was killed in a similar incident outside Fallujah, when a convoy was ambushed after slowing for a girl leading cattle across a highway.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20690-20...

DTH

[DoveTurnedHawk]

1. This Article Freaked Me Out

OK, so we all knew it was bad. But this article really brought together just HOW BAD it was.



DTH

[dArKeR]

19. Just think if any of these 'detainees' are American supporters,

the kind Bush alludes to, what do you think they're going to do after they're released? Or maybe they're never released innocent or not? Imagine yourself being innocent and then being treated like this with a bag over your head.

2 of them don't even have shoes to wear.

(pic included with story link)

[Political_Junkie]

2. ...

and the bushies say they are making the world a safer place.

[JoFerret]

3. There's a line in the NYTimes

Week in Review front page article "A world made more dangerous as terrorism Spreads" that gives one reason for the spread of terrorism - which is (surprise) : "the American-led occupation of Iraq".

Bush the Uniter has spread terrorism, and brought all forces together to target the soldiers in Iraq. It has inflamed the local population (or at the very least disappointed and alienated them) and turned every civilian into an enemy and potential killer.

It's a good article. Chilling. Thanks

[cyclezealot]

4. The Southern Iraqi British military commander

said should all elements combine into an infatada against US occupation, the military will not be able to control the situation.
This will be worse than the US in Vietnam in terms of outright defeat. It will take decades, maybe centuries to tame Islamic rage.Coupled with the weekend Iraeli assination of the Hamas leader.
My question..I am not happy with Kerry's Iraqi small talk. I am not happy with Kerry's Iraqi votes. I say his vote for the war and the $90 Iraqi finance bill is inconsistent.
That is not to say I recogize Kerry is my only choice, unfortunately. Unless, he gets some backbone... This war is a fiasco and Kerry at best was hoodwinked. Great leadership.
So my question...Kerry is president...How can he tame the elements Dubya has infuriated any better than Bush...The same rage Iraqi's feel towards Bush, I fear will automatically be transferred to Kerry. Kerry was for the war, why should he be forgiven.....Kerry will have no easier time in Iraq than Bush.

[wryter2000]

5. Unfortunately

So my question...Kerry is president...How can he tame the elements Dubya has infuriated any better than Bush...The same rage Iraqi's feel towards Bush, I fear will automatically be transferred to Kerry

Unfortunately, I think you can say this about anyone who succeeds Bush. I doubt very much that Iraqis are going to see a difference between Kerry or Dean or even Kucinich in this regard.

[cyclezealot]

6. Don't agree

Someone who opposed the war from the get go will at be treated skeptically, but at least have an opening.

[bemildred]

7. Yeah, somehow I think an official apology and reparations

would go a long way too. It would clear the air at home too.

[Just Me]

8. I believe merely removing the Bush regime would be positive.

After all, the rage across the whole globe has been clearly directed at the Bush regime as opposed to the American people. The mere removal of that regime would give cause for a breath of hope.

[Karenina]

12. It's a L-O-N-G way

to Tipperary...

[Ilsa]

9. Good questions. I also feel

like I'm voting for Kerry because of other issues, and just hope he can make this work better than Bush. I didn't get very excited about him on MTP this morning, but he will get my vote.

[kentuck]

10. Reminds me of the little girl on a bicycle in Viet Nam.....

That had the frame of her bicycle packed with explosives -to be used as a pipe bomb- and riding into a group of American GIs... The American attacks on innocents create such incidents....such is the nature of modern war...

[Frances]

18. Actually, it's the nature of guerilla war

We Americans used all kinds of "tricks" when we were fighting the British in the Revolutionary War.

Bush said something interesting in his last press conference. "I wouldn't like being occupied either." However, I think Bush would be the first collaborator if the U.S. were ever occupied. I don't think he has any personal courage.

[saigon68]

29. He is a coward and a lacky of Cheney and corporate interests

He has no personal courage, and would be the first Vichy or Quisling collaborator.

[Earth_First]

11. "When the fighting is over in Fallujah...

I will sell everything I have, even my home," said a resistance fighter who gave his name as Abu Taif Mashhadani. He wept as he recalled his 8-year-old daughter, who he said was killed by a U.S. sniper in Fallujah a week ago. "I will send my brothers north to kill the Kurds, and I will go to America and target the civilians. Only the civilians. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. And the one who started it will be the one to be blamed."

[ultramega]

15. The time for debating about the war vote is over.

Last night on some show they had this wingnut on TV and he said that he thought George Bush had 'A GREAT DEAL OF FORESIGHT!!!!!!'" about Iraq and had done the right thing.

This is how they are going to spin Iraq and the herds of ignoramu in this country will believe it.

"Its not that George Bush CREATED this situation in Iraq, it's that this situation WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ANYWAY and he SAW IT COMING, and HAD THE FORESIGHT to invade!@?@#$???!!!@!@#

There are alot of things I don't like to do in life everyday, but I do them anyway because the consequences of not doing them are worse. Right now we are looking at a choice between democraycy and fascism. It's that simple.

[bvar22]

13. The very FIRST thing bush*s successor....

...needs to do to begin to regain the trust of the Iraqis is to IMMEDIATELY EXPEL all foreign (US especially) Corporations from Iraq. Void ALL CONTRACTS signed by the puppet government (IGC), and forgive ANY AND ALL debts forced on the Iraqi people.

Then, turn over ALL REBUILDING to the Iraqi companies run by Iraqi civilians employing Iraqi citizens.

The lions share of the financing of the initial rebuilding of Iraq by the Iraqi People must by paid by the US and Great Britain. (We broke it). The IMF must be told to go fuck itself.


The republicans and the republican wing of the Democratic Party are fond of pointing to the Marshall Plan as an example of success. What they don't tell you is that American Corporations were FORBIDDEN to participate and profit from the rebuilding of Germany and Japan. Those countries were rebuilt by their own people. (financed by the US)


added on edit:
Iraq is one of the only (if not the ONLY) Middle Eastern country that has and educated and skilled middle class. If the Iraqi people are busy making money and building a country, they won't be easily seduced by the religious fanatics.

[sushi]

21. You are right!

Void ALL CONTRACTS signed by the puppet government...Then turn over ALL REBUILDING to the Iraqi companies run by Iraqi civilians employing Iraqi citizens.

Iraq has plenty of educated and skilled people. Why should the work be done by foreigners, charging way too much. If the Iraqis need any foreign contractors they will choose them themselves.

...and forgive ANY AND ALL debts forced on the Iraqi people.

They deserve it. The foreigners have destroyed their country.


Didn't know that American Corporations were forbidden to participate and profit from the rebuilding of Germany and Japan. Why should American corporations like Halliburton stand to make billions in Iraq when Iraqis themselves can do the job, and for much less.

[xchrom]

14. very alarming

i don't see a very good solution to this violence any time in the near future.
bush has poisoned the well -- and now we need to determine the extent of the damage.
no president of our choosing{meaning democrats} can move forward successfully without determining the extent of the over all situation in the mideast. none.
things are worse than we can know here is how i'm reading this.

[teryang]

16. It is a crisis

Politically, this is a desperate situation for the chimp and neo-cons. Their entire world view and foreign policy is being shown for what it is, a sham.

[Barrett808]

17. A completely predictable, avoidable catastrophe, courtesy of BFEE n/t

[peacetalksforall]

20. I don't think there are any alternatives to....

...stopping the private, partisan corporate pillage of a country, a pillage that is causing nothing but death.

...allowing that country to divide itself

...asking the people of that country to ask for help from the world, not us.

...talking our own out of believing that we have to be imperialists, colonialists, predators and convincing them that we are not superior to other souls on this earth and that our intentions have not been magnanimous or christian.

[enough]

22. kick (nt)

[Dark]

23. K-I-C-K!

Routine trips outside the compound to repair power plants, water-treatment facilities and other parts of Iraq's crumbling infrastructure have been deemed too dangerous, even with armed escorts.

My god. How the hell are we going to ever be able to secure this country and transition it to the Iraqis. by June 30th?

"I will send my brothers north to kill the Kurds, and I will go to America and target the civilians. Only the civilians. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. And the one who started it will be the one to be blamed."

I agree with EarthFirst

[daleo]

24. Here is a surprise

"The politicians the Americans wanted to become popular have lost out to the guys the Americans didn't want to become popular," said an Iraqi adviser to the occupation authority. "It was exactly the outcome they did not want."

Who could have possibly predicted that? So different from Viet Nam, where the politicians Americans wanted to become popular...Never mind.

[number6]

25. the war to create more terrorists

as the world burns ...

[CabalBuster]

26. Now tell me this is not like Vietnam n/t

[DemoTex]

27. I'm not tracking it. How is Halliburton stock weathering the storm?

Halliburton? You know. Cheney's main employer. Do you know who is on the Halliburton Board of Directors? Lawrence Eagleburger! PNAC hawk Eagleburger! What a gas! What an ass! Shout it from the roof-tops, friends.

[goforit]

28. WTF????.............

"Commanders were surprised by the sophistication and coordination displayed by insurgents........ "

What kind of imbeciles are running the show?

Their out and out arrogance and ignorance is just ovewhelming.

Their total underestimation of people fighting for their
basic right to have basic freedoms and their basic right to
survive.

OPPRESSION is for LOOOOOOOOsers!!!!!

[Toucano]

30. "And I think to myself..." n/t

[dusty64]

31. Kick.