Militia Take Over Basra Police Station

British Troops Hand Over Control Of Command Facility To Police, Who Leave When Shiite Militiamen Show Up

(AP)  Shiite militiamen from the Mahdi Army took over the police joint command center in Basra on Sunday after British soldiers withdrew from the facility and handed control to the Iraqi police, witnesses said.

Police left the building when the militiamen, loyal to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, arrived. The militia was still controlling the facility as of late afternoon.

The British military had maintained a small number of soldiers at the command center to help train Iraqi police.

However, the British withdrew Saturday night "in the framework of the plan for the handover" of British positions in the city to Iraqi control, said British spokesman Maj. Matthew Bird.

Basra, Iraq's second largest city and a major oil hub, has seen frequent violence between Shiite militias vying for power, including assassinations of Iraqis and frequent attacks on British bases around the city.

Britain has withdrawn hundreds of troops from Iraq, leaving a force of around 5,500 based mainly on the fringes of Basra, 340 miles southeast of Baghdad.

Last Wednesday, former U.S. Army Gen. Jack Keane, who was vice chief of staff at the time the Iraq war was launched in 2003, said Britain has allowed deteriorating security in southern Iraq to get worse.

He warned that American troops may need to plug the gaps if Prime Minister Gordon Brown withdraws significant numbers of British soldiers.

U.S. Air Strike Kills Four Kurdish Policemen

A U.S. helicopter attacked two Kurdish police outposts Sunday, killing four policemen and wounding eight others, a Kurdish security official said. The U.S. military said it was investigating the report.

Jabar Yawer, spokesman for the Kurdish Peshmerga militia, said the attack occurred about 10 a.m. on two small police outposts on a road linking Qara Tepe and Sadiya, about 65 miles northeast of Baghdad. He said two police vehicles also were destroyed and he believed the attack was mistaken friendly fire.

He said the two posts were established about 700 yards apart along the road after al-Qaeda fighters killed a group of university students traveling the stretch of highway in June 2006.

Karwan Ghafour, a 26-year-old policeman wounded in the attack, said he did not know what could have provoked the air strike.

Yawer said police from the posts that were hit had launched a joint operation two days ago with U.S. forces and had killed a militant fighter.

Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman, said he had only partial information about an incident in that area.

"We have reports that there were two vehicles that were destroyed in the engagement by a helicopter strike," Garver said, adding that he was unable to be certain the two incidents were the same.

Iraq Officials Say Civilians In House Bombed By U.S. Military

The U.S. military said it dropped a precision bomb on a house in Samarra after 12 men who fought U.S. troops escaped into the structure. City police and hospital officials said seven civilians, including five children, were killed.

Lt. Col. Michael Donnelly, spokesman for U.S. forces north of Baghdad, said a gunfight broke out when the 12 men ran into a house where U.S. troops were conducting surveillance. The 12 opened fire on the Americans, then escaped in a truck and were tracked by an unmanned drone above the city. They were seen darting into the house that was subsequently bombed.

Officials in the Samarra Joint Coordination Center and the hospital there said Mohammed Abdul Wahab, his wife and five of their children — ages 4- to 8-years-old — were killed. The officials, who refused to be named fearing retribution, said five other people were wounded, including three children, ages 4 to 10.

"We cannot confirm those numbers, but can confirm the 12 or so attackers went into this house following an attack on our soldiers, who were trying to bring about some level of peace to the people there," Donnelly said in an e-mail response to a question about the attack.

Maliki Slams U.S. Senators, France For Criticism

Iraq's beleaguered prime minister on Sunday lashed out at American critics who have called for his ouster, saying Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Carl Levin need to "come to their senses."

Nouri al-Maliki, who is fighting to hold his government together, issued a series of stinging ripostes against a variety of foreign officials who recently have spoken negatively about his leadership. But those directed at Democrats Clinton, of New York, and Levin, of Michigan, were the most strident.

"There are American officials who consider Iraq as if it were one of their villages, for example Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin. They should come to their senses," al-Maliki said at a news conference.

Al-Maliki launched the verbal counteroffensive in the final days before the American commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker are due in Washington to report to Congress on progress in Iraq since the introduction of 30,000 more America troops.

The Shiite prime minister said a negative report by Petraeus would not cause him to change course, although he said he expected that the U.S. general would "be supportive of the government and will disappoint the politicians who are relying on it" to be negative.

Al-Maliki appeared stung by the recent series of critical statements about his government, including one from President Bush, who said he was frustrated that al-Maliki had failed to make progress on political benchmarks. Crocker has said the lack of movement had been "highly disappointing."

And most recently Sen. John Warner, R-Va., said the United States should order a token withdrawal of forces by Christmas. The former chairman of the Armed Services Committee said such a move would show al-Maliki that Washington was serious about progress on reconciliation among the country's religious sects and ethnic groups.

Warner and Levin traveled to Iraq together earlier this month as part of the multitude of Congressional delegations who are visiting the country before the expected heated debate on Capitol Hill about U.S. troop levels and plans for a withdrawal.

Al-Maliki also criticized some U.S. military actions.

"Concerning American raids on Shula (a northern Shiite neighborhood) and Sadr City (the Shiite slum enclave in east Baghdad). There were big mistakes committed in these operations. The terrorist himself should be targeted not his family.

"When they want to detain one person, they should not kill 10 others. These are mistakes which we have to deal with. We will not allow the detaining of innocent people. Only the criminals should be detained," the angry al-Maliki declared.

Two nights ago the U.S. military raided the Shula neighborhood and said it killed eight "terrorists" who had attacked an American patrol from rooftops. Some Iraqis reported many civilians were killed and wounded.

U.S. forces also are routinely raiding Sadr City, often calling in helicopter fire. The U.S. says it targets only Shiite militia fighters. Iraqi officials regularly report civilians killed in the raids.

Maliki's comments were not solely directed to U.S. targets. He called on the
French government to apologize for comments reportedly by the country's foreign minister that the Iraqi leader should step down.

"We welcomed their foreign minister and we were happy with his visit, but they have to show us respect," al-Maliki told reporters. "We call upon the French government to apologize about this issue."

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner visited Iraq this month in a highly symbolic gesture to the United States effort in Iraq after years of icy relations over the 2003 American-led invasion. Kouchner said Paris wanted to "turn the page" and look to the future.

However, in an interview with Newsweek magazine, Kouchner said he told U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that al-Maliki has "got to be replaced."

"There's a lot of support for, for instance, (Vice President) Adil Abdul-Mahdi, who's an impressive fellow, and not only because he studied in France. He's solid. Of the people who are available, he's widely seen as the one that ought to have the job."

But Kouchner said it was uncertain whether al-Maliki would be replaced "because it seems President Bush is attached to Mr. Maliki. But the government is not functioning."

[j-whitman]

throingup ---- You are the cancer on America.... Get a life
Bush has failed our nation, Lied to our Nation, Lost the Iraq War of Roses & is losing the War on Terror.... And fails to support our troops & veterans......... The SOB even lied sticking up for Gonzo today.

[j-whitman]

Speakingup --- Look in a mirror the next time you question someones patriotism, or call them un-American ---- You are the one who wants the elimination of a bi-cameral Governmet & silencing of the media & the American voice,,,, You are the one ignoring the damages to our military & National Security & support the dishonor waged on our country.

[j-whitman]

speakinup,,,,, Get a life, & stop calling others un-American.... Are you an Aries ????

[speakinup]

Speakingup said, "But you know what Naive Nancy - you don''''t take out terrorists with kisses."

"Actually, you do. Kindness is far more effective than bombs on the general populace." - naive nancy.

True - but I was talking about terrorists. Interesting you felt they were one and the same.

When they allow the cancer to live among themselves, some good tissue has to be cut out to make sure you get all of the cancer. It is unfortunate, and undesirable; but, unlike healthy cells, Muslims have a choice - and choose to do nothing.

"but he didn''t have any nukes" - ok so he didn''t, but you know something - I cry no tears for Saddam - and waiting for him to prove he did, when he has a history of using outlawed agents on his own people is simply unacceptable.

So, assuming you are a US citizen (and I''m not too sure you are given your statement,"Watch YOUR ports for your deposit returns.")
, would you be happy with the thought that Iran could possibly have a nuke in a few years, given their history of supplying arms to the ''insurgents'' in Iraq? I think not.

The locations around the centrifuges in Iran are much closer to incineration than their government would have them believe. A cancer grows among them, and they do nothing.

[musicman60-2009]

I thought GW was in washington not Iraq. I did not realize he was flying again. We could do things Sadams way - just drop one nuke or a neutron bomb - one small bang - lots of dead enemys - and everything glows for a few thousand years.mmm naaa - the JDAMS work fine.

[speakinup]

Nancy_Naive - I notice you left out Kuwait, Panama, Bosnia-Croatia, & Grenada.

Not to mention the "imperealist", (that''s spelled ''imperialist'' - for you people that can''t spell in English) "minded yanks" were reacting to a nefarious group that was attacking the locals. Sure, I guess we are imperialists, if you want to include trying to feed those that are starving in Somalia, trying to stop a civil war in Lebanon where thousands had been killed, and a mass murder in Haiti, as the relevant part of the ''imperialism''.

But you know what Naive Nancy - you don''t take out terrorists with kisses. Perhaps if they didn''t hid behind skirts and children, we wouldn''t be losing so many to their ilk, which by the way, includes you.

So don''t trip over your Burka, while you whip out that AK-47 and drive your car bomb to the local market, ok.

And, go sell crazy somewhere else, we''re full up here with Freefeel, j-whitman, and the like.

Regards,

[speakinup]

Nancy_Naive - I notice you left out Kuwait, Panama, Bosnia-Croatia, & Grenada.

Not to mention the "imperealist", (that''s spelled ''imperialist'' - for you people that can''t spell in English) "minded yanks" were reacting to a nefarious group that was attacking the locals. Sure, I guess we are imperialists, if you want to include trying to feed those that are starving in Somalia, trying to stop a civil war in Lebanon where thousands had been killed, and a mass murder in Haiti, as the relevant part of the ''imperialism''.

But you know what Naive Nancy - you don''t take out terrorists with kisses. Perhaps if they didn''t hid behind skirts and children, we wouldn''t be losing so many to their ilk, which by the way, includes you.

So don''t trip over your Burka, while you whip out that AK-47 and drive your car bomb to the local market, ok.

And, go sell crazy somewhere else, we''re full up here with Freefeel, j-whitman, and the like.

Regards,

[brianbwb-2009]

Carl Levin, D(?) Michigan has abandoned his usually staunch position somewhat left of current center, to sit squarely with the fascist oil pirates. After all these years of adamant resistance of the right wing, something really big must have found his pockets.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I confess to being ever so mildly surprised.

[brianbwb-2009]

"Police left the building when the militiamen, loyal to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, arrived. The militia was still controlling the facility as of late afternoon."

Is this not the same Muqtada al-Sadr that US forces handed Saddam over to, so that he could be lynched befoire he could implicate the CIA as the supplier for his gas attacks on the Kurds, whom Turkey is now invading and killing, with Bush''s tacit blessing?

[cbs_oliver]

I think that George Bush, Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin are all looking forward to that oil distribution plan for Iraq being put in place - since it will effectively give the western oil companies control of Iraqi oil and the revenues of Iraqi oil.

Before the Iraqi Parlament took a break they put forward a resolution asking the coalition to leave Iraq and made it clear they though the coalition oil distribution plan was basically a plan for the coalition to steal 50% of their oil.

The real problem making peace in Iraq may very well be that among alkl the tribal groups causing troubles the "Western" tribes, who have "Homelands" elsewhere are the most violent and unwilling to compromise. They want a document signed and delivered given them control of the oil before they will stop their killing ways and leave.

[cbs_oliver]

The story says: "The U.S. military said it dropped a precision bomb on a house in Samarra after 12 men who fought U.S. troops escaped into the structure. City police and hospital officials said seven civilians, including five children, were killed."

I can''t help but wondering whether that "precision bomb" was one of those that blows up the better part of a city block.

I guess some folks might actually care that the source of the explosion was a massive bomb that, after entering smartly through Mrs. Akmud''s bathroom window was exploded precisely on the left bathroom sink faucet handle.

[feelfree1]

The British soldiers had little choice but to withdraw from Basra. They were more or less kicked out by the Iraqi resistance.

If we continue the illegal invasion of Iraq, our forces will most likely share the fate of the Brits, and the added disgrace of being booted out.

"A U.S. helicopter attacked two Kurdish police outposts Sunday, killing four policemen and wounding eight others, a Kurdish security official said. The U.S. military said it was investigating the report."

Investigating?

Aren''t the Kurds our "friends"? This sounds a bit more then "friendly fire", so what happened?

The more mistakes we make, the more innocent people we kill, the more we will become targets.

And we have GW Bush to thank for that.

Every single US Death in Iraq is as a result of the moronic actions by GW Bush.

[j-whitman]

I''m trying to find a reference to discribe the imbalance in the numbers better, it has to do with reapportionment... it''s not just a simple 50 here & a 51 there..
.. Most don''t even see that some legislation requires only a simple majorty (which dems still need 9 repub votes), while others like impeachment require a 2/3 vote....

[j-whitman]

tbweb,,, I know,,, That''s what makes democrats democrats, like independents, they have thier own choices ----- Yet Bush was stopped dead in his tracks on Fast Track & sevearly limited him in others....
.. Immigration shouldn''t even be an issue.. all we need is to inforce the laws & fully fund both INS & Boarder Patrol & increas thier size...... Corporate money, concern for a cheap work fore etc.. We neen to keep them honest -- It''s like our governement really wasn''t designed to work.

[radiob-2009]

J currently it is 50 democrats, 1 independent (joke Lieberman) and 49 republicans. It does not explain their votes on amnesty for illegals, it does not explain their votes for free trade agreements or tax breaks for corporations.It does not explain their silence on the "funding" of terrorist, and it does not explain their silence on the "whistleblowers" .

[tbweb]

The U.S. Congress can only get away with blaming Pres. Bush for so long, sooner or later the blame shifts away from Pres. Bush and goes to Congress alone. Every expert has testified there is no military solution in Iraq, only a political solution, and that any gain from the surge will quickly disappear without a political solution once the U.S. redeploys. Yet Pres. Bush is allowed to talk about progress in Iraq strictly in military terms and only touches on political progress when pressed even though there is no military solution, so who cares if the surge is showing modest progress since without a political solution to go along with the surge which is suppose to buy Iraqi''s time means nothing. The only thing the U.S. surge did was buy the Iraqi''s time to take a 5 week vacation! The U.S. Congress should not fund another U.S. dollar on Iraq and if the Iraqi''s and Pres. Bush wants the U.S. to stay in Iraq then Congress should make Iraqi''s fund it or give the U.S. free oil until the U.S. recovers it''s investment in Iraq. The Shiites are playing the U.S. for fools and may end up being worst than the Sunni''s the U.S. rescued them from!

[j-whitman]

radio,,,, It''s called reapportionment... Republicans retain control of the voting because they actually do have more votes than the democratic majority.

[j-whitman]

radio,, Have you figured out why dems keep loosing in the Senate ?

[radiob-2009]

Bush is trying to re-make history - he''''s trying to make a legacy for himself.
Posted by nyckate


A legacy of incomptency? He has already accomplished that.