February 25, 2006

Iraqi officials warn of endless civil war; Setback for US military?


Is this Sistani's idea of peaceful protest?

The situation in Iraq is worsening, despite some claims by the government that it is in control.

Breaking: Residents of Aadhamiya are building barricades with everything they can find and sand bags to prevent infiltrators from coming in and massacring people.

I just received word from the husband of a cousin - his family lives in Aadhamiya. Apparently, men donning Iraqi national guard uniforms and police outfits are engaged in fire fights. It is unknown with whom at this point. (I pray it is against the Sadrists and Badrists)

US media, as I indicated yesterday, tried to spin everything to show the curfew has curbed violence, That is entirely untrue. Speak to the Iraqis themselves. I just got a harrowing account from a male blogger of three people gunned down in his street, one Shia family massacred, and so on.

Is that a curb of violence?

But the media today realized they fumbled.

The BBC today revealed the gross inadequacy of the curfew:

Curfew fails to halt Iraq killing

As did CNN in its headline: Iraq curfew fails to stop fresh wave of bloodshed,

As did MSNBC: Iraq violence surges despite security measures

Endless civil war
Meanwhile, the Iraqi Defense Minister has warned of endless civil war in the country:

Speaking at a joint news conference on Saturday afternoon, Saadun al-Dulaimi also said Iraq would not hesitate to dispatch tanks to the streets to end violence and impose security.

"We are ready to fill the streets with armoured vehicles," he told a news conference televised live to the nation on state television.

The minister also denied any involvement by what he called Interior Ministry commandoes in the attack that targeted Harith al-Dari, leader of the Association of Muslim Scholars.

He also appealed to the media not to exaggerate the bloodshed. He said the death toll over the past few days was no higher than 119 and the number of mosques attacked was 21 to 22, not the hundreds previously reported. (Aljazeera.net)

But Iraqirabita.org disputes the ministers claims and lists the names of all the mosques that have been attacked, with a detailed account of the damage sustained by every mosque. It also has pictures of mosques taken over by Sadrists and Badrists.

It tells of the justification for taking over the mosques: Any mosque built by Saddam is the mosque of an apostate and must be cleansed and purified, they say. They say mosques belong to the Wahabis.

I say a mosque is a mosque is a mosque. What these Sadrists and Badrists are doing is promoting ethnic cleansing.

So it comes as some surprise, to hear religious leaders are talking.

Influential Shia and Sunni religious and political leaders have held talks in Baghdad saying they will join forces to ease sectarian bloodshed that has raised fears of civil war in Iraq.

On Saturday, representatives of the Shia figure Muqtada al-Sadr met members of the most influential Sunni religious organisation and the biggest Sunni political bloc as violence continued to rage after the bombing of a major Shia shrine on Wednesday. (Aljazeera.net)

In the picture above, we see clerics representing Muqtada Sadr and others from the Association of Muslim Scholars meeting outside the Abu Hanifa mosque in Baghdad. Note: Sadr has seriously improved his position as a power-broker in Iraq (keep in mind his recent visit to Iran, please). What I don't get is why everyone is so happy - did they manage to avoid bloodshed? Did the Baghdad Lions win the NFL? I just don't get it.

Tens of Iraqis have been killed since the curfew went into effect. I believe this curfew is being abused by terrorists associated with the interior ministry free reign over Baghdad.

عشرات القتلى بالعراق ولقاءات سنية شيعية لوقف العنف

Aljazeera Arabic is reporting tens of killings - something the Shia-led ministry of defense has rejected.

Thirteen Shia and Sunni farmers were gunned down and killed by unknown gunmen in Baquba.

A car bomb in Karbala killed eight persons and wounded 31.

Bahjat's funeral attacked

Meanwhile, a funeral procession for slain Iraqi female journalist Atwar Bahjat was attacked two times resulting in two more deaths.

According to Baghdad Dweller's translation of a live Alarabiya broadcast, Iraqi army forces protected the procession on its return from the burial grounds after US forces apparently did nothing.

AP has reported seeing at least two more mosques burning despite the curfew, which has been extended to Monday. (to give more time for attacks). The defence ministry has threatened to use tanks.

I have a feeling these tanks will be used to storm Sunni neighborhoods.

US setback?
Meanwhile, in a setback for the US military and lil George of Crawford's appraisal, Iraq armed forces have been downgraded.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The only Iraqi battalion capable of fighting without U.S. support has been downgraded to a level requiring them to fight with American troops backing them up, the Pentagon said Friday.

The battalion, made up of 700 to 800 Iraqi Army soldiers, has repeatedly been offered by the U.S. as an example of the growing independence of the Iraqi military.

The competence of the Iraqi military has been cited as a key factor in when U.S. troops will be able to return home.

"As we see more of these Iraqi forces in the lead, we will be able to continue with our stated strategy that says as Iraqi forces stand up, we will stand down," President Bush said last month. (Full story)

The battalion, according to the Pentagon, was downgraded from "level one" to "level two" after a recent quarterly assessment of its capabilities.

"Level one" means the battalion is able to fight on its own; "level two" means it requires support from U.S. troops; and "level three" means it must fight alongside U.S. troops.

Two things to note here. One, could it be that the US military found its force has become Balkanized and must er ...undergo further training? And two, this is the first aspect of the coming statements that US forces will not be able to leave Iraq. Ever.

Update Still no word from Mohammed or Akil; Baghdad Treasure just emailed. No update on Riverbend.