US warplanes carried out air strikes in the city on Friday and Saturday

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.khaleejtimes.ae/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/focusoniraq/2008/March/focusoniraq_March192.xml§ion=focusoniraq&col=

30 March 2008

BAGHDAD - Iraq’s main cities of Baghdad and Basra were locked down on Sunday amid a deadly standoff between security forces and Shia gunmen whose leader, cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, is defying calls for fighters to lay down their arms.

Pedestrians and vehicles stayed off the streets of the Iraqi capital for a third straight day of curfew, imposed amid intense firefights that have killed at least 90 people in the capital since Tuesday.

The southern oil hub of Basra was relatively calm, residents said, adding however that two neighbourhoods had been bombed during night by US or British jets. The two militaries did not immediately confirm the assaults.

US warplanes had carried out air strikes in the city on Friday and Saturday in which several people were killed, Iraqi and US officials said.

An AFP photographer said a vehicle curfew was still in place in the southern port city of Basra but that some pedestrians had dashed out to do some emergency shopping, taking advantage of a relative lull in the fighting.

More than 270 people have been killed since Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Tuesday ordered troops to launch an assault in Basra on Shia militiamen he has since described as “worse than Al-Qaeda.”

[acmavm]

1. What word is there that can describe a situation that has gone past

'catastrophe'? Because that is where Iraq is right now.

[Ian David]

2. It's a Catastrofuck. n/t

[acmavm]

3. Thank you so much. That's pretty fitting.

[Ian David]

5. I think Jon Stewart may have said it first. Actually, yes. Urban Dictionary credits Stewart.

1. Catastrofuck
239 up, 3 down


When a hell-hole hits a cataclysm.

This word was coined by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show on October 3, 2006.

Republican senator Linsey Graham's comments from the Daily Show clip:

"If it is seen that our country is trying to define the Geneva Convention to meet the needs of the CIA, why can't every other country redefine the Geneva Convention to meet the needs of their secret police? It would be a disaster."

Jon Stewart's response:

"Yes, a disaster, as opposed to what we have in Iraq now. Uh, what's it called when a hell-hole hits a cataclysm? A, uh... catastrofuck.

(pause)

I just coined that, didn't I?"

Friend 1: Wow, have you heard about the latest shit going on in Iraq?

Friend 2: Yeah. What a catastrofuck.

More:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=catastrofuck

[lonestarnot]

4. A catastrofuck o'nutfuckery!