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

[scoobynooby]

Truth is if the Mahdi militia wanted they could cut US troops and suppies off from the south and end this war once and for all. Our troops could get surrounded fast and the ration of fighters vrs US Troops is far greater and we could have a lot of loss of life.

[jeersforfears]

It's good to see you're rooting against the US - ergo against freedom and democracy and doing things the right, humane way for people.

Unless you're being sarcastic, and are just making fun of those people who are hoping the US troops sustain a great loss of life, and that they're cut off from the south, and all that.

In that case, you're very funny.

[andyboy]

Oh scooby!

Don't burst the bubble now. Your talking as if the United States an dtheir vaunted military was actually going to DO something. No chance of that. Their sitting safe on the sidelines. Their spectating is really critical to the freedom of Iraq. Thank God for the Troops! God Bless the Troops! They kill muslims for all of us. My heroes.

[alaintex]

How very Progressive of you.

[scoobynooby]

Its posible that the US will stand by and after a great slaughter the US will claim Iran helped so it has reason to start war with Iran. If Iran wanted it could easlily activate all mahdi militia, cut off US supplies and land communications and jam much airwaves and destroy all US forces in a week.

[Ramirez]

Thank you for the "Just don't question their patriotism!" post of the day.

[31313]

Scoob,you're kidding right.

[syllepsis]

Only Bush would hail these developments, saying "normalcy is returning to Iraq."
And then he called Iraq "the convergence point of the twin threats of al Qaeda and Iran," demonstrating again his profound desire to deceive the American people about the relation between Iran and al Qaeda. I hope the Democrats are willing to describe the President's statements as the mockeries they are. Bush is, charitably speaking, insane. Congress should no longer be intimadated by this man. They should stand up to him and call him the liar, coward, and madman that he is.

[guntotinganglion]

Ain't it great...th­e surge is WORKING!!!

[BryantG]

Umm...tech­nically speaking, aren't we back at pre-surge levels?

[musselmanm]

Perhaps our troop levels are going down due to our troops that have been killed and wounded since the surge, But at least it is all working out well so far huh?

[johnmorgan]

No, we're not.

[musselmanm]

Go to London Times and read all about what we don't see, photos of the war and major pipeline bombed! I believe |Senator McCain calls this a success!

[31313]

I'm just thankful Iraq's oil revenue's are paying for this war,or else we could find ourselve's between a Iraq,and a hard place.

[UncleKnuckleFunk]

Hay...

[oneeyedodin]

Poppy Bush said after the first Gulf War that the "national stain of Viet Nam was wiped out by victory in Iraq". Junior just wanted to show the world that he could make a new bigger stain.

[01202009]

Maliki must be using George Bush's and John McCain's joke--er speech writers. Is this going to be on SNL?

[iPolitics]

A vote for Hillary or McCain is a vote to continue this war.

[oneeyedodin]

Ah hell...Mer­Khunz love war. More war is what's needed. More death. More bombs , more destruction. Get the economy back on a war time standing and the sub-prime induced crisis will disappear.

[01202009]

I don't care about McCain. He doesn't have a chance of a snowball in Washington DC unless, of course, Mrs. Clinton dumps so much of her poision that he wins by default. Mrs. Clinton! Go back to the senate and STFU!

[bccity]

Take your own advice.

[Roafer]

And Dumbya calls this news " a very positive moment." What a putz.

[HumeSkeptic]

They were paying al Sadr not to do this. Now that he did it, it is a positive development. Go figure!

[zippywpinhead]

I want my money back...

[JoJoKewl]

Over Hill - over dale
On the Highway straight to Hell
Dubyas' Surge is surging along
(4000 Dead!)
Dubyas' Surge is surging to Hell!

[Metacortex]

Well, its a good thing the surge is working. Whateva dat means.

[oneeyedodin]

It means that 'major combat operations are over' (for the US that is). Now it's the Ayerackis turn.

[JoJoKewl]

The Surge was to give Maliki time to make POLITICAL PROGRESS. Is this what you call political progress??? If if is - then what do you call Civil War???

[Ramirez]

It IS political progress, Iraqi style.

[JohnFromCensornati]

The moderators are slipping.

[syllepsis]

Yes, it depends on what you mean by "progress.­" The Confederates made great progress when they shelled Fort Sumter, catalyzing an all-out war with the Union. The American Civil War was political progress, American style.

[iseebs]

I am always surprised (and I should not be anymore) how easy it is to fool the crowd of republican war supporters. More war is obviously good news for them. War does not create peace!!! Don’t be fooled.

[GarsLuber]

In the 5 years since the occupation began, the American military hasn't been able to 'stand down' once.

I hope bush boy is sending them Dr. Scholls.