Sunnis, Shia beg British Zionist crusader occupiers not to withdraw
posted at 12:34 pm on January 12, 2007 by Allahpundit
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Ted Kennedy was unavailable for comment.
The town of Az Zubayr is unique in Iraq in that its 60,000 Sunni residents live in harmony with the 460,000 Shias. People from the two Islamic branches live next door to each other, a state of affairs unthinkable in Baghdad. “The decision to withdraw is wrong and the British have the responsibility to protect us,” said Sheik Abdul Kareem Al Dusari. “The situation in Az Zubayr is good now because the rogue militias are asleep but if the British leave they will awaken.”…
“I request the British people and commanders to keep British forces working in Az Zubayr until the Iraqi security forces have the authority to run affairs,” he said. “If I inform the Sunni people of Az Zubayr that the British are leaving they will leave too.”…
The sheik’s pleas were even echoed by the rival Shia-backed Tharallah party. Salan Maki Mohana, the party leader in Az Zubayr, said it would be “very dangerous” for the British to leave.
“Lots of people will take advantage of the bad security,” he said…
“If the British leave this area there is no security because security depends absolutely on them,” said Moslem Hussayn, the local council leader.
“I am the democratically elected chairman of the town council and I call on the British government to keep her forces working in Az Zubayr. We need them here until the Iraqi security forces are fully qualified for at least two years.”
Mind you, this is in the south of the country where sectarian violence is, relatively speaking, low. The Brits have only about 7,500 troops there now, but want to pull 3,000 out by the end of May.
In Teddy’s defense, there’s a rather large flaw in the “as they stand up, we’ll stand down” position: what if they don’t stand up?
Here’s video of Blair today at Plymouth talking to himself once again about the seriousness of the threat and the consequences of abandoning Iraq to its fate. Thanks as always to our pal kasper for clipping it. Quote: “Terrorism can’t be defeated by military means alone, true. But it can’t be defeated without it.”
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Maybe the Sunnis and Shia should introspect. Maybe they should try to determine why they’re both prone to forming militias and terrorist groups in the first place. They’re big boys and girls.
PRCalDude on January 12, 2007 at 12:38 PM
Are the IntelliText ads on this site new here? I don’t remember ever seeing them before…
Hack Ptui on January 12, 2007 at 12:56 PM
I hope this is on FOX tonight. And a centerpiece of discussion over the weekend. What happens if we pull out. What are the ideological consequences? How will the Islamist ideology metastasize all over the Middle East, etc.
While I have serious questions and reservations as to the how’s and why’s of post war Iraq, we have to play the hand dealt. Simply leaving is not an option.
Theworldisnotenough on January 12, 2007 at 12:57 PM
They are annoying, but if it’s bringing money to Hotair I’m all for it.
Theworldisnotenough on January 12, 2007 at 12:58 PM
On the subject of ads, has anyone else noticed the Romney ad where the blonde is looking at him like she wants to eat him? I hope that’s his wife. But even if it is it’s kind of creepy.
ReubenJCogburn on January 12, 2007 at 1:08 PM
Project hard power? With 7,200 troops in theatre, soon to be 4,000 troops??? You have to be kidding. In addition, the British recently announced that they are going to downscale their Navy by about half!
Gotta find some way to pay for all the social programs. I see the U.K. going the same way as all other “Old Europe” countries. We, the U.S.A. are alone in this thing…
I really don’t have a lot of hope for the situation in the Middle East. This is based on our current political class, our “allies” and the culture of the middle class in the Middle East in general… So, when we say we are sending 20,000 troops in what is really happening is that we are sending in troops to make up for the retreat of our allies plus a few.
Babs on January 12, 2007 at 1:17 PM
Depressing, but I’ve had the same thought myself. What difference is a surge in U.S. troops going to make if our allies are withdrawing an equal number or more?
I’m hoping the increase in U.S. troops will also mean a change in tactics.
Slublog on January 12, 2007 at 1:25 PM
If this is how the math works, then not so much a difference but maintenance of the status quo. Not good, but not worse…
If the President meant what he said, the ROE will shift in favor of our troops accomplishing goals in the Sand.
Freelancer on January 12, 2007 at 1:31 PM
I certainly hope so. Honestly, though, the president really hasn’t given us a lot of reason for optimism in the past couple of years.
Slublog on January 12, 2007 at 1:32 PM
We’ll just have to see how CENTCOM deals with it. If they change the ROE, then the assertion was true. If not….eh.
major john on January 12, 2007 at 1:36 PM
“…they will awaken.”
And when they do, the Brits will let their Scottish Dragoons run another bayonet charge to put ‘em back to sleep again, like they did back in … ‘04 was it? Jihadis don’t like to be on the receiving end of a Scottish bayonet. It kinda freaks ‘em out. “Holy warriors, willing, no, EAGER to die for Allah.” pppfffttt yeah right, not when Highlanders armed with pointy metal objects come running at ‘em screamin’ like banshees! Don’t feel bad Achmed, it had the same effect on the Romans too.
Tony737 on January 12, 2007 at 1:36 PM
written above:
have the AUTHORITY TO RUN AFFAIRS”?
What does he mean by that? What is the perception of the Iraqi’s and “AUTHORITY”?
Do the Iraqi people still think they have no authority amongst themselves? After 30 plus years of “Sadamn & Family” hell and dictator punishment, this could really be a huge psychological problem. Do they just not know any different or better?
shooter on January 12, 2007 at 1:49 PM
He will be stepping down soon, and we will be better off without him. What do I mean?
His position requires both a limit to his appearances and a limit to what he can say. No - we have not heard the last of Tony the Tiger.
In the months to come we will see more direct interviews and an increase in the dialog of clarity - and that can only help.
I would not be surprised to then see a return after folks get a taste of what the want-to-bees have to offer.
Agrippa2k on January 12, 2007 at 1:56 PM
We have three big examples before us that should guide our thinking in regards to our war on jihad. I say jihad because that is the enemy we’re facing, not terror, terror is a tactic they’re using. I also say our war because let’s face it, we are the only warriors capable and the only warriors showing up. We were in Iraq in 91, we went back in 2003. We were in Somalia in 93, we’re back again now. We went into Afghanistan in 2001 and when troop numbers lowered the jihadists started up again. Leaving simply for convenience, political expediency or whatever reason you cite, will only mean a return to this region years later where the stakes will only be higher and the dangers more pronounced. Again I hate to interject pop-culture but once again there is a useful line that comes to mind. The movie is The Siege(Willis and Denzel). Annette Benning’s character tells Denzel’s character that handling terrorism is a lose big or lose small proposition. How true. We are going to lose life, limb, and property in this endeavor. Our question du jour is, how many lives, limbs and property will it take for us to confront and defeat this enemy. In a lose big or lose small proposition such as this, I choose lose small. Losing small means confronting the problem now and defeating the enemy now before we put ourselves in the situation of losing big. Putting this certain eventuality off will mean facing a stronger enemy, stronger in numbers, will, and weaponry. Including weaponry of the mass destruction variety. I’m on record advocating win now….which means losing small..
Our lack of will is the “lurking danger” syndrome. We all know of a road that needs to be fixed but never is addressed until a fatality occurs or at a minimum a serious injury. Then we finally fix the road and pat ourselves on the back………
ritethinker on January 12, 2007 at 2:05 PM
“The decision to withdraw is wrong and the British have the responsibility to protect us”
Does this statement rub anyone else the wrong way?
Kevin M on January 12, 2007 at 2:29 PM
It’s all about begging now is it? They begged them to stay? Of course they did. Hell, you told us they would one day didn’t you?
“They will beg before we are done, and they’ll like it too, once they’ve cleaned all the flowers they’ve busied themselves throwing at us, the liberators!”
“Greeted as liberators”! What a maroon! Damned Associated (with the terrorists) Press. (I loved that, it was soooo clever.) Bloody
communistsislamofascistmuscoms ruined the glory.THeDRiFTeR on January 12, 2007 at 3:17 PM
Drifter your narrow view of the world is rather…well, narrow. But I suppose the killing fields of Cambodia have no connection with you either…
It would be wise not to be so presumptious of how people should act at the realization of their liberation…
ritethinker on January 12, 2007 at 3:44 PM
RiteThink, it’s hard to explain liberation to somebody who’s never known anything but Liberty. Entel, who grew up in communist Romania, could better explain to these America haters what it means to go from tyranny to freedom in one’s own lifetime. We have it so good here in The West that we don’t realize how bad others have it. We’re so spoiled by our easy way of life that we hafta make up stuff to complain about. Libs think they’d enjoy life more under a system of tyranny called socialism because “everybody would be equal”… Which tranlates into “I’m a loser in this free market system that rewards hard work, therefore I shall desire a system where I can be equal to the winners and still be the lazy ass mooch that I am”. But if you libs ask anybody who’s ever lived in a communist system what a wonderful worker’s paradise it is, he might just put your lefty teeth down your lefty throat. Islamic sharia law is a lot like socialism/communism in that it controls every aspect of your life, hence the love affair between the the jihadis and their lefty allies in The West. Let’s all pray that the lefties wake up while it’s still a dream, BEFORE it becomes a nightmare.
Tony737 on January 12, 2007 at 4:18 PM
Blair does get his point across the way I see it.I wish his countrymen would see it like he does and like Bush and very few actually do. YES mistakes have been made big time but I felt if your a soilder or marine and you can’t attack en enemy because they hide in a mosque or behind a bunch of civilians then what do you expect. I hope and pray the gloves are off and we kick some serious butt NOW To wait is like tony737 “a nightmare”
bones47 on January 12, 2007 at 4:49 PM
The analogy given that a caged bird when released can’t fly because they have never been taught to fly, holds true with the Iraqi people. 1,400 years of slavery and dictatorship, what do they do with democracy? They need time to learn how to fly.
right2bright on January 12, 2007 at 6:51 PM
bones: I totally agree with you. To withdraw from Iraq would be suicide for us, we have no choice but to stand up to this threat and roll it back whereever it raises its head. It’s like Rome trying to defeat the early Christians, cept instead of Christians, it’s the mood god’s evil hoarde.
VinceP1974 on January 12, 2007 at 6:57 PM
Drifter, internalize this, for your children:
– Calvin Coolidge
Entelechy on January 13, 2007 at 4:10 PM