Friendly Iraqi's

Basra was the home of the occupation forces friendliest allies, the mythological Iraqi's who embraced their liberation by the US/UK invasion forces. Basra is a 'safe zone' no more

But I guess you can over stay your welcome. Iraqis Celebrate Downing of British Helicopter

At least four British servicemen are feared dead after an army helicopter was brought down, apparently by a shoulder-fired rocket, in the southern Iraqi city of Basra yesterday. It is one of the worst incidents to befall British troops since the 2003 invasion and would bring the UK military death toll to 108.

Immediately after the helicopter went down - on an unoccupied house in the city centre - British forces rushed to the crash site, close to the governor's office. Footage from state-run al-Iraqiya television showed orange flames reaching 20ft high and large plumes of black smoke curling into the sky. Water jets were being sprayed to try to quell the blaze. British troops were seen running through the streets and being stoned by Iraqis.

As soldiers in Warrior armoured vehicles cordoned off the area, hundreds of youths chanting "Victory to the Mehdi Army!" surrounded them, throwing rocks and then petrol bombs. The crowd also set at least one British armoured vehicle on fire, but the soldiers inside escaped unhurt. The soldiers fired weapons into the air in an effort to disperse the crowd, as smoke from burning tyres on the roadway drifted across the scene. British helicopter brought down in Basra, 'killing four'

Now the Brits have their own case of "Blackhawk Down". When will the Imperialist learn the lesson of Viet Nam, The Peoples Army Will Always Defeat The Man's Technology.

How Basra riots turned bloody

Last September, British forces arrested two officials of Mahdi Army, the militia loyal to al-Sadr, raising tensions. About a week later, militiamen and residents clashed with British troops after two British soldiers in local clothes were detained by Iraqi authorities before being freed in a raid by British forces.

The most senior Shia cleric in the region, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has proved a strong moderating influence but is engaged in a power struggle with al-Sadr and has not always been able to keep growing anti-coalition fervour among the local population under control.

Much of al-Sadr's strategy depends on drawing British troops out of their heavily defended bases and into the streets. Yesterday they came to him. Soon it was small arms as well as rocks that were being used and, though reports are unclear, with British officials denying using anything other than plastic baton rounds, it appears that rapid gunfights, as over as soon as they had begun, swept the rubbish-choked alleyways.

And the reason for the insurgency and resistance in Basra is the fact that the US occupantion forces intend on creating permanent bases there.

The latest revelations about US plans for permanent bases in Iraq has compounded the already very obvious fact that the US doesn't intend on ending its occupation either as the result of a timetable, or Iraqi political pressure or US domestic pressure. They intend to draw down forces and leave tens of thousands of troops stationed in permanent bases, thereby providing them with crucial leverage both in Iraq and in the Middle East as a whole. This would, so the US government hopes, provide a base for a potential attack on Iran or Syria. It would also keep the US-vetted Iraqi political class under thumb. Not only was this entirely predictable, but it was predicted, repeatedly. The US has been depositing bases across the planet like a so many cowpats for decades, and this escalated sharply in the post-Cold War era. Why would it be different with Iraq? Iraq: neither 'civil war' nor 'chaos'.

Any forces that would impose their will on other nations will certainly face defeat. ~General Vo Nguyen Giap (Vietnam)


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