The Discerning Texan
All that is necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing.
-- Edmund Burke
-- Edmund Burke
Monday, September 03, 2007
Islamist Equal Rights Amendment
Cartoon by Cox and Forkum (click to enlarge)
Labels: al-Sadr, Cartoons, Iran, Iraq, Islam, Islamic Fascism, Women's Rights
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Al Sadr's "Pledge" : Fool Me Twice Shame on Me?
A lot of blogs are making a big deal about the fact that firebrand Shiite cleric (and ally of our Iranian enemies) Muqtada Al Sadr has declared a 6-month "cease fire" in his Mahdi Army's not-so-private war against US troops in Iraq. Yes, perhaps this will help to convince on the fence Americans that the surge is working, but on the other hand we have seen Al Sadr pull this crap before. Personally, I am more inclined to go with Uncle Jimbo's take on this:
Well you better work out a policy there because Sadr City is on the list and your clowns better figure out which team they are gonna play on. Mookie has pulled this, what three times now? Whenever he sees a little red dot on his chest, he declares a cease fire, or more properly a hudna, meaning his troops rest and refit and wait for more advantageous times.BAGHDAD - Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has ordered a six-month suspension of activities by his Mahdi Army militia in order to reorganize the force, and it will no longer attack U.S. and coalition troops, aides said Wednesday....
Asked if Mahdi militiamen would defend themselves against provocations, he replied: "We will deal with it when it happens."
Well that ain't gonna fly this time. In or out Mookie, no sitting in the stands heckling. Now we have been making deals with quite a few Sunni Sheikhs, with pretty unpalatable backgrounds, so I'm not saying we can't cut a deal with him. But any deal needs to be on our terms and involve some shows of loyalty to the central government. Second biggest mistake of the occupation after disbanding the Army, not martyring Mookie the first time he poked his head up.
Labels: al-Sadr, America War Support, Iran, Iraq, War strategy, War Successes
Friday, July 27, 2007
US Special Forces take on Shiite Militia
If you are trying to blow things up, you are going to face the music--whether you are Shia or Sunni: that is the message that US Special forces sent yesterday when Shiite militia started firing off rockets (via Breitbart):
At least three of the dead were Mahdi Army fighters, according to Razak al-Musawi, a local spokesman for the political movement of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, which commands the militia.It is a well known fact that the Shiite militias are funded, trained, and armed by Iran--who has a vested interest in keeping the region destabilized so as to force the weak-kneed Surrendercrats at home to abandon our interests there.
US special forces called in an air strike on Friday when Shiite militants unleashed a barrage of rocket and machine gun fire during clashes that erupted in the Iraqi shrine city of Karbala.The US military said it killed around 12 militants in the strike, ordered after fighters from the Mahdi Army opened fire on a helicopter taking part in the operation which netted a senior militia leader and two aides.
[...] "The Americans were looking for a well-known member of the Mahdi Army named Hamza Matrud. There were three people killed and seven wounded from the Mahdi Army," he said.
The US military did not give any names, but said its target commanded a 100-member rogue Mahdi Army cell responsible for bomb and mortar attacks on US-led troops, civilians, and the assassination of two government officials.
Cities in south-central Iraq have seen several running battles in recent months between rival Shiite militias and US and Iraqi forces.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
al Sadr's Militia Kidnapped Brits
Ol' Moqtada hasn't wasted any time since returning to Iraq from his meetings with his bosses in Iran. He is already getting busy sabotaging the Iraqi government and endangering the lives of US and British troops. Captain Ed has more:
Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army apparently masterminded the kidnapping of five Britons in Iraq. The abductions likely came as retribution for the death of Sadr's lieutenant in a gunfight earlier this month between the Mahdis and the British [...]But it is the Captain's final words which are the key here:
[...] If this is true, it challenges the status of Sadr as a politician to a degree not seen since his capitulation in Najaf in 2004. It also highlights the problem of Sadr's influence on the Interior Ministry, controlled by one of his allies and reportedly infiltrated to a high degree by Mahdis and other Shi'ite militias. The kidnapping took place at a government building, the first time Westerners have been abducted from such a facility.
The big worry is that the Mahdis will sell the hostages to another group, perhaps even al-Qaeda. The commandos of the SAS have been put on alert in case they are needed for rescue and extraction. In the meantime, the UK and the US have to pressure the Maliki government to either take care of Sadr or to stand by while we do so. The raids on Sadr City this week sent a message, but as we have seen with Sadr in the past, that message needs to be personal -- and final, this time.Emphasis mine. The only thing the Arab mind understands is strength--brutal strength. And there is very little time left for us to beat around the bush. We knew it was going to come down to going after al Sadr. He has only grown more aggressive since returning, and since the foolish and stupid decision to actually talk to the #1 sponsor of State terror on Planet Earth. Somehow the words "You are either with us or you are with the terrorists" just don't quite have that same snap and believability. Go figure...
Labels: al-Sadr, Iran, Iraq, Islamic Fascism, War strategy
Monday, May 28, 2007
What is Gordon Johnroe smoking?
It is no wonder we are having such a hard slog in Iraq: members of our own National Security Council are hallucinating. Next they'll be giving Ahmadinejad the Medal of Freedom...
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Needed: One Can of Raid
Friday, May 25, 2007
Raining on al-Sadr's Parade
Monday, May 14, 2007
Axis of Evil (continued)
Monday, April 16, 2007
Al-Sadr's Final Gambit
This move by al-Sadr has all the appearances of sheer desparation.
Labels: al-Sadr, Iran, Iraq, Islamic Fascism
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Sadr urges Mahdi Army to fight US Troops
Moqtada al-Sadr can see the writing on the wall: as a result of the "surge" (and of his meetings with his puppeteers in Iran) Sadr is now calling for the Shiite Mahdi militia to escalate violence against American and Sunni civilian targets in Iraq. He knows his power base is starting to crumble under Petreaus' new strategy and so Sadr had now gone officially on the record as to his intentions.
It is now imperative that Iraq not in any way constrain our efforts to defeat and disarm this militia--which it has done in the past. We are about to find out if the Iraqis are really serious about "playing ball."
Game on.
It is now imperative that Iraq not in any way constrain our efforts to defeat and disarm this militia--which it has done in the past. We are about to find out if the Iraqis are really serious about "playing ball."
Game on.
Labels: al-Sadr, Iran, Iraq, War strategy
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Huge: Reported Leader of Iranian Splinter Group (from Mahdi Army) Captured
Ahmadinejad and al-Sadr are going to have to find another stooge to lead their breakaway militia. One of the killers of 5 Marines in Karbala is no longer a threat--but he may well become a tremendous information source as to the Iranian connection to the insurgency.
Labels: al-Sadr, Intelligence, Iran, Iraq, War Successes
Thursday, March 15, 2007
HUGE Opportunity in Sadr City
With al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army still missing in action as, Captain Ed points to a tremendous opportunity that the US and Iraqi forces now have as they move to secure Sadr City; and fortunately we have the man in place--General Petraeus--who fully appreciates the import of the opportunity which has presented itself. This is a really good sign.
Let the Dems continue their doom and gloom; it is going to be sweet to shove success down their cowardly throats.
Let the Dems continue their doom and gloom; it is going to be sweet to shove success down their cowardly throats.
Labels: al-Sadr, Hearts and Minds, Iraq, War Successes
Sunday, March 04, 2007
US Forces move in to Sadr City
Sadr City, the Shiite stronghold in the Baghdad area of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, has been the center of death squad activity against Sunnis countrywide. Up until recently, the government of Iraq refused to allow Americans to actively engage al-Sadr and his followers, notably calling off the dogs when our troops had al-Sadr's forces cornered a couple of years ago.
Therefore, it is a positive sign of this "surge" that the current Iraqi PM seems to be making good on his promise to President Bush that there would be no "off limits" areas in the current operations to secure Greater Baghdad.
Therefore, it is a positive sign of this "surge" that the current Iraqi PM seems to be making good on his promise to President Bush that there would be no "off limits" areas in the current operations to secure Greater Baghdad.
Labels: al-Sadr, Iraq, Middle East, War strategy
Monday, February 26, 2007
al Sadr Speaks...but he is still hiding
Sometimes actions do speak louder than words.
Labels: al-Sadr, Iraq, Middle East
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
al Sadr Bolts for Iran
Well, well, well...
Now why would the Shiite cleric who has been the most responsible for Shiia Death Squads in Iraq--killing both Sunnis and Americans--flee to Iran of all places? Boggles the mind, doesn't it.
Now why would the Shiite cleric who has been the most responsible for Shiia Death Squads in Iraq--killing both Sunnis and Americans--flee to Iran of all places? Boggles the mind, doesn't it.
Labels: al-Sadr, Iran, Iraq, Middle East, War strategy
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Sadr: Maliki Wants to Destroy Islam
Why al-Sadr and his militia have to go. We will not succeed in Iraq as long as they are allowed to run unencumbered.
Labels: al-Sadr, Iran, Iraq, Military, War strategy
