Clearing the Earth of the Depraved
You know how a couple of months ago, the big news was that MSNBC had declared Iraq to be a civil war. That definition had some problems with it. The other side holds no territory, have no government, and engages in terrorist action rather than military operations, etc.
OK, now consider this. Outside Najaf, U.S.-backed Iraqi forces have engaged and killed an estimated 250 insurgents who were preparing attacks on Shiite pilgrims. Their goal? Clearing the way the arrival of the Mahdi. Not the Shiite militia of that name. The guy: Â
The fighters, who called themselves the Soldiers of the Sky, are driven by an apocalyptic vision of clearing the Earth of the depraved in preparation for the second coming of Muhammed al-Mahdi, a Shiite imam who disappeared in the 9th century, according to Ahmed Duaibel, a spokesman for the provincial government in Najaf. The governor of Najaf province, Assad Abu Gilel, said the group planned to attack pilgrims and shrines and to assassinate Shiite clerics at the peak of the religious holiday, called Ashura, which culminates Tuesday.
“Imam Mahdi is among you,” a voice on a loudspeaker could be heard by a Washington Post special correspondent who spent the day at a checkpoint near the orchards. “Fight until martyrdom.”
I’m not sure where this figures into the civil war definition.  Or how it figures into Iran’s efforts to turn Iraq into a puppet state long ago turned the insurgency into a war for regional domination, before it ever became a civil war.
These guys look like they’re on their own crazy program. It’s like Iraq has officially turned into a playground for murderous wackjobs. Hold on. It already was. That’s why we’re there.
This particular fight outside Najaf doesn’t immediately appear to have anything to do with us, except that everything that happens there does. The good news is, these zealots are being granted martydom in large numbers.Â
Update: OK, here we go. I smell Iran.Â
Topics: Uncategorized
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 11:41 pm on Sunday, January 28, 2007
7 Responses to “Clearing the Earth of the Depraved”
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January 29th, 2007 at 1:03 am
These are the same kind of loons Saddam’s gang machine gunned in waves until their barrels melted. That’s really about you can do with’em.
It’s the scorpion and the frog parable. These people can’t be “negotiated” with.
January 29th, 2007 at 4:09 am
I think we’re trying to avoid the definition “Civil War” because another section of the Geneva Conventions kick in then.
Those “crazies” shot down another of our helicopters in that battle…that’s three of our helicopers shot down this week.
A rather disturbing trend…no helicopters = no U.S. advantage.
January 29th, 2007 at 7:24 am
[...] More on this at: Flopping Aces Jules Crittenden Omar at Iraq the Model who reports that Operation Baghdad will start on February the 5th and that terrorists are fleeing from Iraq (Baghdad) to… Syria. [...]
January 29th, 2007 at 9:30 am
Isn’t that Ahmedinejad’s shtick? That the Twelfth Imam is about to make an appearance, and so Armageddon must be launched to pave the way? There’s no way to “talk” religious fanatics out of their fanaticism, especially if they’re armed to the teeth. All you can do is shoot them.
January 29th, 2007 at 11:07 am
Web Reconnaissance for 01/29/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.
January 29th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Can’t seem to get a trackback to go through. I added an excerpt and link to Now can we bomb their asses? It’s time. It’s past time.
January 29th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
A rather disturbing trend…
What? That material loss tallys always increase as time goes on? OMG, alphie has discovered the integer number system and noted that 3 follows 2, 7 follows 6, and so on.