Peace delegation leaves Najaf empty-handed as fighting continues

[TacticalPeek]

Posted on Tue, Aug. 17, 2004


Peace delegation leaves Najaf empty-handed as fighting continues

By Dogen Hannah

Knight Ridder Newspapers


BAGHDAD, Iraq - A national political conference's bid to end the fighting in the Shiite Muslim holy city of Najaf appeared to have failed Tuesday, as a delegation returned to Baghdad early Wednesday without having met with rebel cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Aides to al-Sadr blamed his absence on fierce battles that raged between American forces and his Mahdi Army militia near the revered Imam Ali shrine even as the eight-member peace delegation arrived in Najaf aboard two U.S. helicopters. But al-Sadr's aides declined to characterize the mission as a failure.

"This is a good step," said Qais al Khazali, an al-Sadr spokesman. "We gave our agreements in principle, but there are no peaceful negotiations with the continuous fighting."

Heavy fighting continued late into the night after a day that included gunfire, mortar barrages and a U.S. airstrike on the huge cemetery adjacent to the shrine. Maj. David Holahan, executive officer of the 1st battalion, 4th Marine regiment, denied that U.S. forces engaged in offensive operations during the peace delegation's visit.

"We sat still during the entire time on purpose," he said.

more
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/iraq/9426187.htm?1c

[whistle]

1. It seems that billions of dollars of war profits...

...are still on the table. Otherwise peace would prevail.