The United States military risk their lives to raid suspected bad guys home and businesses, and to arrest the bad guys, specifically Sheikh Mazen al-Saedi . . . only to have Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki order them to release al-Saedi. Members of Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army are celebrating and gloating at his release. God bless our military for the risks they are taking in Iraq. They must be spitting mad today. What is the point?
BAGHDAD: Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered the release Wednesday of a leading member of radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's political organisation who was detained by US troops, state television said.Relatives and supporters of Sheikh Mazen al-Saedi confirmed he had been released, while a Sadr spokesman said Iraqi interior ministry vehicles brought him to his Shiite movement's offices in the Kadhimiya district of Baghdad.
Sadr's organisation, which includes several thousand armed fighters, complained Tuesday that Saedi, one of the party's precinct captains in Baghdad, had been arrested by US troops along with five of his supporters.
"He was released," confirmed Sadr spokesman Hamdallah al-Rikabi, accusing US forces of trying to provoke the movement into armed confrontation. source
This release coming after President George W. Bush agreed with "New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman that the current violence in Iraq was "the jihadist equivalent of the Tet offensive," Bush said: "He could be right."'
"Look, here's how I view it," Bush said of the situation in Iraq. "First of all, Al Qaeda is still very active in Iraq. They are dangerous. They are lethal. They are trying to not only kill American troops, but they're trying to foment sectarian violence."They believe that if they can create enough chaos, the American people will grow sick and tired of the Iraqi effort and will cause government to withdraw," he said. source
It will be very interesting to see what Baker's independent study group will recomment for Iraq.
________________________________________________________________________
Thursday postings:
Diary Of The Mad Pigeon, Thursday Open Roost
Liberal Common Sense, I'm sorry in the stress zone and it's Link Lovin Thursday!
TMH's Bacon Bits, Bacon Break - Please Make It Stop Midweek OTB Fest
Customer Servants, Veteran’s Wife Rejects Apology From Restaurant That Denied Service
Quietly Making Noise, Tet Offensive Part II?
Mental Rhinorrhea. Dear God Strike Me Blind. Thanks! Plus Open Trackback Thursday
:::Sed Vitae:::Sed Vitae, Serenity
Republispin, Once You Go Grey
123Beta, Monster Mash
Woman Honor Thyself, ACLU Crime Lovers
Blue Star Chronicles, Operation Forward Together is Failing
How many times do I have to say it? THEY ARE ALL MUSLIMS! THEY ARE ALL THE ENEMY!
Let's flatten the entire place and get the hell out!
Posted by: Thomas Hamilton | October 19, 2006 at 08:54 PM