STORM2K

There's something chilling about threats coming out of al-Sadr as he feels the noose tightening around him. When backed into a corner, it is not surprising that his comments turn from "me" to "we."

The threat of unleashing a wave of suicide attacks is much different since 9/11 than it was before that time. It's easy to feel more personally vulnerable as a country, and as individuals, when such threats are made. Like you should be a little closer to the news channels just in case.

Al-Sadr plays into the weaknesses of civilized people by suggesting that we have control over our own future...and future deaths in Iraq and elsewhere...even here in the US. His words point out that somehow all we need to do is back off and that no harm will then come our way.

Unfortunately it doesn't work like that.

His hours and days are numbered, and he knows it. But I must admit that such threats coming from him are more unnerving than any dusty tapes from a distant Usama Bin Laden played on Al Jazeera.

We'll need to be strong through this one, I suspect. I have no doubt that we will quiet him soon.

And when that happens, our fear and apprehension will be heightened once again.

Hard to remember what life in America was like before 9/11, isn't it.

It is hard for me to remember what it was like before 9/11.

Has he issued more threats?

I realize he's holed up in a holy city but I still don't understand why we haven't just taken him out. He sounds just as dangerous as OBL and apparently his followers are looking up to him as though he were a God.

I say the hell with all this crap going on over there. There comes a time when you just got to do what you got to do. If we are going to expose our men and women to the dangers over there, then just eliminate those dangers by whatever means you have available. There's only one thing those extremists understand; if they can threaten suicide bombings, then show by example just what we are capable of.

I agree with you, janswizard. I realize that there are innocent people in that area. however, they've been warned to get out. I say do some broadcasting and leaflet drops to warn them to get out. Give them a set time to be gone by, then let the bombs fly.

I also realize that he's supposedly in a "holy" place. I'd like to see our guys make it holey LOL.

I, for one, am tired of the US trying to do everything politically correct. It's time to stop bowing down to these clowns. If they are hiding in a masque, blow it away and show 'em what we can do. If they want a holy war, I saw give 'em one.

A building should not stand in the way of stopping these clowns.

Tim, great post. I think we need to lay down the law. The people have been warned to evacuate, so we need to follow through. But hey, I'm no military strategist.
...Jennifer...

he is making threats because we are hesitating. if we are uncertain what to do with him, is the war on terror lost?

Agreed,

It's time we revert back to the WW2 days and actually take a city by any means possible. If "innocents" die, better them than us. Plus, I doubt that there are many true innocents in Najaf. Either they are on our side or they're with the enemy and if they withhold info from us regarding the enmy, they're the enemy

The guy is a swollen tick who needs to go on Atkins for at least a year, and his supporters need to get a dose of world foreign affairs, sprinkled with a bit of reality in countries other than those that wack their fellow men/women with nary a bat of an eye. Speaking of which, if we subscribe to the 'eye-for-an-eye' analogy - as they want everyone to do so let's be fair...we need to get cracking on the 3,000 CounterWacks in Iraq and AfganieLand. Enough puxxy-footin' around.