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Saturday, November 06, 2004
Quagmire?
Read at AOL:
American, Iraqi Forces Battle
Iraqi Warplanes Kill Nine Peacekeepers, One American
American troops clashed with soldiers and angry mobs after Iraqi warplanes killed at least nine peacekeepers and an American civilian in an airstrike - mayhem that threatened to draw foreign troops deeper into the Middle Eastern country's escalating civil war.
The U.S. hit back Saturday, destroying what it said was the entire Iraqi air force - two Russian-made Sukhoi jets used in the bombing, and five helicopter gunships. The U.S. scrambled three F-16 fighter jets to the region and ordered about 300 additional troops to ready for deployment in Iraq.
The U.S.'s retaliation prompted mob violence in the national capital, Baghdad, as thousands of angry loyalists armed with machetes, axes and clubs took to the streets in search of American targets.
"Americans go home!'' loyalist mobs shouted, as thousands set fire to at least two American diplomatic outposts and tried to storm an American military base, seeking out American civilians as American and Iraqi forces briefly traded gunfire.
"Everybody get your American!'' young men screamed, swinging machetes... Man, oh man, with a story like that I'm beginning to see how our imperialism really is. I'd hoped we were helping the Iraqis - liberating them - and now, just days after the election, it is clear that our nation is in over its head. It is time to stop nation building, time to stop trying to impose our notions of peace, justice and civilization on other societies. Immediate withdrawal and an apology to the U.N. are the only appropriate response to the latest horrors.
Er, maybe not. Let's see how true internationalists go about things by looking at the actual story (our italics): French, Ivory Coast Forces Battle
Ivory Coast Warplanes Kill Nine French Peacekeepers, One American
French troops clashed with soldiers and angry mobs after Ivory Coast warplanes killed at least nine French peacekeepers and an American civilian in an airstrike - mayhem that threatened to draw foreign troops deeper into the West African country's escalating civil war.
France hit back Saturday, destroying what it said was the entire Ivory Coast air force - two Russian-made Sukhoi jets used in the bombing, and five helicopter gunships. France scrambled three Mirage fighter jets to West Africa and ordered about 300 troops to ready for deployment in Ivory Coast.
France's retaliation prompted mob violence in Ivory Coast's national commercial capital, Abidjan, as thousands of angry loyalists armed with machetes, axes and clubs took to the streets in search of French targets.
"French go home!'' loyalist mobs shouted, as thousands set fire to at least two French schools and tried to storm a French military base in Abidjan, seeking out French civilians as French and Ivory Coast forces briefly traded gunfire.
"Everybody get your Frenchman!'' young men screamed, swinging machetes.
French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo would be "held personally responsible by the international community for (maintaining) the public order in Abidjan.''
The U.N. Security Council, convening in emergency session, demanded an immediate halt to all military action in Ivory Coast and emphasized that U.N. and French forces there are authorized to use "all necessary means'' to keep the peace. The United States has so far declined to threaten a veto of resolutions supporting France's efforts.
posted by gbarto at 11:01 PM
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