Comments on: How Technology Won Sadr City Battle

U.S. Military Gives Rare Access To 60 Minutes In Discussing Aerial Footage And Weaponry

[afghanvet08]

As a recent veteran of Afghanistan, I am shocked by the strident cries of hyper-political rhetoric posted on this site. Propagandists crying out about "war criminals" and about "children''s bodies in the streets," portraying the military efforts as somehow complicit in some nefarious plot. It is a form of mental illness, because these folks think that they are the only ones living in the real world. They see endless evil conspiracies in their foes and believe they are the few who "get it."

Franksr12 asks what victory looks like. Victory is an Iraq with an elected government, a constitution, and governmental organs capable of providing for the security of its own citizens, secure its own territorial integrity, and its own infrastructure. Pretty simple to define, much harder to achieve, and this state is actually within the grasp of Iraqis.

War is a terrible thing and not to be waged lightly. Whether or not we were correct in invading Iraq is a moot point to be left to history. Now that we have been there for 5 years, we have a responsibility to end it with the above outcome in mind. If we wanted the oil, we would have it now. The fact that we don''t answers that question definitively.

[notfoooldbyw]

What a sick pathetic story.

Iraqi civilians were getting killed by these hellfire missiles to the point where the Shiite Religious leaders in Najaf finally called for it to be stopped. Maliki''s govt, Tehran and Sadr''s Mahdi Army reached a ceasefire agreement. And the Rocket attacks stopped and the Mahdi Army melted away.

The Mahdi Army and the Sadrists politial movement who make up most of the poor population in Sadr City could no longer take the high tech pounding the US was delivering on a civilian population. Nor could the Maliki led govt. Children''s bodies on the front page of the Washington Post.. forced and end from all sides.

The Maliki govt is supported by the Shiite enemey of the Sadrists. That Shiite faction is called Badr and is represented by the political movement called the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq. ISCI was based and trained in Iran and moved into power in Iraq on the backs of the US invasion force in 2003.

Its ISCI and Mahdi who are fighting for Shiite control of Iraq. The tragic thing is ISCI is more supported by Iran than Mahdi. ISCI represents the more moneyed class of Shiite society in Iraq.

We were ethnic cleansing anti-American poor Iraqis in Sadr City. Bragging about doing it high tech style is morally depraved.

[kingdozer]

I suppose this was a pro-military story. But I''m not sure why there was ZERO mention who flies the Predator....it''s flown (albeit remotely) by Air Force pilots. Just another example of Air Power getting the job done. CBS has a long and proud history of bashing the military in general and the Air Force in particular so I''m not surprised they just acted like these drones fly themselves. What a lousy, poorly written mess. Do your homework

[pjdarling12]

The reason violence in Iraq has subsided is a militia called the "Sons of Iraq". The US created, equipped and trained this 90,000 man force.

This unit is primarily Sunnis who are paid $300 per month by the US. This is approximately 7X what the average Iraqi earns.

In short, this is a Sunni mercenary force hired and equipped by the US to enforce US control over a predominantly Shiite population. For which, by Iraqi standards, they are paid a small fortune.

What do you think the result will be when the US no longer controls/pays this group?

[franksr12]

Ianntair says,

"We''re going to win the war in Iraq".

What does that %u201Cwin%u201D look like? Is it when all of their oil becomes our oil?
Is it when they raise the stars and stripes on every public building?
Is it when they become a democracy? Is it when they all start speaking English?

Americans will leave. It%u2019s just a question of when. But talk of a %u201Cwin%u201D is delusional.

[lanntair-2009]

Great article. It''s nice to see a good report on some of the many positive things that the U. S. Army is accomplishing in Iraq. From some of the comments on this board, you''d think that CBS is part of some Pentagon conspiracy, which couldn''t be farther from the truth. There''s no doubt that the decision to go to war in Iraq was questionable, depending on your view of American foreign policy. But it''s just a shame that because of extreme politics, some readers cannot bring themselves to acknowledge the incredible flexibility, dedication and resourcefulness that our military has demonstrated in turning this war around. We''re going to win the war in Iraq, and it''s because of our military''s ability to adapt, both technologically and in human terms. Keep up the accurate reporting, CBS, and continue covering all aspects of the conflict.

[lanntair-2009]

Great article. It''s nice to see a good report on some of the many positive things that the U. S. Army is accomplishing in Iraq. From some of the comments on this board, you''d think that CBS is part of some Pentagon conspiracy, which couldn''t be farther from the truth. There''s no doubt that the decision to go to war in Iraq was questionable, depending on your view of American foreign policy. But it''s just a shame that because of extreme politics, some readers cannot bring themselves to acknowledge the incredible flexibility, dedication and resourcefulness that our military has demonstrated in turning this war around. We''re going to win the war in Iraq, and it''s because of our military''s ability to adapt, both technologically and in human terms. Keep up the accurate reporting, CBS, and continue covering all aspects of the conflict.

[lanntair-2009]

Great article. It''s nice to see a good report on some of the many positive things that the U. S. Army is accomplishing in Iraq. From some of the comments on this board, you''d think that CBS is part of some Pentagon conspiracy, which couldn''t be farther from the truth. There''s no doubt that the decision to go to war in Iraq was questionable, depending on your view of American foreign policy. But it''s just a shame that because of extreme politics, some readers cannot bring themselves to acknowledge the incredible flexibility, dedication and resourcefulness that our military has demonstrated in turning this war around. We''re going to win the war in Iraq, and it''s because of our military''s ability to adapt, both technologically and in human terms. Keep up the accurate reporting, CBS, and continue covering all aspects of the conflict.

[roadracer9x]

Interestingly enough the US built T-Wall sounds much like the wall Israel built between Israel and the West Bank for the same purpose and with the same effect, a reduction in violence. I guess the old saying that "good fences make good neighbors" may be true. But of course, the side doing the majority of the violence does not like a big fence just as much as a bad neighbor. Perhaps fences aren''t so bad if they allow a lull in violence and cooler heads to prevail. After all, once a real accommodation is reached they are just as easy to tear down, like the Berlin Wall.

[franksr12]

Shame on 60 Minutes. What a horrible warmonger story. Why are we in Iraq? What right do we have to be there? It is helping to break the dollar and break the lives of thousands of US troops. Why are we killing Iraqi citizens? Americans are, but shouldn%u2019t be, criminal, illegal invaders of a sovereign country. Out Now! should be the cry. Getting buried into the gory details of a gory war and elevating it into a higher level of intellectual importance should not be the focus of 60 Minutes.

60 Minutes is too important to squander its currency and soil its image by being part of the propaganda arm of a failed war policy from war criminals Bush and Cheney.

[bobnjersey]

[One of the reasons violence in Iraq has subsided so dramatically was a significant battle that U.S. forces won in Sadr City just five months ago. Sadr City - part of Baghdad - is home to two million Shia, and the turf of fiercely anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. ]

was this part of ''the surge''?

[govwatch-2009]

CBS_Oliver you are extremely myopic.

[ken_williams-2009]

The title of this segment is misleading. Instead of crediting technology for the reduction in violence, let us give credit to the many smart people that correctly applied technology. As a Soldier, it disturbs me that technology %u201Calone%u201D is being credited for successes; technology is one of many tools used by the military. Don%u2019t get me wrong; advances in technology have benefited our military. However, any success must be attributed to the Iraqis, the State Department, and Soldiers (Coalition and US).

[rich7man]

Thank you for your informative report on how my "defense" tax dollar is being spent. Each little puff of smoke somehow makes me feel safer, oh so safe. Will we now spend more of our "defense" dollars repairing the shattered Iraqi infrastructure while the US crumbles? A wise man said it best... WEAPON ON WEAPON CONQUERS EVERYTHING BUT CHAOS - Lao Tzu

[babooph]

The old soviets buily a wall that they felt solved their problems-the Warsaw ghetto was also walled,as was China -PRIOR TO BEING LOST!

[neo269]

"the battle of Sadr City was won with a combination of hi-tech and no tech, lasers and electronic eyes in the sky, and cement"

No - It was won by killing people - "An estimated 700 of the militia fighters were killed; six Americans died." War is not complicated - you kill people and you keep killing them until the survivors do what you want them to. Terrorists know that.

Unfortunately, the News Media and the Liberals have made it clear that they will support the goals and the methods of Terrorists around the world.

[airboatboy1]

Killing by remote control! Great! Next time you see a kid playing a video game don''t think he''s wasting his time, that''s practice!

[rodgerlh]

The US Military was fantastic in the fight, not to mention the brave men involved. However I wish that they would key the details secret to help with the next fight.

[gypsyjan]

I want to thank any and every person involved in building the wall. I do not want to see anyone hurt, but I would like to thank those that risked their lives to build this wall. In the end it will be torn down, and I assume those that built it will be the 1st to watch, and be proud that it has come to an end. But I would like to thank those that risked life and limb to follow orders and build this wall to save lives. That is why it was put there, and I would like to thank those involved in doing so.

[evelina123-2009]

I was Horrified watching the story of advanced killing praised by CBS!!!!! I wonder what are AMERICAN soldiers and paid mercenaries still doing in IRAQ!!!!!!! ah,,,they bring DEMOCRACY!!! This war is ILLEGAL and you fight poor boys and young men wearing t-shirts and filp flops. And now you BUILT THE WALL, like in Israel!!!! How long do you think this immoral criminal war will go on???? No wonder civilised people from Europe are hating America and this kind of Propaganda.No WAR is Clean and Happy!!! Ms. Stahl,you should be ashamed of yourself being a woman and participating in this FARSE!!! Grow up!
Eve from Califoria.