NEWS: US Advising Najaf Residents To Evacuate Immediately

I really couldn't care less how many US troops (or whatever nationality) are killed. If you are stupid enough to join the army you deserve everything you get. It is your job to kill or be killed

America & Britain (and by the way I am british) is to blame for all the current problems in the middle eastern because of their action in the past. The US & British Administrations are too dumb to understand that they are just creating the new enemy of tomorrow with their wars against brown skinned people.

who cares? we shouldn't be there

I agree Arnold who cares? Let the Arabs kill each other. This is Iraq's problem not the US's problem so lets leave the place and focus on the real security issues. Anyone in the current Administartion remember the guy who actually planned the WTC attacks is still running around free?

Iraq never was and never will be a threat to US security. If we must pour hundreds of billions more into this country then lets take it over and make it a US state and join the middle-east oil business.....simple.

Well to those of you who suggest just indiscriminately bombing Najaf:

You're the type of arrogant Americans who make the majority of your people look like scumbags.

You're discussing the murder of civilians and other Iraqis as if it were nothing.

It's their country and their land and their lives, you have no right at all to be in the country in the first place, and yet you think that you should destroy Najaf to "pacify" the Iraqis.

Enter that mosque and I can guarantee that it's only going to get worse.

So the governor gives the USA permission to enter the holy site? Who appointed the governor? Wow, the CPA (the US Occupation).

Do you not think that EVERYONE in Iraq realizes this and sees it as a total slap in the face to their religion?

Well, guess what, I'm sure most people in the WORLD realize what a terrible stupid mistake this is.

Attacking the mosque will bring about more dead Americans, I don't need to be psychic to know it.



[edit on 11-8-2004 by Jakomo]

Do you not think that EVERYONE in Iraq realizes this and sees it as a total slap in the face to their religion?

Well Najaf is holy to the Shi'ias(sp?) The Kurds and Sunni's probably will not care one bit and some may applaud as there is alot of factional bad blood in Iraq(Which is one of the reasons why the Sunni's were in control, they kept the factions in check and in order to do that you gotta be the most brutal faction out there unfortunately and the US IMO doesn't have the stomach to fight that kind of war for very long). The US is facing the same problems that every other occupying power has in Iraq 2 date, and I can see really no good way to get out quickly Alot more people are gonna die before this foolish War is stopped.

WOW, some of you people are off your rockers. I cant believe theres even a discussion on saving Mosques at the value of human lifes. Mosques can be rebuilt, lives cannot.

As far as this raid goes, about dam time. This shouldve been done months ago. As far as the middle east policy goes, its about dam time someone tries something completely different in that region instead of sitting back and playing politics instead of taking it to our enemies. Saddam Hussien was a threat to not only us but middle east in general. And for you people who say you could care less about people in the armed forces lifes, # YOU and I hope your the next MF that gets beheaded.

Originally posted by Dreamz
And for you people who say you could care less about people in the armed forces lifes, # YOU and I hope your the next MF that gets beheaded.

Couldn't have said it better my self. Screw it, bring them home and let the world stew in their own #.

On Monday, Sadr vowed to "defend Najaf until my last drop of blood" and rejected calls by interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi for his men to lay down their arms and leave the city."

How much you want to bet his fat little butt will be juggling like a bowl of jello as he knocks over women and children, scurrying to get out of Najaf?

Let them hide in their mosques. Gas and stun grenades will render them incapacitated, and then we can finish the job at leisure. It sounds harsh, but that is the only way to restore order. Such is war.

For what it looks the US will have to destroy every city in Iraq, because this cleric will be welcome in by his people and that means Iraqis everywhere he goes, to them his is their leadder against the invaders.

In addition, like everything with the Middle East culture if he gets kill he will die in his people's eyes as a hero, another will take his place, and the saga will go on and on unless US gets out of the Middle East.

After all that is their land, we are the invaders.

My husband was in the Middle East for 1 year and he said that the people have a very different mentality in their country as long as you are an invited guess they will welcome with open arms to their homes.

If you are an unwanted guess, they will make your life a hell. If your are to become their enemy they will kill you in a heartbeat, because if you do not want to be kill you should not be in their land that is how they think.

Originally posted by arnold_vosloo
The US & British Administrations are too dumb to understand that they are just creating the new enemy of tomorrow with their wars against brown skinned people.

How is it possible to be in office AND be that dumb?
I think they know exactly what they are doing. The key players spelled out clearly that they desired to wage war on several fronts (PNAC) to advance the strategic and resource interests of the US. Now that they are in the White House, they launch an invasion of a sovereign nation that was condemned from the start to stir up more terrorist violence in the Middle East. The simplest and best explanation is blatant: stirring up more animosity paves the way for further conflict, and further conquest.

We need to stop giving our leaders the benefit of what small doubt some of us may have in our minds. They are not as stupid as we try to convince ourselves: their hearts are darker than we would like to believe.

U.

Beside the ruined Valley of Peace, Sadr's men wait for martyrdom

Rory McCarthy finds idealism and Islam drive Najaf's young militants

Thursday August 12, 2004
The Guardian

In a dirty alley on the outskirts of the old city of Najaf yesterday stood a crowd of militia fighters - the newest volunteer among them a bright young biology student called Ali.
He arrived seven days ago, bringing his Kalashnikov and a willingness to fight for the radical Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Around his head he wore a green, silk bandanna - an emblem of martyrdom.

On his chest was a green ammunition belt, filled with loaded magazines and rusted hand-grenades. Written neatly on the belt was his name, address and telephone number. "In case I die, so they can reach my family," he said.

Like all of the fighters in this group on the front line, Ali, 26, came across country from Amara, one of the several southern Iraqi towns where Mr Sadr's Shia militia has fought in the past week, including yesterday when British troops said 10 fighters were killed.

Most who take up arms for the 30-year-old Mr Sadr are young and poor. A minority, like Ali, are also well educated.

They revile Saddam Hussein, who spent his time as leader persecuting them, but their eagerness to fight now is largely born out of frustration that the war and occupation has brought little material change to their lives.

Added to this is their avowed religious conviction. "I came for the defence of Islam," Ali said. He and the other 20 or so fighters in his platoon describe themselves as an "Islamic resistance".

The other Shia parties hold little appeal for the fighters. "They just use Islamic slogans to cover up what they are doing," said Ali. "Syed Moqtada is a nationalist and he demands the right of the Iraqi people and the rights of the poor. He is the only one who didn't betray the people and cooperate with the Americans."
Moqtada's father, Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr also acquired a reputation as a social activist until he was assassinated in 1999. Since last year's invasion his son has sought to claim that activist's mantle too.

www.guardian.co.uk...


zero lift

zero lift,

Thanks for that post; it tells that the war officially went from freedom for the Iraqis to fighting the real people of Iraq.

Now my question why? This people want their country back from the invasion.

Are we going to call them terrorist because they do not want US in their land?

Please can somebody tell me what are we doing in Iraq still?

For who are US is fighting now? For the big money, interest Iraq has been sold it started before the invasion. It started with Cheney and Haliburton. Iraq is a piece of land for sale and for investment.

Originally posted by zero lift
Beside the ruined Valley of Peace, Sadr's men wait for martyrdom

Rory McCarthy finds idealism and Islam drive Najaf's young militants

Thursday August 12, 2004
The Guardian
...

Thanks ZeroLift,

Very interesting piece.
I wonder whether it will have any effect on those who wish to paint all these people as terrorists?

U.

For those who can't wait for the mosque to be bombed: check out the Iraqi history/analysis site www.juancole.com, where this mosque and its meaning to the Shia is described. It's not a building but a religious object, and Juan Cole (Middle East history professor) compares the story surrounding the mosque with the Passion of Christ in the christian religion. Would you say that a relic such as the Cross can be easily rebuilt after bombed by a DAM? There are tens of millions of Shia muslims around the globe that whould never forget such desecration and will set out to avenge it. Do you really want that? Do you realize that the terror threat is at least in part a manufactured problem? Through policies like this?

I totally agree the US soldiers should be brought home safely, how about they leave now. I'm so happy my neighbor made it back in one piece. What the hell is US doing in Najaf? Last time I checked Osama bin Laden was not seen anywhere close to Najaf anyway.

Shameful war, shameful administration.

Originally posted by zero lift

In a dirty alley on the outskirts of the old city of Najaf yesterday stood a crowd of militia fighters - the newest volunteer among them a bright young biology student called Ali.

Not too bright, it turns out...his motives are misguided, as shown below.

On his chest was a green ammunition belt, filled with loaded magazines and rusted hand-grenades. Written neatly on the belt was his name, address and telephone number. "In case I die, so they can reach my family," he said.

Hopefully, he will get his wish.

They revile Saddam Hussein, who spent his time as leader persecuting them, but their eagerness to fight now is largely born out of frustration that the war and occupation has brought little material change to their lives.

Uhh... maybe if they would stop bombing pipelines and killing innocent Iraqis, and give the country time to rebuild, they might see "material change" in their selfish little lives.

Added to this is their avowed religious conviction. "I came for the defence of Islam," Ali said. He and the other 20 or so fighters in his platoon describe themselves as an "Islamic resistance".

Another example of their misguided mission. Islam is not being attacked by the US. Instead, it is being EXPLOITED by those who hide in the mosques with their RPGs and murder in the name of Allah.

:shk:

And if it wasn't for those pesky kids, I'd be long gone by now!!!!!!



Anyone fancy a Scooby Snack? No, your right. You've all obviously had enough.

Just gas the place and snipe them as they come out the door, you don't need to waste bullets to kill fish in a barrel- just heat the water.

[edit on 12-8-2004 by XL5]

Fish, yeah. That's the idea.

Cookery.

My recipe: take one Crocodile living in a swimming pool. Tell it you�ll give it a bigger swimming pool if it behaves. If it bites you in the transaction shoot utter #e out of it with a machine gun and chop it into a million pieces with a machete, taking care to preserve the eyes,

especially the tears. You'll need them.

The millitants in question in Najaf, under their blind religious zeal led by al-sadar....agreed a week ago to a cease fire....which they broke with mortar attacks....
Well, they asked for a fight, now theyve got one.

As far as the mosque goes....the USA would not just bomb the place...there is no use to that other than to anger a bunch of people...
I think you'll see the USA forces cover and enable the Iraqi forces to get up to the mosque, then Iraqi forces will storm it on the ground.

We've given plenty of warnings prior and in fact drove around declaring our intentions to sack the city on loudspeakers, so that any "innocent civilians" can get out of the way....now 2 days later here we come...if your still in the city, you cant say you werent warned.

Millitants...please enjoy the view of the best tank in the world, up close and personally. That is of course unless youre enjoying the missile demonstration from the helicopters already.

Originally posted by jsobecky

In a dirty alley on the outskirts of the old city of Najaf yesterday stood a crowd of militia fighters - the newest volunteer among them a bright young biology student called Ali.

Not too bright, it turns out...his motives are misguided, as shown below.

Hardly any more misguided than the young American soldiers he will face in battle.

On his chest was a green ammunition belt, filled with loaded magazines and rusted hand-grenades. Written neatly on the belt was his name, address and telephone number. "In case I die, so they can reach my family," he said.

Hopefully, he will get his wish.

What wish might that be? You think he wants to die? Not anymore than the young American's he will face in battle, who also wear identification tags that serve the same purpose.

They revile Saddam Hussein, who spent his time as leader persecuting them, but their eagerness to fight now is largely born out of frustration that the war and occupation has brought little material change to their lives.

Uhh... maybe if they would stop bombing pipelines and killing innocent Iraqis, and give the country time to rebuild, they might see "material change" in their selfish little lives.

Do we feel morally superior? Sounds like it. I, for one, find it despicable that you should judge a people who after suffering Saddam, then suffered an invasion and occupation which killed thousands of Iraqi civilians.
'Selfish little lives'? Would it not make you rather selfish yourself to think you know these anonymous people enough to judge them with such unsightly superior posturing, from the safety and security of a sovereign nation that isn't going to be invaded anytime soon. Be generous with your humility: spread it enough for it to actually be apparent.
Selfish? Your standard of living is probably ten times their's, and you most likely earn in a month what such people can earn in a year. Let someone else call them selfish, and save yourself the embarassment... someone more in their economic bracket for instance.

Added to this is their avowed religious conviction. "I came for the defence of Islam," Ali said. He and the other 20 or so fighters in his platoon describe themselves as an "Islamic resistance".

Another example of their misguided mission. Islam is not being attacked by the US. Instead, it is being EXPLOITED by those who hide in the mosques with their RPGs and murder in the name of Allah.

Islam is not being attacked by the US, and the US did not invade to liberate the Iraqis. That puts our young aspiring biologist on the same footing as our own troops, in degree of delusion about why they are fighting.

U.

[edit on 12-8-2004 by upuaut]

[edit on 12-8-2004 by upuaut]

Originally posted by CazMedia
The millitants in question in Najaf, under their blind religious zeal led by al-sadar....agreed a week ago to a cease fire....which they broke with mortar attacks....
Well, they asked for a fight, now theyve got one.

As far as the mosque goes....the USA would not just bomb the place...there is no use to that other than to anger a bunch of people...
I think you'll see the USA forces cover and enable the Iraqi forces to get up to the mosque, then Iraqi forces will storm it on the ground.

We've given plenty of warnings prior and in fact drove around declaring our intentions to sack the city on loudspeakers, so that any "innocent civilians" can get out of the way....now 2 days later here we come...if your still in the city, you cant say you werent warned.

Millitants...please enjoy the view of the best tank in the world, up close and personally. That is of course unless youre enjoying the missile demonstration from the helicopters already.

Go kick some a$$, GI!
The best tank in the world... how about the best hardware in the world, period? Aimed at a rag tag group of insurgents with AKs who want those who occupy their country to leave ?

Nice one

You see, we lost the moral high ground the moment we invaded Iraq, and the light that shines on our troops risking their lives will never cast them as heroes.

If you can't see that now: you will eventually.

U.