No - they got a bunch of baathist remnants and foreign "Mujahideen" blowing crap up. Lovely.

Don't think so - and as for all this talk of "demonizing" (you seem to like that word)

I do. For what the excellent way it connotates how there is an attempt to whitewash/tarnish context.

they do that just fine on their own without my help. Kidnapping civilians, exchanging fire with troops who aren't attacking you and blowing things up aren't characteristics I associate with people who want law and order.

Troops not attacking them but occupying their country, which eventually lead to a worsening of the situation with coalition troops attacking them and taking strict measures to curtail this.

I don't condone the execution of the Italian hostage -Fabrizio Quattrocchi.



No, it's Iraq. That place where Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds have been slaughtering each other for a long long long time.

The only mass slaughtering was under Saddam and the Baathists. There is a sense of national pride. So enlighten me as to waht you mean by "long long long time".

Sorry - either I misspoke or you mistook me. I did not mean to imply that anyone (other than the Kurds) wants a separate state. The Shiites and Sunnis don't want separate states from each other (although there have been activists who have suggested it in the past) - they just each want to be the one running the show so they can abuse and/or kill the others. Nice.

Wrong. Does each side want power (and I don't mean totalitarian power but a say and influence in the govt) and representation? Do Sunnis and Kurds have fears of misrepresentation in a Shia majority govt.? Yes. But this picture you are painting of genocidal feelings (amongst the population) isn't true. I can see a possible case basis for sectarian violence but not institutionalised genocide (again being only a reference to popular belief).

Umm - I see. And you are ignoring the fact that an Iraqui court has a warrant out for his arrest for the assassination of another cleric, yes?

I stated this either here or in another thread (I think), the arrest warrant was issued supposedly months ago but Sadr was not arrested earlier (why?), this warrant only
come to light after protests and fighting between the coaliton and the Sadr's forces, although the crime took place much earlier. To elaborate on the actual incident:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51384-2004Apr5.html

Info on Sadr and the assasination:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moqtada_Sadr

And 3000 or 5000 armed men are a nice core around which to build an army.

He'd have to build it first. It's not enough to control Iraq nor is he popular enough. Nor is it enough to defeat the CPA.