Sunnis seethe outside sealed-off Shiite city

[ECH1969]

Police and Shiite militiamen sealed off the predominantly Shiite city of Balad on Tuesday, guarding against attacks by Sunni insurgents vowing revenge for four days of violence in which dozens of Sunnis were killed.

On the Duluiyah end of the bridge, Sunni insurgents gathered in force, clutching PKC machine guns and rocket launchers.

"If I had a nuclear bomb, I would wipe it out," an insurgent said as he stared at Balad. "I would level it."

The military statement, issued Tuesday morning, cited a "marked decrease in violence" over the past 24 hours and credited joint operations by Iraqi and U.S. forces for the reprieve.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003309925_balad18.html

[ck4829]

1. Freedom is on the march! Right?

[Submariner]

2. Just cynical "dead-enders" in their last throes

And they probably hate America too.

[yellowcanine]

3. IT'S NOT A CIVIL WAR SO STOP SAYING THAT!

[Az_lefty]

4. This is right outside of LSA Anaconda...

that has always been a hot area, I can just imagine what it's like now. I'm sure no convoys are leaving that camp with this activity going on. What a freaking mess, I don't know how we are ever going to get out of this clusterfuck. :hide:

[ProgressiveEconomist]

5. K&R, for most sibilant story summary I've ever seen

[skip fox]

6. Seiges, hysteria, blood lust, ancient hatreds spilling into the modern

world, mindless violence, societies torn asunder, widows and orphans created daily, feuds centuries old, etc., etc., etc.

But how was Bush to know?? Let's be fair, shall we? How could you have possibily guessed that this was going to be the result if your memos are only one-page long or less?

We're blaming him unfairly, don't you think????

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)