Najaf corpses show fight's toll

[Nambe]

By ALEX BERENSON The New York Times

.. Now, as a cease-fire halts the three-week fight between U.S. forces and Iraqi insurgents, the toll from the battle is only too clear. On Friday afternoon, the decomposed bodies of insurgent fighters lay in houses in and around the Old City, which surrounds the shrine.

One house at the western edge of the city held four blasted corpses, missing arms and legs, their stench heavy in the hot midday sun. Dogs had been at the bodies overnight, Marines said. Indeed a dog skulked nearby as Iraqi medics carried the remains to an ambulance for transport to the shrine, where they are washed before burial.

As many as 1,000 guerrillas may have been killed since early August, U.S. commanders say, along with 11 U.S. Marines and soldiers. More than 100 soldiers have been wounded, including dozens of serious injuries. About 3,000 U.S. soldiers took part in the fight, battling somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 guerrillas, a number that varied as Iraqis joined or quit the battle. ..

[DeepModem Mom]

1. Berenson was "set on by crowd," "taken captive," released

"Civilians walked freely around the shrine on Friday, and the area was nominally peaceful, but passions are running high just below the surface. Just before the noon prayer call, this reporter was accused of being a spy and set on by a crowd just west of the shrine, then briefly taken captive by Moktada al-Sadr's guerrillas, blindfolded and tied up, and threatened with death before being released unharmed after senior Sadr officials intervened."

[LynnTheDem]

2. The very same Shi'ites

that Saddam Hussein kept oppressed. And no one seems willing (media) to point this out.

[montana_hazeleyes]

3. My g-d

The absolute horror this unqualified, arrogant little Piece of cow dung has unleashed.

I hate the "people" responsible for this whole mess.

[Nordic]

4. gosh, sounds like some mass graves are in order

the US is as bad as Saddam. Worse, actually.

[robcon]

6. The US is far, far better than Saddam.

I think you need an infusion of information.

[jukes]

8. i don't think facts support

your statement. but WE have no business there.

bush is no better, nor any worse than hussein. they wear the same stripes.

[leftchick]

10. just how exactly is the US better....

because th US drops bombs from the sky rather than shoot the innocent people directly in the head? The US has killed about 37,000 Iraqis since the start of this debacle. How the fucked up is that?

[Doctor Smith]

12. At killing, you mean?

I agree. The US can kill Iraqis far, far more efficiently than Saddam could.

[tlcandie]

13. IMO the US is worse .. FAR worse...

Why? Because the US knows peace, freedom, compassion, love, humanity in all its forms. We do NOT have to resort to terror or war to cause changes. We have choices! We have not been invaded time and again by more powerful forces trying to steal our treasures and resources.

Saddam and those who are in places such as himself do not or have not had the opportunities nor the insight to make CONSCIOUS informed decisions without undue influence from outside forces for many years now.

Simply put: The US is extremely powerful and we have the ability to make conscious decisions based on the welfare of ALL living beings! Most of those in situations such as Saddam's find themselves trying to stay alive being manipulated moment by moment and do not have the chance to stand free of power and greed. Some fair better than others at this game of cat and mouse.

I guess this is the adult/older versus child/younger argument twisted a bit, but still valid.

[Nordic]

14. I hear nothing but crickets from Robcon .....

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. Bush has already beat Saddam

in less than 2 years, the number of Iraqi civilians that have been killed.

[sam sarrha]

5. there are a lot of pissed off brothers, fathers, uncles, cousins, friends

neighbors ..etc etc... wanting to kill American soldiers. and Americans here.. and Ossamma Ben Forgotten is recruiting them as you read this...

[leftchick]

9. and was it worth it ?

... fuck NO! Fighting an unwinnable war for an idiot* in the WH for "our freedoms"... :puke:

[catmandu57]

11. No, it's not worth it

We have thrown away our standing in the world, sunk to the level of a despot, for what? To enrich the b.f.e.e. to ensure they'll be rich for generations. If we don't stop this monster we're next.