I'd have posted a "link", but I don't know how to do such things! I also added the bolded text in the hope that it would help the "skimmers" to get to the gist of the article. Baron Max Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. Updated 6:43 PM ET May 31, 2007 By STEVEN R. HURST BAGHDAD (AP) - U.S. troops battled al-Qaida in west Baghdad on Thursday after Sunni residents challenged the militants and called for American help to end furious gunfire that kept students from final exams and forced people in the neighborhood to huddle indoors. Backed by helicopter gunships, American forces joined the two-day battle in the Amariyah district, according to a councilman and other residents of the Sunni district. The fight reflects a trend that U.S. and Iraqi officials have been trumpeting recently to the west in Anbar province, once considered the headquarters of the Sunni insurgency. Many Sunni tribes in the province have banded together to fight al-Qaida, claiming the terrorist group is more dangerous than American forces. ...(edited by BM) Although al-Qaida is a Sunni organization opposed to the Shiite-dominated government, its ruthlessness and reliance on foreign fighters have alienated many Sunnis in Iraq. The U.S. military congratulated Amariyah residents for standing up to al-Qaida. "The events of the past two days are promising developments. Sunni citizens of Amariyah that have been previously terrorized by al-Qaida are now resisting and want them gone. They're tired of the intimidation that included the murder of women," Kuehl said. A U.S. military official, who would not be named because the information was not for release, said the Army was checking reports of a big al-Qaida enclave in Amariyah housing foreign fighters, including Afghans, doing temporary duty in Iraq. U.S.-funded Alhurra television reported that non-Iraqi Arabs and Afghans were among the fighters over the past two days. Kuehl said he could not confirm those reports. The heaviest fighting came at 11 a.m. when gunmen _ identified by residents as al-Qaida fighters _ began shooting randomly into the air, forcing people to flee into their homes and students from classrooms. They said the fighters drove through the streets using loudspeakers to claim that Amariyah was under the control of the Islamic State of Iraq, an al-Qaida front group. Armed residents were said to have resisted, set some of the al-Qaida gunmen's cars on fire and called the Americans for help. One Amariyah resident, reached by telephone late Thursday, said the shooting continued, especially along al-Monadhama Street, the main thoroughfare in the district not far from Baghdad International Airport, where the U.S. military has extensive facilities. "The Americans came this afternoon and it got quiet for a while. We are staying home, frightened. We have no idea what's going on. There's nothing to do. There has been shooting outside since last (Wednesday) night," the resident said. Everyone contacted in the neighborhood spoke on condition of anonymity, citing fears of reprisals from roaming gunmen. Casualty figures were not immediately available. But the district councilman said the al-Qaida leader in Amariyah, known as Haji Hameed, was killed and 45 other fighters were detained. ...(edited by BM) Elsewhere, ...(edited by Baron Max) Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Al Qaeda does not exist in Iraq. The US has been battling Iraqi insurgents in Western Baghdad. Most of the insurgents aren't foreign, they are Iraqi born. This is just US propaganda. I don't think the Iraqis are ready to forgive the US after use of chemical weapons and the genocide in Fallujah, West Baghdad and the other areas. This article is completely fabricated.
It was prominently displayed on my IP homepage just before I came here and posted it. Hey, check with AP ...for all I know, it could be fabricated. Assoc Press does that a lot, don't they? Baron Max
And you know all of this, of course, because you live there. Because you're not thousands of miles away reading whatever you want to and calling anything which doesn't fit with your preconceptions a fabrication. How very easy your life must be, how simple your outlook. It doesn't matter a damn to you that the Iraqi foreign minister was in Australia recently almost pleading with the West not to leave Iraq because he knows, many know, what will happen if they do. That doesn't fit either. I made it all up. Besides, he's just a member of an American puppet government, saying whatever he's asked to say in order to retain his position. Isn't he. You know that too, don't you? That must be why it was so very difficult to find media articles which even went as far as mentioning he was here, let alone what he said. Of course, the media are all right wing propagandists. Aren't they.
This is great news. I posted a similiar story not long ago, but this one is even better. The tide may really finally be turning.
The Sunni in Iraq have in general never been on board with AQ - in Baghdad they are the secular people, the supporters of Saddam and opponents of fundie Islam, whom we deposed. The US invasion brought AQ in and gave them a foothold among the fundie and the desparate Sunni, when it kicked the secular Baathists out of power. The Sunni in Baghdad have been losing, and some are now walled into a ghetto at the mercy of the Shia whenever the US pulls out. The US destroyed their police and army and walled them in. The Shia cleansed the neighborhoods outside the wall. AQ beats them up inside the walls and wherever else they resist fundie takeover. Fine situation we're setting up, no? AQ vs US, using Iraq for a battleground. And the Shia take the cheese, if they can hold on and get Iran in between themselves and the US.
Hello Maximus for arguments sack lets say the contents of the article are true. In saying thsi what is you opion of this situation? ~~~~~~~~~~ take it ez zak
It was an Associated Press article as you saw on the copyright I posted. Saying it isn't true is tantamount to saying that all AP articles are false. Opinion? What does that matter to anything? Baron Max
I only said for arguments sake, becuase there was a little argument about whether it was true, i never said i did not think it was true. Anyway whats your opinion on the article you posted. a bit of analysis in the inital thread is good isnt it?? @@@@@@@@ take it ez zak
Analysis? Am I qualified to make such an analysis? In fact, I think that's one of the problems with this whole issue ....too fuckin' many people who are NOT qualified are making "analyses" of things about which they know little or nothing. It's a news article. It says that some Sunnis are asking for help from the American troops to protect them from member of the insurgents or Al Queda. In gazillions of posts here at the sciforums, everyone and his brother have been saying, over and over again, that the Iraqis don't want Americans in their country. This article seems to prove otherwise. Baron Max
False. alQaeda has been in Iraq for years. I have posted links on other threads proving this. Most of the terrorists/insurgents are from Iran and Syria. http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040624-112921-3401r.htm "Iran and Syria are allowing terrorists and insurgents to use their territory to move in and out of Iraq. Iran is providing material support for attacks on American troops. We will disrupt the attacks on our forces. We will interrupt the flow of support from Iran and Syria. And we will seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq." http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21046728-601,00.html The AP is a very liberal organization so if anything the seriousness of the story was downplayed.
These poor bastards are the next Hmong. Many of them are leaving the country as quickly as possible. We'll need to be ready for a wave of Iraqi immigration. That's assuming we'll have the common decency to save as many as we can when we pull out. Whether it is true or not is irrelevant; life for those perceived as collaborators will be short and painful once we leave. I don't think the presence of Al Qa'ida in Iraq is in dispute. They are exploiting an opportunity that we created. We toppled Hussein, saving them the trouble.
Yawn. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21514518-2703,00.html And, really, citing the Moonie paper (Washington Times)? Just barely a step above Newsmax. More. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5328592.stm
NewsMax has broken some great stories. I suspect you hate them because they lean right. Today's top story is about FBI's Most Wanted: Adnan el-Shukrijumah, the "Fixer" of 9/11. He's been appointed by Osama bin Laden to blow up several U.S. cities simultaneously with nuclear devices. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! http://www.newsmax.com/
You believe in talking snakes and demons, so it is no surprise that you find Newsmax (and probably also WorldNutDaily) credible sources. The fact remains; our government's intelligence agencies, after extensive review of available facts, have concluded there were no ties between Al Qa'ida and Hussein.
Hmm, nice of you to believe the government over this issue. Is that true of all other issues that the government tells you? Or do you just pick n' choose according to your own bias? Baron Max
I certainly believe them in this case. The Bush admin desperately wanted the Hussein - Al Qa'ida link to be true. The fact that they could not prove it, in spite of their strong motivation to do so, is very telling.
Saddam and alQaeda were in bed for years. Do you know about the ring? If not, you have absolutely no clue about this entire situation.
