Gates says Iraqi army appears to have performed well

[Barrett808]

Source: AFP

COPENHAGEN (AFP) - Iraqi forces appear to have done "a pretty good job" in an offensive to regain control of Basra from Shiite gangs and militias, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Monday.

"We're obviously hopeful that he will achieve most of his objectives, and see calm return as well," Gates told reporters enroute here from Brussels, referring to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

His comments came as radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called off his fighters, signalling an end to six days of clashes in Basra, Baghdad and other cities that left 461 people dead.

"I think we've all known at some point that the situation in Basra was going to have to be dealt with. It is the economic lifeline of the country. To have it under control of gangs and militias over the long term is not acceptable," Gates said.

"So I think all of us in the government were pleased to see Prime Minister Maliki take this on, take the initiative and go down there himself with Iraqi forces and try to resolve the issue."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080331/pl_afp/denmarkusiraqunrestgates

[NC_Nurse]

1. Great, can we go now?

[bemildred]

2. Gates "appears" to be a Bushite tool. nt

[Javaman]

3. is that before or after the Shiite uprising? nt

[Thickasabrick]

4. LOL ...before or after they deserted to Sadr???

[Alcibiades]

5. If the goal was to start a Shiite on Shiite civil war

then they did a heckovajob.

[grytpype]

6. Uh, they got their asses kicked, didn't they?

[MidwestTransplant]

7. From a Bush admin. crony, anything short of saying amazing is a hollow endorsement

He must think Maliki sucked.

[Javaman]

8. Well, if gates is using morons* yard stick to measure, sure, they are doing great! LOL nt

[DemoTex]

9. The ARVN "performed well" during Lam Son 719, we were told.

That's why US Army helicopter crews evacuating the ARVN from Laos had to grease the skids of their helicopters. It was every man for himself (ARVNs) as crack NVA forces routed them. So many ARVN troops would grab the skids of a US Army evacuation helicopter that the pilots couldn't get the Hueys to fly until the crew chiefs cracked some knuckles or heads. Thus the solution of greasing the skids.

[magellan]

10. "Pretty good job"?

It would have been a total rout if al Sadr hadn't agreed to back down again.

[bemildred]

11. Heckuva job Nouri. nt

[spanone]

12. bwahahahahahahaaaa

[damntexdem]

13. Yeah, rather than putting themselves at risk, they turned their equipment right over to Sadr.

And the Maliki government performed very well, indeed -- successfully running off to Iran to save their bacon.

[Supersedeas]

14. this is our excuse for leadership