Iraqi Military Orders Sadr City Residents To Evacuate
BAGHDAD - Iraqi security forces, after more than of 40 days of intense fighting, on Thursday told residents to evacuate their homes in the northeast Shiite slum of Sadr City and to move to temporary shelters on two soccer fields.
The military’s call indicated the possibility of stepped-up military operations and came as Iraqi security forces raided a radio station run by backers of Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr. In the southern port city of Basra, militants launched rockets that struck a coalition base, killing two contractors and injuring four civilians and four coalition soldiers.
Sadr City has been a battleground since late March, enduring U.S. airstrikes, militia snipers and gunbattles between U.S. and Iraqi forces and the Mahdi Army, the militia loyal to Sadr.
Already some 8,500 people have been displaced from the sprawling slum of some 2.5 million people, according to the Iraqi Red Crescent. For weeks, food, water and medical shortages have affected about 150,000 people, aid agencies said.
Two soccer fields in east and northeast Baghdad are expected to receive some 16,000 evacuees from the southeast portion of the city where the fighting has been most intense.
Col. Abdul Amir Risna Sigar, the director of sports facilities in Baghdad, said his organization would set up 500 tents around the two fields but are waiting for final orders. The Iraqi Red Crescent was stockpiling food, medical supplies and tents after being informed of the evacuation. It will be responsible for setting up the shelter and living areas for evacuees, the general director, Mazen Saloum, said.
Right now the fields are empty, and families have not come.
Um Mohammed, 48, ignored the Iraqi soldiers calling over loudspeakers for residents to leave their homes on Thursday. Earlier this week the Iraqi army dropped fliers around her home that asked residents to turn over Mahdi Army militiamen and cooperate with the government.
“The residents here are laughing at the government,” she said. “Their demands are very strange. Either hand over our sons or leave our houses to live in small tents.”
Um Mohammed will stay in her home, she said, even though her neighborhood is beset by gunbattles and sporadic airstrikes.
“We refuse to leave,” she said. “Our death will be inside our homes.”
In most of Sadr City, people haven’t had food rations for more than a month and a half, and the Red Crescent has distributed thousands of food packs, 100 tons of flour and supplied four tons of medical supplies to the two main hospitals. Five hundred to 1,000 people have been killed in more than 40 days of fighting.
The U.S. military also distributed aid and treated citizens for medical conditions as troops continued their battle on the edges of Sadr City.
The U.S. military is putting up barriers to isolate the southern portion of the city, about 2 square miles, where they believe militants are launching rockets into the heavily fortified Green Zone, where Iraqi government offices and the U.S. diplomatic mission are housed. They expect the project to be complete in less than two weeks. The walls will isolate about 800,000 people in the sprawling slum from the rest of the district to stem the flow of rockets and weapons, said Col. Allen Batschelet, the chief of staff of the U.S. military Baghdad command.
“We’re putting a series of these barriers that allows us to control access,” he said. “Is it disruptive? You bet. Does it slow down commerce? No doubt. But right now that’s the cost of reducing the illegal flow of weapons and arms that were getting in there previously.”
On Wednesday, Iraqi security forces raided and stopped the broadcast of the Sadrist Al Ahad radio station, radio employees said.
“The army told the manager that the radio station is considered to provoke terrorism,” said Akhbal Hameed, a 38-year-old radio employee. “The Iraqi forces blocked, raided and evacuated the building.”
Iraqi officials said they didn’t shut down the station and only conducted a raid.
Special correspondents Laith Hammoudi and Jenan Hussein contributed.
© McClatchy Newspapers 2008
How many 12 foot high barriers will the US military construct in Iraq? Is Halliburton or subsidiaries involved?
The use of cement barriers are only temporary. When will they come down?
Its ironic. The US made the Berlin Wall an icon of anti-Soviet propaganda. And now the US and Israel are those nations who are at the forefront in using and building cement barriers to control subject populations.
And nobody has made these walls (including that betweem the US and Mexico)the defining icon of the US and Israel’s “Global War on Terrorism.”
How are we doing in terms of winning hearts and minds in Sadr City?
We launched this war 5 years ago. Are we ready to wrap things up, almost done?
Aren’t 3-4 million displaced people enough?
Within a day of the huge typhoon that tore apart the country of Myanamar (Burma) Laura Bush appeared on national television condemning the leaders of that country for withholding lifesaving supplies. Then she shrugged off the sadness and repaired to Crawford where a huge wedding is to be held on Saturday. I won’t repeat the details only to say that it is to be a huge affair with a dance floor near a lake and 14 bridesmaids - why aren’t they in the military? - with an orchestra and a catered banquet. Again - why aren’t they in the military?
Across the oceans and continents another big affair is scheduled - the U.S. military abetted by Iraqi conscripts are ordering the citizens of Sadyr City (Baghdad) are being ordered to evacuate and to find shelter (?) in a tent city awaiting them in two soccer fields. Their homes will be be destroyed. No food. No water. Only the clothes wrapped around their poor bodies. Has Laura chastised her husband and his partners in crime?
I am so saddened, distraught by these criminal actions, I find it hard to express my deepest feelings without a tear spotting this writing.
Sadr City is a huge slum that happens to be home to 2.5 MILLION PEOPLE. And they are going to evacuate to TWO soccer fields? What are they going to do? Stack them up on top of each other. And then what? Is a massive free-fire zone to be declared for massacre? Are they planning on levelling Sadr City and creating 2.5 million homeless. Their life is hell right now, but at least they have roofs over their heads. What the hell is the matter with us?
As far as that wedding goes … let’s just say I couldn’t think of a better time and place for a small meteor to hit … you know, one about the size of a car should do it.
The mantra from US Inc this week has included glamorous hotels, golf courses, fun filled investment from the entertainment industry. The only way “capitalism” thrives is if the market is controlled and troublemakers or other competition, beaten down. Or, in the case of Sadr City, evicted or bombed. So it is understood with the US Mafia, an aggressive re-zoning of the “slums” is necessary for the benevolence of outright freedom. (theft)
The photo (above) of the sweet little Iraqi child wandering barefoot near broken glass tore my heart out.
Now I want to say this to every one of you. As long as the U.S. has a destructive military regime in power, we are all little children wandering barefoot near broken glass.
sounds like “ETHNIC CLEANSING” to me.
I agree Anita. I wanted to scoop up the little darlin and hold on to him until it’s over an it’s safe to go home.
yes and are we sure there is such a thing as an “Iraqi military”? Is it one of those imaginary beings like the “Iraqi government?”
There is no one “free” these days, but those in charge, and they aren’t whom you think they are. They are those that have lead from behind the curtain for decades, and are still in control and still spreading lies and untruths for thier own gains. Don’t believe me, just try to take a stand and stand behind truths.
These lies are not new, and the lies have continued for many decades.
These in this story are just some of those that have been made to comply, but Thankfully many are waking up and speaking up and standing up against lies that have been sealed behind closed books and doors. Once again these Heros are standing up for what “America is suppost to have stood for all these years”. Truth and freedom.
Watch and learn , this is long and full of real facts, and it will amaze you who backs whom. They sure aren’t for Americans.
“Loss of the Liberty ”
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/18.html
The Israeli Attack on the USS Liberty
{Article quote}: “Two soccer fields in east and northeast Baghdad are expected to receive some 16,000 evacuees from the southeast portion of the city where the fighting has been most intense … the director of sports facilities in Baghdad, said his organization would set up 500 tents around the two fields but are waiting for final orders.”
Maybe someone should tell the US military (who obviously ordered the evacuation so that they could get their spin meisters to blame it on Iran ..) that if the above quote is correct, the person to tent ratio is 32 to 1.
I wonder how many tents Laura is setting up in Crawford for the big wedding.
This looks like the propaganda and planning for another Fallujah.
.
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Remind me of Mussolini’s round up of the Jews in Rome….temporary relocation for their own good………..
Fascist are always for effeciency and security.
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Bush is doing exactly the same thing his father did.
Commission of Inquiry for the International War Crimes Tribunal
by Ramsey Clark and Others
Index of Crimes
The United States engaged in a pattern of conduct beginning in or before 1989 intended to lead Iraq into provocations justifying U.S. military action against Iraq and permanent U.S. military domination of the Gulf.
President Bush from August 2, 1990, intended and acted to prevent any interference with his plan to destroy Iraq economically and militarily.
President Bush ordered the destruction of facilities essential to civilian life and economic productivity throughout Iraq.
The United States intentionally bombed and destroyed civilian life, commercial and business districts, schools, hospitals, mosques, churches, shelters, residential areas, historical sites, private vehicles and civilian government offices.
The United States intentionally bombed indiscriminately throughout Iraq.
The United States intentionally bombed and destroyed Iraqi military personnel, used excessive force, killed soldiers seeking to surrender and in disorganized individual flight, often unarmed and far from any combat zones and randomly and wantonly killed Iraqi soldiers and destroyed materiel after the cease fire.
The United States used prohibited weapons capable of mass destruction and inflicting indiscriminate death and unnecessary suffering against both military and civilian targets.
The United States intentionally attacked installations in Iraq containing dangerous substances and forces.
President Bush ordered U.S. forces to invade Panama, resulting in the deaths of 1,000 to 4,000 Panamanians and the destruction of thousands of private dwellings, public buildings, and commercial structures.
President Bush obstructed justice and corrupted United Nations functions as a means of securing power to commit crimes against peace and war crimes.
President Bush usurped the Constitutional power of Congress as a means of securing power to commit crimes against peace, war crimes, and other high crimes.
The United States waged war on the environment.
President Bush encouraged and aided Shiite Muslims and Kurds to rebel against the government of Iraq causing fratricidal violence, emigration, exposure, hunger and sickness and thousands of deaths. After the rebellion failed, the U.S. invaded and occupied parts of Iraq without authority in order to increase division and hostility within Iraq.
President Bush intentionally deprived the Iraqi people of essential medicines, potable water, food, and other necessities.
The United States continued its assault on Iraq after the cease fire, invading and occupying areas at will.
The United States has violated and condoned violations of human rights, civil liberties and the U.S. Bill of Rights in the United States, in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere to achieve its purpose of military domination.
The United States, having destroyed Iraq’s economic base, demands reparations which will permanently impoverish Iraq and threaten its people with famine and epidemic.
President Bush systematically manipulated, controlled, directed, misinformed and restricted press and media coverage to obtain constant support in the media for his military and political goals.
The United States has by force secured a permanent military presence in the Gulf, the control of its oil resources and geopolitical domination of the Arabian Peninsula and Gulf region.
http://deoxy.org/wc/warcrim3.htm
Final Judgment:
International War Crimes Tribunal
The members of the International War Crimes Tribunal, meeting in New York, have carefully considered the Initial Complaint of the Commission of Inquiry dated May 6, 1991 against President George H. W. Bush, Vice President J. Danforth Quayle, Secretary of Defense Richard Cheney, Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf Commander of the Allied Forces in the Persian Gulf, and others named in the Complaint charging them with nineteen separate crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in violation of the Charter of the United Nations, the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the First Protocol thereto, and other international agreements and customary international law:
Findings
The members of the International War Crimes Tribunal finds each of the named accused Guilty on the basis of the evidence against them and that each of the nineteen crimes alleged in the Initial Complaint, attached hereto, has been established to have been committed beyond a reasonable doubt.
The members believe that it is imperative if there is ever to be peace that power be accountable for its criminal acts and we condemn in the strongest possible terms those found guilty of the charges herein. We urge the Commission of Inquiry and all people to act on recommendations developed by the Commission to hold power accountable and to secure social justice on which lasting peace must be based.
http://deoxy.org/wc/warcrim3.htm
We refuse to leave,” she said. “Our death will be inside our homes.”
Better than death in a tent in a football field.
Why is the world not up in arms over this obvious USA Ethnic Cleansing of Bagdhad?
2.5 million people…500 tents..that is 5,000 per tent.
well, the Nazis managed to find room for 6 million jews in a few small camps…
Is Haliburton building the “Showers”?
The U.S. military is putting up barriers to isolate the southern portion of the city into convient sized killing zones. Now the captive civilians are told ‘get out’ if you can. What’s to come is another Warsaw Ghetto, Dresden, Wounded Knee, Gaza or Fallujah. Happy Mother’s Day to the mothers and their children who are about to be slaughtered like My Lei and Qana.
an 4 DAY CEASEFIRE has been negotiated — no military action for the next 4 days — the US Military claims no knowledge of it … it’s between Maliki and Al-Sadr.
stay tuned.
Bombing people, shooting people, and, at the same time, supplying medical treatment and food to ‘em. What? Beat the stuffing out of someone and then give ‘em a bandaid? Wouldn’t it make more sense to just not beat the stuffing out of them in the first place?
Not only is this disgusting, but it’s just plain stupid. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 and we’re not getting any oil from the country and millions of people are dying and our country’s economy is tanking and why in the hell are we still doing this, anyway?