I do believe history will (and already has) marked 20 March(03) 2003 for such distinction.
That sledgehammer (oh, the photo is so convincing!) of shock and awe and then ‘bulldozing’ (acting like Israel now) through the countryside stirred outraged calls of war crimes as "Army General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, was asked if the United States would use air power to protect Iraqi antiquities from destruction by Islamic State. ‘‘We will consider it, but it will have to fit into all the other things we are being asked to do on behalf of Iraq,’’ he said. Dempsey also said the US-led coalition is being careful in its use of air power in order to avoid civilian casualties."
I guess that means bombing the sites(?) to keep ISIS from destroying them(?). It's a painful choice, but there is no other way to save them:
"A new video purportedly from the Islamic State shows fighters at Iraq’s ancient city of Hatra. They are seen destroying the archeological site by smashing sledgehammers into its walls and shooting Kalashnikov assault rifles at priceless statues. Hatra, which is about 70 miles southwest of the Islamic State-held city of Mosul, was a large fortified city during the Parthian Empire and capital of the first Arab kingdom. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site."
"A newly released Islamic State video posted online shows militants hammering, bulldozing, and ultimately blowing up parts of the ancient Iraqi Assyrian city of Nimrud in March, destroying a site dating back to the 13th century BC, the Associated Press reported. The destruction at Nimrud, near the militant-held city of Mosul, came amid other attacks on antiquity carried out by the group now holding a third of Iraq and neighboring Syria in its self-declared caliphate. The attacks have horrified archeologists and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who last month called the destruction at Nimrud ‘‘a war crime.’’ The seven-minute video, posted late Saturday, shows bearded militants taking down huge alabaster reliefs depicting Assyrian kings and deities. A bulldozer brings down walls, while militants fill barrels with explosives and later destroy three areas of the site."
I don't want to be a Nimrud; however, if these are not complete fakes they are false flag phonies and indicate the behavior of conquerors. As with the Bush destruction of Babylon upon initial invasion, the neo-con world plan calls for a country and nation's collective memory to be wiped out in favor of smaller clans and factions thereby diluting any organized threat to further encroachment, by making said parties easier to control and instigate -- thus reinforcing the idea that EUSraeli empire must get involved.
I remember so long ago when I began blogging and bought into the controlled propaganda narrative provided by those the likes of Stern. The deprogramming took a while.
On the battlefield, the first town designated for attack was Tikrit. Iraqi forces launched an attack to recapture the city. The battle was likely to be long and arduous; however they quickly made gains and seized large parts of the city. The victory brought new complications, and as always, the US answer was bombs. The offensive had to be put on hold. Iraqi forces tightened their grip, joined by the radical Sadr militia that cast doubt on the operation. The U.S. airstrikes prompted a boycott and protest by Shi’ite militias. This was followed by a major advance by government forces, and most significant victory yet. Iraqi forces had prevailed in their first big test, and Saddam’s hometown was left in ruins (the spite of U.S. bombing). It was then that the mass graves were discovered:
"More than a dozen bodies were unearthed from a mass grave near the northern Iraqi city of Tikrit on Thursday, as a new UN report said Islamic State militants may have committed genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity during their rampage across the country. The grim discovery and the report’s findings — with details of mass killings, torture, and rape — raised fears that more atrocities could be uncovered as Iraqi security forces and Shi’ite militias claw back territory from the extremist group."
Next was the liberation of Ramadi that “proved to the world that the Sunnis and Shia are united.”
"The Iraqi army and militia forces launched an attack against the Islamic State outside the city of Ramadi on Wednesday, with some local officials claiming it was the beginning of a major offensive in western Anbar province, though others said that was premature. The attack came only a week after Iraqi officials declared victory over the extremist group in the city of Tikrit, where fighting to wipe out pockets of resistance was still continuing. That announcement seemed to come as a surprise to officials of the central government, however, even as Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, along with top commanders, flew to the Habaniyah air base, a government-held outpost between Ramadi and Fallujah, to meet with US advisers there about the new offensive."
The Islamic State fighters fought ferociously; however, stepped up bombing raids by the U.S. allowed the Iraqi forces to regain key districts with two weeks.
The campaign to retake Mosul would not be as easy or quick. Friction within the alliance cast doubt on the US timetable for the key battle, with US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter warning that the assault could last more than three years. Carter also said ‘‘the military, and public service as a whole is worthy of your respect, worthy of your support and worthy of your consideration,’’ but alluded to his lack of military service, telling students that, ‘‘you don’t have to join the military service to serve your country. I didn’t.’’ There were several complaints, but antiwar protests were a thing of the past for a conflict that had ended (tell it to the Canadians) and women's rights were now at the forefront of liberation efforts:
"A series of attacks targeting public places and Shi’ite militia checkpoints in and north of Iraq’s capital killed 37 people Saturday, authorities said. The first bombs exploded near the market in the town of Balad Ruz, killing 11 people and wounding 50, police and hospital officials said. Two suicide car bombers later attacked checkpoints near the city of Samarra, killing 16 Shi’ite fighters and wounding 31, authorities said (AP).... Three suicide car bombs driven by foreigners targeted the remote desert border crossing between Iraq and Jordan on Saturday, killing at least four Iraqi soldiers, officials said. The attack was immediately claimed on Twitter by the Islamic State, which said the strike involved Belgian, French, and Senegalese militants (AP).... 5 charged in bombing near US consulate No Americans were killed or wounded, and the consulate was not damaged. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.... Islamic State militants shot to death at least 25 captive Yazidis at a prison camp in northern Iraq, a Yazidi lawmaker said Saturday, the latest mass killing carried out by the extremists targeting the sect. The killings took place at a prison camp near Tal Afar, some 90 miles east of the Syrian border or 260 miles northwest of Baghdad, legislator Mahma Khalil said (AP).... Militants in Iraq carried out a series of suicide attacks Friday, hitting Shi’ite mosques in the country’s northeast and killing at least 22 people, including a senior police officer. No group claimed responsibility for the bombings but they bore the hallmarks of the Islamic State.... Saturday, a car bomb exploded in Baghdad’s central Karrada area, killing at least eight civilians and wounding 28, a police officer said. Among the dead were Shi’ite pilgrims preparing for next week’s event commemorating the anniversary of the 8th century death of a revered religious figure, Imam Mousa al-Kazim. Thousands of pilgrims typically march to his shrine in northern Baghdad to commemorate his death. No group claimed responsibility for the bombing, but it bore the hallmarks of...."
I will give you one guesS as to who you thInk it iS.
Bombings kill at least 14 in Iraq
You see what happens when US troops leave?
