Powell says US will continue to 'squeeze' Najaf until stable

[Barrett808]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US and Iraqi forces will continue to squeeze the Shiite Muslim holy city of Najaf until rebels loyal to radical cleric Moqtada Sadr are pacified, Secretary of State Colin Powell said.

"Our forces in Najaf are squeezing the city, frankly, to help stabilize the situation and deal with the Mehdi Army," Powell said, referring to the militia that have been engaged in fierce battles with US and Iraqi forces for the past nine days.

"What we want is an end to this kind of outlaw activities on the part of the Mehdi army and on the part of Mr al Sadr," he told reporters after meeting with Canadian Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew at the State Department.

Powell acknowledged that the interim Iraqi government was involved in talks with representatives of Sadr, who earlier Fridat laid down a series of conditions for the withdrawal of the militia from Najaf.

"We hope that a solution will be found in the very near future," Powell said. "But there has to be a solution that ends this kind of outlaw activity on the part of the Mehdi Army and similar organizations."

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040813/pl_afp/us_iraq_unrest_shiites&cid=1521&ncid=1480

[patdem]

1. Why is the Secretary of State speaking for the Secretary of Defense?

Secretary of State is in the business of negotiations...This is a military maneuver???

[MaineDem]

6. Thank you

My thought exactly.

The old general can't shed his military background I guess.

[atreides1]

11. That's Just It

Powell has often referred to himself as a good soldier doing his duty.

Well then let's put him back in a uniform, in command of CENTCOM, and give someone with real diplomatic skills the job of Secretary of State.

[trotsky]

2. If they squeeze everyone dead,

then it should be quite stable.

Keep on winning those hearts & minds, BushCo...

[phantom power]

9. Exactly: They have to destroy the village, in order to save it!

[sidpleasant]

3. In other news ...

"General Paulus says Germany will continue to squeeze Stalingard until stable"

BERLIN (AFP) - German and Romanian forces will continue to squeeze the Russian city of Stalingard until Bolsheviks loyal to Chuikov are pacified, General Friedrich Paulus said.

"Our forces in Stalingrad are squeezing the city, frankly, to help stabilize the situation and deal with the Bolsheviks," Paulus said, referring to the Red Army that has been engaged in fierce battles with German and other Axis forces for the past three months.

[jpgray]

4. Note that because Rumsfled is unpopular, he's hidden away now

These people are slaves to polls.

[kayell]

5. Yeah, that technique is known for working SO well nt

[jackofhearts]

7. I guess "squeezing" does sound better than

oh, I don't know, bombing the shit out of anything that is standing while killing and maiming 100's of innocent children, women and men forcing their blood all over the walls of their own destroyed homes. Yeah I guess squeezing is a little easier to sell.

May all republicans rot in hell.

[demoman123]

8. Will someone please explain to me what is going on there?

The US attacks, then withdraws, then massively attacks, then agrees to a truce. What is happening?

[Barrett808]

10. The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin...

"The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers." -- Princess Leia Organa

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

12. The beatings will continue until morale improves.

[TroubleMan]

13. Dammit, I was just going to say that...

LOL

[mike1963]

14. So was I...

:eyes: