Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Fallujah sends delegation to meet Sadr

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread		 This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Latest Breaking News Donate to DU
 
NNN0LHI Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 04:38 PM
Original message
Fallujah sends delegation to meet Sadr
Edited on Sun May-16-04 04:47 PM by NNN0LHI
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=3835

Sunnis could fight alongside Mehdi Army

By Agence France Presse (AFP)

Monday, May 17, 2004


NAJAF, Iraq: Townsmen from the flashpoint town of Fallujah met radical Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on Sunday, Shiite sources said, as Islam's rival sects made common cause against the US-led coalition.

"They met Sayed Moqtada and told him: 'We support you and call for the defense of Iraq, Najaf, Karbala and other holy cities,'" an aide of cleric Hussam al-Musawi told AFP.

Musawi also confirmed that Sunnis from Fallujah could fight alongside Sadr's Mehdi Army militia.

"Yes, if the request is made, that could happen," he said in response to questions.

more
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
Darranar Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 04:41 PM
Response to Original message
1. Link? n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
pinto Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 04:44 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. kick, would like link. A "homegrown" coalition may avert civil war.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
NNN0LHI Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 04:48 PM
Response to Reply #1
4. I added the link to the original post. Sorry
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Darranar Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 04:49 PM
Response to Reply #4
5. Thanks. n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Just Me Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 04:43 PM
Response to Original message
2. Uh,...oh boy. Doesn't sound like a civil split to me.
I wonder if there will be any publications confirming this news.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
leftchick Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 05:24 PM
Response to Reply #2
9. there won't be a split until the US occupiers are gone....
then all hell breaks loose... Fuck you aWol*! :(
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Just Me Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 05:59 PM
Response to Reply #9
11. I dunno. Sometimes, I think the occupation is UNITING the Iraqis,...
Edited on Sun May-16-04 05:59 PM by Just Me
,...and that, they may be more united now than ever before even if the US leaves.

I have been rejecting the "civil war" injection from the beginning because Iraq was essentially secular before the war and, with Saddam gone, I imagined the people would stand united against the only enemy they have left: US.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
leftchick Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 06:10 PM
Response to Reply #11
13. 1920... the year Sunnis and Shiites united against another occupier...
It was called the Arab uprising and the occupiers were the British colonialists. History repeats itself, but then chimpy* does not read so how would he know?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
htuttle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 06:07 PM
Response to Reply #9
12. I don't think there's EVER been a civil war in Iraq...
..unless you count when various groups rose up against Saddam on occasion (such as Kurds or some southern Shia).

Iraqi blogs I've read have mentioned this as well -- historically speaking, the various cultural groups in Iraq have not generally fought with each other. Not at all like Afganistan.

Also, the notion that Iraq is made up of three 'factions' is a simplification. There's much more of a continuum of inter-relationships and family bonds -- much like any other country (again, except maybe Afghanistan...).
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Just Me Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 06:12 PM
Response to Reply #12
14. Perhaps, the "civil war" thingy is wishful thinking for those,...
,...who want to believe that it is best if US remains.

Although I have always felt that, indeed, we made this mess and should clean it up,...I never had in mind that the clean-up would include a permanent presence. If we flooded the nation with humanitarian aid and jobs to re-build their country; that, to me would be "cleaning up" our mess.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
NNN0LHI Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 06:14 PM
Response to Reply #14
15. We are flooding the country with mercenaries. Does that count? n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Just Me Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 06:23 PM
Response to Reply #15
17. NOT! *LOL* n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DoYouEverWonder Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 06:24 PM
Response to Reply #9
18. Not necessarily
The Iraqis might be better off left to their own devices. They survived for over 5000 years before we came along and decided to 'help'. Probably things can't be much worse than they are now?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
leftchick Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 06:28 PM
Response to Reply #18
19. from your lips DYEW....
That is what I hope for. The US should get the hell out of there, let them have their country back and compensate them BIG TIME for the damage done. I fear it is not going to be that simple though. :(
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Darranar Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 04:51 PM
Response to Original message
6. This is interesting...
It furthers my belief that the Iraqis are willing to do quite a bit to get the US out of there, which is one reason they should be obliged, aside from simple democratic belief.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
bluestateguy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 04:58 PM
Response to Original message
7. I fear June could be the bloodiest month of all
The month of the run up to the handover, the Sunnis and Shiites are uniting (much like the Chinese Nationalists and Communists united to drive the Japanese out of China in WWII) and we have practically made recruiting posters for these folks with the prisoner abuse pictures. Why would they want to step up the violence before the handover? To get the US to change their mind and push back the date of the handover, thus confirming Arab suspicions that the US has no interest in a sovereign Iraq.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Name removed Donating Member (0 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 04:58 PM
Response to Original message
8. Deleted message
Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.
 
daleo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 05:37 PM
Response to Original message
10. Judging from recent history, the Fallujah resistance is quite skilled
I am certainly no military expert, but I got the impression that the Fallujah resistance was quite effective compared to the Sadr forces. Being Sunnis, they may have had people with quite a high level of tactical training (i.e. used to be in the Iraqi army officer corps), whereas Sadr's forces may not have a lot of military training since Shias were not favored by Saddam. So, from a purely military point of view, this may be bad news for the occupation forces.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
NNN0LHI Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-16-04 06:20 PM
Response to Reply #10
16. I have read articles that the Iraqis were using the same combat tactics...
...that we train our own special forces soldiers to use there. These were no run of the mill civilians grabbing a weapon and praying and spraying. They knew what they were doing and fought as a unit. The 100 combat deaths and unknown numbers of wounded we took there in a week or so will attest to that.

Don
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list Wed May 08th 2024, 10:31 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Latest Breaking News Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC