19 Protestors Killed by Coalition Soldiers in Najaf

[MOBIUS]

Censorship - one of the cornerstones of Democracy.

It is a democracy we are trying to achieve here isn't it?

[Solly]

They were being anti-American. If only we could do the same to all America haters. Then the world would be a democratic heaven.

[Wezil]

I haven't seen the content of the newspaper which was closed down, but one can't print just anything....even in a 'free and democratic' society.

Was the content truly subversive? Anyone know?

[Tripledoc]

The paper, according to BBC I think, did not directly incite to violence, but the wording used violent imagery to illustrate certain points and so on.

[Solly]

The paper, according to BBC I think

[joncha]

From the reports that I've read, the paper carried (largely discredited) reports that some of the suicide attacks, etc. were actually missile strikes (accidental and otherwise) by coalition forces.

[Gatekeeper]

**shrug** I would've started a competing newspaper. In fact, I would've opened my offices next door to the would-be paper and put the sons-of-*****es out of business. Unless I was conveniently killed first, or my offices firebombed.

All that said, I think it's a safe bet that there isn't an agency or nation in the world that wouldn't have trouble pacifying and rebuilding a post-Saddam Iraq. After all, the folks who are carrying out terrorist attacks don't particularly give a damn as to who's doing what, because their only aim is to keep the area destabilized. That makes for fertile breeding ground for their causes, which are about as far from freedom, stability and democracy as one can get and still be on Earth.

Gatekeeper

[Tripledoc]

But is it not a bit naive to say that this war was about freedom and democracy, especially since the strongest supporters, here at least, but I suspect generally as well, seem to have positively fascist views (Giancarlo and Park Avenue)

The conservatives and liberals seem to be wavering in their support.

[GePap]

The 64,000 dollar question is whether in the coming days the authorities will attempt to jail Sadr himself.

[Giancarlo]

The casualty reports released by the media is incorrect.

Gunmen Attack Spanish, Salvadoran Troops in Najaf
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 4, 2004 – Spanish and Salvadoran troops in Najaf came under attack from gunmen hiding in a crowd of protesters, coalition officials said in Baghdad today.

The coalition troops took some casualties, but the numbers are nowhere near initial news reports of four dead and 24 wounded, said a senior military official speaking on background.

"A large number of men, many dressed in black, attacked a coalition base with small- arms fire," senior military officials said.

Coalition forces – including U.S. Air Force aircraft and U.S. Army gunships – responded to the attacks. The situation in Najaf is now stabilized, officials said.

Officials said the attacks began at about 11:45 a.m. Iraq time, when a vehicle leaving an Iraqi Civil Defense Corps base came under small-arms fire. From about noon to 2:30 p.m., the coalition base came under attack from "a large number of personnel."

Coalition authorities said reports that hundreds of civilian casualties resulted from the attacks were incorrect. "Any notion that the Spanish fired on the protesters in the middle of a peaceful demonstration would not be consistent with what we saw on the ground," a senior military official said. Authorities indicated they would have more information as officials in Najaf gather the facts.

The attacks did come as followers of anti-American Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al- Sadr marched on the compound reportedly in protest of a Sadr aide detention.

A senior coalition official said the coalition had detained the aide, Mustapha Yacoubi, for the April 2003 murder of Shiite Ayatollah Sayed al Khoei – one of Iraq's leading advocates for human rights. Coalition forces turned the accused man over to Iraqi officials. Yacoubi will be tried by an Iraqi court.

Earlier in the day, Coalition Administrator Paul Bremer said that Iraqis have gained their freedoms and have exercised their new rights appropriately all over the country.

"That is welcome," he said. "But those freedoms must be exercised peacefully. This morning a group of people in Najaf crossed the line and they have moved to violence. This will not be tolerated. This will not be tolerated by the coalition, this will not be tolerated by the Iraqi people, and this will not be tolerated by the Iraqi security forces."

Officials said they are not surprised by the variance in reports from Najaf. "It's an old military axiom that all first reports are wrong," said an official. "We will have better information in the next few hours and we'll share that with you."

[Tripledoc]

Why did the Spanish authorites on the ground deny that the aide was being held. Did the Americans fail to inform the Spanish that they had him?

[DanS]

Looks like a bloody day. AP is now reporting that 7 US troops were killed in fighting in Sadr City in Baghdad.

[Az]

All the Spanish commanders must be sent to the Hague to be tried for War Crimes.

[yaroslav]

Why?

[Az]

Lots of unarmed people were killed. The Spaniards ordered to open on unarmed demonstrators. If some other country would've done the same thing, You'd have codemnation from each and every country, outcry, fury, massive flag burning in the capitals of Europe, proposals to place an embargo on Spain, etc.. for some reason, nothing happens.