What's Happening In Iraq

Iraq Forum

There is intense fighting in several areas across Iraq. Some US Marines say that the fighting is more intense than any they faced last year prior to the fall of Saddam Hussein. Islamic radicals have seized control of at least one city and of a couple of bridges over the Euphrates River.What's going on? Is this that civil war the detractors have been warning us about?You could say that there are two new fronts in Iraq. As many as 12 U.S. Marines were killed yesterday in intense fighting in the western Iraqi town of Ar-Ramadi. Coalition officials say the attack was mounted by remnants of Saddam's ousted Baath Party. The insurgents took heavy casualties. This is on top of what happened last week in Fallujah, where four civilian security guards were killed and mutilated. We also have the insurgency being led by a chubby little radical Islamic Cleric named Muqtada al-Sadr. al-Sadr is the son of an Islamic Ayatollah who was murdered by Saddam Hussein. You would think he would be appreciative of the efforts of the coalition. Not so. al-Sadr isn't quite old enough to have earned respect as an Islamic leader ... so he is determined to claim that position through rhetoric and violence. It was his newspaper that was shut down by coalition forces two weeks ago ... shut down because it was calling for the murder of American civilians and soldiers wherever they could be found. So al-Sadr has decided that now is the time for him to send his militia out to drive the Americans from Iraq. At the present time, al-Sadr is said to be barricaded in his offices in Najaf. He is surrounded by armed supporters. Isn't it a good thing when these radicals gather together in one place? Are these "supporters," really members of Sadr's private army, not vulnerable to a few well placed laser-guided bombs? If the coalition shows some guts ... and every indication is that it will .. al-Sadr and his militia will be pretty much history in a few days, as will the remnants of the Baathist regime currently making its last stand. The radical elements in Iran are afraid. They're there ... and they know much better than most Americans that the war in Iraq has been an incredible success. Most of the country is at peace. People are going about their business, living in freedom for the first time. There is more electricity and clean water than there was before the war. More children are going to school. Businesses are opening left and right. There is more health care available to the average Iraqi than there was under Saddam. A recent poll shows that Iraqis are overwhelmingly glad Saddam is gone. Oxford Research International reports that that the three most-admired Iraqi officials are all members of the Iraqi Governing Council. This surely is bad news to the Baathist losers and al-Sadr. In fact, only one percent of Iraqis say that al-Sadr is the Iraqi leader they most trust. Seventy-eight percent of Iraqis say that attacks on coalition forces are not acceptable. And 56% of Iraqis say that their lives are better now then they were under Saddam.
Now this may not get reported in the States. After all, it isn't exactly good news for Democrats. But you can bet those who want to disrupt coalition plans and seize control of Iraq for one faction or another know the numbers. They're getting desperate. They know that power is scheduled to be handed over to the Iraqi governing council on June 30th, and they don't like that one bit. The Islamic terrorists want all the power to rule as they see fit, and they aren't the list bit interested in the freedom of speech and freedom of religion guaranteed in the new Iraqi Constitution. They hate democratic processes. They want it their way, and we're not letting them have it. Cut and run? Pull our troops out now? Sure ... that would be a wonderful idea, if, that is, you want the entire Middle East to descend into chaos. America cannot be safe from Islamic terrorism if it does not see this through. Some people hate to hear this ... but this is World War IV, my friends. Fight it over there now, or fight it here later.

AND THIS JUST IN

American Marines are now in Fallujah ... "cuttin' through it like butter", collecting the garbage, so to speak, after last week's attack on four American civilian contractors. One reporter says that this is a rout for the Marines. We're told that the bodies of Iraqi insurgents are being stacked like cordwood. Good! Let them stay there and rot. A reminder of what will happen to those who test American resolve... Get some!!

Did that surprise you ? And we know what happens to trash

I agree, but...

you are saying that if you were in Iraq, and your home was being blown up, you wouldn't use any possible means to save it?

“If you just learn a single trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

I'm not surprised about these developments- is anyone really? The trash has to be taken out! There was that poll saying 95% of the Iraqis wanted some form of democracy. They can't get on with their lives until the trash is removed.

I support our military and wish Kennedy would keep his mouth SHUT. Interesting he had to open it, considering his reputation...

The trashis not being taken out, the gold is. It is the gold that is being taken out and the trash that is taking out the gold. Those are freedom fighters. What owould you do Aliasfan if the iranians invaded Texas, kicked out the governor. Brought in some exiled people, for the goverment and said you are free. And attacked you because there are nucelear weapons and that Texas executes people. Wouldn't you be against the Iranians. I really can't see much of a diffrence, America executes people, they've sponsered terrorests and the biggest diffrence is that they actully have WMDs. Why doesn't the UNmove in and take over Texas?

CJ!! Alias. I didn't hear Kennedy thank God. I am sure that it was all rhetoric and no substance, or solutions. The "Ted" offensive.

I don't know if they are freedom fighters but calling them cowards is for sure utter stupidity.

You are a coward when you rebell and fight against the most powerful army in the world ?

BTW, you make me laugh with your polls. I normally never trust them, firstly because I know how they are really done. They are already highly suspect in a stable and democratic country so you can imagine in Iraq...
Furthermore Iraqis must have developped in the Saddam years a high talent for saying and doing things that are the less supposed to bring them troubles.
I don't think that a poll will reveal what they really have in their minds.
Is the sample really representative of the Iraqi people? Have people been interrogated in the countryside, in Fallujah, Nadjaf ?

Anyway, I guess that a majority of Iraqis just want to leave in peace like every other human on planet earth.

Ah yes :

"56% of Iraqis say that their lives are better now then they were under Saddam"

Before or after 1991 ? I find it a bit hypocritical to say " look, your life is much better now than it was during Saddam rule " when the economic sanctions that worsen their standard of living came from the ones who order the poll.

I was watching the news this morning and it was not looking good for either side, I saw 1 Abrahams tank destroyed by RPGs another was hit behind the near wher the ammo is held the marines were alive bu f**ked up as you can imagine 1 looked really bad ( hope he pulls through), apparently the helicoptors the marines use are on the verge of falling out of the sky because they ahve been flying so long without maintence ( they need repairs aftre every few hours due to the conditions), all levae from Iraq has been cancelled ampongst the marines. Als this barrier around the town is not that strong there was some religious guy who was bragging that he mad it thorugh in a car.
The Ukraiaines are having a lot of trouble and there was a US marrine LT General of the Marines saying that the situation remimded him " of Vietnam"

As for the Iraqis reports were sketchy but qround 300 dead and hospitla supplies of blod etc are running low. the one who are injured are being patched up and they go back out to fight. according to oe of the dcotors.

There was a defence anaylist as well who worked witht the MOD during the Gulf War and the Bosnia war and he said there are 2 problems, the first is that before the war the commanders main fear was that the troops would ahve to deal with street fighting, during the war that did not happen but it is going to happen now. The second problem is what he called a a possible disaster for the coalition and that is that recently (48 hours or so) it appears that the Sunnis and ****"es appear to fighting with each other rather tha aginst each other an alliance of two hated enemies buryiong the hatchet and fighting the caoliton will definitly require more troops.

Of course the coalition is between a rock and a hard place they have to take action but the problem is that every they time they hit a mosque or kill a fighter or a civlian the fighter gain another member and it appears thais what is happening. today ahs been the worst so far and these battles in nearly every city are not even half way won yet.