Clashes Mark Anniversary Of Baghdad's Fall

Deadly Fighting Rages Between Iraqi Forces And Shiite Militias In Sadr City

(CBS/AP)  Seven people died in Baghdad's Sadr City as clashes between security forces and Shiite militiamen continued in the capital on Wednesday, the fifth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad.

The city's Green Zone, which houses diplomatic missions and much of Iraq's government, also came under renewed attack by rockets or mortars early Wednesday. The U.S. embassy confirmed the shelling, but said there were no immediate reports of casualties.

The bloodshed served as stark reminders of Iraq's continuing instability five years after U.S. troops swept into Baghdad and toppled Saddam Hussein's regime on April 9, 2003. The euphoria of victory soon dissipated - pummeled first by a Sunni insurgency, then Sunni-Shiite slaughter and now battles against Shiite militiamen.

Police said the seven victims in Sadr City - including three children - died when projectiles slammed into a house in the sprawling slum, a stronghold of the Mahdi Army militia of anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Twenty-seven other people were wounded, said a hospital official who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Eyewitnesses in the area said the attack was carried out by U.S. helicopters, but police said the blasts were caused by mortar rounds. The U.S. military had no immediate comment.

As tension rose in Baghdad on the eve of Wednesday's anniversary, the Iraqi military ordered vehicles and motorcycles off the streets from 5 a.m. Wednesday until midnight - a move apparently aimed at preventing Shiite gunmen from moving freely about the city.

The vehicle ban was imposed despite a decision by al-Sadr to call off his "million-strong" demonstration, set for Wednesday, to demand an end to the American military presence.

Still, residents described the situation in much of Sadr City as calmer than the previous days, despite the sounds of explosions and sporadic gunfire.

On Tuesday, Iraqi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi said a total of 82 militants, 36 civilians and 37 soldiers had been killed since March 16 in fighting in Baghdad, mostly in Sadr City.

The military said Wednesday that an American soldier had died from non-combat related injuries. The name of the deceased was withheld pending notification of the next of kin.

At least 12 American service members have died in Iraq since Sunday, and the shelling of the Green Zone has become almost a daily occurrence.

In Washington, U.S. commander Gen. David Petraeus called Tuesday for an open-ended suspension of U.S. troop withdrawals this summer because of concern over the renewed fighting.

As the number of U.S. forces in Iraq has gradually come down in the past three months, the number of high-profile car bomb and suicide attacks, weekly security incidents, civilian casualties and episodes of ethno-sectarian violence has gone up.

In his testimony to a congressional committee, Petraeus refused to give any indication that more troops could leave Iraq this year, after the last of five brigades ordered into the country for the buildup last year have come home.

U.S. military officials say Petraeus is unlikely to recommend any further cuts until after provincial elections are held in October and that troop strength will not go below 130,000 by the end of the year - about where it was before the surge started, reported CBS News national security correspondent David Martin.

[mcvet]

Over FIVE Years ago a President with the support of 80% of his people made a decision to leave the fight against those who had plotted the attack on this nation and invade Iraq. Back then we were being told it was because Saddam had WMD''s, SO LETHAL and SO READY to us, that we could NO LONGER wait for UN Inspectors to look for them, we HAD to attack the Ally of BIN LADEN right then. IT was a LIE people... regardless of what you think about the situation NOW, regardless of how you feel we need to get out and under what conditions. IF we as a PEOPLE can not admit the facts to begin with, how are we to get ourselves out of this situation? What should be done with a cold blooded leader who would send our son''s and daughters off to die? All the while looking us straight in the eye and LYING to us? SIEG HEIL BUSH!! SIEG HEIL BUSH!!

[prinzowhales]

MCVet--Indeed, what is to be done? In ancient times it was no crime to lift one''s hand against a tyrant. In Bush we have a man who says the document that he is sworn to preserve and obey is nothing but "a God Da*mn piece of paper"...whose legal wh*ores in the Justice Department and his own office claim is above the law...in short--LAWLESS!...an OUTLAW!!

Yet, he is not alone in his subversion of the US Constitution and his oath...Congress had a duty to remove him--and Cheney--for high crimes and misdeamenors...and the treasonous refusal to enforce the laws of the land regarding immigration and various other financial crimes...for his failure to investigate and take action against those responsible for 9-11...We see this Congress callowly accepting the Executive''s subversion of the peace and the launching of wars based on lies--and an absolute refusal to deal with the falsehoods and those who told them on behalf of the Regime.

Legally, I would think that this rogue Washington Regime has no defense for its actions and that any and all actions leading to the restoring of Constitutional rule in the Repubic could be justified.

[prinzowhales]

Bush is guilty many times over of the same crimes for which Saddam was hung.

[popstom1]

Pull our guys out letem wipe out each outher then
we go back open a gas staion

[prinzowhales]

TROOPS HOME NOW! End the Occupation! We are one of the primary problems in Iraq...those IEDs...the mortar attacks...the sniping, etc. have US as the target--We brought al Qaeda to Iraq!!....
We are the ones fomenting the dirty war and playing one group against the other....We are the ones who can''t stop the attacks on Iraqi civilians...We are the ones who can''t even secure the Green Target after five years of Occupation!

[prinzowhales]

Here is the story on how the slimey-limey arse-licking dogs of the Brown Regime in the UK is allowing paramilitary thugs from China to attack pro-Tibetan crowds.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/april2008/040908_paramilitary_thugs.htm

The human vermin of the New York City Police Department have used steel batons on the Free Tibet protestors in the past...So much for free speech!

And these dogs claim to be promoting ''Western values'' and civilization in Iraq! One cannot despise the contemptible scum of Wall Street and the City enough!

Is this the ''freedom'' they are supporting?

Fork the Olympics...Boycott! Boycott!! Boycott!!!
These Games are a bandaid on the oozing anal fistual of a seven hundred pound fat woman. War, rapine, occupation, mass murder, government terror and false flag attacks...not feel good pap!

[bluestardad]

Has anyone seen a more inept public speaker than this Crocker who is speaking before Congress now?

[bluestardad]

Just as the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939 was illegal so was the Invasion of Iraq. Both were supported by lies and trumped up charges by the aggressor. Both the Leadership in Nazi Germany and the Leadership of the United States were and are guilty of War crimes for starting these wars. If Justice had a true "Champion" in the world, the leadership that started the Iraq war would be tried for war crimes just as the Nazi leadership was! Who is Justice%u2019s True Champion?



What moral right does anyone have to continue the Iraq war? Those of us who permit this injustice to continue either by design or compliancy are enablers sharing in these crimes!



What is the difference in the Nazis trying to stamp out the Jews and Bush, Cheney, and the Neocons killing hundreds of thousands of the people of Islam to get at their Oil and Natural Gas?

[prinzowhales]

Listening to the dog and pony show going on in Congress today is like watching these pigs preen before the cameras while they tut-tutted the oil executives for high fuel prices...It is pure farce!

Troops Home Now! Down with the Demopublican Regime!

[inventagod]

How''s that Oil Invasion going, Repugs???

[glock4me]

Clashes are how those people celebrate... that and firing weapons into the air, beheading infidels, beating women in ghost costumes, etc.

[prinzowhales]

At antiwar.com, there is the picture and story of the an Iraqi who was helping bring the statue of Saddam down says he is sorry he did...

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&art_id=nw20080409144937482C969278

He says all of his friends who helped feel the same way.

FREE IRAQ!! FREE AMERICA!! DOWN WITH THE DEMOPUBLICAN REGIME!!

[newstroll]

Where are the weapons of mass destruction?
Ill tell you where they are in the USA they have nukes and conventional weapons that do just about as much damage.
The only way to win the war in Iraq is kill all the insugents wich is what sadam hussain did when he was in power. So should we hang Bush for war crimes. After all the war on Iraq was not sanctioned by the UN.

[prinzowhales]

Ted Olson lied about his phone calls from his wife from Flight 77 on 9-11! The FBI, in court documents in the Zacarias Moussaoui case, they say only ONE Unconnected Call was made by Ms. Olson.

http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=8514

[prinzowhales]

Cele Costillo--Vietnam sniper, DEA and local law enforcement officer as well as many other accomplishments in on the Alex Jones Show found at infowars.com or at the Genesis Communications Network.

He was a resource for a SHOWTIME special and is telling the story of his harrassment by the criminal swine from BATF for talking about he widespread Regime involvement in the narcotics trade. They harrassed and threatened his 84 year old grandmother and when they had permission to search. He reports that Daniel Casey, who headed the search threatened that if his wife didn''t sign a consent to search, they would wait till his grandchildren came home and truamatize them...These people are scum!! Bush has authorized increases in the size of this bureau to harass gun owners....He is a weasel. He is a liar. He is a murderer of Americans and a thief!!

His website is powderburns.com...This is a man who should be supported.