The map says it all. And so does Juan Cole.
Al-Zaman says its sources in the Sadr Movement confirmed that the Mahdi Army has gained control of the main road between Amara and Basra, allowing it to cut the government troops off from military supplies.
Listen, I've said it for years. The only way for the US ground troops to get to Kuwait and safety is through Basra. Al Amara is just north of Basra about a third of the way to Baghdad on THE ONLY AVAILABLE ROAD.
The Cheney administration keeps telling us that there are maybe 50-60 thousand guys in the Mahdi army. There are also some excellent sources that will tell you that the number of active Sadr militia dudes is well over a million. A million. At this point who are you going to believe?
They choke off this passage and it'll get real weird in Iraq.
(click on the map and it zooms in real nicely)
1 comment:
Hi Bob,
King here...
I would have to agree the Mahdi Army totals are being underestimated by our government. Understand, I also believe we went in with not nearly enough troops.
There have been mistakes, and more mistakes. I am sure there are many contributing factors with these mistakes, and mistakes aren't swallowed easy when the cost is an American life.
I have spoken with several soldiers after coming home and they tell me they just wish they were allowed to do their job & THEN come home.
The Mahdi Army - Sadr should be simply told you will be assassinated if you continue inciting your jihadikaze followers. He is now asking the recent uprising stop. Everything was much better during his 6 month truce. It will continue if he doesn't act up.
The Iraq Govt. is imposing strict regulations and curfews. The rule of law must be established,this is starting to happen in more areas than before.
Go listen to the debate Koocinich had with Joe Simpleman. I believe it was leftie Barbara Ferris who said what we are doing in Iraq is GOOD. What we are doing in Iraq is working. This far left leaning lady is even aware, and stated, establishing a democracy takes a minimum 10 years. I do believe that was one of our intended goals.
(OK insert any WMD remarks here)
Asking nicely does not always work with people of extreme views. Sometimes extreme measures need to be taken in dealing with extreme people.
As for extreme people - you need to be not as much be concentrating on the size of the Mahdi army. We (that would be you) need to look at the estimated counts of extremists muslims across the globe.
I may be mistaken - but with China now having the towel headed, tantrum-throwing terrorists pulling rick shaws through their streets - is there any country not infected with their them?
Iraq is a piece of a much larger puzzle. The spread of Islamic extremism is far more dangerous than communism ever was.
Everyone wants our men & women home as soon as possible. I believe 100 Iraqi or terrorits lives are not worth the life of 1 American soldier.
Regardless of arguing if Al-Qaeda was in Iraq when we started or not - they are there now.
Bin-Laden has confirmed Iraq is the battle ground against the US.
I could just imagine the worlds reaction if every American came out and said - Go kick some butt!
Bet it would open some eyes and eventually bring our soldiers home sooner.
Some may say that thinking is arrogant. So what - no matter what we do, other countries and especially the jihadikazes will always think that of us.
The faster our soldiers come home the better - but as we should have finished what we started the first time - do we want to go back in 10 more years and start all over again?
Leaving Iraq and also underestmating the so-called friendliness of Islam, is a big mistake.
Do we want more mistakes?
King
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