http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040424/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq&cid=540&ncid=716
Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr threatened Friday to unleash suicide bombers if U.S. troops move against him in Iraq (news - web sites)'s holiest Shiite city, and his militiamen attacked a Bulgarian convoy, killing a soldier. Meanwhile, police in Basra arrested five Iraqis believed linked to al-Qaida and suspected in brutal suicide bombings Wednesday that killed 74 people.
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U.S. forces massed on the outskirts of Najaf have said they have no intention of moving in for the time being to capture al-Sadr — fully aware that an American entry into the holy city would spark a wave of outrage among Iraq's Shiite Muslim majority
We need to set up a refugee camp, as much of a pain in the *** as that is, get the civillians out of Najaf as much as possible..
And level it.
I'm not a big proponent of the "Arabs only understand violence" school of thought, but in this case I think an example would go a long way. I don't think it would win us any hearts and minds, and I don't think it would frighten Syria or Iran into suddenly becoming our buddies, but I think it very likely would prevent the nightmare scenario of dozens of local warlords popping up to contest leadership of Iraq.
I realize it's a holy city, and that this would damage our image with the Shi'ites. I realize the UN wouldn't like it.
This Mexican standoff ******** get's people killed though. US people. F'ed up ROE and negoiating via Iranians with thugs is an inherantly bad idea. If we've learned anything about urban warfare in the past 20 years it's that half measures get the good guys killed and let the bad guys operate with impunity.
Ok, I now return you to your regularly schedlued left wing whacko 'Roo.