BAGHDAD, Sept. 4, 2007
Report: Al Qaeda Plans New Iraq Offensive
Politicians, GIs Targeted, Islamic Web Site Says; Meanwhile, Iraq's Parliament Heads Back To Work
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Play CBS Video Video Crucial Time In Iraq
CBS News came to Iraq as General David Petraeus prepares to report on the progress of the surge. Katie Couric recaps why this is a critical time in the war as America faces important decisions.
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Video Bush Sees Progress In Anbar
President Bush addressed troops in Iraq's Anbar province, where he says they have greatly helped reduce violence. He said if success continues, there may be troop drawdowns. Katie Couric reports.
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Video Iraq Progress Deadline Looms
Katie Couric joins Kelly Wallace from Baghdad to discuss her interview with Gen. David Petraeus, who will deliver his Iraq progress report to Congress next week.
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U.S. Army troops guard a checkpoint in the Mansour district in western Baghdad, Iraq on Sept. 4, 2007. (AP Photo/Wisam Sami)
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An Iraqi soldier, with his national flag, climbs the gates of the Basra Palace complex in Basra, Iraq, Monday, Sept 3, 2007. (AP Photo/Nabil al-Jurani)
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British soldiers stand by armored combat vehicles in Basra, 340 miles southeast of Baghdad, Iraq, in this file photo dated Friday Oct. 7, 2005. British soldiers pulled out Sunday from their last base inside the southern city, a move likely to prompt a further reduction in troop numbers, lawmakers and officials said. (AP Photo/Nabil al-Jurani)
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Gen. Mohan Hafidh, commander of the Basra Operations Center, holds a press conference in Basra, Iraq, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2007. Hafidh, appointed by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, will be handling the taking over of palaces that are being commanded by the last contingent of British soldiers based in the center of the city. (AP)
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Interactive Battle For Iraq The government, the insurgency, key players, background and photos.
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Interactive Iraq: 4 Years Later The conflict wears on as the nation struggles to rebuild.
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Special Report War On Terror Complete coverage of the military's battle against terrorism.
The warning came as Iraq's parliament got back to work after a month-long summer break, but it was not immediately clear whether lawmakers would quickly take up key benchmark legislation demanded by Washington.
In a statement posted on an Islamic Web site, the Islamic State of Iraq said the "War Ministry" decided to form special battalions for martyrdom seekers "to pound the bastions of the crusaders and their renegade tails" in Iraq.
"These battalions, with God's help, will perform their duties in an excellent manner during the month of Ramadan and the enemies of God will suffer a lot," the statement said. Last Ramadan, al Qaeda also urged its followers to step up attacks against U.S. and Iraqi forces.
Since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, the month of Ramadan has seen a spike in violence - especially suicide attacks - in part because some Islamic extremists believe those who die in combat for a holy cause during the period are especially blessed.
The statement said "most of the martyr seekers of these blessed battalions will be from the Ansar (Iraqi) brothers."
The authenticity of the statement could not be verified, but it was published by an Islamic Web forum that usually carries announcements by militant groups.
Al Qaeda in Iraq is blamed for some of the deadliest suicide bombings against Shiite Muslim civilians, as well as numerous attacks on U.S. troops and Iraqi soldiers and police.
The announcement is believed to be aimed at countering what the statement described as "media reports that the mujahideen have been weakened and their attacks were curtailed."
Sunni tribal leaders in some major towns, angry over the movement's attempt to monopolize power and mandate a strict Islamic lifestyle, have turned against al Qaeda and, with U.S. support, have defeated the militants forcing them out of their areas.
Local Sunnis taking up arms against al Qaeda, particularly in Anbar Province, has been cited by President Bush as evidence of military success in Iraq.
Mr. Bush told CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric Monday during a surprise visit to Iraq that if such success continues, it may be possible to start reducing U.S. troop levels. (Read more)
Speaking Tuesday to CBS Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith, Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., responded to Mr. Bush's hint at possible troop level changes.
"If he's talking about bringing down troops to the pre-surge level, to 130,000, that's not withdrawal. The withdrawal would be getting us out of the middle of that civil war," said Biden, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
In other developments:
Iraq's parliament shrugged off calls in July from Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to cancel, or at least shorten, the traditional summer pause saying after putting the break off for a month that there was no point waiting any longer for the premier to deliver the legislation.
The session opened with 158 members of 275 present - enough to form quorum, but the agenda was not immediately announced.
The American commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker are due in Washington to report to Congress next week on progress in Iraq since the introduction of 30,000 more American troops, including whether advances are being made toward national reconciliation.
While parliament was in recess, al-Maliki attempted to break the impasse with major Shiite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish leaders in a high-level meeting just over a week ago. It brought al-Maliki together fellow Shiite Vice President Adil Abdul-Mahdi, Sunni Arab Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, the head of the northern autonomous Kurdish region Massoud Barzani and President Jalal Talabani, who is also a Kurd.
They said they agreed in principle on some issues that the U.S. has set as benchmarks for progress, among them holding provincial elections, releasing prisoners held without charge and changing the law preventing many former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party from holding government jobs and elected office.
Any agreements reached at the secret meeting will be harder to implement in the diverse 275-member parliament, with the specter of sectarian violence a stark reality just outside the doors.
Mr. Bush told Couric Iraq's parliamentarians are "very clear on the current government structure. What they're having trouble getting to is passing laws. They passed 60 laws last year. They passed a significant budget. They understand we expect them to pass more laws."
However, Sen. Biden told Smith on The Early Show "there is virtually no political progress being made".
"You don't hear any progress about how Sunnis and Shiites, the ones in the midst of the civil war, are beginning to live well with one another.
"Prior to the surge, people were fleeing their neighborhoods at 50,000 people a month. Since the surge, they've been fleeing their neighborhoods at 100,000 per month," Biden said.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Add a Comment See all 48 Comments
Nice quote, ''red164''- Reply to this comment
- I would argue that the "Mission" is still largely being "Accomplished".
Posted by FeelFree1 at 01:43 PM : Sep 04, 2007
We know that massive bills are not written by Congressmen and women, and that the American people have never requested nor understand the legislation which is now forced down our throats. As such, we must always be cognizant of the fact that all %u201Cpolitics%u201D and political decisions are made far, far in advance of our knowledge, because politics, as a system, is a wholly secret society. We only think we are active participants as voters. In fact, we are non-entities when it comes to political decision making and intention. The power of %u201Cgovernment%u201D has never been used for the benefit of the common man.
MICRO-MANAGING THE COMMON MAN
Nancy Levant
September 4, 2007
NewsWithViews.com - Reply to this comment
j-whitman,
In case you check back, I just wanted to point out that immediately following my criticizms of this *** article, CBS moved it- not just out of their "Top Stories" section, but completely off of the front page, and into the obscure and unnecessary "Iraq After Saddam" section.
If there was any truth to this silly article, don''t you suppose that it would take precidence over the ''crank-caller-to-911'' article?- Reply to this comment
- Posted by mbcsmith at 01:33 PM : Sep 04, 2007
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While I''m certainly not a liberal, I think that you and the rest of the pseudo-conservatives who style themselves "Neo-Cons" would include me under that umbrella-term.
I believe there are terrorists--like the ones who demolished the building pictured here...
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2006/06/341238.shtml
The sneaky no-good terrorists need to be hunted down and destroyed...particularly the ones who made the precision cuts with thermate on the columns AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WTC BUILDING PICTURED and also their accomplices who covered up the crime on the 9-11 Commission.
Come on big mbcsmith...name the terrorists who did this!! I dare you!! Name the terrorists who covered it up!! Come on...where is that ''War on Terror Team spirit''?
Which "Lib" did this? Let''s see that keen intellect ferret out the truth... - Reply to this comment
j-whitman,
Re: "Have a good day, I''''ve got things to do."
OK. Likewise.- Reply to this comment
j-whitman,
Framing "war" against Iraq as a string of failures is a mistake, in my opinion. Taking this position allows them the opportunity to demonstrate "success" in the surge efforts.
The conduct of the "war" is not the failure. The "surge" is not a failure. They have already achieved many of their true objectives on these fronts.
The failure of our country was in allowing our rulers to wage a fraud/fear-based illegal war of aggression, and in allowing it to continue.
We had about as much chance of ever "winning" this "war" as we have of "winning" a rape.
Our Corporate media outlets are unmistakably complicit in this heinous crime, and this ridiculous report is a very good example of this.- Reply to this comment
- j-whitman,
Re: "FeelFree1,,, Don''''t tell me you are buying into "Blame the Media" GOP rhetoric."
I have found that the opposite is usually true, with respect to the GOP rhetoric.
In this case, the Corporate media, which is heavily invested in the illegal war effort, has helped to promote it at almost every turn, and has presented almost every lie without challenge.
The case for invading Iraq was known to be false, AHEAD of the illegal invasion. Millions and millions of people openly and publicly opposed this action, prior to the invasion, but they were systematically minimized and villainized by the Western Corporate media.
The Bush puppet was never legitimately elected to the office that he occupies, yet he is there, and staged events like the toppling of the Saddam statue, the Jessica Lynch fables, and the "al-Qaeda-in-Iraq" fairy-tales are parroted by outlets like CBS with little or no challenge.
Had CBS and other Western news organizations been doing their jobs, and meeting their obligations to the U.S. public, we would have never waged an illegal war of aggression against Iraq, in my opinion. - Reply to this comment
- Have a good day, I''ve got things to do.
- Reply to this comment
- FeelFree1,,, Don''t tell me you are buying into "Blame the Media" GOP rhetoric.
- Reply to this comment
- FeelFree1,,,,, Not likely,,, Granted thier is some progress in some areas, but we still can''t stop looting in Baghdad, or control villages controled by insurgent militia''s, it''s a big country.... And over 4 years of failures & destruction counters counter insurgencies.
- Reply to this comment
j-whitman,
Re: "FeelFree1 -- I think CBS understands how to report the news -- They''''ve been delivering the news to America since 1917"
I am not claiming that CBS does not "know how" to report news. I am saying that they are intentionally not doing so at this time period.
This stinking yellow-journalism report is an excellent example of what I am talking about.- Reply to this comment
j-whitman,
Re: "FeelFree1,, From "Mission Accomplished" - To "Mission Impossible" -- Over 4 years of Bush failures.."
I disagree with you here somewhat ''j-whitman''. I think that a long-term state of chaos in Iraq, and a permanent U.S. presence there, WAS part of the plan.
I think that the regime wishes that people in the U.S. would perceive the criminal debacle as a bigger success, or at least that we wouldn''t really care about it such as in Afghanistan, but short of installing a clearly U.S. allied dictator like Chalabi, I think that fomenting chaos in Iraq was plan "B" all along.
I think that the Bush regime wishes that the current Iraqi pseudo-puppets would pass the Iraqi oil-stealing law, and that they had more military resources freed up for the pending attack on Iran, but they are still making lots and lots of money from this misadventure, Iraq is severely weakened, to the delight of the Zionist extremists, and they have tied the imaginary fables of "al-Qaeda-in-Iraq" to their Global War of Terra, so they are definitely not left empty-handed here.
I would argue that the "Mission" is still largely being "Accomplished".- Reply to this comment
- mbcsmith,,,, You still haven''t figured it out yet ??? --- Bush ignored all plans that could have created the possiblity for immediate security & an effective counter insurgency... Destroying cities & villages fuels an insurgency & directly opposes efforts to run effective countrer insurgencies.
He funds and arms Arab Sunni''s who''s known intention is to destroy a democraticaly elected government & our occupation. - Reply to this comment
- CBS is violating the public trust by promoting silly garbage like this as "news", and they should have their Charter revoked for such a blatant breach of this trust.
Posted by FeelFree1 at 01:29 PM : Sep 04, 2007
This is exactly the problem with the LIB stance on fighting terrorism. They claim it DOESN"T EXIST! How can you fight the war on terrorism if you don''t see the thousands dead and dying. A LIB IN THE WHITE HOUSE IS A VOTE FOR TERRORISTS. - Reply to this comment
- FeelFree1 -- I think CBS understands how to report the news -- They''ve been delivering the news to America since 1917
- Reply to this comment
- skyk,,, It still can''t be accomplished with a "Decider" who for close to 5 years has led 1 failure after another & dishonoralbly lies to our country & Troops to this day.
- Reply to this comment
It is very sad that an article such as this is what passes for "journalism" at CBS Newz. Here we have an unauthored report, making unsubstantiated claims about an imaginary group, called "al-Qaeda-in-Iraq".
If there was in fact an offensive planned by "al-Qaeda-in-Iraq", or even from an actual Iraqi resistance group, why on earth would they announce it ahead of time?
If pResident Bush is citing "Sunnis taking up arms against al Qaeda, particularly in Anbar Province...as evidence of military success in Iraq", does this not show, all on its own, that this claim is false?
Re: "Al Qaeda in Iraq is blamed for some of the deadliest suicide bombings against Shiite Muslim civilians..."
Blamed by whom? Unnamed military officials, completely absent of any support for their dubious claims? The same ones who are claiming that the "surge" is "working"?
Re: "The authenticity of the statement could not be verified?"
Why is that? Was the statement made on one of the fake "Islamic" web sites that are "monitored" by a known propaganda factory, like the 2-person SITE Institute?
CBS is violating the public trust by promoting silly garbage like this as "news", and they should have their Charter revoked for such a blatant breach of this trust.- Reply to this comment
- Al Qada has every intention of forcing Al Maliki from office, if the Americans leave. Bin Laden wants Al Masri in power there. Al Qada attacks at will from Iran. They can hit targets within Iraq or Afghanistan from secret bases. Osama believes that he can retake Kabul and Baghdad. From those positions, OBL could launch a terror campaign against the United States.
Posted by Antillo99 at 12:34 PM : Sep 04, 2007
YOU have GOT to pay attention more and for goodness sake pick someplace where you can get the full story. Al Qaeda is SUNNI and Iran is Shiite. That''s like saying one is catholic and the other is Southern Baptist!! LOL It''s a failure man, get over it. We need to look at some different ways of doing this and some new ideas on HOW. - Reply to this comment
- notblue,,,, You need to ENLIST
-- In the meantime pay attention to how our great troops are effectively running counter insurgencies around the world in hundreds of other locations. ---- Bush Failed our Nation & our Armed Forces & still lies to create a legacy. - Reply to this comment
- Bush has been A better recruiter for Al Qaeda than Bin Laden Himself. However I''''d like to mention I feel we were correct in going into Afghanistan and the world accepted that.
Posted by sillywilly4 at 12:50 PM : Sep 04, 2007
+ report abuse
You had BETTER be hoping for a Government that ISN''T going to tell us to take a hike after we are bankrupt and our Military is beyond repair. When your Enemy has used this to recruit more Terrorist, you had better get some statesmen/women to start talking to our FORMER Friends, THAT''s what had better happen and soon... you know the ones that Bush was so arrogant with... the one''s he used his dog and pony show on? Yep those who are HELPING us in Afganistan? - Reply to this comment
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