Written by: Beck
August 5, 18:44 GMT: al-Sadr declares the "cease fire" to be ended.
The radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has called on his followers in Iraq to rise up and fight U.S. troops. The message comes as clashes broke out in at least three cities between his supporters and U.S. and Iraqi security forces.
August 6, 20:21 GMT: Marines declare 300 Mehdi Army to be ended.
About 300 militia fighters have been killed in the south-central Iraqi city of Najaf in fighting since Thursday, U.S. military officials said.
But the Mehdi Army, the militia loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, disputed the U.S. figures. A spokesman for al-Sadr, Sheikh Raed Al-Kadhim, said 36 fighters had been killed and 70 wounded.
This should not be a challenging lesson to learn. To their credit, the militants did manage to kill 3 Marines and wound another 5. I wonder for how long Al Sadr is prepared to sacrifice the lives of 100 young and untrained Iraqis for each American taken out of the action?