Weekly Commentary -- The Battle of Basra
by Rahul Mahajan, Empire Notes

It seems as if the fighting in Basra – and in Nasiriyyah and in numerous neighborhoods of Baghdad – is winding down, after claiming over 350 lives. It remains to be seen whether this violence will impact the much-quotes “success of the surge,” the dominant storyline in the U.S. media even though it was outdated even before the latest round of clashes.

The past week should remind us that one of the main elements of the “success of the surge” was actually Moqtada al-Sadr’s decision to order his Jaish al-Mehdi to stand down; no doubt, this was partly out of fear of the U.S. military and its heightened presence in Baghdad, but it was a responsible action nonetheless. Unfortunately, Sadr’s reward for his restraint was to be targeted in an attempt to rout his forces out of some of their strongholds in Basra.

ZNet | Iraq

by Gareth Porter; Foreign Policy In Focus; October 22, 2005

To understand just how tenuous the U.S. position in Iraq is at the moment, we have only to look at the way Basra, Iraq's second largest city, in the solidly Shiite South slipped out of the control of occupation forces last month.

The basic facts of the anti-British uprising in Basra have been well documented. On September 19 Iraqi police arrested two British military intelligence agents disguised as Arabs. The British command went to the police station where they were being detained to demand their return. Rebuffed by the police there, it took the law into its own hands, using armored vehicles to break down the wall of an Iraqi government police compound in order to free the two prisoners.

From the first days of the US-British invasion of Iraq, oil workers have resisted foreign occupation

Hassan Juma'a Awad

Friday February 18, 2005; Manchester Guardian

We lived through dark days under Saddam Hussein's dictatorship. When the regime fell, people wanted a new life: a life without shackles and terror; a life where we could rebuild our country and enjoy its natural wealth. Instead, our communities have been attacked with chemicals and cluster bombs, and our people tortured, raped and killed in our homes.

from juancole.com Wednesday, June 16, 2004

The Financial Times reports that Iraqi Petroleum Minister Thamir Ghadban has confirmed that saboteurs twice bombed a pipeline that takes petroleum to storage tanks in Basra, near the Persian Gulf.

UUI Statement Regarding the Announcement of the New Iraqi Government

In one of US tragic play’s chapters, a placement of a new government was announced. This announcement considered as a US extension policy and its efforts to take over the region and the world. That’s after the military government try-out who was about to declare the Marshal Law during the months of April, May, and June last year 2003 under Jay Garner leadership which failed miserably, the formation of Civil Provisional Authorities known as (CPA) headed by Paul Bremer, which in turn formed The Interim Governing Council known as (IGC), through all these chapters the US administration failed to come back with proper solution for the society’s dilemmas – and because they didn’t plan for it at all- they didn’t gain the sufficient legitimacy to handle the situation in Iraq.

The “Iraqi Resistance” and Worker-communists

from www.wpiraq.org

May 18,2004

“The situation in Nasiriyiah today May 18th is
relatively calm. The Mahdi Army fled the fight against

Shiite Gunmen Rampage Through Iraq Cities

Saturday May 8, 2004 1:16 PM

By SCHEHEREZADE FARAMARZI

Associated Press Writer

NAJAF, Iraq (AP) - Gunmen loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr rampaged through Basra and another southern Iraq city, attacking British patrols and government buildings a day after an al-Sadr aide offered worshippers money for capturing or killing coalition soldiers.

2 Articles

1. Baghdad bomb targets US occupation convoy - Al Jazeera

A powerful bomb has exploded in Baghdad's northern neighbourhood of Waziriya, destroying four US military vehicles.

No occupation forces spokesman was prepared to comment on casualties after the Monday morning attack, but as many as 12 marines may be dead.

68 dead, 238 hurt in Basra explosions

Press Association
Wednesday April 21, 2004 12:08 PM

Up to 68 people were feared dead and 238 injured - including four British soldiers - after a series of explosions in the southern Iraqi city of Basra.

By HAMZA HENDAWI, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - During this week's uprising, Iraqi police have abandoned stations or stood by while gunmen roamed the streets, raising concerns about their role in a future Iraq.