From: "Rich Gauszka" 


"George Sherwood"  wrote in message
news:pan.2006.02.26.02.08.48.529192{at}beernabeer.com...
> On Sat, 25 Feb 2006 19:20:38 -0500, Mark wrote:
>
>> Wow Rich, I just saw someone somewhere else quoting that "no
independent
>> battalions" misnomer, using that same snippet you did (but from a
>> different
>> source) so I actually just followed your link. Near the beginning it
>> says:
>> "The officials said the Iraqi security forces show no signs of cracking
>> but
>> rather have taken the lead in enforcing a curfew and restoring order in
>> Samarra, where the bombing of a revered Shiite mosque this week set off a
>> wave of reprisal killings..." then paragraphs immediately
preceding your
>> clip tell a completely different story:
>
> I just received an email from an army guy I know in Samarra and it agrees
> with what you posted not the others.
>
> "The growing theme in the news stories is the
> failure of the Iraqi Security Forces to stem the violence, which may be
> the
> case in other areas of the country.  However, here, at the epicenter of
> the
> whole affair, the Iraqi Police and MOI (Ministry of Interior) Commandos in
> Samarra are guarding the mosque site, manning the checkpoints into the
> city
> and are showing remarkable restraint even when pelted by rocks from angry
> crowds (which while in the hundreds are not that large to begin with).
> The
> local and provincial government called for restraint and most of the
> religious leaders - Sunni and Shia - did as well...and it seems to be
> working, especially with a 20-hour curfew in effect.  Few are blaming the
> coalition, and in fact we're mostly just monitoring the situation from our
> bases."
>
>
> All the people I know tell the same story, we are not seeing it fully
> here.  Only the most negative parts.
>
> George

  al-Sadr's movement is blaming the coalition. I'm not sure how much of that
is shared by the general populace though as I've seen reports that place
blame on everyone ( Iran, Shiite, Sunni ... )

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1662590&page=4
On Saturday, al-Sadr's movement joined Sunni clerics in agreeing to
prohibit killing members of the two sects and banning attacks on each
other's mosques. The clerics issued a statement blaming "the
occupiers," meaning the Americans and their coalition partners, for
stirring up sectarian unrest.

"We demand that the occupiers leave or set a timetable for the
withdrawal," the statement said.

--- BBBS/NT v4.01 Flag-5