Show no mercy and crush the place

Originally posted at Right Truth

"Show no mercy toward insurgents" ... "Don't just fire back, crush the place where the fire came from," "Don't treat them with leniency. This is an armored vehicle here, use it." Those are the words of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki, a Shi'ite, to his security forces. He called for an 'end to sectarian divisions', according to this report.

Maliki said on Friday the initial days of the U.S.-backed crackdown had been a "brilliant success" but a series of car bomb attacks that have killed scores of people has tempered any early optimism. [snip]

Shi'ite officials have said the failure of Operation Imposing Law could result in the collapse of the government and trigger even more bloodletting between majority Shi'ites and minority Sunni Arabs. [snip]

The U.S.-led offensive against Shi'ite militias and Sunni insurgents had sharply reduced the number of death squad killings in Baghdad when it began a week ago.

Britain has 7,100 troops in Southern Iraq and Prime Minister Tony Blair plans to start withdrawing troops, 1,500 soldiers leaving by the summer 2007, according to The Sun.

The Financial Times, for its part, said Blair would first cut troop levels by 1,600, while the Guardian newspaper put the figure at 1,000, with all troops exiting by the end of 2008. [snip]

Blair was expected to say the withdrawal reflected Britain's success in southern Iraq, where control of security is being handed back to Iraqi forces, according to the media reports. (source)

We've heard strong talk by Maliki before, let's hope he sticks with it this time. The British troops have done a good job and we appreciate all they have done. The areas they are turning back over to the Iraqi police and troops have a good chance of continuing peace. We pray for them all.