Third Day Of Fighting Takes Over Iraq

Intense fighting between Iraqi Shiite militiamen and US And Iraqi forces has been raging in Iraq over the past three days. The fighting threatens to end a Mahdi Army cease-fire that is credited for many security gains in Iraq. Below are a couple reports on the violence and discontent throughout the country:

AP: Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Says He'll Pursue Fight To "The End"

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is promising to pursue his fight against Shiite militias in Basra to "the end."

Al-Maliki made his pledge to Basra area tribal leaders Thursday as military operations against the militias continued for a fourth day despite stiff resistance.

AP: Green Zone Hit For Fourth Day This Week:

Shiite militants are hammering the U.S.-protected Green Zone with rockets and mortars for the fourth day this week.

Thick, black smoke is billowing from inside the heavily fortified home to the U.S. Embassy and Iraqi government.

AP: Tens Of Thousands Of Shiites Protest:

Tens of thousands of Shiites took to Baghdad's streets to protest the government crackdown on militias in Basra as heavy fighting between Iraqi security forces and gunmen erupted for a third day in the southern oil port and the capital.

Iraqi officials reported 17 more people killed in overnight clashes in Baghdad's main Shiite district of Sadr City and raised the number of deaths from fighting in the southern city of Hillah to at least 60.

Mounting anger focused on Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite who is personally overseeing an operation against Shiite militias dominated by followers of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr amid a violent power struggle in Basra, Iraq's southern oil hub near the Iranian border.

Comments

[SonnyBono]

News Flash - This just in from the Green Zone city council, aka the Iraqi government - Al Sader's militia has three days to disarm and if they don't , well, then they get another three days and so on and so forth.

Sort of reminds you of the US history in Iraq - got to give it time - got to give the surge time and before you know it, W will be walking out the door with a comment "Hell, Iraq was doing fine when I left. Wonder what happened?"

[getrealalready]

So as we wander with these thoughts about the Iraq war, who got us in - how on earth we get out, let the neersayers be ashamed of their own anti-American sentiment regarding Barack Obama not being a patriot misguided by the preachings of Rev. Wright for REVENGE.
People, get your facts straight.

GO OBAMA
DON'T LET THE BASTARDS GRIND YOU DOWN.
OBAMA 08

[combatveteran]

Maqtada must need a raise.

American taxpayers, lets all just go to work one extra day this month, so we can give our friend Maqtada al Sadr a raise, in order for him to "decide" to extend his truce.

Is it true that McCain is seriously considering him for vice president.

[GarsLuber]

Bush Inflation has hit everybody.

[31313]

Look's like the surge is working spin is being overwhelmed by the fact's.

[Synoia]

George has go so far righ,t that he travelled in a Great Circle, and is now approaching the problem from the left. George, a born again Maoist, has taken Mao's teaching to heart, especially the part where mao said:
"Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun."

This leads naturally to the latest round on negotiations in Iraq: The attack on Basra & Sadr city, as we told you in the '70s, peace growns out of the barrel of a gun.

See? We're winning.

[IngeniousGirl]

Everyone just needs to chill out.
I've just gotten word that Hillary and Chelsea will be leading a group of crack commandos on a daring raid into the hideout of the abductors.
Once there they will arrest the bad guys, free this poor kidnapped soul and be back in time to give an interview about the rescue on the Network evening newscasts.

[31313]

Why would they do that.?Haven't you heard the surge is working.

[Xander]

No way! That won't be able to succeed---Sheryl Crow is booked solid for the next 4 months, she won't be able to go, and BA Barrackus...I mean Sinbad, said he doesn't wanna do it. The A-Team can't take down an entire country without all its members.

[Zuni]

Hmm...I guess we can now say that al-Maliki is killing his own people. We have come a long way since Sadaam was "killing his own people". What progress.

[JessWonderin]

But Sue-damn was killing to keep the wealth and control of the country for his own un-elected unpopular selfish personal and Party needs - al-Maliki is . . . . never mind.

[humuhumunukunukuapuaa]

Did you see Christie Lee Cook singing "Proud to be an American" on American Idol?
Vote for Christie Lee Cook or the terrorists will win! On to singing the National anthem at the next Monster Truck Rally!!

[oneeyedodin]

Gawd bles de Yu Ess Eh.

[greymen]

I'm gonna puke.

[Ramirez]

And Christie makes it through another week!

She did a fine job with that song, btw. It was good enough to make even Michelle O. proud of her country.

[comebackid]

How many here have served your country?
How many have served during war time?
I have!
My father was a marine in WWII.
I have cousins, uncles, one grandfather, all have fought in foreign wars to protect our country and preserve our freedoms.

I would not fight in this war. I think my father would be ashamed of our government for acting in Iraq the very same way Hitler acted toward Poland.
It is a disgrace and yet ,can you all agree that we still have our rights and freedoms intact?
Are we still respected on the world stage as leaders of freedom and democracy?

We have more people in prison today than any other country in the world. Half of the 2.3 million prisoners are in for none violent behaviors that were once protected by our constitution but are now prisonable offences.

5.7million citizens are on paroll, probation or awaiting trial.

I won't live that much longer. Nature will one day have her way but I still feel a responsibility to leave behind the best world possible for my loved ones and deserving citizens.

How many of my fellow Americans fell the same as I do and are willing to do something about it?

[joebaggadonuts]

Thank you.

[marleysghost]

Ending the war now won't be any more or less disastrous than dragging it out until the last reasonable person dies. End it. Come home. Let the Iraqis kill each other. Then we can negotiate with Iran over the oil they left behind after these idiots killed each other. This place is the cradle of civilization??? They are all nuts. The hell with 'em.

[BlackWidowPilot]

comebackid,

on behalf of my family and all we hold dear, thank you for your service -and your family's - service to our country!

I too am the son of a WW2 US Marine. I was all but raised on stories of "those times." I am now a Military Historian.

America now more than ever needs ALL of her patriotic sons and daughters to stand up, be counted, and oppose the monstrous regime that has sleazed it's way into the halls of government.

Each and every one of us needs to make our voices heard, every day at least once a day, whether its on a blog, a website, local radio or television, the print media, letters to friends and family, whatever we can all do great or small to end this despicable bloody debacle and bring its equally despicable perpetrators to account.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[humuhumunukunukuapuaa]

Even if this fiasco of war results in the total demise of the republican party, it would still not be worth the life of a single American soldier.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

That goes without saying.

[31313]

Recentl I read a quote by Rep.Tom Davis of VA.(The republican brand is so bad,if it was dog food it would be taken off the shelf).

[realpolitic]

The doggies would not eat it!

[getrealalready]

well put.

[hmmmmmer]

Amen

[thegreatgiginthesky]

This is a perfect example of why human beings are a failed creation.

[oneeyedodin]

How can a perfect Gawn create an imperfect creation?

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Why blame God for our bloodlust?

[JTyroler]

Damned glad the surge is working!

[iPolitics]

CNN: A U.S. government official was killed today when militants fired rockets into the Green Zone in Baghdad, the U.S. Embassy says.

[myhomeo]

That's really sad.

[HumeSkeptic]

All Chickenhawks are in their basements today, shooting Shia.

[syllepsis]

The Sunnis can be taken care of later.

[oneeyedodin]

Hardy har har.

[cemlo2]

As an aside, what made Saddam Hussein a mad man? If I recall the media pundits described him as killing 1 million Kurds, viciously, violently and chemical warfare. What is the Iraqi body count that supplements the 4 thousand American lives and 80 thousand wounded/impaired since March 2003? An American victory at what cost...Who's MAD?