BAGHDAD, April 16, 2008
Defeat Of Al Qaeda Close, Iraqi PM Says
Optimistic Comment Follows Day Of Bombings That Killed Nearly 60 People
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Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (AP)
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Residents look at Iraqi security forces inspecting area after a parked car bomb exploded in downtown Baghdad, Tuesday, April 15, 2008. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
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Young Iraqi children look through a hole caused by an airstrike in the Shiite enclave of Sadr City in Baghdad, Tuesday, April 15, 2008. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)
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Iraq: 5 Years At War
Five years after the U.S.-led invasion, the war wears on.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki voiced optimism Wednesday that his government would conquer al Qaeda in Iraq. "We are today more confident than any time before that we are close to the point where we can declare victory against al Qaeda ... and its allies," he said Wednesday in an address to the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.
The deadly bombings struck directly at U.S. claims that the Sunni insurgency is waning and being replaced by Shiite militia violence as a major threat.
Also Wednesday, an unmanned U.S. drone fired two Hellfire missiles at militants attacking Iraqi soldiers in a Shiite militia stronghold in the southern city of Basra, killing four of the gunmen, the military said.
In Baghdad, clashes between U.S.-backed Iraqi troops and Shiite militiamen in the Sadr City district killed two men and injured 18 other people, police said Wednesday.
The airstrike in Basra occurred about 1 a.m. after militiamen attacked an Iraqi army patrol with rocket-propelled grenades on the eastern side of the Hayaniyah district, the U.S. military said. A vehicle suspected of containing more weapons and ammunition also was destroyed.
The area has seen some of the fiercest fighting since a government offensive against the militias in Basra began March 25.
In Sadr City, a police officer said those injured in gunbattles Tuesday included three women and three children. Sadr City is a stronghold of the Mahdi Army militia of anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. It is also home to an estimated 2.5 million Shiites.
The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said sporadic shooting was still going on and it was too dangerous to venture out on the streets.
The ferocity of the Shiite militia response to the government crackdown has surprised Iraqi security forces - which are dominated by Shiites - raising doubts about whether the Iraqis could handle an all-out war without U.S. help.
The New York Times reported that an 80-strong company of Iraqi soldiers abandoned their positions Tuesday night in Sadr City, leaving a crucial stretch of road undefended for hours despite pleas by American soldiers in the area for them to stay.
The Iraqi company leader, who was identified as Maj. Sattar, and his troops complained that they were short of ammunition and overall poorly equipped to battle the militias and had no means to communicate directly with the U.S. troops positioned behind them, according to the newspaper.
It added that an elite Iraqi unit was rushed in and began to fight its way north with the help of the Americans.
The report comes just days after the government fired most of the 1,300 soldiers and policemen who had deserted or refused to fight during its offensive against Shiite militants in Basra last month.
The U.S. military said the New York Times report was factual and the Baghdad command would address the issue.
Lt. Col. Steve Stover, a military spokesman in Baghdad, called it "a snapshot of one area where U.S. soldiers are in close support of their Iraqi counterparts" and stressed that it is a new army and Iraqi soldiers and national police are taking casualties daily in fighting in other areas.
"This is one company-sized unit, part of a recently formed Iraqi army battalion," Stover said, adding that 65 other Iraqi battalions were operating in Baghdad with "varying degrees of experience and capability."
"The older units are able to conduct independent counterinsurgency operations and others obviously need more work, better leadership and more experience," he said in an e-mailed statement.
In other developments:
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See all 106 Commentsall the killings going on and he''s sitting in the Green zone claiming victory!
This, while 60 Iraqis were killed in attacks in 4 seperate cities the day before.
In making his statement, the Iraqi prime minister has demonstrated that he has been studying American politics and learned the same things that American politicians have, one of them being to deny reality and live in a dream world; something the Great Emperor Bush II and the neocon Fascist Nazi Republicans have been doing for the past 8 years!
The Nazis in Nazi Germany did that too, and refused to accept reality, until it was too late!!!!
SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!
sig heil. (more of the same) McCain!!!
''Could'' or ''WOULD'' . . . that NYT article said many of those Iraqi troops come from that neighborhood and talk to the ''militias'' by cell phone during the fighting.
So basically, our military is asking people to shoot at their neighbors while they ''oversee'' the fight in the name of democracy? That''s the kind of catch-22 that''s going to make the history books as a prime cause for why this war was unwinnable . . .
So America if you vote Republican next election DO NOT COMPLAIN.
Obviously we are fighting the bad guys, and are winning.
To leave would be a diastrous mistake. We have to kill those roaches anywhere we can.
Islamic Fascists eat their young with bombs. Think what would like to do to ours.
According to Bush, that happened last year sometime.
Oh well.
Posted by Nancy_Naive at 10:08 AM : Apr 16, 2008
+ report abuse
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well according to the DNC and the liberal masses, there is no winning against al queda so might as well surrender..
The Iraqi company leader, who was identified as Maj. Sattar, and his troops complained that they were short of ammunition and overall poorly equipped to battle the militias and had no means to communicate directly with the U.S. troops positioned behind them, according to the newspaper.
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Remember the IRAQ Inspector General report? It said that as a result of wide spread corruption, the above has always been a problem.
If anybody believes this statement by Maliki, I have an ocean front bridge in AZ I want to sell them.
I wonder what Iraq al-Maliki is in?? al-queda is about as close to being finished as shrub''s president approval rating to reach over 50%!
NONE-EXISTANT!
They really frighten you simple folk don''''t they? HAHAHAHA!!!!
Posted by FloydZepp at 10:19 AM : Apr 16, 2008
+ report abuse
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and if it does..what are you going to do about it??
+ report abuse
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you DO NOT HAVE ANY CONCEPT of the type of warfare we are engaged in
in Arabic?
+ report abuse
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then your dumb arse should know that there would be no grand INVASION...its gradual change in your lifestyle using terrorist threats to make it happen..
the same way they are doing in europe..
+ report abuse
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you just got way too comfortable with your freedom..
To leave would be a diastrous mistake. We have to kill those roaches anywhere we can.
Islamic Fascists eat their young with bombs. Think what would like to do to ours.
Posted by ColonieNY at 10:18 AM : Apr 16, 2008
Yeah!! Let''s get em all.....Saudis, Pakistanis, Afghanis, Kuwaitis, and the rest!!! LOL. What do you want to do?? How can you possibly do it? How can you possibly PAY for it!
I''ll bet you''re one of those BORROW some more from China & Kuwait & Saudi Arabia and SPEND it but let''s cut taxes too??
This policy is just fiscally and politically stupid.
*********. The fact of our occupation insures that Al Qaeda will have a foothold in the country as long as we do.
the same way they are doing in europe.
Posted by libsrweak at 10:33 AM : Apr 16, 2008
I didn''t realize that the EURO has fallen so low on the dollar....those terrorists are sure doing their work on them right now....give it up...this sounds like modern-day McCarthyism & Domino Theory....look how those turned out!
"And how exactly will they do that?
Explain their Master Plan to us. We''''re ready to hear this fascinating tale of intrigue."
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First they''re going to need the cooperation of the White House.
James, are you really 14? I saw that in a post yesterday?
But if you want to kill them (and get your own kids killed) because they "hate our freedom" or "they tried to kill my dad" -Bush than natural selection enters into it too. Kind of a dilemma for the Religious Right.
What about the other 90% of Iraqs own people who are running around killing everyone? al Qaeda is a small group in Iraq, the bigger problems are coming from Iraq''s own.
2006-7: Replaced by horrible sectarian violence making the situation the worst yet.
Summer 2007-2008: Surge and Sunni insurgents turning on Al-Qaeda quells violence, but in the respite created by this lull, the Iraqi Government has failed to stamp it''s authority on the country, achieve political consensus plus reconciliation between it''s different ethnic factions. As a result violence is on an upwards swing again irrespective of Al-Qaedas demise, this time between Shiite Militia and the Shiite led Government, the Sunnis are still biding their time.
2009-Onwards: Failure to reach political solution despite initial success of the Surge, results in a struggle between all three main Iraqi ethnic sects for land, power and Oil fields, in anticipation of the Partitioning of Iraq into 3 states. This leads to full blown Civil War.The presence or no presence of US forces will be irrelevant, as at least 500,000 US troops would be needed to enforce order.
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Another
Great example of this imbeciles intelligence level.
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Yeah, I heard someone say, "Iraq would be a nice place, if it weren''t for the Iraqis"
But if we were invaded, anyone who wouldn''t join a Mahdi Army-style resistance would be a traitor.
Posted by jamesm12341 at 11:27 AM : Apr 16, 2008
Well james you also have plenty baseless ones of your own.....that''s too bad. the 14 reference before was to the illogical points that you often make on here...I thought maybe it was due to your age...apparently not.
Posted by jamesm12341 at 11:38 AM : Apr 16, 2008
James, you didn''t read my post very well. I don''t agree with the 90% fighting piece, just the illogical arguments that you make piece. I''d love to debate policy with you once again.....but that won''t go anywhere because you don''t actually have coherent thoughts on that one.
if you were 14, that was what explained your lack or actual arguments.
What are we doing in Iraq? How about that policy question?
we can''''t have al quaeda defeated now can we?
I am convinced that libs are so depressed in their lives because they had same oppurtunities as everyone else in this country to succeed and didnt. That they have to put down anything or anyone successful. The surge is working in Iraq, they deny it. Defeat of Al Qaeda is close, they deny it. Bush was successful in life and became president, they put him down. NASCAR, whether you like it or not (i don''''t), it is successful so floydzepp puts it down. It must be a sad way to go thru life.
everyone think about the above post. another lame lib attempt at giving a worthless opinion. 90% of any countries people killing its own. would there be anyone left in the country? the above has to be the most idiotic post i have ever read on here....and there are alot of them.
oh my God!! moron number 2 folks!!
I know, I know...typical response from a whiny lib in denial....hang in there
14 illogical points i have made huh? what are they? wait..will make it simple for you...name just 3. bet you can''''t and if you can''''t i guess that makes you a bigger moron than you already been proven to be. go on ..name just 3 illogical points i have made
How about some policy discussion like what are we doing in Iraq?
What is your stance on the European Union? How about the role of NATO? Afghanistan policy? Military health plans & treatment? Al-Maliki''s leadership in Iraq? What is a Sunni & how are they different than Shias? Anything will suffice for conversation!! Can''t wait to hear from you...
republiCON propaganda
mission accomplished
what has happened to our country
Reagan started it and the bush crime family finished
the ruination of america,
we have become a third world country because of you
mindless christian republiCONs
want four more vote mcBushCain
Posted by bgwinnett at 01:10 PM : Apr 16, 2008
I''m ready for it!! Were you referring to anyone in particular?
I''''m ready for it!! Were you referring to anyone in particular?
Posted by arlt1627 at 01:18 PM : Apr 16, 2008
Not you dude floyd or joyus, the ultra right-wingers usually.Though it''s not always them.
(with a veto proof majority and a democratic president)
we will be out og Iraq, on a firm economic footing,
and people around the world will stop calling americans
dancing monkeys
"Care to back that up? - Posted by Nancy_Naive
bgwinnett, once you''ve been on this site a couple of times, you''ll realize the far-left has no intention of trying to validate their lies. BTW, N2, the proof is all over the CBS blog. Try using an open mind, and not your attitude of, "Don''t confuse me with the facts, I have already made up my mind."
Let the whinning begin...
Optimistic Comment Follows Day Of Bombings That Killed Nearly 60 People"
That''s nothing - we lose 40 a day to drunk drivers, and that''s in a peaceful environment.
I wonder how many are murdered...
So what is CBS'' point ?
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