WP - U.S. Denies Raid on Najaf Is Imminent

[maddezmom]

While U.S. military commanders in Iraq have massed forces on the outskirts of the holy city of Najaf, Pentagon officials said yesterday that the United States is in no hurry to send troops into the city and attempt to seize the radical cleric Moqtada Sadr.

~snip~

Privately, some Pentagon officials concede that they had misjudged how explosive the backlash would be from Sadr and his supporters when the decision was made last month to close the cleric's newspaper. That move, followed by the arrest of Sadr's top deputy, triggered the recent cycle of violence.

"We knew that there'd be a reaction and that it had the potential of being wide in scope," a third senior official said. "If there's anything we underestimated, it's that the reaction would come in at the high end in terms of numbers of locations."

The assault by U.S. Marines on the western city of Fallujah, in retaliation for the gruesome killing of four U.S. civilian security contract workers, has also underscored the risks of igniting even greater violence and negative Iraqi sentiments while attempting to enforce order and pursue justice.

~snip~

more:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13125-2004Apr14.html

[acmavm]

1. I have a feeling that there will be icicles hanging from the ceiling of

hell before these dolts get anything right. Underestimated the reaction? Bullshit, how come everyone else knew what would happen? Is the military now being run by low I.Q. rejects or what?

Maybe they should start asking questions instead of relying on their own judgement, because it sure as hell hasn't been worth a damn so far.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Intellectually lacking curiosity,just like their pResident, apparently.n/t

[Disturbed]

3. Military

Their Commander In Thief isn't the brightest bulb on the tree.Then there is Rummy.

[leftchick]

4. guess who fed them the false information about Al-Sadr ......